Talking to a DM online

[Memnoch1962]

I just want to be sure I'm not breaking any protocol. But if I have a question while online I've heard people say to just ask a DM. I've tried the DM channel and more often than not I dont get a response. So I send them a tell directly. I hate to do that because they may be in the middle of something. Usually I'll ask if they are busy. If so I leave them alone for a while. I usually bug Polterguiest, and he's usually cool about it, if he's busy he says sorry hes busy. But I would like the DM's general take on this. Whats the best way to bug you without really bugging you?

[Catastrophe]

A tell or a message over the DM channel is fine. If we don't respond right away, it's likely we are busy. So don't be alarmed if we take a while to get back to you. Just do the one message, and wait a bit for a response.

[Gamling]

I've talked to quite a few people and I've come to realize that people are afraid to message DMs about requests/ideas or questions. I don't know why that may be, but talking to a few DMs they seem to complain that no one seems to have any requests for them.

I think people should realize that it's fine to send them tells as long as it's constructive and friendly, like with anyone else on the server.

[wangxiuming]

I think the fear comes from the desire to not overly pester the DMs. I usually try a dm channel request for new requests or if there are a lot of dms on, or a tell if I know specifically who I want to talk to (i.e., if a particular DM has been handling something for me already).

If I don't get a response, then I assume the DMs are busy, and I'll try again another day. I'll also tell the voice in the back of my head that's screaming 'the DMs hate you! Nyah!' to shut up.

[Fezzik]

Send them a respectful message; if they don't answer, like Cat said, it's probably because it's QA and his computer is about to explode....

[Catastrophe]

probably because it's QA and his computer is about to explode....

I feel his pain.

[Farmboy2003]

You could always start asking if YOU could do something for THEM. I always try to make my DM interactions dialectic, in the sense that I hate sitting on my arse gaining stuff for no involvement. I'd like to help back even if the power is a 100% on the DM's side.

Yesterday fx, I'd like to think that Doubt was not only helping out with my character. He got to RP a bit with an npc (a funny racist superior officer, which he does surprisingly well). And most of all: Since I stuck around ICly I ended up getting a quest hook I can RP on for days now. I made him do the greatest job there is: Create adventure and reasons for PC's to create dramatic tension themselves.

[Doubtful]

We don't bite!

Send a message to the DM channel, follow it up a while later if you don't receive any reply. A DM should let you know if they're busy or if they're free, they shouldn't just be ignoring messages. If you get no reply then it's possible they've missed the lines (our chat boxes can be pretty fast) or they're away from the keyboard.

Be polite, make it fun for people (if you can, bug fixes are naturally pretty unfun) and don't be scared to chat to us!

[GodBeastX]

I idle on DM client sometimes. Doesn't mean I'm ignoring you that I don't respond. I login usually when I'm in the toolset. Mostly cuz sometimes I gotta check things on the live server.

[DM_Acorn]

I concur send the request then wait a bit (10-20min) and send another. If no response... they are AFK.

I always respond (if I catch the message) even if I am busy. It was the most frustrating thing for me as a player. "Did they get the message? Do they hate me? Are they just busy?"

In short your question is valid. Thanks for playing.

[Incognito]

Something a little more specific on the topic of talking with DM's (at least with me anyway)

Charachter requests tend to get buried, as far as I'm concerned if you are online and I am online and you have a charachter request that you would like taken care of the WORST thing you could do is not ask me about it.

I am perfectly willing to delve deep into the forums to figure out whats going on with what if I have to.