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ArmachiA · **03-13-2014, 03:27 PM**

(03-13-2014, 02:07 PM)Brynn Wrote:
(03-13-2014, 01:22 PM)synaesthetic Wrote: I want my RP in FFXIV to be like my old D&D games. I want to get into some serious epic plotting.
YES!

This is the enjoyment I get from RP as well, story arcs with love! Tragedy! Fallen heroes and redemption. Families and betrayals and alliances.

There are definitely storytellers and RPers out there that crave and thrive on good storytelling. Â Tavern RP and random encounters are just a way to meet people. Â Once you find that you gel... then you can PLOT to your heart's content. Â

Indeed, this is the whole focus of my FC.

We are so plot heavy we call our arcs "Seasons"

I'll give an example of what we like to do by going over the plot of Season One

Season One saw the infiltration of a few Garleans in the Night Blades. They hid for weeks while everyone was making their introductions. We introduced a past bad guy from 1.0, a character named Fillion, who we mentioned off hand - stating he was bad, tried to run our old FC into the ground, then died in the Calamity when Ellion stabbed him. People were interested in the backstory but didn't think much of it. Meanwhile, a character named Dais had infiltrated the FC, posing as a simple priest. No one really thought much about him either and we were all busy rebuilding and working on friendships with the alliance guild Grim Echo.

Everything was good, till the day Dais asked Armi to escort him to Gridania since she knew the area well. Some people didn't trust him, he was kind of a lech, but no one really thought he would do anything.

When she was being escorted, a few people happened to find them and make sure she was okay. Dais, wanting to get Armi alone, poisoned Ellion and made him stay behind. Dais thought his plan had succeeded - till Sindl showed up at the Highbridge. Reluctantly, Dais had to change his plans because Sindl wouldn't leave. He left them alone while he went to get firewood - then 4 men attacked Sindl and Armi. It was a tough fight but the two ended up shot with arrows and left to die in a cave in Coerthas.

It was then Fillion made himself known. He used the linkpearl to communicate with the Night Blades and the Grim Echo. He was back, he was angry, and he wanted revenge. Fillion was Garlean, see, and he wanted nothing more to turn Eorzea to dust - along with taking down the Night Blades. He became interested in the Grim Echo because of Sindl's interference with his introduction and decided if they were allies of the NB they also had to die.

We introduced a bunch of evil PCs, family members and followers of Fillion - they stabbed people, took peoples eye's, Kidnapped people, tried to kill people over the course of a few months.

