PlaneShift
Gameplay => General Discussion => Topic started by: Illysia on June 02, 2007, 12:42:58 am
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Ok, since the other thread, "What motivates a GUY to roleplay a girl?", was such a sucess I will now move on to another question that has been nagging at the back of my mind. Why would you want to RP an evil or just plain unsociable character? ???
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Evil, coz it is fun. Being evil you make what you want, thus free you're. Ultimately being evil you are often more cool.
Also, evil is not synonym of unsociable.
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Evil, coz it is fun. Being evil you make what you want, thus free you're. Ultimately being evil you are often more cool.
I'm sorry but that makes absolutely more sense. To quote Arion Fildar Arion Fildar says: I don't think I understand you. Can you say that in a different way?
Also, evil is not synonym of unsociable.
That's why I used "or" I'm inquiring why someone would play them either.
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Having RPed both “good” and “bad” characters, I would say that there are mainly 3 reasons why I have in the past decided to RP “evil” characters.
1. Balance. Yliakum is a pretty boring place when the only people running around are chivalrous knight types. Besides, “good guys” need “bad guys” and vice versa. After all, who needs guards and gallant soldiers if every citizen is a shining beacon of goodness?
2. Fun. It can be incredibly enjoyable to stir things up a little, and when done right, enjoyable for others involved too.
3. Challenge. It takes a lot of tact to RP an “evil” character well and to be quite honest, it’s more of a challenge to RP a controversial character rather than a nice person that just goes along with the flow. Besides, flaws are often what makes characters interesting and realistic and who has more flaws than a character fallen from grace?
Basically, don’t knock it till you try it :P It can be pretty interesting and fun RPing one of the dregs of Yliakum society, and keeps life interesting.
I’ve also tried RPing a painfully shy, unsocial character before and while occasionally fun… it takes quite a bit of dedication to keep it up. Honestly more dedication than I have. But, I’m all for having every different type of character personality type imaginable in game. Diversity adds realism and keeps things fresh. So, while arguably not as nonstop fun as RPing a more social character, perhaps the person behind the shy or antisocial character is just trying to make Yliakum a more interesting place?
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Simply I think Rping evil is the most fun I have playing ;D
Fact of the matter is its never easy to rp evil but I think its more intresting. Sure there is the downsides like not being able to show your face in public without being attacked or having a harder time finding people on your team but its also very rewarding. Being the person everyone hates and annoying people on its own is entertainment enough for me but also making devious plots and winning by lieing, cheating, and stealing are big bonuses \\o//
I'd just think of it this way. If no one did Rp evil then we would lose a lot of fun. I mean what good guy doesn't love defeating the evil guy, solving the mystery, and winning in the end? And for me losing is just another fun bonus. When I lose I have a reason to make another new plot thats almost impossible to figure out with one fatal flaw that brings my downfall again.
In the end I'd say its just the fact that you get to stir up trouble and kinda go by your own rules that makes evil fun. You get to be wild and when you do it more it gets pretty addictive.
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I'm not knocking playing an evil character; I'm just curious as to why you would want to. Playing an evil character goes against every fiber of my being. Even when angered I don't plot against someone to get them back. I could never play an evil character well, I just unabashedly have a bleeding heart. :love: So for me to understand why someone else would play an evil character I have to ask. And don't knock being good, it's not as easy as it seems, believe me. :D There have been times when I have been tempted to really nail someone but then I calm down right quick and let it go.
When I say unsociable I don't mean shy; I mean people who aren't overtly evil but are pains in the behind just the same.
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OK I may be butchering this quote but...
Evil wins cause the good guys never cheat.
I my self like to play the most evil of characters in any RPG, The Antipathy Character. No feelings what so ever towards the "others", Famous quotes: "I could have sworn they were all NPCs", "I don't care", and the seldom used since it requires interaction "talk to the bird, jack ass". This player plays RPGs like they are Solo FPS. ... This sucks I got to ask the Town NPCs permission to attack'em.
All the other evils are extensions of this base, with the indifference towards others but having the exception of actually reciprocating towards those that are the target of the indifference, meaning they Role Play with their victims. Not a true sense of evil but not many can play EVIL.
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There have been times when I have been tempted to really nail someone but then I calm down right quick and let it go.
Creating a character that gives into that impulse is usually a good place to start with a more unsavory character. :P Everyone has it in them, some just don't enjoy it as much. :)
Also, I want to point two things out:
1. There is a BIG difference between RPing an evil character and being just plain annoying (which often involves OOC behavior, abusing game mechanics, and at best pseudo-RP).
2. Being "evil" in RP doesn't mean being evil OOC. ;)
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Also, I want to point two things out:
1. There is a BIG difference between RPing an evil character and being just plain annoying (which often involves OOC behavior, abusing game mechanics, and at best pseudo-RP).
2. Being "evil" in RP doesn't mean being evil OOC. ;)
Once again I am misunderstood... :sweatdrop: I mean some one who RPs a person who might be snide when talking to others or might just shove people around just because or something like that. Basically someone who annoys people IC. I'm not addressing any OOC behavoir. By evil I mean people who go around enslaving people and people who turn people against each other just for fun or personal whims and other such things. Hopefully this time I have made it clear what I mean. X-/
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As an old X-Files fan, I prefer the "evil" that Cabal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabal)attempted to achieve, having as a potential role-models for any ambitious "evil" shady character, and playing such types of characters always is interesting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Weishaupt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Weishaupt)
Bob Page, if intend to play Deus Ex 1, might be a spoiler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Page#Bob_Page)
For powerful people, something I'm yet to see possible to implement in Yliakum:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler) *AHEM* Godwins Law
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalin)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Cromwell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Cromwell)
Now if we go on the "chaos" axis of "alignment:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson)
And don't forget the "bible": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prince (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prince), although some of my "good" characters follow it as well.
I don't usually like roleplay those who do the nasties things on public, because scientia est potentia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_Awareness_Office#The_IAO_logo) and Secrets are Power (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy) as well.
Now, some kind of "Bin Laden" of a sectarian extremist part of Laanx religion would be an interesting type of character to roleplay as well. Jihad against Talad! :P
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By evil I mean people who go around enslaving people and people who turn people against each other just for fun or personal whims and other such things.
You just about captured my character in one sentence. :P
And don't knock being good, it's not as easy as it seems, believe me.
I wasn't trying to say being good was easier. If it sounded that way then opps. Actually its a lot harder for me to be good than evil. Even my good characters have some sort of "cravings" to do evil things.
Now when it comes to the whole torturing people kind of thing I don't just do it because its fun in an IC view. ICly I do the cruel things I do because my character finds it the only way to achieve his goals. For example lets say there was a sword and you wanted it but didn't have the tria. A "good guy" would think they should raise the money or somehow pay for it. My "evil character" would feel the only way to get the sword would be to steal it.
OOCly I play evil just because I enjoy being the person who is different. And after a while torturing others does kinda give you a sort of satisfaction :devil:
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I enjoy the chance to play a character with a morality about the world that is different from my own. It can feel quite nice to break the rules one would normally heed (freedom!) and get involved in some interesting choices you would normally not consider.
Though I do prefer to play someone who might not get pointed to with a "she's evil" label, but someone more complex than that. If I have a realistic set of motivations for my character, she can have situations in which she is kind and generous, and others in which she is pleased to put in motion a plan ending in self-serving murder or torture.
The most clearly-labelled "evil" character I've played was known by many as "evil" but was always cheerful and happy to chat about things with new people. Sometimes that was while tying them to a gasoline-soaked pyre, but hey, someone's got to lose, eh? :) It was my hope that my victims' players were at least well-entertained.
