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+--- Thread: Woop woop! (/showthread.php?tid=5047)
Woop woop! - Noceur - 10-14-2013
Hello guys and gals, I hope I am not breaking any rules by posting questions in this thread together with my basic introduction post.
I've always wanted to try really RPing but never got started, I never had any idea about how to get started but tonight while browsing reddit I came across a post recommending this site so here I am!Â
Now as I stated, I have no idea how RPing works and I frankly never really played FF other than the 10th game, I haven't even gotten the game first as the reason for actually buying the game would be finding a cool community to hang out with which I hope this is.
I suppose you could say RP is completely against my nature and how I normally play, I have played MMORPGs for a long time, hardcore PVP and PKer, led clans with hundreds of users and played other games competitively for money yet never touched lore or the fictional parts of the games, as I feel jaded and bitter about the games in general these days I figured I'd try a different approach. Hopefully this will provide me with some fresh air after a long time of suffocating myself in anger and hatred for everything related to gaming.
Other than being an angry gamer I am also a game developer, working on my own projects and freelancing a bit while studying at university as well as doing some Muay Thai.
So now, how would one start out, how does roleplaying work and what should I definitely read? Is the community strictly American (most RP communities seems to be) and if so can a European guy still play with you? Anything that helps me in the right direction or someone to chat with would be great as I am currently quite confused and drowning in things to read.
I did not read through that post even once and I hope it didn't get completely messed up, also I love chocobos.
EDIT: Also quite nervous about this even if that might not have been apparent in the above chunk of text.
//Noc
RE: Woop woop! - K'dath - 10-14-2013
You don't really need any background in Final Fantasy to enjoy it. Each game is a self contained story/universe with unique rules. Even a lot of FF14 1.x lore is rarely if ever referenced in ARR. As for what you have to read, background on your race and class are good places to start. Using my own as an example:
Miqo'te
Miqo'te Naming Conventions
Summoner
Obviously, you'd wanna brush up on whatever yours are instead, but that'll send you to the right place. It'll give you a general idea of the fluff behind what you're playing. There some background on how the different races live, what their cultures are like. Very little of it goes into deep detail, which is good and bad. It leaves us with a lack of definite answers in a lot aspects. With role players though, that's where your imagination comes in!
For example, the exact nature of the Miqo'te tribes isn't heavily elaborated on. In the game there's few observable tribes that all seem to behave by different rules. So if you wanted your character to be Miqo'te from the X tribe you can, for lack of a more eloquent way to put it, make shit up.
There's the Official Lore Forum the if you want to peruse it. Honestly though, you won't find too awful much of passing interest. There's our own General Lore Questions thread where you can throw out specific questions or read up on other shenanigans. There are also a myraid of other fan sites, youtube channels, and discussion boards that have smatterings of info. Google helps. Your best bet is usually to ask someone though.
And when all else fails, look to the game! It's generally the best source, even if it is woefully inconsistent on some aspects. Slogging through the story mode and reading the quest text doesn't take too long, and then you have the knowledge firsthand.
How to Role Play is a completely subjective matter, one you'll often find people here debating about frequently. It's as simple as playing pretend! You make up your character and interact with the world and other people as if you were them. You might elect to play a gruff, weathered mercenary who doesn't talk much. Or maybe a Lalafell that speaks in limericks? You can draw from the background of your race, your class, or your homeland to help come up with ideas that fit within the established lore.
There's no right or wrong way to go about it. And if someone tells you that you are, tell them to go to hell. It's a game. And games are fun. I know the reason I left competitive gaming was because people seemed to have forgotten that fact. The only way to play wrong is to not be having fun.
As for our community, I'm fairly certain we've got a decent European population here. Most of the players in game I find myself hanging around certainly are. We're not snooty like the European servers who won't let Americans play~
I wouldn't consider myself an authority on anything pertaining to lore, but I'm relatively old as far as role players go. You're free to pester me at will, I'm usually around and rarely doing anything.
RE: Woop woop! - Noceur - 10-14-2013
I see, thank you for that well written response. I suppose I will have quite a bit to read before writing story and actually getting the game (not to mention that the server is not currently open for new characters *sob*).Â
Either way, as of now I am leaning toward a Hyur tanky type of some sort, feels like something for me. Also I might take you up on that pestering offer if I get stuck.
Cheers!
RE: Woop woop! - Faye - 10-14-2013
Hello there! I'm always glad to see new people trying out RP! Welcome and I hope you'll enjoy it! I find it makes MMO's a lot more enjoyable than playing strictly for PvE/PvP.
