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Roleplay
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beshaba



Joined: 02 Aug 2011
Posts: 55

PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 9:58 pm    Post subject: Roleplay Reply with quote

I understand that we're in a brand new world of no limits, and RP-encourged instead of forced, so I wanted to take a moment to share my views on what that means.

If you want to play a hack and slash, grind dungeons and get fabulous loot, cool! Go for it. Do your thing.

If you want to sit around and treat the game like a glorified chatroom, cool! Go for it. Do your thing.

If you want to actually roleplay? Stick to the narrative. If you decide to roleplay, then that means you need to take into account the world in which you are playing. There are faiths, races, and cities with histories, dogmas, and traits that cannot simply be ignored because you want to be special or "outside-the-box". To roleplay means adhering to the rules of the setting. If you decide to ignore these, you are not roleplaying. You are hurting the idea of roleplaying. You are making it impossible for those around you to continue roleplaying, because you are ignoring the framework that all of our stories use and knocking it down for your own amusement. You are ignoring that players are not the only beings in this world, that there are a multitude of unseen NPCs maintaining the various faiths and nations and taking into account that this is why races have specific traits, why religions ally or not, or why people fear or love one group over another.

We may be only RP-encouraged now... but I would still ask that if people are claiming to RP, then that RP must be enforced to stay within the confines of the SG world.
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Verbannon



Joined: 30 Sep 2013
Posts: 398

PostPosted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 2:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why not locate specific players whose RP is lacking and discuss with them directly, in a line open to all imms, what their problem is. But keep in mind what you see as incorrect RP might just be a perspective issue. Like. cyrist being nice, kind and forgiving may be planning a major betrayel. Because keep in mind, the guidelines on how to best keep imms in the loop are literally non existent.
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beshaba



Joined: 02 Aug 2011
Posts: 55

PostPosted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, this could certainly apply to current players, but it's more about anyone who is going to RP. The idea of RP-encouraged does not mean "anything goes", and that you don't have free license to do whatever you want when it goes against the narrative of the setting. If you want to RP, then you have a responsibility to take these matters into account. If that sounds like too much work, don't RP.

And while yeah, there's some breaks in lore here and there, but a lot of this stuff is basic Faerun stuff. Alignments, faiths, and classes are not some great unknown.
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saide
Immortal


Joined: 18 Mar 2007
Posts: 395

PostPosted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with Beshaba here, entirely.

My goal has never ever been to eliminate RP - the most fun I have ever had on SG revolved around role-playing a cleric. I think RP is what makes our game fun - the idea has been to try to let people play their own way - with the hope that eventually they will learn to love the depth of role play that SG offers.

So as long as the RP is correct as far as the setting goes - then there is no issue, but like Beshaba pointed out if you want to hack in slash or chat, go for it. We are not going to find you and harass you - we want you to enjoy your time here. But if you want to RP please remain within the setting and try to figure out what it means to RP your particular class, alignment, etc. and I think for most of us - with a D&D background most of that is pretty common knowledge - for the others - feel free to ask over the lines Smile - Sometimes there may not be a simple answer but perhaps someone can offer some guidance or at least point you in the right direction.

As far as keeping us in the loop - use avatarmail - we may not answer every mail - and every little action that your character takes does not need to include us or require that you notify us - big actions - like trying to siege the city of Azha, that's important. Otherwise a lot of stuff we have tried to code to consider and I know the system is far from perfect but none of us have the ability to be online always watching and I don't think we would enjoy that even if we did have the ability to do so.

Unfortunately the term immortal does not extend into our real lives.
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Verbannon



Joined: 30 Sep 2013
Posts: 398

PostPosted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 1:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My point is that instead of simply making declarative, its important to directly contact and 'discuss' with any apparent bad RPer. Because the bad RPer once context is given may turn out to be a good RPer.

And if you do not do this and you see the RPer continuing on as always, seemingly ignoring your declarations. That will poison your attitude and experience in the game as resentment festers.
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cyric
Immortal


Joined: 17 Nov 2006
Posts: 291
Location: Singapore

PostPosted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 9:11 am    Post subject: Re: Roleplay Reply with quote

beshaba wrote:
I understand that we're in a brand new world of no limits, and RP-encourged instead of forced, so I wanted to take a moment to share my views on what that means.

If you want to play a hack and slash, grind dungeons and get fabulous loot, cool! Go for it. Do your thing.

If you want to sit around and treat the game like a glorified chatroom, cool! Go for it. Do your thing.

If you want to actually roleplay? Stick to the narrative. If you decide to roleplay, then that means you need to take into account the world in which you are playing. There are faiths, races, and cities with histories, dogmas, and traits that cannot simply be ignored because you want to be special or "outside-the-box". To roleplay means adhering to the rules of the setting. If you decide to ignore these, you are not roleplaying. You are hurting the idea of roleplaying. You are making it impossible for those around you to continue roleplaying, because you are ignoring the framework that all of our stories use and knocking it down for your own amusement. You are ignoring that players are not the only beings in this world, that there are a multitude of unseen NPCs maintaining the various faiths and nations and taking into account that this is why races have specific traits, why religions ally or not, or why people fear or love one group over another.

We may be only RP-encouraged now... but I would still ask that if people are claiming to RP, then that RP must be enforced to stay within the confines of the SG world.


Can we have a specific example please? What's getting messed up and how?
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beshaba



Joined: 02 Aug 2011
Posts: 55

PostPosted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 2:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Off the top of my head:

Of the last 3 druids I've met, only 1 would you have guessed was a druid before seeing them shapeshift into a small furry creature. Every druid I've met has been happily chilling in a tavern, and most have no aversion to an urban setting.

The racial enmity between elf and drow has been ignored, and not from some intense RP on either part, but pretty much instantly.

Clerics who have openly declared their faith, partying with known members of an enemy faith. This also applies to characters who have made faith a key part of their persona, but ignore it when it gets in the way of loot.
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Verbannon



Joined: 30 Sep 2013
Posts: 398

PostPosted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 9:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

beshaba wrote:
Off the top of my head:

Of the last 3 druids I've met, only 1 would you have guessed was a druid before seeing them shapeshift into a small furry creature. Every druid I've met has been happily chilling in a tavern, and most have no aversion to an urban setting.

The racial enmity between elf and drow has been ignored, and not from some intense RP on either part, but pretty much instantly.

Clerics who have openly declared their faith, partying with known members of an enemy faith. This also applies to characters who have made faith a key part of their persona, but ignore it when it gets in the way of loot.


And especially druids chilling in Taverns in their animal forms?
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cyric
Immortal


Joined: 17 Nov 2006
Posts: 291
Location: Singapore

PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

beshaba wrote:
Off the top of my head:

Of the last 3 druids I've met, only 1 would you have guessed was a druid before seeing them shapeshift into a small furry creature. Every druid I've met has been happily chilling in a tavern, and most have no aversion to an urban setting.

The racial enmity between elf and drow has been ignored, and not from some intense RP on either part, but pretty much instantly.

Clerics who have openly declared their faith, partying with known members of an enemy faith. This also applies to characters who have made faith a key part of their persona, but ignore it when it gets in the way of loot.

Cool. So I have some ideas how I would deal with this as an avatar. Curious what you think is the correct course of immortal action here.
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beshaba



Joined: 02 Aug 2011
Posts: 55

PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 12:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think a lack of avatar presence has certainly helped the decline. Players seem to dismiss other players when critique of roleplay comes up (and I've even witnessed some disturbing dogpiling of the player trying to stand up for RP).

Especially with the case of faith-based classes, have a fellow priest talk to them to correct them in-game. If that fails, I'd go as far as to remove their cleric/druid spells if they aren't adhering to the faith/maintaining their balance of nature/etc. Why would their deity continue to grant them power if they're not promoting their patron?

For the elf and drow, or even any other ignored racial hatreds, the easiest solution is probably down the road with Nienne's faction system. They would be outcast from their own kind (with a recent healthy reminder of all the elves that were turned into drow in Tharis).
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Verbannon



Joined: 30 Sep 2013
Posts: 398

PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is that after you try discuss line?
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beshaba



Joined: 02 Aug 2011
Posts: 55

PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If they are trying to RP, I'd rather see things get corrected in-game through interaction first.
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cyric
Immortal


Joined: 17 Nov 2006
Posts: 291
Location: Singapore

PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can someone point me to the plot summary where all the elves in tharis turned to drow?
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Verbannon



Joined: 30 Sep 2013
Posts: 398

PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 3:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

But they might have good IC reasons or reasons they think are good they wont reveal through ic interaction.
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ViolaRose



Joined: 20 Apr 2015
Posts: 113

PostPosted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Isn't that the point of this post, though? Pointing out that it would be very, very, very rare - at best - for there to be these exceptions in our setting? Anything else is simply neglecting to play your role appropriately. I mean, anyone could roll an elf who gets along with drow, or a minotaur who would rather cuddle people than eat them, or a druid who wants to buy a modern townhouse in the city. There's a reason most people opt not to, and that's because it wouldn't be considered "out of the box", it would just be considered poor form, and a lack of roleplay. (A couple years ago, it wouldn't be considered at all because we'd be smacked down by the imms so fast for even considering it) The established roles (i.e races) exist for a reason, and a part of that is understanding it will give direction to our character and their actions and reactions to certain situations. And that is to say, no IC interactions, hidden or not, should be able to easily ignore the EONS of history that came before a character existed that established the way society works, and the way a character fits into that society.

Now, I'm not saying something can't change these established circumstances. Rilynath did it, but that took a year or two of very complicated and intense roleplay to happen. I think we can assume that whatever the reasons in these particular cases may be, they're not good enough, because some chars have these "unique" characteristics right at the start line, while others establish them within a week or two of roleplay.

There is one race that's really quite flexible, and I would recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to be bothered to play within the guidelines of their race, and that's a human (and perhaps, also, neglect to follow any faith, because that, too, should require appropriate roleplay decisions - and, no, you don't get to re-write the rules of your faith because there's no priest telling you to do otherwise (tip: There's ALWAYS assumed priests in any temple, even if no players are currently playing them).

Disclaimer:
I've avoided saying anything in this thread because I know I always turn into a raving, lunatic bitch when it comes to roleplay etiquette.. and so if I've hurt anyone's feelings, I apologize for it. I know that none of us - and certainly including myself - are perfect in our roleplay, but following the guidelines go a long way in helping us get better, at least.
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