I got a few inquires into my latest news post. So I just wanted to explain it.

In the past, when I have setup RP events of my own, I have had trouble getting proper coordination. My time is limited here and I can only do special things when I am around--I can't normally spend more than like 3-4 hours a week or so--more or less depending on my schedule. In the past, I have tried to stick with the Lusternian calendar, but I've found so many people get that confused and in the past sometimes planning things a month out causes the calendar to not fit the right time. So I have found the only way to avoid confusion is to put a "OOC: footnote" at the very end of the message with the real world time. I have really tried to make sure it's not part of the main text.

I apologize if this has ruined people's immersion, but I can't see any other good way of coordinating these efforts. I note that whenever anything else is time sensitive in Lusternia, such as the Ascension events or anniversaries, they always use the Real World times (not even GMT in many cases). I hope people accept and understand this limitation.

Well, there is the DATE command for converting dates both ways (it uses GMT ).

I've done that but I've found players get confused with that command sometimes, or just get confused with GMT (and Daylight Savings Time). I'm speaking from experience here.

If people have any other advice regarding that, I'll take it under consideration.

DATE is not completely accurate.

True, but it is close enough for what most people do.

I think it's fine to post an OOC date. They're in every organizational log and at the top of every news post. It'd be nice if there was a more IC way to do it, but for organizational purposes, it's a necessary evil.

It's far less jarring to read something like, "If you have questions about precisely when X is happening, ask me and I can clarify for you," or something in a similar vein. OOC dates in a IC context should just not happen so far as I am concerned, but you can evade around it and allow people to take initiative in figuring stuff out should they be interested. This way, the person is specifically asking you OOCly about the OOC time, so you avoid the problems that you get otherwise.

OOC footnotes specifically concerning dates is perfectly fine, and I'm an IC Nazi, only because the DATE command is so touchy. If you really do need to schedule something, the only way you can be sure everyone knows when it is is to use OOC dates. It's a necessary evil.

I don't think there's anything wrong about it.

I quite agree.

I prefer this tactic, personally, and OOC footnotes of any kind really bother me. OOC date footnotes are no exception. I can deal with them if I must, however, because I know how important it is that everyone know the date, and because I know many people are too lazy to MSG ILEEIN (( Hey, what's the OOC date for your Mad Science Party? ))

I'm in agreement with Everiine here. It's a necessarily evil. We play a game and sometimes you have to clarify things on an OOC level. It's not ideal, but it keeps everyone on the same page.


DATE is not accurate and can get quite messy when it comes to times, or people can get confused (and this happens a LOT!). Most of the time it'll put you in the ball park, but not everyone has time to run laps around said ball park, if you get my meaning.

And like I said, I get pretty irritated by any OOC stuff. But there really is no better way to organize something than to post the OOC date, provided it is done tastefully and as minimally as possible.

Ooc dates and times are appreciated from my perspective. The way you did it was great and those who complain about it further reduce their immersion by complaining.

Wouldn't go that far.