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+--- Thread: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! (/showthread.php?tid=5813)
Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - Zac Evans - 12-16-2013
I'm creating this thread to try and understand a few things that have been bothering me for quite a while-ever since my Calming the Inner Beast thread a while back. It seems that I engage in a constant faux pas when it comes to role-playing, and that is integrating the pre-set story line for non RPers into my own timeline. I don't understand why people shy away from this, even though I do understand it's fun to create your own story and play by your own rules. I've read of amazing things like magitek limbs and ancient magics lost to time through the community's own imagination and I love it! By why is it frowned upon to do things like be a member of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn?
A prime example is this. In my character's backstory-what with the patch occurring as I type bringing the sixth umbral era to a close-Zac was an adventurerer who took place in Operation Archon, and was in the party that battled not only Gaius Van Baelsar, but stopped Ultima Weapon from being used against the Eorzea. I see it as this-the 'Adventurer' is the 'main' character in all of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, and even though many of us are adventurers, we are not THE Adventurer. To go on, from the destructive power Ultima Weapon had at its disposal, and the sheer amount of unadulterated skill Gaius possessed, that was MUCH more than a low double digit man job.Â
I just deleted about four more paragraphs because I felt I was rambling, so I'll quit beating around the bush and ask. Is integrating key points in the ARR timeline into your backstory acceptable as long as no one person makes it all about them?
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - Kieron Lohengrin - 12-16-2013
It's not a faux pas, it's your personal preference. I RP my char as having done everything (or some similar variant of everything) up to Coil, too, since that's what's actually taken place and has been accomplished ingame. If it comes up in conversation, sensible folk will say "I wasn't aware of that! Now I know!" then move on to the next topic. Even "You're lying! That can't be true!" is still an IC response that can be expected. It just means they're playing a poorly informed, ignorant character in denial.
But if it comes up in conversation, and someone detonates in an OOC snit over it, that's what the blacklist is for.
The only thing you need to do, really, is watch the semantics. "I was in A team that helped destroy the Praetorium" is generally preferable over "I was in THE ONLY TEAM that destroyed the Praetorium," since it gives others more room to go "Oh I was in another Operation Archon team there too!" Same goes for primal battles. Square Enix has actually provided an ongoing threat and plot device with the constantly regenerating/resummoned primals, so anyone can plausibly say, "Ifrit's back gotta go spank him again" "But I just spanked him last week! D:"
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - Ashren Dotharl - 12-16-2013
I think the problem with some stuff is that people read far too into things. For example you talk about Gaius like he's some kind of god where it would take hundreds of Adventurer's to kill him. He's not that badass, regardless of personal opinion. Every other dungeon or encounter before the end of the game required for people, which we can assume means the intent for the difficulty would mean a small group of adventurer's could take it on without much trouble. Gaius requires 8 people, so clearly he is stronger than your typical encounter, but not so strong that one should assume that it would require more than 8 people to have defeated him.
There is a thin line in an MMO between Roleplay and Fanfiction, but the line is still there and at times people tend to lose sight of this and cross it all to easily, and often times they will justify it by taking things well out of proportion, my above example for instance. You can't simply justify that you killed Gaius by saying "it would have taken x amount of people to do anyways" when clearly it didn't, it only took 8 people and even if we assumed it took 50, or 100, there are more RPers than that on Balmung alone who also may be claiming to have killed Gaius.
Far be it for me to tell you what you can and can't RP, but if you want to paint your character as the hero, the slayer of Primals, Ultima Weapon, and the one who defeated the XIVth Legion then perhaps you'd be better off writing fanfiction than RPing.
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - Nebbs - 12-16-2013
Generally RP your way, and if that is the main hero of the land, so be it. That all works well until you want to RP with others and they need to accept your proposition.