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I should also point, that none of the examples that I previously cited are of "evil people" on the strict sense of the word, as completely emotionless killers without any trace of humanity, like if they were machines and not humans, and such don't exist. In many cases, those individuals, even after killing many innocent and causing misery, still believed they were doing the right thing and being "good" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_relativism#Other_cultures)(The brutal genocide in the name of negative eugenics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics) for example, in one of those cases, was considered as "good" by the nazis, because they blindly believed that with racial purity and the "cleansing" of what they considered "inferior" would pave the way for a new century of greatness). To encompass all the aspects of human psyche in a two-dimensional axis of good - evil (http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5873.htm) and law - chaos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spontaneous_order) sounds outrightly silly. Equally, a character that searches for individual goals instead of collective's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individualism) is not necessarily "evil". Neither the "goody two-shoes" is completely immune from the temptations and of putting his own interest ahead of others'. In fact the particularities of the process are what make things interesting. The bland "I will kill you because I'm evil, MWAMWAMWA!" is not only cliché, but uninspiring, shallow and immersion-destroyer.
So I have the will to create characters that are neither. Sometimes characters whose ends would be described as "good", but whose means they would be disposed to use to achieve such ends would be described as "wicked". Characters that work inside the law, that have honor and strong inner values but that also struggle in a disciplined silence to disrupt many established values and structures of society, bending both "chaotic" and "lawful" alignments and beyond. I think this is the true motivation of making a character, something with depth instead of being shallow. A morally relative character, that is not so easy to point at and say "you are evil", might be much more interesting than the archetypical "Evil Lord of DOOM with cliché laughter".
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Eugh, the assumption some people make is just downright wrong. Evil doesn't imply freedom. It's quite the opposite. You have to live with the thought that you cannot show your true self, lest you be hanged or put into prison. Some characters will show off with their means, that's right. But this doesn't mean it's normal in the spectrum of role-playing evil characters. It means players behind these characters suck at role-playing :P The good characters have it covered. They can live however they want and the society will accept it; They don't need to hide with anything (unless the environment makes it that there's a tyrant they wish to overthrow).
Basically when it comes to "show off" evil characters, one can be either uber powerful or dead.
The former for the most part was put to absurd levels by this nice invention called "internet".
I have been playing an evil character in Warhammer: FRP system. Not much shock there, as most characters there turn out either chaotic (as in unlawful) or evil (though in 2nd edition there's no more alignments).
While it was nice and all and I managed to develop system of ways to cover my shady actions, eventually the character has grown too strong. Together with his evil inclinations, you would see him wiping out large numbers of enemies, who wouldn't even know who attacks them. Needless to say, the game became boring both for me and other players. So after some time I used new events that came up on our sessions and moved him more from chaotic-evil to chaotic-neutral alignment. Together with that I made him develop fear of using magic (paranoic fear of witch hunters and himself fearing for his newly reclaimed sanity was good for that). In the end he was still a shady character, but prefered killing methods more akin to cutting throats or poisoning.
Moral from the story: Uber-powerful evil characters are downright boring.
I think for me these three alignments are the most interesting to play (using d&d system):
Chaotic-Good (the misunderstood)
Chaotic-Neutral (shady, but not murderer)
Lawful-Evil (law-abiding wrongdoer)
Other alignments don't really require much skill. In context of this thread:
Neutral-Evil (steal and kill if you need to)
Chaotic-Evil (Ragh! Murder!)
I don't see how the above two could be considered "hard to role-play". And while I think I even came across interesting NE character (if one of Undie's is such), I am still yet to see someone pull off an interesting CE character.
Anyway, to answer the question, I think for me the most motivating is the game environment. For example: In WFRP it's very easy to wind up with shady characters, but in Planeshift very often it's kind of weird to play anything of this sort. That is considering how "friendly" the environment is. Cheap weapons, easy earned money, rightfull government. The world just isn't dark enough to play evil character without looking somewhat stupid and out of place (at least for the majority of the "Evil" spectrum). Death Realm is meant to be the place where the "Evil" may thrive, and to be honest I can really see proper mood in that place. But it's probably something that won't be developed to proper size for a very long time.
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The thrill of entertaining the masses! Nothing beats standing in the middle of a temple with guild mates either side of you (a fact that some of them are inexperienced in RP and you are acting as a role model is also nice). A huge crowd of 'goodies' has surrounded you where you stand in the pit, the leader of a well known guild held down by his hair. A few of the foolish saviours leap at you, on their own of course, and find themselves impaled on your daggers. A red mist fills the temple, one have you comrades have fallen. You swiftly remove a finger from your hostage before giving the word to retreat. You all leap down the well, a few of your fellow guild mates legs buckle from the fall, they have to be left behind. After darting through the dungeons you camp out with a single mate you managed to stick with. Keeping low in a hidden tunnel with him till you think it is safe to come out. Yet do not show your faces in public for a week for RP's sake. You haven't succeeded but your still alive... again. And your guild name is known through out Yilakum.
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Well, In Single player RPG's it's just fun to do "Can you help me? " "NO! DIE!" Because mostly you can't reply in your own words.
Still in Online whatever you call it (MMMOOORPORPORPOR or something like that :P ) Evil isn't defined. in SP RPG it's mostly "if you kill without a very good reason or break the law you're bad"
But in PS the players define what's "evil" to me the concept of "evil" is always a minority who think else the the majority (in general view) Individually viewed it's just the guy that has different idea's about life (not little differences but HUGE differences)
So Evil is when you have other thoughts then the rest (though it's only called evil when the difference is kinda like the complete opposite ;) )
So i think to RP (in a online game, cause SP is always a bit OOC, still fun but OOC) 'Evil' (in my view of evil) is one who wants to play a character that doesn't necessary have the same thoughts as others ;) Like a brilliant song says with a strange, almost funny voice "Free thinkers are dangerous"
To clear out my view of Evil:
Think of a sort of hell, everyone accepts it, everyone tortures everyone ect. Then for the majority the 'goodies' are the 'badies' :D you see?
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Like a brilliant song says with a strange, almost funny voice "Free thinkers are dangerous"
To clear out my view of Evil:
Think of a sort of hell, everyone accepts it, everyone tortures everyone ect. Then for the majority the 'goodies' are the 'badies' :D you see?
From one of my main characters point of view, those who take off the freedom of thought (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_thought) from the people based on arguments of moralism about good and evil are hypocritic, evil tyrants under an infinity of covers to hide their true self and intentions. Perhaps the Will to Power (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Will_to_Power) can present a new paradigm of morality that might be interesting.[1]. People, can't you go beyond good and evil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_Good_and_Evil)?
About the idea of hell, there is a reason for it being one of th arguments used by atheists against Christianism, but this is not something to be discussed in depth here.
And free thinkers are essential against the stagnation and perpetual maintenance of a single status quo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Status_quo). Without people to question the values, to challenge the establishment, the Medieval Era would never have ended and we would be now accusing each other of witchcraft, living in miserable conditions in comparison to modern standards, with all women being submissive to their husbands along the rest of what defines a Dark Age...
P.S.: The will to power is the main impulse of one of my "evil" characters, however it has nothing to do with political power.
[1] - Quote about the definition of Will to Power from Wikipedia:
Nietzsche instead posited a will to power, a significant point of contrast to Schopenhauer's ideation, in which living things are not just driven by the mere need to stay alive, but in fact by a greater need to wield and use power, to grow, to expend their strength, and, possibly, to subsume other "wills" in the process. Thus, Nietzsche regarded such a "will to live" as secondary to the primary "will to power", and more generally there are varied manifestations of it, two prominent distinctions by Nietzsche are: a "life-denying" modality and a life-"enhancing" or -"affirming" one. Henceforth, he opposed himself to social darwinism, as he contested the validity of the concept of "adaptation", which he considered a narrow and weak "will to live".
Another particular standpoint of the will to power is that it is a process of expansion and venting of creative energy that Nietzsche argued was the underlying – the "most fundamental fact" – "inner" force of nature.
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First of all none of my characters consider themselves evil but I do have some which are less tolerant and more egocentric. Why do I play them? For several reasons .. first of all because it's a lot more challenging to RP an 'evil' character and still have fun with everyone. It's easy to be evil and harass in-game others but it's a lot harder to be evil and still a respected RPer. Secondly, and this probably ties in with the first, there seem to be more good RPers on the dark side of Yliakum than on the bright side. Given there are bad RPers being evil as well, just like there also are some very good ones being nice guys and gals. Lastly I'm a pretty nice guy in real life, just who I am .. so it's nice to be free of reality and actually be mean towards people without anyone really being harmed by it.
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I thank everybody for their posts but, might I remind those who feel the need to define evil that that isn't what this thread is about. ;D If you don't consider your character evil, don't worry about it. I'm not labeling anyone's character and I'm not trying to over simply the concept but, I want the perspective of people who play, what they consider, "evil" characters. I'm looking for post more along the line of what Zan, Marqsaynt, Duraza, Feline Prince, and some others have said.
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Evil doesn't imply freedom
I agree. With evil you really have to stay hidden a lot more. If you were evil and you just walked around wouldn't it be safe to assume that you would be arrested once spotted? Not to mention you get attacked all over for just walking in public. But that sense of having to sneak around and remain secret really makes it intresting to play. You kinda have to get paranoid in the game.
Nothing beats standing in the middle of a temple with guild mates either side of you (a fact that some of them are inexperienced in RP and you are acting as a role model is also nice). A huge crowd of 'goodies' has surrounded you where you stand in the pit, the leader of a well known guild held down by his hair.
Its that kinda thing that makes evil woth while. Thinking of a complex plan and then executing it and getting to watch everyone around you wonder how you did it. Sure usually your outnumbered and you will lose but thats not the point. Soon enough you learn to take victory from even your losses. The trick is to know when your going to lose but make the loss work to your advantage. It doesn't sound like it makes sense but it really does. It makes losing more fun when you know your losing for a purpose.
First of all none of my characters consider themselves evil
In my opinion a true evil character (and the kind that is most fun to rp with) does not think they are evil. In truth when you rp a "real" evil person your only rping someone who thinks a different way about things then others. For example lets say I wanted to take over the world. A "real" evil character would feel that they were going to rule the world to bring about peace from absolute obedience. A fake evil would do it with no goal or purpose other than the OOC reason that its fun. In the end I think its the first evil thats more intresting for the fact that that evil character could be working towards the same thing as a good character. The only difference is the way they go about doing it.
You haven't succeeded but your still alive... again. And your guild name is known through out Yilakum.
It's a shame the evil guys never win in the end isn't it? :P
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And free thinkers are essential against the stagnation and perpetual maintenance of a single status quo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Status_quo). Without people to question the values, to challenge the establishment, the Medieval Era would never have ended and we would be now accusing each other of witchcraft, living in miserable conditions in comparison to modern standards, with all women being submissive to their husbands along the rest of what defines a Dark Age...
:-\ I meant in my way of defining evil "thinking against the majority" kinda way. and If you know the song you know the sentences is meant to promote the oposite (if you get that, I'm too bad in explaining some terms) it was 'Mind' from 'System of a down' btw
But what you see still is correct with what I said :P In the dark ages the 'free thinkers' (like another religion, standing up for the peasants ect.) were executed, thrwn in jail ect. they were seen as 'evil' :D
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Evil is merely a point of view.
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Evil is merely a point of view.
Dude! that's what i said! :@#\
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The wonders of simplicity :P
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What motivates a person to roleplay an evil character?
It's fun you should try it, we aren't like that in real life you know. Although cetain stresses do come with RP'ing evil. For instance offending someone with an RP (sometimes hardly even evil) and they no longer speak to you. If these people realise It's a game it would make RPing evil alot more fun (not that it isn't)
EDIT: Only read the title don't flame me for not reading the lot It's late here :P
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Kaerli's neither "goody-two-shoes" nor "pure evil". She simply has a nice side and a nasty side. If you are on her nice side, she's friendly and helpful. If you get on her nasty side though, WATCH OUT! :o
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I'm slightly intrigued by who you people think are evil.
I'm pretty sure Duraza will get listed by everybody :P
But, Narure, was he evil? He was a criminal and a bit of a scoundrel but, still, a very nice guy if you had common sense... And didn't spill alcohol.
Is Valorius evil? She's a bit of a vigilant and only really follows her own laws.
Is Zwenze evil? He throws fish at people during an auction.
Is Shauni evil? He went up against the Dark Empire but, in the end, has become a friend of it.
Is the Dark Empire evil? No it's not. There are no arguments that could possibly make it evil yet, everybody seems to want to think that they are.
