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What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Printable Version

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What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Maril - 11-13-2014

So this is something I thought of a few days ago. As it is right now, not a whole lot of the friends I have IRL know that I roleplay, because.. Well, they wouldn't understand, it's a bit too "nerdy" - But a chunk of them also only understand mmorpg's when I say "It's kinda like WoW". It should be noted that I'm mainly speaking from the point of view of RP in MMORPG's here and not so much other types. 

So imagine a world where roleplaying is mainstream. What'd it look like? Would it be better or worse? Could it change how we roleplay? What kind of impact would it have of the games we roleplay in? Do you reckon it might happen one day?

I'm a little torn on if it would be better or not - I think my biggest concerns with it would be if the way we roleplay, or say if some of the big unspoken rules would be forgotten, that would be hard to adjust to or stomach. But I must admit it would be nice to not be considered odd/weird/nerdy for staying in on a friday night because of an RP event, and actually be able to say that such is why you're staying in and you're not just some lonely hermit - and just be able to openly speak about these awesome things we do. 
And well, the more people who got into it, I reckon we might see more game tweaks that would be good for RP, because it'd be something a lot of people cared about. 

Come with your thoughts! I'm curious.

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Faye - 11-13-2014

While it's certainly not "mainstream," role-play is actually quite popular these days. It's important to remember there's a lot of RP outside of MMO's, or even outside of the internet! I've run into a lot of people in my small little redneck town who are also role-players, or who've at least tried it before. It's just that most other role-players are also afraid to randomly bring it up for fear others won't understand or will make fun of them.

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Warren Castille - 11-13-2014

The way I've always phrased it when people ask is this: roleplaying is a collaborative effort to tell a story with complete strangers. Imagine if all of the characters from Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones were all written by a different person, and they got together and worked to tell the best tale.

If roleplaying became a "mainstream" thing, suddenly became the focus of movies and music and pop culture? It'd be interesting, for one. I think people would still gravitate towards the usual groups that spring up when something becomes popular. Look at Marvel's recent surge.

Iron Man was a good movie. It changed some things about the origins, sort of, but was all in all a solid "retelling" and beyond that, made for a fun movie to watch. Now, of course there were the neckbeards who complained it wasn't set in Vietnam, or that Iron Monger wasn't accurate (or even named in the film!). There were the people who complained when folks who'd never read an Iron Man comic in their lives were now "fans" of the series.

Really, I don't think it would change too much. The folks who take RP super duper seriously would continue to do so. The folks who welcome everyone and anyone would have a lot more friends suddenly! The insular folks would have more people to ignore. It'd be largely what we have now, just with a lot more bodies.

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Mae - 11-13-2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-leYc4oC83E


In all seriousness, as children we all RP'd. Every time we played house, tied a sheet around our necks and pretended to be a caped superhero, played cops and robbers/cowboys and indians, or set off to slay the monsters that lived in the woods behind the house with a sword made from the cardboard tube from a wrapping paper roll and a kitchen pot for a helmet. At some point, though, we drifted away from these games of pretend... either by naturally 'outgrowing' them or we were told that it was time to grow up.

Mainstreaming RP beyond childhood, though... it would be cool, but I personally think that the negative press D&D and other fantasy-based modules would've eventually happened no matter what. Coming from a highly religious family (who, admittedly, are a bit of a paradox with how accepting they've been of my life choices), I can see how some of the stuff I just read could be utterly terrifying. Are the highly religious wrong for thinking that way? No, because that's just how they are. Are they wrong for trying to get other people to believe the same? No, but that's because that's just how they are AND they do it with the best intentions from the point of view that they've been raised in.

... Hopefully that wasn't too controversial... I don't wanna see a huge religion debate being sparked... Oh Great and Powerful Mods, feel free to strike that out if I crossed a line...

Also, when some things become mainstream, I tend to find that they run the risk of losing their luster/appeal. Maybe I have an inner hipster (ohgodsIhopenot...), but part of the fun I have/had with my niche interests is the hunt for X-item or stumbling on another person/group that does Y-thing... and that fun and interest has died for some things when they became "popular". I actually liked Naruto during it's first run in Shonen Jump; I don't read Japanese, I had a classmate who did and he read them to the afterschool Animation Club (I'm 30 years old, do the math to find out how long ago that was >_>; ), but when the anime made it here... I dunno, the sudden appearance of it EVERYWHERE just totally and utterly turned me off to it.

Quote:But I must admit it would be nice to not be considered odd/weird/nerdy for staying in on a friday night because of an RP event, and actually be able to say that such is why you're staying in and you're not just some lonely hermit - and just be able to openly speak about these awesome things we do. 
... I wish for one month, we could switch places with the crazy sports fans. Trading card game tournaments, conventions, LARP events, marathon RP competitions, documentaries on the Great Fantasy Writers, wonderfully-horrible and cheesy superhero movies/TV series/cartoons, anime, and sci-fi classics all getting the Prime Time TV slots and news coverage, while all the sports fans have to hide in their basements to watch their games, endure weird looks for wearing their sports-related clothes/fandom trinkets, and feel judged whenever they go to a game/go tailgating.

