Mentorship

[killa]

i say a small trainning room that teaches you how to play and in the newbie spawn at each starting zone have a map of the city that u can look at

[sjanimal]

One of the reasons why I like the mentor idea so well is because I want someone that I can look up to and work with to improve my role play skillz.  I get feedback from the staff sometimes, and find it really helpful.  However staff members are often too busy to give me the level of supervision I want (need?  =-)  )   .
As far as helperz go....I found them to be very helpful about giving me advice on how to get started....how to emote....how to learn the basics.  But they haven't always been able to answer my more advanced questions, nor would it always be appropriate to share with them.

I'd rather have kind of a Big Brother/Big Sister program  where I can roleplay with someone who has mad skillz and learn from them.  Get feedback from someone who's opinion actually interests me rather than random/disjointed feedback.

[Tamarin]

I really, really, really don't think that good roleplaying can be taught.  I think you can teach someone how to not roleplay -badly-, and how to interact with the game world in general, but teaching good roleplaying?  Naw...it's too subjective.

I dunno...I like how helpers work.  I think that under the new website design, helpers should maybe just be emphasized more than they currently are.

[Graydread]

I Beg to disagree, Tamarin. Roleplaying can be taught. Why do I think this? Not because I'm some kind of ace RPer, I'm not, but I do have a background in Improv Theatre. Have a look at Keith Johnstone's Impro - it sets out a number of basic principles and techniques for improvising - things like accepting offers, avoiding blocks, listening, creating scenes - and these techniques can be and are taught to actors every day.

Is there a reason why Armers should be different? IMHO, providing someone is willing to learn, they can leap ahead of those relying on simple experience by being trained. To me that seems like the strength of the mentorship/training room concept - better RPing for everyone in Zalanthas. What do others think?

[Tamarin]

I agree, the basic principles of improvisation can be taught...hell, I'm studying jazz, and every year I take an improv course.  They teach us techniques to use during improv, but just because someone knows what they are, doesn't mean they are a good RPer.  Knowing the basics of RP interaction that you just described, I think, would make one a passable RPer at best.

[Graydread]

just because someone knows what they are, doesn't mean they are a good RPer. Knowing the basics of RP interaction that you just described, I think, would make one a passable RPer at best.

You're right. Simply knowing something isn't the same as being able to do it. But isn't that exactly where a mentor or a training room could really benefit newbies (such as myself :lol: )? Training to use this knowledge with a teacher or coach can be more effective than simple trial and error in game. God knows, I could do with some training right now! This is one challenging world you've got here!! :wink:

[Bestatte]

Graydread, something you (or anyone else) can do in lieu of a "training room":

First, poke around the town you're in, read the room descriptions, find one that seems to be uninhabited (by VNPCs) or inhabited by people -other- than the law-enforcing types or those who might be upset if you do something bad (so don't go into an NPC-run shop). Some little alcove somewhere, or a vacant apartment that has its door opened, or an abandoned building, etc. etc. etc.

Then, find yourself a mentor who has AIM or some other IM system that you can talk to "live".

Then, while you're in the uninhabited room, set up a scene for yourself. I'm not sure how the staff would respond to this, but perhaps a "wish" to let them know you're just practicing with various commands and don't want to disrupt RP of others will be helpful.

Then practice with emotes first. Get that bad boy out of the way, so you can get a feel for how it's all implemented in the game. I found it VERY difficult to try and emote properly when I first started, because I was surrounded by other PCs, which meant other players were watching me and that was intimidating.

Pick an object in the room (example: a table in the corner) or an object in your inventory (your pack) - and emote your ever-lovin brains out in reaction to the object's existence. Make it mundane, make it fancy, it doesn't matter. Just so you can get a chance to use all the different emote commands without people looking at you funny.

This is gonna be -totally- OOC, unless you can come up with a reason why your character keeps messing around with his pack, heh.

Practice stand and sit emotes, practice resting, learn the habit of typing "look tables" and "sit at 3" - experiment with keywords, experiment with sheathing/drawing, all those things that your character might do that doesn't involve another character (whether PC, NPC, or virtual).

Use your helper for suggestions on things to try, send him the line showing what you typed to create an emote, ask him for feedback on the line, even ask him what his character would see if he was in the room watching you emote whatever you emoted.

I did this on occasion in my first couple of weeks playing and it really did help me out.

[Graydread]

Thanks Bestatte, I'll definately do this. Although, I have to say that I'm leery of going for walks with PCs - heard too many stories of innocent newbies being lured into dard alleys and then murdered. On a more general note, while what you suggest will certainly work, wouldn't a more structured mentoring  and training system be a benefit to all newbies?

[Bestatte]

We have one, it's just not implemented within the game itself. My suggestions were for the present time - if the staff chooses to implement something that will work in-game later, that would be good too. Just - not an OOC "channel" - those things give me the heebiejeebies.

As for walking around, try to stick fairly close to the main strip. In Allanak I can think of a few places, in Tuluk not as many but still plenty. None are "secret" but all are (for the most part) not common spots you'd find other PCs or NPCs hanging out (mostly because they're boring, not because of any built-in danger).

[sjanimal]

*bump*