I am so sick of watching you RP freaks

I am so sick of watching you RP freaks as a bystander. It seems like so much fun, but unlike those that lean more towards powergaming who collect facts and figures, and numbers and percentages to look at, RP is much harder cause there are no hard facts and guidlines as roleplaying is more an evolving style of gameplay rather than a linear journey from point A to point B like normal game mechanics.

Are there any general rules you try to follow when you decide to create a role you like? This is a very daunting for us less creative types, and is a definite handicapp that I have in wanting to attempt RP. Whereas in powergaming you can tell whether you're doing good or not, (either you're mowing stuff down or you aren't) RP is more aesthetics of the game.

Lol, it drives me nuts sometimes, Ill look at you guys and go, " I cant believe it, that guy's been level 2 for a month, and he's perfectly satisfied with the game, and where he's at!".

It does take adjusting my mindset some, but as I said, Im trying something very new to me, and could use guidance from the RP types. Any suggestions would be greatly appreaciated.

I'll continue to use my current toon strictly for levelling and exploring game content, and keep "Solo" strictly for powergaming, but would like some advice on how to create a character I like for whatever new toon I make that will be strictly for RP.

Specific questions I have:

-Do I choose on an AT, and build a personality from there?

-would it be easier to choose a "personality quirk" and evolve my character from that, or would that be too dependant on my quirk?

-If I start on one type of character I wanna play, and decide I want to take the character's direction in a new way, should I create a new one so not confuse the other players, or is it in the general guidlines to inform everyone Im trying to go into a new direction?

-What would be considered NOT acceptable behavior? as in, it seems RP feeds off of each other's impromptu addition to an evolving script, that being said, if X RP'er says I clobber you on the head with this, is it a general rule that I should follow through with X's actions, or is it okay if I try to change the direction of the interaction if it is a sensible action?

-Is there one specific type of RP that is better than another, or a better RP class that will get me better XP so I can power RP faster, and is there a thread somewhere that I can read the most recent RP exploits, so I can fly my way up the RP levels? What's a good template to use for Power RPing. Oh.... wait.... nm. Sorry : (

Help please, Im way outta my league with this, so Im coming to the RP community to ask for help. What would be common sense to you, will most likely be a stretch for me, so don't think you're insulting my intelligence by saying something that is very basic to RP, cause most likely, it will be a whole new concept for me to absorb.

Lol, or you can flame me and all powergamers if you like, just do it in character pls, as maybe I can learn something about RP from that too. : p

Thank you.

Solo

Whale tinks dis is da gooderest game to leern dat arpee stuff in. Its bunchies like da real world so joo dont haf to be all differents ifn joo no wanna. Da easierest ways to doos it is to tink "Ifn I had dese powas and dis happended to me wut wood I doos? "

(( You do not have to create a new toon or anything, just take the guy you already have an imagine what you would do if all this junk happened to you. Its role playing. You are takin the role of the toon similar to an actor in a film. If you are worried aobu tnot being the best Rper just let people know and they can give you hints/tips etc. If you are on Virtue server just hang out in AP by Atlas and join in the conversations. Just a bit of advice...some people think they can be a jerk and just say "Hey I am rpin and my guy is a ********". Well if you are playin an ahole my guys is going to react to you like you are an ahole. Enough talkin, just have fun with it ))

Welcome to trying a role playing character.
The first step is to decide what AT you want. I like getting in close and fighting, but I like being with groups, so I went with the tanker.
Second, choose your powers and try to fit them around a theme. My guy is an inv/super str tanker. My theme is a man trapped inside a suit of power armor
Third, come up with a story for your character. You can always edit it later if you don't like it.
Lastly, I love to plan out my character's development. Because I have it planned out, I can inform others of what I am going to do, and it makes it easier for others to RP with me.

Hope that helps.

The Pscyborg
Protector sever

Getting involved in RP is really pretty easy -- you just need to jump in and start. The best way to do that is to drop by the Virtue server, since it's more likely you'll bump into RPers there. It's also useful to look around for people who put "RP" in their Info, as well as for people from known RP supergroups.

Let me try to address your specific questions in a specific fashion.

Do I choose on an AT, and build a personality from there?
That's one way to do it. Your archetype and power sets can suggest specific things about your character. A fire-type character might be hot-headed and quick to anger, while an ice-type character could be very cold and efficient. When you don't have any character concept ideas, using your powers as a jumping off point often works well.

Of course, it's also quite possible to play a normal person who happens to have superpowers. That in itself can be great fun.

Would it be easier to choose a "personality quirk" and evolve my character from that, or would that be too dependant on my quirk?

Quirk-based characters can be lots of fun, but you can also burn out on them fairly quickly. If you use the quirk as a starting point and then evolve a more complete personality from there, though, you can get a lot of life out of the character.

Here's something you might want to try. Write down a list of adjectives that describes your character's mindset -- say "manipulative," "cold," and "secretive." Then try to answer some questions about his past. How did he get to be that way? When did he first find his powers? How does he interact with other people? You could also try thinking of movie or book characters that are similar to him and considering what makes him similar, or different, from them.

If I start on one type of character I wanna play, and decide I want to take the character's direction in a new way, should I create a new one so not confuse the other players, or is it in the general guidlines to inform everyone Im trying to go into a new direction?

It depends on how major the shift is. If you want the character to become completely different, you can either create a new one or have something major befall the old one that completely changes his mindset. More gradual changes -- even if they're big ones -- can usually be RPed out. Depending on the people you play with, they may or may not want fair warning about it OOCly.

What would be considered NOT acceptable behavior? as in, it seems RP feeds off of each other's impromptu addition to an evolving script, that being said, if X RP'er says I clobber you on the head with this, is it a general rule that I should follow through with X's actions, or is it okay if I try to change the direction of the interaction if it is a sensible action?

People should never emote things like that ("X smashes Y upside the head, knocking him out") unless they're pre-scripted. That sort of thing is called powerplaying and isn't a good thing. In those cases, you should reword the action to imply an attempt ("X leaps at Y, trying to smash his head in") and the other person can either agree to it ("Y falls back, stunned from the blow") or not ("Y ducks out of the way at the last minute").

The major rules about freeform RP are don't be invincible, don't control other people's characters, don't do things that make people uncomfortable, and don't use OOC (out of character) information IC (in character; this latter thing is called "metagaming"). Of course, those rules can be broken in the case of mutual player consent or with people who know each other well.

There used to be a thread running around in this forum that laid out some ground rules for freeform RP, but I don't know where it is right now. Most RPers are happy to help bring new people into the fold and to share tips and tricks on how to make a good, interesting scene, so feel free to ask questions.

((Best advice I can give....hmmmm. Starting off just hang around some RP'ers and chat. Keep it light hearted......just like real life.

There's no need to go overboard and plan out a detailed history and everything right from the get go. You may have an idea what you want 'Solo' to be....and RP'ing with some folks could help you flesh out those details. RP isn't tough....all it takes is a little practice.

If you want to take a different direction with the character and it doesn't mean changing your powers totally, altering your responses to reflect a mood, etc will be noticed by folks you RP with regularly.....and in turn the 'change of direction' can become an RP theme in itself.

So basically kick back, relax and above all......have fun. ))

There's really no one way to approach roleplaying. Many people, after having done it for quite a while, will get down a specific order in which they like to create a character.

Also, you need to decide just how deep you want to take it. You could be all loosey-goosey, coming up with a quick idea for how you want your character to act and then just jumping right in.

Or, you can figure out an entire backstory for your character, including events that have shaped the person you want them to be. I'll try to give a quick example on how I came up with the character of Slipshod.

First, I'm used to playing characters that are mature in their thoughts, so I wanted to play someone with very little knowledge of how the real world operates. But I didn't want to roleplay a little kid, so I came up with a way to play a 17 year old who still kind of had the mind of a little kid. (see link at bottom of post! end shameless plug). I then plotted out his past, from the life-changing moments of his early life, to the point where he became a superhero. By using these guidelines, I can easily "pretend" to be this character, because it's as if I've lived their life alongside them.

That would be an example of detailing everything. If I wanted to be loosey-goosey, I could have just said, "I want to be someone who's dilligent and wants to become a better person." Then I'd go find a group of RPers and jump in, coming up with crap off the top of my head.

Unlike most roleplayers, though, I can barely carry an idea throughout an entire post, so, uh... you might want to ignore everything I just said. ::blathers on, and on::

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Are there any general rules you try to follow when you decide to create a role you like?


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The only rules I follow are, a) does this sound like a cool concept, b) how often has it been done before, c) will I enjoy it?
But I made those rules up. It's all up to you.
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...but would like some advice on how to create a character I like for whatever new toon I make that will be strictly for RP.


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When you create a new character, one tip is to think about what kind of hero YOU would be, if you were a hero. If you're trying to escape your personality by RPing, though, I would suggest looking at comics, movies, etc. for inspiration for characters. But don't let that limit your creativity. Try looking for common stereotypes (the weak scrawny guy with glasses) and turn them upside down (unbelievably strong scrawny guy with glasses ). But, like I said, as long as you're comfortable acting like this person while RPing, then you have the perfect character.
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-Do I choose on an AT, and build a personality from there?


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I never do. ATs are restrictive. Think outside of game mechanics, and create a hero with maybe five powers if you like. Then decide how you can make the character work in the game setting. I, personally, would never create an RP character for one game alone. I'd create a concept and then modify it for whichever game I happen to be RPing in.
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-would it be easier to choose a "personality quirk" and evolve my character from that, or would that be too dependant on my quirk?


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Entirely up to you. If you're one of those people who have NO problem going around with a crazy accent and ALWAYS typing your sentences that way, go for the quirk. But sometimes it's better to add quirks in to add color to an already existing character. Simply depends on your style.
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-If I start on one type of character I wanna play, and decide I want to take the character's direction in a new way, should I create a new one so not confuse the other players, or is it in the general guidlines to inform everyone Im trying to go into a new direction?


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Well, once again it all depends. If you absolutely LOVE your character concept, but sorely regret making them a silent professional killer-type, have them gain a love interest that changes their personality. There's no one answer to questions like these.
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-What would be considered NOT acceptable behavior? as in, it seems RP feeds off of each other's impromptu addition to an evolving script, that being said, if X RP'er says I clobber you on the head with this, is it a general rule that I should follow through with X's actions, or is it okay if I try to change the direction of the interaction if it is a sensible action?


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Like someone else said, it's a general rule that you never, a) control another person's character, or b) decide the outcome of your attack on another person's character.

So if someone says, "My psychic character launches a mental attack on you", and you know your character is robotic and immune to psychics, you have the right to say, "My robotic character is unaffected by the attack, and goes on to..."
But just make sure your character is never invincible. His attacks shouldn't always go as planned, and he should take a few hits or even get knocked out once in a while.

I hope I helped a little. Good luck learning the ropes. And remember, RPing is a very relaxed thing. There are very few hard guidelines, and even then you can change them if you're with friends.

First of all, if you have ever been in a Drama class in school, think back to that; it might help . All you have to do is pretend to be someone that you are not.
Don't worry about what other people think about your character, it is not you.
The first thing I would suggest in creating a RPing character is pick an origin that would tell how you got your powers. Then using that origin, create a story about how you got your powers and a little background of your character's personality. Lastly, speek how your character would speek based upon your background.
Another way to do it is to just start typing differently and build your story around that; just make sure that how you are talking match how you look, gets a little less confusing that way . That is how I made my RPing character. I made a character then one day just started talking in third person and decided that my character was a barbarian since he looked kind of like one.
The last thing I have to add is, have fun .

Thanks everybody, for the time you've put into your responses, and for the very thoughtful advice. I'm even more pressured now, cause with all the helpful suggestions you've given so far, that's even MORE I dont wanna fall outa the rules, or screw things up. Ill watch for awhile, maybe learn something. My biggest worry is that I dont want to offend. Granted, I AM a powergamer, and I like to know I found every nook and cranny in the game, and levelled like a monster, but I don't like pushing anyone's buttons in doing so. My primary worry is not going "out of bounds" with things, so Ill be watching and observing till I feel comfy around the rp circle. Pls, anyone else, keep the suggestiions coming, Im gaining a lot from this. Thank you very much again RP'ers, it's kinda nice to hang with the "other" side, lol.

Glad we could help start your conversion from the dark side.

Don't forget, just like Powergamers, some Roleplayers are "hardcore" as well.. You'll always find one or two who will bash you for the slightest thing they think is a slip-up. But also just like powergamers, there are many kinds of roleplayers.

So, look for ones that match your own playstyle. Many roleplayers will have moments where they're totally in character, and others where they just want to play and level. If that sounds like what you'd be interested in doing, then look for people like that.

You've got a good starting point, though. Just knowing that you're tolerant of the way other people like to play will make many roleplayers look up to you, because they've got this general idea that anyone who isn't an RPer is out to get them. And heck, we all love it when anyone, no matter who, shows interest in roleplaying. So just show some initiative, and anyone who isn't a punk is going to have fun with you. And anyone who doesn't isn't worth your time.

Good luck!

