Can someone help me come up with a justification for the existence of quiet mode?

Seems to me like all it does is discourage roleplay, and encourage botting. From the tell help file: "Therans consider this ability completely natural, and something anyone can do". It seems like the "Deaf" command takes care of any rp angle someone might have that involves some kind of tell disability. What's the point of a mode that allows you to see only says and emotes?

Terwin

As a bard, I've used quiet during key rp sessions (performing marriages) so that I'm not innundated with social issues outside of what I'm doing at the time. IE I am far too busy with what I'm doing to even contemplate talking to you, go away.

As a Trouper in general, contests or plays often have turned into runaway spam fests, and quiet quite simply cuts down the level of insanity. OK, yeah, they're called Heralds now. Bite me. =)

As an empowerment class, I've used quiet during sessions with my chosen imm. It's my prayer time, I'm interested in talking to my god, not being harassed, especially during empowerment or tattoo. Of course, that distinctly depends on the religion involved... a sphere protection may take a call for help during empowerment or tat as a means to assist their goals. A sphere anger could have a fit on anyone interrupting them... A sphere dedication is more likely to shut the world out and sit upon their chosen path. Etc, etc.

Another use involves the random possibility of a Kobold killing. }( ;)

I'm sure there's more, these are just off the top of my head.

For the most part, it's rp based.. "I am unreachable, too occupied, etc to be able to talk to someone else." It might discourage roleplay in one aspect, but it also encourages roleplay in another.

I know I've used quiet at one point in time with all of my characters, and been thankful for it.

- Tharena

What is really needed is a more sophisticated, selective quiet mode. So you can type "quiet X" and just not get tells from a particular individual. Considering that tells are already something paranormal - they aren't near you, they are somehow speaking to you from a vast distance - it doesn't seem such a big step to be able to say you can refuse to "hear" those paranormal communications selectively.