introduction to advanced RP'ing... can i have one?

Error message

Deprecated function: implode(): Passing glue string after array is deprecated. Swap the parameters in drupal_get_feeds() (line 394 of /var/www/pied-piper.ermarian.net/includes/common.inc).

Pages

Author	Topic: introduction to advanced RP'ing... can i have one?
Sarabi Atar Apprentice Member # 3520	written Thursday, November 6 2003 11:14 Profile #0 I have been in many RP's, big and small, trivial and meaningful, future and past, technology and fantasy... but never have I encountered any quite as big or in depth as the ones I find here at the spiderweb software site boards. I ask with an inquiring mind of how to start? how to enter and RP and stay in it... please can anyone aid me? -------------------- E=MC2 =Meaning of reletivity =meaning of life = Coke and Curry. Posts: 23 \| Registered: Sunday, October 5 2003 07:00
Omlette Shaper Member # 517	written Thursday, November 6 2003 12:58 Profile #1 There's no fixed method, but there are a few general guidelines I can give you. Please note that I will be making this up as I go along, although not completely out of the blue... 1) When you create your character, don't do so as if you're starting a computer game. Descriptions like 'He is a water mage with 3 level 1 spells, 14 HP and 200 gold coins' completely prevent your character from sounding real, IMO. 2) When you create your character, personality is more important than coolness. If your character is created from a how-few-ways-can-I-leave-for-him-to-get-hurt perspective, chances are that they'll end up, not only as god characters, but also without a personality and thus with no function. (I remember a very early post from Dolney along the lines of 'Alex draws his sword and attacks four of the demons, killing them. I'll leave the last one to you.' That is not how to RP.) If you start with maybe a basic premise about your character (their gender, main ability, and age) and then just go and develop their personality/history, you'll have a far more interesting character who can actually contribute to the storyline rather than hacking away at enemies as they are identified. 3) Never create problems/difficulties/plot twists and fix them so that only you can solve/complete them. This is very important for the simple reason that it's easy to do-people assume that the story they have started can be logically carried on by anyone, but in fact what they want to happen is so specific that the other person can't work it out. 4) Never make a subplot, especially one involving only part of the party, and even more especially involving just you, take precedence over the main plot, especially if the completion of the subplot is irrelevant to the main plot. (An example would be when Undine sneaked off to avenge a vendetta against a salamander in Join Us: he killed the thing in two posts and rejoined the party without making us wait for a week for him to think up a good battle scene, but developed his character significantly in the mean time.) 5) Never make your character more powerful than others'. In particular, if someone is a specialist in something and you are not, never ever make yourself better at it than them. It sounds obvious but it doesn't seem to be...(for example, if you're a general mage fighting an ice mage, for some reason, and he shoots an ice bolt at you which you parry with a flame wall, his ice bolt still gets through because he's an ice specialist and you aren't a flame specialist.) 6) Most importantly, never make other peoples' characters do or say major things. (A major thing is 'So, will you come and assault this castle with me?'...'Yes, certainly', wheras a minor thing would be, say, the other person saying something along the lines of 'carry on' to punctuate a speech, if you follow.) -E- -------------------- Let them eat cake! Polaris Boards: The System is Up. Perennially. Posts: 2314 \| Registered: Tuesday, January 15 2002 08:00
The Abridged Series Guardian Member # 2080	written Thursday, November 6 2003 13:33 Profile #2 I would advise that you should try to be serious in serious RPs and silly in silly ones. Sounds easy enough, but for some reason I just can't do it. Also for some reason having evil characters be on the side of good usually doesn't work, cause the good characters will want to lynch your evil character. Posts: 1918 \| Registered: Sunday, October 13 2002 07:00
