Honestly. Design wise, I’d argue it’s a very solid and innovative game for people who are looking for that type of environment, and even a great spot for RP. A lot of the focus on it now is driven by ‘adult’ themes but eh. Each their own.
Not the blatantly obvious ones, no. Inserting a personal belief (if twisted, or turned in some way), or some other characteristic of yourself or another real person that you have known or heard of is the core principle that many experienced writers will give as advise. Write from reality, even if you’re writing about dragons.
It is, sadly, something Blizzard cannot do on a large scale and it is commonly viewed as a failure on their story department (at least from the point of people who care to pay attention, idk). Which says a lot— if that is an industry standard, is a common nobody on the internet expected to do better? And it’s not just about writing a story with months of preparation, either. It’s about writing a story in that very moment, reactionary to your surroundings.
You’re like, an actor and a writer at the same time.
Is a common nobody on the internet to be expected to perform such a grandiose role that even the big industry giants seem to fail at? Yeah, that’s rhetorical.
The problem isn’t that OP is wrong (ahahaha subjective right*), the problem is that the OP (and a fair few other people, such as idk, myself) sometimes expect or come with the expectation that random people can perform better than their favourite big brand game or novel.
*writing isn’t subjective as much as people might want to call it that: grading and rating is a thing since like primary school and stuff. I personally might disagree with some industry or even grammatical standards that should be observed when writing, but that doesn’t make the criticism an editor gave me ““subjective””
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But that’s just like, your opinion MAN.
But in all srsness, yeah. Completely agreed.
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did you just dismiss my opinion?? reported for personal harassment
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A real character is someone that goes through developments, as a real person does.
Yes over YEARS. Not through six identitiy crisis in a year. And some people just have a very boring regular and enjoyable life. That exists too. Even in WoW.
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play average joe bandito
try to pick someone’s pocket, fool them or scam them
“THE LIGHT HAS TOLD ME I AM ABOUT TO HAVE MY POCKETS PICKED/BE SCAMMED, DIE HERETIC!”
oh.webm
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One thing that just came to my mind is that we need to make huge distinction between main characters and alts.
If I use myself as an example, I have one character that I RP frequently and is definitely my main. Soon, I will add an alt to roster of characters that I (would like to) RP on regular basis. But then there are characters that I RPed like once or twice, maybe haven´t even got to it, or were inactive for quite a long time.
Granted, I am a sucker for internal conflict and characters that are kind of broken inside (maybe it´s a fetish I don´t realize I have?), so I may not be the best example for this, but if people RP some character like, once per few weeks, I don´t think they will do it to build an engaging narrative and develop that character, because the character will basically exist for short amount of time and then vanish into nothingness for weeks, maybe months. All they want is to have a breath of fresh air, maybe interract with other characters on, I don´t know, a worgen druid, or sell bread or anything else. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
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So many…things :l First off, why are so many posts flagged?
Secondly, what ever happened to just rp cus its fun?
Thirdly, back to the actual thread: I found some of OP’s posts and thoughts fairly nice and well constructed, but…they are kinda overshadowed by jumping to insult people in general and this weird vibe of “Im a writer, so im better than thou, and socialising is for scrubs” paraphrasing a bit, but that is how the later posts sound to me.
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Makes me wish Blind was actually a flash bomb rather than dust.
Cuz then I could be IRONIC.
Diary of Edwyn Mornoe, Extract 302
The human kingdoms are ravaged. The undead march upon us with legions of monstrous, green brutes—they wish to call themselves Forsaken. Well, forsaken they are: all hope of redemption has fled from their torn-out gullet, and their maggot-ridden brains will forevermore be cursed by the Light’s faithful. Why-ever did we think to grant them peace?
I favour the late king Wrynn. But enough is enough. At least his son understood that before it was too late; before he, too, was stabbed in the back when fighting demons. I hear that we have decimated their ranks and killed their barbaric troll-leaders. The blood sacrifices on that jungle island are worse than any fever and disease nature could muster. Lady Jaina was right all along.