First off, as K'dath said, you'll want to brush up on the lore of the game, specifically what lore will relate to your character. Second, remember that RP is a hobby, not a science! We do this for fun, and everyone has their own style and methods. There is usually no right or wrong way to do things. RP is nothing more than two or more writers collaborating to make a story together, each controlling his or her own respective characters. It's a simple process of making your character and fleshing him out as much as you can, and then just jumping in--start RPing with others and go from there, the plot will come along and your character will development more.
I understand it all feels overwhelming, and there's a lot to read, remember, and consider, but if it helps, you aren't alone in that feeling! I've been RPing for nearly a decade and I feel just as lost and confused anytime I make a brand new character or start RPing in a new game. Getting comfortable with role-playing your character simply comes along by doing it, so it's natural to feel nervous and uncertain in the beginning.
As for the question of nationality, the RP community is mostly American, but I have met plenty of Europeans (and a lot of Australians, some Asians, and some South Americans), and none of them have ever felt out of the loop or anything.
That being said, good luck! If you decide to play on Balmung, I'm glad to role-play anytime, and you can feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need assistance with anything.
RE: Woop woop! - Noceur - 10-14-2013
If the whole community is as welcoming as this I only regret not having tried this earlier. And yes Balmung is where I am heading once they open up for new characters to be created.Â
Question though, other than trying to figure out the basic stuff about your character what is a good starting point? Setting a goal for the character or some such or just try to figure that out as my character progresses?
RE: Woop woop! - Faye - 10-14-2013
(10-14-2013, 03:00 AM)Noceur Wrote: If the whole community is as welcoming as this I only regret not having tried this earlier. And yes Balmung is where I am heading once they open up for new characters to be created.Â
Question though, other than trying to figure out the basic stuff about your character what is a good starting point? Setting a goal for the character or some such or just try to figure that out as my character progresses?
Awesome! Just keep trying. Around this time of night is when the server usually opens up. I would recommend finding a main goal or two for your character--something vague is fine. As you begin to role-play and progress, you can specify that goal and/or find other goals and motivations for your character.
When I make a new character, I usually start with two questions: What and Why?
The What being simply a loose concept of what I want my characters to be, usually just a lot nouns and adjectives tossed about to describe what I want to play. So for my character, Faye, for example: Healer, Hyur Midlander, "proper" lady, pale, white-hair, snooty, good manners, likes to drink tea, and such.
The Why is asking why my character is those things and finding answers, or simply expanding on those ideas. Why did my character choose to become a healer? What in her background and in her personality made her want to do that? Why is she a "proper" lady--what traits are attributed with that, what traits make up that archetype?
RE: Woop woop! - Noceur - 10-14-2013
I see, thanks a lot. Suppose I will start working on this today when I wake up.
RE: Woop woop! - Faye - 10-14-2013
My pleasure, good luck!
RE: Woop woop! - K'dath - 10-14-2013
It's a personal taste, but I usually work off a very loose concept with 'a hook' more or less. It might be something as simple as a word or a phrase that just clicks, and I suddenly know I want to write a character built on that. I think of a few defining traits that go with the theme, and then build out from there. It's better to start with a light, flexible framework and then add the details in as you go, like a drawing!
Example, a brown haired, blue eyed human could fit in literally any setting ever. You can't go wrong there. Now we plug him into this setting and say 'Well, I like the way Paladin looks as far as gameplay goes, I think I'll make that!'. So we slap some armor on him and give him a sword. Maybe you want to attach a certain significance to his armor or weapons. They could be old relics, handmedowns from a long line of a proud gladiator tradition passed from father to son. Maybe they're shiny and new, top of the line, showing that he's a person of wealth and stature. Dented and dull armor means a seasoned fighter, pretty and polished means you've likely never set foot on a battlefield before.
Thinking about something as simple as that opens up all sorts of interesting ideas. I usually play mix 'n match with different concepts and thoughts until I come up with one I like. He's a tattered war veteran that escaped the Battle of Carteneau by the skin of his teeth. He hasn't seen fit to wear the armor since then, it's fallen into a state of rust and disrepair. His ability to heft a sword has waned in the years eking out a meager existence as a farmhand. He was getting over it all, putting it behind him. Then everything changed when The Fire Nation the Amalj'aa and the Lord of the Inferno attacked...
That's a vague 'sketch' of the character I have in my head. I think about places in game, people I've seen, and events that come to pass, and I fill them in bit by bit the ones I want to matter most. I cut out what I don't need or want, change things around to fit. I know that Paladins are the royal guards of Ul'dah, so I can choose to work that into his backstory. I decide he's going to be blonde instead of brunette or he's going to be an Elezen instead. Maybe I don't want the responsibility of tanking, so I decide to go with a Lancer to start with (You can always change classes later without rerolling! so if you decide you don't like something, you can drop it and never deal with it again!) I think about the big picture and what I want to be staring at for the long haul.
