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

Edgar · **07-01-2015, 02:44 PM**

I think I might have something to say that none of you have considered.

Under normal circumstances, areas in the game such as the Quicksand, should they be crowded with players, would be so for the sake of being crowded. Every single location would just be a Mor Dhona clone; tons of people trading, crafting, or idling.

Instead, when I show up to the Quicksand, my chat log fills up with conversation. Storytelling. People getting drunk, hanging out with each other, having a good time. The guards talk about how the place has gone to hell, the people talk about how the guards are too bossy, the roleplaying community breathes life into areas that would otherwise be totally desolate because no MMO developer could possibly program in that much randomly generated dialogue to keep things as fresh as they do.

The roleplaying community keeps this game from being boring for me. And I appreciate that.

Gegenji · **07-01-2015, 02:51 PM**

(07-01-2015, 02:44 PM)Edgar Wrote: Instead, when I show up to the Quicksand, my chat log fills up with conversation. Storytelling. People getting drunk, hanging out with each other, having a good time. The guards talk about how the place has gone to hell, the people talk about how the guards are too bossy, the roleplaying community breathes life into areas that would otherwise be totally desolate because no MMO developer could possibly program in that much randomly generated dialogue to keep things as fresh as they do.

That's what grabbed me when I first came to Balmung, starting my first venture in actual RP in an MMORPG. All the people doing open RP in the world just made it feel so much more... alive. It's not just another person heading off to grind more tomestones or a hunt (though you still see that enough in OOC chat and /shout and such)... there's stories going on, lives being lived. I think it's what makes me so antsy when I'm sitting around not doing anything and start looking for RP - Chachan should be doing something right now, not just chilling atop the roof of some FC house in the Mist.

Tiergan · **07-01-2015, 03:34 PM**

(07-01-2015, 02:34 PM)ArmachiA Wrote: The thing that I love most about the people I RP with is the fact that we can sit down and discuss scenes of the story we're playing out like it were a novel or a TV show. We can do this FOR HOURS. Sitting around and discussing the value of a certain scene, what happened between two people, why some people are fighting, what decisions were made, etc, etc. No one gets offended if someone says "I really didn't agree with the choice <character> made." or "Man, I'm not sure that will end well for <character>." We understand that disagreeing with a character doesn't mean we disagree with them OOC and we understand that we are not our characters. We, of course, say lots of positive things too, but it's nice when the players don't get mad at each other for what characters do, and even better when the players can discuss each others characters' motivations and decisions without getting offended if they disagree. One of my favorite things to do is to talk shop, discuss whats going on with characters and discuss scenes - even when I wasn't even around for them. I really value that I'm able to do that with my group and it makes the story feel... more epic. We're talking like it's not just roleplay, but an overarching story and that's pretty cool.

The community in general? I think my favorite thing is how there are many, many, many different kind of groups on the Server. Some that follow lore strictly, some that don't, some that have super powerful characters, and others who play weaker ones. Since this is a large community and there are so many different opinions it's EASY to find a group that has your personal roleplaying style. I can tell you, in certain games it was never that easy, generally having to follow the ruleset of the small rp population. Here though, on Balmung, there are so many different kinds of RPers you WILL find a group that shares your views on roleplay if you try hard enough. I like that the server has no specific ruleset on RP or what it should be. RP is different for everyone and it means something different to everyone. People aren't to agree on what "real" RP is and that's okay, as long as theirs a place for everyone to build their own sandbox. I've not heard of a lot of harassment related to RP Styles, and I think healthy debate on the forums is important and necessary to keep the community honest. I think Balmung does a lot of things right where a lot of games have done them wrong and FFXIV is a testament to the benefit of a large RP server. And its nice, too, that most of these different groups can co-exist with very little drama on the game.

THIS.

This is the first MMO RP community I've been in where we don't really have a lot of people policing the ever-living heck out of each other on what is the 'right way' to RP. Policing people and trying to get everyone to RP the same way with the same view on the lore and the same understanding of what is 'correct' was just the default thing people did in other MMO communities. In fact, it was seen as "healthy for the community". I'll be first to admit - I was definitely one of those jerks shaking their heads, going 'tsk-tsk' at people I felt were "doing it wrong".

It wasn't until I came here to FFXIV that I first ran into this live-and-let-live attitude towards RP/RP styles and good glory is it refreshing. It's so simple and obvious, but it has such a big and positive impact. Instead of the entire community trying to force the everyone to adhere to a certain way of doing things and looking down on folks who don't go with the flow - everyone here has their own 'right way' of doing things. And most importantly, we all (or at least most of us) acknowledge that it's 100% okay if a bunch of folks have drastically different ways of RPing that can't really be reconciled. We understand that the server's big enough for each person to find their own crew of awesome buddies. You do your thing. I'll do my thing. We'll find friends that mesh with us and everyone's happy.