I am hoping to soon write to my mother. I have not heard from her in months, but the roads between Ironforge and Stormwind have not been blessed by fair messengers; too busy tending to the war, all of them. I feel bad for being annoyed at the lack of my own convenience, as I understand their significance in the war.
But lastly, I must record this so I do not forget: a most surreal happening befell my bakery today. A colossal entered the building, wielding twin hammers and with a fiery gaze, pauldrons ablaze with crystalline magnificence. I knew Stormwind was big, and home to many a traveller, but— Even the king never before wielded such tremendous relics of blazing power. I shook, and gulped as he asked casually: ‘So oi mate have you seen my lass? She was drinkin’ last night and we got separated.’
I thought it to be some secret message—perhaps my son had gotten into a violent cult. I have heard the rumours. I will give him to the Church before I see him don black robes and threaten terror with those fanatics of Deathwing…!
He knew nothing.
I returned to the magnificent individual, stood upon this humble soil. He had been joined by a fellow few presences—I could feel power brimming from every sorcerer, and menacing auras around the female with a constant smirk on her face. I apologised, drawing as little attention as I could.
They laughed, and began speaking in a code language I could not understand—but will forever remember.
‘So what did you and Ena’roy’loyd get up to last night?’
He smirked.
She smirked back.
‘We just sat on the harbour talking.’
‘About what?’
A few minutes passed. She performed complex movements with her lips, something I could not decipher.
‘Just stuff I guess. He told me this knee-slapper, haha.’
They left without further goodbyes. I will inform the authorities, but I fear that I will get involved with their cult—I will not speak of this, and this diary shall be the only piece of evidence that I ever met them. Only the Light can judge me now.
quality of rp is only subjective ![:tea:](https://d1bg94bbsh66ji.cloudfront.net/en/wow/images/emoji/twitter/tea.png?v=6" ":tea:")
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His first sentence in this thread started with “I don’t wanna tell people how to roleplay but…”
It’s in the same sense as saying “I am not racist but…”. You just know some really stupid things come after that but that just defy the entire first sentence.
To me it sounds more like he wants to be spoonfed with roleplay. But only roleplay he seems worthy in his eyes. So what he wants is basically telling people to give his characters situations that his character can solve. 24/7.
The absolute madman.
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It sounded like a mix of spoonfeeding and people just being there for him to “improve his craft”, aka, just drones to do as he like.
Atleast thats how it came across. Since apparantly only losers do it for just the fun of it?
tbh I think the 5th post is the most based post in this entire thread and really solves every issue one might have with it tbhonest tbh
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Huh. For some reason I didn’t get pinged.
Idk. It varies. Some people go through more interpersonal growth and development in the span of a hour than some do their entire lives.
People change every day, unconsciously, subconsciously, etc. We’re constantly changing and growing even if we just wake up one morning and realise that we don’t actually like a particular flavor or brand of crisps.
Also, the only real subjective aspect of role-play/writing/etc is whether or not someone likes or dislikes it. Just had that thought just now. Hm.
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Well this was an entertaining read. Top form.
I have to admit, I could not agree with OC more.
During my days in MMOs I saw far too many communities turning RP into fantasy Tinder/Second Life instead of trying to explore the themes which initiated RP: adventure. Drama. Tragedy… but also happy moments can be a good theme to start a memorable RP. Not various ways of sipping a drink.
I do not see OC as ‘pushing’ his view on others or forcing anyone to see his view so personally I do not understand the strong response he got from some… and the ways people decide to misinterpret or overinterpret their own views into something which was never written in the first place. He expressed his opinion and frustrations coming from his own experience when RPing in the major HUBs - which I believe is shared by many of us.
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I don’t think you understand what tension is - and if you do understand what tension is, then I don’t think you know what roleplay is. Rather than re-write it, I’m just going to link a definition from the last time you started the “tension” discussion - which people are of course free to dispute.
Continuing the discussion from Why criminal role-play doesn't last, or have a place on AD:
So, to begin with, let me just say that I agree that realistic characters should be imperfect, and that they should have flaws and weaknesses and problems just like any person in real life.
