Weekly Role-Play Challenge

[Taven]

Weekly Role-Play Challenge

So what's this weekly role-play challenge thing? Well, there are a lot of tools for role-playing on Armageddon. Sometime we use them, and sometimes we don't use them as much as we would like to. This challenge is meant to look at the various game tools available, and select one per week to challenge you to use in your role-play, more then you already do. The goal is not to insult anyone's role-play, or say that one way of role-playing is better then another, but rather to try to enhance role-play by use of the tools available.

So some important things about the challenge:

• There will be one per week, and you can make suggestions for future topics
• Participation is 100% voluntary, and you don't need to say you're participating
• There is no prize for completion or punishment for failure, it is all about being your personal goal
• You don't have to post if you made or did not succeed with the challenge, but you can
• As usual, do NOT post IC information about your character

Feel free to post any questions, examples of the current challenge (not anything IC or sensitive), ideas, suggestions, or more. Don't post anything that is bashing role-play, or someone's preference to role-play a certain way. Discussions on if something is good role-play, or what makes role-play role-play, are topics that should have their own thread.

[Taven]

Challenge #1: Thinks and Feels

This challenge is about using the think and feel commands. Often times we as players know what our PCs are thinking and feeling, but we don't always use these two commands. Using them can make for more depth in a scene, and also let others better know the reasoning for what is happening (be it staff who is watching, if you submit a log later, or anything else).

Here are some ideas for times when you might be able to work thinks and feels into your role-playing:

• When foraging or crafting - use the opportunity to think about anything bugging your character, or concerns they have, or anything else they might ponder
• When you would normally idle - instead of sitting and idling at the bar, you could think about your PC's vast boredom
• When saying one thing, but actually thinking another
• Interspersed into daily situations

Examples

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You begin crafting a roasted kalan fruit from a kalan fruit you are carrying. 
You start preparing some food.

You manage to burn the fruit.

The tall, muscular man grows tired quickly of turing the fruit so slowly, and ends up setting it on the grill, where it burned just like the previous one.

You think:
     "If only I didn't have to hold it up /over/ the grill while it roasted. It makes my arms tired, and turning it is silly."

[...]

Feeling discouraged as you put another fruit in your belt with the four other burnt ones, you think:
     "Damn, I suck at this."


Code Select Expand


[on a PC with a messed up face]

The good-looking man sends you a telepathic message:
     "I don't always look for curves. I pay special attention to the face too you know."

You feel self concious, as absurd as that might be.

You send a telepathic message to the good-looking man:
     "Yeah... Faces. *seeming a touch subdued*"

You think:
     "Why should I even care? This is fucking ridiculous."

Think    (Communication)

This command is used to express what your character is thinking. Use this as a role playing tool for the little things your character would like to say or do, but won't for whatever reason.

You can include an optional description of how your character is feeling while thinking by using '-' (if it's a single word) or by including the description in parentheses (for one or more words).

Syntax:
    think <message>
    think -<option> <message>
    think (<option>) <message>

    Examples:
    > think By Suk-krath that templar is chapping my hide.

    > think I wish I had a drink of water.

    > think -frustrated Where did I leave my apartment key?

    > think (quite elated) I can't believe my good fortune!

    Note:
    Use of this command will not interrupt any ongoing movements such as
    picking locks, and will not take you out of hiding.

Feel    (Communication)

This command is used to express what your character is feeling. Use this as a role playing tool for the emotions your character would like to experience.

Syntax:
    feel <emotion>

    Examples:
    > feel annoyed

    > feel joyful

    Note:
    Use of this command will not interrupt any ongoing movements such as
    picking locks, and will not take you out of hiding.

    A grammatically correct form is to use a noun or adjective to describe
    the emotion your character will experience instead an adverb.
    (E.g. "anger" instead of "angrily", "passionate" instead of "passionately").

    To depict longer lasting states of mind, use the 'change mood' command.

[Down Under]

Putting Mood in your prompt does wonders for encouraging thinks and feels. (Thanks Galdun!)

[boog]

Mood is the one inner-RP command I never use. I always forget it. Grr.

Taven, you are such a darling.

[Morrolan]

I always have a "default" mood for my characters, or maybe a couple of them.  Leaving the city?  Cautious.  Meeting a higher-up? Nervous.  The rest of the time?  Grumpy.  Or perky.  Or whatever my character is usually like.

I have also experimented with triggers.  Once I had a character who, whenever he crafted something, his mood changed to "calm".  This required logging all of the success messages of things he would make, or at least all of the things he would enjoy making, and setting up triggers in my client.  Then I would adjust his mood based on the situation, but crafting always calmed him down.

I also experimented with random mood shifts by client-side manipulation.  That was less successful, and I abandoned it.