I'd like to see what you people consider as evil, use a few examples if you can.
Personaly, I think Duraze and Valorius are the only two evil characters in this list of mine.
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Well evil would be... Overly selfish? I'd say it wouldn't be a very believable character if they didn't have a reason for doing the things they did. So no ones character is really evil for the sake of being evil because they don't actually think they are bad. But they will put others below them for their own means, such as money and sex (not literally), in the case of the character I had. If any of our characters were truly evil they would have to have amazing political strengths or they would be very dead.
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Well evil would be... Overly selfish?
\\o// If that's the way to define evil, then we live in a very evil world ::) With as blacked heart the western 'civilization'
Cause the rules of nature clearly state : Capitalism = selfish ;)
Buuuuuuuuuuuut that's very :offtopic: of me :innocent:
Is Valorius evil? She's a bit of a vigilant and only really follows her own laws.
Hmm only if her own laws don't go with the flow of majority :P
Is the Dark Empire evil? No it's not. There are no arguments that could possibly make it evil yet, everybody seems to want to think that they are.
First it's the name, Because of cliché use of the word 'dark' in SP RPG's for what those games stated as 'evil'. It's kinda like calling a war a 'peace negotiation' ;) [though the other way around ;) ]
Second, I don't know much about the DE, but I think the people the DE considers to be evil, they would think the same about the DE :D
like, A and B are in a war, A says B is evil though B says A is evil ;)
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When I say overly selfish I don't just mean putting yourself before others. I'm talking about putting others behind you, robbing a shop etc. Basically what you've been saying... not going with the programme. Though that's hard to see in planeshift as we don't have much of a government presence.
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Is the Dark Empire evil? No it's not. There are no arguments that could possibly make it evil yet, everybody seems to want to think that they are.
The current Dark Empire is one of the most realistic examples of "evil" force I have came across in Planeshift, actually. Why I won't tell, because it may ruin the ingame experience :P
As far as realism goes, it beats Aelya's rule. Though under her lead it was much more fun :P
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Alright, to be honest. I just really want to know who thinks I am evil xP
Getting back on topic:
The simple fact is that not everybody thinks of evil as the same thing. To some, punting a chihuahua is evil, to others, it's just plain fun. Terrible example, but, you catch my meaning.
I don't think the Dark Empire is evil, Draklar does. I think the Empire is independent, powerful and ambitious at times but, it's never intent on harming others ... without need <.<
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Why do I play the occasional 'evil' character?
Well, as a writer, you have to play both sides of the fence to create a dynamic story. As a player, I do the same, only rely on other players to play counterpoint (and sometimes do so myself as well).
If the object of being 'evil' was just to irritate other players, then I could not do it.
Evil (or better, wicked) to me is knowing the morals and 'rights and wrongs' of the general population, and that which you were taught, and going against it for selfish reasons. It is hurting others for your own gain, be it profit or enjoyment.
In ending, punting a Chihuahua is not evil nor good. It is a public service that just has to be done.
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I'm pretty sure Duraza will get listed by everybody
Aww I'm flattered Nurahk
It's fun you should try it, we aren't like that in real life you know. Although cetain stresses do come with RP'ing evil. For instance offending someone with an RP (sometimes hardly even evil) and they no longer speak to you. If these people realise It's a game it would make RPing evil alot more fun (not that it isn't)
I agree completely. I've had the experience of having people stop talking to me OOCly for IC reasons. Of course I'm just to much of a happy person in real life to let it get me down ;D
The current Dark Empire is one of the most realistic examples of "evil" force I have came across in Planeshift, actually. Why I won't tell, because it may ruin the ingame experience :P
I partly agree. I always thought of the Dark Empire as a group with the capibility to do something that could be considered evil. However why I think they won't is a secret as well.
If the object of being 'evil' was just to irritate other players, then I could not do it.
Evil (or better, wicked) to me is knowing the morals and 'rights and wrongs' of the general population, and that which you were taught, and going against it for selfish reasons. It is hurting others for your own gain, be it profit or enjoyment.
I agree with that except I believe that when one does cruel things for enjoyment it is not as powerful in evil rp. Those who do evil because they enjoy torturing themselves come off to me as fake evil unless they have some reason behind that like something happening in their past. From my experience that is rarely the case.
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Why do I play the occasional 'evil' character?
Well, as a writer, you have to play both sides of the fence to create a dynamic story. As a player, I do the same, only rely on other players to play counterpoint (and sometimes do so myself as well).
If the object of being 'evil' was just to irritate other players, then I could not do it.
Evil (or better, wicked) to me is knowing the morals and 'rights and wrongs' of the general population, and that which you were taught, and going against it for selfish reasons. It is hurting others for your own gain, be it profit or enjoyment.
In ending, punting a Chihuahua is not evil nor good. It is a public service that just has to be done.
Thank you for this post UTM. People, please make another thread if you want to debate "WHAT IS EVIL?".... please! That is not the topic of this board. I don't mind brief statements on the subject but, the nature of the thread is being changed. :'( Please try and keep it like the above quoted post. It's difficult to find the posts that answer the topic question because of people explaining that they don't think their character is evil or they question the popular view of what is evil. X-/ The topic is why do people who do consider their character evil or less than good decide to RP them that way. :D
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I guess I didn't make a proper answer to this question yet, so here goes a big one(brief conclusion on its ending for those who don't like to read much):
I simply love the idea "Empire-building" games. The prospect of starting with almost nothing, and to work all the way towards the construction of a millenia-standing world or galactic power has an epic feeling(and length - not reccommended to play 30 minutes before going to school/work/etc. :P ) that is truly rewarding for the gamer who struggles against the difficulties of such genre. Alas, such games can also be source of inspiration for many histories[1], specially when themselves have the differential of a strong plot and deeply developed ideas of factions/civilizations/races with them. Imagine in Civilization, how would be the world reaction when the wonder "Cure For Cancer" was developed by you, the lifes saved, now imagine equally the fear your name draws as you conquer the world and finishes "Project Manhattan". Unfortunately, it never gave much depth on the consequences of your actions, people who died of starvation were just less human faces on a city management screen, rebels are just angry faces on the same screen, the maximum that could be seems was the ominous mushroom effect of a nuclear explosion against a city and the ruined houses of invaded cities in the "View City" and "Zoom" modes of later Civ games. The best way to show the results of your acts was through FMVs, something where the game Alpha Centauri truly shined.
Now, you would probably ask, what does "Empire Building" have to do with "Evil" characters?
Power(political, social, etc.) and the struggle for it are common souces of many atrocious types of "evil", of unimaginable acts of terror and therefore is not a bad primary motivation for the life of a selfish, "evil" character. The ambitious search of domain over others is a path many times marked with the blood and suffering of the innocents, and if at least the average human being of Yliakum is akin on its essential nature to Earth's humans, Milgram experiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment) shows what power could accomplish.
The major and hardest struggle is what draws me more interest in any history, in a dystopian Setting, it would be creating an Utopia and fighting against "evil", in an Setting with a strong establishment of values, with a neither dystopian nor utopian situation(relative peace, etc), like Yliakum, it would be either taking over control of it for selfish goals or turning it into an true Utopia, because when things are "good enough" most accomodate themselves and accept the way things are. In this case, becoming a significant source of power, on all its spheres, is a very difficult goal and usually the eternal goal of the "Evil". When there is no more villains to fight against, the "hero" will settle down, while when the "evil" ambitious individual seeking for power and for the establishment of his/her uniques values conquers and shapes a place/group of people/nation, he will not settle down, but instead continue his search for power to expand over continents, worlds, the solar system, galaxies...*I would have to type infinitely to describe more things*. So the struggle of "evil" is eternal and challenging in a place like Yliakum, while the one of "good" is temporary and relatively easy in a place like Yliakum, except if this "good" character sees government as evil, then its goal will be equally very difficult and eternal as well.
Now going back to the reference of "Empire-building" games, it's well know the game becomes uninteresting for the peaceful(in the sense they only use military force to defend themselves in most cases) "builder" types when you already are the uncontested world superpower and the opposition has any chance of defeating you. The same happens for "good"(and specially "lawful good") characters in Yliakum, the difference being that the chances for the other side are not 0%, but still low, yet this makes the game somewhat uninteresting if you are looking to do more In-character than to RP an average citizen or if you do not want a 100% peaceful roleplay, because the difference between a settled "hero" and an average citizen is very small on their daily lives. This is why my characters are either "evil" or anti-establishment on a certain degree.
Concluding, roleplaying on the side of the "underdog" of anything is something that not only is more interesting, but also more challenging, specially if the struggle is more permanent than temporary. Seeking peace and freedom in a world dominated by war and tyranny or seeking power and strife(or Anarchy on one of its meanings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchy)) in a world dominated by fairness, "democracy"and peace sounds more fun than going with the flock and eliminating the few existing "foes" easily, also by opposing the "mainstream" you are creating conflict, and conflict is one of the elements that give a new impulse to any history(or roleplay). Also the quest for achieving power is a very interesting path for a character(and its player) that is usually filled with morally ambiguous types.
[1] Here a forum with a list of "roleplays"(histories based on gameplay) created with the "Empire-building" game Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, as an example: http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?cache=1&threadid=133871 (http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?cache=1&threadid=133871)
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What motivates a person to play an evil character?
Well, first of all, evil is a point of view.
For example...
Two known thieves are caught by a guard, trying to steal a scroll. The gaurd kills one thief, and is attacked and killed by the other. The thief is eventually hunted down and hanged.
Who is evil here? The guard, who simply does his duty, who sees the thief as a threat?
Or the thief, whose friend was slain by a guard whom he regards as an equal threat?
So you ask why a person plays an evil character? Simply because they regard "evil" as "good" which can mean fun as well....
I roleplay my character because I don't exactly believe in good and evil in the practical sense, and I find it fun, of course!
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Evil is just the most fun ever \\o// I'll never get why I see so few evil people in Ps though. Besides if the fun doesn't attract you the cookies should.
(http://img326.imageshack.us/img326/8727/cooookiers3copyim9.jpg)
@Illysia
By the way if your ever looking to make an evil character or want a job in the field don't hesitate to ask ;D I may not be ingame but I can surely find someone to help you out and stop you from getting killed during your first plot
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2 Words:
neutral ftw.
I hate being all toward one side, it's nice to be flexible and do what you want.
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1. Balance. Yliakum is a pretty boring place when the only people running around are chivalrous knight types. Besides, “good guys” need “bad guys” and vice versa. After all, who needs guards and gallant soldiers if every citizen is a shining beacon of goodness?
This is what its all about for me, and generally most of the other evil characters in game that I know (but since I don't know heaps of evil characters, this doesn't mean all... just the people I associate with). When I first joined PS, (and its still true I guess), there were 100 good guilds "protecting honor and the weak etc etc", but no actual evil to protect from. Games where everyone is good, or where the only 'evil' is a computer, are much less interesting than when you have a human opponent. So I decided to set about creating evil to give the good characters something to do, at least until being evil got popular and it wasn't needed.
Also, its just generally fun.
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Actually I find the in-game world rather lacking in goody-two-shoes. The majority of the people seem to be powerhungry and out for fights. Most of those claiming to be good don't act much better than your random evil bully, with the exception that they'll only fight 'bad' guys. There is a difference between claiming to be good and actually roleplaying your character as such. The claim means nothing.
The actual good characters that are around are usually not interested in any sort of violence and thus largely overlooked for RPs. Sad because there's no RP so overused than the old epic Good vs Evil battle.
In the end you only have two types of people ... people that want more power and people that just want everyone to stop fighting.
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It seems few people would be interested on roleplaying a "good" character inspired on less-violent world personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr. Specially because the non-violent path to better the world requires much more than just powerlevelling a character to "pwnz" the "bad guyz" in duels, it is a challenge from the roleplaying perspective. Being a "good" warrior is simple, being a "Jesus" or non-violent fighter for a cause isn't. Finally, the quote from Asimov will turn some heads, but then it will be a sign of its truthfulness:
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.