.. oh, by the way, what server are you on? If you mentioned, I forgot.

What I did is simple.

I thought of a character I really liked... Sly... I thought if his personality... then I thought, ok... what would his powers be?

And it came from there.

Always exciting for me to go back to this thread and read the latest Oh, um... well...if you're on Virtue, Im the blue and red guy that peeks in all the time. Solo. I dont wanna screw it up, so I dont plan to do any RP with that toon. If Im around,that's just me taking mental notes, scribbling on the paper, erasing, writing more notes.

Nkay, I did ATTEMPT the RP thing tonight in a place where I was anonymous. Test Server. I threw up a quick toon named "Funky Chicken" that looked like a pudgy chicken, and thought of everything I could from the cheezy 70s shows, or the guy in the club that thinks he's hot, but he's really a complete dork. Yknow, the "Heyyyy layyydeeessss" type. I tried my best to stay in character, and be a studly chicken, and say stuff like "watch it ladies, you dont wanna get to close to my "funk radius", cause it drives the ladies wild, and who knows what'll happen" All the while Im doing the stupidest of the new "dance" emotes that I can, shaking my pudgy little chicken butt, and before I knew it, there was like this huge dance party all around me, and I didnt know what to do. I was Awestruck! They gathered around to watch me shake my chicken butt and flirt hopelessly with the laaayyydeeesss and everybody in atlas crowded around and danced with me! Then the defenders and controllers came, and started doing some light shows for the rave atmosphere, then I started flipping my sg costume colors on and off for more rave effects, then everybody got into it, and it was unreal! We took it into the pond around miss Liberty, and before you know it, there was this HUGE pool party all around my wiggly chicken butt! Then a disco duck and a disco penguin showed up, and the thing just hit the roof in the middle of the morning! Whoah! It was a blast! Hopefully the screencaps make it to COH.

Anyways, with the notes you guys gave me, I tried to keep it simple, not a long term character I wanted to play, but something I could do to practice staying in character, and to live a cheezy character that matched, a little quirky, but something simple and not an ongoing thing, and it was super fun! This is my first mini attempt at RP, and it turned into easily the most memorable moment I've had in an mmorpg. Even better when I hit 40 the first time... and the second...(hey, can't flame now,I told ya I was a powergamer and ya went and helped me anyways, so : p) j/k. Thanks for the nudge guys, I owe my very first funky chicken pool party to you.

-Side note, I can't wait till the RPers get ahold of all the new emotes that are coming in the big update. I'm dying to see what you guys do with them! It's gonna be awesome!

nkay, Im off ta bed after a great night. Don't mind me if I keep watching and taking notes, I dont plan to jump in, I just wanna take it slow and balance my RP education with my powergaming. Ummm yeah, lol, and dont even try RP with "Solo", cause Im gonna run away screaming with embarassment if I cant think of anything to say from the pressure.

Nkay, night RP peeps.

Always good to see another RPer. Look me up if you're ever on Pinnacle.

Well done, man. You certainly started off on the right foot I think. My first character that I RPed quite a few years ago was a alcoholic Dwarf Pirate, so there is something to be said for creating a slightly over-the-top quirky character. As you play him, as strange and out there as it may seem at first, you will gradually add depth to him--It certainly doesn't have to be all at once. I've found one of the best parts about RPing is getting to know my character as it grows and evolves, even from a silly and simple first step.
Anyway, good job bud. Just like any other time you really have to put yourself out there Roleplaying takes some guts. You've got the hardest part out of the way, now have fun!

OOC: Welp, I jumped in. I have trouble RPing with Solo, cause that character is the closest to me, (kinda quiet, kinda shy) so I made a new character and jumped right in, and had a blast. Just sayin. Iguess Ill keep Solo my non RP character.
I do realize that I enjoy a more relaxed, humorous environment to be in, rather than more serious environment, where harsher ideals are expressed in character by folks, but all in all, at the level I found my comfy spot in, RP is the spot for me.
No reason for posting other than to document my journey into RP, and hoping that someone else reads this post, wanting to try RP, and could hear something from a converted "Powergamer" into the sport.
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. They helped me out alot.

Glad to hear it. I'm also glad you entered this without concentrating on the multiple stereotypes about RPers (mostly created because of those hardcore extremist RPers that seem to stand out more than the majority of us. ) I hope it all works out well for you, I have a feeling you're going to have a lot of fun (not to mention seriously increase the lifespan of City of Heroes for yourself).