Solo RP

[Darmonator]

I'm sure this has been discussed in great detail so if someone can point me to the appropriate past thread that would be great. But I just had a few questions concerning solo roleplay.

I am a hunter who likes to go on hunts often(but not excessively).

1) Am I supposed to being doing emote's and other solo roleplay type actions to show or prove I am not spamming, etc.
2) Will solo roleplay help me get karma? I have played a long time and generally always tried to roleplay properly but just now got my first karma point.

[Riev]

I'm sure this has been discussed in great detail so if someone can point me to the appropriate past thread that would be great. But I just had a few questions concerning solo roleplay.

I am a hunter who likes to go on hunts often(but not excessively).

1) Am I supposed to being doing emote's and other solo roleplay type actions to show or prove I am not spamming, etc.
2) Will solo roleplay help me get karma? I have played a long time and generally always tried to roleplay properly but just now got my first karma point.

1. There is no "supposed" for anything. If you feel the NEED to emote while doing something, you are spamming. Some actions ASK for it (re: Foraging) but there is no "do it x amount of times per coded skill".

2. Karma is just an OOC trust level with the imms. Spelling, actual roleplay, how well you lead, and how trustworthy you would be not to just spam forage for 8 days and never sleep.

[SMuz]

For skinning/crafting, you do have to do some emoting. An imm actually told me personally

I know some people who do a light emote when skinning, like ":flays the body with ~knife" before skinning and that's it. Personally, when solo skinning, I do a bit more, depending on how much I get from the body. Something like
:slices the head from the body.
:lays ~knife onto the creature's thighs and snaps off the legs carefully.
:runs ~knife along the flanks of the body, carving out a few slices of meat.

The more food, the more I emote from it. In a way, it's like a tribute to the mighty imms who gave me such bounty.. and in a way, it makes me more grateful for what I got and discourages me from overhunting because I'd have to emote a lot.

For foraging, I just emote whenever I feel like it. Yeah, you're not "supposed" to do it, but seriously, man, spam foraging (or spam anything) is boring. Emotes make it so much more fun.

Other players will probably have better advice though. I'm just a 0-karma noob

[Nile]

.
2) Will solo roleplay help me get karma? I have played a long time and generally always tried to roleplay properly but just now got my first karma point.

From my experience its a no. I solo RP way too much. More than anyone else on this game. No doubt. And it has never earned me a karma point.

[Comrade Canadia]

Playing a compelling character is a prerequisite for karma, but it's not how you get it. Karma is about how much you're trusted to do well with potentially powerful roles.

In terms of solo roleplay, I try to keep solo RP compelling for myself by spamming emotes and thinks and sort of getting into the moment with my character. The trick to solo RP is your character should be interesting to you when he's alone. If he is, how he acts in certain situations should write itself.

So when you're hunting - starting thinking of stuff he'd do. When he hunts for tracks, does he just "emote looks at the ground, frowning." or does he instead come across a spoor from the beast - or maybe the remains of a kill? When he's in combat, does he have any cool fight moves? If he takes a hit, do you just walk it off, or do you RP the fact you just got a huge horn in the stomach?

What you want to be doing is creating a scene. When you use code, you're interacting with the game world. the reason imms like you to use emotes with code isn't because they're trying to torture you, it's because it's expected that you will explain HOW you are interacting with the game world. Personalize it. No character fights, sits, hunts, or obsessively types 'l n; l w; l s' like your guy does. Emotes, thinks, hemotes, feels and all that are how you put your personal stamp on all these generic coded actions. Without those, your character becomes an automaton when alone, and the game gets narrowed down from a roleplaying game to a video game that's purely about improving skills.

[FantasyWriter]

What you want to be doing is creating a scene. When you use code, you're interacting with the game world. the reason imms like you to use emotes with code isn't because they're trying to torture you, it's because it's expected that you will explain HOW you are interacting with the game world. Personalize it. No character fights, sits, hunts, or obsessively types 'l n; l w; l s' like your guy does. Emotes, thinks, hemotes, feels and all that are how you put your personal stamp on all these generic coded actions. Without those, your character becomes an automaton when alone, and the game gets narrowed down from a roleplaying game to a video game that's purely about improving skills.