THe Arc ended when 2.2 became with a huge epic battle for Siben's - the inventor of the NBs - life and forcing the Garleans into hiding for most of Season 2.
~~~

We're currently working on Season 3 - which is set to begin in April. We loovveee big story plots and usually revolve them around most people instead of one person.

But social RP is super important. In between story rp we were in bars, doing the Grindstone, or just hanging out to get to know each other. If characters don't care about each other, big epic stories don't work. No one would have cared about what happened to Armi with Dais without doing the legwork of making friends with social rp.

Evie · **03-13-2014, 03:58 PM**

PLOTS..PLOTS..PLOTS..PLOTS..PLOTS..PLOTS (think LMFAO's shots...it was funny in my head >.<)

Anyways. My FC just finished our 3rd installment of who knows how many installments of our RP story. We're a dual sided FC and the evil side just meet the good side, some it was their first meeting others it was just a reintroducing. An epic first battle happened and there's a promise for much much more RP. We've also helped some of HOD members with their plot lines and even brought along our own personal crazy Smile

. As much as tavern RP is a fun way to meet people I THRIVE off of large plots and crazy story. But you have to start some where and there are TONS of people here willing to help. I'm sure you'll find your perfect place.

Edit: I really think I need to start getting more sleep. *counts down days until spring break*

Roen · **03-13-2014, 04:13 PM**

(03-13-2014, 03:27 PM)ArmachiA Wrote: But social RP is super important. In between story rp we were in bars, doing the Grindstone, or just hanging out to get to know each other. If characters don't care about each other, big epic stories don't work. No one would have cared about what happened to Armi with Dais without doing the legwork of making friends with social rp.

^

Yes. This!

This is why I didn't plot anything for months! You need that base, to build a foundation of people/characters to care about, before you then delve into some big twist or plots.

Melodia · **03-13-2014, 04:59 PM**

So many great thoughts and suggestions here. I appreciate everyone offering their thoughts and Â ideas. I'm glad I spoke up and I look forward to meeting you in the game. Smile

Magellan · **03-13-2014, 05:08 PM**

After a year of rping, and trying all the various forms, I can say MMO RP is by far the most seriously flawed and difficult to get into on a consistent basis. I have been at the center of stories, and yet have still been very aware of those on the outside struggling to get in. And of course, I have been where you are; feeling left out. There are a host of problems and misconceptions that occur, which I'll cover below. Please bear in mind these are personal opinions only.

We are all sharing the same story. False. There is absolutely no way to get a thousand rpers all on the same page, rping the same broader story, and make everyone happy. I would postulate that its impossible to get forty rpers all on the same page, and make everyone happy, without serious preparation. The reason cliques, and so called insular rp forms, is because we all want those epic storylines, and a quality story can only support so many characters. The fellowship of the ring wouldn't have been that interesting if the fellowship was 25 people. It would be confusing and chaotic. Guild stories fail when they try to cram 50-100 people into a story meant for 10. Its no fun standing on the sidelines and watching the 'popular' characters have all the fun, yet those popular characters never see this, to understand this fact.

We all want to have popular characters. We all want to play heroes. Smaller groups allows us to achieve this.

Because I'm in game, I should be IC. This one's more a personal preference. But being IC all the time makes it harder to create quality rp. You are essentially reduced to rping the boring stuff no one (not even you) cares about. It also makes it harder for others to join your rp. Why?

Let's say Mary, Sue, and John are rping one night. They are in a tense scene, where Mary gets seriously injured, Sue struggles to keep her alive, and John is bravely fighting badguys off. The hour grows late, and John has to go to bed, so they cut the scene short. In tabletop, the group sets a time in the future to meet up again, and everyone is able to enjoy the full benefits of that scene.

In MMO however, when people are IC all the time, problems arise. Let's say real life hits John like a ton of bricks. Its 4 days before he can log in again. Mary and Sue, not wanting to be scene locked, advance the story without him, and essentially writing him out of it, denying him the chance to reap the rewards of the scene they had established. After a few times of this it is easy to get discouraged. To feel like any attempts at setting up meaningful rp go up in smoke. Scheduled rp that meets everyone's schedule can be a life saver. Its how stories, movies, console rpgs, and most tabletop operates; the plot cannot advance without you present, because you are a part of it. MMO RP often fails in this regard.

Good RP is as simple as meeting up and rping. False. Tabletop has gms. Books have authors. Movies have directors; people who are skilled at guiding a story, getting all the characters included, ensuring their 'audiences' fun. The creator has time to prepare; to scheme, to plot, and to bounce ideas off their participants. MMO rp really challenges this formula; instead of writing a story and placing it in front of an audience, or churning out a weekly story for a small group of rpers, content creators are suddenly assaulted by hundreds of rpers wanting premium story content, and wanting it NOW, without contributing to the creation process. This is why SO many guild leaders and gm types burnout in MMOs. They simply are unable to meet the demands of a voracious audience impatient for quality rp day after day after day.

Frankly, some people are great at rp, but not good at storytelling. That's fine! But you have to allow the storytellers time to weave you into their plots, and maybe offer help in other areas as you are able.

