The RP victor!

[Phinehas]

Ok, today I was in-game and I had a dilemma. I was doing some neighborly antagonizing and thought that perhaps we would eventually end up pitting ourselves against each other in a struggle of wills. Translation: A guy wanted to kill me because I was frustrating the heck out of him.

Now, he eventually backed down from the battle, but even so, it made me think. Who wins an RP battle? Almost all the RP battling that I've seen has ended up with no one except for NPC's dying. Usually, it's a lot of word sparring back and forth and figuring out how to dodge the other guy's latest blow or how to manipulate magic in a new and unexpected way thereby allowing you to avoid the fireball three inches in front of your face. I think, however, that there should be a winner and a loser in these battles, and I don't think it should entirely rely on the creativity or wordiness of the person, otherwise Under would be the ultimate fighter and the rest of us would go cry in our corners.

How do we decide who is more powerful than who? This is not a rhetorical question, I'm looking for answers. Seytra, please keep it under four paragraphs... One of the things that I thought of involves how long you've been a member of this game/community. I think this is, in a lot of cases(not all) a fair way to figure out who's more powerful. For instance, I have been here for almost three years, when I started out with Phinehas, he was not an extremely powerful wizard, and he was doing his best to learn. Over those three years, I have RPed him getting more and more powerful, including a story(not yet finished) explaining how he'd gone off to study when I couldn't get online for nearly a year. Now I've come to think of Phinehas as one of the more powerful wizards in PS. I haven't levelled him for many reasons varying from the fact that I hate levelling to the fact that I refuse to go OOC so far as to use weapons, and the magic in PS just isn't that powerful yet. So I think that, taking it all in, I would be more powerful than someone who showed up last month and simply says that his character his a very powerful mage. If this isn't so, then anyone can create a new character and say that he's extremely uber-powerful. There has to be some way to decide. I know that in this situation this caters to the older players which to some extent may not be that fair to the newer players, but I still haven't been able to think of any better system. I think this is an important matter if we want RP to go beyond sitting around talking to each other. A person needs to have an understanding, to some degree or another, just how powerful he is in relation to everyone else.

I know that there are times when people create a powerful villain or something of those sorts solely for the purpose of benefiting an RP that they've put together. I'm fine with that, I'm talking about actual characters that people play daily.

Please let me know your thoughts. I'm afraid I haven't been very clear in this post, but I'm writing it in a rush.

[Kezzik]

OOC-ly my character is stronger then most of the people I come across, and I read a hell of al ot of descriptions each day, but he is only strong in this case for my OOC gameplay enjoyment, exploring, considering to do half the things I lvoe to do i have to max out stats so i can run further, or not die and have to run back from akkaio because i mis judged a gap, and the fact that hopping off the roof of a house would in no way hurt you if you knwo what you're doing is a major blunder on that, but besides the point.

whereas IC-ly, Kezzik only knows a little about combat, and nothign of magic, he weilds a weapon if he aabsolutely must, protect himself from a rogue whiel travelling or stumbling into a consumer nest, but he cant fight the world, nor plans to. what really bugs me though ,is that peopel only seem to RP in ways that they can throw their weight around, mixcing their maxed out knives & daggers skill to the fact they're the ultimate warrior and it annoys me, because in reality, no on is that agile, that amazing, if you annoyed a person, they'd backhand slap you sooner then you could even remember where you put your sword.. I can alread see where my own little rant is going and i'll just point outright and say it. the next 'evil' person I come across, rping torturing or killing someone in the most stupid location, say ahrnquists or laanx temple, or some slave trader (my character detests the thoguht of slavery, as do i really) I am simply going to walk up and stab them in the face

* Kezzik takes a deep breath.

but yes I can see where Phin is going with this, too many "I'm a powerful warrior/mage/combi-duo-panda-thing! you can't beat me!" types going around, the more experienced long term veteran players should have that edge no matter what, a benefit of sticking around

[Phinehas]

Ok, that was a nice little completely off topic rant...

