RP and Protagonistism

[Morningstar1337]

Okay I want to clarify something. This will be my last post until I decide I am ready to post my journals (or if I want to ask/answer questions on the Lore section)

 

I think that when it comes to RP, there are no protagonists, only bit characters acting out their parts. Anyone attempting to place themselves as the protagonist of a given roleplay outside their own journals treads on dangerous territory, they if a character is named, they instantly become too major for RP, and that ironically enough RPGs nowadays lend themselves less to actual roleplay while extreme Sandbox games like Minecraft and Terraria lend themselves more because they lack a story, and thus they lack protagonists.

 

The question I want answered is? Are Being a RP character in a group and being the protagonist mutually exclusive concepts outside of Journaling? I think i know what the answer is, but I want confirmation, to make sure?

[Nero]

Roleplay does have protagonists, though, it's just that it's very rare in roleplay to have just "one" protagonist.

 

If you're talking about strictly a private group roleplay with its own separate narrative, then as long as everyone agrees that yes, the story of whatever we're doing revolves around these one/two/three people, then being a protagonist is fine. Same with being the WoL; I know of quite a few roleplaying groups who RP as canon characters or the WoL but it works out just fine for them because they all go along with it in making their own little alternate universe.

 

Basically: "protagonist" status is determined by whoever you're roleplaying with and the nature of the narrative, because it's the interactions that drive a narrative in a roleplay.

[Chompie]

I play a character who deliberately tries to place herself forward as the protagonist of almost any story. Most of the time, she'd prefer to do something about whatever event is going on than wait for the real hero to show up. She tries to twist any situation into a grand struggle between Arblis' Viewpoint and The Forces Of Things That Aren't Arblis' Viewpoint.

 

She does often become- from an outside perspective- the protagonist of a story. But this also opens up more stuff- rivalries and hostilities, insecurities and suspicion when a plot advances without her, that sort of thing.

 

It's a hell of a tough balance to make, though. Playing a character who so strongly sees herself as The Important One is at odds to actually playing nice and making sure everyone can contribute and have a fun RP time.

 

 

So uh yes, I believe it is possible for there to be Protagonists in RP. And that they do not have to detract from fun.

[Verad]

The question I want answered is? Are Being a RP character in a group and being the protagonist mutually exclusive concepts outside of Journaling? I think i know what the answer is, but I want confirmation, to make sure?

 

Only if you presume that an RP community is completely interconnected and all characters must necessarily be having an impact on all other characters, however oblique that impact might be.

 

Since the RP community is actually quite fragmented with many different smaller subsets of players never interacting with each other, or in some cases unaware of each others' existence, these concepts are not mutually exclusive.

[Warren Castille]

The question I want answered is? Are Being a RP character in a group and being the protagonist mutually exclusive concepts outside of Journaling? I think i know what the answer is, but I want confirmation, to make sure?

 

Only if you presume that an RP community is completely interconnected and all characters must necessarily be having an impact on all other characters, however oblique that impact might be.

 

Since the RP community is actually quite fragmented with many different smaller subsets of players never interacting with each other, or in some cases unaware of each others' existence, these concepts are not mutually exclusive.

 

Verad's got it. It's entirely possible to be the protagonist of your own story without trying to be the protagonist of the entire server or community.

[S'imba]

It's next to impossible to write a story without protagonists, antagonists, and agonists. Otherwise rp really just becomes tavern rp....and even then you'll still have those things to some extent. 

 

It also comes down to the separation of ic and ooc. Just because someone constantly is trying to be a hero doesn't mean the player is trying to make them a main character to a plot. Character may just be a freelancer who is supposed to fail despite their best efforts. 

 

There's also the thing with character personality. Just like in real life you've got characters who will be more assertive and try and jump in and do something. It would take something away if everyone was apathetic to helping people.

[Faye]

The question I want answered is? Are Being a RP character in a group and being the protagonist mutually exclusive concepts outside of Journaling? I think i know what the answer is, but I want confirmation, to make sure?

 

Only if you presume that an RP community is completely interconnected and all characters must necessarily be having an impact on all other characters, however oblique that impact might be.

 

Since the RP community is actually quite fragmented with many different smaller subsets of players never interacting with each other, or in some cases unaware of each others' existence, these concepts are not mutually exclusive.

 

Verad's got it. It's entirely possible to be the protagonist of your own story without trying to be the protagonist of the entire server or community.

 

^ You can absolutely RP a character as the protagonist of your own story. Just don't try to force your story on others, or try to be the protagonist of their story. I'd also recommend not letting the people you interact with regularly feel unimportant in your story.

[Klynzahr]

One thing to remember is that a single character can alternate between the roles of protagonist, antagonist or supporting depending on the story line and situation. In fact characters that can transition fluidly from one role to the other are often some of the most long-lived.

 

It is very difficult to move a story line along if everyone is constantly concerned with sharing the spotlight perfectly equally. However when a character is able to alternate between providing back-up for their companions, and taking their own lead in a plot, while tossing the occasional wrench into the gears, it keeps things interesting and varied.

 

My key rule of thumb is to play the sidekick more often than the protagonist and the protagonist more often than the trouble maker. Give other people the spotlight most days but don't be afraid to take your turn, when the time is right.

[Mia Moui]

The question I want answered is? Are Being a RP character in a group and being the protagonist mutually exclusive concepts outside of Journaling? I think i know what the answer is, but I want confirmation, to make sure?

 

Only if you presume that an RP community is completely interconnected and all characters must necessarily be having an impact on all other characters, however oblique that impact might be.

 

Since the RP community is actually quite fragmented with many different smaller subsets of players never interacting with each other, or in some cases unaware of each others' existence, these concepts are not mutually exclusive.

 

Verad's got it. It's entirely possible to be the protagonist of your own story without trying to be the protagonist of the entire server or community.

 

Yeah, almost everyone is the protagonist in their own stories.  You, the player/writer, have your own personal narrative, your own experience, your own life.  But it's uncommon for you or any one of us to have an impact on an entire community or nation.  Clearly, some people can do that, but they are the exceptions.

 

My character, Mia Moui, is driven by the betrayal of her matriarch and the loss of her sisters.  She believes them to be in the blackmarket trade in Miqo'te.  Naturally, I cannot write a story that interferes with the larger narrative of the universe of FFXIV, but there's a lot of places to go on the map and off.

 

If a person wants to play along with Mia's narrative, that's great.  If they don't, that's great too.  It's just like real life.  Not everyone is going to join you, accept you, or even want you around.  The good new is, there are plenty of people who would like to if given a chance.

[Andromeda]

Think of it like this: a large community narrative is built on a whole lot of story arcs, a ton of them being personal or that of a small group. Each of those arcs has its protagonists, challenges and bit players. Sometimes an arc will cast it's spotlight on you and that's fine, and many times you'll just bump into it, and that's fine too. 

 

In life we see this a lot but don't think of it in narrative terms. If you're involved in an intense personal struggle - a lawsuit comes to mind - you are a protagonist of that story in your life. But if a friend comes to you with a relationship squabble they need advice on, you're a bit player in that story. And if you don't really know your neighbor but they're being evicted, that's a story you don't feature in at all. A massive collaborative RP environment with countless communities that are loosely interconnected is, in that way, almost a perfect mirror for life. 

 

As for the broader, canonical plot about the Warrior of Light, I've found that the closest you can really get to being involved without the community striking you down with its collected fury at your perceived arrogance is to be what I like to call an 'over there' character. Someone connected to the events of the story in a tangential capacity. Maybe a minor Scion who was in exile in Ishgard because the WoL just had to go and ruin everything for their nice little cult company. And even in a role like that I've gotten some serious flak for my presumption. 

 

But as far as minor social arcs go? Yeah. There's loads of protagonists. Everyone is the center of their own narrative.