Atlantic Roleplay Community Boards

Teh Glouris Lrod Kujabis · Transcendent Spammer Joined: 29 Dec 2003 Posts: 5740

I was considering writing a guide to playing an average joe schmoe, complimented by my recent experiences doing just that. However, it would probably devolve into a giant explosion of sarcasm.

omera · Journeyman Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 124

Most of you, as I recall haven't seen me roleplay in the past 6 months or so. I wouldn't be making judgements right now. I've done a lot of tabletop pnp (Dark Heresy, Deadlands, some NWoD) that taught me how to RP correctly (thanks to a kickass GM whose been GMing for gods know how long).

Walter · Sage Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 618 Location: -=Magincia=-

Teh Glouris Lrod Kujabis · Transcendent Spammer Joined: 29 Dec 2003 Posts: 5740

It is great to hear you are learning, but I believe the majority of the concern is regarding your concepts. It is hard to pull off a nonstandard concept and have it be memorable, and you are aiming for VERY nonstandard concepts. "Unique" should not be the #1 thing you are aiming for.

Whatever game you guys are playing, ask your GM if he would care if you did something totally out there. Ask if you can play a wizard in a non-magical sci-fi setting; ask if you can play an alien from another planet in a fantasy setting. Even if that is not your intent here, that is the impression you are giving many.

You asked for advice, you got some, though it wasn't what you were looking for. That is the mark of good advice.

Yasamin · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:26 pm Post subject:

It's not us questioning can you roleplay, but more pointing you in the general direction of being accepted ic. Human and elves are more easily accepted by the average person because they physically don't appear as something frightening or odd. Remember, the average joe is going to see, say a lizardman, and kill it. If a lizardman was civilized and came into town, he'd take a risk of being considered the local exotic pet or the local freak. Very few would treat him as an equal. A human/elf, no matter the quirks, will still be treated as an equal at first meeting.
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(4:45:41 PM) Jarem: It becomes increasingly difficult to feel noble in my causes when my cause is to defend my charge from her own violent tendencies.

Kaelthir · Certifiable Joined: 28 Aug 2004 Posts: 1932

Morio_Kitsune · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:38 pm Post subject:

Skatha · Adventurer Joined: 30 Jun 2008 Posts: 81

I have to agree with the majority of the posts here. I rp'd here years ago, then left the rp world for a few years, went to another shard, etc.

I came back within the past year, got into a vampire guild, attempted (key word, attempted) to play a vampire and discovered some very important facts and embarassed myself more than once. There is more lore about vampyes than one could absorb after years of research, and I walked into one of my first tavern nights and promptly *fed* on someone there.

The reaction was stunning, not in a good way, more as though i had been hit with a stun gun. I backed way off that (vamps tend to hide what they are when with mortals, feeding in public is simply not done in the better vampy societies.)

I pass that on simply to show that i have been where you were when you first came here, jumping right in without knowing the background and lore. I am very impatient, and sitting back and learning before doing is not my best thing, I don't want to make a new char or change names at this point, but i am finding i simply do not know enough about the lore of this rp community, and the sort of character i chose to play early on.

I agree with those who suggested you start with a rather ordinary character, and through your rp here, find a place where you fit. This community has some damn fine and talented rpers, listen and learn.

Your ability to be unique and creative is not in question. I think your real challenge here is one of observing the ethics of this community, and finding the place where you fit comfortably. Doing that will require all of your creativity and effort for a while. Develop a rather ordinary character, and as that char grows, it will be accepted and you add something absolutely spectacular to this community. After that, you can make another and jump in the deep end of the pool.

Also, we have just had a large influx of people to the ARPC, learning the lore that is so very strong here. So you will not be alone when working your way through this.

I hope you find a guild that will nurture you, and one to which your character can contribute. It's a two-way thing.... and will take a bit of time.

Did not mean to preach..... and best of luck.
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"I'll get you, Dorothy, and your little dog too!" L. Frank Baum

Teh Glouris Lrod Kujabis · Transcendent Spammer Joined: 29 Dec 2003 Posts: 5740

omera · Journeyman Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 124

I'm definitely not going with the 'teenage boy who is learning teh ropes' or anything similar. I'm going to consider making an individual of some off-sosaria civilization, and probably come up with detailed cultural information that would explain the character as best as I can.

Kaelthir · Certifiable Joined: 28 Aug 2004 Posts: 1932

I didn't say he had to be a teen :/

Ariana Lenoir · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:00 pm Post subject:

I think what folks are generally trying to help you with Omera is the frustration many rpers feel when joining a new community. If you have a character concept, especially for your first character, that throws up road blocks for them getting rp or acceptance you may find yourself really frustrated.

I think it's safe to say that everyone wants you to become a strong member in this community and really find your niche. If they didn't want that, than they wouldn't be offering you suggestions on how to get involved. Please understand that part of that is that they are honest and although their advice isn't what you may want to hear, there is helpfulness behind it.

As a past GM I really found that folks who were hard set into making really exotic or god-like characters... well, they were more trouble than they were worth and tended to be more high maintenance than the average rper.

I'm sure you're a much better rper than you were, but you need to start with more simple concepts before you get into really exotic character concepts. Being a human, elf, etc doesn't mean you have to be boring. I've known humans who were more complex and had much deeper character concepts than folks playing the exotics. You say you've grown as a rper and I admit when you I had the short opportunity to interact with you on your lizardman, it wasn't bad. However, you are going to find it hard pressed for many guilds to accept such exotic creatures into their ranks for many reasons that are ic for them.

I give you a challenge... try to really work on something like a human or an elf and put an awesome background character together for them. Let them grow as a character through game-play and you really might find yourself pleasantly surprised. Just because your character isn't exotic doesn't mean that you can't make your own stamp on the rp history. Give it a try and I'm sure with your improved rp skills and your obvious creativity you will find that being simple has as many rp challenges as being an exotic character.
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Teh Glouris Lrod Kujabis · Transcendent Spammer Joined: 29 Dec 2003 Posts: 5740

Yasamin · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:49 pm Post subject: