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Moonfire · **07-01-2013, 11:04 AM**

I think that I may have to walk away from RP in this game. Some of this is the developers fault and some is the nature of current RPers. The game mechanics and the RP lore just don't mesh well. And it really bothers me.

I originally posted a lot more with specific examples but I didn't like my tone and decided to delete it to keep things positive.Â

Bottomline...It just isn't what it used to be and I am not really wanting to adapt to the new thing it has become.

I wish everyone the best! Not sure which server I am going to play on at this point so if I don't see you, take care.

(PS- sorry if this is in the wrong place.)

Magellan · **07-01-2013, 11:22 AM**

RP burnout sucks :c been there. Hope you're able to still enjoy the game, and find some rp suited to your tastes in the future!

moody · **07-01-2013, 11:29 AM**

My suggestion would be to go ahead and roll on an RP friendly server and just ignore RP unless you feel the urge again. RPers are still going to be the minority no matter the 'unofficial' status of the server so it's just leaving a gate open to you if you ever feel like walking back through.Â

(Went through the same thing in Co* and basically stopped RPing except as comedy for a very long time. Was happy I could still dip in a toe once in awhile as I felt the urge though.)

Aysun · **07-01-2013, 12:15 PM**

While I understand, I do hope that you did not base your opinion on any one experience or event with others. There are a lot of RPers out there, with a lot of different styles. Maybe you just haven't found a group that fits yours.

Varus · **07-01-2013, 12:25 PM**

(07-01-2013, 12:15 PM)Aysun Wrote: While I understand, I do hope that you did not base your opinion on any one experience or event with others. There are a lot of RPers out there, with a lot of different styles. Maybe you just haven't found a group that fits yours.

This is true: there are a ton of different styles and preferences out there. Did you have any specific type of styles or RP that you liked? Perhaps we can point you in the right direction!

Asyria · **07-01-2013, 12:58 PM**

(07-01-2013, 11:29 AM)moody Wrote: My suggestion would be to go ahead and roll on an RP friendly server and just ignore RP unless you feel the urge again. RPers are still going to be the minority no matter the 'unofficial' status of the server so it's just leaving a gate open to you if you ever feel like walking back through.Â

(Went through the same thing in Co* and basically stopped RPing except as comedy for a very long time. Was happy I could still dip in a toe once in awhile as I felt the urge though.)

Good suggestion. I've done this for a while, more or less,Â and am just now ready to get back into it.

Gimlette · **07-01-2013, 01:13 PM**

This happens to the best of us. Â The best advice i could give has already been said. Take a step back, give it time and explore your options when you feel the desire again. Â I've gone through this multiple times through the various mediums i've rp'd with over the years. Â It really comes down to finding a group that inspires, that you can grow with.

In the time that you're not actively rp'ing you could keep your hand in by writing your own stories in the world, not active rp but still living within the world. Â That's the way i normally go when i'm feeling burnt out or uninspired.

Curtis West · **07-01-2013, 01:29 PM**

I for one would like to head your more detailed examples or thoughts as to why. Just as something to keep in mind myself and watch out for. I'd like to avoid as many land mines as possible, and other people's experience is something I really value.

Do you mind dropping me a PM, or maybe addressing the details here. I am sure people would understand your tone given how you feel about RP at the moment. Still if you prefer to keep it more positive, please send a PM, I'd love to hear more from you Smile

Moonfire · **07-01-2013, 02:27 PM**

Really what it boils down to is my RP experience is the game in it's entirety.

Â I can work with ignoring the part of the personal story that effects me, but not as it effects the game. Â For instance, in my mind everything in the personal story happens, just the one hero is actually more of an unknown person than yourself. This in itself doesn't work though because everyone is in a different place with in the personal story and the devs don't and really can't give a straight "this is where you are in the timeline of the story."

