The Great Tree

Eleri · Great Tree Member Joined: 27 May 2004 Posts: 819

This is a bit of OOC...but it's something we should keep in mind.

Having talked off the record and OOC with a couple of ResEngs...they are not 'in' on the story. Many of them don't know much about the D'niverse, past and present, at all. Several of them have gotten into researching the D'niverse, but several others see themselves as Tech Support, and nothing else. (The comment I got from one was "they don't pay us to know history.")

I think, so far, they've done a good job of covering for that lack (and I think it is a lack, you don't put out your front line people without at least cursory background knowledge...like knowing who Jeff Zandi is...) But expecting useful answers out of them is futile.

I think we should keep asking though...it keeps them on their toes, and reminds them that 'immersive' means they gotta know what they're immersed in.
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Durin Mephit · Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 3:55 pm Post subject:

I suppose some of the ResEngs feel they are like vendors or janitors at an amusement park, rather than characters with which the guests may interact.

Obviously, I'm biased in favor that the ResEngs are more than that. Character players at a Disney park are obligated to become their characters... to act accordingly in all public views. The ResEngs are a direct public relations position, and should be subject to similar rules...

... in an ideal world, I guess.
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BladeLakem · Great Tree Member Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 514

Well, as I understand it, Cyan doesn't see them as characters. They are primarily customer service game moderators. The IC impression I get is that the DRC sees the ResEngs we see as grunts at best. It's like yelling at Tech Support - it really doesn't do much. (Trust me, I work in that industry - yelling at tech support does nothing).
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CuzinJohn · Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 9:23 pm Post subject:

BladeLakem · Great Tree Member Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 514

Sorry, I should say "nothing productive" Wink

I think Cyan has kinda put the ResEngs in a bad position. They are the most obvious and accessible members of Cyan (OOC) and the DRC (IC). However, they have the least ability to deal with the player base outside of a narrow avenue.
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Rils · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 10:44 am Post subject:

Unless they are willing to play along with you. I had a nice chat with one ResEng G.Buddell about a week ago. Friendly chap, we chatted about Nick and what the other ResEngs thought of him and his firing. Various other topics came and went, and he generally went along with my questions and gave IC "I don't knows" (besides just "I don't know").

Of course, ResEng G.Buddell is a bit of a special case... Wink

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Arionel · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 1:27 pm Post subject:

I happened to go into a bevin last night (beginner's I believe) and found what I thought was a ResEng. It was I assumed the player Orientation, but they were having a party, I actually heard music, there was dancing, a generally "happyness" going on. I had a giggle and then went on my way.
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Erik · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 1:47 pm Post subject:

Some ResEngs are well informed about D'ni and its history, they're really dedicated to the job. Others know nothing more than their standard text. It varies a lot. I attended a meeting once and the ResEng on duty could manage most questions just fine, but didn't seem to know anything else about D'ni and history than his text.

At one point, he said during the meeting "The D'ni did not believe that they were actually creating those Ages but instead creating the Link to an already existing location. As a result, it was possible, in many instances, to uncover things that were not specifically written when the Book was created, to find the unexpected." So I asked rather rhetorical, "Like people?" And he said that he didn't know that much and then he made some jokes about having seen some Bahro and a sea monster in the lake. Right... Rolling Eyes

Rils · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 2:12 pm Post subject:

In answer to your question - yes, people were often an unintended surprise. It is posible to write books that or more conducive or less conducive to having developed civilization, but I think they typically stayed away from writing books that had people. If they had people, fine, if they didn't, that was better. "Outsider" policy changed over the years; sometimes the D'ni tolerated them, typically they didn't. Outsiders were generally responsible for most of the bad moments in D'ni history, like the Pento War and the Fall.

hmm, mebbe *I* should apply to be a ResEng... Wink

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