I would also say that while random walk-up RP has no plot or structure, it can have tension, of a different kind than described above. Tension comes from conflict and struggle, and in narratives, its most basic form can be characterised as a problem that needs to be overcome.
In the first place, social RP can have conflict. Characters can disagree, they can annoy, bore, anger, upset, and hurt one another. The dramatic stakes here, and the tension, would be the damage done to a relationship, or to a character’s psyche, in the form of mental/emotional anguish, and any lasting changes it wreaks.
In the second place, characters can have problems that need solutions. These can be external, material problems, like poverty, sickness, bereavement, or persecution. Alternatively, they can be internal, such as anxiety, depression, insecurity, anger, ennui - the list is endless.
The issue for me is that you seem to view RP as a plot-driven medium, and secondly, you seem to view RP characters as plot devices - as NPC quest-givers whose job it is to provide you with a neat, tidy, pre-packaged problem to solve.
In addition, there’s absolutely no possible way to tell if characters are “permanently” well-off, content, or healthy, or even if a character that appears that way is actually content and well-off. Most real people don’t divulge their problems and secrets to total strangers during their first encounter. It’s a little ridiculous to judge the content of an entire server’s cast of characters based on initial impressions alone.
But real people socialise. Real people are at times happy, content, and untroubled. There’s nothing wrong with characters socialising as long as they are in fact characters, with their own personalities and flaws and habits and quirks, speaking, acting and behaving in their own unique ways. Is your character incapable of socialising? Have they no thoughts, feelings, or opinions of their own? A morality, or philosophy, alien to you as a player? Isn’t -that- worth RP’ing? If they have all these things, then what exactly is your issue?
I think the core of the problem is that you feel entitled to engage in a meaningful way with character’s issues. You want your RP to have some sort of lasting effect on a character, whether or not it makes sense, or it is earned. I’m extrapolating a little here, but I’ll elaborate below.
I think you definitely have a problem creating roleplay for yourself. Your issue is that not enough people are playing victims for you to help. Your issue is that not enough people are providing you with tension.
Why do you need tension to be given to you on a plate? Why on earth isn’t your own character providing you with tension? Do they not have problems or issues of their own that need solving? Do they not have hopes, dreams, fears, desires, and ambitions? Do they not have goals or motivations? Is the only thing your character does wander around Stormwind looking for people to fix or help? What real person acts or behaves in this way?
Tension is something that your character should carry with them. It should be an absence, a lack, they want to fill - a desire for love, friendship, happiness, power, knowledge, wealth - a desire to live meaningfully, to make a difference. It should keep you invested in, and interested by, their actions and reactions. Perhaps your characters inability to find victims to rescue plunges him into doubt and depression - unable to make the difference he wants to, he feels empty, without purpose, and turns to drink. Perhaps it is itself a symptom of narcissism, megalomania - a messiah complex.
The “tension” of random RP is entirely on you, and your character, to generate and sustain - not for other characters to create for you. In addition, if that tension is based on a character flaw or personality defect, its a tension that will likely never go resolved - and nor should it. People aren’t capable of total re-invention. Wounds heal, but scars remain. This is why flaws are important in social RP - a character’s temper, or anxiety, or low self-esteem, however mitigated, however managed, will likely be a gnawing tendency which continues to affect both their mood and their interactions with characters around them - leading to more conflict, more problems, more growth and development, more fun.
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It couldn’t be more clear how he is pushing his view on others. Especially this part here:
Putting his own roleplay above others. Insulting people that have a different way of roleplaying. Sure, he isn’t pushing anyone but if you insult people then expect some resistance. In the same meaning he states that “nobody can tell me anything because nobody knows me” but he does that? How much of a puppet can you be to state “I am not like these nerds” but “You nerds can’t insult me!”?
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Hardcore ironman roleplay mode.
You die in /e you delete your character.
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Man imagine if people actually didn’t take one specific phrase out of context.
Or imagine if they did, but did so IC and that created tension . . .
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