So in order to gain a broad acceptability it is advisable to:
1. Not be unique, so be one of the many heroes rather than "the" hero
2. Not tie yourself to any in game persons, so have your mentor to be like those in the game but not the actual ones
3. Avoid unique/specific organisation, so not the Scions but a similar group
4. Have some faults, in fact if you only do one thing.. do this. Faults that mean you need others to achieve things, this promotes a need to interact etc..
Find those you like to RP with and adjust your style to suit. I find some compromise (give and take) goes much further than trying to define rigid rules.
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - Rosekitten - 12-16-2013
I've heard of a few people rp'ing with or along the story but nto many. I stayed clear of it myself because all in all I have it noted that my character doesn't have the echo.
Some of the characters I've met in the game do have the echo, given my character isnt overly fond of fighting unless needed her skills would be better off placed at the forge for repairs and making the gear needed to take on  the beasts.
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - LandStander - 12-16-2013
I am not telling you what you can or can't do, but this is the way that I see it. I think its bad taste to try to basically be "The One" or "The Hero". The person who saves the entire world from destruction. I'm not saying that they do this alone. I mean take Neo from the Matrix. There is no way he could have done that by himself. He had the help of many others, but it really all came down to him and his power in the long run. For one person to participate in all the fights, taking down Primals, killing Legatus', stopping their mastermind plans, breaking into Bahamuts lair, acquiring super rare one of a kind weapons, etc., is basically saying that even though there were other people there who "helped" it was really them who did it all.
Basically I am trying to say what Ashren was saying...this is a collective story being told and no one character should shine soooo much brighter than anyone else's.
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - Raccoon - 12-16-2013
I don't have a problem with people being a member of the Scions. The story indicates that they are branching out and attempting to expand, particularly after the spoilerific event that happens to them, and basically seeking out anyone that has the Echo -- which is basically anyone that has ICly fought a Primal.
But it's rather ridiculous, for the reasons Ashren suggested, to try to say you're on the team that defeated any of the one-of-a-kind enemies. It's just not plausible. Now actually being on one of multiple teams that's laying waste to Praetorium, causing airships to fall out of the sky and thinning the defenders out, is actually far more reasonable. By the same token, considering that Serpent Reavers and other dungeon enemies can reoccupy the same spot repeatedly, it's not unreasonable to assume that other adventurers make regular patrols there. Just not for the reasons that the Hero did.
What are you going to do when someone asks you "I heard there was one adventurer that stood out from the rest, who works with the Scions, found Cid's airship, etc.? Was it a guy or a girl? What race? What did they look like? What weapon did they use? Come on, man, this is stuff for the history books." You can't answer those things even though you were on the team that they were in and helped to take down Gaius and such.
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - Zac Evans - 12-16-2013
You make a very valid point Kieron! And that may have been where I erred previously. My character's no hunter of the most powerful Primals, bane of Garlemald or all Twelve in a single mortal vessel! I just thought it would be interesting to have been near key events in the first storyline of ARR. Heck, one of the only real things I wanted from the storyline was to be a Scion and actually take part in Operation Archon. It just seemed from what I saw wandering their not-so-secret hide-away was that they had people from all walks of life with their own set of skills to bring to the table. Hell! Even more so when they got reformed later in the story! But I suppose claiming to have been in the party that actually stopped Ultima Weapon may seem like a bit much, even if ones character does have the Echo and such.
OUCH! So straight to the point I'm surprised I don't have whiplash, Ashren! I know what I said about Gaius may've been misleading to the point of me putting him on a glorious golden pedestal, but that really wasn't my intent. I was just analyzing him through the events that led up to the final fight and from what I understand happened in version 1.0. He single handedly fought off Y'shtola, Yda, Papalymo, and Thancred, who are some of the Scions top combatants and highest-ranking members, which are recognized by the leaders all three city-states-Scions, that is-as a cut above the high ranking officers of their own respected Grand Companies. He had the undying loyalty and NEED to be recognized by all of his direct subordinates-who also took eight players each to beat-as well as being one of Garlemald's generals. I didn't mean to make it sound like he was a god walking amount us filthy and unworthy peons, but he was DEFINIETLY a cut above an eight-man team. I'm not even gonna explain Ultima Weapon, because that thing was just damn horrifying. And as to me killing them? Hell no! Not in a million years!
