@original topic: This is normal, yes. I have witnessed two of these leaving waves by now (not counting the MB->CB transition). I don't see a way to stop it, though.
@ Gwinn Ravenn: err... do you even know what is being referred to as "hit&run" here, and if so, why it is considered cheating? Combat in PS is supposed to be based on character skills (the beloved game mechanics that are always dragged in by both duellers and levellers (who tend to be the same), to claim that any and all use of the game mechanics equates to RP). Quite obviously, though, mashing the keyboard faster than the other guy is outside this. Thus, even if we were to accept the most lenient definition of "RP" (use of the game mechanics as-is), this
still would not cover hit&run. Also, AFAICS, the devs have (effectively) stated that it is at least abuse, by changing the game to make this "tactic" harder or impossible to employ. IOW, efforts are being made to prevent it, so how can anyone claim that it is acceptable or even wanted?
@Drahlian: once upon a time we were having a discussion about the racism and extraplanar homeland ideas of yours. By then you claimed that you never hurt anyone's RP, since a duel must be accepted, and that you in fact furthered RP, since other stories and movies had bad guys, which Drahlian supposedly is one of. By that time, I clearly was failing to explain the difference between RPing an evil character and being outside the settings.
Later in the discussion I found myself unable to explain to you the difference between racism being OOC and me calling you an OOC racist (followed by you implying that I am both dumb and don't know what RP is).
Then I found myself unable to explain the difference between phrasing things medieval-ish and being IC (followed by you implying that I was narrow-minded).
All in all it clearly wasn't a fruitful debate, as by-then future events have proven.
Additionally, whether or not you guys were having fun doing it is completely irrelevant. It doesn't make it anymore IC. Likewise, if you are bored to death by some part of the settings, this part isn't going to become OOC due to that.
In the above mentioned conversation, I already expressed how shallow and over(ab)used the "I'm not from Yliakum" cop-out is. Might just as well do away with all the RP and regard anything as IC, computers, virtual worlds, football, whatever. After all, it's just a matter of claiming that your "character" is from another world. Maybe it is nothing but a virtual avatar in some game which is controlled by a player outside the simulation?
Additionally, your description sported a message "You evaluate the Drahlian won't require any effort to defeat", followed by loads of empty lines, until, finally, the
actual system message appeared, saying that "Drahlian may be impossible to defeat"... I can't help but find this notable.
If it is removed completely, so duels are simply standing face to face and clicking Attack, then I am sure that a number of Planeshift's most active players (and RPers) would leave. One less thing to keep people interested in PS. I don't want to start a dueling debate here (this has been covered quite recently in other threads).
Aye, it has. Yet, it is being claimed to further RP by you, so it must either be debated once more, or at least denied, which I hereby do.
Regardless, I still don't see reason why this thread was created in this section.
@Pushkin: don't do that, OK?