Here's a photo from a Realms event lacking any specific context. Go on back to social media and comment with the best caption you can think of.
Friday, July 29, 2022
Thursday, July 28, 2022
View Retrospective - Event Reviews
This editorial ran in the View on Friday, October 21, 2016
From the Editor's Desk: On the Subject of Event Reviews
From the desk of Jennifer DeNardis-Rosa (Areni):
One of the most important aspects of our game is how players interact with events - after all, the game only exists because people throw events in the first place. Without events, what would we have to occupy our weekends? Laundry? No thanks!
When throwing an event, our hope is always that the players who show up are able to engage with the story, mechanics, puzzles, and overall content for the full duration of the event and that by doing so they are able to enjoy themselves and have a fun day. Beyond that, we hope that those players would be open to coming to more events from that particular team because they genuinely were entertained and impressed. It would stand to reason then: if there was a way to make all events more enjoyable then more people would want to go to them and it would have a large positive impact on the game as a whole.
Isn’t it lucky that such a method already exists?
While throwing and attending events is what makes our game exist, something that has the potential to make every event as good as possible exists alongside them. That something is feedback.
Feedback can take many forms, but the most common and most easily accessible is the event review. Event-holding teams don't want to throw events that players won't or didn't like, or that people don't or won't want to go to in the future. That’s the main reason that feedback is so important. An event review is a critical tool for EHs as it allows them an important window to how players felt about the story, mechanics, food - every aspect of the event that they interacted with. Reading event reviews and altering future events because of them is vital to EH teams improving upon their past work, and raising the level of all events throughout the game.
Yet as important as reviews are, taking a look at the event archive on RealmsNET, one can see that some events get a handful of reviews while some get very few; some even get none at all.
Let's explore some possible barriers to leaving event reviews/ feedback.
1) "I don't want the EH to get upset with me if I say that I didn't like something about the event."
Don't think of feedback or reviews in terms of good or bad. If there was an aspect to the event that you did not like or enjoy, or that you thought could have been done better, you should be honest about it - the event staff would much rather that you said something so that they could take it under consideration for the next time they throw an event. EHs want to know what the players did and did not enjoy. But while you are being honest, you must also remember to be considerate. Think in terms of constructive criticism, rather than negative feedback, and make sure that your words are kind. Think about how you would want to be told, if it was your event, and go from there. If you really can’t bring yourself to say anything negative, then its okay to just highlight the positive things that you did enjoy and that were done well. That way the EH is more likely to include those aspects in the future.
2) "The event was fine, I liked it, I really don't have much more to say."
If you had an overall good time at an event, or really liked a certain aspect or mechanic that the EH/ staff was using, then tell them! People want to hear when they are doing well, too! EHs and staff often put a lot of time, money, and thought into planning, prepping for, and throwing their events, and it is gratifying to hear that people enjoyed those efforts. Sometimes, the absence of feedback can be misconstrued or misinterpreted as negative feedback where none was actually intended, or mistaken for general ambivalence on the part of the players. "Well, no one said anything, so they must not have liked it." That is why feedback and event reviews are so important, even if you only write a few lines saying something such as: "I liked this event, and the widget puzzle was really cool." It can give the EH/ event staff the boost they might need to consider throwing an event again, and helps them to feel that their efforts were appreciated. If no feedback or reviews are received, whether positive or constructive, they may not be willing to try again - especially newer EH/ staff groups. (It is important to note here that the opposite can also be true - lack of feedback can also be taken as a sign that people liked the content that was provided to them. But wouldn't it be better to know for certain?)
3) “I’ll give feedback if they ask in person but I really don’t like to offer unwelcome advice.”
Thank you for being well intentioned to give feedback when asked, but please remember that in the wake of an event it can be hard for an EH team to go back to every person who played and solicit their feedback. The event review system is there so they don’t have to. Think of the review system as a preemptive “asking for feedback” that every event holder does every time they throw an event. Advice is always welcome. When people throw an event they are doing it for you. They are doing it to give back to the game and make their players happy. They want to know if you were happy because that was their goal in the first place.
So what can you do? We have all been guilty of meaning to write a review but never quite getting around to it. Here’s a simple solution - set a small goal and build from there. Make a resolution to review the next event that you attend, and stick to it. When that’s done, set another goal - review every other event you attend, maybe. That way you don’t feel pressured to write something for every single event you attend, but you’ll still be able to contribute what you can to some of them.
