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CrookedTarot · **10-25-2014, 02:48 PM**

This is half a prompt, half a question, half a toll to help write? I dunno. That's one and a half things. Anyway, since I don't know exactly where something like this would fit, I figured here was as good a place as any--if it needs to be moved, that's fine!

My semi-question is this; what is the general tone of your character and RP? Would you character(s) be considered comedic? Gritty? Realistic?

I've looked around in various places that a large majority of the community roleplays within and I find that most everyone seems to stick to a general tone. A sort of generic (and not in a derogatory meaning) feel that anything in moderation is permissible. My question is though, does this suit the tone of YOUR character.

To further my example, think about Batman. We have various Batmans with various tones--we've got the 60s/70s Batman with its heavy comedy and action scenes that are goofy and campy to the max--and then we've got Nolan's films in which we have people living in a world where a man in a bat suit is terrifying to criminals. General Eorzea would, I think, fall in the middle, like Batman: The Animated Series; moments of camp that are sudbued and dark moments that are subdued.

So, what about your characters? Are they over-the-top action characters ala Devil May Cry or Bayonetta? Maybe more the hard realism of, say Dark Knight or Watchmen?

If Eorzea was built around your character to tell THEIR story, how would the setting be effected? How do you write your character if they don't necessarily fit entirely into the Eorzea setting? How does it effect things like action scenes? Do you write tem as quick and dirty? Huge and explosive and over-the-top?

Gaspard · **10-25-2014, 03:09 PM**

I used to push my characters in a certain niche and stick with it in the past. Comedic Characters staying in comedy, Dramatic in Drama, Gritty and Gloomy in Doom and Gloom.

There's however a limit to it. You do not always get to choose what type of environment your character ends up in, or what characters he's around, and often-times this means that alot of those facets do not get exposed. Therfore, even if my Character is, for the lack of a better description, a magnificent bastard, you might end up playing him as just a common merchant or Civilian all the time, as the surrounding Situation does not allow you to.. truly delve into those facets of your Characters personality.

I usually go with the notion of creating a Character and his Mind-set, and the setting develops from the Roleplay that I do. Akin to how many writers simply 'toss' situations at their characters to display their reaction, I do it likewise. My Character would respond differently to a comedic setting as he would in a horror-esque one. So there's no true 'direction' I force myself into beyond the general vybe of my characters personal plots. Which usually end up being about chasing power or righting wrongs in a very anti-hero esque fashion.

Either way, beyond that my personal prefference rests somewhere in the Semi-Realistic, Lore-based play. I'll be honest. I don't roleplay to enter a Real-Life simulation where absolutely everything adheres to Real-World logic, physics and the likes. If I would, I'd be roleplaying some type of CEO/Lawyer in New York. I gravitate towards Dark Fantasy stories, Ranging anywhere from things like Hellblazer, to Dracula, to other dark-fantasy materials. Right behind that you've got the psychologically dark themed stories and heroes such as Hannibal and the likes.

For fights, or general RP mechanics, I do not mind fantasy material at all, and if going Devil may Â Cry or more stylistically in your fights is your thing, I'm not opposed to it. Aslong it has an astound foundation in the lore, and is explainable by it without too much of a stretch in imagination. I'll frown upon a Rasenshuriken or Kamehameha frown in my direction, But if your character is capable of uncanny degrees of speed due to having surpassed his physical limits as a Monk, or Is able to shred through another being clean with an axe, I wont have any obligations with that. So towards your description.. I'd go with Hard-Fantasy Realism. Logically packaged fantasy so that it doesn't entice eyebrow irking responses.

Parvacake · **10-25-2014, 03:48 PM**

Lili's always been more of a support character. She is a great means to help further other peoples' stories along. I've thought about doing more with her, but on an OOC level I get self conscious when I think about opening up her story to include others because too many people and its a clusterfuck, people end up feeling neglected, key players end up not around and the story has to shift, etc.

The support bit aside, Lili is realistic in a way Camille from The Originals is while at the same time being able to accept things that are outside her previously figured realm of possibility. I can't really think of another show or series that might aptly describe the accurate kind of tone to place with her, but if I had to be general it'd be healthy bit of realism mixed with romdram due to her hectic love life with a pinch of dramatics because, well, life IS drama.

Jaliqai · **10-25-2014, 03:48 PM**

If I had to pick a general theme and/or tone to Xheja's RP, I would probably label it as very strategic and calculating. Psychological might be another good way to describe it. Not in the sense of like, psychological horror. More like she's constantly trying to gauge people's minds, figure out what they want, how to use that to her advantage, etc. Essentially, she treats most interactions and situations like a game, and she's always debating on the best way to move her pieces.

To that end, my style with her is definitely more serious. Even when more humorous situations pop up, she doesn't truly shift well into that kind of comedic scene. She does have a very healthy sense of humor, but it can be rather.. sarcastic and mean rather than good-natured and goofy. So when more comedic scenes crop up, it can sometimes make me uncomfortable with her.

As far as realism vs. fantasy, though.. I agree with Gaspard. I think part of the big appeal for RP for me, especially in this kind of setting, is the aspect on not necessarily having to stick to pure realism. At the same time, complete logic-defying, grandiose fantasy doesn't settle well with me, either. (As a disclaimer, I don't think anything is wrongÂ with that style. It's just not for me / Xheja!)

So I tend to play Xhej as leaning further towards realism, and keeping the fantasy elements of her character subtle. Before I reworked her, her fantasy element was much more prominent. Since then, I've scaled back on that aspect of her story somewhat and put it in the background, and I've chosen to focus more on her more realistic merchant and shady business aspects. The fantasy is still there. It just isn't the driving force behind her overall development any longer.

I've not really had any chance to work in any combat / action scenes into my RP as of right now. But just the same, I don't see them being grandiose when they do inevitably pop up. As a Black Mage, naturally there would be some element of fantasy involved in such a scene. But I would be doing my best to constrain and translate it to more realistic levels - such as being logical about cast times, spell potencies, interruptions, limitations, etc. - so no earth-shattering explosions or calling forth a legion of undead minions or something equally silly for Xheja.

CrookedTarot · **10-25-2014, 04:01 PM**

(10-25-2014, 03:48 PM)Lilithium Wrote: Lili's always been more of a support character. She is a great means to help further other peoples' stories along. I've thought about doing more with her, but on an OOC level I get self conscious when I think about opening up her story to include others because too many people and its a clusterfuck, people end up feeling neglected, key players end up not around and the story has to shift, etc.

The support bit aside, Lili is realistic in a way Camille from The Originals is while at the same time being able to accept things that are outside her previously figured realm of possibility. I can't really think of another show or series that might aptly describe the accurate kind of tone to place with her, but if I had to be general it'd be healthy bit of realism mixed with romdram due to her hectic love life with a pinch of dramatics because, well, life IS drama.

This is how I usually play Tarot. Always a supporting character, never the lead. And sometimes, that just works better for a character if they are the type that is along for the ride; it lets you develop and reveal aspects in your own time rather than having to pick the right time so you don't hog the spotlight as WELL as running a story.

Parvacake · **10-25-2014, 04:11 PM**

(10-25-2014, 04:01 PM)CrookedTarot Wrote:
(10-25-2014, 03:48 PM)Lilithium Wrote: Lili's always been more of a support character. She is a great means to help further other peoples' stories along. I've thought about doing more with her, but on an OOC level I get self conscious when I think about opening up her story to include others because too many people and its a clusterfuck, people end up feeling neglected, key players end up not around and the story has to shift, etc.

The support bit aside, Lili is realistic in a way Camille from The Originals is while at the same time being able to accept things that are outside her previously figured realm of possibility. I can't really think of another show or series that might aptly describe the accurate kind of tone to place with her, but if I had to be general it'd be healthy bit of realism mixed with romdram due to her hectic love life with a pinch of dramatics because, well, life IS drama.

This is how I usually play Tarot. Always a supporting character, never the lead. And sometimes, that just works better for a character if they are the type that is along for the ride; it lets you develop and reveal aspects in your own time rather than having to pick the right time so you don't hog the spotlight as WELL as running a story.

Yeah, pretty much. Some FC mates and I are developing a personal story with Lili that will put her through a LOT of drastic development in a very condensed time period. It'll be something that ultimately changes how I play her from that point onwards and I have NO idea how bad it will be.

Jaliqai · **10-25-2014, 04:17 PM**

(10-25-2014, 04:01 PM)CrookedTarot Wrote:
(10-25-2014, 03:48 PM)Lilithium Wrote: Lili's always been more of a support character. She is a great means to help further other peoples' stories along. I've thought about doing more with her, but on an OOC level I get self conscious when I think about opening up her story to include others because too many people and its a clusterfuck, people end up feeling neglected, key players end up not around and the story has to shift, etc.