This is admittedly why I got a little anxious in things like the pet peeves thread or in other threads when it sort of feels like people might be veering towards "my-way-or-the-highway" / "you're doing it wrong" land, because it makes me worry that folks are bringing that old "everyone has to RP the same way FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY" vibe over to FFXIV.

Also - this is less about the RP community and more about Balmung itself - but I REALLY like that I can RP out in the open on Balmung 100% of the time and experience less trolling/clusterfuckery than I ever did in other unofficial RP servers and even actual official RP servers in other MMOs. I think this is a testament to how chill (or at least tolerant) a lot of the Non-RPers are on our server because honestly? It's AMAZING to me that the Quicksand can be an actual RP hub without legions of trolls constantly slamming into it day and night to chase everyone out. (::KNOCKS ON FUCKING WOOD::)

Sure, every once in a while I get some buck-nekkid dancing roe with a snowman-helmet on, but I find that if I laugh it off or just play along (swap to slut gear, put on horse helmet, and manderville at them), they go off on their merry way.

Lilia Lia · **07-01-2015, 04:10 PM**

Just how welcoming, generous and understanding people are.

And overall, how good the community is at observing basic etiquette.Â It's very rare that I run into the faux-pas of RP like godmodding or extreme lore-breaking.Â The kinds of issues that tend to give rise to argument are actually pretty minor all things considered.Â By and large there is a lot of consensus and good manners among RPers.

Being able to go anywhere, like anywhere, and find RP.Â So many people on Balmung are open to walk-ups.Â It makes the world feel so full and populated.

Magellan · **07-01-2015, 04:41 PM**

(07-01-2015, 03:34 PM)Tiergan Wrote: Sure, every once in a while I get some buck-nekkid dancing roe with a snowman-helmet on, but I find that if I laugh it off or just play along (swap to slut gear, put on horse helmet, and manderville at them), they go off on their merry way.

*Pictures a half nekkid Tiergan doing the manderville.... drools on keyboard*

In all seriousness, awesome post Tier. One thing I completely agree upon, and one thing I have a slightly different take on:

Agree - In the overall scheme of things, I have not been rping very long (about 5 years). In my first several communities, there were so called 'gatekeepers' of rp, who more or less decided the server rp rules of what was and was not acceptable. These people were always self-appointed, and made things absolutely miserable for us small groups out there just trying to have a good time, and being made to feel like we belonged at the kiddie table.

Worse, these rp 'moderators' often were absolutely brutal towards new rpers, simply for not knowing all the rules they had established, which led to dwindling communities and a high level of toxicity. I thank the Twelve that Balmung is so very... very different.

Which brings me to the part I slightly disagree on. In other communities, threads like Pet Peeves COULD and often WOULD go downhill very fast. But... it made me realize today that I have faith in this community to handle those sorts of things maturely and responsibly. And having that sort of faith after the toxic atmospheres I am accustomed to is tremendously rewarding.Â

On a personal note, I feel Pet Peeves opens up a dialogue on how to better manage rp disagreements. For me personally, I would much rather someone openly and honestly tell me; 'You know what? I think you're a cool person and even a cooler rper, but your style just does not fit well with mine for 'x' reason.', then the 'veil of silence' that seems to proliferate the rp community sometimes. I mean... I get it. Hell, I do it all the time myself (and hopefully will try to correct that). In the effort of trying not to hurt someone's feelings by telling them you are just not enjoying rp with them, and so putting them off, or being slow to respond to them, I think we often end up hurting people more than just honestly saying; 'You're really great, but our styles do not match. It's not the kind of rp I like, but I'm positive you can find others who's style matches yours.'

And for my part, even if I do not spend a lot of time with someone ICly, I am more than happy to spend time chatting with them OOCly.

-no longer matters- · **07-01-2015, 04:43 PM**

(07-01-2015, 03:34 PM)Tiergan Wrote: Sure, every once in a while I get some buck-nekkid dancing roe with a snowman-helmet on, but I find that if I laugh it off or just play along (swap to slut gear, put on horse helmet, and manderville at them), they go off on their merry way.

Those types of situations especially when in a bar, I ICly just figure someone had waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to many, and my character usually just laughs at it. Smile

Tiergan · **07-01-2015, 05:37 PM**

EDITED!

I was responding to Magellan about the whole pet peeves thing, but I realised it was completely off topic. Magellan - if you want to keep chatting about it with me, feel free to hit me up with PMs. o/

ZacharyVolfire · **07-01-2015, 05:56 PM**

Honestly well I was worried when my bro invited me to play with him and our college friends together on Behemoth. I love Rping in my mmos and if I went to the battle focused server i thought id be alone. I was proven hella wrong. And Im now a Guild Master of a great fc and a linkshell master of alot of fellow rpers on the server. It makes the game 100% more enjoyable going on adventure doing a dig or an experiment and just involving so much story. If i didnt have such a huge group of friends on behemoth I might've come running to Balmung but for now you guyso n here and people on their make me glad i started this game.

Askier · **07-01-2015, 06:32 PM**

(07-01-2015, 03:34 PM)Tiergan Wrote:
(07-01-2015, 02:34 PM)ArmachiA Wrote: -snip-Â Â I like that the server has no specific ruleset on RP or what it should be. RP is different for everyone and it means something different to everyone. ....And its nice, too, that most of these different groups can co-exist with very little drama on the game.

-snip-.

This is admittedly why I got a little anxious in things like the pet peeves thread or in other threads when it sort of feels like people might be veering towards "my-way-or-the-highway" / "you're doing it wrong" land, because it makes me worry that folks are bringing that old "everyone has to RP the same way FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY" vibe over to FFXIV. ...

Umm, where was this attitude last year when several of us got slammed for running an rp event that was meant to be a large, fun thing and, instead, were accused that it threatened -server wide- consistent rp by an -elite- few?

Just saying, lets not forget the past so easily.Â It was once policed.

Now if you want to say, it's nice how the community has -evolved- into a community that -now- allows people to have their own types of rp and acknowledges that all these different stories and types of rps are okay and can exist in the game, that I would agree with.

Community has become more open minded this past year, no doubts there.

Tiergan · **07-01-2015, 06:50 PM**

(07-01-2015, 06:32 PM)Askier Wrote:
(07-01-2015, 03:34 PM)Tiergan Wrote:
(07-01-2015, 02:34 PM)ArmachiA Wrote: -snip-Â Â I like that the server has no specific ruleset on RP or what it should be. RP is different for everyone and it means something different to everyone. ....And its nice, too, that most of these different groups can co-exist with very little drama on the game.

-snip-.

This is admittedly why I got a little anxious in things like the pet peeves thread or in other threads when it sort of feels like people might be veering towards "my-way-or-the-highway" / "you're doing it wrong" land, because it makes me worry that folks are bringing that old "everyone has to RP the same way FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY" vibe over to FFXIV. ...

Umm, where was this attitude last year when several of us got slammed for running an rp event that was meant to be a large, fun thing and, instead, were accused that it threatened -server wide- consistent rp by an -elite- few?

Just saying, lets not forget the past so easily.Â It was once policed.

Now if you want to say, it's nice how the community has -evolved- into a community that -now- allows people to have their own types of rp and acknowledges that all these different stories and types of rps are okay and can exist in the game, that I would agree with.

Community has become more open minded this past year, no doubts there.

I didn't say that it never happened, Askier. Only that its not as prevalent as it is in other communities. The fact that we even got to this point where people go with live-and-let-live is extremely different from any community I have been in. Also server wide events are a whole other basket of things that would need its whole own thread to discuss (and would probably make the moda fear for their sanity.)

Virella · **07-01-2015, 08:05 PM**

Most people I met so far! Of course there are a few bad apples, but most people I've met are really sweet ooc. Even if our chars do not always get along, I still have a blast rping, and doing other stuff with you all.

Misuzu · **07-01-2015, 08:53 PM**

What I love is the unknown. The community makes me feel like I'm playing a true, living Final Fantasy game. Where at any point in my story I may run across the most important person in Mizu's life, and journey through the rest of the game with them, just as you find pre-determined party members in the single player games.

The community drives me to log in everyday, in the hopes of meeting someone new, and someone amazing.

Kellach Woods · **07-01-2015, 09:03 PM**

That no matter how bad it gets...

the RP community doesn't even come close to how frustrating Hunts can get.

Flickering Ember · **07-01-2015, 11:08 PM**

Probably going to make multiple posts in this thread but to start:

No RSP shaming.
Well RSPs don't exist in this MMO.
Still, it feels so good that I can go into a ls and not have to listen to someone blab about someone's RSP like they're shooting a 'People of Walmart' video.

Cailean Lockwood · **07-01-2015, 11:11 PM**

(07-01-2015, 11:08 PM)Flickering Ember Wrote: Probably going to make multiple posts in this thread but to start:

No RSP shaming.
Well RSPs don't exist in this MMO.
Still, it feels so good that I can go into a ls and not have to listen to someone blab about someone's RSP like they're shooting a 'People of Walmart' video.

What is RSP? :o

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