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - CrookedTarot - 11-14-2014

(11-13-2014, 11:10 PM)Mae Wrote: Are the highly religious wrong for thinking that way? No, because that's just how they are. Are they wrong for trying to get other people to believe the same? No, but that's because that's just how they are AND they do it with the best intentions from the point of view that they've been raised in.

THIS. THIS is how I try to explain anything whenever 'religion pops up! /saves for later

As for your point, yeah, everyone (nearly everyone) roleplayed as a kid. Even daydreaming could be considered roleplaying. What was it they say? How you'd go insane if you were ever completely living within reality? We as humans NEED escapism and therefore we roleplay/daydream/make-believe whatever you want to call it.

As for mainstream, I try to think of it like this; let's look at .Hack for a moment. The anime is about people logging into a video game--they are aware they are in a game and in virtual reality. We, every single person that plays [insert MMO here] know that we are in a game. We know there are mechanics that can and cannot be done within the game, just as we know we have lore. Now, the reason I mentioned .hack is because in a situation like that, you would literally have to force yourself to act as a fantasy character within fantasy--an Inception like concept to some. The concept of maintaining and balancing and building a character in a fantasy world is trick enough when it's just level grinding--some people just wouldn't take the effort to roleplay, which is perfectly fine. People in my Company will tell you I'm the exact opposite; I can't be bothered to effectively level or gear beyond what I absolutely must. Been playing for a year and have only JUST gotten to Good King Moogle Mog.

Meandering aside, the point is, RP is only as good as you give; I don't think that if RP went Mainstream we'd see much of a difference UNLESS roleplaying did something for your stats. The people who don't RP now simply wouldn't put forth anymore effort to do so then they already do.

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Faye - 11-14-2014

(11-13-2014, 11:10 PM)Mae Wrote: In all seriousness, as children we all RP'd. Every time we played house, tied a sheet around our necks and pretended to be a caped superhero, played cops and robbers/cowboys and indians, or set off to slay the monsters that lived in the woods behind the house with a sword made from the cardboard tube from a wrapping paper roll and a kitchen pot for a helmet. At some point, though, we drifted away from these games of pretend... either by naturally 'outgrowing' them or we were told that it was time to grow up.

This. I always have to giggle a little when someone says "I've been role-playing for two decades" like it's some badge of honor. So have I--and I'm 22! People treat "role-play" like this serious, adult thing.

But anyway! Back more on topic... I just really don't know how to respond, or how to even picture a world with "mainstream" RP. It's just one of those things where I think RP is becoming popular enough that at this point, almost anyone who'd be interested is already doing it or trying it. It's not so rare now that no one's heard of it in some form or can't find anyone to do it with. That said, maybe it's just me, but it's hard for me to picture it when... the people who'd wanna do it are already doing it, or will soon. Those who aren't RPing aren't the type who I imagine would ever be seriously interested in doing it, so I don't know how to imagine how they would RP, what the subject matter of the RP would be, or how it could affect the world of RP as we know it.

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Gaspard - 11-14-2014

I don't believe Roleplaying will ever go Mainstream, for various reasons.

Roleplaying at large can be a great source of inspiration; an exercise in writing prowess, something to inspire you to learn a language (I've learned English predominantly through roleplaying), To 'broaden' your horizon by exposing yourself to conflicting ideals and ideas. The moment you commit to Roleplay a scientist you may end up reading up on mathematics, equations, and the likes. The moment you play a religious purist, you will confront theology and the likes. Philosophy even. Play a revenge tale, criminal, whatever, and you are constantly pushed and proned to explore different facets of the mind. Sometimes it's simply a mirror-image of what pop-culture teaches us about these things, some people take it further and take a more realistic 'inspiration' towards these character tropes. 

Roleplaying in a way emulates real life, or atleast the interpretation of real life that comes through fantasy, depending how 'deep down' the rabbit hole you go. And this is where the crux comes in;

Escapism. Roleplaying, as much as it can be a productive and 'harmless' thing to do, is and remains a form of Escapism from what we all would call the 'real world'. Some of us try to reason that it's a novel exercise, that it has purpose, and is not just a pointless hobby to escape reality. And those that advocate it as such are half-right. The other half however speaks in certain facts we simply can't ommit;

1: )Roleplaying consumes a massive amount of time,

2: )It brings you nothing productive whatsoever, there's nothing to be gained from it, except in terms of inspiration.

3: )It makes you isolate yourself from the 'Real world'. Sitting infront of your computer screen for hours on end after school/work is 'not' as natural and normal as most of us would like it to be.


In the end, I'd say Roleplayers are nothing else then the more defined, glorified and evolved version of what once used to be the daydreamers, or comic book fans, with their minds constantly swiveling around 'other worlds' where they indulge in the fantasies they cannot live out in real life. The Hero, the Successful businessman, the Villain that gets away with more then we could in our own lifes. But it is also why it's never going to be 'mainstream'. Our societies do not glorify hobbies, they glorify competitive exploits. Racing, MMA, Olympic Sports, Poker. Even Video games begin to gain credibility as mainstream material, 'ASLONG' they're competitive (Starcraft / MOBA's / etc)

So a world in which Roleplaying would be 'mainstream', would be a world where we'd flip that upside down and glorify non-competitive material. You'd see TV channels covering people knitting, Authors write their books, and so on.