That was the Praetorium. It killed him. In a massive, raging eruption that made me giggle my butt off right after U.W. detonated.
Whoawhoawhoawhoa! Slow your roll there Nebbs, I may be a perfect-in-every-way, egotistical, narcissistic, self-absorbed, vain d-bag but I'm not trying to be the main hero of the land! I agree, trying to be or being around someone who's trying to be the special and unique little glittering snowflake can be UTTERLY infuriating, but what's wrong with trying to go a little beyond? I could never do the whole 'I'm just gifted this way! The world wants mME to do all this, now carry my baggae, hater's gonna hate!" nonsense, but from a story perspective, hard work and discipline can yield results just as much as who you know and how you know them. I completely agree with you though on the give and take, and like I replied to Kieron, maybe what I thought was toeing the line yet still acceptable was much too much.
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - LiadansWhisper - 12-16-2013
I'm of the opinion that you can RP whatever the hell you want.
However, I know that a good rule of thumb is to not put yourself in the position of being the "Chosen One." Â You can be a hanger-on. Â You can be one of the many that helped out, but most people will simply dismiss you if you claim to be the big important guy.
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - Kieron Lohengrin - 12-16-2013
The game isn't structured for solo acts anyway. As early as level 15, you already have content tied into the story that can't be soloed.
An elite SOLDIER-style or Returner-style group of people? Sure, that can be RPed by you and your FC or LS-mates, depending on your collective success with the group quests and content, like the relic quests / Coil / CT in 2.1. A single Sephiroth-type who can do everything, on the other hand? You'll just get laughed out of the room.
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - John Spiegel - 12-16-2013
People forget that Ultima Weapon wasn't the only big as hell operation going on during the end. There were massive attacks on all Garlean strongholds. When me and my people get around for time to catch up to the storyline (that's a whole other topic), we will figure that crap out. Of course not all characters would even participate in that for one reason or another.. pregnant, dead, on the lamb or whatever. I eyeroll (JJ has one eye so lol) whenever someone's out to be that single character that trumps all.
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - Darkfae - 12-16-2013
As far as the Scions thing goes, and unfortunately non 1.0 players aren't going to know this, but Minfilia ran a rather large organisation called the Path of the Twelve in the first iteration of this game, and it sounds like those people merged with the remains of the Circle of Knowing (Y'shtola, Yda, Papalymo, Thancred, and Urianger) after the Calamity, so there's probably a lot more to the Scions than what we're seeing; it's probably not too far fetched for people to RP being a part of that organisation, especially if they were in the Path during their time in 1.0 - I really don't see Minfilia giving upon gathering people with the Echo together, even if it's not quite as stigmatic as it was back in the 1.0 era, and the story did support the idea that they were expanding from go.
Pretty much the basic idea has already been stated, and I support it - making things out to be that a character was in one of the assault teams at a certain event, or part of a group that went after a Primal one of the times it was up (especially Ifrit, given that from go, they talk about the fact he's been summoned several times already, and the Ul'dahns lose people to him often), dealing with some sort of corrupted idiot Ishgardian in Coerthas that's not the same Inquisitor, even up to being one of the teams investigating/clearing out the Binding Coil isn't a bad thing. Even having some contacts in various organisations you run across in the world and in the story isn't a bad thing if done tactfully and not nearly at the level done in the storyline quests as long as it makes sense isn't terrible either.
It's all about finding a balance and not forcing it down another player's throat, really. And not being afraid to ask about it and get feedback, then using that feedback is also a big stepping stone a lot of people stand at and never get past.Â
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - Vysce the Lad - 12-16-2013
To be perfectly honest, I find trying to RP anything like the "Chosen One" of sorts exhausting. I have met one person who roleplayed a character who has done everything and anything, including having a personal vendetta against Gaius himself. While, I admit... it did get quite annoying after he's describing being able to do everything, it fueled my roleplaying rather well. Albeit I'm playing a curious non-adventurer myself.