A lot of event reviews are written as long narrative paragraphs explaining whole sections of an event. Sometimes when players look at those and the obvious time put into crafting them, it’s easy to think that you just don’t have that much time. That’s okay. Writing something short and to the point is also a perfectly good event review format. Some players have taken to making a pro-con list, short and to the point. That’s a great format too. But if you’re really having trouble getting started, copy and paste the sentence starters below into your review and just complete as many of them as you feel you are able to. It’s okay if you don’t write a lot, just make sure your voice is heard!
One aspect of this event that I really enjoyed was:
One thing at this event that I would like to see back next year is:
The part of the event when I felt most engaged was:
One aspect of this event that was very innovative was:
One thing that might be considered for revision for next year is:
When throwing an event, our hope is always that the players who show up are able to engage with the story, mechanics, puzzles, and overall content for the full duration of the event and that by doing so they are able to enjoy themselves and have a fun day. Beyond that, we hope that those players would be open to coming to more events from that particular team because they genuinely were entertained and impressed. It would stand to reason then: if there was a way to make all events more enjoyable then more people would want to go to them and it would have a large positive impact on the game as a whole.
Isn’t it lucky that such a method already exists?
While throwing and attending events is what makes our game exist, something that has the potential to make every event as good as possible exists alongside them. That something is feedback.
Feedback can take many forms, but the most common and most easily accessible is the event review. Event-holding teams don't want to throw events that players won't or didn't like, or that people don't or won't want to go to in the future. That’s the main reason that feedback is so important. An event review is a critical tool for EHs as it allows them an important window to how players felt about the story, mechanics, food - every aspect of the event that they interacted with. Reading event reviews and altering future events because of them is vital to EH teams improving upon their past work, and raising the level of all events throughout the game.
Yet as important as reviews are, taking a look at the event archive on RealmsNET, one can see that some events get a handful of reviews while some get very few; some even get none at all.
Let's explore some possible barriers to leaving event reviews/ feedback.
1) "I don't want the EH to get upset with me if I say that I didn't like something about the event."
Don't think of feedback or reviews in terms of good or bad. If there was an aspect to the event that you did not like or enjoy, or that you thought could have been done better, you should be honest about it - the event staff would much rather that you said something so that they could take it under consideration for the next time they throw an event. EHs want to know what the players did and did not enjoy. But while you are being honest, you must also remember to be considerate. Think in terms of constructive criticism, rather than negative feedback, and make sure that your words are kind. Think about how you would want to be told, if it was your event, and go from there. If you really can’t bring yourself to say anything negative, then its okay to just highlight the positive things that you did enjoy and that were done well. That way the EH is more likely to include those aspects in the future.
2) "The event was fine, I liked it, I really don't have much more to say."
If you had an overall good time at an event, or really liked a certain aspect or mechanic that the EH/ staff was using, then tell them! People want to hear when they are doing well, too! EHs and staff often put a lot of time, money, and thought into planning, prepping for, and throwing their events, and it is gratifying to hear that people enjoyed those efforts. Sometimes, the absence of feedback can be misconstrued or misinterpreted as negative feedback where none was actually intended, or mistaken for general ambivalence on the part of the players. "Well, no one said anything, so they must not have liked it." That is why feedback and event reviews are so important, even if you only write a few lines saying something such as: "I liked this event, and the widget puzzle was really cool." It can give the EH/ event staff the boost they might need to consider throwing an event again, and helps them to feel that their efforts were appreciated. If no feedback or reviews are received, whether positive or constructive, they may not be willing to try again - especially newer EH/ staff groups. (It is important to note here that the opposite can also be true - lack of feedback can also be taken as a sign that people liked the content that was provided to them. But wouldn't it be better to know for certain?)
3) “I’ll give feedback if they ask in person but I really don’t like to offer unwelcome advice.”
Thank you for being well intentioned to give feedback when asked, but please remember that in the wake of an event it can be hard for an EH team to go back to every person who played and solicit their feedback. The event review system is there so they don’t have to. Think of the review system as a preemptive “asking for feedback” that every event holder does every time they throw an event. Advice is always welcome. When people throw an event they are doing it for you. They are doing it to give back to the game and make their players happy. They want to know if you were happy because that was their goal in the first place.
