More than one character? And a few more questions on the side...

Stormiegrace's picture
Hello!
So despite the two years my account claims to be, I'm just now learning about the community and what goes on out of the game.

I've noticed some individuals have multiple characters. How is this possible? Are they permitted to create another account (therefor generating a new picto) in the game? Or is it all roleplaying and dressing deer to match specific characters?

Since the game doesn't have a chat box, and the actions are limited (although not at all boring!!) how does one know if another is acting 'violently'? It is against the rules to target and harass someone, especially violently in-game. But how can someone be violent in a game such as this?
I'd like to know, just to make sure I'm not being what some may consider 'violent', as Falo is a friendly individual, and would most likely never engage in combat unless absolutely necessary.


For the rut that I've noticed is coming up, how does one battle? The head-lowered action in the game? Something else entirely? Purely imagination and roleplaying IC and OOC?
I don't suspect Falo will be participating. He's too much of a weakling in my opinion, and would rather watch the event unfold instead of being a part of it. But in the small chance Falo is challenged or interacted with, I'd like to know how to have him fight (before fleeing for cover, most likely. lol)




Sorry for all the questions! If there's someplace that answers all these, please don't hesitate to tell me!




Emotion -- Curious // Shy // Nervous
Tagged -- |no one in particular!|
Narrator -- User StormieGrace
SirAwesomeness's picture

Anyone can create as many

Anyone can create as many characters as they please by simply creating another registration account. They have to create a username and find another picto but most do not use the same picto for different characters.

People communicate with each other through email or skypes. Some players create skypes strickly for TEF. It's also how they Roleplay, fight, talk, interract with other players in the game.

As far as the fighting for rut, it's mostly something you'll have to see for yourself as describing how to fight for the rut would be difficult. If you've ever witnessed a fight in the game then that's how the rut will be.
Ophela
ApoideaBee's picture

Yes, you can create more than

Yes, you can create more than one account, and therefore have more than one character. Smiling

'Violent' actions are, like in the real world, lowering your antlers at someone. Otherwise, people are often courteous enough to put their 'action guides' on their profiles so you know. But the biggest key is to look for someone lowering their antlers at another individual. If they are doing those motions back, and possibly rearing up at each other in combination, then they are fighting.

The Rut is a participant event, which means you sign up for it when the time comes. otherwise, nobody will decide to challenge you. Smiling

Avatar by Eyestrain
Kamaya's picture

Woops double post, look in my

Woops double post, look in my comment below.
Kamaya's picture

Yes, you can have many

Yes, you can have many characters and therefore many accounts, but you have to know how to manage them all. Especially if they are all or most of them active and semi-active. I have about 13 or 14 characters and I keep creating some others!

Yes, violence exists in this game, it is part of every world. Would you even imagine a place without violence? No violence, no action, no fights, no tension, no enemies... it would be boring just playing happily with just friends. It would be too imaginary and fictional. Would it be without anger, hate, fear and sadness? But they are part of us, of our unique personality and character! We could be all be the same without those feelings and emotions! I do not know if you get my drift, but that is all I see it.

As for the Rut, it is mainly for breeding/mating (although it is not mandatory). If you do not like to fight, you can just be registered as a non-involved participant. Non-involved participants cannot fight. However, they can come watch the fights and even interact with other participants, no matter their role in the Rut.
hadoukin's picture

Quote:As for the Rut, it is

Quote:
As for the Rut, it is mainly for breeding/mating


the rut is not mainly about breeding and mating,

in fact it has NOTHING to do with it officially.

It's about meeting new people, new deer, new characters and having fun!!
You can interact anyway you'd like be it aggressively or happily, but the rut has never just been about mating like the REAL life rut. It's a fun competition game put together by active players is all.

edit. ALSO the Non-involved participant (which is to be renamed) can fight, if they TRULY wanted to. It's a wildcard of a position allowing anything !

( I just wanted to pop in to say that ;v; )
Kamaya's picture

For the breeding and mating,

For the breeding and mating, you are right maybe. But then, why do I keep seeing that in posts about TEF Rut? Maybe because a lot of people still do that despite the Rut not being about that?

For the non-involved participants, thank you for telling me that because I had no idea they could because of the description of their role on the Rut blog. Although, I did not watch much of the Rut last year, I was most of the time away.
hadoukin's picture

Some people may use The Rut

Some people may use The Rut for mating sure, but officially the description is simply...
Quote:
The Rut is an organized event (a game if you will) in which characters of all types gather simply for the thrill and entertainment of reenacting its concept.


In fact, mature content is highly discouraged, seeing as it is listed as an all ages event. You've been seeing much of it mostly because that's an important discussion for the up coming rut. A lot of people aren't super thrilled that mating is being so focused on since it's not at all what they intended it to be.
Kamaya's picture

Ah yes, I saw the discussion

Ah yes, I saw the discussion about that on this year's Rut vote blog. Now I understand a bit better, thank you. Forgive me, I am still a little newbie about certain things despite my year of experience. This is justified though, as I was not really much interested into the Rut. Which could actually help me with some of my characters who have few or rare interactions.

And do not worry. Even if it is just to reply to me, it is good that you came to correct me on things I know less about. ^-^
hadoukin's picture

Oh ye no prob, I just wanted

Oh ye no prob, I just wanted to make sure they understood it too!
Stormiegrace's picture

Thank you guys so much for

Thank you guys so much for all the help and clarification!!
I have another question, however:

I've noticed some people play as carnivorous animals, like sphinxes. And while I was very close to turning my second character into a Sphinx, I've decided I actually want to play as a Harpy.
Is there a guide for playing these characters that are not deer-esque and in fact may prey upon such animals? (Though don't worry! As the new character is starting as a 'fawn', they will be a mere fledgling and therefore unable to do much harm to anyone.)