This all may sound very anti-RP to most, but it really isn't. It's simply my personal, honest take on it. It is a nice 'indulgence', but it conforms to a niche of people that prefer isolation towards the outside world. Introverts, mostly. Knowing that, I would never want it to be mainstream. Roleplaying can be like a drug, in the way that, without moderation, it takes more of your time then you feasibly should invest into it.

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Blue - 11-14-2014

Here in Italy I always get weird looks when I say I'm a roleplayer; 99% of the population here knows "roleplay" only as the type that can occur between a couple in their bedroom...

And the other 1% thinks table-tops.

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Steel Wolf - 11-14-2014

"Nerdcore could rise up, it could get elevated.
Oh, and wouldn't all of those tough rappers hate it?"

                                                      -MC Frontalot

Honestly I'd like to see roleplay enter mainstream consciousness only so far as the developers of an MMO.  Most QoL features that appear completely irrelevant or basic to the majority of folks who play the game as a game are vitally integral to RP'ing, and even more things like available housing or customizable events don't see a lot of dev attention.  There needs to be more roleplayers in gamedev, or at least gamedevs who ask "What sort of things would a roleplayer enjoy?"

To wit, roleplayers should have greater horizons than "chat bubble plz" or "ability to sit in a chair".  I would love an MMO where we were able to come up with our own questlines or mini instances that we could cobble together ourselves.  I would love to see GM's in the game kicking off community events.  I would love to have unique areas opened up for seasonal stuff that roleplayers could hang out and enjoy.

I'd rather roleplay remain niche and insular, but not so cocooned as to shut out potential new arrivals...but at the same time I'd like more thought devoted to those who play MMOs not as a series of dungeons to be won, but a world that we populate with characters.

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Nebbs - 11-14-2014

Well I am a nerd/geek, so if it went mainstream clearly I would be doing some other nerd/geek thing than boring RP that all the popular kids did.

I would still have fantasy books?

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Telluride - 11-14-2014

RP is already mainstream - just not the kind that's any fun.

Part of my "jerb" involves dealing with our clients/employees in an official capacity, and since I don't spend every waking moment doing so, and I am not in any actuality myself a living, breathing organization, I'm playing a role every time I take a job on.

I've met a lot of bigwigs who like RPing that they are smarter and better than everyone else, who go home and then RP a more submissive character. Just like a lot of us, though, they are one bad day from having to completely reject that role, and make it become just as much fantasy and unreal as me playing a high-fantasy bard.

It's the people who truly believe that the role they play for money is the only role they can play, that I am sorry for.

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Gaspard - 11-14-2014

I'd rather call the instance of 'bigwigs' acting smart and better then everyone else as hubris, arrogance and largely motivated by a broken ego then anything else. It is not a role per-say because they don't actively go (Here's me, here's the character I will assume called Johny the CEO), but rather that they're convinced that they actually are said person.

Although treading any further down this discussion we'd end up with a debate over the concept of self, indentity, Ego and so on, things to which we've still no clear answers to.

Still, I'd argue that the roles we assume in life are nowhere close to the concept of 'Roleplaying' that we have in games and fantasy settings. The real world exists in very defined, constricted rules that define 'reality', whereas roleplaying often aims to break these rules to escape said reality.

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Jazz Egi - 11-16-2014

((Jazz we need to have a talk.))
((Yeah sure, what's up?))
((I talked it over with the clan, and we need to address your lorebreaking.))
((What do you mean?))
((Well, in the last match you used an ACR.))
((So? It's a great rifle, most accurate in the game by a wide margin.))
((Yeah, but it's a bit... Mary-Sue. I mean, it's an advanced, expensive American firearm. Our clan is composed mostly of Russian Ultranationalists and Chinese rebels.))
((But what if I found it on an enem-))
((You wouldn't know how to operate it Jazz! We don't even stock that caliber of munition!))
((Fine... I'll change. ...I'll retcon into an AK-74 at the armory."))
((Good man, and stop issuing commands in English.))
((But I don't speak Russian-))
((YOUR CHARACTER DOES, STOP RUINING THE IMMERSION))

-Jazz and Clan-Com were killed later that day by General Exex Swaglord and his army of quickscoping attack dogs.-

RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Vysce the Lad - 11-16-2014

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RE: What if roleplaying went mainstream? - Edgar - 11-16-2014

Quote:... I wish for one month, we could switch places with the crazy sports fans. Trading card game tournaments, conventions, LARP events, marathon RP competitions, documentaries on the Great Fantasy Writers, wonderfully-horrible and cheesy superhero movies/TV series/cartoons, anime, and sci-fi classics all getting the Prime Time TV slots and news coverage, while all the sports fans have to hide in their basements to watch their games, endure weird looks for wearing their sports-related clothes/fandom trinkets, and feel judged whenever they go to a game/go tailgating.

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COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF