The RPC and You: A Discussion

[Domri Blackblade]

...I know, I know, I went against my own advice and went into detail instead of making a separate thread. Whoopseedaisy.

 

 

 

 

I would be interested in that idea, either way.

[Ermine]

A big thing I get from RPC that folks might not realize is provided; is the ability to see that there is a thriving community. This isn't the only place where folks congregate to talk about the game, or about role play in it - it's not the only place, but it's a pretty good place.

 

I can look and browse free companies to see what's what - I can see what sounds good, I can look at server events to see what's being hosted. It's not EVERYTHING (it can't be) but it's plenty, and even if I can't attend I can see that they're happening - maybe when there's one I -can- attend, I can take steps to be there.

 

Ultimately, if I want to participate in RP, I have to show up and actively be a part - whether it's an RP Free Company with a thematic I like, or a like-minded group of folks who want to write stories in Eorzea and beyond is what RPC is for, so I can find these sorts of things to be a part of them.

 

So, as someone not really in the community site, or in the RP communities the site can be as a store front for, that's what I come here for! Ok, back to lurking with me thank you

[Sophia_Grave]

I feel like the bad guy saying this, but I feel like its up to the individual to break into RP themselves, rather than the community's job.

 

Don't get me wrong-- we certainly have to make people feel welcomed and comfortable enough to RP, but we already do that. We RP just about everywhere aside from moar donuts, and we have this great site and wiki as a resource that holds tons of open FCs to shop through and look at. Newbies come through all the time asking about lore and RP etiquette, and those threads always, always get diverse, encouraging, and constructive answers.

 

I suppose the issue I want to avoid is having to coordinate too much for others. Its an absolute pain trying to manage people who seem to want good RP handed to them. I see it all the time: here, in my FC, and hell, I fall into that trap myself more often then I care to admit. RP isn't something one just signs up for; its a team effort. Its hard and completely undo-able without putting forth the effort.

 

I think the best thing we can do, as individuals anyway, is to make a real effort to follow-up and be open to strangers or newer RPers. People like Faye, who responds warmly to nearly every single Welcome Desk thread, or Aya, who by this point is as much a part of the Quicksand as Momodi, come to mind. Events like the Grindstone too, that occur regularly and are completely open to anyone willing to give it a go.

 

If we had just a little more of that, I feel like we wouldn't need a whole mentorship thing.

[Klynzahr]

*Great ideas*

 

 

I really agree with Melkire's ideas here, keep it simple and assessable with no long term commitments implied.

 

I do think that it will be very important to keep basic information about each mentor up to date.

 

1) Like others have mentioned only a brief character description is needed, but it should include their full in game name at least.

 

2) Availability is very important. As others have stated, offering to wide of an availability window is actually not very helpful. -For example, I am available every week night but generally spend some of them leveling my alt or crafting. If I were to list my availability as "Weeknights after 10pm PST" and some newcomer waited up for me three nights in a row, while I was somewhere else, it would only be discouraging.-

 

Maybe instead of listing everyone's full schedule of availability, we could suggest that potential RP mentors set aside one or two 'time slots' per week for the purpose of outreach RP, and then make every possible effort to be at their chosen location IC at those times.

 

3) This brings me to point three. In order to function properly, mentors would need to be responsible about updating their posts and someone would need to occasionally give it a look over and prune out any retired mentors.

 

I guess my biggest point is that if it is not functional and/or fails to produce reliable results, newbies will just give up on it.

[Domri Blackblade]

I feel like the bad guy saying this, but I feel like its up to the individual to break into RP themselves, rather than the community's job.

 

Don't get me wrong-- we certainly have to make people feel welcomed and comfortable enough to RP, but we already do that. We RP just about everywhere aside from moar donuts, and we have this great site and wiki as a resource that holds tons of open FCs to shop through and look at. Newbies come through all the time asking about lore and RP etiquette, and those threads always, always get diverse, encouraging, and constructive answers.

 

I suppose the issue I want to avoid is having to coordinate too much for others. Its an absolute pain trying to manage people who seem to want good RP handed to them. I see it all the time: here, in my FC, and hell, I fall into that trap myself more often then I care to admit. RP isn't something one just signs up for; its a team effort. Its hard and completely undo-able without putting forth the effort.

 

I think the best thing we can do, as individuals anyway, is to make a real effort to follow-up and be open to strangers or newer RPers. People like Faye, who responds warmly to nearly every single Welcome Desk thread, or Aya, who by this point is as much a part of the Quicksand as Momodi, come to mind. Events like the Grindstone too, that occur regularly and are completely open to anyone willing to give it a go.

 

If we had just a little more of that, I feel like we wouldn't need a whole mentorship thing.

 

I guess I don't feel like it has to be some sort of IC hook up alone where we serve up the RP to someone, but more like a friendly resource they can feel comfortable to approach and talk to. I don't know, I guess to me one friend goes a long way in at least getting the foot in the door. Perhaps, I am a bit idealist!

[Sophia_Grave]

snip

 

I guess I don't feel like it has to be some sort of IC hook up alone where we serve up the RP to someone, but more like a friendly resource they can feel comfortable to approach and talk to. I don't know, I guess to me one friend goes a long way in at least getting the foot in the door. Perhaps, I am a bit idealist!

Perhaps I'm just worried that it can potentially set a bad or false precedent on what to expect. It should go without saying that everyone ought to make an effort to be more inclusive and receptive, especially when RP'ing in public.

 

EDIT for crappy wording

[Brynhilde]

I definitely think that new RPers should ideally try to meet experienced RPers half way when it comes to establishing themselves in a new RP setting. That said, I think sometimes it's easy for confident RPers to overlook that not everyone possesses their confidence, and breaking into new communities can be tougher for some people / character types than it is for others.

 

Some people just have terrible luck and try to break in, but don't get any response from the crowd. So for me, the idea of the list of 'volunteer mentors' or whatever, isn't about encouraging dependence, but rather throwing a lifeline to give people a way in which they can work from.

[Melkire]

snip

 

I guess I don't feel like it has to be some sort of IC hook up alone where we serve up the RP to someone, but more like a friendly resource they can feel comfortable to approach and talk to. I don't know, I guess to me one friend goes a long way in at least getting the foot in the door. Perhaps, I am a bit idealist!

Perhaps I'm just worried that it sets a bad or false precedent on what to expect. It should go without saying that everyone ought to make an effort to be more inclusive and receptive, especially when RP'ing in public.

 

I agree with you.

 

I also recognize that many of us are so swamped for time that we can't be there for the new people. I can't speak for anyone else, but between a 40 hour work week, a three-hour commute every day to-and-from, any time I sink into PvE, time spent on FC RP, time spent on event RP, time randomly spent roaming Thanalan/insert-region-here, and the regular and not-so-regular demands of my own life, I can't be as inclusive as someone who has the time to dedicate and say, "I can be there to work with new people."

 

We all have differing lifestyles that affect how inclusive and receptive we can be. If we're RPing in public, yes, we should make an effort to be inclusive and receptive. But just because the midlander in the sipahi turban and Immortal Flames jerkin is just standing around watching the Quicksand doesn't mean he isn't juggling two different conversations under his breath over two different linkpearls while scanning the crowd for a potential informant who he needs to somehow slip some coin so he can get some dirt on the latest scum to find their way into this city, and hey, guess what, if that's what he's doing, he's not going to have time to sit down and discuss chocobo breeding with the latest Miqo'te who just randomly walked up to him to try and be friendly. This has very little to do with OoC inclusiveness/receptiveness and everything to do with the story of that character at that moment.

 

But you know what? That Wildwood Elezen lass over that-a-way, she's DEFINITELY down for that sort of thing, and she's got nothing else on her plate at the moment, and boy oh boy did you know that if you invest in the proper feed....

 

 

EDIT:

 

There's also the trouble with characters who are, for story purposes, more or less region-locked.

 

EDIT 2:

 

Please resume original discussion(s). ; ;

[Darien Cadell]

But you know what? That Wildwood Elezen lass over that-a-way, she's DEFINITELY down for that sort of thing, and she's got nothing else on her plate at the moment, and boy oh boy did you know that if you invest in the proper feed....

 

Wait. What? Elezen feed?

 

I got the context, but out of it is making me laugh.

 

Please resume original discussion(s). ; ;

 

Yes sir.

 

We could always utilise /shout and party finder to advertise these events.

 

I think regular, very very open events that do this kind of thing ^ might catch people who don't RP, don't know what the RPC is, and never would have even thought twice about it, but who are wandering around bored, have their interest piqued, and end up here, neck deep in fruit salad.

 

That's making connections. As for maintaining them? I can't really speak to that. I've been very, very bad at it. Thank you, real life. And once I lose them, I'm even worse at retrieving them. Que sera. However, I find consolation in my character's out-of-game existence, and thus her capability of roleplaying with others should the opportunity arise, even if it never actually does.

[Kellach Woods]

/shout is the best idea to attract people. Including a ton of people who're gonna troll the fuck out of your whatever-have-you.

 

I'm not saying it's a horrible idea, I'm saying you get what's in that zone at that moment. If you get a majority of RPers, good. If you get a majority of fuckwits with time to lose, welp.

 

I'm going to shut up now because honestly I don't think my negativity needs to enter this thread anymore than it has.

[Magellan]

Since I returned to FFXIV a month ago, my character Claire has;

 

-Helped connect her FC with another FC to form a partnership.

-Met with various different worker types to try and plan an upcoming fashion show for the community

-Met with 5 or 6 new or shy rpers from the Making Connections thread. Reached out to several others, but never heard back or connected on schedules.

- Tried to get to lvl 50 for the first time in 2 years ^.^; (lvl 47! whoo!)

- Tried to launch an LS, that I unfortunately did not have the time or proper planning for. Oh well

 

I've been very active, and the RPC has been an invaluable resource for setting some of this up. In a very real way, I've been too active, as I haven't had the time to follow up on some of those rps I've had (here's looking at you Aya & Floria).

 

But Claire has been trying to establish intra-FC ties, as well as interpersonal ties, because that's her IC job. It's fun, rewarding, and I encourage people to hit me up and see if I'm available to help. I really don't understand the vibe I sometimes get from these forums that the community doesn't gel enough, maybe because I'm out and about so often, meeting new people all the time. If one really had an interest in doing it... do it! (So zen, I know...)

 

If you don't have an interest, or are unable to commit, due to running an FC, real life, etc. etc... then that's totally okay and you shouldn't feel bad about it. One only has so much time and energy to expend. Remember... rp is supposed to be fun, not feel like a job!

 

Anywho, a monthly 'welcoming committee' type rp would be pretty neat idea, and Claire would hurtle herself at it with the speed of a racing chocobo on crack laced gysahl greens.

[Tiergan]

http://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/showthread.php?tid=10821 <---- To make Osric not be sad, I have split this off into a new shiny thread so this one can continue being about what it's supposed to be about.

[Darien Cadell]

/shout is the best idea to attract people. Including a ton of people who're gonna troll the fuck out of your whatever-have-you.

 

I'm not saying it's a horrible idea, I'm saying you get what's in that zone at that moment. If you get a majority of RPers, good. If you get a majority of fuckwits with time to lose, welp.

 

I'm going to shut up now because honestly I don't think my negativity needs to enter this thread anymore than it has.

 

Nah, that's a very good point. And the fact that I completely forgot about the trollspace just goes to show how out of touch I am.

 

I've seen very publicly advertised RP events go forward in other places at other times, but it'd take a very special person or group to be both willing and able to deal with that particular unavoidable side-effect, and I for one am definitely not that special.