So what can you do? We have all been guilty of meaning to write a review but never quite getting around to it. Here’s a simple solution - set a small goal and build from there. Make a resolution to review the next event that you attend, and stick to it. When that’s done, set another goal - review every other event you attend, maybe. That way you don’t feel pressured to write something for every single event you attend, but you’ll still be able to contribute what you can to some of them.
A lot of event reviews are written as long narrative paragraphs explaining whole sections of an event. Sometimes when players look at those and the obvious time put into crafting them, it’s easy to think that you just don’t have that much time. That’s okay. Writing something short and to the point is also a perfectly good event review format. Some players have taken to making a pro-con list, short and to the point. That’s a great format too. But if you’re really having trouble getting started, copy and paste the sentence starters below into your review and just complete as many of them as you feel you are able to. It’s okay if you don’t write a lot, just make sure your voice is heard!
One aspect of this event that I really enjoyed was:
One thing at this event that I would like to see back next year is:
The part of the event when I felt most engaged was:
One aspect of this event that was very innovative was:
One thing that might be considered for revision for next year is:
And that’s all there is to it! Four or five sentences and you are done. It will only take you a few moments and the impact on future events from that team will be immesureable.
Again, always make sure to think in terms of constructive criticism rather than negative feedback, and always try to include suggestions for improvement if you have any. Always try to balance constructive criticism with positive statements as well. If there were certain things you really liked, make a point of mentioning them. Try to be as specific as you can, but even if you just make general statements regarding the event, it’s better for EH/staff to hear from players than not. Event reviews benefit everyone in the game, not just the event staff they are directed towards - by encouraging/ making suggestions and acknowledging the time and effort put in by EH groups, they help us to continually strive for improvement in our events which in turn can help elevate the content and quality of events, and therefore the game itself.
Again, always make sure to think in terms of constructive criticism rather than negative feedback, and always try to include suggestions for improvement if you have any. Always try to balance constructive criticism with positive statements as well. If there were certain things you really liked, make a point of mentioning them. Try to be as specific as you can, but even if you just make general statements regarding the event, it’s better for EH/staff to hear from players than not. Event reviews benefit everyone in the game, not just the event staff they are directed towards - by encouraging/ making suggestions and acknowledging the time and effort put in by EH groups, they help us to continually strive for improvement in our events which in turn can help elevate the content and quality of events, and therefore the game itself.
So what are you waiting for? Review the next event you attend!
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
What's It Do? What's It Do?
In this continuing View feature, we show you a picture of a theoretical magic item. Then you go back to Facebook and in the comments, invent your idea for the powers that this item would have.
Here is this week's item:
What does this strange (and somewhat unsettling) book do? Head back to social media and tell us!
Tuesday, July 26, 2022
Morning Coffee Break
Got your morning cup of coffee and a few minutes? Great! Time for our continuing feature at the View - we're going to be asking a series of questions and we want to know your answers! The question is posted below. So while you sip your morning beverage of choice, ruminate on this one:
What is the literary, television, or cinematic work that had the greatest impact on how you designed something in Realms? Your character? An NPC? An entire plot? Anything.
Head on back to social media and let us know in the comments!
Monday, July 25, 2022
Battlecry!
Battlecry!
This is a weekly bulletin for practices in the Realms. Practices are one of the most important facets to the Realms, it is a place where many people are introduced to the game, as well as a place to enjoy the company and meet new members of the community. Even if you are not a fighter, it is still a great form of exercise, as well as a way to hone your combat skills, which is an important skill for helping out at events while NPCing. A lot of what makes a great combatant in the Realms has to do with muscle memory and building a good intuition for combat, which can only happen with consistent practice, so make sure to try and stop by your local practice as often as possible
Monday
Camelot Fight Practice (https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1858)
7:30pm-10:00pm
Details
Practice consists of a mix of individual and group combat.
Water refills are available if need be, bring your own container.
Public restrooms available on site.
Loaner weapons are very limited, plan on bringing your own.
Masks are optional.
Important Notes
There will be no Camelot practice this week.
Weather
There will be no Camelot practice this week.
Tuesday
Western Massachusetts Fight Practice (https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1857)
6:00pm-8:00pm - West Street Playground, Ludlow, MA
Details
Practice consists of a mix of individual and group combat.
Loaner weapons are not available.
Water is not available, bring your own water.