I see no issue with saying you helped out with the big scene in ARR... but definately don't say you were the big chosen one yourself (if it can be said there was only one). It's tough to play Atlas, but anyone could weave a story about helping him carry the burdens of the world... er- if that isn't too obscure of an analogy.Â
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - Merri - 12-16-2013
I'll have to echo the mindset of strictly avoiding any interaction with main storyline elements, outside of that which has been established as a phenomenon that effects more than one person and doesn't necessarily have to require active participation in events of the scenario (I.E the echo, with it having been established as something many adventurers are gifted with). My character is one of the original Warriors of Light, for example. He participated in the Battle of Carteneau, and was sent forward five years by Archon Louisoix alongside many other adventurers. He bears a connection to Hydaelyn due to his echo, but outside of that he has no real bearing on the plot of the game. He has his own story, and his own background, and that's what I focus on when playing my character. I do acknowledge that the storyline is unfolding over time, but those driving it will always be nameless faces in my canon. Even if some one claims they're the hero, it's simply not the case in my head.
Painting yourself the hero isn't really at all fair to people if you plan to roleplay with the general public. It's great if you want to keep it to yourself and your inner circles, but the second you start forcing upon people the idea that you're some magnificent hero who has saved Eorzea single-handedly, I draw the line. Personally, anyways. Those sorts of people immediately go on my list of people to avoid and/or outright ignore ICly (as much as I hate the idea), as quite frankly it's not really fair. I feel the world has such a rich and bountiful lore and culture, and riding on the coattails of the main storyline seems to put to waste all the potential for the creation of your own story. There's really endless room for creativity if you put your mind to it. For example, my character has a Magitek Prosthesis, as was mentioned in the OP. It's a driving force behind my character, and was something I developed alongside the concept of Magitek on Hydaelyn, yet it has little bearing on the world at large. Beyond this, though, it's not something I force openly on people, as not everyone agrees with the idea -- and that's absolutely okay.
Some elements tie into each other, of course. Like how one cannot technically fight a primal unless you possess the echo, supposedly. Rather, it carries great risk outside of simply being killed. The primals themselves are summoned very frequently, and adventurers capable of doing battle with them are often sent out to deal with the threats. That would be a solid example of something sort of related to the storyline that would technically be acceptable in canon for more than one person to have accomplished. Something commonplace for your seasoned adventurers.
These are just my personal opinions, of course. Bottom line, roleplay what you want. However, it would simply be silly to expect everyone to want to roleplay with you if you step over common boundries established within the community. It's quite easy to respect each others styles, and if you find yours clashes with another, it's as simple as offering an OOC apology and heading off in your own separate directions.
RE: Role-playing alongside the storyline: YOU did WHAT?! - Zazalan - 12-16-2013
I don't think there's anything wrong with it at all. Â I believe it largely depends on your approach in RP.
To state my personal preference, I like for my character to either be involved in some way or be affected. Â Does my character possess the echo? Â Yes. Â Has he fought a primal? Â Yes. Â These aren't things I'm throwing in the face of people I RP with, in fact it has yet to be mentioned at all. Â When it comes to things such as Operation Archon, I'm actually in the process of piecing together his actual involvement. Â For example, he is a former strategist for the Immortal Flames, and I'm thinking that he might have been recalled to active duty for the operation.
I don't see why anyone would have an issue with participation of that sort. Â If someone else wants to claim that they were an adventurer who fought Ultima... fine then, that's totally cool. Â
The only place I would personally draw the line is claiming to have been in the actual place the player is in the storyline, being the Ultimate Hero of the main events. Â I just don't see it as feasible for any one RPer to call that role for their own. Â I do think it's good to be considerate of the community, after all.