Because I can't break into a clique, I must be unwanted. False. A lot of the time, this actually comes down to a matter of time. People are already trying to appease their regular rp contacts, that they simply feel overwhelmed trying to fit another character in. This goes back to 'a story can only support so many characters'. I see a lot of threads on here of people asking for rp contacts. There will be several replies of what is essentially lip service; people saying 'oh yea, give me a tell sometime!' But then nothing comes of it, because they have not made a firm commitment. And perhaps they are swamped for time and are therefore unable to make that commitment.Â

It has nothing to do with you. People want to be supportive, but can only lend so much of their energy and time without overreaching themselves and becoming burnt out. Supporting a community takes a heckuva lot of structure and planning, and sadly mmos usually lack that :/

Tl;dr - Sadly, I no longer play ffxiv. But if skype rp is your thing, PM me on this site and I'll gladly set up time with you this weekend c: Good luck!

ArmachiA · **03-13-2014, 05:53 PM**

^ This is the greatest post to ever post.

phlogistonia · **03-13-2014, 06:05 PM**

Hi there! It seems we are in the same FC. I feel the same way, if you ever want to RP with me feel free. I am also pretty new to the FC and haven't found a way to really click with everyone yet... you've actually posted on my thread. You should add me in game. I'd love to get something rolling with you.Â *^^*

Arkghyom · **03-13-2014, 06:31 PM**

(03-13-2014, 07:40 AM)Rurutani Wrote: I am very new to MMOs (this is my first and I only just started in November), and thus I am very new to role playing, so please forgive this post if it is silly or just full of rookie mistakes.

I joined the Balmung server with a desire to try rp. I have a character on another server who is leveled high and such, so in this server I am a very low level character. I don't really know anyone at all. I have met a few people but never for more than maybe 10 -15 minutes at a time. So, my engagements have been very limited. But it feels sometimes like I am 1 step forward, 2 steps back in terms of making friends.

To be specific, in the past two days I have met folks (yay) and engaged in small level rp (yay), but I also feel a bit excluded from some of the....ugh, I hate using the word, but "cliques" that exist (and it's really for a lack of better word). I met someone who was really cool and we had a fun conversation, only to see a mt whisper pop up where the person seemed annoyedÂ and wanted to go. Then the person left the FC less than an hour later. Â Others I have met seem only mildly curious about me and then don't want to engage (but I get it....the IC aspect). But many times I try engage, people are OOC and don't seem to want to be IC, or their group IC is set and I feel like I am just butting in so, I leave and end up alone again. I try and be nice, but outside of the "cute Lalafell"Â swoon that soon fades, I seem to be more of an annoyance to the more established folks. And there are times I send tells with serious OOC questions that are ignored completely. It gets to be disheartening.

I am just confused and not sure what to do. I end up just wandering the world tackling story quests instead because at times (and I know...it may just be my own perception) I feel unwanted. And when you're doing a story you already know and have already completed elsewhere, it can be incredibly lonely. Ugh....I am venting I know, and I don't know what I expect here. I just don't want to pester the leaders of the FC I am in because I perster them enough with the 1,001 questions I always have. I just wonder if I made the right decision trying this.

There are tons of special snowflakes in Balmung. Keep looking and you'll find the right group to RP with!

Salty Lake · **03-13-2014, 08:41 PM**

(03-13-2014, 10:45 AM)TheLastCandle Wrote: Events, events, events. Go to them. Strike up conversations with the other attendees. I rarely - almost never - go to the Quicksand simply because I dislike how most if not all RP is centered on Ul'dah. Call it a silent protest if you will. But for whatever it's worth, if you see me about and I'm not crafting or queued for something, feel free to approach.

What happened to the RP in the other cities? I haven't been RPing much for the past few months because I hit endgame and focused on that for a while, and some of my RP partners are on breaks from the game. I've been trying to get back into it for a few weeks and only find RP at the Quicksand, which isn't somewhere my character would go to drink because she lives in Limsa.

Did the RP move to the FC houses? Is there a thread listening FC houses open to the public for RP?

Ildur · **03-13-2014, 08:56 PM**

I'm quite sure the reason the Quicksand is so popular is that A) it's close to Coerthas and Vesper Bay, meaning roleplayers who are also levellign up can get easily jump from one to the other B) It has more available tables/seats than the other adventurer's guilds.

synaesthetic · **03-13-2014, 10:10 PM**

(03-13-2014, 08:56 PM)Ildur Wrote: I'm quite sure the reason the Quicksand is so popular is that A) it's close to Coerthas and Vesper Bay, meaning roleplayers who are also levellign up can get easily jump from one to the other B) It has more available tables/seats than the other adventurer's guilds.

Limsa Lominsa seems to be where the non-RPers hang out, because I consistently see OOC chatter in /say, along with zillions of crafters (which used to spam up everything, but thankfully that's been dealt with). Occasionally I'll see a few people RP in Limsa, but the level of RP there is about the same as it is in the other PvE hangouts, Wineport and Mor Dhona (which is to say none to speak of).

Ignacius · **03-14-2014, 12:43 PM**

The best advice I can give in RP is to fire from the hip and roll with the punches. Â Carefully constructed and intricately crafted RP can be entertaining, but it can also be boring. Â Like the best nights out IRL, you've got to be flexible and let things happen. Â Don't try to force something to happen, just get in there and find yourself a dancing partner. Â Eventually, trust me, people will get on board or you'll get on board with someone else.

The only way to ensure you won't get to RP is if you try to step in and get people in a line. Â The best thing about MMO RP is also the worst for control freaks; it's like herding cats. Â Just strap up and get ready for a wild ride. Â You'd be amazed where you end up.

EDIT: Â Also, Limsa Lominsa for life! Â It's fun to visit other places and its not necessarily a bad thing for the place you "live" for private RP to not have many other people around to interfere. Â Sometimes, it's convenient to not have to shit where you eat. Â Go raise Hell in someone else's hometown! Â Big Grin

Faye · **03-14-2014, 11:16 PM**

Sadly, I haven't been online much the past few days as my laptop's power supply broke (yippee), or I would have responded sooner. However, fortunately Magellan has already said everything that has come to my mind, and likely better than I would have! Though it may be irrelevant now, I don't mind listening to any questions or concerns no matter how frequent, and any FC leader who would not say the same is not someone who you want as your leader.

Finding a satisfying RP isn't as simple as walking up to someone and greeting them in character. It's essentially the same as walking up to a stranger in real life and initiating conversation with the hopes of making a friend! They may brush you off and ignore you. They may talk to you for a while and then you very well might never see them again. They may give it a shot and either--or both--of you may decide you don't want to be friends. (Maybe you don't have much in common, maybe you think they're a jerk, maybe they think you're a jerk--who knows!) Or you both may really wish you could be friends, but you're both busy and never free at the same time. You may get lucky and make a friend by approaching some stranger on the street, but realistically, chances are you won't.

It's the same in RP. Some people are online at different times, some people are only in-character in certain times/places, some people want to RP certain themes and plots, some people prefer their partner to have a certain writing style, and some people have personalities that don't quite mesh OOC and get in the way of RP. Add in the fact that this is an MMO and players are coming and going from the game, constantly joining and leaving, and the odds of finding a fulfilling RP aren't spectacular.Â

The key is to be persistent and just keep trying! Utilize all your resources. The RPC, RP FC's, RP LS's, the official forums, the Balmung Facebook page, the Balmung RPers Facebook page. Visit RP events, lurk common RP locations, and don't be shy to approach other role-players! It's also good to remember that unless you join a brand new group, everyone was new at some point. Those people chatting away likely didn't even know each other a month ago, but since then they've forged ties with others and gotten comfortable. I think a lot of people forget that getting to know others takes effort on their own part and it's not the responsibility of everyone else to reach out. Cliche as it is, "You have to be a friend to have a friend."

You'll always be a little lost IC, too. There are people who know more lore than you and then there are even people who make up their own lore. Every character has secrets and backstories. Part of the fun of RP is trying to figure out what the heck is going around you in everyone else's RP. It can be a little overwhelming at first, but just remember that no one expects you to know everything--IC or OOC--when you are just starting out.

Unfortunate as it is, feeling overwhelmed at first is normal. Being ignored is normal. You just gotta keep your head up and keep trying. Smile

Â The type of people who toss you aside aren't the kind of people you want to befriend, anyway! So keep sorting through unpleasant people until you find the worthwhile ones! Also, thank you for the kind words, Evie and Brynn! I'm glad you've had good experiences with HoD!

(03-13-2014, 08:41 PM)Salty Lake Wrote: What happened to the RP in the other cities? Â I haven't been RPing much for the past few months because I hit endgame and focused on that for a while, and some of my RP partners are on breaks from the game. Â I've been trying to get back into it for a few weeks and only find RP at the Quicksand, which isn't somewhere my character would go to drink because she lives in Limsa. Â

Did the RP move to the FC houses? Â Is there a thread listening FC houses open to the public for RP?

The closest we have is this thread, though it hasn't seen much action. I know there are a lot of houses in the Mist, Ward 3, that are RP friendly. Sadly, though, some of our newer neighbors aren't quite as pleasant, but are easily ignored!

Elisea Renyven · **03-15-2014, 05:23 AM**

Unfortunately, I don't think hardly any RP went to FC Houses. We still do tons of roleplay in Limsa with our Academy. If folks are interested in rping with us, feel free to hit any of my ush crew up. We just don't lurk around the crystal or sometimes Wench alot. We're in different parts of the town.

Steel Wolf · **03-15-2014, 08:34 AM**

I know I'm STUPENDOUSLY late to the party on this one, but I figured I'd toss in my two gil here...

Basically, the events calendar on this very site is a great way to put yourself out there.Â Being a social butterfly at a variety of events is a good way to see and--especially--be seen.Â That's my best possible suggestion, since those sorts of things foster the abolition of cliqueing.

Unfortunately, I have not played any MMO ever that did NOT see this behaviour.Â I think it's a defense mechanism in a non-designated RP server to have people create their own little self-sealed groups.

Or people are just a-holes.

I'll parrot the advice to not give up, though.Â Please don't be discouraged...there are truly, genuinely awesome and inclusive roleplayers in this game and this forum.

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