The Problem with Alliance RP -- Extended Thoughts

[Fluellan-argent-dawn (Fluellan)]

Godwin’s law indeed…

Wow, big concept. Did you come up with all by yourself?

Please tell us you’re just pretending to be this dumb.

Teach me intellect, o wise one.

[Tehya-wildhammer]

Are you, by any chance, a cousin of Lilynore?

[Fluellan-argent-dawn (Fluellan)]

Are you, by any chance, a cousin of Lilynore?

Yes. Also lover.

[Alyndaria-argent-dawn (Alyndaria)]

I think this is already derailing the thread.

But I agree - Interest in WoW is slowly waning and decreasing. But the RP is still going strong for now, both on alliance and horde.

[Lóras-argent-dawn (Lóras)]

MMOs as a whole have been going out of fashion for a long time. WoW has survived because of its sheer popularity during its peak. We might complain about both major and minute details in the game, but we’re about as loyal as they come - no one leaves the game forever.

The dedication of the RP community is very encouraging honestly; Blizzard might give us on a stick sometimes, but damn it that’s our on a stick. We’re more than capable of making fun and engaging stories for ourselves, within the parameters of the lore.

[Alyndaria-argent-dawn (Alyndaria)]

but we’re about as loyal as they come - no one leaves the game forever.

Agreed. We are all trapped.

[Lóras-argent-dawn (Lóras)]

I’ve been playing since I was 10~, I turn 23 next week. I try not to think about how much of my life has been dedicated to Azeroth.

[Alyndaria-argent-dawn (Alyndaria)]

Likewise! I first started playing around the same age. 8 years later still here.

The RP is good; it will always be good with the right people. But it could be more. I think a big gripe with the Alliance RP community is that there are a lot of people who are on bad terms with one another for a reason or another and sometimes they just don’t let go of old grudges.

[Vixí-argent-dawn (Vixí)]

I saw someone mention Argent Archives as a reason for rp to decline on Alliance side, and I dont really think thats correct. AA is still active today and I know people use it though perhaps not as much as it was around 2009-2010 when I first started rping.

However, I did end up stopping to use AA completly at one point around the 2010 era, when(This is -not- AA’s fault at all, its a good website), it became almost mandatory by many people that you needed a lengthy AA profile for your character with several bought artworks of said character too. Otherwise you werent as good of a roleplayer. While not everywhere, there was a growing elitism with AA that caused me to abandon it completly, because it was more simpler and fun to just focus on roleplaying ingame with a bit of mrp filled out or flag. Then trp of course.

As for problems with Alliance rp in modern times, its been said by plenty above with many good examples, but with Stormwind in particular, one thing that did drive me to not rp there anymore due it being so tiresome was the, still weird, overly racist human paladin trend as mentioned. Because it does get kinda exhausting as you wander through SW on,well a gnome, only to have 9 or 10 bulky male paladins armoured to the teeth with titles such as “Commander/Ex-veteran of the Alliance/Marshal” etc start belittling your existence for being “low-life sub human” followed by a rant on how the horde is actually better than their own allies they have served with for -years-.

Another exhausting thing was that this was weirdly enough applauded and praised by other people for being good quality roleplay, with the excuse always being “Garithos was racist, so all humans are.” Or the best example I have mentioned before, getting links to youtube videos about white supremacist rallies, because that would explain it?

It’s started to die off now, which I’m happy for. Because Alliance rp is still fun I think, and I’ve had/have pleasant rp experiences in Stormwind too.

[Lóras-argent-dawn (Lóras)]

“Garithos was racist, so all humans are.”

I’ve always disliked this because, generally speaking, humans are intended to be a race with a natural affinity for diplomacy. It’s one of their racials!!

I think a big gripe with the Alliance RP community is that there are a lot of people who are on bad terms with one another for a reason or another and sometimes they just don’t let go of old grudges.

This is definitely an issue that I’ve encountered and been guilty of. I’ve made a conscious effort to move away from that kind of behaviour, but even then there’s still certain players that I’m going to avoid - usually because I feel that they aren’t fun to play with because of their OOC attitude.

Live and let live is a line used in these threads frequently, but it’s a good one. What do we accomplish by actively engaging in e-feuds that go beyond the bounds of RP? The answer is pretty easy: nothing.

