@ adverbero - Thank you. Much appreciated. Few things are more satisfying than flipping something to make a troll or griefer the butt of the joke.
:::returns to topic:::
RP isn't the geeky, nerdy, very bad thing which some people make it out to be. It can be an enjoyable addition to the game. One of things I've always done in any game I play is to see just how, ahem, "real" I can make my avatar. I find it fun to treat my STO toons as more than a pixellated collection of gear and abilities. To act in character as much as possible as long as possible.
Some people have a true gift for RP. They slide into character and manage to stay there effortlessly. For example, Those Who Are Really Annoying And Should Always Be Ignored. They are simply spectacularly faaabulous at pretending to be a branch of the government of a 3rd world country. I sometimes think when reading one of their posts that here is roleplay which is professional grade. I really wish they would run an RP Bootcamp. To share their RP expertise with all us mere mortals. So all of us could be better at RP in STO.
Wouldn't that be something to see?
A six year old boy and his starship. Living the dream.
So very good to hear someone considering a Roleplay bootcamp.
And Nutgeeki is quite correct. Not all roleplay should be considered equal, neh? Starfleet has had far too many wannabe firemen for far too long. Worse, their zealous over attention to doing their self-annointed supposed job, regardless of circumstances or location, causes the other factions within the game to look upon Starfleet as a collection of buffoons who cannot find their own posteriors without a compass, two grasping appendages(opposable thumbs optional), and a locator beacon. Worse, some of this group require the assistance of another player to successfully complete the mission.
I ask you, does this sort of roleplay truly represent the first or finest of Starfleet? I think not. Starfleet deserves far better. Millions of EC and Dilithium spent so a Vice Admiral can adopt a rather silly name for him/herself and his/her ship and then spend ridiculous amounts of game time shooting fire extinguishers at others whom are actually playing STO in a manner which was intended.
How very, very sad. These people should not be run off. Nor should they be condemned for their simple minded acts. Because they obviously have special needs which are currently being ignored. They should be pitied and helped. Instead of being laughed at. Which is so very often the tragic fate they meet now.
So I ask for your assistance, Good People, in helping Those Who Are Merely Annoying and Should Always Be Ignored. Let us take a few minutes out of our busy game play schedule to ask them to put down the fire extinguisher. Let us show them how to find their own posteriors without outside assistance. They are Special. Enough so the starship they ride has only one row of seats. Let us not be afraid to help them.
So say we all!
A six year old boy and his starship. Living the dream.
I do not recall any mention of any specific person or organization by the name they normally use or has been accepted by the community as referring to them. I merely pointed out there are some players whose misguided zeal to protect me from myself, even when I do not require their assistance, could be misconstrued as something other than it is.
My preferred way of doing so is with humor. Since it would be wrong to mock them in a hurtful manner. Such as surrounding them and then using fire extinguishers repeatedly on them while they are ingame to the point where they simply quit playing STO. Or repeatedly harassing them here on the STO forums.
Humor is a useful device. It allows me to laugh at myself. Because like a great many people, I have a tendency to take myself far too seriously. And in the process of laughing at myself, if I can get others to smile as well, so much the better. I have never felt a need to be concerned when my friends laugh at me for some of the things I have done within STO. Or elsewhere. Nor have I ever had a need to purchase friendship. Indeed, the problem with buying friendship is it sometimes does not remain bought.
Threats, on the other hand, are not very nice at all. People who bluster and threaten usually have something to hide. To conceal. Something they are terrified others may find out. Something which, when discovered, diminishes them greatly in the eyes of others. And themselves as well. I have a very bad habit concerning threats. I ignore them. If the person issuing the threat could actually do something, then they would act. The fact they feel the need to talk first and attempt to warn one indicates clearly their reach does not extend as far as they would like. Public threats also have a nasty knack for snapping back quite badly on the issuer. They show the issuer's true persona clearly to others who are watching.
To me, STO is just a game. An interesting way to waste the spare hour or two of free time I get each day. This forum is an extension of this which I discovered about six months after I started playing STO. In Real Life, my job and my life are firmly mine and they proceed in the directions I decide. The only person I am required to answer to is my wife of twenty six years. Yet I can clearly see how someone whose own life is run by others would be drawn to a place where they felt that at last they were in control. I can clearly see how having to answer to too many people in RL would encourage one to attempt to exert control over others within such a place, using whatever means were available. No matter the consequences. And there are always consequences eventually. But neither STO nor this forum are a daily requirement for me to feel better about myself. So losing access to either or both, while somewhat dismaying initially, is nothing that cannot be functioned without or replaced.
So how, exactly, does one go about threatening someone with absolutely nothing at all to lose? How does one make someone without fear afraid? If you find the answer, please PM me at your earliest convenience. I'd really like to know.
A six year old boy and his starship. Living the dream.
Why, quite simple, go make a trial account for WoW, make an alliance character on the most heavily populated server you can find, and go to a place called Goldshire Inn.
Within the course of 20 minutes, you'll see every facet of modern "RPing" and all the horrible, drama-inducing bullcrap it entails.
I miss the days when "RP" was solely the domain of PnP/Tabletop games. At least it made sense back then, and operated within some kind of rule set. Now it's just any person on the internet that thinks they know ****-all about proper character development making an "Original the Character; Do Not Steal" and acting like it means anything.
These are merely my thoughts on the matter though. And I have a bit of an axe to grind, so take it with a heap of salt.
If something is beyond your attention span it hardly makes sense to try to comment on it, unless you're just looking to fill the page. We see you, hi, does that help?
No worries thunderfoot. I did read all of your last post, just to be sure you were joking earlier
Re: the OP, most RP in STO from my perspective generally follows one of three major archetypes:
1) The noble fire safety specialist. Often prone to burning easily in direct sunlight. They hold steadfast to their honoured public service in an age where firefighting talents go largely unappreciated. Prefers The Trammps over the usual dry Mozart recitals, pan flutes, and N'Orleans jazz favoured by other Starfleet captains.
2) The young Orion woman, sometimes named after C-list celebrities from Earth's distant past. Orphaned at a young age and sold into slavery, yet against all odds became an admiral in the Klingon Defence Forces after being bleached white for some inexplicable reason. Space Impetigo, perhaps? This personal history and skin condition is contagious to the point where 99% of the female Orion population appears to be affected. Quarantine procedures are recommended.
3) The random Starfleet officer with a troubled past. Often seen in formal wear, often a bipedal cat (but never this guy, sadly.) Like the previous group, they suffer from below average speaking and writing skills comparable to most third graders... or a broken universal translator. Walks everywhere and tends to become agitated at the sight of people running. Rarely seen in groups larger than three, yet their voices can be heard across entire space stations, usually complimenting each other on their fashion choices.
And that's about the size of it!
Re: where this conversation went after the OP... I'm not sure about the sense of humour of anyone who insists that STO is just a game to you and that you don't take it seriously, yet continually imply the contrary by posting giant walls of text two paragraphs short of a Gamasutra op-ed whenever someone with the right guild signature happens to wander by. There's a disconnect there.
I don't know about you guys, but the moment that I ever find myself typing a great big TL;DR-worthy statement about perceived slights and social control or whatever else that was, is the moment I turn my computer off and go outside.
It was very clear which group/individuals were alluded to in your post, and anyone who has played this game for more than a week can probably make that connection.
tl;dr? If one didn't read the post, how could one possibly draw any conclusions? Seems to be a case of trying to have a cake and eating it as well does it not?
I specifically did not mention any group/individual by name. And if someone's actions or words match up to the things I mentioned, and there are some people within STO or in this forum who might be doing these things, well then, these aforementioned individuals might really need some serious professional help. Further, these individuals might not have any sense of humor in the normal sense of the word. They probably can dish it out in spades, but they might be a little too thin skinned to be able to take it.
What a shame that would be. In the future, I shall try to correctly ascertain the length of their attention spans, as well as various other appendages, and shorten my posts so they do not exceed this length. I'm unsure whether or not I'll be able to say everything I need to in such a miniscule and totally unimpressive measurement, but I love me a challenge. Yes indeedy I do.
A six year old boy and his starship. Living the dream.
What a shame that would be. In the future, I shall try to correctly ascertain the length of their attention spans, as well as various other appendages, and shorten my posts so they do not exceed this length. I'm unsure whether or not I'll be able to say everything I need to in such a miniscule and totally unimpressive measurement, but I love me a challenge. Yes indeedy I do.
I've got a better idea.
It involves not bringing up Dental when you want to bring up 'bad roleplayers'.
____GREAT LEADERS LET THEIR ACTIONS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Agreed. And thank you for returning me to my senses. I was getting bored with the whole thing anyway. We've answered the question as to what RP is. And this brings up two or three other questions. What constitutes "good" roleplay? How does one go about doing so? When is it appropriate to RP? I am interested in seeing other people's posts on these questions.
" Good" RP is more than simply staying in character. It is acting in a manner which is not contrary to either your character's persona and culture while interacting with other players.
To date, my KDF toons have never participated in the Epohh Tagging Event. Even when I needed the Marks or XP. They went to Risa during the Summer event but they infrequently participated in the Dance Contest and then only at the request of others in the group and for the minimal amount of time required for civility. When in a Fleet Action or STF with my friends, my KDF toons will attack in the most direct fashion possible.
My Rihannsu toons are those I haven't really developed a feel for yet. One could say they are W.I.P.s. I've been reviewing the TNG and DS9 episodes with Rihannsu in them for ideas and guidance. But so far, that one idea which clicked so perfectly with my Klinks has not yet been found.
Both groups of toons tend to be silent unless they have something important to say.
My Feddies on the other hand are just as the Breen slaver captain says they are. They greatly enjoy hearing themselves speak. The first time I read that phrase, I thought, "Perfect!"
As to how I go about RP within STO, I try to associate a few words or a phrase with each character. For example one of my Rihannsu toons was separated from his family when he was very young by an attack on his colony He was then raised by the first person the authorities could find to hand him off to safely. Who happened to be a retired Centurion unable to continue service with the Romulan Fleet on medical grounds. The word I use in this case is 'resentful'. The phrase I use is, 'he learned quickly the sooner he accomplished the tasks she set for him, the sooner she left him to his own pursuits.'
I generally only RP within my fleet or a select group of online friends. Some people do not care for RP. I find it easy to respect their wishes.
A six year old boy and his starship. Living the dream.
I'm an actor, so I love to roleplay. I like the idea of getting into the character and experiencing the world through his eyes.
Unfortunately, I don't get to do that much anymore, not in any games, and CERTAINLY not here. Game designers these days are just not interested in creating immersive worlds where we can "become" our characters. Everything is just little scenarios and themeparks.
It doesn't help that few others make the effort, and some even go so far as to ruin any attempts to RP. That is, there are only a few places in the game where you get an opportunity to interact with other players, and they're not places where anything ever goes on. I can stand in Quark's or Drozana Station all day and night and nothing will ever happen there to react to.
The result is that RP devolves into people standing around at the bar talking about things they never actually did. Not at all what I look for in RP, so I tend not to do it.
Ever considered getting SWGEmu? I know I have.
Anyway, I'd personally recommend the STOIC and STORP.ORG chat channels - there's a few decent RPers there.
Infinite possibilities have implications that could not be completely understood if you turned this entire universe into a giant supercomputer.
Originally created by Davyn Gabriel, Vagabond's Rest Role Play Community. Circa January 2004
So what is a roleplaying?
Well, roleplaying is, by definition -- "the art of playing a character in a fictional setting" (thank you Misters Merriam & Webster).
However, as we know it really is much more than that. It is hours of development, thought and decision rolled up into the role or roles that you choose to portray. To quote a future-best-selling-author and co-founder of Vagabond's Rest:
"Roleplaying, [sic] takes us through the book and past that last page--past those two apocalyptic words that end our thrill ride. Roleplaying allows us to step into the eyes of a character and attempt to experience that world first
Now, I'm about to do something here that we're not supposed to do. I'm going to define roleplaying, and give you a scale for ranking roleplaying. But, since you're not supposed to define roleplaying, tell someone how they roleplay, or tell someone not to do certain things, I suppose I've already covered that ground, right? So, what's the harm in plunging blindly ahead!
Hoo-ah!
One of the things I've learned in my years in various online roleplaying communities, both large and small, is that people roleplay to different degrees. Okay, okay...you're saying, "Well, duh! You've just spent the last dozen pages telling us that."
Well, now I'm going to put it on a scale. That's right. You heard me. I'm going to rate people on their roleplaying.
1 to 10.
None to hardcore.
Now, before you go ballistic and tell me that I shouldn't be judging people, let me point out a couple of things about this rating system:
1) In this rating system, 10 isn't necessarily the best. This system compares levels of commitment to roleplaying from casual to hardcore, giving you a glance of what different categories of roleplayers might 'look' like at different levels of roleplaying. Hopefully, the comparison will help you find out where you will find the most enjoyment, and what that means roleplaying-wise.
2) Secondary to that, this rating illustrates different levels of dedication to the art of roleplaying. If your goal is to be a hardcore, all-stops-removed, dedicated roleplayer and you want an idea of what it would take for you to move to the 'next level', then this should provide a good indication to you of what else you need to work on.
Some explanation of the chart would be helpful. The horizontal axis represents categories of dedication to roleplay-the ranking. We'll talk more about that in a minute.
The vertical axis is a bit trickier. Essentially what I'm illustrating here is "where most of the roleplaying is happening." I guess you could think of the vertical axis as a measure of "Roleplaying Energy", or:
RPE = Number of Players X Amount of Roleplaying Actually Done
So really, what the chart illustrates, overall, is my basic un-scientific observation of the distribution of roleplayers at the various levels of roleplaying that I differentiate. Whee
THE LEVELS OF ROLEPLAYING
So, with the chart in your head, let's take a look at the various levels of roleplaying dedication.
0) Anti-roleplayer
Yes, they exist. These are people who not only don't roleplay, but they'll go out of their way to say how much they don't like it, and at times they'll actually try to interrupt it in-game, or taunt roleplayers.
So, why are we still registering some RPE (role-playing energy) at their level?
Because, no matter how much they hate 'roleplaying' they'll do it, simply because a MMORPG forces roleplaying at some degree. The moment they step into an avatar and a world that is not their own, they are playing a role. They may not be expending any extra energy on it, but they certainly are roleplaying to a small degree. Unless they're a female goblin shaman in real life. At which point I rescind my previous statements. All of them.
1) Bitter non-roleplayer
These are people who don't roleplay, and don't like it. But they won't particularly try and stop it, unless pressed into a corner by roleplayers. Then, they may respond...poorly. Bitter non-roleplayers will get quickly annoyed when they perceive that unnecessary roleplay has wasted their time; for example, when they want directions to the nearest town, and a roleplayer doesn't help them because "it simply would NOT suit an elf to give directions to a dwarf!"
2) Non-roleplayer
This is the true neutral group on the roleplay alignment scale. They will expend zero extra effort towards roleplaying, but it also doesn't bother them. They simply don't care one way or another.
3) Ambivalent Non-roleplayer
These MMORPG players see some benefit in roleplaying. They like what it does for their 'environment'. But, they still aren't convinced that it's something they want to spend effort on, either because they think it will feel 'silly', or because they don't think that they would be good at it.
4) Warming roleplayer
Many, many roleplayers remember this phase. It's a transitional phase where they first 'got' what roleplaying was all about. Or maybe it was the first time they saw enough worth in roleplaying to actually begin expending energy on it. Whatever the trigger, it's a very short-lived phase (whether they move up or down) in which they're really just trying to grasp how to best expend their roleplaying energy.
Warming roleplayers have a lot of enthusiasm, and usually ask a lot of questions on forums and read a lot of roleplaying articles. They also seek out good roleplaying communities and people who can model for them what roleplaying is all about. They're still a bit 'rough around the edges', but they won't be that way for long.
5) Average roleplayer
This is the first stage where a person will actually begin identifying themselves as a 'roleplayer'. Usually by this point they have realized that not all players roleplay, and that it definitely begins to put them in a 'category'.
Players in this stage still transition fairly freely back and forth between in-character (IC) and out-of-character (OOC) chat and actions. But they are definitely interested in roleplaying. The average roleplayer is also starting to really develop a sense of character. They may not be consistent in playing in-character (probably around 50% of their game time in-character), but they have an idea of background and motive and something they want to accomplish as their character.
Typically, at this stage, you'll see a person become active in roleplaying guilds, and begin to speak some in-game from the character's perspective.
6) Above-average roleplayer
Here you really see the player begin to move forward in character development. They're enjoying roleplay a lot more, and spend more time engaging in social scenes in game. As well, the Above-average Roleplayer will typically write longer, more thorough biographies of their characters. Also, you'll see this player begin to become involved in roleplaying forums, interacting in-character with other players there.
This level of roleplayer will begin actively seeking out roleplay if it isn't around, rather than waiting for it to happen around them. They're still not quite comfortable leading out, if alone, but they don't quite feel comfortable if they go long periods without roleplaying either, since, by this level, the player fully characterizes herself as a roleplayer, and will begin to play the game with this in mind.
7) Dedicated Roleplayer - The Sweet Spot
I call this the "Sweet Spot" for a very important reason. This is the cutoff point for the vast majority of the roleplaying community. Here is the point where many people will categorize themselves as a 'hardcore roleplayer', and in fact, will roleplay most of the time they are online.
However, the Dedicated Roleplayer will stop roleplaying and their roleplay development the moment they perceive that it is more work than fun to keep up their roleplaying. They'll also go OOC occasionally to handle odd in-game situations, be comfortable with good friends, or simply because they're tired of staying in-character and want a bit of a break.
These roleplayers stay in-character somewhere around 80% of the time, and are very dedicated to playing a role. They'll typically have well-thought-out character backgrounds that usually display maturity in character development. These are the people who not only pursue being a part of a roleplaying guild, but they often create a guild themselves or serve as officers in a roleplaying guild.
Now, let me pause and emphasize something: there's absolutely nothing wrong with stopping at this level! By now, you're roleplaying fairly intensely, but you like the option of 'cutting it off' at times when you 'just need to relax.' That's a great place to be. If you're at this level, you're every bit the roleplayer.
But, you can go deeper.
8) Obsessive roleplayer
Now, you're crossing into the twilight zone of roleplay. You're moving past the semi-casual attitude of a player, and you're really becoming something more. You start to use the word 'immersion' a lot, as well as the phrase 'character depth'.
Obsessive roleplayers will either have long, well-written character backgrounds prior to playing their character in-game, or they'll develop and nurture one as they play, maintaining consistency with previous character-defining decisions. They'll usually be able to tell you the names of their character's parents off-the-cuff, and can either recite or create a bit of detail about their past. By this point, they'll be roleplaying 90% or more of their time in-game, only going out-of-character on infrequent spurts.
You'll also see many Obsessive roleplayers begin to extend the character beyond the game, especially in organizational or leadership roles. They will register email addresses with their character names, and most of their emails and personal messages outside of the game will either be in-character, or clearly labeled as OOC.
9) Roleplayer / Developer
The Roleplayer/Developer is somewhat of a side-track in the smooth slope of the scale. They are everything that the Obsessive Roleplayer is and more. However, the Roleplayer / Developer isn't as much of the next step up, as it is an alternative class of obsession.
A Roleplayer/Developer is fully immersed in their character, in-game and out-of-game. They are a strong proponent of roleplaying, and typically a good example of roleplaying in-game. However, they also take a strong interest in developing a roleplaying sagas or quests, or they become a community leader for a roleplaying community. They seek out other roleplayers and pull them together, often offering community and content to foster the art.
Really, at this point, a roleplayer is passing beyond being a roleplayer and almost transitioning into the realm of an author. They not only develop extremely complex character backgrounds, but also begin to look at the broader picture of world-building, ensuring that their roleplay and that of others has a rich environment with which to interact. They become, in many ways, the Dungeon Master (DM) even while they are in the adventure.
But believe it or not, there IS one more level.
10) Hardcore Roleplayer.
In-game, you will never see a hardcore roleplayer out of character.
Never.
Even if you go and spy on them while they're wandering 'alone' in the wilderness, they'll be in character. They'll grumble in-character. They'll know what their character's favorite food is. Even the favorite color. In fact, they'll rarely even be OOC when they're out-of-game.
Hardcore Roleplayers are purists. They breathe immersion.
They are extremely rare.
These are roleplayers that--even if you only encounter them once--you will remember them for most of your life. They are the characters you read about in the books. They are good at what they do. They are captivating to watch and will nearly always pull other roleplayers into their world. If a Hardcore Roleplayer plays an alternate character, you'll never know it. Not even if you try.
Also note that the Hardcore Roleplayer is one of the few 'higher' levels of roleplay that might not share all of the traits of the levels below it. In fact, of the few true Hardcore Roleplayers I know, none of them do any of the Community Development kind of roleplay. Doing that work usually necessitates that you spend a degree of time out-of-character, and that's not something a Hardcore Roleplayer would give up.
This is by no means a goal for all roleplayers. This is hard. That's why I've labeled it "Hardcore roleplay". It requires an exceptional amount of dedication, and a good amount of skill. In fact, there probably aren't many players who would characterize themselves as hardcore roleplayers. More likely, there are players who have one or two characters that they play in the hardcore roleplay style.
Hardcore Roleplay can also be abrasive to some people. You don't break character. Even with an OOC conflict. That won't always resolve the situation; but for the Hardcore Roleplayer, that's not what their game is about. They're all about the character. And they will react to everything in their environment as that character.
WHERE DO YOU FIT?
There's only one right answer to this question:
You fit at whatever level you enjoy roleplaying the most.
That typically changes over time. You might move up or down on the scale, trying different things or different communities. You may play different MMORPGs at different levels.
There is not style that's better or worse for you. A game is about enjoyment, and people enjoy different things. You should always pursue that goal in your roleplaying.
But, there are ways you can quantify someone as a better or worse roleplayer. Using the scale I've outlined, you can rank yourself, and decide how dedicated of a roleplayer you are. That doesn't mean you're a better player. It doesn't even mean that you enjoy the game more than others, or that you're somehow more elite. It doesn't even mean that people will like you more.
It simply means that in the art of roleplaying, you do some things to a greater degree than others. And that can be either by skill or by choice.
Sometimes, it can be fun being a purist.
Sometimes, it's not.
Do what you enjoy. Only you can decide what that is.
My attention span didnt stretch to the whole thing sorry or even half way through. Ill try again later one thing is for sure though, ill always walk around in sto from now on.... with my tricorders rp detection mode set to max and phasers on stun!.
Thanks for your contribution to this post warpedcore, its more than I ever expected to get. That goes for everyone who has posted. Thanks to you all I feel I can now say I know what rp looks like in sto. This all started because I sent out an invite to my fleet (Kobayashi Crew) and got asked do we rp. Well now I can say no, we are not an rp fleet. But! we do have fun and enjoy playing through the content in sto. And that seems to be agreed upon by the majority of posts. However you play, play nice and have fun doing it.
RP isn't the geeky, nerdy, very bad thing which some people make it out to be. It can be an enjoyable addition to the game. One of things I've always done in any game I play is to see just how, ahem, "real" I can make my avatar. I find it fun to treat my STO toons as more than a pixellated collection of gear and abilities. To act in character as much as possible as long as possible.
I too like to treat my character as more than a collection of shiny gear, I don't go overboard, just like to keep a polite and well dressed character, ( each to their own but some peoples uniforms are just no......really no........I mean it )
I don't have a massive backstory in my Bio section or anything, but I don't mind reading others, if they are well thought out
Also, when i make additional 'toon's i like to have some fun, so i pick a fictional character, and attempt to recreate them in the tailor, I have an Adam Jenson, agent 47 and Zapp Branigan toon, along with accompanying BOFFs, its a nice source of mild amusement for me and occasionally others
i have also seen some other funny costume competition entries on my travels in game , spotting them is fun
Why, quite simple, go make a trial account for WoW, make an alliance character on the most heavily populated server you can find, and go to a place called Goldshire Inn.
Within the course of 20 minutes, you'll see every facet of modern "RPing" and all the horrible, drama-inducing bullcrap it entails.
I miss the days when "RP" was solely the domain of PnP/Tabletop games. At least it made sense back then, and operated within some kind of rule set. Now it's just any person on the internet that thinks they know ****-all about proper character development making an "Original the Character; Do Not Steal" and acting like it means anything.
These are merely my thoughts on the matter though. And I have a bit of an axe to grind, so take it with a heap of salt.
Too many people making Mary sue characters, happens all the time doesn't it?
These are the Voyages on the STO forum, the final frontier. Our continuing mission: to explore Pretentious Posts, to seek out new Overreactions and Misinformation , to boldly experience Cynicism like no man has before.......
@ the OP - You're quite welcome. And thank you for the opportunity you gave me as well.
Roleplay is just another way to enjoy playing STO. Some like it, some don't. Some do it very well, others not so much. Warpedcore's post covers everything far better than I ever could. How you and your Fleetmates decide to play STO is your decision. While we can suggest and offer advice, in the long run the only thing you are really required to do is have fun playing STO.
A six year old boy and his starship. Living the dream.
I'm not sure where I'd fit on that scale, either. It kind of depends on the character and on the setting. In STO it's nearly impossible to RP comfortably, because there's no world to exist in. In LotRO it's easier, but in recent years, they've started breaking the connection to the setting, and that makes it harder than it used to be.
I would like to stay in character all the time, but I never EVER encounter anyone RPing anywhere but at a bar in Quark's or Drozana. Thus, I don't stay in character as much as I might like to.
On the other hand, with no PEOPLE to RP with, I spend a LOT of time writing my biographies. My LotRO character, Skjald, has a biography in excess of 300 pages long. My STO character (my main one, at least) has an extremely detailed, lengthy biography that has been developed over the course of the last 20 years. When I do missions in the game, I return to my bridge and write detailed, in character logs to rationalize the events of the missions.
It's kind of unfortunate, but that's what RP in STO has become for me.
Me, I'm having trouble connecting to the setting. It's just that my imagination focuses on one thing, which may or may not be an option at the time. In this case, SWGEmu.
Infinite possibilities have implications that could not be completely understood if you turned this entire universe into a giant supercomputer.
While we can suggest and offer advice, in the long run the only thing you are really required to do is have fun playing STO.
Well said, and i second the motion!
These are the Voyages on the STO forum, the final frontier. Our continuing mission: to explore Pretentious Posts, to seek out new Overreactions and Misinformation , to boldly experience Cynicism like no man has before.......
I hear ya loud and clear on the breaking immersion bit. I have a Klink ship conned by a Lethean Sci captain with an all Lethean Bridge crew. I spent hours and EC trying to set up a KDF uniform for them which is distinctive. To walk the passageways of my Vor'cha and see 'standard' KDF uniforms is visually jarring. There are so many things which are really quite small which in total add up to large distractions.
A six year old boy and his starship. Living the dream.
Often, for me at least, it's the details that make all the difference.
For example, when I go to my ship's interior and my crew is walking around in some other uniform, it breaks my ability to be immersed in the setting. Another example is my Andorian Captain. He's an andorian andorian, Imperial Guard and Andoria first. I've gone to great length (and expense) to ensure that ALL of his crew, BOs and DOs are Andorian (or Aenar). Thus, when I go to my ship's corridors and they're not all andorian, it's kind of jarring.
It's a little thing, but it makes a difference.
Just an example, of course, there are many other similar things I could describe.
yeah, this is something of an issue for me, it would be awesome if the crew on borad represented the DOFFs you have, saw you have the exo comp, or Law, there should be a certain chance of them spawning on your crewdecks
These are the Voyages on the STO forum, the final frontier. Our continuing mission: to explore Pretentious Posts, to seek out new Overreactions and Misinformation , to boldly experience Cynicism like no man has before.......
Comments
Kobayashi Crew.
Dave@dangerousdave1701
:::returns to topic:::
RP isn't the geeky, nerdy, very bad thing which some people make it out to be. It can be an enjoyable addition to the game. One of things I've always done in any game I play is to see just how, ahem, "real" I can make my avatar. I find it fun to treat my STO toons as more than a pixellated collection of gear and abilities. To act in character as much as possible as long as possible.
Some people have a true gift for RP. They slide into character and manage to stay there effortlessly. For example, Those Who Are Really Annoying And Should Always Be Ignored. They are simply spectacularly faaabulous at pretending to be a branch of the government of a 3rd world country. I sometimes think when reading one of their posts that here is roleplay which is professional grade. I really wish they would run an RP Bootcamp. To share their RP expertise with all us mere mortals. So all of us could be better at RP in STO.
Wouldn't that be something to see?
And Nutgeeki is quite correct. Not all roleplay should be considered equal, neh? Starfleet has had far too many wannabe firemen for far too long. Worse, their zealous over attention to doing their self-annointed supposed job, regardless of circumstances or location, causes the other factions within the game to look upon Starfleet as a collection of buffoons who cannot find their own posteriors without a compass, two grasping appendages(opposable thumbs optional), and a locator beacon. Worse, some of this group require the assistance of another player to successfully complete the mission.
I ask you, does this sort of roleplay truly represent the first or finest of Starfleet? I think not. Starfleet deserves far better. Millions of EC and Dilithium spent so a Vice Admiral can adopt a rather silly name for him/herself and his/her ship and then spend ridiculous amounts of game time shooting fire extinguishers at others whom are actually playing STO in a manner which was intended.
How very, very sad. These people should not be run off. Nor should they be condemned for their simple minded acts. Because they obviously have special needs which are currently being ignored. They should be pitied and helped. Instead of being laughed at. Which is so very often the tragic fate they meet now.
So I ask for your assistance, Good People, in helping Those Who Are Merely Annoying and Should Always Be Ignored. Let us take a few minutes out of our busy game play schedule to ask them to put down the fire extinguisher. Let us show them how to find their own posteriors without outside assistance. They are Special. Enough so the starship they ride has only one row of seats. Let us not be afraid to help them.
So say we all!
I do not recall any mention of any specific person or organization by the name they normally use or has been accepted by the community as referring to them. I merely pointed out there are some players whose misguided zeal to protect me from myself, even when I do not require their assistance, could be misconstrued as something other than it is.
My preferred way of doing so is with humor. Since it would be wrong to mock them in a hurtful manner. Such as surrounding them and then using fire extinguishers repeatedly on them while they are ingame to the point where they simply quit playing STO. Or repeatedly harassing them here on the STO forums.
Humor is a useful device. It allows me to laugh at myself. Because like a great many people, I have a tendency to take myself far too seriously. And in the process of laughing at myself, if I can get others to smile as well, so much the better. I have never felt a need to be concerned when my friends laugh at me for some of the things I have done within STO. Or elsewhere. Nor have I ever had a need to purchase friendship. Indeed, the problem with buying friendship is it sometimes does not remain bought.
Threats, on the other hand, are not very nice at all. People who bluster and threaten usually have something to hide. To conceal. Something they are terrified others may find out. Something which, when discovered, diminishes them greatly in the eyes of others. And themselves as well. I have a very bad habit concerning threats. I ignore them. If the person issuing the threat could actually do something, then they would act. The fact they feel the need to talk first and attempt to warn one indicates clearly their reach does not extend as far as they would like. Public threats also have a nasty knack for snapping back quite badly on the issuer. They show the issuer's true persona clearly to others who are watching.
To me, STO is just a game. An interesting way to waste the spare hour or two of free time I get each day. This forum is an extension of this which I discovered about six months after I started playing STO. In Real Life, my job and my life are firmly mine and they proceed in the directions I decide. The only person I am required to answer to is my wife of twenty six years. Yet I can clearly see how someone whose own life is run by others would be drawn to a place where they felt that at last they were in control. I can clearly see how having to answer to too many people in RL would encourage one to attempt to exert control over others within such a place, using whatever means were available. No matter the consequences. And there are always consequences eventually. But neither STO nor this forum are a daily requirement for me to feel better about myself. So losing access to either or both, while somewhat dismaying initially, is nothing that cannot be functioned without or replaced.
So how, exactly, does one go about threatening someone with absolutely nothing at all to lose? How does one make someone without fear afraid? If you find the answer, please PM me at your earliest convenience. I'd really like to know.
Why, quite simple, go make a trial account for WoW, make an alliance character on the most heavily populated server you can find, and go to a place called Goldshire Inn.
Within the course of 20 minutes, you'll see every facet of modern "RPing" and all the horrible, drama-inducing bullcrap it entails.
I miss the days when "RP" was solely the domain of PnP/Tabletop games. At least it made sense back then, and operated within some kind of rule set. Now it's just any person on the internet that thinks they know ****-all about proper character development making an "Original the Character; Do Not Steal" and acting like it means anything.
These are merely my thoughts on the matter though. And I have a bit of an axe to grind, so take it with a heap of salt.
" RP is ACTING ! "
"Brilliant !" ... " Genius !" ... "Thank you, thank you "
.
---- FIRE EVERYTHING ! ----
No worries thunderfoot. I did read all of your last post, just to be sure you were joking earlier
1) The noble fire safety specialist. Often prone to burning easily in direct sunlight. They hold steadfast to their honoured public service in an age where firefighting talents go largely unappreciated. Prefers The Trammps over the usual dry Mozart recitals, pan flutes, and N'Orleans jazz favoured by other Starfleet captains.
2) The young Orion woman, sometimes named after C-list celebrities from Earth's distant past. Orphaned at a young age and sold into slavery, yet against all odds became an admiral in the Klingon Defence Forces after being bleached white for some inexplicable reason. Space Impetigo, perhaps? This personal history and skin condition is contagious to the point where 99% of the female Orion population appears to be affected. Quarantine procedures are recommended.
3) The random Starfleet officer with a troubled past. Often seen in formal wear, often a bipedal cat (but never this guy, sadly.) Like the previous group, they suffer from below average speaking and writing skills comparable to most third graders... or a broken universal translator. Walks everywhere and tends to become agitated at the sight of people running. Rarely seen in groups larger than three, yet their voices can be heard across entire space stations, usually complimenting each other on their fashion choices.
And that's about the size of it!
Re: where this conversation went after the OP... I'm not sure about the sense of humour of anyone who insists that STO is just a game to you and that you don't take it seriously, yet continually imply the contrary by posting giant walls of text two paragraphs short of a Gamasutra op-ed whenever someone with the right guild signature happens to wander by. There's a disconnect there.
I don't know about you guys, but the moment that I ever find myself typing a great big TL;DR-worthy statement about perceived slights and social control or whatever else that was, is the moment I turn my computer off and go outside.
I specifically did not mention any group/individual by name. And if someone's actions or words match up to the things I mentioned, and there are some people within STO or in this forum who might be doing these things, well then, these aforementioned individuals might really need some serious professional help. Further, these individuals might not have any sense of humor in the normal sense of the word. They probably can dish it out in spades, but they might be a little too thin skinned to be able to take it.
What a shame that would be. In the future, I shall try to correctly ascertain the length of their attention spans, as well as various other appendages, and shorten my posts so they do not exceed this length. I'm unsure whether or not I'll be able to say everything I need to in such a miniscule and totally unimpressive measurement, but I love me a challenge. Yes indeedy I do.
I've got a better idea.
It involves not bringing up Dental when you want to bring up 'bad roleplayers'.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
" Good" RP is more than simply staying in character. It is acting in a manner which is not contrary to either your character's persona and culture while interacting with other players.
To date, my KDF toons have never participated in the Epohh Tagging Event. Even when I needed the Marks or XP. They went to Risa during the Summer event but they infrequently participated in the Dance Contest and then only at the request of others in the group and for the minimal amount of time required for civility. When in a Fleet Action or STF with my friends, my KDF toons will attack in the most direct fashion possible.
My Rihannsu toons are those I haven't really developed a feel for yet. One could say they are W.I.P.s. I've been reviewing the TNG and DS9 episodes with Rihannsu in them for ideas and guidance. But so far, that one idea which clicked so perfectly with my Klinks has not yet been found.
Both groups of toons tend to be silent unless they have something important to say.
My Feddies on the other hand are just as the Breen slaver captain says they are. They greatly enjoy hearing themselves speak. The first time I read that phrase, I thought, "Perfect!"
As to how I go about RP within STO, I try to associate a few words or a phrase with each character. For example one of my Rihannsu toons was separated from his family when he was very young by an attack on his colony He was then raised by the first person the authorities could find to hand him off to safely. Who happened to be a retired Centurion unable to continue service with the Romulan Fleet on medical grounds. The word I use in this case is 'resentful'. The phrase I use is, 'he learned quickly the sooner he accomplished the tasks she set for him, the sooner she left him to his own pursuits.'
I generally only RP within my fleet or a select group of online friends. Some people do not care for RP. I find it easy to respect their wishes.
Ever considered getting SWGEmu? I know I have.
Anyway, I'd personally recommend the STOIC and STORP.ORG chat channels - there's a few decent RPers there.
Infinite possibilities have implications that could not be completely understood if you turned this entire universe into a giant supercomputer.
So what is a roleplaying?
Well, roleplaying is, by definition -- "the art of playing a character in a fictional setting" (thank you Misters Merriam & Webster).
However, as we know it really is much more than that. It is hours of development, thought and decision rolled up into the role or roles that you choose to portray. To quote a future-best-selling-author and co-founder of Vagabond's Rest:
"Roleplaying, [sic] takes us through the book and past that last page--past those two apocalyptic words that end our thrill ride. Roleplaying allows us to step into the eyes of a character and attempt to experience that world first
Now, I'm about to do something here that we're not supposed to do. I'm going to define roleplaying, and give you a scale for ranking roleplaying. But, since you're not supposed to define roleplaying, tell someone how they roleplay, or tell someone not to do certain things, I suppose I've already covered that ground, right? So, what's the harm in plunging blindly ahead!
Hoo-ah!
One of the things I've learned in my years in various online roleplaying communities, both large and small, is that people roleplay to different degrees. Okay, okay...you're saying, "Well, duh! You've just spent the last dozen pages telling us that."
Well, now I'm going to put it on a scale. That's right. You heard me. I'm going to rate people on their roleplaying.
1 to 10.
None to hardcore.
Now, before you go ballistic and tell me that I shouldn't be judging people, let me point out a couple of things about this rating system:
1) In this rating system, 10 isn't necessarily the best. This system compares levels of commitment to roleplaying from casual to hardcore, giving you a glance of what different categories of roleplayers might 'look' like at different levels of roleplaying. Hopefully, the comparison will help you find out where you will find the most enjoyment, and what that means roleplaying-wise.
2) Secondary to that, this rating illustrates different levels of dedication to the art of roleplaying. If your goal is to be a hardcore, all-stops-removed, dedicated roleplayer and you want an idea of what it would take for you to move to the 'next level', then this should provide a good indication to you of what else you need to work on.
Now, take a look at the following chart:
http://www.vagabondsrest.com/images/rp_degrees.gif
Some explanation of the chart would be helpful. The horizontal axis represents categories of dedication to roleplay-the ranking. We'll talk more about that in a minute.
The vertical axis is a bit trickier. Essentially what I'm illustrating here is "where most of the roleplaying is happening." I guess you could think of the vertical axis as a measure of "Roleplaying Energy", or:
RPE = Number of Players X Amount of Roleplaying Actually Done
So really, what the chart illustrates, overall, is my basic un-scientific observation of the distribution of roleplayers at the various levels of roleplaying that I differentiate. Whee
THE LEVELS OF ROLEPLAYING
So, with the chart in your head, let's take a look at the various levels of roleplaying dedication.
0) Anti-roleplayer
Yes, they exist. These are people who not only don't roleplay, but they'll go out of their way to say how much they don't like it, and at times they'll actually try to interrupt it in-game, or taunt roleplayers.
So, why are we still registering some RPE (role-playing energy) at their level?
Because, no matter how much they hate 'roleplaying' they'll do it, simply because a MMORPG forces roleplaying at some degree. The moment they step into an avatar and a world that is not their own, they are playing a role. They may not be expending any extra energy on it, but they certainly are roleplaying to a small degree. Unless they're a female goblin shaman in real life. At which point I rescind my previous statements. All of them.
1) Bitter non-roleplayer
These are people who don't roleplay, and don't like it. But they won't particularly try and stop it, unless pressed into a corner by roleplayers. Then, they may respond...poorly. Bitter non-roleplayers will get quickly annoyed when they perceive that unnecessary roleplay has wasted their time; for example, when they want directions to the nearest town, and a roleplayer doesn't help them because "it simply would NOT suit an elf to give directions to a dwarf!"
2) Non-roleplayer
This is the true neutral group on the roleplay alignment scale. They will expend zero extra effort towards roleplaying, but it also doesn't bother them. They simply don't care one way or another.
3) Ambivalent Non-roleplayer
These MMORPG players see some benefit in roleplaying. They like what it does for their 'environment'. But, they still aren't convinced that it's something they want to spend effort on, either because they think it will feel 'silly', or because they don't think that they would be good at it.
4) Warming roleplayer
Many, many roleplayers remember this phase. It's a transitional phase where they first 'got' what roleplaying was all about. Or maybe it was the first time they saw enough worth in roleplaying to actually begin expending energy on it. Whatever the trigger, it's a very short-lived phase (whether they move up or down) in which they're really just trying to grasp how to best expend their roleplaying energy.
Warming roleplayers have a lot of enthusiasm, and usually ask a lot of questions on forums and read a lot of roleplaying articles. They also seek out good roleplaying communities and people who can model for them what roleplaying is all about. They're still a bit 'rough around the edges', but they won't be that way for long.
5) Average roleplayer
This is the first stage where a person will actually begin identifying themselves as a 'roleplayer'. Usually by this point they have realized that not all players roleplay, and that it definitely begins to put them in a 'category'.
Players in this stage still transition fairly freely back and forth between in-character (IC) and out-of-character (OOC) chat and actions. But they are definitely interested in roleplaying. The average roleplayer is also starting to really develop a sense of character. They may not be consistent in playing in-character (probably around 50% of their game time in-character), but they have an idea of background and motive and something they want to accomplish as their character.
Typically, at this stage, you'll see a person become active in roleplaying guilds, and begin to speak some in-game from the character's perspective.
6) Above-average roleplayer
Here you really see the player begin to move forward in character development. They're enjoying roleplay a lot more, and spend more time engaging in social scenes in game. As well, the Above-average Roleplayer will typically write longer, more thorough biographies of their characters. Also, you'll see this player begin to become involved in roleplaying forums, interacting in-character with other players there.
This level of roleplayer will begin actively seeking out roleplay if it isn't around, rather than waiting for it to happen around them. They're still not quite comfortable leading out, if alone, but they don't quite feel comfortable if they go long periods without roleplaying either, since, by this level, the player fully characterizes herself as a roleplayer, and will begin to play the game with this in mind.
7) Dedicated Roleplayer - The Sweet Spot
I call this the "Sweet Spot" for a very important reason. This is the cutoff point for the vast majority of the roleplaying community. Here is the point where many people will categorize themselves as a 'hardcore roleplayer', and in fact, will roleplay most of the time they are online.
However, the Dedicated Roleplayer will stop roleplaying and their roleplay development the moment they perceive that it is more work than fun to keep up their roleplaying. They'll also go OOC occasionally to handle odd in-game situations, be comfortable with good friends, or simply because they're tired of staying in-character and want a bit of a break.
These roleplayers stay in-character somewhere around 80% of the time, and are very dedicated to playing a role. They'll typically have well-thought-out character backgrounds that usually display maturity in character development. These are the people who not only pursue being a part of a roleplaying guild, but they often create a guild themselves or serve as officers in a roleplaying guild.
Now, let me pause and emphasize something: there's absolutely nothing wrong with stopping at this level! By now, you're roleplaying fairly intensely, but you like the option of 'cutting it off' at times when you 'just need to relax.' That's a great place to be. If you're at this level, you're every bit the roleplayer.
But, you can go deeper.
8) Obsessive roleplayer
Now, you're crossing into the twilight zone of roleplay. You're moving past the semi-casual attitude of a player, and you're really becoming something more. You start to use the word 'immersion' a lot, as well as the phrase 'character depth'.
Obsessive roleplayers will either have long, well-written character backgrounds prior to playing their character in-game, or they'll develop and nurture one as they play, maintaining consistency with previous character-defining decisions. They'll usually be able to tell you the names of their character's parents off-the-cuff, and can either recite or create a bit of detail about their past. By this point, they'll be roleplaying 90% or more of their time in-game, only going out-of-character on infrequent spurts.
You'll also see many Obsessive roleplayers begin to extend the character beyond the game, especially in organizational or leadership roles. They will register email addresses with their character names, and most of their emails and personal messages outside of the game will either be in-character, or clearly labeled as OOC.
9) Roleplayer / Developer
The Roleplayer/Developer is somewhat of a side-track in the smooth slope of the scale. They are everything that the Obsessive Roleplayer is and more. However, the Roleplayer / Developer isn't as much of the next step up, as it is an alternative class of obsession.
A Roleplayer/Developer is fully immersed in their character, in-game and out-of-game. They are a strong proponent of roleplaying, and typically a good example of roleplaying in-game. However, they also take a strong interest in developing a roleplaying sagas or quests, or they become a community leader for a roleplaying community. They seek out other roleplayers and pull them together, often offering community and content to foster the art.
Really, at this point, a roleplayer is passing beyond being a roleplayer and almost transitioning into the realm of an author. They not only develop extremely complex character backgrounds, but also begin to look at the broader picture of world-building, ensuring that their roleplay and that of others has a rich environment with which to interact. They become, in many ways, the Dungeon Master (DM) even while they are in the adventure.
But believe it or not, there IS one more level.
10) Hardcore Roleplayer.
In-game, you will never see a hardcore roleplayer out of character.
Never.
Even if you go and spy on them while they're wandering 'alone' in the wilderness, they'll be in character. They'll grumble in-character. They'll know what their character's favorite food is. Even the favorite color. In fact, they'll rarely even be OOC when they're out-of-game.
Hardcore Roleplayers are purists. They breathe immersion.
They are extremely rare.
These are roleplayers that--even if you only encounter them once--you will remember them for most of your life. They are the characters you read about in the books. They are good at what they do. They are captivating to watch and will nearly always pull other roleplayers into their world. If a Hardcore Roleplayer plays an alternate character, you'll never know it. Not even if you try.
Also note that the Hardcore Roleplayer is one of the few 'higher' levels of roleplay that might not share all of the traits of the levels below it. In fact, of the few true Hardcore Roleplayers I know, none of them do any of the Community Development kind of roleplay. Doing that work usually necessitates that you spend a degree of time out-of-character, and that's not something a Hardcore Roleplayer would give up.
This is by no means a goal for all roleplayers. This is hard. That's why I've labeled it "Hardcore roleplay". It requires an exceptional amount of dedication, and a good amount of skill. In fact, there probably aren't many players who would characterize themselves as hardcore roleplayers. More likely, there are players who have one or two characters that they play in the hardcore roleplay style.
Hardcore Roleplay can also be abrasive to some people. You don't break character. Even with an OOC conflict. That won't always resolve the situation; but for the Hardcore Roleplayer, that's not what their game is about. They're all about the character. And they will react to everything in their environment as that character.
WHERE DO YOU FIT?
There's only one right answer to this question:
You fit at whatever level you enjoy roleplaying the most.
That typically changes over time. You might move up or down on the scale, trying different things or different communities. You may play different MMORPGs at different levels.
There is not style that's better or worse for you. A game is about enjoyment, and people enjoy different things. You should always pursue that goal in your roleplaying.
But, there are ways you can quantify someone as a better or worse roleplayer. Using the scale I've outlined, you can rank yourself, and decide how dedicated of a roleplayer you are. That doesn't mean you're a better player. It doesn't even mean that you enjoy the game more than others, or that you're somehow more elite. It doesn't even mean that people will like you more.
It simply means that in the art of roleplaying, you do some things to a greater degree than others. And that can be either by skill or by choice.
Sometimes, it can be fun being a purist.
Sometimes, it's not.
Do what you enjoy. Only you can decide what that is.
On one end, I'd categorize myself as 5. On the other hand, I'd just as easily find aspects of 6 or 7. Or even 8. :P
Infinite possibilities have implications that could not be completely understood if you turned this entire universe into a giant supercomputer.
Kobayashi Crew.
Dave@dangerousdave1701
Kobayashi Crew.
Dave@dangerousdave1701
I too like to treat my character as more than a collection of shiny gear, I don't go overboard, just like to keep a polite and well dressed character, ( each to their own but some peoples uniforms are just no......really no........I mean it )
I don't have a massive backstory in my Bio section or anything, but I don't mind reading others, if they are well thought out
Also, when i make additional 'toon's i like to have some fun, so i pick a fictional character, and attempt to recreate them in the tailor, I have an Adam Jenson, agent 47 and Zapp Branigan toon, along with accompanying BOFFs, its a nice source of mild amusement for me and occasionally others
i have also seen some other funny costume competition entries on my travels in game , spotting them is fun
Too many people making Mary sue characters, happens all the time doesn't it?
Roleplay is just another way to enjoy playing STO. Some like it, some don't. Some do it very well, others not so much. Warpedcore's post covers everything far better than I ever could. How you and your Fleetmates decide to play STO is your decision. While we can suggest and offer advice, in the long run the only thing you are really required to do is have fun playing STO.
Me, I'm having trouble connecting to the setting. It's just that my imagination focuses on one thing, which may or may not be an option at the time. In this case, SWGEmu.
Infinite possibilities have implications that could not be completely understood if you turned this entire universe into a giant supercomputer.
Well said, and i second the motion!
yeah, this is something of an issue for me, it would be awesome if the crew on borad represented the DOFFs you have, saw you have the exo comp, or Law, there should be a certain chance of them spawning on your crewdecks