Â I am a firm believer of RPing what you actually play and have as per the game. If you have a are playing a warrior in PvE then in RP you should be something close to that. If you have a tattoo, then you traveled through time and if you don't you didn't. Â Yet I want to be open minded as to other people's RP, but it is difficult to find the line where it only effects them and it effects the server's RP as a whole.

The mechanics allow for multi class and switching but it doesn't make sense if you read how "elite" it is to join the guild and how much dedication it takes.

In general I have always played ICly for the most part (repeat dungeons got a lil weird but I rolled with it.) but the way current MMOs seem to roll that is getting harder and harder to do. Back when I had the most fun playing/RPing in MMOs, on an RP server 90% of the people played as their character all the time (much like in a table top or LARP setting ) yet now it is difficult to find a group that consistently do so even in an organised RP community. And with how much within the game mechanics you have to ignore or find a way to make it work, it is really no wonder.

Â I guess it got the point of me either changing the way that I RP or taking a break from it. I was trying the first but it seems forced and unnatural so I am taking the latter route at this point.Â

Starting on an RP server does seem to be a good option because in time I may learn to change my own style.

Eva · **07-01-2013, 02:50 PM**

I kind of get where you are coming from Moonfire. The jump from GemStone (MUD geared towards RP) to Final Fantasy XI MMO was a little jarring for me. Limitations in character appearances were awkward. Factoring out some of the less aesthetically pleasing options, it was commonplace to run across your "twin" - or often many of them. I'm glad in XIV that characters look so much more unique and are represented as such.

But then there are other things you've mentioned. The day-night cycle and weather and how the passage of time should be handled. Having to "look the other way" with regard to mechanics like this can be frustrating, though it does seem necessary, to some degree.

And then RPing the story makes it out like you are "The One Hero", so this sort of needs to be avoided. And you're entirely right - in the end there are a number of sacrifices that need to be made in order for you as an RPer to have a character that fits within an environment that is conducive to RP.

And then there are mechanics. If you are a lancer, you gain abilities from some of the other jobs that help you as a lancer. And to some degree this makes sense. Having a knowledge of swordplay might help one think about where to direct his or her lance when going up against a swordsman, for example. And certain techniques may legitimately be cross-class. But when I think of it more from a RP perspective - it makes more sense to me that someone specializing in exclusively polearm training would be a much better lancer than someone who cross-trains in several weapons. Game mechanics dictate otherwise. The same can be said for crafting.

So I appreciate where you're coming from, and it is extremely frustrating sometimes to have to make concessions like this and avoid certain elements of the game. But I've learned over the years to kind of offset this by examining the quality and variety of other RPers. People also willing to make these sorts of small sacrifices to fit more naturally into a world that perhaps isn't designed specifically for our style of play. In the end, I think the benefits far outweigh these costs, but that's also only my own opinion. I feel I've seen this community at its best, and I've been proud to be a part of it. It's not a perfect puzzle, where our characters are perfectly rounded puzzle pieces that fit neatly together - it's more of a collage with characters often being a bit rough around the edges, and often not fitting together ideally. But the bigger picture is still the same - if that makes any sense.

If you do ultimately decide to go, I will be sorry for the missed chances for interaction and RP. And I'm sure many others here feel similarly. But it is your choice, and if the game is not going to be enjoyable and entertaining to you, than no amount of nay-saying will change your mind, and I hope that you do find something that brings you joy and fulfillment instead.

Blade · **07-01-2013, 03:11 PM**

When you look at the RPC in the broadest sense and take it in as a whole, it may come off that there might not necessarily be a good place for you or your style. But I think it is important to keep in mind that not everyone within the RPC subscribes to the same sort of storytelling narrative and that is the reason why we have such a wide variety of linkshells here, built to cater different roleplayer needs and wants.

Some groups for example may favor you only selecting a single class or job, others will be fine with you coming in with all jobs and won't give it a second glance. Some groups don't want you to use soul gems or dislike you wearing artifact armor, others are fine with it. My group in particular is planning on doing some things that other groups might not favor--that is, RPing out the missions and plotline. It means we need to be respectful when we roleplay with other members of the RPC not in our group by roleplaying as 'variants' of our characters or otherwise not bringing up our activities in missions (cus we really have no right to claim that it was us who defeated villain X, for example).