Public restrooms are available on site.
Masks are optional.
This is outdoors and inclement weather is very likely to limit attendance.
Important Notes
None this week.
Weather
It is going to be a great day for practice, sunny and in the low 80’s to mid 70’s.
Riverhawk Summer Fight Practice (https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1871)
5:30pm-10:30pm - Frothingham Park (15 Park St), North Easton, MA
Details
Practice consists of a mix of individual and group combat.
Loaner weapons are available.
Water is not available, however there is a nearby convenience store.
Public restrooms are available on site.
Masks are recommended, but not required.
Important Notes
None this week.
Weather
It is going to be a great day for practice, sunny and in the low 80’s to mid 70’s.
Wednesday
Nashua Blackwood Fight Practice (https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1857)
4:00pm-8:00pm -Greely Park (Concord St), Nashua, NH
Details
Practice consists of a mix of individual, squad, and line battles, as attendees prefer.
Loaner weapons are available.
There is no water on site, bring your own.
Public restrooms are available on site.
While a few people might be there around 4:00, 5:00 is a more likely time to get started.
We set up near the grills and tables on the West side of Concord St, just off the access road to the north of the public restrooms.
Masks are optional.
This is outdoors and inclement weather is very likely to limit attendance.
Important Notes
None this week.
Weather
It is going to be a good day for practice, sunny and in the mid to low 80’s.
Central CT Fight Practice (https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1860)
6:00pm-9:00pm - Pierson Park, 5 West St, Cromwell, CT
Important Notes
Practice consists of a mix of individual training and if attendees are interested, team combat and combat games.
Loaner weapons available.
Water fountains are available in season, best to bring your own drinking water however.
Public restrooms available on site.
Updates
None this week.
Weather
It is going to be a good day for practice, sunny and in the mid to low 80’s.
Thursday
Stratham Hill Fight Practice (https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1859)
6:00pm-8:00pm - Stratham Hill Park, Stratham, NH
Important Notes
Practice consists of individual combat for the first half, and ditch style team combat for the second half.
Masks are optional.
Loaner weapons are available.
Water is available on site, but bring your own container.
On-site bathroom.
Updates
None this week.
Weather
It looks like there is a chance of thunderstorms this week. Keep an eye on the practice channel in the Realms discord for updates.
Practical Logistics: Starting a Fight Practice in the Realms
This week we will discuss communication. Communication is a part of practice that can really cause some major issues if not taken into consideration. No one wants to show up to practice to find out that it has been canceled, and if this happens multiple times, it could be the case that people stop showing up entirely. Luckily this is one of the easiest problems to prepare for or solve if it arises. The best solution is to simply get contact information from your practice regulars, making sure it is a form of communication they are going to check with some regularity. Whenever there is a change to practice, especially when it comes to cancellations, you will simply be able to use that contact information to reach out, and there should be no surprises. It is important to keep up to date on things that can affect your practice, primarily the weather or other events that may be using your practice space. The earlier you can alert people to a potential issue, the happier folks will generally be. If you use a public space to practice, see if you can find where events are posted for it, such as your town's parks and recreation department. Look for any conflict that may arise there so you can communicate early when practice is taking the week off, or which part of the park you might be using has to change for a week.
The second major part of communication is encouraging your practice regulars to communicate about their schedule. If half of your normal practice is not going to make it this week, then planning for large group battles may not be as viable, or if they plan on bringing a large group of new players in, you may want to take steps to ensure you secure extra weapons. Sometimes it is not obvious to practice goers that they should communicate this information, so be sure to mention it when someone starts attending practice regularly. Often a good time to broach this subject is at the end of the previous week's practice, simply questioning who plans to be there next week will likely give you all the information you need. Communication is essential to keeping everyone at practice happy, so make sure you have a plan in place, but also keep in mind too much communication can become annoying, so try and strike a healthy balance.
Friday, July 22, 2022
Thursday, July 21, 2022
What You Missed - Countess Naralia’s Fun and Games
by Renee "Kindrianna" Booke
It was a long journey north for my countryfolk and I, but we were happy to arrive in Creathorne unscathed. I had packed myself a little picnic basket to enjoy just in case my dignified royal cravings took over during the festivities and I felt tempted to liberate someone else’s snacks, but I would quickly find it wasn’t needed. The people of Creathorne, and Countess Naralia, were generous hosts, and there was much food and drink to share to everyone’s delight. Burgers. Hot Dogs. And CAKE!
I sat with Acolyte Stewhart in the sun, narrowly avoiding the throwing axes that I had foolishly chosen to be near. Needless to say, I promptly moved so as not to lose life or limb in an inconvenient and painful fashion. I will say, however, that many of the axe throwers demonstrated excellent skill and control and did not brutally maim me which I was quite pleased about.
Tournaments and Poker were announced, and I watched people sign up and go off to gamble. Preferring to keep my coin, I thought I was going to continue and enjoy my lazy afternoon, but then, as these things tend to go, I was voluntold that I should be of assistance in a dungeon challenge. Squire Gordon, Magi Swift, Lord Sir Elwin, and I set off to conquer the test, but at the last minute, we lost one of our team to another calling. Determined to see the task through, three of us went in anyway.
We fought back several enemies while trying to solve puzzles in the heat of combat. Through teamwork, we fended off the beasties. I was able to safely navigate the tight corridor from behind my Ward and provide support, but it was the combination of Swift’s timely use of Enfeeble Being combined with Elwin’s blade that ultimately cleared our path.
Once I returned to spectate and observe the tourney field, I watched several matches in different weapon styles. There were single combatants and small group tournaments. I was proud to watch my friends and countryfolk compete, and I must compliment Sagart on his 1st place Hand and a Half victory, as well as Stewhart, Avendar, and Laika who took 1st place in the Three-Man tourney. To my knowledge, it was Tao who took 1st Place in the Poker game with Avendar coming in 2nd. A job well done to all competitors!
At the end of the day, Awards and Prizes were given out, and there was also a very special moment for one Cronin (Kevin Legace) who was made a Knight of the Steward. Congratulations to you, Cronin!
All in all, it was a very fun time, and I thank Countess Naralia for making us all feel welcome. I hope another adventure will take me through again sooner rather than later.
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Announcement: The ReCAPP Project
The Realms Comprehensive Active Photography Project
Hello everyone.
I’d like to announce a Rhiassa-sponsored initiative that is pretty "focused" in scope. Named above, the ReCAPP project is all about making sure that every Realms event has photographs taken at it and that those photographs end up available to everyone by having them a part of the official Realms Facebook page. It’s also about providing some compensation to the people who work hard to keep that visual record going. Let's give it a "shot", shall we?
We’re going try to keep this simple and easy to manage.
There are lots of people who carry their phones with them for the entire event and sometimes take some pictures. There are a few people who go a couple steps beyond that and have a nice camera that they use to capture event photos. Hopefully this project inspires more of both categories.
Here’s the idea.
Step 1: Everyone who wants to take pictures at an event may actively participate in this project. Just bring that camera or take out that phone and snap those pictures. Honestly the more people the better because different viewpoints happening around the entire event is extremely valuable. Your personal goal is to collect at least 50 pictures that you think are worth sharing.
Step 2: Upload those photos to the correct album on the Realms Facebook group. We’ll try to have a folder ready to go ahead of time with the correct naming convention on it to keep us organized, so check to see that that folder exists and put your photos in it. Remember your goal is to upload 50 pictures but the more the better!
Step 3: Fill out the following Google form (https://forms.gle/dFXeGnn7vC6SrTif6). This will enter you into my records of which event you uploaded for so I can keep a balance sheet of who I have to distribute payment to.
Step 4: Get paid! At an upcoming event, I’ll find you or you’ll find me and I’ll use the balance sheet created by the form to settle up with you. For every event for which you upload 50 or more pictures, I will pay you 25 gold. It’s just Rhiassa’s way of saying “thank you” for helping to preserve the visual history of the Realms.
There’s no time like the present so the ReCAPP project will begin at the next Realms event, the upcoming Paladin’s Call and continue in perpetuity.
If you have any questions please feel free to reach out over PM.
In Service,
Jason Rosa
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
What You Missed - Countess Naralia’s Fun and Games - Photos
The kids loved the axe throwing
And questing
Its not fun and games without gambling
Line battle chaos
Corsican mug tournament
Newest Knight of the Steward
Monday, July 18, 2022
Battlecry!
Battlecry!
This is a weekly bulletin for practices in the Realms. Practices are one of the most important facets to the Realms, it is a place where many people are introduced to the game, as well as a place to enjoy the company and meet new members of the community. Even if you are not a fighter, it is still a great form of exercise, as well as a way to hone your combat skills, which is an important skill for helping out at events while NPCing. A lot of what makes a great combatant in the Realms has to do with muscle memory and building a good intuition for combat, which can only happen with consistent practice, so make sure to try and stop by your local practice as often as possible
Monday
Camelot Fight Practice (https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1858)
7:30pm-10:00pm
Details
Practice consists of a mix of individual and group combat.
Water refills are available if need be, bring your own container.
Public restrooms available on site.
Loaner weapons are very limited, plan on bringing your own.
Masks are optional.
Important Notes
None this week.
Weather
Temperatures in the mid-70s, moderate chance of rain in the afternoon. Check in with the SMAS Discord server for updates to this week's practice.
Tuesday
Western Massachusetts Fight Practice (https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1857)
6:00pm-8:00pm - West Street Playground, Ludlow, MA
Details
Practice consists of a mix of individual and group combat.
Loaner weapons are not available.
Water is not available, bring your own water.
Public restrooms are available on site.
Masks are optional.
This is outdoors and inclement weather is very likely to limit attendance.
Important Notes
None this week.
Weather
Could be a hot practice, Temperatures will be in the high 80s.
Riverhawk Summer Fight Practice (https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1871)
5:30pm-10:30pm - Frothingham Park (15 Park St), North Easton, MA
Details
Practice consists of a mix of individual and group combat.
Loaner weapons are available.
Water is not available, however there is a nearby convenience store.
Public restrooms are available on site.
Masks are recommended, but not required.
Important Notes
None this week.
Weather
Could be quite a hot practice, Temperatures will be in the low 90s.
Wednesday
Nashua Blackwood Fight Practice (https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1857)
4:00pm-8:00pm -Greely Park (Concord St), Nashua, NH
Details
Practice consists of a mix of individual, squad, and line battles, as attendees prefer.
Loaner weapons are available.
There is no water on site, bring your own.
Public restrooms are available on site.
While a few people might be there around 4:00, 5:00 is a more likely time to get started.
We set up near the grills and tables on the West side of Concord St, just off the access road to the north of the public restrooms.
Masks are optional.
This is outdoors and inclement weather is very likely to limit attendance.
Important Notes
None this week.
Weather
This will be a very hot day with temperatures in the mid 90s cooling down to the mid 80s in the evening.
Central CT Fight Practice (https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1860)
6:00pm-9:00pm - Pierson Park, 5 West St, Cromwell, CT
Important Notes
Practice consists of a mix of individual training and if attendees are interested, team combat and combat games.
Loaner weapons available.
Water fountains are available in season, best to bring your own drinking water however.
Public restrooms available on site.
Updates
None this week.
Weather
This will be a very hot day with temperatures in the mid 90s cooling down to the mid 80s in the evening.
Thursday
Stratham Hill Fight Practice (https://www.realmsnet.net/events/1859)
6:00pm-8:00pm - Stratham Hill Park, Stratham, NH
Important Notes
Practice consists of individual combat for the first half, and ditch style team combat for the second half.
Masks are optional.
Loaner weapons are available.
Water is available on site, but bring your own container.
On-site bathroom.
Updates
None this week.
Weather
Temperatures in the high 80s, with a low chance of showers.
Practical Logistics: Starting a Fight Practice in the Realms
This week we are going to talk about one of the more challenging aspects of starting a fight practice, dealing with problem players. A problem player could be someone who is intentionally not taking their shots, being overly aggressive, or being difficult about the structure of your practice, among other things. Giving this topic some consideration early on in the process is important, because if you have a plan in place you will be able to quickly and effectively deal with the player. The longer you wait to deal with an issue, the more of a chance there is that it will affect others at practice, or turn into a toxic environment.
The first step in the process is having a plan to recognize potential issues. Some, like ignoring shots, (what was once referred to as rhino-hiding), will be quite obvious. For others you will need to pay attention to your practice regulars and make sure they are comfortable speaking to you. Most of the issues we are going to cover are going to involve a conversation with the player in question. Sometimes this can be awkward, and you may be tempted to push it off or hope it resolves itself, but in most cases dealing with it directly and courteously is going to be your best option. If you are uncomfortable with confronting people about this sort of thing, seek out a practice regular you trust, preferably ahead of time, and talk to them about being available to help you out in these situations. More experienced players, especially those of knightly orders, are usually a good resource for this, or can at least point you in the direction of someone who may be of better service.
Missing or not taking shots is probably the most common issue you will have to deal with at practice. This can be a wide array of reasons, some more malicious than others. For newer players who are blowing off shots because they don’t have the experience yet, it is best to take them aside and ask that they do a little one on one training with an individual who is willing to take the time to go over all the game mechanics. This is normal growing pains for many players, and you should be encouraging to them to help them get on the right track. In other situations you will find that you have some players that are blowing off shots and should know better. This tends to be really common when you get players who are used to a lower skill level practice, where they are used to winning a lot, coming to a higher skill level practice, where they are not used to being at the bottom of the barrel. This can be very frustrating to your regulars, and it is best to take the individual aside and run through the basics again. If they get defensive, try to take a minute of talking through the most recent incident calmly and explain what went wrong. If this continues, you may need to suggest having them do some one on one training or stepping out of group content for a little bit to act as a marshal, and calling out incidents as they happen in real time.
If someone has a negative attitude about practice, it may not initially seem like something that could cause a problem, but it is important to remember we should all be doing this to have fun, and a bad attitude can bring down the mood quickly. Oftentimes if someone is showing up to practice with a negative attitude, they may have a problem with how practice is being run, or an outside issue. It is good to approach such players early and have a conversation about any aspects of practice they aren’t enjoying, and reminding them to try and keep a positive attitude while at practice. For some, just calling attention to the issue is enough to make them realize they have had a poor attitude, where others may need more reminders.
Blow strength can also be an issue, as culturally across the Realms from practice to practice there will be a slightly different culture of where the line between too hard and acceptable is. Try and work out with your regulars early on in the practice where that line is, and try to stick to it. Blow strength isn’t something that can really be measured, and is often hard to communicate the level of what is acceptable, but if this becomes an issue it is best to speak with the individual in question privately, and just let them know where the line is at this practice. While they may be used to a more liberal limit on blow strength elsewhere, at this practice they should focus more on finesse. Likewise, if you have a player who is used to a much lighter blow strength limit and is constantly asking folks to watch their blow strength, it would be good to take them aside as well and explain what is the norm for this practice. If a player is still having problems with being hit too hard after that, then bring it up to the more aggressive players privately about trying to avoid harder shots against that player.
Bullying is fairly uncommon at practice and sometimes hard to spot. Practices will often be attended by folks from different groups who have different levels of friendships. Sometimes what looks like gentle ribbing among friends can actually be bullying or vice versa. If you witness anything that looks suspicious check in with the people involved privately to give them an opportunity to ask for help. If there is a situation where all the parties are okay with the level of ribbing, but it makes others at practice uncomfortable, ask the involved parties to tone it down at practice. If you do have a situation where someone is feeling victimized, speak to the other party privately with the former's permission, and make them aware that their behavior is unacceptable here.
If you are an attendee at a practice, and you notice any of the above incidents happen, you should talk to your practice organizer about it. It is okay to let something sit for a week if you need time to process it, but the sooner you can communicate it, the quicker it can be dealt with. If you are uncomfortable with bringing it up to your meeting organizer, seek some advice from someone you are comfortable with. It is important that if something happens that we try to report it, so that it does not happen to someone else.
If you are unable to resolve any of the above issues there are a few things you are going to have to consider. First is righting the situation at your practice, which will likely involve asking the party in question to either resolve the issues presented to them, or to stop attending practice. If you are unable to resolve these issues, you will likely need to submit a report to the Complaint Review Board (CRB) via Realmsnet. There are two different versions of reports, complaints and infraction reports. Complaints should be reserved for more serious issues, or issues that have been repeated multiple times after the individual has been spoken to. Infraction reports are a little bit unique at practices, as practices are where you go for practice, so I would recommend being a little more lenient here. If someone isn’t really taking constructive criticism to heart and over time you are seeing a lot of the same problem, but maybe not consistently, I would consider filing an infraction report. If you have any questions about this process, you can read more about the process of Realmsnet or by reaching out to a CRB member.
In the case of some sort of emergency, reach out to your local authorities or emergency services. This is something that to my knowledge has never happened at a Realms fight practice, but is always good to be prepared just in case.
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