Considering different playing styles...

[Uglyhead]

No longer content with scratching out day-to-day existence, I've been considering trying a new, zen-ish, "Don't care much about the character, because they can just be replaced by another"

This has upsides, and downsides.

Upside: I may venture farther, and do things more reckless and daring than I ever have before.

Downside: It would probably clash with any reasonable character's sense of self-preservation.

So... now I need to either think up excuses to go on mad adventures, or simply play a character mad enough to not be concerned with his own well-being.

I'll give it a shot, at the least. Beware! Somebody dangerous is probably gonna be hittin' town soon!

Hoo-ah!

[zanthalandreams]

When I first began to play Armageddon about. . oh. . two years ago, I had absolutely no idea how deadly-dangerous the outside world was.  Now, on all the other HnS muds I've played, my favorite thing to do was explore.  That is really all I wanted to do here.  

So with that ignorance, I did.  I went places that now, two years later, I can't believe I saw.  I did things that I don't think I'll ever be "brave" enough to do again because I didn't have a certainty that it would kill me.

I asked a friend of mine recently, who happens to be a veteran player, why nearly all characters are so afraid to take risks and, as such, never really do a whole lot.   He said something to the effect of, "They're just afraid to lose their precious character.   You never were."  

I never did lose my character in the typical places or ways.  

If you can get away from the whole "don't want my character to die" attitude and just play, you will open up a whole new game for yourself.  It isn't that I lacked self-preservation, it is just that in my character's younger years, I was ignorant of the realities of the game world.  

Why be insane?   Just be ignorant.

[Angela Christine]

I think a "lucky" character can realistically become cocky enough to take insane risks.  

Suppose you are broke, and some shopkeeper tells you he needs salt, so you decide to go out to the salt flats and look for salt.  "After all," you think, "it can't be that dangerous if there is a whole shop based around salt."  Potential outcomes:  

1. You see something dangerous, and it kills you.
2. You see something dangerous, and it hurts you, but you survive.
3. You see something dangerous off in the distance, but it never gets close to you.
4. You see something dangerous-looking, and you kill it.
5. You don't see anything particularily dangerous, other than Suk Krath itself.

In senario 1 the character is dead, so the situation won't affect his future behavior.  Senarios 2, 3 and 4 could scare you away from ever leaving the city again, or they could convince you that you are good enough to avoid and survive the dangers of the wastes.  Senarios 4 or 5 could give you the impression that the wilderness isn't as dangerous as you thought, and cityfolk are a bunch of cowards jumping at shadows.  A cautious character would recognise the dangers and make plans to deal with them (like staying home or going with some friends, a wagon, or a Byn warband) while a foolhardy character will keep pushing his luck.

Being foolhardy isn't inherently bad RP, but you should have a reason for your character lacking normal caution and common sense.  He could be young and trying to prove himself or just looking for a thrill, the young often do foolish things.  He could be experienced, but have an element of Death Wish in his character; he knows he is taking foolish risks but he just doesn't give a damn any more.  Perhaps, like many half-elves, he just wants to prove that he is capable of taking care of himself without any help, not even the help of stout city walls.  He could have a driving goal, like finding the fabled White Carru, and he pursues it with dwarf-like determination regardless of the risks.  Or he could be a renegade or accused criminal, he can't go back to his home city and has no wish to live in any of the ragged barbarian camps that style themselves as centers of civilization, because he knows his home city is the only true, civilized city in the known world - he may go in to trade, but he has no wish to live as an outlander is a barbarian town.  Wow, look at that run-on sentance.

Anyway, my point is that as long as your character has a reason for acting in a way most people in his world would consider foolish, then it isn't bad RP.  It doesn't even have to be an objectively good reason, as long as he is consistant about it.  He may eventually grow out of it or find a reason to care again, but untill then his foolishness should have a theme.  If he is simply young and ignorant, he may be prone to other acts of folly like trusting a kank-trader who offers him a "great deal" on a slightly battered mount, or one that has a poorly hidden house sigil.  If he has experienced loss in his life, leading to a sort of deathwish state, he may mouth off or at least fail to show proper caution and respect toward House Guards, Militia, or dangerous-looking criminal types, unconcioiusly looking for the Zalanthan equivilent to Cop-assisted Suicide.

AC

[Master Z]

I've found that playing characters in exciting and dangerous situations can be a boatload of fun, but going out on suicidal adventures isn't the only avenue toward this. The most obvious example I can think of is a mugger or thief- they have good reason to put themselves into danger, and it can be lots of fun I'm sure. I'm pretty sure a world like Zalanthas would have muggers and the like, but probably because of the inherent danger people are weary of trying it. There are other things you can do, and not all involve roguish characters if you are creative enough. Take, as stranger example, someone who has some kind of belief, ability, or anything that puts them at high risk of being hated (something more extreme than "being an elf"). An example of this, maybe your character is an avid worshiper of some other sorcerer-king (its up to you to find a good reason this would be), and actively does things in their belief but is trying to hide it. Your character could be perfectly intelligent and rational, but they might have a dangerous day to day life. The risk can start at the application, not always 3 days down the line when you get bored. It would be important that your character's background explained his or her mindset distinctly, in my opinion, but I'm sure you knew that.

Just a thought.

[Rindan]

I have played more then my fair share of characters who were practically suicidal when I first started.  What I decided much later on is that those characters were not actually that much fun.  You can explore and have fun without being suicidal.  My most favorite character was the most confrontational and most well traveled character I had ever had.  He lasted nearly a year and did not die in a silly manner alone in some pit he fell into.

The key, in my opinion, is to play intelligently and with patience.  You have plenty of time to explore.  Do it in moderation and do not do it with a suicidal drive.  Start out and learn a weapon first.  Be able to defend yourself.  After a while, perhaps try poking your head out and exploring.  The most important thing to do when exploring is knowing when to call it quits and go home.  That, in my mind, is what allowed such an aggressive character to live for so long and explore so far.  He just knew when it was time to head home.  He knew when the risks had become too high.  When that happened, he simply called it quits, cut his losses, and went home.

The advantage to exploring with intelligence and not jumping feet first into every pit you find is that you can profit from your experience in a more long term manner.  If you find the black citadel of doom with a character and then die because you did not know when to call it quits, then you when you start another character you can't speak of your experience.  You get the one time thrill of seeing something different, but you don't get to profit from it ever again.  If you instead live, you get to return home armed with that information.  A worldly and experienced fellow is a highly valuable person.  Even if you don't feel like selling out your services, you will be a great bar top conversationalist.

So, explore if that tickles your fancy, but I personally think you are missing out if you just crank out desert elf explores who map ever square inch of the known world.  Exploring is only half the fun.  The real joy in my mind comes when you get to put that exploration to use and woo the ladies with tales of your amazing journeys.

[X-D]

I had a char that did find the black citadel of doom...so to speak, he decided that he would rather be able to tell the story rather then go get killed, leaving him alive to do a lot more exploring, that charector was oh so very careful through the first  half of his life, so that for the second half he could explore, he got to see more of the world then probobly all the rest of my chars put together.

I find, that for the most part I prefer to be patient and have just a bit of calculated recklessness to spice things up now and again. The best of all worlds as it would be, long lived char involved in the world and plots of it, but also does things for his own amusement.

[Cordon]

I had 50+ guys my first year of play.. Lost two guys the same day once.. Fell asleep waiting for the third to be approved. Was all worth it. Last two char have lasted as long as my first fifty combined.. Just had to get past that learning curve to the game XD

[X-D]

Longest thread necro ever.

[RogueGunslinger]

16 year thread necro and the first and last reply in between is you. That is awesome.

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Fucking amazing.

[flurry]

"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for."

[valeria]

16 year thread necro and the first and last reply in between is you. That is awesome.

h o l y s h i t

[LindseyBalboa]

Someone was born and got their first car in the time this thread was dead. That being said... in a world where death is around the corner for everyone, and savagery is the norm, I just don't think it's that weird for characters to ignore the possibility of death and do things that would be considered foolhardy in a modern perspective. Make that Kessel Run, overthrow your slave masters, go find a hidden castle and buried treasure; otherwise you're eating dirt and a Templar might kill you for sport anyway.

[Shaydee]

I wish I had read this thread sooner, I had my first character for almost 2 years (Didn't play that whole time) I finally stored that char and tried a new character type, and am terrified of leaving my comfort zone(This is my first Mud and I hesitate about so many things - asking my husband before I do a lot - pretty sure he is annoyed and would rather me just play and figure stuff out on my own - As that is what he tells me to do), but this thread really made me open my eyes. There ain't no reason for my current character to be afraid yet, so until she comes across a reason to fear exploration, she shouldn't be afraid. Now, she can be wary, and careful, but not afraid.

Just cause I am afraid of losing another character (I just had my first death recently) doesn't mean that I should play her like that and I think that's what had me stuck.

[Nile]

I have to say, I've never enjoyed it when I branch out from my seemingly archetypal playstyle. I just want grit and I know how to get it.

[chrisdcoulombe]

My character does what my character is going to do.  It works out sometimes well.  Other times its bloody.  I have played a lot of explorer types that make it quite a way into discovering.   I have made a lot of characters that die at 7 days  and 3 days played too.   I have had a few that hold up for a long time.  Its more about the adventure than the outcome really.  All characters die or get boring and store.  Make your character with a goal in mind and try to go towards it.  Not a focus like a dwarf, but just a goal a reason for doing what they do.  You can't beat the game, you can only rp and add to the history.

[Derain]

I as well do what my character would, if I get ordered to go mess with someone I do it. I get ordered to go to X place I do it. Asshole murders my employees, I make their life hell until one of us dies.. it is just how I have fun.