How to integrate Villains into RP...
For me, my antagonists do not walk around looking for heroes to foil. (although playing a common thug can be refreshing sometimes too) Those I play are usually already integrated into storylines through OOC communication with the players. They have personal goals and personal targets. It is also much easier to do since ... well, you can't affect the world setting anyways.
I have also integrated my antagonists into other storylines, where they are NOT playing the villain so that I can explore the character's past and different aspects of their personality. None of my non-good characters think of themselves as villains. They have a purpose, a mission, or a path in life they need to follow for whatever reason, and sometimes it results in harm to others. Some have an internal code that they follow, others... have no moral compass to restrict them what-so-ever. But they all do think they are doing something that needs to be done, or is worth doing.
Although Rae will never think of herself as a hero either. She is not delusional.Â
AND while Rae is not technically Garlean ... it would be a shame to lump and dismiss all Garlean affiliated characters as stereotypical non-imaginative "Garlean villains." One of my favorite antagonistic characters to play against in this game is a Garlean loyalist and she is a hoot and a half to RP with and complex as hell (you know who you are).
Else you are going to miss out on a lot of great potential RP. I love the Garlean Empire as a whole in that their mission statement is not necessarily wrong. Â And people from the Empire are not all evil boogy man that Eorzeans tell their children about.
For me, my antagonists do not walk around looking for heroes to foil. (although playing a common thug can be refreshing sometimes too) Those I play are usually already integrated into storylines through OOC communication with the players. They have personal goals and personal targets. It is also much easier to do since ... well, you can't affect the world setting anyways.
I have also integrated my antagonists into other storylines, where they are NOT playing the villain so that I can explore the character's past and different aspects of their personality. None of my non-good characters think of themselves as villains. They have a purpose, a mission, or a path in life they need to follow for whatever reason, and sometimes it results in harm to others. Some have an internal code that they follow, others... have no moral compass to restrict them what-so-ever. But they all do think they are doing something that needs to be done, or is worth doing.
Although Rae will never think of herself as a hero either. She is not delusional.Â
AND while Rae is not technically Garlean ... it would be a shame to lump and dismiss all Garlean affiliated characters as stereotypical non-imaginative "Garlean villains." One of my favorite antagonistic characters to play against in this game is a Garlean loyalist and she is a hoot and a half to RP with and complex as hell (you know who you are).
Else you are going to miss out on a lot of great potential RP. I love the Garlean Empire as a whole in that their mission statement is not necessarily wrong. Â And people from the Empire are not all evil boogy man that Eorzeans tell their children about.