The Immortal BANNED Member # 4	written Thursday, November 6 2003 14:08 Profile Homepage #3 Capitalization, punctuation, grammar and articulation help. I'd give your character a personality that isn't cliche'd. There are a million Sephiroth-wannabes out there, we don't need another. -------------------- We're all amazed but not amused By all the things that you said you'd do. You're much concerned but not involved by Decisions that are made by you But we are sick and tired of hearing your song, Telling us how you are going to change right from wrong, 'Cause if you really want to hear our views, You haven't done nothin'. Posts: 6936 \| Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
The Abridged Series Guardian Member # 2080	written Thursday, November 6 2003 15:32 Profile #4 what!?!?!??!?!!!?!! You can never have too many Sephiroth-wannabes! j/k Posts: 1918 \| Registered: Sunday, October 13 2002 07:00
Arancaytar Law Bringer Member # 2984	written Thursday, November 6 2003 16:15 Profile Homepage #5 Sephiroth? Did I, by asking that, reveal that I'm totally ignorant concerning some extremely cool movie/video game that everyone except me has heard about? If so, name it please... Oh, and here's an extremely good newbie guide to the concept of play-by-post RPing: And finally, someone has compiled the golden rules, the Ten Commandments of RPing. They are rather more strict than what is done here, but some of them are worth remembering. Most of them echo what Omelette said earlier, anyway. I. Thou shalt not play God. Simple. Don't make your character overly powerful; it takes the fun out.II. Thou shalt not solve all the problems of the universe all by yourself. Like Omelette said; throwing obstacles and solving them yourself causes your fellow players to feel left out. You're playing together, not trying to impress each other.III. Thou shalt add details to your writing to keep it from being boring. Always concentrate more on the quality of your writing than on the quality of what your character is doing. A well-written defeat is a million times more fun to write and to read than a victory running "I WAKL UUP TOO TEH BIGG MONSTA ANND SLLAY IT!!"IV. Thou shalt be true to the character of your character. Stay in character. Don't make decisions that you know your character wouldn't make under the circumstances. Don't make an altruistic Paladin suddenly demand payment. Don't make a fearless berserk cower in fear.V. Thou shalt make sense. Don't write impossible stuff that is utterly devoid of reason. In a silly RP, it's all right if a million small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri teleport in and start chattering. In a serious RP, it's not.VI. Thou shalt not kill other characters or decide what damage they get. So important that I made it bold. The single most important rule of RPing. In combat, the only one who decides what damage your character gets is you. Similarly, the only character whose damage you decide is your own. Of course, you should put in some defeats, and a lot of injuries, maybe even death. But it should always be the players making the decision for their own character.VII. Thou shalt be patient for other characters to post. I think this topic was not touched upon. In different time zones, frequently you are, for hours on end, the only one online. Live with it, and wait until someone posts. Nobody likes to see one player running the story by themselves in a hundred consecutive posts. There are diaries and online blogs for that. The time of inactivity accepted around here is about 4-5 days. If your RP is inactive that long, you can consider bumping it with a double post. But avoid doing it unless you have to.VIII. THOU SHALT NOT WRITE IN ALL CAPS AS IT IS HIGHLY ANNOYING. Self-explanatoryIX. Tho shlt nat us fels spillin n gremmmer. Self-explanatory as well.X. Thou shalt not decide thy neighbour?s actions, or his wife's actions, or his ox's actions.... This last one is a bit ambigious. On elite RPing sites, if you post so much as a word of greeting uttered or the twitch of a finger made by another character, people are gonna yell at you. Around here, it's fairly common to do it. I usually avoid it because I can't find a way to emulate another one's character; there are others who think alike, but don't be surprised if this last rule isn't taken too strictly here. If someone really badly misuses your character, just mention it and it will most likely be changed. Posting other players' actions is not taboo here, but avoid doing too much. Instead write about your own actions and leave time in between to allow others to react with their characters.That's all I can say now, really. I hope it was of help. -------------------- "And all should cry, Beware, Beware! His Flashing eyes, his Floating hair!" S. T. Coleridge --- "It is as if everyone had lost their sense Consigned themselves to downfall and decadence And a wisp it is they have chosen as their beacon." Reinhard Mey. --- Quote of the Week: "I have a high opinion of myself, which makes up for my total lack of intelligence." Anon. Posts: 8752 \| Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
The Abridged Series Guardian Member # 2080	written Thursday, November 6 2003 17:11 Profile #6 Good grammer! No!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh wait, no one can understand you if you're completely incoherant... So from now on I shall continue to be "somewhat coherant". Fortunately, I seriously doubt that anyone with a certain degree of sanity will take punctuation religiously. And if they do, I'll just deal with it like I do with other annoying people... only without the profanity and brutal beatings. [ Thursday, November 06, 2003 17:12: Message edited by: Dark Flame ] Posts: 1918 \| Registered: Sunday, October 13 2002 07:00
Oracle Apprentice Member # 3643	written Thursday, November 6 2003 18:01 Profile #7 Blech, sites that have a rule of no doing anything with other's charecter's at all are annoying. It makes a lot less sense, because in real life, things are happening and people are talking simultaneously. Imagine watching a movie where every character moved and talked one at a time. -------------------- Don't ask the Oracle unless you're willing to get the slurred drunken truth. Posts: 24 \| Registered: Monday, November 3 2003 08:00
Or else o'erleap. Law Bringer Member # 335	written Thursday, November 6 2003 18:24 Profile Homepage #8 That's why we don't have that rule. But it's just as bad to tell other people that they have volunteered for the suicidal assault on Castle Impregnable and handed over all their weaponry to your character. —Alorael, who would like to add Commandment XI: Thou shalt not force the plot in directions that others have clearly rejected, no matter how nicely you planned it. You do not own the RP. Posts: 14579 \| Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
The Abridged Series Guardian Member # 2080	written Thursday, November 6 2003 19:06 Profile #9 Cause as well all know, the GIFTS own the RP, as well as the forums and software company. --------------------- [ Thursday, November 06, 2003 19:07: Message edited by: Dark Flame ] Posts: 1918 \| Registered: Sunday, October 13 2002 07:00
Milla Infiltrator Member # 65	written Thursday, November 6 2003 19:10 Profile Homepage #10 Excuse my ignorance, but who or what is Sephiroth? -------------------- ...a sadist is only someone that is terribly nice to a masochist... Want to find out how nasty you really are? visit:http://www.thespark.com/ now! Also look at my site here This is also a good site Posts: 650 \| Registered: Thursday, October 4 2001 07:00
The Abridged Series Guardian Member # 2080	written Thursday, November 6 2003 19:18 Profile #11 1 of the greatest villans ever. From Final Fantasy 7. He was evil, but cool. --------------------- Posts: 1918 \| Registered: Sunday, October 13 2002 07:00
Wise Man Master Member # 1046	written Thursday, November 6 2003 19:20 Profile Homepage #12 final boss/uber powerful villain-dude in FF7. -------------------- Urban wisdom is not actual wisdom. It's more like the seemingly philosophical statements that sometimes leak out of my strange mind through my mouth, or in the case of message boards, my hands. -------------------- Clan Xeon - Warcraft III clan Polaris - Weather Balloons YAY Undead Theories - Don't Ask, Don't Tell Posts: 3323 \| Registered: Thursday, April 25 2002 07:00
Sebald Lifecrafter Member # 3310	written Thursday, November 6 2003 23:46 Profile #13 I'm not entirely sure I agree with Arancyatar regarding number 4 (thou shalt be true to the character of your character). It's not that simple. I think characters should always be given the opportunity to develop, especially mentally (right word?). It is possible to change one's opinion, after all. Why couldn't the character be altered by what he/she does and experiences? I think it would be very boring to have to play with a character that reacts in the same way with every encounter. A paladin doesn't always have to be that goody-goody type. People have many sides and breaking the normes just "deepens" the character and makes him more interesting. After all, people's minds aren't usually that simply built. And finally, this is only one opinion. Posts: 756 \| Registered: Monday, August 4 2003 07:00
premonition Shock Trooper Member # 3377	written Friday, November 7 2003 02:21 Profile #14 On the one hand, you don't want characters who, for instance, so utterly despise goblins that they would happily go to hell if it destroying the entire race, and then save the life of one for no reason at all. On the other hand, repetition is tedious. There are plenty of ways to keep your complex character in character without resorting to repetition. Change of attitudes is natural, but there must be a catalyst for the change. wrt Omlette's #4 (Subplots): That's debatable. It depends on the style of the RP - some don't start with any main plot, in which case one (or two or three) develop out of the various subplots. -------------------- From many a wondrous grot and secret cell Unnumbered and enormous polypi Winnow with giant fins the slumbering green. Posts: 356 \| Registered: Saturday, August 23 2003 07:00
Drakefyre Triad Mage Member # 7	written Friday, November 7 2003 02:59 Profile Homepage #15 I completely disagree with Commandment X. In theory, the best RPers should all be able to control everyone's character, and nobody should really care. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Vahnatai Did Do It desperance.net - We're Everywhere The Arena - God Will Sort The Dead ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 \| Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00
Arancaytar Law Bringer Member # 2984	written Friday, November 7 2003 08:28 Profile Homepage #16 As I said, it just depends on where you're playing. No one will care here, as long as you don't make their character do really dumb stuff. Oracle, the problem of having one character acting at a time is only an apparent one. You base it on the assumption RP posts need to follow consecutively, chronologically. That is not so. Usually when someone else has posted a scene in an RP, I go on in my next post to redescribe the scene from my point of view, focusing on what my character is doing. You get the happenings split up in separate posts (inevitable in any play-by-post game), but they're still simultaneous. The tutorial I linked to mentions one really cool solution to describing your own action only in an interaction. The way they do it is as long-winded and intricate as an exercise in acrobatics. Remember, doing this is completely unnecessary in most places including this, but the example is to show you that it can still be done. quote: Originally written by Drogo: And yes, sometimes it may be difficult to make things happen when you have to remember all the "passive" people that surround me. To take a recent example of how you might take care of that... Once upon a time, there was The Jolly Roger Bar. A tavern thread of which Cool.One was the founder. A lot was happening at once. And I felt I should reply to everyone at once, being after all the barkeeper. (Yep, being extremely modest here again, to take one of my own posts as an example...) Someone by the name of ScareCrow asked me to show him his room, but he was still sitting at his table. A little bard had just entered, and needed medical attention (amongst other side-plots...) So I had to find a way to get to the rooms for ScareCrow, then down again to hand out orders, all in one post, because if I had to wait for ScareCrow to answer first that indeed he had found his room and entered, downstairs things might have got out of hand. This is what I posted: With that said, Cool.One left his bouncer, and returned to the table in the corner. He grabbed a lit torch from the wall and spoke. "Your room, sir... Follow me..." Cool.One mounted the stairs, and with a vague gesture of his arm motioned towards the long corridor with doors on both sides. "They are all empty... Just choose one... The lock is on the inside, no key needed. However, if you choose to stay for a longer while, you can come to me and ask for the key so that you may close the door when you go out without your belongings... Now if you'll excuse me... Sounds like things are going on..." Cool.One bowed shortly, and made his way downstairs again. I could have said that ScareCrow was right behind me, but I didn't. He could still be at his table, or he could be behind me on the stairs, or already ahead of me in the corridor. That was up to him in his next post... (sorry, I once again seem to go on and on when talking about RPing... . Better stop rambling. -------------------- "And all should cry, Beware, Beware! His Flashing eyes, his Floating hair!" S. T. Coleridge --- "It is as if everyone had lost their sense Consigned themselves to downfall and decadence And a wisp it is they have chosen as their beacon." Reinhard Mey. --- Quote of the Week: "I have a high opinion of myself, which makes up for my total lack of intelligence." Anon. Posts: 8752 \| Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
Omlette Shaper Member # 517	written Friday, November 7 2003 12:05 Profile #17 I've read that, and it does seem totally unnecessary. Leaving everyone else's actions completely and entirely out of your posts is all very well if everyone's able to post 2-3 times a day, but here at least they aren't, so it isn't. -E- -------------------- Let them eat cake! Polaris Boards: The System is Up. Perennially. Posts: 2314 \| Registered: Tuesday, January 15 2002 08:00
Oracle Apprentice Member # 3643	written Friday, November 7 2003 12:27 Profile #18 Aran, I see your point. I suppose I didn't take that into consideration. I haven't RPed here before, so my experience is pretty different. Gotta remember to think before I post. (I've seen the ramifications of not doing that around here) -------------------- Don't ask the Oracle unless you're willing to get the slurred drunken truth. Posts: 24 \| Registered: Monday, November 3 2003 08:00
The Abridged Series Guardian Member # 2080	written Friday, November 7 2003 13:44 Profile #19 One thing that is important is to keep your character from becoming vital to the story. You never know when you will get tired of an RP and leave without finishing the major task(s) you character needs to do. Not only will keeping your character from becoming too important not ruin the story, but it also keeps you from getting too arrogant and slightly less attached to your character. --------------------- [ Friday, November 07, 2003 13:54: Message edited by: Lone Flame ] Posts: 1918 \| Registered: Sunday, October 13 2002 07:00
premonition Shock Trooper Member # 3377	written Friday, November 7 2003 15:59 Profile #20 I tend to agree with Aran here. Character control is a big issue for some, and a lot of the RPs I've been in have been rather obsessed about it. A good RPer should be able to post the action of another's character with accuracy, but the owner of the character may want something entirely different for the purposes of development. The way we usually got around it was to spread the interaction/conversation over 5 or 6 posts (which may take a fair few days to complete) or work on it beforehand via email/pms, and post the completed interaction in one shot. -------------------- From many a wondrous grot and secret cell Unnumbered and enormous polypi Winnow with giant fins the slumbering green. Posts: 356 \| Registered: Saturday, August 23 2003 07:00
The Abridged Series Guardian Member # 2080	written Friday, November 7 2003 16:51 Profile #21 I remember this 1 time I was in an RP and I was going to kill off my character. So I thouhgt up this epicish and neat way for him to die. I got started on it and was near the point in which I was supposed to kill him. Then for some reason, everyone else didn't like what I was doing, so they completely screwed up the plot to my character's death. I had to have him die in a strange way. But because I was so pissed about people messing it up, I had to take a few days off to come up with a new character and cool off. Posts: 1918 \| Registered: Sunday, October 13 2002 07:00
Drakefyre Triad Mage Member # 7	written Saturday, November 8 2003 02:53 Profile Homepage #22 I remember in the first inn RP when I killed ef's character. That was fun. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Vahnatai Did Do It desperance.net - We're Everywhere The Arena - God Will Sort The Dead ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 \| Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00
Omlette Shaper Member # 517	written Saturday, November 8 2003 13:58 Profile #23 But she came back as a man, which was also fun. And LF, please don't dig up that can of worms. -E- -------------------- Let them eat cake! Polaris Boards: The System is Up. Perennially. Posts: 2314 \| Registered: Tuesday, January 15 2002 08:00
Sebald Lifecrafter Member # 3310	written Sunday, November 9 2003 02:36 Profile #24 I really, really don't like to control other players charachters, but sometimes it's necessary. And even then I tend to avoid any big decisions (which of course results in me writing long nondescript posts that really piss of everyone else... ). For example, in the Zombie Attack RPG my character has ended up unconsciuos (as a result of my own actions). There really isn't much to do about it. Quess I'll just have to wait and see how the situation develops further. [ Sunday, November 09, 2003 02:38: Message edited by: Ironweed ] Posts: 756 \| Registered: Monday, August 4 2003 07:00