RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes

K'nahli · **10-18-2013, 05:48 PM**

Oh, I might add that I sort of dislike quick-paced RP as well. By that I mean scenes where players go from point A to point B instantly with very little to no description of anything along the way. It takes a lot away from the immersion for me at least.

Lament · **10-18-2013, 06:11 PM**

(10-18-2013, 05:25 PM)Faye Wrote: Editing to add: The above post reminded me that I hate private RP, which is relevant to the topic. I think it's terrible for the community and a product of xenophobia in most situations.

I know that you said most, but! I'd just like to address this: When I started, I preferred private (I do public now). I have a tiiiiny bit of social anxiety, and I got nervous about RPing with everyone listening in. Now, though, that's subsided. It wasn't so much not wanting others to butt in, it was more a fear of being judged/messing up. Doing things in public can be hard for some folks.

I've also taken RP to private venues twice before: once when someone was being an IC troll, completely breaking the immersion in an otherwise serious scene; once when my character was going to make a very rude remark about a lively conversation behind her, and I felt it could disrupt their RP.

I can also understand private RP happening in Linkshells/party chat/tells when characters are physically apart, since... well, they're physically apart.

Val · **10-18-2013, 06:22 PM**

I'm not a fan of private RP in the slightest. I feel that it stifles an already relatively small community and doesn't allow others to get involved. If you want to stay small, that's great--but that's also how cliques and whatnot get started and I've seen far too many MMOs devolve into such.

TheLastCandle · **10-18-2013, 06:34 PM**

On the topic of private RP, I definitely understand and (in some ways) agree that it can be detrimental to the community. When I'm RPing, I am absolutely open to another RPer joining in where appropriate.

For myself, I tend to RP in party chat/tells ifÂ it's something like an IC whispered conversation or an emote that simply wouldn't be seen/noticed/overheard by anyone other than the recipient, i.e. stomping on someone's foot under the table to silence them. (xD)

Olofantur · **10-18-2013, 07:30 PM**

(10-18-2013, 06:34 PM)Teveriel Wrote: i.e. stomping on someone's foot under the table to silence them. (xD)

/em has a feeling this is something said from experience.

/think

KitKat · **10-18-2013, 08:10 PM**

I'm not going to address the "what makes good RP" topic, because as others have said, there is no good or bad RP (aside from godmoding and the like), only opinions and preferences.

Instead, I'll address the kinds of RP I like.Â

I like large events like the Grindstone, but with this game's chat system, it gives me a headache because it's so hard to follow the constant scrolling. Because of that, I think large events will be something I regrettably avoid most of the time.

Smaller events/gatherings with about 4-5 people are fantastic. There's no competition for the spotlight in a group that small. Friendships (and enemyships) are easily made and maintained in this sort of setting, as well. It will make up the bulk of my roleplaying because of its ease of access.

Intimate settings (not just -that- kind of intimacy either, though it's included) have the potential to be some of the most effective character builders. One on one RP should be included in one's story because of its potential to build or break relationships and characters. The problem lies in using this mode of RP excessively, or even exclusively. That isolates a player from the rest of the community, which has an opposite effect. When you're isolated from everyone else, there is no real character development occurring.

Val · **10-18-2013, 08:17 PM**

(10-18-2013, 06:34 PM)Teveriel Wrote: For myself, I tend to RP in party chat/tells ifÂ it's something like an IC whispered conversation or an emote that simply wouldn't be seen/noticed/overheard by anyone other than the recipient, i.e. stomping on someone's foot under the table to silence them. (xD)

Oh definitely! I do the same thing! If it's something MEANT to be private--like a whisper, inside a home, etc. I totally understand!

Freemoon · **10-18-2013, 08:36 PM**

(10-18-2013, 08:10 PM)TheCurls Wrote: Intimate settings (not just -that- kind of intimacy either, though it's included) have the potential to be some of the most effective character builders. One on one RP should be included in one's story because of its potential to build or break relationships and characters. The problem lies in using this mode of RP excessively, or even exclusively. That isolates a player from the rest of the community, which has an opposite effect. When you're isolated from everyone else, there is no real character development occurring.

I miss that sort of RP. Â Back in Star Wars Galaxies, my character's day would usually start and end like that, just a small gathering getting together (usually having an IC meal or tea as we discuss plans for the day), then off to do whatever (be it actually going out and hunting/flying/leveling, going to an event/party or going to interact with larger groups in a cantina or whatever), then another small gathering near the end of the day (if possible) as we discussed the day, events, just hang out or just whatever came to mind.

And some days it would just be a couple of us going all about, hopping from place to place with interactions at most stops, but continuing IC as we went along (such as my character teasing her friend about her speeder piloting skills as we drove from a shuttle to a nearby city or some destination to meet up with others).

K'dath · **10-18-2013, 10:51 PM**

It's all about taste, that point's been beaten into the ground.

I personally abhor a crowd. More than five people and I become uncomfortable. I like goal oriented things, casual or storyline based is relative. Even resting by the riverside needs a reason and some context for me to get into it. It's not like planning out every single event and storyboarding a whole plotline, it's just giving some believability and logic to the scenario. It's why you don't find me idling in bars doing nothing. There's no 'ends' to general tavern RP. It's like cotton candy... a lot of fluff and no substance.

If I show up, I'm looking for someone, doing something, progressing towards some ends in some quantifiable way. Without that context I find it often devolves into boring discussion akin to discussing the weather IRL. In which case I'm quick to abscond!

