[SnowTroll]

Old thread, but interesting topic. Honestly, you're both right. An OOC approach doesn't have to completely replace or eliminate an IC approach. In a well-designed and well-run game, OOC and IC features complement each other, rather than working at odds with each other.

When it comes to recommending and enforcing player-to-player courtsey and etiquette, nobody should have to try to twist what is essentially an impolite player OOC into an IC concept due to some elitist "I'm so 1337, I RP everything, even the OOC stuff" mentality. Mud owners should make and enforce OOC mud policies through OOC means. Peer pressure works. If 50 other players are all abiding by polite mud etiquette, the one impolite one is going to stick out like a sore thumb and draw some scorn. And if the 50 other players are all having fun and make their courteous way of doing things look enjoyable, as well as appreciated, that might change a few minds.

But at the same time, if some attention monger sticks his nose into everything and won't shut up and keeps dominating every scene and thrusting himself/herself all over, surely people are going to get sick of him IC. "Weren't you just at the anti-mage rally last week making a spectacle of yourself? Why are you at the pro-mage rally this week kissing the other half's asses and making yet another scene? Which side are you on? You had no busisness attending at least one of those two rallies, and I have a sneaking suspicion you had no business attending either of them since you're a Troll Barbarian who's never had an opinion on magic until someone scheduled a rally you could crash, and now suddenly you're spouting magical theory out of nowhere? And I'm getting awfully sick of having a casual chat with my friends in the bar and having you insert your opinion about everything. I think I'm going to stab you now."