Atlantic Roleplay Community Boards

[Halister Marner]

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“Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.” - Author Unknown


I will try and keep this as short and to the point as possible, but certain things require extensiveness out of necessity.

As a community, we are at a point where our actions have become routine, and far more stagnant than they have been in a long while. There are comparatively few of us pushing forward and working towards the betterment and improvement of the community at large, and these things are beginning to wear on us. We have been losing a vast majority of new members this past year, either to inactivity or due to lack of interest.

We need to change.

I want you to imagine that the ARPC in its current environment is a novel. If you opened up that book, would you read it all the way through? Would you skip hours of sleep, your eyes glued to the pages as you intently read chapter by chapter, never wanting to put it down?

We need to become interesting again, both to ourselves and to the players sitting on the outside looking in. We need to have a driving purpose, a grand backdrop that forces us out of our comfort zones and gives us conflict, intrigue, and interaction. We need to once again create something worth reading about.

To illustrate what I'm trying to convey, I will use the example of the Regency's original founding many years ago. I'm definitely not saying this needs to be redone again, but the idea and its effects were remarkable. For those who weren't around then, the roleplayers of Atlantic created an in game government that was meant to rule in Lord British's stead. The community as a whole was forced to react, take sides, and generally find themselves thrust into a brand new scenario that would feed roleplay and storylines for years to come.

This is one of the major things we are missing, a long term backdrop that gives us a reason to compete, to roleplay, to act. Without the threat of King Edward, the story of William Wallace would have been awfully boring, and without some kind of driving force, our world is also doomed to an uninteresting fate.

If you've got this far, here is where I want to know where the community stands. I am willing to help change things as much as they need to be changed. For the out of game component, the current community structure and rules are located here. I will fully support every change expressed, even if it means scrapping everything, starting over, or whatever else we need to once again enkindle the passions that we have lost. As far as in game goes, I want to hear what you all think we need to make roleplay on Atlantic something that would lure you in and make you want to spend your free time participating in.

Please remember, this is a chance to bring about massive change that could turn this community into something greater than it has ever been. Please keep any drama or vendettas out of your replies, and post with the spirit of betterment and community.

For those who have quit, gone inactive, left the community, or have considered joining, I want your feedback and participation as well, I want to know what steps we need to take to bring you back into the community, and how we can go about implementing them.

Let's make something of our potential and find the path that will lead us into a greater era.
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"There are those who dream to escape reality, and there are those who dream to change it."

[Inkari Northwind]

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*bravo, brav efing O*

You speak my mind and heart. I came back but a short time ago and was being brought to light on current events by isk. The community involvement is deeeaaad argue what you want but whats the most active night? Tavern night. Why? Where's the days when icq's would pop off with raids? Grand pacts formed to defend and help? Conflict builds character....we need conflict. As to how to go about that? I dunno but damn we could use some air.
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"Life is but an Image, Of what honor truly is"
-Inkari Northwind

AKA Kurbda' PwNub

[Merci d'Rue]

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I agree that Change is needed that we always need to evolve. I agree that it is very easy to slip into what is familiar and routine and cling to it and fear anything new.

I am just as guilty of that as anyone else.

With that said my Proposition, though not capable of covering the wide array of the problems, deals with just one problem I have seen. I propose we create a nuetral, centralized spot for roleplay.

Right now we are spread out all over, and it is hard to interact and meet one another. Also some people are timid and want the interaction to occur naturally. Its hard to icq people you dont know and say lets rp!

My idea involves, setting up a constant place, like an NPC tavern we all agree on to go to, to find RP. If we as a community could agree to try and use this spot as a place to converge, then conflicts and meetings and friendships would naturally arise. Long ago Poet had a tavern just like this that everyone frequented. At this point I feel a step in the right direction is to bring something like that back. Now I am not suggesting another tavern night, I am not suggesting that we all *sit* in taverns. What I am suggesting is there is a nuetral place we can go to run into each other, to forge new rp relationships and let rp spawn off of there. I already have a few people, like Starfire that would be interested in going there regularly to serve drinks or hang out and rp or what have you.

However I need others help and support, in order for this to work we need people who are willing to go here from time to time to find rp to support activity. My hope is that if we try to visit it frequently or use it as an initial meet up spot to meet with others it will spurn more usage and more meetings and grow to something that takes off on its own.

My suggestion is to do this at the Tavern in Skara Brae as it is a very nuetral spot. However I would love to hear anyones feedback on this idea.

My other option is to suggest that the guild that is hosting tavern night be the location we use as our rp spot of the week, so that people know that is the place to go. However that is difficult as we want it to be nuetral.

Lastly, if we do create this place and once it is up and running and growing, it would be great to invite people from haven and luna to come visit so we could get some new blood in here to see whats going on.

These are my thoughts, it doesnt cover all the change we need by a longshot, but it is a start in that direction? Let me know what you think!
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May destiny guide you...

[Mairsil]

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I agree that a neutral centralized location for role play would make it easier for random rolepay to happen.

The thing I want to bring to light though is conflict.
I feel that one of the reasons this community has dwindled is that there's barely been any conflict in months, if not over a year.

When I look back over the years, I think of when I've seen a great deal of community involvement, and the wars all shine pretty brightly in my memory.
Some people like fighting and some people don't, but it isn't really about the fighting. It's about having to make a choice, taking action for the many different ideals our characters support.
Its about banding together, challenging each other, and facing the odds.

Now, before I go on, I'm not trying to say we just need to PVP more, and truth be told even when we have wars I don't necessarily like when every single guild in the community is on one side or the other..

But conflict does drive us, and its interesting.

Of course there needs to be role play there to support and justify that conflict, but role play without conflict is boring.


More and more I feel like I see that there's plenty of guilds that don't like each other, and for good reason in character --- but I've seen very little action on that front.
It is only my opinion, but I can't help but feel that there's too much emphasis (in character) on everyone just being friends.

We are a community, and we should be friends. OOCly we should work together and support each other as much as we can.

In character, however, is a different story. We have to be willing to start trouble once in a while.

A quote comes to mind, forgive me I can't recall who said it:

"There is no progress without struggle."
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"You see I can not be forsaken, because I'm not the only one. We walk amongst you, beating, r#ping, must we hide from everyone?" - Jon Davis

[Mairsil]

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Small note, just as a suggestion for a potential centralized location, what about the Brit fair grounds?

It's not huge...but there's tons of seating, a stage, the little archery range, plenty of room there or around for dueling or what not...and it's right next to a moon gate so easy to get to.

I know rply my character wouldn't up and say 'I want to go to the fair grounds today!' ...but, being that the fair grounds is close to a major city, it makes sense that it would be a central place for trade or to simply stop and rest too.

Just a suggestion.
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"You see I can not be forsaken, because I'm not the only one. We walk amongst you, beating, r#ping, must we hide from everyone?" - Jon Davis

[Molly]

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[Inkari Northwind]

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your exactly right mairsil...the community is so lack luster...me demanding twibute isn't even argued! At least call me a smelly oaf orc or something...lol Not that im saying its bad that you guys just fork over your goods but spice it up.

I understand the fact an orc's there to rp with is the main reason you guys are giving up your shinnies it's a really missed part of the community and the truth be told if Grish or someone came back I'd dissolve my clan and join theirs. But we do lack a sense of conflict, JUST A ROLL CALL but...where are the evil guilds at to rp with? TO MANY GOOD GUYS! you guys are just holding hands lol

maybe have ISK really push his humanis movement? Directed at all your either for humanity or against it? I mean we would defiantly need his input but that could be a starting point?
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"Life is but an Image, Of what honor truly is"
-Inkari Northwind

AKA Kurbda' PwNub

[Yasamin]

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It's not evil that's lacking, for a while it was GOOD!

Truthfully, I've even said before irl has taken me out a lot, but before that, the lack of conflict bored me. I'm a person who LOVES to argue with people she likes. When roleplaying, even if you aren't "Evil vs Good" you need to have Dude A against Dude B. Not just the pvp fights though. Truthfully, the pvp part kinda is the obvious boring part to me.

My favorite memories involve just plain being rp'ly rude or arguing, or kicking people out. Heck, being on Dory and fighting Gorgon was a blast. Or, sitting somewhere and just discussing something that was disagreed with. Heck, MTC start of just standing and guarding could be fun. Standing in Hanses, and a known bad guy walks in and you turn and GLARE for no reason. Seriously, the list of random conflict is endless. It doesn't have to be...

Rp'er 1 - Dude, I hate you.
Rp'er 2 - Dude, No, I hate you!

*fight*

Because, well, that's boring.

I want to see REAL interaction. Not, well, we wouldn't GO to your tavern, cause we hate you guys. If that's true, why do you hate them? You don't even see them! Heck, go to their tavern to mess with their heads! The irl person behind it will probably be grateful, and, if you're lucky, you just spawned an enemy that will make you so happy to fight ic with yet be friendly with ooc.

Just, at this point, interact with each other on a less than happy positive note. You don't have to interact every day, but darn it, go find someone out there to just plain rp with that might be against your ideals. Even best friends argue! Make a frienemy if that makes it easier. Just find the conflict. Two people arguing can literally bring two whole guilds together and build a whole world.
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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.

[Willow Smythe]

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I love this idea of a neutral location. Just like Merci, I'd take my chars there when I had nothing to do and waited for something to come of it. However, I don't want this to turn into is an ever running tavern night. Personally I always saw it as a location to just meet. Many plans were discussed and executed in Poet's. A very nostalgic part of me misses that aspect

Getting skirmishes and battle timers going again would be great too. One thing that we need to remember is that not every guild needs to be in every fight. One thing I just want everyone to keep in mind is that one guilds cause really isn't anothers just because they want a piece of the action. Heck, if you aren't the two (or number of actual effected parties) take a stealther if you want to see the action unfold.

I want to bring up a point and hopefully I won't be seen as negative but more so constructive...

We can't expect other's to drive our characters...not on a constant basis

In order for this idea to work properly it's going to take getting into game, even maybe when we aren't quite feeling up to it and participating.

Now I am not suggesting that we log in all the time when we don't feel like it but if we don't even have enough motivation to log in on the characters of our creation, how on earth can we expect other's to develope plots and conflicts/friendships with them?


I'm just saying that it really is a two way street. I understand that it's hard to log in on your characters when you "have nothing to do" but I also know how disheartening it is when you have a plot going and less than half of the people who signed up for it, actually show up to participate. Actions very much speak louder than words. Lets start appreciating eachother more and work with what we have going for us.

271803558 is my ICQ. Can't wait to RP with you.
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Malorn ‎(12:14 AM):
I'm an idiot

[Yokore]

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While I am very new here, I figure I'll post what I've seen so far and what I learned back in the old UO days.

So far everyone has brought up great points and I can't stress enough how useful a neutral meeting ground for all of the guilds in the community can be, it give you a constant IC way to go about and see if anyone is looking for RP at the moment without having to break the mood and start yelling over your chat channels should you not feel like it. The biggest thing for me though, Yasamin hit right on the head. I've not seen an over abundance of it here, but I am back from the Fellucca only days where it ran rampant.

" I hate you!"
"Me too!"

-Insert PvP-

While I think combat is a vital part of near every character, their should be much more actual conflict than blood shed. A PvP fight does nothing to build you character, it just flexes how much time you've spent on gear and skills. I've always felt the fight should come when nothing else can resolve your conflict, or the meeting between your two characters absolutely calls for it. The most important part of what we do here is the stories we weave together and the characters we make others love, or love to hate. Just remember, some of the greatest villains in history never had to raise a finger to do their dirty deeds.

Also, on the point of an in game government I love the idea personally. Closest we ever had was a Council of Virtue where I was, but a true ruling body coming together makes so many possible plots come together it's dizzying. To have authority gives us enforcers, rebels, plotters, spies and a plethora of other options that can only be enacted on the small scale when you're limited to guild allies and foes. Annnnyways, that's just my small amount of input on the matter.

ICQ: 606142589 Please, feel free to contact me for anything!

[Beleth]

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The tavern/centralized location idea has been tried in the past and has failed in the past. Please don't take this as a "omg i hate ARPCz and want to be negative" post, but for those of us there when Rivendell finally died, you know it was tried several times after and snuffs out.

Now, for my idea.

Though it isn't complete yet, we have been given a Mage Tower again, lets make use of it. Form a true Council of Mages open to ALL, good/evil/what have you. It allows for bad guys to interact with good guys without it being just outright strange. Use the Mage Tower itself as the starting point for RP events as posted before AND incorporate Halister's point of a all encompassing plotline that everyone can get involved with.

I haven't thought out the exact details as honestly, this shouldn't be done by one person but...

-Come up with a reason that this new Mage Council is formed

-Find a way to incorporate non-casters into it

-Determine any outright RP opposition to the council and reasons why so a "Regency vs anti-Regency" feel can be had again (though this could come from internal strife to begin with)

-The BIG key is, find a reason that the bad guys would care enough to sit on a council with good guys and not kill each other

Or... lets sit and chat in a tavern.
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[Arahim]

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I'm someone who comes and goes as far as this community is concerned. Very often I lose any interest at all in the goings on here, and a big reason was logging on for a few hours, then logging off thinking, "Boy. That was a waste of time."

These days there is just such a deluge of Ha-ha rp that seems to take place mostly in the ARPC chat channel. Squeeks, and burps, and drunk jokes, and requests for femmies. If it puts off regular players, and it does, how do we expect to keep any interest for new players?

The boards read like Facebook. Theres more, "What song can't you get out of your head" than a free sharing and support of people who are actually posting open RP, In Character stories.

There is a ton of, "Yeah! RP!" and no follow through except for a small group who put themselves out there, invite others to join in, then watch aghast when no one does what they say.

Stonegate and Ashencrosse rped an entire story where they asked for volunteers for an endgame, or invited anyone to hop in where they thought they'd like to a very limited response. But while said rp was going on, we were treated to *burps* and drunk jokes and general ooc chat on the Rp channel. Nice. So you KNOW folks are on, but couldn't be bothered to actually RP.

We can't claim 'rp community' if no one wants to go out on a limb and rp anything past romances or joke laden goofiness. I mean they have their place, but c'mon.

We also can't claim 'rp community' if we don't do anything but tavern nights together. Theres no community in what we're doing right now.

And Tavern Nights are BRUTAL 9 of 10 times. Its just the RP Channel brought to life. Jokes. Flirting. Cheesy innuendo.

Now I know there isn't alot in the way of solution here, but I'm more than open to further discussion.

[Inkari Northwind]

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How about the orc's take all the femmies and you bozo's come and get em
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"Life is but an Image, Of what honor truly is"
-Inkari Northwind

AKA Kurbda' PwNub

[Joanna Weaver]

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I really like the mage tower idea. There are all sorts of wicked things that could happen with that.

Someone just start doing something already. There is all this discussion on the forums but forget about getting people to vote it in, forget about running it by people, forget about warning people, just get in game and do it.

Sure you might only get a few people the first time to attend, but if you stick to it and keep it active and interesting, word will spread. People WANT to do things. People don't want to be excluded or feel their RP doesn't count. They will be there if it sounds interesting. Word of mouth is great for that.

When you are doing your big roleplay plots, unless you have a specific outcome you need to achieve, leave it flexible enough to be altered by external factors - i.e. other people who join in. Example: new group c just heard about the situation and did such and such, throwing the plot way off course in a new and unexpected, yet strangely fun way. It is just not nice or fair to ignore when things change because a person or new group joined in and offered a new idea. This has happened so many times over the years. People don't want to feel like their RP was basically tossed in the trash. They want to feel like they made a difference, that they mattered. If they feel that they have wasted their time trying to participate, you can be sure they likely won't participate again.


Orcs- do it. Just randomly kidnap someone in game. No one reacts? Kidnap someone else to join them. Keep doing it until someone notices IC that a lot of people are going missing.

If you have people in jail, log in to RP with them as much as you can. Sitting in jail is boring. This person(s) was willing to be a victim OOC/play along in good sport, make it worth their time. I have seen too many people quit on jail ideas because sitting in jail in game for hours every day for weeks is simply not fun. Put them to work as slave labor or something. Drag them with you on chains (ok that advice is purely from an evil perspective but good guys can have them do hard labor, also )

Extra tavern night event thing - just do it. Like I said above, word will spread.

I'll be back with more nuggets of knowledge later.
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"Art and architecture must combine to create something larger than either." ~ Robert Campbell

[Wynn]

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One thing I want to mention. The Rp channel was brought up. That channel is for chatting. Not rp. If your char is a drunk or mouse or anything orc mabey. Then you would mabey respond in that char. That does not mean that you are ic. You really dont have to turn it on if you dont want to. It is a great resource to use if you dont have someones ICQ. Mabey you want to have a giggle ect.

I do think that mabey a common area at first to help us all be in one area to find rp would be a good idea. Then we can spread from there. Lets start small then get bigger.

I do think that we can build this community up as it was. We all working together and well Many more Isks (even tho I am his favorite elf).

This is a great community. With a great bunch of people. Lets show Atlantic how great this community is.
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What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it.
-- Anonymous