All I know to do is perhaps create a character page (although my knowledge with coding is not very good at all) and like someone mentioned, an expressions key so people know what I'm trying to convey to them.
Thank you so much for any feedback!! <3

Gustiro's picture

I don't think anyone made a

I don't think anyone made a guide on how to make an TEF predator (I may be wrong!) but there are lots of players that do have a character like that who you can look at as an example. My only advice for playing a predator currently is that if you have them hunt other characters, keep in mind that some players might not enjoy their characters being hunted but others may love the interaction. You'll learn who is and who isn't ok with it as you get more experience, checking biographies and being able to read In Forest/In Game body language better. Try not to take Players getting upset personally, some of them might just not understand what is going on. So be prepared to apologize and explain about what you were trying to do. Always be willing to communicate with other players and try to keep it friendly OOCly even if it might mean life and death ICly.

As for The Rut, it is more a fun event we have every year to get together as a community and meet people you didn't normally get a chance to hang out with before. People that want to pretend to fight get to do so as Challengers and those who just want to chill get to be Judges that move between the challengers and "herds" of judges. Then there is the "Wild Card", formally known as Involved Non-Participants, who can pretend to be any of those or not really be anything but other players can treat them as any of those. Some players do have their characters treat it like the Real Life Rut, especially "realistic" characters that are more like normal deer, which is ok (as long as things don't get graphical) but it is still not The Rut's main goal.
You could be a Judge, which is you hang with other judges and hang around the Challengers that your judge thinks were the best fighters. You don't really fight as a Judge so you wont have to worry about that but it still gets you involved, so you can join the fun and learn more about what it all is.

Edit;
Also, as for fighting, it can be portrayed in a few ways but the most common is Antler Lowering, Rearing, and "Sliding" (like when your deer slide forward when you stop from a fast run). These are usually combined as the characters fight. Keep in mind characters might also be just rough housing, sometimes you can tell they are just playing roughly by both the characters laughing during it.

Different emotes, and the combinations, can mean different things to different people. But in the end there is a "common" dialect between all of us that you will learn as you play more with the community. Really, the In Forest/In Game interaction is like learning a new but rather simple language. The more you play the more you will understand your fellow community members. The learning process was actually very fun for me. I kind of miss being new. XD
Draak's picture

I think the main rules when

I think the main rules when playing predatory characters are:

don't be a d-...jerk

play fair

and try think about it realistically..or as realistically as you can.

I think the better predator characters are the ones that are portrayed having limits, just from what I've been quietly observing throughout my time here; not being powerhouses that have unlimited strength and stamina, ones that can't be driven away no matter how many angry deer are defending their friends. Then it's no fun for anyone and turns into more of an annoyance.

So far my experiences with my predatory character have been pretty good and there's been no hard feelings ooc cos I've been trying to keep to what I've mentioned above. Even if it means her attempts to hunt have been so far 90% unsuccessful, and it's just been me having her stalk around only to be chased off (which is completely okay with me).

Attacks are fine just happening ingame, but the more serious hunts where someone's character is actually killed are done with permission between players.

Generally players say their character has hunted noname deer (that aren't played by anyone) or eaten fish from the pond, etc so they don't go hungry.
Stormiegrace's picture

Thank you guys so much for

Thank you guys so much for clarification!
Now I understand the basics of fighting. I do have Falo lowering his antlers quite often, but only to get him to flip/roll over. He's quite clumsy, plus he hopes to amuse others. So I'll be careful not to keep his head lowered too long, or at least without laughing or dancing afterwards, so others know he doesn't mean anything by it other than play!

And I decided my harpy would probably survive mainly off of NPC forest creatures, like the little birds, frogs, squirrels, rabbits, and koi, unless driven by hunger to prey on deer. But this would be a last resort, and I'd be sure to alert others and make sure everyone is 100% okay with the interaction. Besides, they will only be slightly taller than the human model in the size scale everyone uses. So she obviously will not be able to take on very large deer.
She will not be OP, and I don't believe she will be very strong, considering her human/bird build. I suppose talons would come in handy, but she'd probably be spending most of her time chasing NPC prey and roosting in trees, 'singing'. And she is only a fledgling as of now, and doesn't stray too far from her nesting tree by the Playground.



I'll have to remember to place my characters under the wildcard section in the rut. :3 I don't see Falo being a very good judge, honestly. He just wants to mingle and play. He wouldn't be able to tell who fights the best, and would get distracted way too easily.



Here comes another question, and I'm really sorry to burden you all...

I've seen some fawns around the game with pelts, masks, and antlers that don't seem to disappear after a while like usual.
Is this a glitch? Can only a few members do this? Is there a spell that can make adult deer into fawns (not little deer)?
Draak's picture

Those fawn players are

Those fawn players are either: Always loading their set after it vanishes or if they're sitting, have "running in background" off. This seems to bypass the timer for fawn sets and they can hold it as long as the player isn't looking at the game.

(Then there's the super special times when the admins set it so fawn sets stick but this is generally only done during abios/celebrations and even then it's not guaranteed they'll do it)
Kamaya's picture

There is no spell to become a

There is no spell to become a fawn.
Once your account has grown up into an adult deer, go to the control option menu and check the "play as fawn" box.