(04-26-2016, 10:53 PM)Juromaro Wrote:(04-25-2016, 11:34 AM)Kibu Wrote: I'm a painfully shy person IRL, and I've been out of the RP scene for years except with a couple of friends through forums or IMs that turn into something more like collaborative writing. I worry that I'm so new to this game and so rusty with RP that anything I do is going to sound totally noobish, contrived, and un-engaging.
I got to do a little RP with some amazing players the other night who were absolutely fantastic. But going into it I almost had a panic attack, even though we'd talked a bit before and I'd been invited into it. I still spent a good 5-10 minutes shaking like a chihuahua in front of my computer and almost broke and ran. I feel like I'm a burden and doing anything with me is a waste of time, partly because I take too long to ponder my response and so it feels like I'm replying excessively slow and partly because I really just don't know things.
I guess overall I'm just exceptionally insecure all around.
I feel you there, cept I'm not shy IRL, my wife has social anxiety disorder so I understand what it's like to be shy in person. However in game I'm extremely shy. I started my MMO career with PvE, then moved to PvP, and when Rift came out I decided I didn't like the communities of PvE/PvP servers anymore to many "Brah L2P nub" and other various forms of childish behavior.
I've been playing on RP servers for awhile now, but I've never roleplayed. I want to so bad but I can't. I sit there every night trying to create a storyline for my character Castian Kensaki, but when I get something nailed down I start to second guess it. Like at first I wanted Castian to be a shinobi/bodyguard so I leveled a NIN to get access to the class gear, but that changed when I saw alot of people and got alot of whispers about how they too were shinobi or bodyguards and wanted me to join their free company, but when I'd observe them or talk with them they'd be way to imposing for me to jump in. Then a friend I made(who no longer plays it seems) told me her character was a bodyguard type so I changed my RP story cause I really wanted to RP with her(doesn't seem right to have a bodyguard guard another).
Well I changed my story to being a Wander/Ronin since I'm almost positive they'll release Samurai at some point(I hope). And have joined an FC and farming Aery/Vault for my RP set so I could finally roleplay, but I can't. I sit there all night thinking about how all these experienced roleplayers would look at me and think I'm stupid or ignore me completely because my backstory is too generic. Or I sit there and think of how people won't want to RP with me because I play on ps4 and my chat response is delayed because I have to put down my controller to type on my keyboard, and I have to extend my chatlog to full screen cause I can't adjust it and sometimes jump by accident. So I end up staying in the duty finder all day doing what I do best while I get bored and burned out on the game because my desire seems to be so far out of reach that I just run the same content over and over.
Then there is what I want from an RP story. I'm a romantic, I want my character to fall in love, I want to explore a storyline where he and a girl travel the world together doing all sorts of things while their bond strengthens to the point of an RP wedding and beyond. But I can't go out there and meet characters and work for that kind of story because I have what I guess could be best explained as stage fright. Or there is the fear that I'll get attached to a character and the person behind that character will stop playing the game all together effectively ending whatever story we had or could have had.
Right now the best RP story I can think of is "Oh I'm a merc, I go out drink in the tavern telling war stories, then go kill more stuff." because that is all that seems like is open to me character wise. Add that to the fear of trying to join RP with already established characters makes roleplay a very daunting and trying experience.
I've been Roleplaying for a long time, maybe not as long as others, but I have 6+ years of Roleplaying on MMOs and the trouble you have with making a 'good' backstory is common among those who want to start. TBH, my first character was completely awful and took elements from other influences that were not only absent from the game, but a completely different genre; bloodelf rogue trying to be Assassin's Creed. But, even though it was really bad looking back to it's also one of my fondest memories. Nothing really mattered back then and I was oblivious to rules so there was no elitism or downplaying and I was playing with some people who had been doing it way longer than I have and did it way better. My RP partner back then was just the same. She told me her first time Roleplaying was when she ran into a group of RPers and asked "Hey, can I roleplay?" completely in IC chat.
The point is, you are going to make mistakes, every one does and they will always continue to do so, but, just like writing a book, if you never start then the pages will never be filled. Will you be awkward? Maybe. Will your backstory be cliche? Possibly. But as I've mentioned to Kibu, this server is full of people willing to help. In fact, if you ever want to RP I'm always open to playing with new players and giving them an outlet, response, and connections. The only skill that you need, and I emphasize this, is be open. Listen to advice. You don't have to use it, but always take it.
And on that note, I'm going to do something I rarely ever do and...Well..Actually give you something to bite into advice wise. (I know that might not make sense, but usually I encourage people rather than actually setting them on a path.) Look at your backstory...Look at the kind of character you want...Warrior...Swordsman...Healer..Caster...Etc...Now that the class, your race, think of how their personality will be, goals in life, etc....And make a very simple backstory with bunches of holes...And then throw the rest into a bucket to use for parts for later.
Confusing? Sorry, bad habit. Something I personally have always enjoyed, you might not, is leaving a backstory with holes, or rather with a completely open/clean slate. In a way, this is a wing it method, but not exactly. Most IC interaction with a new character is getting the feel of the character, even experienced Roleplayers start with an idea but have to flush it out, and when you make your full backstory/personality first it can actually strangle your creativity when you RP. Say you make a serious loner character with moral issues who is trying to avenge his dead wife; meeting a happy character like Rini might put him off, and if you had something witty to say but your character is built to limit his social ability you wouldn't be able to use it without coming off off as doing something out of his normal character...But I'm rambling. Basically, I like to let characters make themselves. Meet people, have fun with it, find that 'hook' that makes people want to come back and RP. I honestly can't define what makes a hook good so that is something you will have to learn for yourself, but being polite, open minded, and friendly are a good start.
One thing to note on 'evolving' a character through time; don't let current situations always define what you add or evolve or it could easily be considered Meta gaming. For example, someone is sick and you state that you have medical experience even though you have never alluded to having such, but you refer to it as something in his past that you basically just made up. Just avoid this and you should be fine. The open part just gives you time to think of what you want to put in and learn without having a full character done...
I hope this helped, I have issues with jumping around too much or not explaining myself clearly sometimes. Let me know if you ever want to RP, I have a few newer players I am going to be RPing with soon and another wouldn't hurt.
Take care!
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" There's a skinny girl inside me crying to get out...But I can usually shut her up with cookies" - Rini