And I go from there, taking the very broad outline and adding in the finer parts. Where is he from, where has he been, what has he done. What he believes, what he's capable of, how he feels about...well, everything. I try to keep a central theme in mind, holding onto those few prominent character traits and building off them. Tie it all together in a good, cohesive character that has a personality as vibrant and real as anyone else's.
Little details, not huge garish ones, are what sets a character apart.
I can go on and on about my own extremely disorganized process, but ultimately you need to find out what works for you. Inspire yourself and look for ideas in places you wouldn't expect them. You'll be surprised what might occur to you!Â
Nothing is ever perfect, and you'll find yourself constantly refining things as you go. And you might come up with something, play for a while and then inspiration hits you. And that's okay too! I was playing for a couple of weeks with my somewhat broody Scholar when I realized I was not happy with several things about him and also I was totally jealous of the summoner's pets, which were way cooler than mine. I had a hard time nailing it down, but it didn't feel right. So I threw the whole thing out and started over from the ground up, this time keeping in mind what I'd already learned from my first run. Refined, reedited, and I had a character that was a bit more lax, a bit less naive, and overall much more fun for me to play, in character and out of character.
Just have fun. Experiment. Challenge yourself. Get invested. There's a whole big world out there, and your creation is going to go play a part in it.
RE: Woop woop! - Rinh Hallani - 10-14-2013
(10-14-2013, 12:26 AM)Noceur Wrote: Is the community strictly American (most RP communities seems to be) and if so can a European guy still play with you?
Hello and welcome from the UK! Certainly not strictly American;Â Europa is an LFRP linkshell for EU players with a large membership and The Travellers Guild is an RP free company with mostly EU players, hosting RP events at times friendly to us. We'd love to have you!
If you're purely interested in PVE/PVP, there's also an EU raiding free company - check out Eorzean Union.
RE: Woop woop! - QinStillwater - 10-14-2013
(10-14-2013, 04:38 AM)K Wrote: It's a personal taste, but I usually work off a very loose concept with 'a hook' more or less.Â
Exactly. Â Some people think they need every little minutiae worked out before they even log in for the first time. Â I find this stifling and overwhelming, so I start with a "seed." Â
For Qin, when I started playing him for the first time at the launch of WoW's Burning Crusade (oh, memories), I knew I wanted a character who had taken a name that wasn't his own for the purpose of penance, exactly like like David Qin from the fabulous graphic novel series Strangers in Paradise. Â That was it. Â That was my "seed." Â I created him and logged in.
Within the first week of interacting with my husband's characters as well as other friends, Qin went from benevolent to manipulative. Â The seed was there - he put on a facade and was penitent for a horrific crime he had committed in the past - but him being a "good guy" held up for about three seconds. Â Eventually Qin grew to a con-man street-corner preacher who had the Forsaken under his thrall.
The point is I never thought he would go in that direction, but as I was RPing, he developed. Â I couldn't have fleshed him out without RPing. Â It's good to start with the basics - like where your character is from, his name, et cetera - but the minutiae will come later. Â
RE: Woop woop! - Noceur - 10-14-2013
There we go, finally got started with both the character and the actual writing. Thanks for all the good advice and Rinh I'd be interested in joining. Been trying to get a hold of you today but so far no luck.
RE: Woop woop! - Rinh Hallani - 10-15-2013
(10-14-2013, 08:04 PM)Noceur Wrote: There we go, finally got started with both the character and the actual writing. Thanks for all the good advice and Rinh I'd be interested in joining. Been trying to get a hold of you today but so far no luck.
Ah I had an early night last night but I'll try to catch you today! Or you can try Korin Relanah or Eschina Greyashe, they're usually online when I'm not. ^^
RE: Woop woop! - Noceur - 10-15-2013
(10-15-2013, 04:20 AM)Rinh Hallani Wrote:Alright. We'll see when I wake up next time though (I assume you are at work or studying), I sleep when I am tired which is probably soon...(10-14-2013, 08:04 PM)Noceur Wrote: There we go, finally got started with both the character and the actual writing. Thanks for all the good advice and Rinh I'd be interested in joining. Been trying to get a hold of you today but so far no luck.
Ah I had an early night last night but I'll try to catch you today! Or you can try Korin Relanah or Eschina Greyashe, they're usually online when I'm not. ^^