The support bit aside, Lili is realistic in a way Camille from The Originals is while at the same time being able to accept things that are outside her previously figured realm of possibility. I can't really think of another show or series that might aptly describe the accurate kind of tone to place with her, but if I had to be general it'd be healthy bit of realism mixed with romdram due to her hectic love life with a pinch of dramatics because, well, life IS drama.

This is how I usually play Tarot. Always a supporting character, never the lead. And sometimes, that just works better for a character if they are the type that is along for the ride; it lets you develop and reveal aspects in your own time rather than having to pick the right time so you don't hog the spotlight as WELL as running a story.

I'm much the same in this respect. I've always regarded Xheja as a more background, support-y character when it comes to plots at large. It makes more sense for her that way, to keep her own involvement in things subtle and try to arrange things from the background and have other people do her dirty work for her. OOCly, I also just tend to enjoy that supporting role more, and seeing how my contributions and collaborations with others end up subtly affecting things in the end.

That and I maybe have a minor fear of being too much in the limelight no wait everyone stop looking at me oh god noooo~ ;A;

Jana · **10-25-2014, 04:24 PM**

I don't write my regular RP with any one kind of tone, since I let the flow of RP determine a lot of what happens with Jana. Sometimes she'll end up in comedic situations, sometimes darker ones.

What I can can talk about more is fight scenes. I actually value fight choreography pretty highly, so describing every strike or thrown punch to give a clear picture of just what my character is doing is very important to me, as a writer. Even when a weapon isn't drawn, simply describing footwork or body motion is still great for painting a picture of how the character is moving in a fight. While "anime" may be what comes to mind, not every action anime can say that is has good fight choreography, so I'll just post this scene to show what kind of motions I want my character to be able to use in RP, and what I'm hoping to show to other people when she fights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04MP2b5obz4

Aya · **10-25-2014, 05:24 PM**

I like to think of Aya as Â pretty well balanced person, and character - she has definitely adopted several of the mentioned tones depending upon context. I don't like to think of her as limited to tone any more than I, as a person, am limited to a single tone Smile

In terms of action, Aya really does not have much experience in that, she's more of a passerby. In the past she did take part in some action scenes with her company, which were more along the lines of realistic than super-heroic, but I think that's a pretty easy line to blur, really. Most of our characters are as capable as, say, action movie characters rather than mooks Smile

Zelmanov · **12-03-2014, 05:13 AM**

Orrin leans more towards the fantasy elements, he isn't a civilian or a thief, he fought dragons for most of his life, so to deny the fantasy aspects is to deny his background. However in practical RP I stick to the more "Scientific" parts of the fantasy, the aether flow its studies etc, talking mainly about the things that have already been deconstructed and explained in story mode. His talk of business is usually dour and dark fitting an Ishgardian but if he's flirting, well, a whole different man entirely.

For fights though, it definitely oscillates. Orrin has yet to get into any real scuffle barring an RP sparring match in the Pugilists guild. In that I write with extreme detail, knowing which arm throws the punch, at what speed where it is aimed, how his body leans into it. Same goes for on the defense, how the punch is reflected or the kick absorbed into the chest, how he moves when thrown off balance etc. Usually resulting in a split second of actual combat time expanded to a half paragraph of information, giving that sort of speed-up-slow-down ramping of action seen in things like 300. I even usually include "fail states" in any attempted block or punch such as "If he missed he'd surely smash his fist into the hard Ul'dahn pavement, tenderizing his knuckles into a bloody pulp." So that the opponent can write more than just a dodge but effectively counter attack.

Should Orrin get into an actual battle say against an NPC dragon or another competent fighter while in full armor and weapon, it will come down to how the opponent plays.I find writing fight scenes to be obscenely entertaining and getting across a clear image of the action, which makes it easier for my RP partner to comprehend and react. If I see physics breaking for the rule of cool then I know those gloves are off, but I don't think I ever throw the first "punch" in that regard.

Nebbs · **12-03-2014, 05:55 AM**

I tend to go two ways.. one is competent get it done, and the other I strive more for is quirky accident prone but some how it works, kind of.

The aim being to get more out of a scene than just mechanical action. That and to be a pain Smile

So strange, comedic, and unreliable.
- tripping
- the wrong spell
- fairy tips her hat in her eyes
- suddenly frogs &Â summon bigger frog
- using simpleÂ magicÂ in creative ways (slippyÂ floor anyone? mud bolt to the face?)
- "wait I have the thing that does the thing that makes it harmless.. I think, or was it enrage?"

[Image: tumblr_n85w4ysudk1r8vza5o3_250.gif]

[Image: tumblr_n85w4ysudk1r8vza5o3_250.gif]

Oscare · **12-03-2014, 07:58 AM**

I'm with the group that doesn't stick to one specific tone in RP regarding FFXIVOscare. He is definitely played as a main character with his own continuous story line that advances by character interaction and doesn't do much supporting, except when he accidentally does so.Â

More on topic, I try to blend as many tones as I can while having a general theme. For example, Oscare is a dark character and a lone-wolf. He finds the idea of 'friends' incredibly weak spirited and money as a useless tool for his ambitions, and emotions as some sort of foreign idea that should be tossed. However, I try to put in some sort of humor and sarcasm in there too! Especially 4th wall breaking, always tons of fun to do that.

Berrod Armstrong · **12-03-2014, 08:39 AM**

In an effort to flex my writing muscles, I try not to stick to one tone with Berrod. I enjoy using different elements where appropriate in an effort to make him an interesting and well rounded read. There are gritty moments, romantic moments, comedic moments -- where I preserve his personality and mannerisms, but wrap them around the tone of the situation. I alter my writing VERY slightly to reflect the circumstances. During action scenes I try to portray power, stamina and drive, during romance I highlight either the emotional or sexual (or both), and during comedy I allow all his little quirks and flaws to take the spotlight.

For action scenes in particular, I break that down even further. There are times when all I would portray is a simple, bloody and realistic fistfight; and there are times when the fantasy element comes in and he punches things with fists covered in stone, or becomes wreathed with lightning.Â

When roleplaying in a group of people I tend to give Berrod perhaps a short moment to take the stage, then resign him to the role of a supporting character. I find myself doing it a lot during my own events -- if I even allow Berrod to participate. It's tons easier to run something when I don't have to bother about my own dum dum taking up emote and stage time (though Tarot himself gives me flak for this!). In my own writing, private roleplay and things involving less than three I have a habit of reducing his presence significantly. I despise hogging the spotlight.

Warren Castille · **12-03-2014, 08:58 AM**

Thinking about it, Warren's world is mostly one of a slice-of-life in a fantasy setting. All of the turmoil in his life has been interpersonal and aside from a few token fight scenes, the entirety of the drama has been due to relationships with people and not anything of a higher "power level," per se.

Regarding the few token fight scenes I have integrated, I prefer a grittier take on it. I picture Warren's fights in the Grindstone viewed through a dirty filter, where punches are visceral and have an actual impact. In a fight between experts, the first mistake is often the last, and in a street fight environment you're looking to be finished and thereby safe. Drawn-out combat with dialogue and trash-talk and anime-styled casual conversation throw me off, but that isn't to say characters can't embody the take-nothing-serious mantle. I just tend to not lean that way personally.

If I had to liken it to anything (and I blame Erik for subconsciously planting this in my head ages ago) I'd set the tone right out of Die Hard. Competent, working-class protector needs to rely on wits and a bit of luck to overcome human threats, with the added bonus of loved one being in danger.

Gegenji · **12-03-2014, 09:40 AM**

I think it's pretty obvious that Chachan's supposed to be a mood-brightener. He does has his sad moments and whatnot, as he has his own feelings that can be hurt as well as his own insecurities, but on the whole he's supposed to capture that "naive, young hero" aspect. He's inherently a "good boy" who wants as many people happy as possible.

His naivety flows pretty seamlessly into his action scenes, as well. He's spastic, he doesn't plan, and he tends to lean towards whatever would be the coolest or most heroic thing to do at the time. The issue with that is that he doesn't have the skill or the experience to back up his actions quite yet, so it often leads to him slipping up and things not going the way he wants. On the other hand, his energy and his belief in doing the "right thing" serves as a nice counterbalance, and he's somehow quite the endearing little guy.

So, I'd have to put Chachan under the heading of "Comedic, But..." due to his being more than simple comic relief. Kinda along the lines of the Slayers anime - it has plenty of silly moments, but it can also get quite serious when it needs to.

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Character Tone - Action Scenes

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