And while I'm against the concept of Private RP, I don't like being in 'hubs' as it were. It's not a lack of desire to interact with people or isolate myself. It's just a sort of claustrophobia that comes with hanging around areas with quest givers. There's also so much pretty open world out there to inhabit. Sticking to cities and bars seems like a crime with the wealth of interesting locals we have to play with.

Wonloong · **10-19-2013, 04:53 AM**

An open ended question deserves a myriad way of answering it!

For me personally, the amount of creativity a player has for their characters really turns me on. How many times have we seen a character claim that they're under the X guild focusing the Y job/class. While that is in lore, I think we can spice things up; stretch your creativity, jazz up your character's current vocation, make it unique!

For example:

A lumberjack (BTN) who sometimes have to fend off relatively annoying monsters away from his property by using his axe (MRD) as well as the shards/crystals/clusters akin to the Black Mages' magics (BLM).

So, instead of just sticking to one class/job, just hybridise it! Use your imagination and go wild!

Vito · **10-19-2013, 05:06 AM**

^ I like this cool guy's way of thinking.

John Spiegel · **10-19-2013, 06:36 AM**

Q: What makes good RP?
A: Having JJ around * puts sunglasses on * Cool

Deal with it.

But really, what makes for a good RP session is realizing you're not the center of attention all the time. Sometimes someone barges into your scene or something else happens, to ignore that or quickly revert attention back to whatever you were doing/saying is selfish and bad form. Of course, if your character is one that doesn't like to be ignored, disregard this!

There's also a significant amount of give-and-take on many levels. If your character is supposedly a chatty type but you can't carry on a conversation, there's something wrong there. If the past few sessions with your friends have revolved around one of your stories (forced or otherwise), try to lighten it up with something from theirs or nothing at all!

One can have a general idea of what they want their story arcs to consist of, but I find it boring when someone has each step delicately planned. Good RP isn't so much a play as it is improv (without Drew Carry yelling directions at you). That being said, my characters -do- have a set idea I want them to follow but they've either fell behind my rough idea or are blazing in another direction due to IC things that spurred them.

ArmachiA · **10-20-2013, 07:12 AM**

This may be long.

For me, all forms of RP are valued, welcomed, and necessary.

Large Group RP - You will often find Armi at the Grindstone or Loki show up at events that promise free booze. You may see Armi talk to large groups of people (5+) trying to learn how to act around them, or you may see Loki trying to get to know few cute men at the bar. Group RP really flexes my character dialogue muscles. Am I being interesting enough for people to take interest? Am I alienating people because I'm talking about a story line they don't know about? Is my character dialogue fluid and correct for the character? Large RP (While fast scrolling, though it doesn't bother me, I've learned how to mentally filter all the other stuff out) is a good way of meeting or just being around a lot of people.

Small group RP - A little more intimate setting, you can dive into more character development here (While Large group is more shallow in a way) and sit around having drinks, or hanging out at Costa del sol, or at Bronze Lake. Small group RP is a good way to get to now people, without being uncomfortable like one on one sessions can do. It's also much easier to build a storyline.

One on One RP - I usually reserve one on one RP for characters my characters know well from the above scenarios. This is just a comfort thing for me, I want to make sure I have something to talk to them about and that our characters even want to spend time alone. One on One is really great for getting into the nitty gritty of someone's background and I'm a firm believer that one on one sessions don't need to be just Romance RP. Friendships, close friendships, can't bloom without one on one time. One on One time is important for character development, sometimes even plot development.

Free-From RP - Always fun. I like to play fast and loose when there isn't a particular need to keep the story on track. Even in plot lines, my guild tries to keep most things unplanned, just so everyone can be surprised. I never know where my characters are headed anyway. Most of the time, when I'm playing them, they feel completely disconnected from me. They move on their own, they talk on their own, they make decisions all on their own that sometimes I don't even agree with (Yes, I argue with my characters a lot Tongue

) and I enjoy that form of play. I will never try to force anything to happen to my character (I.E "In 2 months she'll do this" or "She is going to fall in love with this person") I like things to grow organically.

Planned RP - If there is a plotline that is important and needs to be finished, planned RP is usually how it's done for me. I come from a table top background, and most of my 15 year experience comes from DMing. I plan out important plot points to a point. There will usually be various paths players can take, various outcomes that can happen, and things like that, but all those things are planned in an event that I have some control over while the "players" are left in the dark. For example: we are currently starting a Garlean plotline with some bad guy alts and we have had a few mapped out events to help the plotline along. Nothing was ever set in stone, but we tried to account for as many outcomes as possible.

Private RP - I'm in a few IC linkshells that would be considered private - though we treat them as long range communication devices. I think it's fine for bonding with the people your close to. In public I use private RP when I'm "in an instance" like my house or an inn, and sometimes I use it for one on one sessions when I don't want to be interrupted. Sometimes, when your stories get to serious, it's good to use because you could make others around you uncomfortable. Private RP is situational.

Conflict Rp/Grimdark RP - I really need to balance the light hearted RP with a dark storyline sometimes. My characters should be hurt, they should lose things, things can't always be happy. This is good character development but if it happens too much it can get rather stale.

Light Hearted RP - Tavern RP and eve romance RP falls into this. I'm fine with Tavern RP because it's true to life. We don't spend all our time forcing our selves to grow and change, sometimes we just go to amusement parks and it's the same for RP for me. Sometimes I just want to hang at a bar, or go to the park, or just relax with a book on the beach. A nice break from the bleak world the character inhabits is perfectly acceptable. As for Romance RP, I'm all for it - though I tend to take a long time during the courtship phase to make sure my character is even compatible. I think romance RP is really good for character development, but - to me - if it's all your after its rather shallow.

Tl Big Grin

R - there is a time and place for it all and I like it all.

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RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes