You have replied below:
So far, of all the people in the thread that speak about role-players, and all your comments about people calling role-players “nerds”, you’re the only one adressing them with stuff such as “quirky people doing something outlandish”. Like, WTF.
I doubt you could tbh.
It’s quite sad that you’re downplaying (read: denying) the accomplishments, passion and efforts of fellow role-players to assert a self-centered idea about Argent Dawn: namely that only we do RP on WoW in such a way that classifies us as a role-playing community.
As for the numbers, I already told you. To me, it is the content that is done which matters for a community to exist. Framing the existence of a community in terms of numbers is misleading. A group of the same people with a common interest is a community. Big numbers aren’t necessary. I’d say any number that is 20/30+ people that can create regular RP for years, have more than a guild and interact with one another are a role-playing community.
I’m still trying to decipher what you mean by “purpose” of a RP server. Is it to host role-play? Then yes, by definition, if a role-playing server hosts a group of role-players, it still retains its purpose.
I’d argue that, if only 5 people are left to role-play on a server this is likely their choice, they must see value in what they’re doing and think that it is worth their time. Otherwise they would leave and find a better place.
However, and this is where we disagree, it would not be because non-RPers pushed them away, but simply because there is bigger value in other places.
I’m also waiting to get an answer from you. If non-RPers “choke” the willingness to create role-play, how is it possible that these small communities exist? Why is it that the RP community has picked Legion Dalaran to role-play, exposing themselves to non-RPers, when they could go for an empty Northrend Dalaran? If I have to answer myself, I’d say that both groups know they can share the space with non-RPers just fine. Because they too must know that non-RPers aren’t a threat to their hobby.
You could go “oh but they’re unhealthy” (without knowing anything about them, I assume) but that’s not really a solid answer, is it.
Also I overlooked this one but I was speaking about private RP servers, which are RP servers with RP communities. Just saying.
First of all: the idea that RPers are a category of victims before the category of “conquerors”, “RP-chokers” and other nonsense that you ascribe to non-RPers is something that I do not agree with. My suggestion is, if you want to make statements you expect me to follow into, you should not place assumptions that you know I will not agree with. Otherwise they look a bit like traps.
Second and most important point: being a victim (and I am not saying that anyone is) does not excuse poor behaviour. Victims can also be responsible for reprehensible behaviour. The abused that turns into an abuser is not an uncommon narrative.
Third point. These people who go around creating toxic hunts spread the idea that they are effective to solve problems. It is an instrument that is also turned inwards towards the RP community. The more it is seen as a popular tool and the right way to solve conflicts, the more it will be used. The more you feed it, the more it is normalised. By reinforcing the idea that disagreements and different opinions should be solved with social sanctions, cherry-picking, false claims, harassment and denial of status, we are effectively responsible for nurturing a worse community.
I could go on and threaten you, much like you did, that “this is not the argument you want to make”, because if you defend these people you’d be among the people that effectively harm and poison our community. But I have a strong distaste for these arguments. And frankly, I don’t believe that. I do believe people can be misled, or in your case, are genuinely afraid of something, even if it’s not something we should be afraid of. But I hope you drop this line of low-key accusations asap.
I agree here. Even if, I think, it is not about the grudge itself, but rather divergent approaches to role-play and the unavailability to change them to accommodate for the others. This is a topic for another time however.
It’s because you make statements you know I disagree with and that you assume to be correct, but not arguments. This is on you.
Also. Note how increasing the numbers of nonRPers doesn’t make RP more scarce. The role-play that is found through the server remains the same.
[source missing]
Ah, yes, let me latest analitycal masterpiece about “RPers, stop playing with dolls!”. Damn! Google scholar doesn’t find me anything.
Perhaps you do believe that. But from what I’ve seen in this discussion, I do not think so.
Edit.
Tbh I find this question very passive-aggressive. Why ask it in the first place, if not because this question prepares the ground to assert that they do not have a right to be here? Everytime someone has given a honest reply, people treated their reply as an argument and tried to destroy it somehow. “You’re here to play with friends? Oh, you can do so via the battle-tag! Go away!”, “You like the atmosphere? but thats thanks to us roleplayers, you’re ruining it!”.
They can play here if that’s what they want and do not need to give any player a reason, that would be correct. I personally haven’t seen many slurs thrown around.