Well said... I applaud the statement.

[Darmonator]

I disagree or question the above for a few reasons.

1) If you are alone, unless the IMM's take pleasure in watching you emote and think while doing mundane tasks such as hunting and skinning solo then I see no need to do it.

2) You use think and emotes to create a story and provide insight into your character. When solo there is no need to provide insight into mundane tasks such as hunting.

3) I can totally see plenty of emoting and thinking when interacting with other characters because that is the joy of the game. Interacting. And I can see emoting and thinking when showing Imms and other PC's your reasoning for doing non-mundane things.

4) I am sorry but i have a life and emoting and thinking during SOLO play during MUNDANE tasks when the Imms could probably care less about and see thousands of times is just dumb and a waste of time

5) just to clarify less my previous statements are taken the wrong way. i love emoting and i love thinking and showing the Imms my motivations and I love interacting with other characters and generally roleplaying. But if i wanted to do these types of things alone I would sit in my room and play dungeon master and player with myself.

sorry to go off but since everyone took the other position and makes it feel so imparative you have to roleplay solo mundane things I have to center the argument. A mud is for creativity and interaction. Sometimes I get on and no one else is around. I'm not going to sit and emote and think why I am drinking water. That's just gay.

[Majikal]

uI disagree or question the above for a few reasons.

1) If you are alone,

How often do you KNOW you are alone?

[Lizzie]

Darmonator, there are lots of mysterious spooky unknown freaky creepy things in the game world, that most people wouldn't ever see, even if they knew about them. Those mysterious spooky unknown freaky creepy things might be watching you. And - they're not IMMs.

Having said that...

I think -everyone- has days when they just don't feel like solo-emoting while they're (allegedly) alone. What I do when that happens to me, is I'll make some effort every few minutes.

So maybe I'll..
craft bone into bone thing
(succeed)
craft bone into bone thing
(succeed)
emote gathers a few more bones and tries making them into bone things, using ~chisel and ~rasp with careful movements.
craft bone into bone thing
(fail)
craft bone into bone thing
(succeed)
emote grumbles and pushes the ruined bone off the table into a bin, and gathered her finished bone things.
put bone thing chest
put bone thing chest
put bone thing chest


So you see I'm not emoting for EVERY single thing I'm doing. I'm just really tossing an emote here and there, so *JUST IN CASE* someone is watching, they will know this isn't a bot. Even if I'm not in an RPing kind of mood.

[Elgiva]

I disagree or question the above for a few reasons.

1) If you are alone, unless the IMM's take pleasure in watching you emote and think while doing mundane tasks such as hunting and skinning solo then I see no need to do it.

2) You use think and emotes to create a story and provide insight into your character. When solo there is no need to provide insight into mundane tasks such as hunting.

3) I can totally see plenty of emoting and thinking when interacting with other characters because that is the joy of the game. Interacting. And I can see emoting and thinking when showing Imms and other PC's your reasoning for doing non-mundane things.

4) I am sorry but i have a life and emoting and thinking during SOLO play during MUNDANE tasks when the Imms could probably care less about and see thousands of times is just dumb and a waste of time

5) just to clarify less my previous statements are taken the wrong way. i love emoting and i love thinking and showing the Imms my motivations and I love interacting with other characters and generally roleplaying. But if i wanted to do these types of things alone I would sit in my room and play dungeon master and player with myself.

sorry to go off but since everyone took the other position and makes it feel so imparative you have to roleplay solo mundane things I have to center the argument. A mud is for creativity and interaction. Sometimes I get on and no one else is around. I'm not going to sit and emote and think why I am drinking water. That's just gay.

I just want to chime in and agree with others - you never know if you are really alone. Seriously - you never ever know. And honestly, watching a hunter who just enters proper commands and spam-fights all around the area is really reaaaally boring. And one more thing - however I might plan to interact with such hunter, this makes it much harder for me, as a watcher, to find a reason and a way how to do it - unless I want simply walk in and wave (which I usually don't).

Also, I disagree with statement under number 2). To provide insight in your character IMHO means to show off his personality in all variety of tasks. And if he is a hunter who spends most of his time hunting... then sure I'd learn most while watching him hunting. The story is not only about evenings, when he finally sits in the tavern to brag, the story is about days and days spent outside too.

Just my two sids.

EDITed to add: being one of people who actually enjoy sitting and solo-ing about mundane things, I honestly feel a little offended by a comment like "That's just gay." I agree the MUD is about creativity. I honestly think I don't necessary need other characters around to be creative.

[Preacher]

As I read through the responses, something struck me as a little odd.  There are a lot of "if someone is watching you" and "does this get me anything" type comments.

My answer to the question of why to solo rp is pretty simple.  Because it is fun.  I love interacting with other players, more today than last month and hopefully even more next month.  But, when my PC is alone, I have a great deal of fun with tics and habits and NPCs and any silly, inane thing we happen to be doing.  I'm not looking for kudos or points or karma or anything else.  I am simply enjoying the experience.  I will sit at my keyboard, typing, smiling, chuckling, getting all misty...whatever, and love every second of it.

And, yes, I do frequently n,n,e,e,s,e,w.  I also frequently 'craft this into that'.  But even that is, slowly, becoming n,n,check out the chick with the big cans,n,e,avoid a pile of dung.  It also makes staring at a scrolling "dull grey road" echo more enjoyable.

I've started using think a lot more in the last couple of weeks and don't use it for plot development or to supply anyone else with insight.  I use it because it makes my PC more real to me...more detailed and, hopefully, more believable as a person to those with whom he interacts. 

Sure my reasons are selfish.  Sure it may not be contributing anything directly to the world, but it makes my PC more believable to me.  It is a lot of fun and I'm going to keep doing it. 

When I first started playing, less than a year ago, it was enough to just try to keep up with emotes and learn how the world and the game worked.  It was challenging and fun.  Now it is less challenging, but more fun.  So I am able to play differently, with more emoting, more and better quality interaction, and more enjoyable solo RP.  This is what I want to get out of the game -now-.  Next month, who knows?  Maybe I'll have a new breakthrough or a breakdown or break a finger and not be able to emote.  But no matter what happens, I'll be back having fun somehow.

It is supposed to be a game.  If it weren't fun, why would we want to play it?

[Chettaman]

uI disagree or question the above for a few reasons.

1) If you are alone,

How often do you KNOW you are alone?

[Comrade Canadia]

Well, let me clarify a bit here. I know a ton of people don't place much stock in solo-roleplay and I understand that it's not everyone's bag. I have no real interest in condemning people who don't care for it. I think a majority of players don't solo RP or use think or that sort of ting. I may be wrong.

What I tried to do there was explain how to make solo roleplay entertaining and not a chore. Many people - I assume I can include the OP here - think that solo RP is something the imms force you to do in order to get karma so you can play cool casters and buff muls. That's not how the game works, and it's not in the spirit of the game. The imms want people to solo RP so that they roleplay in a roleplaying game.

I don't solo RP because I think an imm may be watching or out of some sense of powergamer's guilt, I solo RP because it makes being alone more entertaining. If I'm just lounging the base of whatever clan I'm in, it'll get old after a half an hour or so, but it's better than idling while waiting for someone fun to show up. If I'm playing a character who explores or hunts, which is entertaining in of itself, the RP livens everything up. The game becomes more immersive and well... fun.

Solo RP is also excellent character building. If you find solo roleplay tedious, and again, many people do - it may be that your character needs some tweaking. I've had a few times where I'm left to my own devices and discover to my horror that my character is boring. Figure out some way to make his thoughts and actions interesting to you in and of themselves. Because if the only thing your character can think about when drinking water is "I am drinking water.", you may need to re-examine things.

[Darmonator]

Thank you to everyone for their comments and insights. It is a topic that I have long wondered about. And while people have varying opinions about the subject I definitely get the just of what people are saying.

I would also like to extend an apology to anyone that was offended by me saying solo RP is gay. I should just say its not something I really enjoy. I enjoy the PC to PC interaction, exploring and trying to figure out how the hard coded skills work.

So I will try to compromise and try to find a middle ground. I will try to do a little better on character development. Try to make my solo roleplaying a little more interesting.

Having said that I don't really have any guilt in my solo roleplaying to this point and I do not feel I have spammed anything. I only craft about 3 to 5 things a day. I only hunt for a couple days at a time while throwing in sleep in there at night. Which is reasonable for any hunt IRL. I have only had a few sparring sessions with my new character. All my actions I try to base in logic.

Again thank you for your input everyone.

[SMuz]

If I'm playing a character who explores or hunts, which is entertaining in of itself, the RP livens everything up. The game becomes more immersive and well... fun.

Solo RP is also excellent character building. If you find solo roleplay tedious, and again, many people do - it may be that your character needs some tweaking. I've had a few times where I'm left to my own devices and discover to my horror that my character is boring. Figure out some way to make his thoughts and actions interesting to you in and of themselves. Because if the only thing your character can think about when drinking water is "I am drinking water.", you may need to re-examine things.

That summarizes what I was about to say Yeah, I find that solo RP becomes much more fun the more you flesh out your character.

[staggerlee]

sorry to go off but since everyone took the other position and makes it feel so imparative you have to roleplay solo mundane things I have to center the argument. A mud is for creativity and interaction. Sometimes I get on and no one else is around. I'm not going to sit and emote and think why I am drinking water. That's just gay.

It's more like masturbation, you'd need a partner for it to be gay.

Seriously though. It is kind of like masturbation. You're not always going to be in company, and if you can't have fun by yourself... well that's your own problem and nobody else's. You can't always expect fun to come to you, sometimes you have to make your own.

[Gunnerblaster]

Roleplay like you are writing a story.

Do you want your story to be bland and grey - Or do you want your story to be colorful and full of life?

You never know who may be watching. Just because you do not see others, does not mean that they do not see you.

[Maso]

Chiming in my two 'sids.

What you really need to do is stop worrying about who might be watching you and what you have to gain. If it helps, assume that there is always someone watching you, because there is always a possibility that you are being watched - by player or by imm. No player (or imm - who have also been players themselves) expect you to be some sort of emote machine, because it's really tough! We're all human here and it's about finding that nice little balance.

You're not expected to emote every single little detail, you're also not expected to throw in emotes just to satisfy some 'rule'. What you should be trying to do is add some spice and interest to your alone moments. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood - and the whole ordeal feels like a complete drag.

Like Lizzie posted before - sometimes I'm just adding in that odd emote here and there to help flesh out the way my character is dealing with a situation. I tend to find that suddenly one of my offhand emotes draws me in.

I've been riding east, all alone, through the scrubland, I'm bored. I take a break and my character dismounts, the wind blows in her hair and she catches the scent of something in air. BAM. I'm in there and I'm finally feeling it. The next ten or so minutes are great, interesting and compelling. Then I get bored again and ride east a bit more till I see a carcass, my character takes interest and BAM. There it goes again. This tends to be how solo'ing goes for me. It's an on and off thing, and I imagine it's like that for most people. What you don't want, is for it to be an off thing -all- the time. Likewise, f you try and make it an on thing -all- the time, you'll probably end up getting burnt out.

[hyzhenhok]

I'm opposed to the insinuation that coded actions are somehow separate from roleplaying. As long as your coded actions are IC, I don't think you should be punished for not throwing out a stock emote every once and awhile. If you're sitting in once place, changing your ldesc should be enough. This is especially true if your PC isn't doing anything out of the ordinary. So it depends on the circumstances.

If you're doing something out of the ordinary, or have a peculiar motivation, it's more important to emote. It will help you prevent yourself from falling into purely OOC motivation, which is a greater temptation when you think that no one else is around.

[Yokunama]

Solo RP isn't everyone's cup of tea.

[Clearsighted]

I don't know why people torture themselves about solo RPing, to where they feel if they're not doing it 24/7, they can't play or are twinking out.

No imm is going to add some note about you being an amazing solo RPer who should definitely get their next defiler app approved, which will pay off you forcing yourself to RP for some invisible judge.

In reality, unless you've got a review flag switched on, or are apped into a very sensitive political role, noone is likely to notice you at all. When they do glance at you, it'll often be misplaced speculation as to your motives. I've played a character for 43 days playing time, whose only note he got was a flippant addition regarding an event months after it happened, and made zero mention of the sincere discussions that went toward resolving it (and set almost certainly given the wording by someone that wasn't one of those who originally handled it). I played a character for hardly one and a half days playing time, and I was noted for fighting critters while mounted. There's no real rhyme or reason beyond random chance.

I'm not bitter. I know the drill. But I am sharing this to illustrate a point: Namely, those that wring their hands about feeling the need to force themselves to solo RP, are almost always doing it in the hope or assumption, that they are being watched, and will reap benefits for it. It won't happen for you. If they do look at you, it'll be when you're logged in after a long hard day, and when you are tired and ready to sleep, you decide to skin an animal without emoting, that's when they'll see you.

This isn't the fault of either the system of account notes, whose flaws and merits are well known, or of the immortals observing you. It's just that I've noticed the people who concern themselves the most about it, are doing it with the assumption they have an audience who will appreciate it.

You don't.

For most of us, the best we can do, and what we've made peace with, is to throw out the occasional emote every now and then from a mixture of passing inspiration or amusement, and sometimes, a tedious acknowledgment to rote habit, when grebbing in the dirt or skinning an animal for the thousandth or more time.

[Maso]

If they do look at you, it'll be when you're logged in after a long hard day, and when you are tired and ready to sleep, you decide to skin an animal without emoting, that's when they'll see you.

That is SO true. 

[Cavaticus]

Will you get a bad note on your account if we notice you skinning a dushkhorn without emoting first? Probably not. Will you get one if you sit in an apartment practicing spells for six hours without emoting at all? Probably.

Is in-depth solo RP required? I don't really think so. I very rarely did it as a player because I found it tedious.

Do we nevertheless appreciate you throwing out the odd emote when you're practicing your spells or foraging or skinning? Very much so.

Do the players with the most karma also tend to be the players whose characters are layered and interesting even when there are no other PCs around? Absolutely.

[sarahjc]

How often do you know you're alone?  That's an awesome question.

I'm not a big Solo emoter, but it does break up the moninty of solo tasks. My PC is very often alone for days at a time, and if I didn't Solo emote I'd go insane. What I use most when I'm alone is the feel command combined with think command, I love that combo and use that more then anything else.

But you do never know if you have a visitor with you or around you. And if anything a few nice emotes of stalking through the grass, or a well skinned kill, make hunting tasks a least a little more interesting. A few flashes of lighting make a spam fest of casting more fun, and typing a few words on what you are actually using to make that arrow head or poison cure can make the task less boring.

I dunno, for me half the fun of the game is writing a good story, and in a good story, people do stuff.. when others are around, or when they aren't.

[Nile]

I dunno, for me half the fun of the game is writing a good story, and in a good story, people do stuff.. when others are around, or when they aren't.

I agree. I log into arm and solo RP happily. I mean, I have an entire WORLD at my disposal...All I have to do is bring it to life.

If I didn't play arm I'd sit around writing books or something.