Role Play and Game Mechanics

[Mathy Stockington]

If you are a role player do you use game mechanics?
How do game mechanics fit into your role plays?
If you do not use game mechanics in your role plays, why?
Or does it matter to your role play at all?

Let us talk about it without going off topic.

[Dajoji]

Roleplay does/should not exclude game mechanics. Perhaps using "vs" is not the best way to start this discussion.

[Mathy Stockington]

Roleplay does/should not exclude game mechanics. Perhaps using "vs" is not the best way to start this discussion.

OK Dajoji, I agree. Let's discuss it as well.

[zanzibar]

It depends on what you mean by roleplaying and what you mean by mechanics.

At its most basic level, being able to see things in game, being able to walk around, having an avatar, and using chat are all mechanics.

As far as roleplaying goes, roleplay can mean standing in front of a spawn and waiting for a rogue to respawn just so you can kill it, and then doing that over and over again.  You're playing the role of a guy who sits in front of a spawn and [...].

[Eliseth]

I will add my two cents worth a bit later, for now I changed the thread name to less violence conducive name.

[rakshak]

An example:

1) RP supported by Mechanics:
Rakshak is trying to gather people in Hydlaa for an event. So Rakshak's character crosses a lot of gates and finally lands in Hydlaa plaza. In doing that, he used the keyboard or the mouse to move his char from another city to Hydlaa. This way, he used "mechanics" to support his roleplay event that's going to happen.

2) Same RP without mechanics:
How can Rakshak perform the same RP event in case there are no "mechanics"? Let's assume a pure text-based environment. Rakshak logs into the text environment, and says "I'm going to Hydlaa to start off my event". Then he types "Rakshak takes a long slumbering walk towards Hydlaa, beware of all dangers on the way, and finally lands in Hydlaa". Because there were no mechanics here, he didn't actually "move" his character, he just "pretended" to move. This is an example of RP without mechanics.

Obviously, when mechanics are given to you, it'll look stupid if you try to execute RP without mechanics that exist. For example. you may be standing in Ojaveda and trying to "RP" as if you're in Hydlaa - you will become a laughing stock.

(On a side note, notice that RP is highly subjective. It just depends on how, and how well, you execute it. Certain mechanics could be circumvented if you RP them well enough. I've noticed some very creative examples of RP without using any mechanics at all, even though mechanics existed that the characters could use.)

It'll be worthy to discuss this topic on phone or voice chat in IRC.

[Thoss]

i try and use mechanics as much as possible.  I hope one day that PlaneShift gets to the point where all aspects of roleplay can be performed using in this manner.  So I try and use the mechanics as much as possible with the thinking that if I use them...developers will getting a better idea of what is working well and heading in the right direction, or not.  It is difficult sometimes though, and I will supplement with text-roleplay when necessary.

I basically try to remain flexible, get a feel for the group I'm interacting with and type of story involved, and try to enjoy myself.

If I can do something with mechanics, I do, if not, I don't.

[zanzibar]

Another distinction to make...

By roleplay, do you mean giving your character a proper name, not making references to the out-of-game world, and solving quests according to an alignment?

Or by roleplay do you mean engaging in player-made mysteries and puzzles, political intrigue, player generated settings content like books, and working to create an in-game society and social structure?

Or some other combination of the above?

[Mathy Stockington]

i try and use mechanics as much as possible.  I hope one day that PlaneShift gets to the point where all aspects of roleplay can be performed using in this manner.  So I try and use the mechanics as much as possible with the thinking that if I use them...developers will getting a better idea of what is working well and heading in the right direction, or not.  It is difficult sometimes though, and I will supplement with text-roleplay when necessary.

I basically try to remain flexible, get a feel for the group I'm interacting with and type of story involved, and try to enjoy myself.

If I can do something with mechanics, I do, if not, I don't.

I wonder which game mechanics you like to use when role playing?

Another distinction to make...

By roleplay, do you mean giving your character a proper name, not making references to the out-of-game world, and solving quests according to an alignment?

Or by roleplay do you mean engaging in player-made mysteries and puzzles, political intrigue, player generated settings content like books, and working to create an in-game society and social structure?

Or some other combination of the above?

IMHO, role play should fit into the settings. I could role play my character's story without any game mechanics because my role play was a story about me and my friends. Today I think that role play is more about the game mechanics and it then the settings comes second. Therefore if role play created a social structure it would require everyone to be a part. That is not the case. As for on-going mysteries and intrigue again that seems to me more role play then game mechanics.

[LigH]

If I need an item for my roleplay, which is already implemented, I usually try to get such an item to use it. Even if I already have such an item, but the plot expects me to "go and get one", I go there - just to spend the time going there to make my absence take a credible duration (and maybe I even meet someone who could be of use and get invited).

If it is not yet implemented, I try to use a substitute, before I completely play its virtual existence.

If there is a spell to be casted, I either cast it because I know it, or I confess that it is unknown to me. A roleplay doesn't have to be successful in each detail, life isn't either.

Because my character did not spend too much time in training weapon skills, he would probably lose in a duel, so he tries to avoid pulling weapons.

Respecting my character's limits in skills prevents me from godmodding, most of the times.

[Mathy Stockington]

There is a distinctive different between role playing settings and game mechanics. That is why I named this thread settings vs. game mechanics. If we role play we should always play in the settings, but to what extent do role players use the game mechanics?

[Thoss]

I wonder which game mechanics you like to use when role playing?

magic...basically what LigH said...Thoss currently knows one spell, if a roleplay calls for that, I actually cast it.  If the roleplay calls for one Thoss doesn't know, then he doesn't know.

fighting...not so cut and dry...which makes for opportunities to be creative, and leads to complex problems.  Can I use mechanics to perform all the actions that people often go through that lead up to a fight?  No.  If so someone has ideas how please show me!   But, once things get to actually fighting, I would enjoy really dueling someone PvP.  Seems this would be the eventual goal with PS.  However, alot are trained to the point where Thoss would be whipped every time because I have limited his  training to where I feel is realistic...which pretty much means he doesn't stand a chance...even though I just defeated my first ulber with my relatively weak stats.  It was a long difficult battle, but Thoss is a little elf and Ulbers are big ol' meanies, seems it should be difficult.

Yet again I try and remain flexible, if there is no way I would be able to duel someone who is trained in excess of their role, then there is not much else to do but fight outside of mechanics...as far as I know.
 
mining/crafting/obtaing tria without mining plat...I stay true to what I have, buy things when I can, find them when I need.  I am still trying to figure out how to hold a job in game.  Would like that job to be within mechanics though.  Am currently offering ore for sale that I've recieved from a miner.  Is alot of work for not much tria...compared to the plat mine temptations.  But I don't roleplay a job, pretending the tria from mining plat is my income...yet

[Bamko]

Mathy:

This is how I use the mechanics in RP:

Does the mechanics exist? 

Yes? USe them, earn them and learn them, or your character is unable to do it in their "real life'

No? then is it reasonable that your chracter would have picked up the ability? 

EXP: if you want to duel, use the combat system. however if you RP a pickpocketer quite a bit (an alt I almost never play anymore) then it is reasonable to RP that their ability is higher than when they started.  of course it helps if you have a comunity of people who recognize your character as one they have played with before, and as such you are not just "pretending to be a master theif" but rather you are recognized, OOC, as a master theif (When you are recognized Ingame, it gets real hard to RP getting near enough to anyone to pick their pocket, yet alone be able to go from BD1 to OJA1, without going past guards (comeon, give me a path around Hydlaa?)

I think that is clear, maybe?

BTW, my posting about my pickpocketing alt, does not mean all my chars do that.  Bamko has never been caught picking pockets, and would protest loudly that he would never do any such thing... even if others using same IP address might.  of course how would YOUR characters know about IP addresses, eh?

[Vorsh]

I'm not sure if it's the example you are looking for Mathy, but this Saturday (March 1st) the Daughters of Xiosia are performing a ritual in Ojaveda, one that will use actual items, magic and even dancing.  I was lucky enough to watch the rehearsal and they did a great job using all the tools together.  They were even blessed by Xiosia herself when the goddess made it rain and flowers bloomed.  IMHO I think, although this is an RP event, it is a great example of using mechanics and RP together. And of course I encourage everyone to check it out and see for yourself, to form your own opinions.

On a personal note, I try to use both, when applicable.  But I will be the first to admit there are times when my character goes off an OOC ventures (a miner who spends as much time as I do in the arena doesn't make much sense  ), but when IC I try to use all mechanics available to support my chars progression.

[Mathy Stockington]

Bamko,

This does clear things up a bit for me. I now see how the game mechanics are a part of role play. I never did that so it gives me something else to think about if I go back and play again. Also Vorsh your event sounds like great fun. I see how the mechanics of the game will fit in nicely to your event. Then again as I think of it maybe my way of role playing is, shall I say, obsolete.

Thank you,

Mathy.