[Janzì-argent-dawn]

Stormwind in particular, one thing that did drive me to not rp there anymore due it being so tiresome was the, still weird, overly racist human paladin trend as mentioned. Because it does get kinda exhausting as you wander through SW on,well a gnome, only to have 9 or 10 bulky male paladins armoured to the teeth with titles such as “Commander/Ex-veteran of the Alliance/Marshal” etc start belittling your existence for being “low-life sub human” followed by a rant on how the horde is actually better than their own allies they have served with for -years-.

wait… what

i thought the ‘sub-human’ thing was a joke. not an actual thing that was happening. im surprised.

[Vixí-argent-dawn (Vixí)]

I’ve always disliked this because, generally speaking, humans are intended to be a race with a natural affinity for diplomacy. It’s one of their racials!!

Indeed, and as I’ve said myself to people who argue about this, I can understand if a random westfall farmer who rarely leaves his homes has some distrust towards other races. Not soldiers of the Alliance though who work with them daily, and certainly not officers/commanders.

And certainly not towards dwarves and gnomes who were part of the original Alliance and has had -nothing- but excellent relations with the humans for decades.

[Vixí-argent-dawn (Vixí)]

It is/was legit, happened quite often actually, and funnily enough towards dwarves and gnomes the most.

[Sawblaster-argent-dawn]

The amount of racism thrown around IC by humans can quickly become tiring. Especially low fantasy roleplayers.

Being bullied around for being a “knife ear” or a “midget” becomes eyerollingly boring after the fifth time during a campaign.

It is/was legit, happened quite often actually, and funnily enough towards dwarves and gnomes the most.

It usually gets worse after the release of something like Witcher 3, or Dragon Age.

[Vixí-argent-dawn (Vixí)]

Oh gosh, when Dragon Age 4 hits the scene it will be everything all over again. Not looking forward to that.

Which is a shame since I love that franchise, but I dont like people bringing in stuff from it into WoW that has nothing to do here.

[Lanestra-argent-dawn]

Being bullied around for being a “knife ear” or a “midget” becomes eyerollingly boring after the fifth time during a campaign.

“Knife ear” remains a positively moronic insult in the Warcraft setting, and one ripped straight from a Bioware game no less… and now I’m veering into a pet peeve rant so better cut that trail of thought short.

On the plus side of things, I have actually found the reception of my Void Elf to be fairly good. Not in the sense that she is being treated with trust and admiration by a long shot, but just the right balance of acceptance and low key suspicion.

[Sawblaster-argent-dawn]

Oh gosh, when Dragon Age 4 hits the scene it will be everything all over again. Not looking forward to that.

Which is a shame since I love that franchise, but I dont like people bringing in stuff from it into WoW that has nothing to do here.

Just like when Game of Thrones was at its peak, and people were making House guilds, “calling the banners”, and committing Incest like there was no tomorrow.

[Vixí-argent-dawn (Vixí)]

“Knife ear” remains a positively moronic insult in the Warcraft setting, and one ripped straight from a Bioware game no less… and now I’m veering into a pet peeve rant so better cut that trail of thought short.

Its jarringly bizarre when basically like two thirds of all races have some sort of pointy ears. Humans are well in the minority.

Just like when Game of Thrones was at its peak, and people were making House guilds, “calling the banners”, and committing Incest like there was no tomorrow.

Dont forget messenger ravens and calling tabards surcoats. -Every- guild has to have surcoats.

[Sawblaster-argent-dawn]

“Knife ear” remains a positively moronic insult in the Warcraft setting, and one ripped straight from a Bioware game no less… and now I’m veering into a pet peeve rant so better cut that trail of thought short.

Its jarringly bizarre when basically like two thirds of all races have some sort of pointy ears. Humans are well in the minority.

Just like when Game of Thrones was at its peak, and people were making House guilds, “calling the banners”, and committing Incest like there was no tomorrow.

Dont forget messenger ravens and calling tabards surcoats. -Every- guild has to have surcoats.

Don’t forget your One Spell Per Event rule for mages. And ignoring any gnomes/draenei and technology more advanced than swords.

[Vixí-argent-dawn (Vixí)]

Don’t forget your One Spell Per Event rule for mages.

This annoys me incredibly much, and the notion that magic is this super difficult thing where it takes 8 hours to cast a basic fireball that has a 90% chance to fail.

When its the exact oposite in WoW’s setting. It is basically a super-power and those who wield it can do so fairly easily depending on what type of magic they use.