As someone whose played a multitude of Red Shirts, here is what I've learnt on how to do it well (if you want to be long lived, consider doing the opposite of these things).
If you're an off-peak player then you're a prime candidate to be a Red Shirt. If you have a job then most of the time you play during the week will be when there's less then a dozen people online (on the upside it use to be that the most you could look forward to were 5 people! We seem to be doubling that these days). So you're ability to be a Red Shirt will far exceed anyone else's.
How to be a Red Shirt
- Don't join a clan - A clan severly compromises you're ability to be a Red Shirt. They often have OOC rules that are designed to keep your character alive. By following these rules you gain the opportunity to establish meaningful relationships with other PCs allowing you to have a greater impact on the world. As a Red Shirt this is a no-no.
- Don't follow the rules - If you absolutely must join a clan, then ignore the rules they've put into place to protect you. These rules are there to restrict your enjoyment and that is a big no-no. Just make sure you do break the rules when no-one else is around. Otherwise they might catch you and stop you.
- There are no bad ideas - Everyone has the right to an opinion, and so do you. If it's your opinion that you should explore something, then you have the right to do it! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!
- Be a half-elf - Not only will this disqualify you from more than half of the clans, but half-elves are always allowed to suddenly break the rules and do some stupid shit. This stupid shit will make or break you as a Red Shirt.
- You Don't Need Quit-Rooms - Quit rooms are for the pansies. Those fake characters who are too scared to always be there. If you have to abruptly leave don't bother trying to find a quit room, just close your client session. While it will increase your visibility in that room. When you come back, assuming you're still alive, then you'll probably be starving or dehydrated so it doesn't even matter.
- Blow Your Starting Gold - As a Red Shirt you've got a short lifespan, so it's important to get that essential equipment ASAP. Make sure you buy it with your starting gold. Don't bother banking any of it, because that gold will be your crucial step towards getting that shiny sword or those silk pants.
- Keep Minimal Food and Water - Food and water isn't particuarly important, you won't be around long enough to enjoy it. If you have skinning you can always just get your own food as well.
- Killing One Thing Proves Your an Experience Fighter - if you manage to kill one thing, it doesn't matter what it is that you killed. That proves you have what it takes to take on the big guns. It's time to leave the city walls and prove to the world just how awesome you are.
- Go it alone - If you get too many PCs working together you run the risk of becoming a main character because they can look out for you. Whenever possible, go it alone.
- Mounts - Don't buy one. They're just a waste of 'sid and are for suckers. Nobody has a decent ride skill so they just force you to take twice as long to get where you want to go.
Does anyone else have any advice for someone to become a Red Shirt?
Most of those "tips" don't have anything to do with being a Red Shirt... In fact, most of those will assure that no one will want to bring to the places that you can easily die for dramatic effect.
Quote from: Riya OniSenshi on November 02, 2011, 09:29:34 AM
Most of those "tips" don't have anything to do with being a Red Shirt... In fact, most of those will assure that no one will want to bring to the places that you can easily die for dramatic effect.
I was watching the point, and then I saw it sail far and above your head, then out of sight.
More Red Shirt points:
- Offer to help. If someone needs help with something, offer... for a price, of course. The more exorbitant the price, the more likely they are to kill you in return for your help.
- Have tourettes. You know that verbal filter you engage while playing which helps your PC stay alive? Turn that off. Be an absolute foul mouthed hateful bastard.
- Go in first. If there's a situation in an RPT that involves a location that must be enterred, go in first. Maybe don't shout it IC'ly, but spewing "LEEERRRROYYYYYY JENKINS" IRL will help with your amusement of the whole situation.
- Always boast. Make up shit, believable but yet amazing shit, and people will enjoy hearing it, then when they call you on it, charge brazenly out to prove yourself.
- Laugh in the face of danger. No. Really. Do it. Ironnuts Horrorfucker the Soh Lanah Kah is raiding you? When he says his name, giggle.
- Do not Respect Mah Authoritah! Openly defy the government in an amusing fashion. Most Templarate will LOVE making an example out of you for it, this will raise amusement for the entire city state if done right.
- Play an active narcoleptic. Do it. Just... zonk out right in the middle of something. Roleplay it extensively.
- Get drunk, then ACT drunk. This is the hardest thing for most Z.org PCs that I've seen. A lot of them get drunk, and then just continue right on acting like themselves. Get loose, do stupid shit. "Hey Amos, see that half giant down there? I'ma jump on him!"
- Get stoned, then ACT stoned. Get dosed up on zharal, and then act like the echos tell you... not just little twitches or nervous glances, but GET ANGRY AND AGGRESSIVE RRAHARHHRHRHRHRGHGHGHH!!
- Be memorable. No matter WHAT you do, do it well. Do it for the memories. Don't just rush in to your Red Shirt and run out to die. Get in character, meet TONS of people at the bars, laugh, throw parties, gamble your sid away... THEN go get yourself whacked.
This thread needs to be retitled to "Play a Red Shirt...like a Boss"
I dunno, Mal, I've seen a lot of characters do exactly as you suggest and live a long time. If anything, I think people will go out of their way to find excuses not to kill characters like that because they're so damned entertaining.
Also, for me, personally, whenever I abandon all hope of my character surviving a situation, they have always pulled through.
Redshirt deaths, in the original/traditional sense, are "supposed" to be tragic. (But, given how cheesy ST:TOS was, they're usually just funny.)
Real tips, if for some reason you want to play a Redshirt:
1) Join a combat clan. This ensures you'll be in danger before long and your death will be witnessed.
2) Train up your guard and rescue skills (and/or get it from subguild). You're supposed to take the hit for Kirk, even though he's pretty much maxed his skills and can take on five klingons/gith solo without a scratch (though his shirt will no doubt get torn open).
3) Be likable, but not particularly interesting/memorable. Play bright-eyed and naive. Talk about how you're excited to be on your first desert mission, and that your mate and child will be so proud to hear about it when you get back home.
4) Say things like "Gee, I hope we don't run into <thing you will almost certainly run into>" and "Look out!"
5) Attack first, rescue everyone, never flee, don't use a shield.
Quote from: Talia on November 02, 2011, 01:08:20 PM
This thread needs to be retitled to "Play a Red Shirt...like a Boss"
You have the power.
This thread is useful and inspiring. Thanks for all the advice! And keep it coming!
"I'm my mother's youngest, but I'm going to prove to her how brave I can be!"
Quote from: Marauder Moe on November 02, 2011, 01:30:59 PM
Real tips, if for some reason you want to play a Redshirt:
1) Join a combat clan. This ensures you'll be in danger before long and your death will be witnessed.
2) Train up your guard and rescue skills (and/or get it from subguild). You're supposed to take the hit for Kirk, even though he's pretty much maxed his skills and can take on five klingons/gith solo without a scratch (though his shirt will no doubt get torn open).
3) Be likable, but not particularly interesting/memorable. Play bright-eyed and naive. Talk about how you're excited to be on your first desert mission, and that your mate and child will be so proud to hear about it when you get back home.
4) Say things like "Gee, I hope we don't run into <thing you will almost certainly run into>" and "Look out!"
5) Attack first, rescue everyone, never flee, don't use a shield.
This is how to be a Red Shirt.
The other two lists are just how to get yourself killed... With the exception Moe pointed out.
WHOOOOOSH
Quote from: HavokBlue on November 02, 2011, 08:15:27 PM
WHOOOOOSH
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Bq2bkhRbS-0/THFunULxZPI/AAAAAAAAC-U/3QdBR1C983k/s1600/palin-whoosh.jpg)
I'm pretty sure the point of a Red Shirt is to get killed...
Quote from: Saellyn on November 03, 2011, 12:23:27 AM
I'm pretty sure the point of a Red Shirt is to get killed...
To get killed
when the camera's rolling.
We've all seen these scenes in movies.
The tall, not-particularly-attractive man in uniform huddles against the sandstorm in the lee of his not-kank.
Eyes hidden behind his bone sunslits, the tall, not-particularly-attractive man says in redshirt-accented sirihish,
"I've been in 'Nak too long. I just want to get back to the Outpost and see my mate."
His voice muffled in his hood, the tall, not-particularly-attractive man says in redshirt-accented sirihish,
"I ever tell you about him? We joined the Fist together. I got moved down to Red Storm for a while, then over to 'Nak on this mission."
With a sigh, the tall, not-particularly-attractive man says in redshirt-accented sirihish,
"It'll be good to see him."
After a long pause where he stares out into the roiling dust with a frown on his face, the tall, not-particularly-attractive man pulls off his bone sunslits and stares into the sandstorm.
The tall, not-particularly-attractive man scratches his head under his bone-plated leather helmet.
A frown on his face, staring into the sandstorm, the tall, not-particularly-attractive man in uniform says in redshirt-accented sirihish,
"Did you see that?"
A steel-tipped arrow flies through the air, coming in from the west and striking the tall, not-particularly-attractive man in the throat.
The tall, not-particularly-attractive man's eyes roll into the back of his head.
The tall, not-particularly-attractive man drops his spear.
The tall, not-particularly-attractive man drops his shield.
Quote from: Morrolan on November 03, 2011, 04:24:48 PM
We've all seen these scenes in movies.
The tall, not-particularly-attractive man in uniform huddles against the sandstorm in the lee of his not-kank.
Eyes hidden behind his bone sunslits, the tall, not-particularly-attractive man says in redshirt-accented sirihish,
"I've been in 'Nak too long. I just want to get back to the Outpost and see my mate."
His voice muffled in his hood, the tall, not-particularly-attractive man says in redshirt-accented sirihish,
"I ever tell you about him? We joined the Fist together. I got moved down to Red Storm for a while, then over to 'Nak on this mission."
With a sigh, the tall, not-particularly-attractive man says in redshirt-accented sirihish,
"It'll be good to see him."
After a long pause where he stares out into the roiling dust with a frown on his face, the tall, not-particularly-attractive man pulls off his bone sunslits and stares into the sandstorm.
The tall, not-particularly-attractive man scratches his head under his bone-plated leather helmet.
A frown on his face, staring into the sandstorm, the tall, not-particularly-attractive man in uniform says in redshirt-accented sirihish,
"Did you see that?"
A steel-tipped arrow flies through the air, coming in from the west and striking the tall, not-particularly-attractive man in the throat.
The tall, not-particularly-attractive man's eyes roll into the back of his head.
The tall, not-particularly-attractive man drops his spear.
The tall, not-particularly-attractive man drops his shield.
I think I've seen a scene like that happen in game once, actually.
Statistically (err, anecdotally) speaking, the most surefire way to turn a long-lived, awesome, non red shirt PC into a red shirt PC is to request a desc change.
.... How does that work? You can only change so much of a desc (as far as I'm aware) unless your char gains like 100 pounds of flab and suddenly becomes useless...
Quote from: Nyr on November 03, 2011, 06:40:33 PM
Statistically (err, anecdotally) speaking, the most surefire way to turn a long-lived, awesome, non red shirt PC into a red shirt PC is to request a desc change.
It's true.
Badass ranger I'd had for several months. Desc change request. Boom, surprise attack by multiple tarantulas. First death-to-NPCs in
years. Lesson learned.
Then again, statistically speaking, I've only died once to a desc change, so.... maybe I'm one of the lucky ones.
p.s. My next character is totally going to be a Red Shirt. I'm going to be completely naive and bushy-tailed and bright-eyed and throw them into every single glory-seeking dangerous situation that comes along. Watch them somehow live 50 days played...
The tarantula-toothed, raptor-faced man.
Tell me how long you live with that SDesc.
There's no need to be that silly.
Just app in the tall, muscular man. And then ...
> addkeyword gortok
> addkeyword raptor
> addkeyword scrab
> addkeyword skeet
> addkeyword goudra
> addkeyword inix
> addkeyword tregil
> addkeyword bamuk
... ect ... ect
addkeyword mekillot
Quote from: Saellyn on November 03, 2011, 08:06:18 PM
addkeyword mekillot
... ... I wonder if this might make one invincible!
(From the mek's perspective)
> kill mekillot
You slap yourself!
I don't know if one died to friendly fire by code fops makes for a good red shirt.
Quote from: Nyr on November 03, 2011, 06:40:33 PM
Statistically (err, anecdotally) speaking, the most surefire way to turn a long-lived, awesome, non red shirt PC into a red shirt PC is to request a desc change.
You seriously made me gasp in horror and go check; however, my One True Beloved PC lasted 4.5 RL months after his sdesc change. :-\
Yeah, never died after a desc change. Though, now I don't want to use up my last one ...
I had a desc change pending when one of my very favorite PCs died. It was kind of a red shirt moment, too.