What roles have you had experience with that are difficult for you to remain within the bounds of the role for it to be fun?
Example: Socialite Merchant Amos's player would really like to spar and brawl, but he IC has no real practical application for learning these things. Nor does his background support these things, or his personality--so generally, it would be something just short of a 180 degree change that brings him into the tough guy lifestyle.
What sort of roles have been difficult to roleplay for you because you generally play a different sort of character? Have these been rewarding in their variety, or can you not break out of the warrior/hunter mold?
I can not break out of the warrior hunter mold :-\
Warriors.
I cannot, for the life of me, play pickpockets. I don't know why, I just can't get into the RP enough for it to make up for the general uselessness of the starting skills, and I get swiftly irritated by the consequences of failure. :( I'll keep trying though.
Quote from: Maso on June 28, 2008, 03:23:13 PM
I cannot, for the life of me, play pickpockets. I don't know why, I just can't get into the RP enough for it to make up for the general uselessness of the starting skills, and I get swiftly irritated by the consequences of failure. :( I'll keep trying though.
Unless you sneak around and spam steal from NPC's, playing a pickpocket seems very unrewarding, in comparison to the dire consequences that result from failed attempts (if caught).
In my eyes, Pickpockets are the ones that get tossed into the arena to live a short, agonizing life, only to die to some krath-forsaken creature for the entertainment of the whole.
Quote from: Gunnerblaster on June 28, 2008, 04:55:04 PM
In my eyes, Pickpockets are the ones that get tossed into the arena to live a short, agonizing life, only to die to some krath-forsaken creature for the entertainment of the whole.
Pretty much. Yep.
I can't say I've had trouble roleplaying anythign et. But I probably would have issues roleplaying anyone who is constantly a coward, or a sniveling bastard. I also probably couldn't play someone with really low intelligence for an extended period of time.
For me, playing muls has always seemed 'forced' but I can usually get into the role after a while.
I imagine playing an elf, and possibly a half-elf would also present the same kind of challenge, but I've just never gotten around to playing one of those.
Yeah, even if I follow the docs on elves to the T, I have a hard time with it, because I always think there's some mythical document on them that everyone refers to, but no one can find.
Non-political roles are tough for me. I don't mean I need to play a "political" type, but rather, that I need for my character to be somehow involved. Either they know what's going on and are informing for someone else, or they're one of the "movers and shakers," or they are otherwise, at least, marginally on the political fringes of involvement. Some nobody who no one cares about and has nothing to do with anything, I think, would be hard for me to play. Even a desert elf deals with d-elf politics in their own territory. I'd need my d-elf character to know about what's going on, and care about what's going on.
I have trouble playing characters that say little. Given time they always end up saying lots.
Quote from: RogueGunslinger on June 28, 2008, 05:01:15 PM
But I probably would have issues roleplaying anyone who is constantly a coward, or a sniveling bastard. I also probably couldn't play someone with really low intelligence for an extended period of time.
You seem to be doing a pretty good job at it right now... hah. Just kidding.
Yeah, I know we don't want a world full of "exceptions" where everyone is a badass and super-witty and stuff... but it can also be pretty unrewarding to play a super-mundane boring character. I guess the trick is to strike some sort of balance between the two. Personally, I'm not a real great "actor" or RP'er I guess... so I end up just trying to stick to a background story and try to have fun as much as I can.
I try to stick to being realistic and stuff, but there are times where realism can be pretty boring... which is probably the reason for the non-realistic fantasy world and such... so there's kinda some conflicts there which can cause problems if you are not a super-committed die-hard player or whatever. Don't get me wrong, I love the game and have played it for 10+ years off and on... I just don't have the time to play consistently and form intricate relationships in the game because I'm mostly just logging on for some realistic combat action which is the most fun when there's realistic RP to go along with it. This can lead to not being viewed as a very good RP'er at times.
So I guess for me, those hard to play roles are anything that requires a whole lot of committment or schedule of any sort... which pretty much just leaves me with indie warriors/hunters, raiders and fun-loving roguish characters of some sort or the occasional bloodthirsty criminal.
I have a problem playing characters who give a shit about other people.
All of my characters, regardless of intentions, end up being complete misanthropes.
Quote from: manonfire on June 28, 2008, 06:32:03 PM
I have a problem playing characters who give a shit about other people.
All of my characters, regardless of intentions, end up being complete misanthropes.
I have the opposite problem. I need to let go of that.
Dwarves and extroverts.
I have trouble maintaining all that ambition and social energy, respectively.
Quote from: Marauder Moe on June 28, 2008, 07:26:32 PM
Dwarves and extroverts.
I have trouble maintaining all that ambition and social energy, respectively.
For me it would be slackers and introverts :D My characters are always doers and chatters. I have to say, though, I'm not really interested in or concerned about changing that. Playing opposite to my very most basic preferences would make a role unenjoyable.
I've come to the conclusion that I'm not comfortable IG unless my character is breaking something.... Be it breaking other people's faces, or breaking into apartments. Also, trying to play anything but humans is just a pain.
Playing characters that aren't cocky jackasses.
Also, non-humans.
I think that might be because you're a cocky jackass, Mood. <3
Quote from: Gunnerblaster on June 28, 2008, 04:55:04 PM
Quote from: Maso on June 28, 2008, 03:23:13 PM
I cannot, for the life of me, play pickpockets. I don't know why, I just can't get into the RP enough for it to make up for the general uselessness of the starting skills, and I get swiftly irritated by the consequences of failure. :( I'll keep trying though.
Unless you sneak around and spam steal from NPC's, playing a pickpocket seems very unrewarding, in comparison to the dire consequences that result from failed attempts (if caught).
In my eyes, Pickpockets are the ones that get tossed into the arena to live a short, agonizing life, only to die to some krath-forsaken creature for the entertainment of the whole.
I'm going with you guys. However, I found it's a hell of a lot easier to have a 'front', and use pickpocketing as a secret talent kind of thing. Then there's a bunch of jobs: Bards, merchants, aides... You could do your guild/subguild in reverse, having your profession as your subguild.
I find it hard to roleplay....
A dwarf.. Just not my style..
And someone that does not knock himself out at least once or twice from newbie contact. :P ::)
Quote from: Spoon on June 29, 2008, 05:34:08 AM
Quote from: Gunnerblaster on June 28, 2008, 04:55:04 PM
Quote from: Maso on June 28, 2008, 03:23:13 PM
I cannot, for the life of me, play pickpockets. I don't know why, I just can't get into the RP enough for it to make up for the general uselessness of the starting skills, and I get swiftly irritated by the consequences of failure. :( I'll keep trying though.
Unless you sneak around and spam steal from NPC's, playing a pickpocket seems very unrewarding, in comparison to the dire consequences that result from failed attempts (if caught).
In my eyes, Pickpockets are the ones that get tossed into the arena to live a short, agonizing life, only to die to some krath-forsaken creature for the entertainment of the whole.
I'm going with you guys. However, I found it's a hell of a lot easier to have a 'front', and use pickpocketing as a secret talent kind of thing. Then there's a bunch of jobs: Bards, merchants, aides... You could do your guild/subguild in reverse, having your profession as your subguild.
But I really want a dirty, grimy 'rinther pickpocket.
On top of pickpockets: Extroverts and socialites. There is nothing I hate more than tavern sitting. I like TALKING to people, but I hate talking to people that I don't want to talk to. Thus tavern sitting is awkward. Sometimes it's good, and my most favourite character in the world comes in and sits down next to me...and sometimes I get stuck with someone I can't wait to get away from. Worst case scenario - five people walk in and my brain explodes. This only applies to 'normal' taverns. For some reason I'm fine in the 'Rinth.
Scratch another one for the dwarf column.
When it comes to the focus (and the few dwarves I've tried), I feel I come off far too zealous in my attempts to finish it.
Ive only ever retired two chars.
One was a noble. I can't play nobility for crap. I'm sure it could be fun in terms of organizing stuff. But the fact that you can't even even come along for the wagon ride? Meh.
The other was for a special role so it didn't count as me not liking her. I really liked her.
I've never played a dwarf.
Quote from: bracken on June 28, 2008, 06:09:09 PM
I have trouble playing characters that say little. Given time they always end up saying lots.
Quote from: Barzalene on June 28, 2008, 07:23:54 PM
Quote from: manonfire on June 28, 2008, 06:32:03 PM
I have a problem playing characters who give a shit about other people.
All of my characters, regardless of intentions, end up being complete misanthropes.
I have the opposite problem. I need to let go of that.
I have both of these problems. My PCs always end up being easy-going and quick to laugh, with only a few short-lived exceptions. I think I'd have problems playing any race other then human, except maybe half-elf, but I haven't really explored many other races. I find the idea of RP restrictions a daunting, but I'll tackle it sometime.
I once played a character who had no grasps of the basic constructs of human life, due to raising themselves solo in the wildnerness. Having to play somebody who couldn't laugh at jokes, couldn't retort snippy one-liners when they were made her way, didn't understand -any- slang or sayings, and didn't understand concepts like sex without the direct intent to make babies or killing things without the direct intent to eat them was... very challenging.
Little things that people didn't even realise they were doing would freak her out, such as sitting on the same furniture as her or closing doors when she was in the room.
It was extremely hard to roleplay, but developing that character into a semi-functional human being was probably one of my most rewarding Arma experiences.
As far as roles that I don't tend to find myself attracted to at all? Schedules. Meh. My playtimes are too sporadic these days.
I apparently like restricting myself to tiny geographical areas with nearly no interaction from anyone, except POSSIBLY over the Way.
I'm usually terrible at playing people who are stoic, people who aren't connected to others emotionally, and people who are just outright evil and manipulative and have no cares for anyone else. I intend to practice the last more, though. Try to at least gain some kind of minimum proficiency in that, since I could see it working better in this game than others I've played.
Quote from: Tisiphone on June 29, 2008, 03:52:53 PM
I apparently like restricting myself to tiny geographical areas with nearly no interaction from anyone, except POSSIBLY over the Way.
I know who to go to before posting that "GIMP WANTED" ad on Player Announcements now!
Quote from: Dakkon Black on June 29, 2008, 12:48:42 PMOne was a noble. I can't play nobility for crap. I'm sure it could be fun in terms of organizing stuff. But the fact that you can't even even come along for the wagon ride? Meh.
House Badass--er, I mean, Tor would like a word.
Man, easy typo to make. I mean, the keys are right next to each other.
Anyway, to stay on topic, I find that I have trouble playing purely social roles and even
more trouble playing loners. It's only been recently that I've been able to get over my touch of OOC shyness and have my characters be a bit more socially proactive and risk-taking, too.
Military or "lower" houses are good options for being non-frou-frou nobility.
Tor, Lyksae, and Hlum chosen come to mind.
Quote from: Mood on June 28, 2008, 09:48:17 PM
Playing characters that aren't cocky jackasses.
Quote from: Fathi on June 29, 2008, 03:41:23 PM
I once played a character who had no grasps of the basic constructs of human life, due to raising themselves solo in the wildnerness. Having to play somebody who couldn't laugh at jokes, couldn't retort snippy one-liners when they were made her way, didn't understand -any- slang or sayings, and didn't understand concepts like sex without the direct intent to make babies or killing things without the direct intent to eat them was... very challenging.
Little things that people didn't even realise they were doing would freak her out, such as sitting on the same furniture as her or closing doors when she was in the room.
It was extremely hard to roleplay, but developing that character into a semi-functional human being was probably one of my most rewarding Arma experiences.
As far as roles that I don't tend to find myself attracted to at all? Schedules. Meh. My playtimes are too sporadic these days.
Did she bite? If it's the same pc, she was wonderful.
While I haven't tried very many, I'm currently having difficulty with guilds other than ranger. Maybe it's the thrill of survival, but as the OP said elsewhere:
Quote from: Is Friday on May 24, 2008, 03:32:16 PM
I end up trying to ranger my way around with my non-rangers. I'm going to give up and just play rangers from now on.
Hard to play a character who doesn't talk much.
Hard to play a male (a male who doesn't talk much, that was such a futile attempt)
Hard to play a non-ranger.
Hard to play a character who -doesn't- have "listen" or some kind of crafting skill.
And surprisingly, hard to play a character who doesn't have barter.
Hard to play a dwarf (the right way). Obsessing on the focus with little thought to anything else is tough for me.
Extremely hard to play the stoic badass. My characters never shut up, and they're kind of goofy more often than not.
Challenging to play a parent. I have very, very little experience IRL with that.
Hard to play a criminal among a group of criminals. My last guy who did any dirty deeds tended to be a loner.
Can be kind of hard to play a sober character. :P
I have trouble playing badasses.
I always have the urge to take care sending my character into anything and think about how other people are going to react.
Unfortunately I also get frustrated when I know something OOC but can't do a thing about it IC. I used to stay on and do silly things, now I just log out if I can or distract myself if I can't.
I have trouble playing... is harsh the word? Characters. I'm very empathic myself, so I have alot of trouble playing characters who don't give a feck about others, or actively harm them, or anything like that. I always get into a conflict of 'Well, my character should gut them and take their cash' and 'But that is someone's character! They've worked hard to get that stuff, I can't just take it, and kill off their character in the process!'
Odd perhaps that I picked exactly that kind of character for my first on Arm :P
Quote from: Zoltan on July 03, 2008, 09:22:55 AM
Hard to play a dwarf (the right way). Obsessing on the focus with little thought to anything else is tough for me.
Can be kind of hard to play a sober character. :P
Both quite true for me. 8)
Dwarves.
Just having the word 'dwarf' at the end of my sdesc irks me. It brings me back to reality and makes me feel as if I'm part of some regular high fantasy setting rather than a gritty desert wasteland. If that word 'dwarf' didn't have to go at the end of the sdesc then I would be fine w/ them. I don't wanna be a 'dwarf'. It's so fantasy-generica. So unexotic. So western. So bland.
It makes me think of Snow White. :-\
Quote from: Lord of Charas on July 15, 2008, 06:59:45 PM
Dwarves.
Just having the word 'dwarf' at the end of my sdesc irks me. It brings me back to reality and makes me feel as if I'm part of some regular high fantasy setting rather than a gritty desert wasteland. If that word 'dwarf' didn't have to go at the end of the sdesc then I would be fine w/ them. I don't wanna be a 'dwarf'. It's so fantasy-generica. So unexotic. So western. So bland.
Zalanthan dwarves are so different that I don't have that problem. The bald, tattooed, thick-skinned dwarves of Zalanthas always provoke a certain bit of kick-butt, fearless attitude with me. The focus and personality is obviously a challenge, though.
Yeah, I was about to say...if you still think of dwarves as bearded and jolly, you haven't been playing Arm long enough.
@synthesis
*chuckles* well, maybe not then. ;D 4 yrs now I've been an Armer, and I'm -still- somewhat of a noob, you know.
Maybe another two, three years, and all those wrong associations built up by up by Disney, or else Lord of the Rings will be overpowered ! :D yAY !
(that's if 1.Arm is still around by then. who knows, maybe it will.)
Well, you probably aren't alone... because unfortunately (unless I've gotten the wrong idea) dwarves are not going to be in Arm2. I'll miss them. I like the ideas of the new races, and I've heard enough about the Cendi that I'm already getting a bit of a mental picture... but I'll still miss the common fantasy races (zalanthafied of course).
I think I'm pretty good at playing extreme personalities, that have an obvious "hook" to them. I'm not so good at the 'normal' guy living out his day to day life. I have trouble caring about who's kanking who, etc. etc... the trivia that fills up an everyday conversation.
Like Maso, I oddly tend to feel more extroverted in the Rinthi bars than the their southside cousins. Maybe it's because the conversation northside tends to have more of a point to it.
QuoteJust having the word 'dwarf' at the end of my sdesc irks me. It brings me back to reality and makes me feel as if I'm part of some regular high fantasy setting rather than a gritty desert wasteland. If that word 'dwarf' didn't have to go at the end of the sdesc then I would be fine w/ them. I don't wanna be a 'dwarf'. It's so fantasy-generica.
Seems to me people do tend to rp dwarves to a generic Dungeons and Dragons stereotype. I half expect to see them emoting ":strokes his carefully braided beard as he swills down a tankard of ale." The best dwarves I've seen in game have a hyperfocus. They don't tend care about brawling, heavy drinking -- hard partying as a form of relaxation should be considered a waste of time and energy. (unless their focus is to become the Ultimate Party Dwarf)
In short, I don't think a Dark Sun/Arma dwarf should resemble a Klingon with a Scottish accent. imo. I'm obviously outvoted in that regard. :P
Quote from: number13 on July 16, 2008, 05:27:38 AM
In short, I don't think a Dark Sun/Arma dwarf should resemble a Klingon with a Scottish accent. imo. I'm obviously outvoted in that regard. :P
Haha, the scottish accent is classic, on of my first characters was a dwarf like this that didn't wear anything but pants, used an axe two-handed and eventually died when he lost his hot-temper and attacked a Templar.
I can't seem to play anyone that is happy, content or light-hearted. I think I've just come to accept that Armageddon is where I explore my shit and escape obligations of regular life. My characters are generally depressed often aggressive and usually have little-self confidence or esteem. They're self-loathing outcasts that display the things I don't feel permitted to IRL.
I also have trouble playing a character that would be percieved as decidedly 'good' or 'evil'. I don't play a character being heroic or generous very well while I also don't get anything out of playing a sadist. I enjoy playing a coward as well, again it's a stress relief from the requirements IRL to always be a champ.
Maybe I should quit Arm and just start being a man haha.
I can't play winners. All my characters are underdogs that have something either holding them back, or giving them a nicely messed up outlook, even if its tucked down deep and hidden.
Never have, and probably never will be able to play a bynner either *shrugs*
Very hard for me to play an incautious character.
Quote from: brytta.leofa on July 16, 2008, 08:43:31 AM
Very hard for me to play an incautious character.
DItto. I like thinking before acting.
Quote from: Dalmeth on July 16, 2008, 09:28:28 AM
Quote from: brytta.leofa on July 16, 2008, 08:43:31 AM
Very hard for me to play an incautious character.
DItto. I like thinking before acting.
Yeah, Me too. I find it hard to take dangerous risks with my characters... even though things have always gone well/interesting each time I have.
I should make a character that I don't care about as much sometime, or even outright dislike.
I too am one of those people that can't play the "winners".
My characters almost always have low self-esteem and depression issues. Strangely enough, I seem to have the most fun when my character's failing or whatever. That's not saying it isn't cool when something goes right, of course. It's just nice playing the idiot/coward/naive/loser PC sometimes.
I dealt with a bunch of those issues IRL, and now that those times are all over it's kind of fun playing with those feelings again. Weird, but true. ???
Anyway...
"Wise" characters are tough for me to play. So is intense, unrelenting loathing or hatred for someone. I usually have fun RPing with the people my characters hate! This makes it hard to keep the hate up sometimes.
I also have trouble PKing, though I've caused/participated-in a number of PC killings. I had a PC that killed a guy on accident once, if you can believe it. It was totally IC and everything, and my character didn't particularly care, but I felt -terrible- IRL!
I find it hard to roleplay dwarves... I dont think I've played but one, in all my time here, and it was a decently unenjoyable experience. Something about them.
Quote from: Zoltan on July 16, 2008, 07:55:08 PM
So is intense, unrelenting loathing or hatred for someone. I usually have fun RPing with the people my characters hate! This makes it hard to keep the hate up sometimes.
Same here, actually. This is relevant to me currently, as the people I don't particularly like are people that are:
Always Around
In my clan/group/circle of friends in game
So, I -have- to be nice, but I don't know how to keep up the hate! ALL ABOARD FOR THE HATE TRAIN.
I once tried to play a schizophrenic Drovian 'Rinther. It was some of the best solo-RP I ever had. The trouble is, Drovians are kind of valuable. People want to hire them. He got job offers from sorcerors, gangsters, a runaway gang of elementalists... and then he was eventually caught and gemmed when he went running around southside casting spells and shouting about demons inside of him. Even then, two templars ended up in a tug-of-war over 'ownership' of him. I tried to broadcast to other players that this character was completely batty, but a lot of people either chose to ignore it for the sake of plot, or they just didn't get it. I really, really, really, really wanted to get involved in some of these nice, juicy high-magick plots that were being dangled in front of his nose, and I was tempted to have my character 'get over' his schizophrenia in order to facilitate that, even if it was horrible RP to do so. Also, I was constantly concerned that I wasn't portraying his mental illness realistically. I ended up storing him because the mental illness ended up being too much an obstacle and a challenge.
Another thing I have trouble with is mean characters. Well, not just mean... more like evil, murdering bastards. This is partly due to the fact that I'm really nice guy in real life, and I try to avoid confrontation in general. Another reason for it, however, is that whenever I do end up trying to make an evil fucker, I always ended up in a clan or a role that forces him to try and save the world. Like... I'll join a tribe or clan and read the docs and it'll be plastered with crap like "Nobles from House Whasit believe in honor and justice and caring for the common man," or what-have-you. I think for my next role, I'm going to drop the Imms an e-mail that says: "I want to be an evil bastard, and get involved with plots that let me do evil bastard things. Any suggestions for a clan?"
Quote from: Jenred on July 20, 2008, 02:26:05 AM
I find it hard to roleplay dwarves... I dont think I've played but one, in all my time here, and it was a decently unenjoyable experience. Something about them.
Yeah, something about stout, hairless things with a fervent desire to accomplish a goal has always left a sour taste in my mouth as well.
I can't do the tavern sitting thing. I hate talking to people irl..and it shows when I try to do it in game.
The short, ugly guy sits down next to you at the bar.
You look over at the short grumpy guy.
The short grumpy guy looks at you.
You both sit in awkward silence.
Think, "Alright...just say something...anything."
You say, "It burns when I pee..."
The short grumpy guy stares at you, then gets up and leaves.
Think, "Dumbass..."
Also, I can't seem to portray characters of lower intelligence. The mindset is too foreign I suppose. I observe stupid behavior in rl everyday, and I could emulate that, but I don't know the reasoning behind it, and it makes me uncomfortable.
And..no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to play a human in Allanak with even the slightest bit of criminal tendency without becoming part of a certain criminal organization.
Quote from: morrigan on July 28, 2008, 09:08:04 AM
And..no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to play a human in Allanak with even the slightest bit of criminal tendency without becoming part of a certain criminal organization.
And consequently dying, taking at
least 50% of your clan with you (...actually, no, thats any role you play...) [/tease] :-*
Quote from: Dalmeth on July 16, 2008, 09:28:28 AM
Quote from: brytta.leofa on July 16, 2008, 08:43:31 AM
Very hard for me to play an incautious character.
DItto. I like thinking before acting.
Thirded.
And it may be for this reason I can not play throw aways. Even though I start a throw away character, he eventually becomes something more in a few weeks.
I love rangers, I love dwarves, I love half-elves, I even like playing humans in between these for a change of pace.
But the only three PC's i have suicided we elves (never even played one long enough to consider storing).... I am done with them.
I find it hard to play someone wholly lacking in courtesy or empathy.
(Edit: Bwah! Now my post has no context!)
Quote from: brytta.leofa on July 28, 2008, 01:34:32 PM
I find it hard to play someone wholly lacking in courtesy or empathy.
I have only ever played one PC that I pulled this off with.
You dont know how many "bad guys" I have made, that end up being good guys.
I've discovered that it's very, very hard for me to play a noble. I don't think I'm the right type of player for it, after a couple of tries in such roles. Maybe I could handle a Templar, but to be fair, I don't know anything about what it's like to play a Templar, and it might be very similar to being a noble. I wouldn't really know.
I cannot play a 'rinthi, I think.
Every time I try, I end up storing with less than two days.
I cannot play a halfling either, the mindset is so contradictory to basic human impulse for me to grasp.
Criminal Mastermids. I'm really not that clever.
Children. I didn't like being a kid when I was one. Noooo desire to relive the experience.
I think I got half elves down. A mul seems very daunting to me though. Their psyche just seems like a tough egg to crack.
Half-giants.
I find it challenging to be stupid.
???
Quote from: Rhyden on July 29, 2008, 04:41:11 AM
Half-giants.
I find it challenging to be stupid.
???
Just play from your heart.
You should be a natural. <3
;)
In all seriousness...
I find it hard to roleplay:
- Altruistic characters who share with others and give thoughtlessly without expecting a payoff on their investment.
- Trusting characters.
It's mostly because I have difficulty justifying in my mind how a lot of people would develop these traits on a world like Zalanthas. If you're wealthy, chances are you worked your ass off for it--why would you just share the wealth with people who haven't done anything for you? Or if you were born into said wealth, you were probably bred and raised to think that those common grebbers are below you. So why give them 'sid or favours or stuff?
And why would you follow a total stranger into a secluded area with a locked door? Everybody's out to take your shit and business can be done in public places. I think that, by and large, Zalanthans would be an extremely suspicious lot.
Oh, that and I'm an ultrabitch IRL so I just can't play nice people.
Quote from: Fathi on July 29, 2008, 05:57:43 AMOh, that and I'm an ultrabitch IRL so I just can't play nice people.
I find myself to have the complete opposite problem. If I'm unkind IRL, it's usually because of a misunderstanding or some form of negligence: I can't stand not being nice to people, ever, no matter who. This unfortunately bleeds over into the game, making all of my characters total softies.
On the other hand, I have the strange urge, after reading
Watchmen, to play a masked avenger with a very black-and-white morality who will train very hard and then show no mercy to anyone he deems to be "evil." I'm aware that black-and-white morality, and "good and evil," have absolutely no place on Zalanthas, which is exactly why I want to play him. It should help me get over my fear of being mean.
Quote from: NoteworthyFellow on July 29, 2008, 10:48:24 AM
On the other hand, I have the strange urge, after reading Watchmen, to play a masked avenger with a very black-and-white morality who will train very hard and then show no mercy to anyone he deems to be "evil."
You too, huh? After the Watchmen movie comes out, we'll have 20 Rorschachs in game.
Quote from: number13 on July 29, 2008, 11:19:14 AM
Quote from: NoteworthyFellow on July 29, 2008, 10:48:24 AM
On the other hand, I have the strange urge, after reading Watchmen, to play a masked avenger with a very black-and-white morality who will train very hard and then show no mercy to anyone he deems to be "evil."
You too, huh? After the Watchmen movie comes out, we'll have 20 Rorschachs in game.
Crimebusters time!
My current role. :P
I find it hard to play well-adjusted, mentally stable characters. I think I find them too boring.
I get enough of being stable and content and easygoing in my real existence.
When I'm playing in a fantasy world where I can be anything I want to be, I guess it's my natural instinct to bring out the manipulative liars, the completely unhinged psychotics, the mutants, the stutterers, the sadists, and the awkward and quirky people who have very interesting methods of eating food in public places.
???
Quote from: Fathi on July 29, 2008, 02:53:42 PM
I find it hard to play well-adjusted, mentally stable characters. I think I find them too boring.
I get enough of being stable and content and easygoing in my real existence.
When I'm playing in a fantasy world where I can be anything I want to be, I guess it's my natural instinct to bring out the manipulative liars, the completely unhinged psychotics, the mutants, the stutterers, the sadists, and the awkward and quirky people who have very interesting methods of eating food in public places.
???
I think my problem is that I take my characters too seriously.
My next character will be straight-up bananas.
Quote from: Fathi on July 29, 2008, 02:53:42 PMand the awkward and quirky people who have very interesting methods of eating food in public places.
:'(
Quote from: Fathi on July 29, 2008, 05:57:43 AM
Oh, that and I'm an ultrabitch IRL so I just can't play nice people.
Bullshit.
You're a big softie.
Quote from: manonfire on July 29, 2008, 07:06:48 PM
Quote from: Fathi on July 29, 2008, 05:57:43 AM
Oh, that and I'm an ultrabitch IRL so I just can't play nice people.
Bullshit.
You're a big softie.
Was it my love of kittens and snuggles or my utter facetiousness that tipped you off?
I find it hard to play characters who speak with proper enunciation and excellent diction. Most of the time I can't even bring myself to have my characters -think- in proper English.
I took a long break from Arm (about three years ago) for about 2 years, after that - I came back and decided to play a character with a persona that I've never played before. That is, a complete airhead that has a tendency to trust any strangers that would dangle a candy before her face.
First time she went IG, a character asked her during tavern sitting a commonly asked question when any PC walks into a bar, "What news?". So instead of replying some major drastic news such as Lord Templar Snooty Pants of the Blue shat out a block of gold etc, she went on to blabber about her neighbor having just delivered kids and so forth. And was squealing in girly excitement how fantastic being so fertile was.
Naturally, oocly, I was struggling extremely hard to rp out her personality - because although I knew oocly of the snippy remarks other people said about her, I had to stop myself from responding just as mean and had to step back many a times to go...ok..if I'm a bimbo..what would I think this comment as.
Anyway, I think rping dumb is a great challenge for me.
I really have problems playing male characters. I think in a way that's very macho I guess (for a girl), but have a really hard time playing a macho dude. Every time I play a male I want to dress him up in skirts, make him paint his fingernails and talk with a lisp. Ugh, it's irritating.
Quote from: AssKickery on August 23, 2008, 01:07:41 PM
I really have problems playing male characters. I think in a way that's very macho I guess (for a girl), but have a really hard time playing a macho dude. Every time I play a male I want to dress him up in skirts, make him paint his fingernails and talk with a lisp. Ugh, it's irritating.
ROFL.
Love the avatar, btw.
Quote from: AssKickery on August 23, 2008, 01:07:41 PM
I really have problems playing male characters. I think in a way that's very macho I guess (for a girl), but have a really hard time playing a macho dude. Every time I play a male I want to dress him up in skirts, make him paint his fingernails and talk with a lisp. Ugh, it's irritating.
I feel the same way and I'm fairly manly in real life.
I have difficulty roleplaying a character for longer than 4 RL weeks. I'm working on it. :)
My last four or five characters have all be under 3 days played.
I find it hard to play the coldly calculating and controlled type. My characters tend to be a bit on the impulsive and demonstrative side.
Heh. Generally playing a patient character is difficult if RL you're very impatient.
It is hard for me to roleplay a non-rebellious character.
I find it hard to play characters that aren't pushovers. Sure, they -think- of killing everyone around them and hate and resent everyone, but they are usually the quiet ones that are first to back down, and, well, oddly enough, they usually live even through the -worst- of circumstances. I also find it hard to play any ranger that doesn't wind up lost in the tablelands for some reason or other and die there, if they live long enough to make it there. I find it hard to play any race, really, other than humans or half-elves. The setting is enough difference for me, when playing a completely alien mindset I find myself constantly thinking about what the character would do, rather than the reactions slowly building to a point where I almost instinctually know what they would do. I mean, a magicker is one thing, but I don't think I could -ever- fully feel comfortable playing a mul or a half-giant. I've barely played an elf, and I haven't touched dwarves. I really like racial RP, and I love playing -around- the different races, but I can't get into the mindset, myself.
One of the reasons I don't like playing elves, is because once I start thinking of them as "people", it makes it harder to RP the racial strife and resentment when I play a human or dwarf.
Quote from: FantasyWriter on August 27, 2008, 02:37:30 PM
One of the reasons I don't like playing elves, is because once I start thinking of them as "people", it makes it harder to RP the racial strife and resentment when I play a human or dwarf.
Doesn't the reverse also hold true? ;)
Quote from: brytta.leofa on August 27, 2008, 04:39:10 PM
Quote from: FantasyWriter on August 27, 2008, 02:37:30 PM
One of the reasons I don't like playing elves, is because once I start thinking of them as "people", it makes it harder to RP the racial strife and resentment when I play a human or dwarf.
Doesn't the reverse also hold true? ;)
No because I was always thinking. They hate me because I am an elf, so I can't trust them either.
Gung-ho stereotypical macho types.
Infact I hate roleplaying any stereotype. I always make sure to have multiple layers on each character if I can help it.
My characters are like onions.
Chuckling onions, that is.
I cannot play half-elves. I've never figured out how to properly. Read their race info, and don't tell me that's not stressful and confusing.
God knows how many times I'veTRIED. GAH!! :-\
Quote from: AssKickery on August 23, 2008, 01:07:41 PM
I really have problems playing male characters. I think in a way that's very macho I guess (for a girl), but have a really hard time playing a macho dude. Every time I play a male I want to dress him up in skirts, make him paint his fingernails and talk with a lisp. Ugh, it's irritating.
Fale is your friend.
Quote from: Manhattan on September 16, 2008, 11:39:36 PM
I cannot play half-elves. I've never figured out how to properly. Read their race info, and don't tell me that's not stressful and confusing.
My take:
= Make sure there's something vile about your character (beyond being a breed). This makes it easier for others to hate the character properly.
= Try to make friends with *everyone*, esp. the people who are hating on you for being a half-elf. (seen lots of h-e get miffed when someone is hating on them. I don't know if that's the reaction a h-elf should have, unless the hate had turned to violence.)
= Whoever you are hanging out with now is much cooler than whoever you were hanging out with five minutes ago. If you've seemed to have earned the utmost respect of a particular person, there's something wrong with that person. They might not be cool enough anymore, because they are hanging out with a half-elf. (exceptions perhaps exist, for relationships built over years)
= Don't take charity. Half-elves do for themselves. A half-elf beggar should be as rare as a smart half-giant. (you can still con people. that's not a gift -- that's a result of your labor)
= Swap moods. Sometimes you are extroverted to the extreme, sometimes you are introverted to the extreme. These moods have very little to do with external influences.
I've got trouble roleplaying any sort of criminal. Not because I can't understand or get into the mindset, but because I'm kind of a nervous person IRL and the tension in the game when you're hiding from the authorities or risking life and limb for a job is too intense for me.
Quote from: number13 on September 17, 2008, 01:48:22 AM
Quote from: Manhattan on September 16, 2008, 11:39:36 PM
I cannot play half-elves. I've never figured out how to properly. Read their race info, and don't tell me that's not stressful and confusing.
My take:
= Make sure there's something vile about your character (beyond being a breed). This makes it easier for others to hate the character properly.
= Try to make friends with *everyone*, esp. the people who are hating on you for being a half-elf. (seen lots of h-e get miffed when someone is hating on them. I don't know if that's the reaction a h-elf should have, unless the hate had turned to violence.)
= Whoever you are hanging out with now is much cooler than whoever you were hanging out with five minutes ago. If you've seemed to have earned the utmost respect of a particular person, there's something wrong with that person. They might not be cool enough anymore, because they are hanging out with a half-elf. (exceptions perhaps exist, for relationships built over years)
= Don't take charity. Half-elves do for themselves. A half-elf beggar should be as rare as a smart half-giant. (you can still con people. that's not a gift -- that's a result of your labor)
= Swap moods. Sometimes you are extroverted to the extreme, sometimes you are introverted to the extreme. These moods have very little to do with external influences.
Yeah, I don't get it. Does this condition exist in real life?
Quote from: Manhattan on September 17, 2008, 06:08:31 AM
Quote from: number13 on September 17, 2008, 01:48:22 AM
Quote from: Manhattan on September 16, 2008, 11:39:36 PM
I cannot play half-elves. I've never figured out how to properly. Read their race info, and don't tell me that's not stressful and confusing.
My take:
= Make sure there's something vile about your character (beyond being a breed). This makes it easier for others to hate the character properly.
= Try to make friends with *everyone*, esp. the people who are hating on you for being a half-elf. (seen lots of h-e get miffed when someone is hating on them. I don't know if that's the reaction a h-elf should have, unless the hate had turned to violence.)
= Whoever you are hanging out with now is much cooler than whoever you were hanging out with five minutes ago. If you've seemed to have earned the utmost respect of a particular person, there's something wrong with that person. They might not be cool enough anymore, because they are hanging out with a half-elf. (exceptions perhaps exist, for relationships built over years)
= Don't take charity. Half-elves do for themselves. A half-elf beggar should be as rare as a smart half-giant. (you can still con people. that's not a gift -- that's a result of your labor)
= Swap moods. Sometimes you are extroverted to the extreme, sometimes you are introverted to the extreme. These moods have very little to do with external influences.
Yeah, I don't get it. Does this condition exist in real life?
Bipolar disorder.
One could equate the half-elf's desire for acceptance and the sometimes great lengths to which they'll go to make friends to the manic state of bipolar disorder, while the other times, when they inexplicably want to be alone and independent and feel like nobody understands them, are similar to the depressive state. It's not a perfect comparison, but the unpredictability of both overall states means it's a similar concept, I think.
(Now I just have to sit back and wait for someone who knows more about this than I do to slap my face.)
I have a hard time playing characters that require a consistent level of description. Bards pretty much epitize this for me. I can't come up with a new way to describe the sound of my music every single emote. I've played at least a couple of characters interested in dance as well but those turned out to be flops as well.
Quote from: Jingo on September 18, 2008, 01:39:42 PM
I can't come up with a new way to describe the sound of my music every single emote. I've played at least a couple of characters interested in dance as well but those turned out to be flops as well.
The sekret is to not attempt to describe the music with every single emote. There are many more interesting things to be done with a bard or a dancer, even whilst emoting that piece of music or dance.
http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,27725.msg291448.html#msg291448
and
http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,27725.msg291527.html#msg291527
for more details.
City-oriented roles. All of my characters tend to spend way more time outside the city that they're from than inside it. They often have people with them, but still, I don't think I could ever play someone in the militia on either side, or anyone else who -had- to stay in the city almost all the time. I just couldn't.
I have difficulty playing sociable yet assertive types.
I have trouble starting a conversation IRL, and no matter what I'm playing I have the same trouble in the game.
Either I can be sociable and not assertive, or assertive and not sociable. Too much angst spills into any of my characters, and my tongue probably attributes to more of my character deaths than any other contrivance.
I have a hard time playing assholes that other people want to be around. I guess it a circle of badness and wasn't meant to work, but I can't do it.
I have difficulty playing an overly social character for any long period of time.
I fucking hate idle tavern chit-chat, man. I want to be out there doing things and furthering plots.
It makes me feel bad because there's a segment of the playerbase that I essentially ignore because of that.
In real life, I am a worrier. All my pc's tend to be worriers. I'd like to play a pc that wasn't, but I don't know how.
I have a hard time playing a follower. Likewise, I have a hard time being inventive and coming up with plotlines for my clannies or hoodlums off the seat of my pants.
Ugh. I'm sorry.
Quote from: a strange shadow on September 19, 2008, 07:00:24 PM
I have difficulty playing an overly social character for any long period of time.
I fucking hate idle tavern chit-chat, man. I want to be out there doing things and furthering plots.
It makes me feel bad because there's a segment of the playerbase that I essentially ignore because of that.
Same here, and that's very difficult to balance with playing a public leader role, especially of the high-visibility clanned variety.
After all, you want people to know you're around and active and not just logging in biweekly. But I find my leader PCs tend to spend what could arguably be called too much time on their own property, doing stuff with their own dudes. Because often times they're just too busy to sit in taverns and make friends.
/agree
The majority of my characters have been leader-types, and for the first time in many years I'm playing a weakling lackey with no immediate ability to seize power. This is hard. And to make matters worse, there seems to be a real shortage of active clan leaders where my character is. I hope that they're out there, just away from my sight, doing stuff with their guys.
Dealing with the (perceived) lack of ambition in the people around my character makes this seem like one of the harder roles I've played.
I have trouble playing really snarky or gossipy characters.
It's a gender thing. I was brought up to believe (IRL) that men are never snarky or cattish. It would be easier for me to cross-dress than to play a snarky character.
I personally think this is why I don't do well in game clans. As a rule, I don't participate in social dramas, even when there exists a social expectation for me to do so. It bothers people that I won't do this.
Hmmmm. I like this thread.
Other people have such an easy time with those sorts of roles.
Quote from: touringCompl3t3 on September 20, 2008, 06:51:18 PM
I have trouble playing really snarky or gossipy characters.
It's a gender thing. I was brought up to believe (IRL) that men are never snarky or cattish. It would be easier for me to cross-dress than to play a snarky character.
Snarky is different from catty, really, but I see what you mean.
One of my recent characters was an attempt at a snarker, but I couldn't quite pull it off, which made me sad. I think it was more a lack of wit on the player's part than anything else (i.e. I'm less witty than I like to believe).
I find it really hard to play all my characters at first. I can't get into their heads, the "think" command is mostly unused, until I have a few RL days played on them at least. Before then, I'm still trying to figure out -how- they think, what they think about, what's important to them, and what kinds of reactions they'd have to things.
It's also hard to play a role, at first, that's mostly iso. Cause I fall into that nasty habit of letting my character sit there while I read the GDB. I keep the client in the background so I can still watch the game and tab over if something happens and I need to respond. I feel bad about that, but a person can only roleplay nodding at VNPCs telling virtual stories to their virtual clan around the virtual fire so many times before you get virtually tired of doing it.
Quote from: Lizzie on September 20, 2008, 10:50:50 PM
It's also hard to play a role, at first, that's mostly iso. Cause I fall into that nasty habit of letting my character sit there while I read the GDB. I keep the client in the background so I can still watch the game and tab over if something happens and I need to respond. I feel bad about that, but a person can only roleplay nodding at VNPCs telling virtual stories to their virtual clan around the virtual fire so many times before you get virtually tired of doing it.
So true!
I find my current character very hard to roleplay, sometimes.
But very, very rewarding when I do it right.
Edited: Why? I suppose it's because the PC in question has several key personality traits that cause her to react to things in a way that defies my intuition. She's very patient, very slow-moving and deliberate in her actions, and always thinks before she speaks. And sometimes, she doesn't speak at all.
I find my current role difficult due to a lack of familiarity.
I also find it immensely enjoyable.
Quote from: Manhattan on September 16, 2008, 11:39:36 PM
I cannot play half-elves. I've never figured out how to properly. Read their race info, and don't tell me that's not stressful and confusing.
God knows how many times I'veTRIED. GAH!! :-\
A lesson I've learned (and this is often my favorite race to play): never try to judge yourself whether or not a half-elf was pulled off right. Part of getting into the role, sometimes, is a serious case of doubt about how you're acting.
Sometimes, they're not hating your RP, they're hating your character. Though, disdain is often a better choice of emotion. A small sneer of disdain from a random stranger at the Gaj can set back RL months of achievement in a half-elf's career, emotionally.
Morrolan
I struggle with playing PCs in leadership roles. Leadership roles end up blurring the line between the game and IRL for me, and it always happens so... sneakily! One minute I'm enriching the character's RP, the next I'm creating project plans, doing follow-up e-mails and scheduling meetings.
Edit: I'm a project manager in real life, and this always happens to me and I always promise that next time, it won't happen. *gets drawn in by the wonders of Excel and gmail document sharing*
Quote from: Rairen on September 22, 2008, 02:59:23 PM
One minute I'm enriching the character's RP, the next I'm creating project plans, doing follow-up e-mails and scheduling meetings.
At your table, you say, gruffly, gesturing with your sharp, well-balanced bone halfsword, in sirihish:
"...An' lever'gin' our core compertences."
Quote from: brytta.leofa on September 22, 2008, 03:04:33 PM
Quote from: Rairen on September 22, 2008, 02:59:23 PM
One minute I'm enriching the character's RP, the next I'm creating project plans, doing follow-up e-mails and scheduling meetings.
At your table, you say, gruffly, gesturing with your sharp, well-balanced bone halfsword, in sirihish:
"...An' lever'gin' our core compertences."
;D
*realizes that she'd ALSO have trouble playing merchants who don't draw supply and demand curves in the street*
Anything giddy, giggly, bubbly, naive, or otherwise unfocused.
If it has no sense of humor, I also will probably die trying to play it.
I do subtle like a mac truck.
I find it hard to play lesbians
I find it hard to role play a Chosen Lady :(
Especially a lesbian one.
(mansa, is that you?)
Quote from: Malken on September 29, 2008, 02:19:04 PM
I find it hard to role play a Chosen Lady :(
New goal (though not the Lebanese part). But I think I'll have to, y'know,
start playing in Tuluk first.
Quote from: brytta.leofa on September 29, 2008, 02:45:14 PM
Dirty 'Nakki fanboi.
;)
My taunting will eventually bring the result I'm seeking, I'm sure of it.
Quote from: Gimfalisette on September 29, 2008, 03:00:40 PM
Dirty 'Nakki fanboi.
You so much have no leg to stand on there. :D
Hey now! I've mended my former wayward ways. Any who want to call me fangirl must admit that I'm enamored of a few factions within the game--including Allanak and Tuluk both. In fact, the only environments I don't love are the ones I haven't played yet.
Err, and the solo wandering ranger thing. Never going to be a fan of that. (Haven't tried it either, but it just seems SO highly improbable...)
I'm incapable of rping someone who's an evil fucker. All my characters range from cheerful to bitter loners with a heart of gold - but generally being decent people at the root of it is key. Also, not so much luck with anything but non-karma classes.
Quote from: Comrade Canadia on October 20, 2008, 03:42:42 AM
I'm incapable of rping someone who's an evil fucker. All my characters range from cheerful to bitter loners with a heart of gold - but generally being decent people at the root of it is key. Also, not so much luck with anything but non-karma classes.
Same here... I wish I could be evil... just once. :(
Quote from: FantasyWriter on October 20, 2008, 10:34:17 AM
Quote from: Comrade Canadia on October 20, 2008, 03:42:42 AM
I'm incapable of rping someone who's an evil fucker. All my characters range from cheerful to bitter loners with a heart of gold - but generally being decent people at the root of it is key. Also, not so much luck with anything but non-karma classes.
Same here... I wish I could be evil... just once. :(
I think this is a matter of perspective. I did some research and found this topic that someone had brought up about "good" characters within the gameworld of Armageddon.
http://www.zalanthas.org/gdb/index.php/topic,15090.0.html
I really liked Xygax's response:
Quote from: Xygax on September 19, 2005, 03:11:20 PM
...I think most of the people on Zalanthas are, in general, people who think they're good people. They simply don't have a lot of freedom with respect to how generous they can be in making day-to-day choices.
Elves glorify the art of stealing not because they revel in anarchy and mayhem, but because stealing is one of the best ways to obtain what you -need to live- in a world with tremendously scarce resources. Tuluki society similarly vaunt thievery, assassination, etc., as high Art for similar reasons. People aren't charitable because they can barely care for themselves and their families, etc., not because they're inherently evil.
Even defilers defile simply because it is perceived to be a quick route to power, not because they themselves are necessarily evil.
Certainly, a number of players -have- portrayed evil or vicious roles. But that isn't, to me, necessarily admirable roleplay. Admirable roleplay is allowing your character to make difficult choices. Maybe your burglar even feels guilty about robbing people of their worldly belongings. Maybe your mercenary or assassin struggles from time to time with the fact that every once in a while, he kills someone for no other reason than that he was employed to do so.
Really well-played characters are the ones that live in the gray areas of morality. They do what they need to do to live. They do things that give them pleasure or escape from pain even though they know it's wrong, or foolish or wasteful or dangerous (spice, alcohol, etc.). There was a Kadian PC not too long ago that really fit this mold well, and was a pleasure to watch because his character was so desperately flawed.
ArmageddonMUD, in my opinion really isn't at all about good versus evil. It's more about the tragedy of good people sometimes having to make evil choices. Not always, but sometimes. And it's also sometimes about those people seeking meaning -- maybe spiritual, maybe otherwise -- and redemption -- again, spiritual or otherwise -- for their evil choices. Not always, but sometimes.
-- X
Nice link, thanks.
Here's another for us chronic, 'good'guys...
http://www2.tech.purdue.edu/cg/Courses/cgt411/covey/48_laws_of_power.htm
Well, I mean, I'm not talking about my inability to play a dark lord of evil. That's not a character, that's a joke. Great villains always think they're in the right and simply have justified doing horrendous things as the only, and best ways they can achieve whatever goals they have. I've known a few good rpers who can have characters like this, and I've just never had the knack for making a character who can justify said things. It always comes off as flat and artificial. Good link, though!
Quote from: Comrade Canadia on October 22, 2008, 04:21:15 PM
Well, I mean, I'm not talking about my inability to play a dark lord of evil. That's not a character, that's a joke. Great villains always think they're in the right and simply have justified doing horrendous things as the only, and best ways they can achieve whatever goals they have. I've known a few good rpers who can have characters like this, and I've just never had the knack for making a character who can justify said things. It always comes off as flat and artificial. Good link, though!
Dude...Dave....what are you doing on the GDB? :P
Luckily I'm blessed with the ability to play a wide range of personalities....the only thing is I tend to like many more than others...that being said evil is my favorite by far, in any way, followed in a close second by nice guy/playboy :P
I could use some help....
I've rp'd one way for a couple of months of regular play.
Now, the staff (recently added) of my clan has said that what I am is not "right", even after receiving an IMM email that said what I was doing was right.
I can't give anymore information than that because it's a current character.
How do I log in again and roleplay a character who has thought they were following the rules, while I ooc believed I was following the rules, without getting immediately killed or treated like I've done something wrong? I have some time invested in this character and don't just want to lose it. :( That and I've put alot of thought into every IC action and have rp'd some stuff that will seemingly not be recognized.
I'm not sure how to continue. I don't know how to even log in.
Advice is appreciated.
Email.
Reference past emails. Line out your character's reasons, motivations, past experiences and interactions in as concise a manner as you can. Explain that you have always understood your character to be represented correctly as per your perception of the environment and that it is difficult to suddenly adjust your entire concept of "how things are" when it is already so well established in your mind.
Stand up for yourself, but be willing to compromise and admit that you may have been under wrong impressions.
It will probably take some back-and-forthing, but hopefully you will reach a satisfactory conclusion.
Elieson, if it's conflicting staff information that's causing you concern, you have one other option I can think of that might be helpful. Find someone on the *helper* list who is not currently in your clan. Someone who you know you can trust to give the information to, get feedback from, who won't betray the IC info you're giving them. From what I can understand of the helper system, that is something they occasionally do. You'd need to get permission from that helper before you blurt out the situation - they might be involved in it already and not want to ruin any surprises :)
But if it were me, and I was getting conflicting info from the staff and didn't want to get yet a third conflicting staff opinion, I'd go to a helper for a fresh, non-staff, but staff-approved perspective.
Quote from: Lizzie on November 06, 2008, 09:04:06 AM
1. From what I can understand of the helper system, that is something they occasionally do.
2. You'd need to get permission from that helper before you blurt out the situation - they might be involved in it already and not want to ruin any surprises :)
1. It is.
2. yes, please ask first.
I felt I had to weigh in on the topic of RPing Good vs Evil. There's been a lot of good commentary on the relative nature of good and evil. For instance: the religious dwarf example from posts back is a great example of someone performing in a manner that they believe to be good, while consistently duping, bribing, and brainwashing 'rinth kids into being part of his/her cult. Now is that good or evil? I'd say it's self serving, which is, for the most part, the -real- way that people act. Some people's self interests make their actions seem good to those around them, and some are quite the contrary. The thing that really gets me about the "harsh world" excuse, is that a lot of people use it as a justification for playing characters that are not merely self serving....they're sociopathic. I've had chars mugged in a variety of places, and often they led to interesting and fun RP sessions. But there are those occasions, which I think occur a bit too often, where a PC has singled me or someone else out to be murdered for the change in my purse, or even so they can move in on my squat.
My point is that there is a very big difference between evil and psychopathic. Why have I met my end to so very many psychopaths?
I can't RP a player who doesn't talk properly. I've got a 'rinther, and he talks like a fricking noble. See, I wrote "fricking" there! I just assume that having a 'rinther accent would make him sound more retarded or something :p
No matter what I start off with, I always end up making a really bad gurl who deceives everyone she's around. Doesn't really matter whether she's exaggerating about a skill she doesn't have or joining two enemy clans at the same time, she just ends up being really twisted till my head hurts from all the plot twists.
I can't play as good, loyal girls. I also like to play the little girl with spindly arms who could chop a hawk's head off with a lumber axe. I'm an anti-stereotypist, I guess. If I made a half-giant, she'd be a 'gicker or a burger. A half-giant warrior-soldier would bore me to death.
Quote from: audrey on November 12, 2008, 12:53:35 AM
No matter what I start off with, I always end up making a really bad gurl who deceives everyone she's around. Doesn't really matter whether she's exaggerating about a skill she doesn't have or joining two enemy clans at the same time, she just ends up being really twisted till my head hurts from all the plot twists.
I can't play as good, loyal girls. I also like to play the little girl with spindly arms who could chop a hawk's head off with a lumber axe. I'm an anti-stereotypist, I guess. If I made a half-giant, she'd be a 'gicker or a burger. A half-giant warrior-soldier would bore me to death.
This.
Also, for some reason, when I do all my badass emoting at full strength, all the characters around mine start falling in love with them, or, at the very least, being much nicer than I even try to manipulate them into being, so my emoting is really hard. I've cut it back, and I feel like it's really crappy and repetitive, but, when I do feel like I am emoting well, it's impossible for me to play a character that anyone seems to dislike. So, I have started using the rather average emotes, and just kept my awesome emotes on the hemote side, mostly because I really like bringing in the detail, so, I guess it could be harder to see unless actively watching.
*shrug*
Crap, I don't know.
Srsly? My emotes are usually "does something somethingly" over and over again, or nodding a lot. When I do come up with something esoteric and out of my ordinary pattern, I feel weird because I'm not in the same paradigm.
Yes. Seriously. While the part of me that's a writer it very flattered, the part of me that's a player is kind of torn. It kinda feels like they like my characters more because of my writing ability. And, even now, about 80%of the people i catch watching my characters wind up trying to bed them, being overly nice to them, or buying them loads of stuff.
Quote from: AmandaGreathouse on November 12, 2008, 06:47:43 AM
Yes. Seriously. While the part of me that's a writer it very flattered, the part of me that's a player is kind of torn. It kinda feels like they like my characters more because of my writing ability. And, even now, about 80%of the people i catch watching my characters wind up trying to bed them, being overly nice to them, or buying them loads of stuff.
Use it to bite them in the ass. They'll love you for it.
I couldn't ever play multiple 'new' methods of roleplay at the same time. I'd need one circle of comfort with me if I move to another.
Presuming I've never played a merchant and I've never done a desert elf in say, the Sun Runners. I couldn't be a merchant IN the Sun Runners. I'd be mindblown. I'd need to either be a merchant in say Allanak, as I'm comfortable in that environment, or a (class I've done before) in the Sun Runners.
Quote from: AmandaGreathouse on November 12, 2008, 03:22:01 AM
Quote from: audrey on November 12, 2008, 12:53:35 AM
No matter what I start off with, I always end up making a really bad gurl who deceives everyone she's around. Doesn't really matter whether she's exaggerating about a skill she doesn't have or joining two enemy clans at the same time, she just ends up being really twisted till my head hurts from all the plot twists.
I can't play as good, loyal girls. I also like to play the little girl with spindly arms who could chop a hawk's head off with a lumber axe. I'm an anti-stereotypist, I guess. If I made a half-giant, she'd be a 'gicker or a burger. A half-giant warrior-soldier would bore me to death.
This.
Also, for some reason, when I do all my badass emoting at full strength, all the characters around mine start falling in love with them, or, at the very least, being much nicer than I even try to manipulate them into being, so my emoting is really hard. I've cut it back, and I feel like it's really crappy and repetitive, but, when I do feel like I am emoting well, it's impossible for me to play a character that anyone seems to dislike. So, I have started using the rather average emotes, and just kept my awesome emotes on the hemote side, mostly because I really like bringing in the detail, so, I guess it could be harder to see unless actively watching.
*shrug*
Crap, I don't know.
I know how you feel. I think it was ShaLeah who called this being the victim of the Interesting Girl Syndrome. I say, roleplay for you. If you want to pull out all the stops and let rip with your best stuff, go for it. Then there'll be all those moon-eyed people to deal with, sure, but at least you won't ever find yourself bored.
And yeah, there's always the chance to betray someone or the like.
I have found it hard to Roleplay city elves and half-elves, because of the mindset. I don't really like being told how my character would feel because of their race.
I enjoyed half-giants, but find that it's hard to act stupid all the time. And I hate the people who play half-giants like, "Oh boy, I love dem steaks..oh boy." it reminds me of that cartoon where the big goofy guy is like, "Otay George, whateva you say George."
I really enjoyed the relative freedom of D-elf life, but when your clan doesn't have any members, or they are all in a different time zone, it gets extremely boring and causes me to go kick that anakore and get killed.
What I really wanna do is play some type of staff sponsored role, because I think it will give me enough to do while having other players seek me out, but unfortunately I don't know if I suck or am good at these, as I haven't done it yet.
JaRoD
Quote from: Cerelum on November 15, 2008, 11:06:43 AM
I enjoyed half-giants, but find that it's hard to act stupid all the time. And I hate the people who play half-giants like, "Oh boy, I love dem steaks..oh boy." it reminds me of that cartoon where the big goofy guy is like, "Otay George, whateva you say George."
They're more realistic than those giants whose intelligence quadruples as soon as there's a chance they might be tricked / in danger and then reverts back to making silly mistakes again when they feel like providing a bit of comedic value and there's nothing at stake.
Quote from: Boggis on November 15, 2008, 12:09:41 PM
They're more realistic than those giants whose intelligence quadruples as soon as there's a chance they might be tricked / in danger and then reverts back to making silly mistakes again when they feel like providing a bit of comedic value and there's nothing at stake.
So would you have them blindly throw their half-giant away as some half-elf tricks them into thinking that Soldier is really a magicker in disguise and to punch it?
JaRoD
I find it really hard to play non guilt-tripping women. :(
Quote from: Cerelum on November 15, 2008, 12:51:30 PM
So would you have them blindly throw their half-giant away as some half-elf tricks them into thinking that Soldier is really a magicker in disguise and to punch it?
JaRoD
If they're tricked in a convincing way then yes. But the example you're providing would be one that would be a difficult trick to pull off convincingly. HG's who've lived in a city will have absorbed and adapted the culture that you don't go around hitting soldiers and that soldiers aren't magickers. They're not going to suddenly lose all this the minute somebody tells them otherwise. The breed in your example would have to come up with something quite imaginative. But it's not an impossible scenario to imagine. Think of just about the stupidest person you know in real life. Now imagine that the top of the class, Harvard graduate equivalent in the HG community is, at best, probably about as smart as this stupidest person and you should have an idea of the consistent level of stupidity required to play a HG. You can't just ramp up the intelligence level because you want to avoid a particular bad situation for your character because you know what will happen if you do something stupid. As a HG you literally have to do stupid things and be open to the bad things that may happen to you because you've done something stupid.
Quote from: Half Giant Social Plight
Are Half-Giants Easily Tricked?
They are very easily tricked. They cannot think flexibly or with subtlety, they cannot grasp abstract concepts, and they are highly suggestible and trusting. All together, these things make half-giants very easy to manipulate. A half-giant does not attach any value to an item other than that which it seems to have at the moment, and the same goes for a friend.
Why Are Half-Giants so Trusting?
Because they think everyone thinks exactly the same way they do! They get awfully confused when this might not be the case, which often makes them all the more easy to manipulate.
HG's are consistently stupid - not just when it suits the player OOC'ly to be stupid.
Playing someone who would follow orders to the letter, who is forced to wait for said orders when being ordered to wait for orders.
Quote from: Furious George on November 15, 2008, 08:15:27 PM
Playing someone who would follow orders to the letter, who is forced to wait for said orders when being ordered to wait for orders.
Conversely, I'm great at taking orders, I am -not- great at giving arbitrary orders. Relay orders are fine, but making them up is impossible for me. I have a hard time creating the structure necessary for other people to operated.
Then, I'm never a leader PC
It's hard for me to play older characters.
Pass the torch to the younger generation and all.
As a super noob I think I would have a hard time Rping a video game nerd, sitting on his couch with a beer and a laptop playing Armageddon.
I haven't quite found my niche yet, which is nice in a way. I have played a few chars now, and I have fell in each roll with relative ease so far.
However, I am having a hard time with my skills obber sucking at the start though. If I am supposed to be a beefy fight hardened guy, and I have a hard go with a rat. It doesn't sit right with me, but this could only be the fact that I haven't been able to keet a character alive long enough for his skills to get better.
After playing this game for a month, I've realized one thing: I really suck when there's no goal. Heck, I don't mind if it's a sucky, impossible one. But if the game ends up making me do something like earn as much money as possible, be as powerful as possible, all those boring, vague goals, I'll get really annoyed and try to suicide.
Good thing that dwarves are a no-karma race. I'm really loving playing a dwarf :D
Quote from: SMuz on November 25, 2008, 04:33:18 AM
After playing this game for a month, I've realized one thing: I really suck when there's no goal. Heck, I don't mind if it's a sucky, impossible one. But if the game ends up making me do something like earn as much money as possible, be as powerful as possible, all those boring, vague goals, I'll get really annoyed and try to suicide.
Good thing that dwarves are a no-karma race. I'm really loving playing a dwarf :D
Amen. Dwarven foci for the win!
Dwarves are my favorite race, as long as you have crazy hard goals, like become an honorary member of a gith tribe, or raise a baby kryl as your pet.
Hard to roleplay, for me honestly, would definitely be a social-only character. I wouldn't say I'm a twink per se (I'm getting better about it, damnit) but I -do- feel like having code to work with increases my will to play. If I just sat in a bar all day, waiting for someone to ask me to fetch them something, I'd suicide. =\
As a note, reading through this thread made me think of Bartle classifications. Reading people's responses, I'm overconfidently going to say I could probably place a majority of people into their primary role by how they responded. I think my response would allow anyone familiar to fairly easily classify myself. A, E, S, G
If you aren't familiar, go google it and read up. It'll be worth your time. Why? Glad you asked. That'd be because one of the most rewarding, and initially painful experiences you can do for role playing is to play the wrong end of your spectrum. For me, I'd play a griefer, who achieves his goals through social and political influence and never uses coded skills. If I could pull this off, I'd be polishing my RP to the next level(read, natural achiever inclination).
Quote from: Kryos on November 29, 2008, 02:39:21 AM
That'd be because one of the most rewarding, and initially painful experiences you can do for role playing is to play the wrong end of your spectrum. For me, I'd play a griefer, who achieves his goals through social and political influence and never uses coded skills. If I could pull this off, I'd be polishing my RP to the next level(read, natural achiever inclination).
Very close to what I'm trying to do at the moment. It can be ridiculously entertaining, though its easy to get demoralized and wonder if you can actually pull the RP off. I've written myself a long background and gone through a bunch of docs and discussions just to get in tune with things and see them from a fresh perspective.
Assassins.. and Burglers.. But mostly Assassins.. Because I want to be an uber assassin to bad Its hard for me to Rp because I have to twink to raise my backstab skill and then eventually I get sick with myself because im twinking...