The "I'm Bored" Conversation Thread

[Illysia]

* Rigwyn dances merrily too as blackened zombie ooze splatters from their feet.

Ewww....

[Rigwyn]

The Niribu Cataclysm is about to happen. Bend over and kiss your planet good bye. Seriously though, some folks take this sort of thing rather seriously, so I'll try to be sensitive about it. Have you heard of Niribu? Do you know anyone who buys this crap?

[Illysia]

I have heard of it but I've never met anyone that I know actually believed it.

[Moja Aere]

The characters are well thought out. The plot is compelling and addictive, and the author is a true sadist. Its this sadism that makes the characters shine. Through all the horrible obstacles that he/she throws at the characters, we see what the characters are made of.  Every tough decision has its consequences too. Nobody gets a free ride, so to speak.

You would like the author to put characters through so much. While it is true you can really get at the core of a character with adversity, I hate to see writers put characters through crisis after crisis without let up. I feel bad for the characters, they can't catch a break and the universe really is out to get them.

I honestly do not know if I agree (not that it matters, but the title of the topic was undemanding enough to let me think that I could post ).
I think that it's possible, yes, to get at the core of characters/to see what they are made of, when they pass through/are immersed in terrifying situations. But even also when they are in happy or strange or unlikely situations. And maybe even when they're in ordinary (but not 'superficial') situations.
Simply, I mean, if something happens, a reaction to that something is called/needed (whatever the 'something' is: a disease, an item/entity out of its usual spot, a story told, something odd somewhere… anything! Except, maybe, char 'A' who talks to char 'B' about their own business: in this case I think that, for an hypothetical unknown non-nosy char 'C', it'd be quite uneasy to stop and do something - if 'A'&'B' 's own business isn't that, perhaps, 'A' is a blue Ynnwn or something somehow peculiar enough...).
So, I was saying, a reaction which would be a different reaction depending on what the situation is and, of course, depending on who the character is. And that's why I think that a reaction to a situation would anyway reveal what the reacting character is made of.
[In short, the key word, as I see it, is 'situations' (or 'plots'), stuff that I am quite unable to create. Anyway I think that if these'd be a bit more findable around, it should be easy enough that anyone who has created a character (and who know his/her char at least vaguely and has no weird problems with RP) would be happy to join, with his/her character's own contents.
But sadly I think I'm wrong somewhere and that I'm still missing something: I'm pretty sure that people able to create situations/build plots do exist, but Yliakum is not properly overflowed by RP... so problems should be somewhere else and I actually can't find'em.]

[And now, a maybe silly question: is character 'A' who talk to character 'B' about their own business labellable as 'social RP'?
Really, I'm asking because, even if Taya and Illysia discussed this in a few lines, pages ago, I still think I don't know. To me, this kind of situation sounds more like a 'restricted social RP' because, like I've already said, I can't easily imagine how any other character could be able to partecipate; on the other hand, undoubtedly, it is social because  'A' e 'B' are talking and there is an interaction.
But if I read 'social RP' I immediately think about something able to involve more characters than those who started it (and maybe I am wrong).
Anyway, that's probably one of the reasons making me seldom post: I'm never sure I'm exactly getting the point about 'definitions' I'm reading in posts...]

[Finally, about details: details are great and it's nice to read a precise description. But it might happen that someone's english competence isn't perfect (but it is, hopefully, anyway, good enough to play), so, the more you write, the more this someone can lose the center, the point, the action (s)he is expected to react to (even if lost in beautiful descriptions!). Or maybe not. But, if you're talking to me, I have to admit that if someone write lines and lines and lines all together I often run the risk to read too fast, missing maybe important infos, a bit worried about the eventuality that if I read too slowly the many-lines-written-all-at-once's writer will fall asleep in the meantime… I mean, if you can paint details with words, it's great and please do, just, sometimes, maybe remember to 'dilute' them and please highlight well any crucial point.]

[Rigwyn]

You know, you can always send a [pause] message or request oocly for people to pause or slow down.  As for whether an RP is action or social, I don't really think we need to polarize RP into two extremes.  Some folks gravitate more towards social interaction, others more towards plot and action. I'm sure there's plenty of folks that are in between or who gravitate towards some other direction.

As for creating plots and stories, it helps if you read about "dramatic structure". This is just one way of forming a story.  There are other structures that story writers will follow such as the "Hero's Journey".  Links below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatic_structure
http://www.fiction-writers-mentor.com/heros-journey.html

[Volki]

I read through some of the earlier posts. Rigwyn, regarding Helka, I know the reason why no one did much about her presence. It was because you were too courteous to allow your character to disturb the event. If she had done more, something worse than bumping into others or stealing food from a vendor who did not mind, then the crowd would have likely responded. In a large group, such as an audience, if a speaker has their full attention, they are unlikely to turn their attention to a rude drunk. That's only if the drunk does not interrupt everyone's enjoyment or if the speaker does not call attention to it. A good example would be a bully in the audience of a live show. YouTube those videos of singers singling out bullies in their audience. They know the bullies will get away with it because everyone else is too busy having fun. So, the singer halts the show and directs everyone's attention to the troublemaker.

I didn't see Helka do anything too bad. Sarras did watch Helka for a while, just to make sure she wouldn't start trouble. If you had made Helka do something worse, like instigating a fight, I'm sure the crowd would have reacted. She seemed more like a poor homeless drunk with some mental disorder. Enough of the players have probably dealt with that type to know to ignore her.

[Rigwyn]

I read through some of the earlier posts. Rigwyn, regarding Helka, I know the reason why no one did much about her presence. It was because you were too courteous to allow your character to disturb the event. If she had done more, something worse than bumping into others or stealing food from a vendor who did not mind, then the crowd would have likely responded. In a large group, such as an audience, if a speaker has their full attention, they are unlikely to turn their attention to a rude drunk. That's only if the drunk does not interrupt everyone's enjoyment or if the speaker does not call attention to it. A good example would be a bully in the audience of a live show. YouTube those videos of singers singling out bullies in their audience. They know the bullies will get away with it because everyone else is too busy having fun. So, the singer halts the show and directs everyone's attention to the troublemaker.

I didn't see Helka do anything too bad. Sarras did watch Helka for a while, just to make sure she wouldn't start trouble. If you had made Helka do something worse, like instigating a fight, I'm sure the crowd would have reacted. She seemed more like a poor homeless drunk with some mental disorder. Enough of the players have probably dealt with that type to know to ignore her.

Yes, I could have pushed the envelope a bit more, but there was an event going on and as a player, I didn't want to drown it out or break its flow. If I had more time, I might have hung out longer and found another way to get her into trouble.

There's a balance sometimes between doing what your character would do, and being mindful of other players.  Helka was a bit of a pig, get some free food and left. That's fairly reasonable for a hung over drunk. :-)

[Illysia]

I think Moja is just trying to figure out what we are talking about not make it sound mutually exclusive.

@Moja: I tend to define social RPs as RPs where the emphasis of the RP is on how characters relate to each other. I would consider Characters A and B discussing their business as a social RP. But I would not describe it as a social RP if Characters A and B only discussed a little bit of their business between mining. The reason I would not consider that a social RP is because, in that case, the mining is the focus and not the discussion. But if the focus of Characters A and B's RP became the discussion instead of the mining or if they were both mining and interacting to develop their characters then I would consider that a social RP. By developing their characters I mean either fleshing out their character's story or rounding out their character's personality. Many "action" RPs are ones that I would consider social RPs, but they are often not viewed that way because many people make the mistake of thinking that socializing is different from "doing something."

Also, in your example of Characters A and B talking about their business, that is only a restricted RP if you are shy. Someone can still be nosy and get into that RP or they can do things that affect that RP. For my character Zandral, she was talking with her boyfriend one night by the fire and then right before they kissed Sarras interrupted them and asked them not to kiss in front of her. Even though the RP was initially between my character and her boyfriend Sarras was able to join the RP as well. What will stop a person from being able to join is how easily people will let a person join their RP and how comfortable a person feels about trying to join an RP. I do think that PS needs to work on these two issues. You might see RP flourish if people feel more comfortable with others coming in and out of their RPs.

I think you are also right that situations of many types can show what a character is made of, but I don't think it has to be as extensive as what Rigwyn is talking about. I think all that is needed is a least a tiny bit of effort to create an action that will trigger a chain reaction. Here is what I mean:

Illysia: Oh, hello there. Do you need some help?

Character B: Hello, why yes I do. I don't know how to find my way to Ojaveda.

Illysia: Oh I can help. I have a map you can use. Just let me get it. *Illysia reaches down into her gigantic bag and looks for the map*

Character B: Thank you very much. *Character B waits*

Illysia: I know it is in here. Just give me a moment. I'll find it. *Illysia keeps searching in her bag but now the bag is up to her elbow*

Character B: *Character B waits some more*

Illysia: Oh bother... *she sets the bag down on the ground and she opens the bag so that she can bend over into to look. She is now up to the waist*

Character B: *Character B snickers at Illysia*

Illysia: "I really must get this bag organized," she says in a voice muffled by the cloth of the bag. *Illysia starts to toss random items out of the bag. Some of them hit the ground with a thud or a clank* "Really...  I do have a map down in here... somewhere. *she continues to dig*

Character B: *Character B laughs* Would you like some help? I don't want you to get lost in there.

Illysia: Oh no. I am fine. I go through this a lot. *Illysia yelps in pain* I think something bit me! *Illysia keeps searching nevertheless* Do keep an eye on the things I throw out. If I find the map I will throw it out as well.

Character B: *Character B laughs so more* Ok.

and the RP continues....

Here there is no story, the two character's are simply interacting, but this could have been a very quick RP that would also let the characters stop RPing with each other quickly. However, because of adding a "situation" it lasts longer and the two have a chance to maybe RP more. The only thing Illysia does here is have a quirk of loosing things and then keeps everything in a large bag that she can actually crawl into. This was actually a very effective RP for getting people to RP with me in the past.

[Rigwyn]

Regarding the mention of how to get into a "restricted rp"...  I say just get close and do a little lazy rp. If the people in question acknowledge your character's presence, then its a good sign that they will welcome you.  ( There is no restricted RP as far as I'm concerned. )

Lazy RP?

example:

Toothlessbastard: blah blah blah.... blah blah
Hairyassmofo: you don't make any sense...

Then do something like this:

/ me wanders into Brado's and plops down a few seats away from Toothlessbastard and Hairyassmofo.

At this point, the others see you quite clearly. If they are not jerks, they will more than likely acknowledge you - opening the door, so to speak. If they are really hellbent on roleplaying within their own sterile bubble, then they might send you an ooc message or something.

Hairyassmofo continues to berate Toothlessbastard about his piss poor diction - completely unaware of X's presence.

Yes, this is acknowledgment .....

[Illysia]

Unfortunately even fairly inclusive RPers often get caught up and fail to acknowledge the other characters around them.

[Volki]

I don't see much of a distinction in roleplay. My character always has a purpose for being somewhere, and that could be anywhere. If I become involved in a "social RP," I would probably not even notice. I would be too preoccupied acting the character. I do not purposefully try to involve her in particular types of roleplays. That is just where she ends up, given whatever it is she wants or needs at the time.

"Social roleplays" sounds silly to me. Rather, I think Illysia simply has a preference for certain situations that happen to be more social given her personality. From her posts on this thread, one could safely deduce that she is an extravert. However, unsurprisingly, most people who roleplay online are introverts, which would explain the common opposition to her suggestions. We all have different preferences. This depends on the personalities of characters, as well. For example, Sarras is not normally going to want to sit down with you, have a beer, and ask about your life. That does not mean she would never ask you, ever. It's just that she would rather cause some mischief than act like a well-functioning adult.

For me, roleplay is very fluid. I just go where my character takes me. As in reality, you can't expect the world to remain constant. One moment you could be having an ordinary day, when suddenly something happens and you're swept up in a flurry of adrenaline. (Or maybe you live somewhere boring.  )

On restricted RP... That does not even exist, in my opinion.

[Illysia]

Well that is good that you can transition so well Volki but I haven't found many who don't make distinctions in some way or another. For instance, it is more likely that there are several definitions of Social RP, I simply gave mine.

And I don't think there is larger ratio of introverts to extroverts in this game. MMOs are not quite a novelty any more and many more types of people play them. Admittedly, most characters I interact with are not quite as extroverted as my characters but there are plenty of extroverted characters. I don't think extroversion is the reason people hesitate.

The character is supposed to be different from the player, but even if they are not I would hazard to guess that RPing with others through an online would not be as draining for an introvert as a real life social situations. I think it is just a matter of people following their preferences. When you have limited time and there is no guarantee that branching out will be fun, you can easily fall into only doing a limited range of things.

[Taya]

Regarding the mention of how to get into a "restricted rp"...  I say just get close and do a little lazy rp. If the people in question acknowledge your character's presence, then its a good sign that they will welcome you.  ( There is no restricted RP as far as I'm concerned. )

Lazy RP?

example:

Toothlessbastard: blah blah blah.... blah blah
Hairyassmofo: you don't make any sense...

Then do something like this:

/ me wanders into Brado's and plops down a few seats away from Toothlessbastard and Hairyassmofo.

At this point, the others see you quite clearly. If they are not jerks, they will more than likely acknowledge you - opening the door, so to speak. If they are really hellbent on roleplaying within their own sterile bubble, then they might send you an ooc message or something.

Hairyassmofo continues to berate Toothlessbastard about his piss poor diction - completely unaware of X's presence.

Yes, this is acknowledgment .....

Full agreement here. I absolutely love when players use this method to get involved. The example that always stood out to me was Lodisto. Teshia and one of my alts were having a talk between themselves and Lodisto involved himself by having his character cough every so often until they absolutely had to acknowledge him. I'm guessing he realised in advance that he was setting up his character to be ridiculed as well, but he also dealt with that wonderfully.  How he handled his entrance meant that it was really, really easy for us to involve him in the RP. I would absolutely love to see more people doing this.

[Rigwyn]

For me, realizing that you don't have to "win" was an eye opener. Normally in games, you say/do whatever is needed to accomplish goal x. What can be just as fun is playing a character that loses in epic ways - or who's uniquely challenged.

[Illysia]

When starting to RP I had to learn that it is ok for there to be friction between and that characters don't have to like each other. I was very much a hand holding, "can't we all be friends?" type initially.