[Zoan]

Half-elf? #trigger {^Welcome to Armageddon.$} {change mood %random(%case("DEPRESSED", "ANGSTY", "SUICIDAL"))}



Edit: Don't know if I did the code right, but you get the idea.

[Delirium]

I always have a "default" mood for my characters, or maybe a couple of them.  Leaving the city?  Cautious.  Meeting a higher-up? Nervous.  The rest of the time?  Grumpy.  Or perky.  Or whatever my character is usually like.

This is a really good idea. I've always struggled with using mood, because I felt like I had to change it often. Think & feel come more naturally.

I'm gonna try this.

[Taven]

Mood is definitely a command not listed in the challenge that could also be utilized. I've heard that mood is harder to notice staff-side, however (I think Talia mentioned that somewhere?). I've never used it much, but I think the main way I would use it would be as a backdrop for my thinks and feels. I did use it when I had a character who had gone partially insane, and had split into two personalities. He would have a "dark" mood and a "normal" mood that I'd set, thus letting me keep track of which side of him was presently surfaced. I would also use my thinks and use the feel part to assign a think to either the normal him or the dark him.

Playing crazy people is a lot harder then it looks. In the end, I think his crazy side sort of faded out, which is very anticlimactic.

Please note that you can also use thinks, feels, and the mood command if your PC is normal. O_O

[Talia]

Yes, mood is not obvious during the normal course of roleplay to staffers who are just watching you. We'd actually have to specifically examine how your mood is set, unless we happen to be watching at the time that you set it. But roleplay commands like think and feel are part of roleplay, so we see those as you do them. All in all, IMO, think and feel are much more useful from an immediate roleplaying perspective, both for the player and for staff. But the idea to put mood in prompt and use it to inform thinks and feels is a neat one; I might start doing that myself, if it doesn't make my prompt too Tekawful-long. (I already do a lot of thinking and feeling, but every little bit helps.)

[Case]

I do not do either as often as I would like. I have generally used them as little guides for myself when I start off a PC but over time I get better at knowing how my PC would react and my use of them drops off. I am going to give this a try.

[Riev]

Of late, when I have the time to play, I've noticed that I tend to do more thinks, but not as many feels. I will think a lot, because of the current role, and because he doesn't have many people to talk to or at least respond to him... but feels...

My best feel was "feel it would be funny if he had tripped down -all- the stairs"

[Taven]

Of late, when I have the time to play, I've noticed that I tend to do more thinks, but not as many feels. I will think a lot, because of the current role, and because he doesn't have many people to talk to or at least respond to him... but feels...

My best feel was "feel it would be funny if he had tripped down -all- the stairs"

My last PC did some thinking, but had a plethora of "you feel bored" or "you feel insanely bored" in their life (not all of it, for those who played with them, but there were some tavern sitting moments). But I mean, you can also be more creative with feel, too...

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Forage rock
You forage another fucking worthless chunk of rock.

em grunts, tossing aside the rock as suk-krath beats down oppressively

feel really sick and tired of this krath damn heat, and the sweat trickling down your face and into your eyes, making them sting.

I sometimes get a little narrative with my feels, so that they could have been done as thinks, but sometimes a feel just makes more sense to me. For example:

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feel like you wish you could wrap your hands around his throat and strangle the life out of him. Or beat his face into the wall. Either would work.

[Whiran Luck]

I have mood in my prompt. I don't use it all the time, but I do definitely use it more often when it's staring me in the face. I could probably stand to think or feel more often, but it's often rather difficult in the middle of the scenes that need it the most, because I'm busy juggling just keeping up with the action. I find I think and feel most often when I am doing things solo. Mood, when I use it, is -excellent- for setting the tone with characters, not only their thinks and feels but their reactions and actions. When my character is angry, they're going to react to people much differently than when they're cheerful. I also use it to remind me when my character should be feeling something on a continual basis, for example, an injury, that I may forget just because the code says it's healed.

I can fully attest for those interested in more consistant character play, having it in your prompt is invaluable. Also invaluable:

alias mood change mood

That way, changing your mood is as easy as typing: mood sickeningly happy.

[Taven]

Challenge #2: Hemotes (AKA Hidden Emotes)

This challenge is about using the hemote command. There's a lot of times when a character's actions might be little, and hint at something past the obvious. Using them can make for a more in depth scene, fleshing out all of your character's actions.


Here are some ideas for times when you might be able to work hemotes into your role-playing:

• When talking with someone you actually don't like, but are pretending to (or someone you do like, and don't want to know)
• When trying to conceal nervousness, or another emotion (anger, irritation, boredom)
• When lying
• Reflecting distractions that aren't obvious--thinking, limited Waying, watching others in the room

Examples

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At your table, you say in sirihish, smiling at the tall, muscular man, letting your emerald-hued gaze slowly roam over him:
    "I've always found you attractive, Amos."

phem: Your lips curl slightly as you look the tall, muscular man over.

[Alternatively:] Phem: Your gaze lingers on the tall, muscular man's glittering jewlery.


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At your table, you say in sirihish, sighing:
    "What a slow day at the bar."

hem: You keep stealing glances at the next table over, eyes moving subtly to each person as they speak.

Hidden Emote                                                 (Communication)

   Hidden emotes should be used to represent subtle motions that wouldn't
be obvious to the room you are in.  Only those who are actively watching you,
or who are very observant will notice these.
   Hemote supports a small language which allows you to refer more
effectively to other characters. See 'help emoting' for more details
on using the language.
   You can also use @ to place your short description arbitrarily within
the emote.

Syntax:
   hemote <message>

Example:
   hemote rubs ^me fingers lightly together

Notes:
   Avoid using this command for emotes that would physically interact with
objects or characters.  They will not get a message if they don't notice it.

   Read the helpfile 'Emoting' for more information on emoting in general.
It has important information about how to refer to characters and objects.

   To get a possessive version of this command, use 'phemote'.

   Use the keyword command to make sure you are targetting the right
character or object.

   Those who see these will receive an extra prompt of 'You notice: '.

[TOOL]

Code Select Expand

>hem slipping a hand under the bar casually, @ scratches his groin.

>think (relieved) No one saw a thing.

[Kevo]

I like to use hemotes to put information that would otherwise only be available once we get a tdesc for items. I've always wanted to play a detective style char, so I put in a lot of CSI-style information, such as silt on your boots, emoting the smell of spice wafting from them, blood or dirt under fingernails. I've had great results from other PC's with this, and I particularly enjoyed playing a serial-killer who was once caught simply because of one of these hemotes, and a studiously observant militia member. Conversely, I've had other PC's misinterpret these signals, and develop completely false assumptions. A wonderful tool.

There's also the obvious application of mudsexing, where your partner might know what your skin feels like, but the room (yes, I'm an exhibitionist) wouldn't. It's also good for roleplaying a diseased char, in which the effects of the disease wouldn't be obvious, except to the trained eye.

phemote Thin black lines course across @ eyes. (for Raza Raza worm)

Hemote's one of my fav commands. Hope this helps someone with creative ideas for it's use.

[Taven]

Challenge #3: Biographies

This week's challenge is to write at least one biography for your current PC.

Here are some ideas for bio topics/titles:

• Supplemental Background - Adds anything that didn't fit in your initial background
• Log: Family Scene - A fake log of interaction with a virtual family member depicting a character-changing event or encapsulating typical family relations.
• Relationships: Positive, Negative, Neutral, Business - Defining your relationships with others
• Opinions on ____ - Magickers, kanking, foreigners, killing/morality, etc etc. You can use a bio like this to define your character's views on the world

Remember that the possibilities for bios is endless! One thing that might help you is this article. However, I don't believe it has been updated to include the fact that you can now write your bios while not in game. If you click on the "My Accounts" link underneath the logo on the main page, you can view your biographies, and add one by clicking the green add button by your PC's name. The one thing you must be careful of, if you write long bios like me, is that the online tool will not tell you if you are over the character limit. It will just cut you off. A way around this is to check your bios ICly, to see if all your text is there. You don't need to worry about this unless your bios are very large.

Biography    (Character)

As the name of this command suggests, this command allows a player to access/annotate a historical account of their character's life. Its intention is to provide a means to update a character's story beyond his or her initial background as significant events unfold. Entries made into a character's biography must conform to the same standards and style of a background.

Notes:
    It is strongly suggested that you not use this command in rooms with
    message boards, to avoid inadvertently writing personal information to
    the boards rather than one's biography.

    Be advised that this is not to be used as a personal diary, blog or
    notepad. This is not an electronic sticky pad to jot down ideas, thoughts,
    or things to remember. A good rule of thumb is to write entries where your
    intended audience is expecting to read and be enlightened by the story of
    your character's life.

    You may not delete your initial background. The delete functionality is
    provided mainly as a courtesy in the event there are problems during adding
    an entry.

    You do not have to save after editing/adding an entry, it automatically
    saves when you finish editing.

    You can view and manage all your biography entries for all characters on
    your account through the 'My Account' link on the main Armageddon webpage.

    Syntax:
    biography
    biography <#>
    biography add <title>
    biography delete <#>
    biography edit <#>

    Examples:
    biography
    biography 1
    biography add Another year gone
    biography delete 6
    biography edit 6

[Taven]

This changes over tomorrow, so don't forget to write a bio!

I have yet to write a bio. 

[Saellyn]

This changes over tomorrow, so don't forget to write a bio!

I have yet to write a bio. 

Get on it, quick!

[Down Under]

I'm going to write a couple from work.

[Taven]

I'm going to write a couple from work.

You should! I still haven't done mine, something very atypical for me. I'll likely put off changing the topic on this until late tomorrow... Not that a change in topic means you can't write bios.

[Taven]

Challenge #4: The Slow-Down Movement Challenge

This week's challenge is a little bit different then our usual ones, which typically focus on a specific command to implement in your role-play. This challenge doesn't focus on a specific command, but instead deals with how your PC moves through the world. It was suggested as the challenge of the week by a fellow GDBer.

The goal is to move through the world more slowly. Yes, we all have to rush somewhere sometime, but take the time to toss out an emote as you walk. Take the time to read a room description, or look at an NPC in the room. If you move past a PC and look at them, don't look and rush off, give them time to react. If you're leaving and need to log out, instead of quickly saying bye and hopping up to run off, try (if you have time) for a more leisurely leave taking that allows everybody to say farewells. Basically, the idea is to give yourself more time to react to the world and the world more time to react to you my moving more slowly. Obviously, this challenge isn't saying you should stop and stroll past a mekillot, but rather to walk more slowly as time allows.

Ideas: (use some of them some of the time, as you like)

• Read a room description in full when you pass through it
• Look at NPCs as you pass
• Emote about the vNPCs in the area (crowds at the bazaar, wagons on large streets, etc.)
• If you look at a PC, let them react before continuing onward
• Use emotes with the walk command (remember that you can't use ^, !, #, & while moving)
• If you're planning on quitting out or leaving a room, do so slowly to give people a better chance to react

[Down Under]

Challenge #4: The Slow-Down Movement Challenge

This week's challenge is a little bit different then our usual ones, which typically focus on a specific command to implement in your role-play. This challenge doesn't focus on a specific command, but instead deals with how your PC moves through the world. It was suggested as the challenge of the week by a fellow GDBer.

The goal is to move through the world more slowly. Yes, we all have to rush somewhere sometime, but take the time to toss out an emote as you walk. Take the time to read a room description, or look at an NPC in the room. If you move past a PC and look at them, don't look and rush off, give them time to react. If you're leaving and need to log out, instead of quickly saying bye and hopping up to run off, try (if you have time) for a more leisurely leave taking that allows everybody to say farewells. Basically, the idea is to give yourself more time to react to the world and the world more time to react to you my moving more slowly. Obviously, this challenge isn't saying you should stop and stroll past a mekillot, but rather to walk more slowly as time allows.

Ideas: (use some of them some of the time, as you like)

• Read a room description in full when you pass through it
• Look at NPCs as you pass
• Emote about the vNPCs in the area (crowds at the bazaar, wagons on large streets, etc.)
• If you look at a PC, let them react before continuing onward
• Use emotes with the walk command (remember that you can't use ^, !, #, & while moving)
• If you're planning on quitting out or leaving a room, do so slowly to give people a better chance to react

Yes!

[Kismetic]

I do this often enough, and yet, during the times when I'm in a hurry, I still hear about it.  You can't please everyone, I figure.  Good idea, nonetheless.

[boog]

I rarely ever speedwalk through places, especially if I'm with a group or with another person, roleplaying. I think, sometimes, I piss people off by going so slowly and 'seeing the sights'.

[Kismetic]

I think if you roleplayed in every single room you pass, you wouldn't get much done, but making it part of the journey is good.  Also, it's a courtesy, as there is a lag that only allows says and emotes and other passive commands to be used.  I wish psi was part of that list.

[boog]

Yeah. I guess I should also mention I only ever play city dwellers. Derrrrrp. If I was outside with a mob on my ass, I'd speedwalk as fast as I could away.

[Thunkkin]

I rarely ever speedwalk through places, especially if I'm with a group or with another person, roleplaying. I think, sometimes, I piss people off by going so slowly and 'seeing the sights'.

Or smelling the urine sachets, so to speak.

[boog]

I rarely ever speedwalk through places, especially if I'm with a group or with another person, roleplaying. I think, sometimes, I piss people off by going so slowly and 'seeing the sights'.

Or smelling the urine sachets, so to speak.

Hey, now, that really taught me how to get around Tuluk!

But really, even adding an emote to your traveling can be quite nice, and it doesn't take that long either, to add:
s (with a haggard limp)
e (shaking her money-maker)
w (waddling and bowlegged)

[Jeshin]

I was saw someone emoting while fleeting a pair of carru. I stopped to admire their determination. Later I looted their corpse. I looted it with -extra- RP though, to honor their RP cajones.

[Saellyn]

I emote during fights with Carru if I think I'm gonna win the fight.

[bcw81]

I emote during fights with Carru if I think I'm gonna win the fight.

>A carru sends you sprawling and into the next room when you're fully healed.
>Opps, once more.
>Yow, stop doing that carru!
>em finds a mantishead.

[RogueGunslinger]

I pretty much speed-walk everywhere.

[DustMight]

Emote walking doesn't echo to the player, does it?  Maybe I've been doing it wrong.

[boog]

Emote walking doesn't echo to the player, does it?  Maybe I've been doing it wrong.

Like what I mentioned above? Nope. Also, targeting doesn't work in walking emotes, either.

[Thunkkin]

s (strolling in with some immersion breaking syntax on ~belt)

[hyzhenhok]

Taking your time is also nice if you're a breed or elf, and you have slower PCs following you. Don't leave them behind unless you're doing so on purpose!

[Iiyola]

I pretty much speed-walk everywhere.

I pretty much sneak everywhere

[Iiyola]

Challenge #4: The Slow-Down Movement Challenge

• If you look at a PC, let them react before continuing onward


• If you're planning on quitting out or leaving a room, do so slowly to give people a better chance to react

^ This. Being fairly new it's sometimes demotivating when people either emote with the speed of light (while I'm still figuring out a particular command of some sorts, or read the descriptions) or enter and leave a channel instantly.[/list]

[Taven]

I really ought to remember to update this. I should post on Monday (thus I will always remember to update on Mondays, and so on), but if I don't seem to be, interested people are welcome to bump it.

[DustMight]

It would be cool if it were more prominently displayed, somehow.  
How 'bout your just bookmark it, DustMight?   

[Taven]

Challenge #5: The Semote and Emote Challenge

This week's challenge focuses on semoting, and when semotes overlap with emotes. A semote is a silent emote, and can be used when you're sneaking or magickally concealed (the public docs suggest such a thing is possible), or if you don't want a passed out person to see an emote. It should only be used when the action makes no noise, or is supposed to be quiet. Obviously, the use of this will be more useful to some people more then others, but it will hopefully make everyone think.

Ideas: (use some of them some of the time, as you like)

• Use semotes to describe how you are hiding in a tavern (or other local) - is it under the table? Is it in the dark corner? Is it in a thick cluster of people?
• Use semotes to describe what a hidden PC is paying attention to - what are they looking at? What is their expression? Are they making any gestures?
• Use an emote to give away a hidden PC - did they just make a stinky fart? Snicker at something? Yelp as someone elbowed them?
• Use an emote to be ominous - Are you hiding in the wilds and leaves are rustling? Intentionally tossing rocks or leaving footprints? Breathing down the back of someone's neck?

Examples

Hidden in a tavern:

Code Select Expand

(sem:) You creeps slowly closer to the bar, sticking to the shadows and avoiding shards of a broken mug, eyes intent on two cloaked figures.

(sem:) Sliding between people at the shadowed end of the bar, your gaze flicks to the figure in a mysterious cloak, and the tall figure in a mysterious cloak.

Creeping on people in the woods:

Code Select Expand

The tall, muscular-hunter sort is here, chopping wood.

(psem:) Watching ~hunter, @ eyes narrow, and #me moves forward, brushing ^me hand against the shrub to cause a rustle.
(EMOTE:) The leaves rustling in a bush nearby to ~hunter, possibly marking @ passing, or perhaps the wind.

(sem:) As %hunter attention goes to the bush, @ silently creeps around, circling !hunter

(sem:) Creeping forward, @ intentionally rustles another bush, smirking as ^me gaze goes to ~hunter
(EMOTE:) From the other side of the clearing, another rustle sounds, the sound seeming more and more like @ is causing it and less like the wind...

In the desert, magickally concealed (note that magickal concealment may or may not actually function as shown, this is just to give emoting ideas):

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(psem:) Sweat pours down @ face as #me trudges over the sand dunes.

(EMOTE:) In the sand, footprints appear, dragging, as if @ was making them...

(sem:) Trudging on, @ wipes ^me forehead with the back of a hand.

(EMOTE:) Soft panting sound comes from near @

A jozhal is here, being jozhal-like.

(sem:) Shading ^me eyes from the brilliant mid-day light of suk-krath, @ squints at ~jozhal before smiling slowly, glancing around before spying ~pebble

(EMOTE:) Rising into the air, ~pebble moves seemingly of its own accord as @ picks it up
(sem:) It would be obvious to those who can see it that @ is picking up ~pebble

(EMOTE:) Sending it flying through the air, @ tosses ~pebble, which hits the ground, skittering near ~jozhal, which starts and dashes off, scurrying behind a sand dune.

drop pebble (having tossed it at ~jozhal) ~ lies here, embedded in the sand

With someone in with an unlucky couple:

Code Select Expand

A couple of lovers are here, passionately entwined in bed, and emoting vigorously.

(sem:) Watching with fascination from behind a chair, quietly munching on a snack food, taking note of the various passionate positions being taken.

(sem:) Creeping closer, hunched down and sticking to the shadows, @ moves closer to the bed.

(EMOTE:) Suddenly, @ lets out a MASSIVE FART, which permeated the air, with an overpowering, vile odor!

Silent Emote                                                 (Communication)

   Silent emotes should only be used to express actions that are completely
silent.  They will only show to people who can see you, so if they are
asleep, dying, or otherwise unable to see you, they will not get any
indication you did something.
   Semote supports a small language which allows you to refer more
effectively to other characters. See 'help emoting' for more details
on using the language.
   You can also use @ to place your short description arbitrarily within
the emote.

Syntax:
   semote <message>

Examples:
   > semote quietly moves around some boxes, trying to remain hidden

   > semote smiles to himself

Notes:
   Avoid using this command for emotes that would physically interact with
objects or characters.  They will not get a message if they can't see you.

   Read the helpfile 'Emoting' for more information on emoting in general.
It has important information about how to refer to characters and objects.

   To get a possessive version of this command, use 'psemote'.

See also:
   Emoting, keyword, psemote

Emote                                                        (Communication)

   An emote is an in-character expression of motion, or actions taken by
your character.  The emote command is used to express your character's
actions to everyone in the room.  Everyone will see your emote, whether
or not they can actively see you. 
   You can use a special syntax for refering to other characters and objects
in your emote.  See 'help emoting' for the details, and for some examples,
see 'help emote examples'.

Syntax:
   emote <message>

Example:
   > emote waves to ~azroen
   What Azroen sees:  Jhalavar waves to you.
   What everyone else sees: Jhalavar waves to Azroen.

Notes:
   You can also use @ or "me" to place your short description arbitrarily
within the emote. If you leave out the @, your character's sdesc will
appear at the beginning of the emote, as normal.

   You can use ":" in place of the actual word "emote" to do an emote.

   You can use emotes with some actions, such as 'stand,' 'sit,' 'look,'
'talk,' 'sing,' etcetera, as well as with movements, such as 'north
(limping heavily).' For more information on this, see 'help command emotes'

See also:
   Emoting, emote examples, keyword

[Taven]

See? I can update. 

Feel free to post the usual other examples, comments, suggestions, suggestions for future topics, and yada yada.

[evilcabbage]

Code Select Expand

shem hands shake, visibly, while ^me feet shift silently over the apartment floor.

You:  The sneaky, anxious guy's hands shake, visibly, while your feet shift silently over the apartment floor.

Them if they see you:  The sneaky, anxious guy's hands shake, visibly, while his feet shift silently over the apartment floor.

Them if they don't see you:   mantis head.


[Taven]

Code Select Expand

phem brows furrow, as ~me looks at ^me cards.

To you:  The card-player's brow's furrow, as you look at your cards, a thin line of sweat forming at the brow.

To anyone who notices:

You notice:  The card-player's brow's furrow, as he looks at his cards, a thin line of sweat forming at the brow.


This would actually be more related to Weekly Challenge #2 since what you were using is a HEMOTE, not a SEMOTE. It's a little confusing, I know. Basically, this week we're trying to focus on silent emotes, and when emotes need to be used in conjunction with them. So instead of your example, you might do something like...

Code Select Expand

A table of people playing cards are here.
You are here, hiding in the room.

(sem:) You sneak closer, trying to mix with the crowd before slipping into the shadows near ~card.playing.table

(sem:) Pausing near the table, you cast a quick glance over the players, to see if any are paying attention before moving in on ~dude

peek dude
You peek at the dude and see his card.

contact employer

psi Yeah, boss, he's got Wind of Life, you're screwed!

The employer-man psi's you:
     "Nooooo, now my ultimate nemisis will make me dance in a thong! Why do I play kruth for dares?!"

(PHEM:) Smirking faintly, @ glances at ~employer.dude

The semotes will only show up to those who can see you, and I'm pretty sure that the phemote will as well, since it's a hidden emote. It's not technically "quiet," but to my knowledge there is no silent hidden emote. I could be wrong, however.

[Marauder Moe]

shemote!  RP for the ladies.   

Really, though, I believe that semote's functionality is built into hemote already, and you will never notice a hemote from someone you can't actually see.

[Jeshin]

If anyone wants something to shemote hemote phemote whatever. I suggest contracting a very common ailment.

http://www.armageddon.org/general/illness.html#kiss

Pick one and go to town. Kudos to any Tan Muark who start hemoting pepperbelly.

[RogueGunslinger]

Depends on if we're just walking around, or if we actually have somewhere to be, or something to do. In those cases it does piss me off.

[Taven]

shemote!  RP for the ladies.   

Really, though, I believe that semote's functionality is built into hemote already, and you will never notice a hemote from someone you can't actually see.

Shemote doesn't actually work. NO RP FOR THE LADIES?! I mean HEmote works perfectly fine... 

Really though, I disagree with you. Hemote is to "represent subtle motions that wouldn't be obvious to the room you are in" (quote from the docs). Thus, if you want to show how you're moving across the room or something that should be obvious to anyone who can see you, semote is the right choice.

If anyone wants something to shemote hemote phemote whatever. I suggest contracting a very common ailment.

http://www.armageddon.org/general/illness.html#kiss

Pick one and go to town. Kudos to any Tan Muark who start hemoting pepperbelly.

This really has no relation to the current topic at all. But it is an interesting point, and I may use it for a future topic.

It would be hilarious if PCs all over the known all got some disease the same RL week.

I rarely ever speedwalk through places, especially if I'm with a group or with another person, roleplaying. I think, sometimes, I piss people off by going so slowly and 'seeing the sights'.

You don't; I love it when people do that.

Taven note: Added a semicolon to avoid being driven insane.

Depends on if we're just walking around, or if we actually have somewhere to be, or something to do. In those cases it does piss me off.

Well, you can always just ask them to walk faster, too.

[RogueGunslinger]

And make my character do something influenced by my own personal irritation? No thanks.

[Taven]

And make my character do something influenced by my own personal irritation? No thanks.

I guess I assumed that if it was something that annoyed you so greatly, your PC might be of a similar mind. Alternatively, you could always have your PC way and chat with someone, if they're walking slow and you're not crap at the Way.

[RogueGunslinger]

Because I tend to notice when people might be sharing emotion during times like that, and because I've seen people harp on it on the boards, I usually make it a point to go with a different emotion all together for my character than what I'm feeling.

Yep, I'm that asshole who brags about how much he loves doing the menial/boring clan chores...

[Zoan]

Who needs shemote? I got some roleplay for...the ladies.

[Marauder Moe]

shemote!  RP for the ladies.   

Really, though, I believe that semote's functionality is built into hemote already, and you will never notice a hemote from someone you can't actually see.

Shemote doesn't actually work. NO RP FOR THE LADIES?! I mean HEmote works perfectly fine... 

Really though, I disagree with you. Hemote is to "represent subtle motions that wouldn't be obvious to the room you are in" (quote from the docs). Thus, if you want to show how you're moving across the room or something that should be obvious to anyone who can see you, semote is the right choice.

Erm, well, I guess you're allowed to disagree if you want, but my statement was intended to be a factual description of how the code works, not an opinion on proper usage.

[Taven]

Erm, well, I guess you're allowed to disagree if you want, but my statement was intended to be a factual description of how the code works, not an opinion on proper usage.

If a hiding person is hiding and someone notices them, won't they see a semote, but need an extra check to see a hemote?

Also, new topic coming shortly.

Edited to add: "Shortly" may actually be a bit, got a topic but getting lazy for writing examples.

[Marauder Moe]

If a hiding person is hiding and someone notices them, won't they see a semote, but need an extra check to see a hemote?

Correct.

What I'm saying is that, I believe, all hemotes are also semotes, thus there's no need for a new combined command.

[DustMight]

What happened? We had a good thing going!

[Marauder Moe]

Here then, have a challenge:

Set your mood immediately upon logging in.

[Taven]

What happened? We had a good thing going!

Oooops. Finals week does not make for a good memory for threads. I really ought to post this soon... 

[Zoan]

Here then, have a challenge:

Set your mood immediately upon logging in.

I saw a good idea a while back where someone coded a randomizer to set their mood upon login - that'd be fun as it'd affect your roleplay depending on whatever mood you happen to be in due to virtual/mental affairs. I sometimes roleplay just being pissy and gloomy (not even as a breed!) just because people sometimes have days like that. The opposite as well.

[Taven]

I've decided that I want to try and start doing this again. Here is a review of what the thread is about:

Weekly Role-Play Challenge

So what's this weekly role-play challenge thing? Well, there are a lot of tools for role-playing on Armageddon. Sometime we use them, and sometimes we don't use them as much as we would like to. This challenge is meant to look at the various game tools available, and select one per week to challenge you to use in your role-play, more then you already do. The goal is not to insult anyone's role-play, or say that one way of role-playing is better then another, but rather to try to enhance role-play by use of the tools available.

So some important things about the challenge:

• There will be one per week, and you can make suggestions for future topics
• Participation is 100% voluntary, and you don't need to say you're participating
• There is no prize for completion or punishment for failure, it is all about being your personal goal
• You don't have to post if you made or did not succeed with the challenge, but you can
• As usual, do NOT post IC information about your character

Feel free to post any questions, examples of the current challenge (not anything IC or sensitive), ideas, suggestions, or more. Don't post anything that is bashing role-play, or someone's preference to role-play a certain way. Discussions on if something is good role-play, or what makes role-play role-play, are topics that should have their own thread.

Challenge #1: Thinks and Feels
Challenge #2: Hemotes (AKA Hidden Emotes)
Challenge #3: Biographies
Challenge #4: The Slow-Down Movement Challenge
Challenge #5: The Semote and Emote Challenge

[Taven]

Challenge #6: The Code-Complimenting Emote Challenge

This week's challenge focuses on emoting in relation to code. What do I mean by that? I mean that sometimes, we all get tired of sparring, crafting, casting, etc., etc., a million times a day. Overtime, we might get lazy and emote less. The challenge is to use more emotes in the coded guild-related things that your character does. A particularly obvious focus for combat PCs would be using more emotes when sparring, for example. While emotes can be used in many ways, we're just specifically looking at them in connection to these sorts of repetitive coded actions this week.

Ideas: (use some of them some of the time, as you like)

• Emote after a nice hit when sparring. What happened? Did you get past their guard? Did a feint pay off? Were you surprised or was that pretty normal?
• Emote during subdue training, about how you're going for a person, and give them time to emote back. Use code and react to it. Have fun!
• Emote about how you're crafting--what techniques are you using on those arrows? Is there a challenge to it?
• Use Say and sneak an emote in with (), to talk about your sparring or crafting, talk about your troubles or criticize someone else
• Emote the tedium of crafting! If this is sandcloth sleeve set 1,002 for the Storm Lord, your character might be bored. Feel free to show distracted wandering attention!
• Emote about casting magick--exactly how are you channeling that element? What is visible? What is your expression? Does it do something creepy that you don't realize?

Examples


During sparring:

Code Select Expand

The short, robust woman's muscles bunch up, weight shifting to one leg as  he lifts the other, lashing out with a booted foot.

The short, robust woman's clumsy circle kick is easily avoided by the tall, muscular man.

The tall, muscular man smirks at the short, robust woman easily dodging the kick before lunging in with a bone sparring sword.

In sparring, it can be hard to react to things, so sometimes emotes are late and after what happened or in reactions to things. It's always a good way to spice things up by shooting off an emote before doing special things like a kick, disarm, or bash though. You can also emote during "wrestling" or when subduing someone.

During arrow making:

Code Select Expand

The trim, sun-weathered man begins crafting.

Taking the shard of obsidian in hand, the trim, sun-weathered man chips at it, cutting out groves at the base to affix it to a slender wooden shaft with some thin cord, winding it tight.


It's especially hard to keep dedicated when crafting on repetitive things like arrowmaking. That can translate to your PC, too:

Code Select Expand

The trim, sun-weathered man begins crafting.

As he works, the trim, sun-weathered man doesn't even look at his hands as they chip away at the shard, slowly shaping it into an arrow head. The large bundle of arrows at his side suggests a practiced familiarity.

Alternatively, they can be as bored as you:

Code Select Expand

The trim, sun-weathered man begins crafting.

Sighing, the trim, sun-weathered man picks up another shard, chipping away at it tediously. His attention wanders as he works, blue-eyed gaze roving over the material-packed room, seeking anything of possible interest.


During magicking:

Code Select Expand

Winds swirl around the pale, statuesque woman as she summons her magick.
The pale, statuesque woman utters an incantation.

Winds whips up around the pale, statuesque woman suddenly, sending the leaves around her whipping around, some getting pulled from their branches and spun off, until they reach the edge of the swirl, where they fall slowly to the ground.


That's more exciting if you're out unseen in the wilds, but you can consider it while practicing casting, too. What is causing you to lose your concentration if you're failing? What are your PC's reactions to success and failure? What are surrounds that they could consider?

Emote                                                        (Communication)

  An emote is an in-character expression of motion, or actions taken by
your character.  The emote command is used to express your character's
actions to everyone in the room.  Everyone will see your emote, whether
or not they can actively see you.  
  You can use a special syntax for refering to other characters and objects
in your emote.  See 'help emoting' for the details, and for some examples,
see 'help emote examples'.

Syntax:
  emote <message>

Example:
  > emote waves to ~azroen
  What Azroen sees:  Jhalavar waves to you.
  What everyone else sees: Jhalavar waves to Azroen.

Notes:
  You can also use @ or "me" to place your short description arbitrarily
within the emote. If you leave out the @, your character's sdesc will
appear at the beginning of the emote, as normal.

  You can use ":" in place of the actual word "emote" to do an emote.

  You can use emotes with some actions, such as 'stand,' 'sit,' 'look,'
'talk,' 'sing,' etcetera, as well as with movements, such as 'north
(limping heavily).' For more information on this, see 'help command emotes'

See also:
  Emoting, emote examples, keyword