* Kezzik takes a deep breath.

but yes I can see where Phin is going with this, too many "I'm a powerful warrior/mage/combi-duo-panda-thing! you can't beat me!" types going around, the more experienced long term veteran players should have that edge no matter what, a benefit of sticking around

So, you're saying something along the lines of what I'm saying... that the longer you've RPed your character, the more of an edge you should be able to have against newer characters?

[Kezzik]

Ok, that was a nice little completely off topic rant...
So, you're saying something along the lines of what I'm saying... that the longer you've RPed your character, the more of an edge you should be able to have against newer characters?

yeah, I do that when things bug me and theres no where else to put them, slight relevance and boom! there it goes >_>

anyways, yes, I'd have to completely agree on this, though your character will not 'progress' if you willingly leave planeshift, be it for a break, or if you dont intend to return, but end up doing so, otherwise peopel would 'powerlevel' their character and not be here, silly to think it but they could make up some guy, leave for a year and come back, expecting to be a veteran at it

[bilbous]

I think perhaps for a game that prizes Role Play above all else, which I think is a somewhat fair discription of Planeshifts intent, The whole emphasis of the game mechanics is wrong. In another thread a while ago I suggested that assigned skills might be the way to go. I'll go further here. Maybe it should be that at character creation you get x number of development points (dp) to use in assigning stats/skills. Once you run out of points your character is ready to play. Then once you start playing you get new dps to assign mostly from time in-game.

GM events could be a source of bonus points which will be handed out by the officiating GM at the end of their event. An interface could be developed to assist the GMs, people signing up for the event would have their vital statistics (character name, account, relative experience and whatever) automatically entered into this interface to help keep track. The GM would be able to give a modifier for the quality of the participation that would affect the dp reward and to account for people unable to finish the event.

This would allow people to acquire the skills they want to have without actually having to use them. Anyone roleplaying skills they do not have should be discouraged. A new customisable skill players could adopt would be *Other where players could spend points on character type skills not otherwise implimented such as perhaps bubble blowing. Things that do not directly affect other players but enhance characterization.

It seems to me if you want to focus on role play abstraction is key so that people don't get bogged down in game mechanics. If you want the game to be truly different then dare to be different and not just the same in disguise.

[Kalika]

i agree that the longer the characters have been on the gme the more powerful they are

to me i consider starting your character like being born in yliakum (not technically, but mentally and what not...) youre still getting used to everything and you cant really be considered powerful jsut becasue you say so...

the longer a person has been on the game, naturally they are going to ahve better instincts about what is truly happening in the game world, and have more knowledge about most of thie things in general..this knowledge is what helps give them "power"...

 

i had more to say and then i realized i must be rambling

...ive only been on since june, and i look up to the older players, not pick fights with them...

[Phinehas]

A lot of what you say is good, Bilbous, but I'm talking about what we as players can do in a practical way now, not what the GM's and/or devs should have done and could still possibly do theoretically maybe sometime.

Kalilka, I'm glad you agree and that you could post it so concisely, you filled in a gap or two in what I said. I'm glad people are agreeing, because I think if enough people are satisfied with this being the "system" then it will make us more confident in our roleplay knowing that other players will back us up, not take the side of the offended noob with the uber six-year-old character...

[Datruth]

No need to use our imaginations.

Imaginations can't fight, and even if they do, there is no victor.

Ole Phin here is saying, "Hey let's give it to the ol' Geasers of the community".

Sorry new people... tough luck.


No,  , we already have an answer.

Simple really.

It's called Dueling. Want to prove who is more physically powerfull, than be my guest.

Want to prove who has better diction and imagination, go RP.

Can't do both though.

If you wanna fight, and you use offensive words in RP, and you need to prove who is the superior, you only have 1 choice.



The questing is, What are you trying to prove?
3 cases are present:

1) Physical battle, want to see whose stronger= Duel.

2) Want to see who is smarter = TRIVIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, each person asks the other questions till one person doesn't know the right answer.

3) Want to see who RP's better = It's a matter of opinion, there is no way to judge this.


So if you RP a fight, you basically have to duel, there is no text fighting that i'm aware of except for Rock paper scissors.

Again, look at my top three cases, find out what you're trying to prove, and prove it.

~~Datruth

[Gharan]

One thing I ask is are we all allowed one special power?

I found myself in an RP with a player who proceeded to set his self on fire so we could not go near him and claimed we are allowed one such power.He used his red way to it (RPing obviously) and it's bugged me whether this would be considered godmodding or his RP just truly outwitted my own.

I also have to say it made it harder to RP with him as how would you get the better of someone who RPs like that?

I'm not having a go at the person I'm just trying to clarify what happened.

[Kalika]

er....


isnt the point of the game to roleplay??

what if you ahve someone that started 6 days ago...spend eery hour leveling their character up so that they are more powerful than anyone else....and what have they learned?

are they wiser? probalby no
are they more powerful? well to kill yes, but only for ooc reasons

and i dont think phineas was going along the lines of "us old geezers should eb more powerful than the noobs"

i think it was more along the lines of -this is how i interepreted it- noobs have no clue what they are doing and when they put in their descriptions "most powerful whatever in the world" etc...completely forgetting its called yliakum and so on...and then when they try and roleplay being powerful its jsut annoying
*granted not every noob acts like this, just the super ego filled ******** that plague the game*

s*sigh*

i always feel like im never making a good point

[Kezzik]

1) Physical battle, want to see whose stronger= Duel.

nullified by the fact that some players who've been here for a while have well established characters that they have built over time, but IG their stats have been untouched since creation, and there are also players less then a month old that have close to maxed stats but nothing RP to go by.

that and also with every wipe the characters 'stats' go back to base creation, whereas in RP they'll still be storng, smart, wise etc.

edit:

Gharan, it's possible but I wouldnt call it a special ability, he's just using red way as a magic shield, nullify it with Azure.

Kalika; your point comes across quite fine

[Phinehas]

I've explained that I don't and cannot level, therefore I cannot duel to the same extent that my character should be able to.

Please Datruth, I know you don't like me, but that's no reason to hijack my thread.

I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone. I'm not trying to prove my characters better or that I'm smarter or a better RPer or that I've spent more time clicking on monsters than the 14-year olds with nothing to do... I'm trying to have fun, and I believe a certain general order should be established to make this possible at a higher level than chaos.

Please, I'm talking about RP fighting, if you've never done it or aren't interested, don't post, but don't post saying that the whole idea sucks and we're morons for doing it. That's just foolish and insulting.

Gharan, I don't know anything about a special power. I RP a wizard, and so can use magic, this is not a "special power" it's what I do. If you're saying can everyone have one super-hero type power aside from their normal character abilities and RP, the answer would be no, of course not. If someone is a great mage who can set himself on fire and not get hurt, stab him with something long-handled.

@Kezzik: Exactly.

[Datruth]

One thing I ask is are we all allowed one special power?

I found myself in an RP with a player who proceeded to set his self on fire so we could not go near him and claimed we are allowed one such power.He used his red way to it (RPing obviously) and it's bugged me whether this would be considered godmodding or his RP just truly outwitted my own.

I also have to say it made it harder to RP with him as how would you get the better of someone who RPs like that?

I'm not having a go at the person I'm just trying to clarify what happened.

There are no rules, that's the problem.

All we've been told is, Don't be God.

So theoretically someone could be really powerfull with lots of special traits, but have 1 or 2 weaknesses.

The lack of rules creates a longer range of RP, but it presents problems like the one you mentioned.

Should we, could would, would we, Good questions.

No answers.

If i met him, i'd just move on, plenty of people to talk to.

~~Datruth

[Kezzik]

@Kezzik: Exactly.

* Kezzik hugs Phin

warm fuzzies! I owe you an ale at Kada's!

[Gharan]

Well i have to say if people want to use such powers then so be it but personally my character Isn't the sort of character to use such things so I'll take Phin's advice and next time I'll stab him with a claymore.My magic skills are actually very good (maxed 3 ways) not that maxing matters but the only glyphs i carry are Energy and Arrow so for me to RP a red way phenomena for me would be stupid as I'm not carrying any.Infact my characters a fighter through and through but with me carrying only crystal way could i add to my char that he is exeptionally wise in the crystal way?