But there are ways to do what you want and integrate in with the whole and make sure everyone is happy by finding a group that caters to your favored approach and style of roleplay, and altering your style depending on the company you are in. There's no right or wrong styles roleplay. What's most important is do what you find enjoyable.

FreelanceWizard · **07-01-2013, 03:34 PM**

Hopefully you'll find a place where you feel you can belong, whether it's in an RP group or not. Also, it may just be that the LS/FC with the feel you want isn't around quite yet.

One thing I wanted to talk about more specifically, though, was...

(07-01-2013, 02:27 PM)Moonfire Wrote: The mechanics allow for multi class and switching but it doesn't make sense if you read how "elite" it is to join the guild and how much dedication it takes.

Normally I'd agree, but the plot of the game sets the PC adventurers (as opposed to the NPCs) out as the Exalted, as it were, of adventurers -- the New Warriors of Light, essentially. So, what requires enormous dedication and training for an average person just to get in the door is relatively easy for the PCs. Sure, you have to train (i.e., level) to master the guild's art, but learning the basics is easy because you, along with others (i.e., other PCs), have been Chosen for a great destiny.

I'm not sure if that point of view will help allay your concerns, but it's how I've worked around the "everyone can do everything" aspect of XIV.

Magellan · **07-01-2013, 08:40 PM**

That's odd, I had sort of planned to only train in the disciplines that my character would be good at (Pugilist and Archer) and ignore the rest. Rather than try to wrap my RP around the game mechanics, I was going to wrap the game mechanics around my RP. Just a different way of thinking I guess *shrug*

If absolutely required to learn different disciplines, I would just ignore it in the context of my RP. Just like you make IC/OOC separations, my character makes RP-story/PvE-story separation as two different entities that have nothing to do with each other. Again, that's trying to wrap your RP around the game mechanics, and to me that's just not going to work :/

I pay attention to the lore of quests and game-story, but I don't treat any of it as my character's canon, because it would be impossible to have it make any sense, unless I catered my entire story to align with the game's which to me would be boring.

This could also shed insight into why I level sooo slowly, as my char's story takes precedence over in game story.

FreelanceWizard · **07-01-2013, 10:28 PM**

(07-01-2013, 08:40 PM)Magellan Wrote: That's odd, I had sort of planned to only train in the disciplines that my character would be good at (Pugilist and Archer) and ignore the rest.

That's also an entirely legitimate perspective. Since the lore and mechanics don't really explain it, it's a big grey area with a lot of options for different, equally valid points of view.

That said, it's worth considering how that'll work with Jobs, since many of them have a DoM requirement. However, that particular subject is a little off topic on this thread. Smile

Koninbeor · **07-01-2013, 11:19 PM**

I understand completely where you're coming from, Moonfire. Burnout in RP can occur just as easily as burnout in anything else we experience in life. And this burnout can be caused by the smallest, and at times the most insignificant, of details or events simply because of how these triggers affect how we think and feel. Taking liberties with lore is one thing that completely destroys RP for me, for example. To me, that is a huge deal. To others, lore is little more than a guideline.

Like you, I try my very best to only RP to the strengths of my character as earned in the game. However, I have had to make myself come to terms with a certain amount of creative license over the years. This comes into play by creating a differentiation between the game's static story (where everyone gets to be the "Chosen One") and the sandbox (where everyone gets to create a story of their own). The sandbox, out of sheer necessity, can have only a limited interaction with the static story. After all, there is but one "Chosen One" while there are thousands of player characters. And many players will have multiple characters, which would mean that you play multiple versions of the "Chosen One" simultaneously. This clearly does not work for the realm of RP.

A great deal of frustration lies in wait for any RPer who does not draw a distinctive line. Now I'm not saying that the way I'm about to discuss is the only or even the best method of making this distinction. Instead, I'm giving insight into my own walk through the chaos of the gaming structure and my happy RP zone of happiness.

My RP background stems from pen and paper games. Some of these games integrate a novel or multiple novels along with an endless number of published supplements. Vampire: The Masquerade is the game that I give credit for most shaping and honing my RP abilities (or lack thereof). For anyone familiar with the original World of Darkness, you know that Storytellers (the venue's version of a Game Master) must either integrate a huge meta-plot or choose to ignore the published meta-plot entirely. Certain events, according to canon, DO happen. And certain characters, according to canon, DO cause these events based on their own successes and failures. Players can easily be swallowed up in such an overarching story and get lost, feeling insignificant. This is why White Wolf has chosen not to give a meta-plot in the current World of Darkness setting.

If the White Wolf analogy does you no good then try to think of playing a character of your creation in your favorite story. Take the Lord of the Rings, for example. Frodo is the Ring Bearer. Period. The Fellowship of the Ring is formed by specific characters and YOU are not one of them. Period. This means that you are not the Chosen One. However, this does not mean that you are not vital to the plot, or even to the Chosen One's success. Take the 1.0 characters. All of them cannot be the single Chosen One, but they can all be vital members of an army that stems the tide of destruction, working together to save the world.

The game developers have to give a story. True, they do not have to act like you are the Chosen One in the story but non-RPers want (and sometimes even need) to feel special. This aspect of the game exists for the benefit of the majority. RPers are the minority even on RP servers that are marked by the devs as RP servers in name. What I have to do is understand that when I'm playing through the game's story line, I'm getting the privilege of experiencing the "main character's" life in the avatar of my choosing. My character, according to no one else, is the main character. This is simply the skin in which I see events unfold as I am reading and experiencing the story. This is not real for my character. Instead, this is the storyteller's way of letting me see the world that I am walking around in.

So while I have distanced myself, understanding that I am not the only person in existence who can save the world from an impossibly powerful evil, I can take a look at significant events and strategically place my character into those events as he advances. This is Final Fantasy. There are HUGE battles that take place. I may not be the Chosen One, but I can very well be a soldier in that battle. And I determine how his praises or curses are sung by others. I may not be on the flag ship in an armada, but I am on a ship in the armada and I have a role to play. The "main character" cannot succeed if I am not there. Without me, this character would be overwhelmed. I am important. I am significant. And so are you.

This is how I reconcile my character with the story. I find a way for my character to fit into events. I may not be the greatest Gladiator of all time but I am certainly one to be respected. And other Gladiators can attest to my deeds and know of my hard work and dedication. Look for opportunities in the story as you play it out and insert your character wherever you feel is fitting, and do so with pride. You have worked hard to advance your character. You deserve a place of prominence. You are exceptional. You are a hero.

Once you give yourself permission to realize that the story is about Frodo and his friends, and that you're just getting to experience that story as a <insert race/gender and class/job here> so that you understand the world around you and feel closer to the environment's uniqueness and beauty, playing a proper role in that setting can be very satisfying. And once you're satisfied with how you fit into the story, all you have to worry about is some random dolt ruining your immersion because he's a vampire/ghost/mummy/mage from Planet X who has come to rid the world of Lost Lambs due to a cataclysmic plague in an alternate dimension that is never explained because his imagination rivals that of a rotting opossum carcass. And that's why you choose your RP partners with care. Your story matters. Make it fun for you.

Now I hope that, even if my endless rambling does not help you in any way, you will listen to the counsel of others before me and stay on this server with us. You don't have to RP to be friends with an RPer. Have fun here, and you always have the option to join us in RP should the mood strike you. Remember, you are always welcome to friends.

And, in closing at long last, remember that if RP is made impossible for you that you can always blame the Amish. Trust me, they won't know. They won't be playing the game and will never read anything you say on this forum.

Just for the record, my introduction post warns that I am verbose.

RP...just not feeling it...

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