For want of our old roleplay.

[Devrah Liioness]

This topic is inspired by Liles' "I miss..." topic.

I might be proposing an idea that a lot of players aren't going to like. People might say this will ruin the dynamics of Illarion, or promote cliques or something - but I don't care. The dynamics of Illarion already are ruined, to a lot of us.

What I'm proposing is this -- a sort of OOC "guild" althoug it's not that official - where anyone that desires true roleplay can head to a certain spot on the map and find it. I want a spot to be chosen (maybe the Northwestern corner of the island - I personally like that area) where people go to RP with minor characters.

The idea for this is, we would all make it work by showing up and RPing there. Maybe after awhile we could make our own town.

This isn't to say that if we don't like someone's RP we can say "Ew get out of this part of the map, bum." But really, we all know whether or not we want this kind of RP or not - and I think those that truly don't want low-training, low-skills, pure RP wouldn't bother to walk all the way over there just to say stupid things in OOC.

Before I try to make this idea work (which, I think it would) I want to get an idea how much support there is for it.

The question I ask everyone is: If there was a corner of the map you could be guaranteed would hold people that desire to truly roleplay, without being in the spotlight, and without powergaming in between, would you play there?

--Devrah

[Olivia_Gales]

I think it's a great idea ^^

[Cain Freemont]

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YES!


Reminds me of how small the world map used to be

[Dónal Mason]

A chance to play with people who aren't cockmongers? Huzzah.

HUZZAH I say!

[Ku 'Agor]

I would. Yoiw sounds perfect for that spot.

[Juniper Onyx]

OK, I dont understand. Is it that too many people OOC, or too many people try to dominate events? Or are there too many 'stupid' newbies showing up in TrollsBane these days?

If I'm not mistaken, If you go to other areas besides Trollsbane, such as Varshikar, Silverbrand, Vanima or Greenbriar, I think this happens already. Most times in Greenbriar are pure Role-play, and although some OOC exists, I try to keep it to a minimum through Role-Play. Everybody that ventures out there have been decent and we've had no problems with bad RP or too much OOC.


I just would like to understand the benefit such a place would provide that we dont already have?

[Ku 'Agor]

In other words;

Go to greenbriar and buy dusty's crap.

[Devrah Liioness]

Greenbriar and Varshikar and all those places have problems, too. And traditionally, Greenbriar is a halfling-dominated spot.

Also, my goal is to avoid well-known characters and power struggles. This new area to RP in will be no more than a camp right now, and there will be no one in charge of it - as for why the characters are there, maybe to escape the city life

[Juniper Onyx]

No, thats not what I was saying at all.

I was using Greenbriar as an example. I'm sure the other places have had similar experiences.

I would just like to understand what the problem is? I don't stay in TrollsBane, but I've heard rumors of all kinds of crazy things going on that ruin RP for people. Is that the problem?

[Juniper Onyx]

OK, thanks

[Devrah Liioness]

That is a good deal of the problem - but the thing is, what happens in Trollsbane and in the other towns creates a big stage where a few characters are famous and everyone else just tries to stay out of their way. That's why I want a small camp of unkowns - they don't need to live there. It's just a place you can go to where you can be guaranteed no drama and no powergaming or OOC.

I think it's at least worth an experimental phase.

[NirAntae]

I have to agree with Dusty. If you go to the non-newbie towns (no offense to Troll's Bane, but now that all the newbies start there, the RP has gone WAY downhill in town overall) you get much better RP. And there are lots of choices... Varshikar, Tol Vanima, Silverbrand (for dwarves -.-), Greenbriar; then there are also 'sometimes' places, like the Eldan Monastery, the Farmer's Union, the House of the Druids, the Harbor, the Lighthouse, and so on.

I don't see why you'd need to create a *new* location for it.

[Devrah Liioness]

I'll tell you exactly why.

Because at least ten really great roleplayers are on the verge of quitting Illarion right now. Those towns are already available to them, and it doesn't seem to be helping.

[Juniper Onyx]

Sounds good, but I think Drama and 'power' may not be so easy to get rid of. It's all relative.

A 'Camp' sounds like a good idea. Maybe even a 'retreat'.

Would the Northwest corner be safe enough for 'minor' characters? Maybe somewhere safe, but away from things such as the Monstery or the Lighthouse? I never see anyone there.

[Devrah Liioness]

A retreat is a good idea. I can place signs on the RP board informing people of it. I will start looking for an optimal spot right now.

[Hermie]

If you go to a place to roleplay that is good, but if you make a town, then things will just happen the same again.

I remember when no-one governed Troll's Bane and people just walked round and roleplayed and it was really good because disputes only involved Guilds, and so wars consisted of fighting members, and not towns, not just innocent people who just wanted to go about their onw way.

If you build a city I just think that in the end some gang of warriors will come along and claim it, then kill anyone who disagrees, then it will just be another blotch on the already diminishing countryside of Gobaith.

If I think back I always thought that having more towns would have been really good but now I'm not so sure. I think it would have been better if trollsbane had just been a town center surrounded by different quarters, Elf quarter, halfling quarter etc.

Instead now we have all this open space between towns and most seem desolate at many times of the day.

Anyway, that's just my thoughts. I do hope that should you do this, that it works.

[Hadre Taliset]

I think this is a good idea. like i said in another post. I find the problem is that to many people want the spotlight. some do good things some do bad but the point is everyone is trying to get it. this should be somewhere were everyone's characters backgrounds are wiped clean and the rest of the world doesn't really matter. no matter what you decide i am for it. good spot would be north of lighthouse slightly, there is this spot that juts out into the sea and is about the size of a few large buildings.

[Fooser]

So basically you want to help RP by dumping more behind-the-scenes OOC into the game, pretty much completely dumping the "let's help newbies" attitude that people were promoting recently, and yes this does indeed have "clique" written all over it with one of those magenta colored markers. Just to probably have it degrade somewhat so that people complain again. Not to mention furthering the stretching of players across the map? And then who is to decide what flies and doesnt fly in this new "area"? More BS will likely ensue from there. Also sounds like abandoning the work put into getting other towns on their feet.

[Cain Freemont]

Fooser, what has been created in the game without use of OOC?

[Cliu Beothach]

The Illarion community has, at a certain point, stayed in the same place. Nothing has changed and probably won't. In fact, a move like this would just show that the complaints that this spawned from are only proof that this group is of the same ilk.

[Korm Kormsen]

Devrah,

i fully understand, what you aim at.
but, can it work?

what you are proposing is a little "former illarion" within the game.
you would need restricted access.
i think you will not find much players here, who think about themselves as bad roleplayers. or as being egocentric.
so everybody and his uncle will claim his "right" to access that area.
then you are sent back to square one....

greetings,korm

[Fooser]

Fooser, what has been created in the game without use of OOC?

Not everything? Perhaps asking that question is the problem. Since it's like that, people get offended OOC when they shouldn't, get frustrated OOC when they shouldn't, etc. Pre-planning all the RP that happens in-game doesn't work.


And overall it just sounds like you're giving up on everything besides a small portion of the map. If you want to do that, fine, be hypocrites and do the elitist thing (though many of you said it was bad a couple months ago), just don't try to formalize it, or else it's complete BS.

[Aristeaus]

I personally think its a bad idea.

Basically what your saying is ignore the new players and roleplay only with the old. Sorry hun i just think its counter-productive.

[Cain Freemont]

All I have to say right now is that at least this idea offers a chance to the characters who aren't loved by all (or even known by all) and swarmed to whenever people see their name in the online list. Call it elitist if you want, but when some characters can't get any light at all because of the huge shadow cast by some characters, well, one of the only defenses to that I can see is to avoid it.

[Aristeaus]

Ahh but could these characters make a reason within the illarion world to meet.

In the past when ive wanted to roleplay more with a certain group off people than others (( We all do this :p )) We created new characters. And created a guild.

This could work the proposel well in the form that these people all roleplay with each other for a valid reason, Yet still influence the rest off the community. And give the rest off the community a reason to try to roleplay with them. So on and so on blah blah.

Nanoo, Nanoo

[Cain Freemont]

...but when some characters can't get any light at all because of the huge shadow cast by some characters, well, one of the only defenses to that I can see is to avoid it.


I just wanted to repost this because I edited it far too late.


One of the problems, to me, is that the already larger than life characters influence the rest of the community far more than the small characters who know very little. This place is only meant to be some kind of camp or retreat. The main idea is to get people to RP there, to give the opportunity of having a good time to the people who aren't being flocked to. At least, that's the opportunity I see in it. And its why I support this idea. A camp not led by any one person. It has no political persuasion. In fact, its oblivious to politics, aside from the people who happen across it and relax there, or do whatever. It will be fun, so long as it stays an encampment and doesn't become integrated politically. Its a retreat. Like a hospital, there's no reason for it to be involved in anything aside from its intended purpose - escape.

[Fooser]

I realize I stopped playing most of the summer, but Ive come back and played a lot recently, and I am not really seeing this overwhelming minority holding everything. In fact, this is the LEAST its been like that Ive seen in over a year.

[Ku 'Agor]

because of the huge shadow cast by some characters

Damn straight. How is Ku supposed to get any attention with Gabon and Kl'urk blocking his shine?

[Devrah Liioness]

I think a lot of people misunderstand what my aim is.

It's not a barricaded town for people I deem to have "uber-RP".

It's just a camp - Juniper's word "retreat" is perfect, actually - that is offered ingame as an escape from the pace/activities of the larger towns.

In an OOC sense, it is, yes, a place to roleplay - anyone can go there, and anyone who's taken the time to talk to me in MSN about this idea already knows that I think patiently helping newbies learn the game should be included in the plans.

What I want is for the old roleplay back, when people didn't worry about skills so much. I know that a lot of players really want to work on their skills - and this is fine. Sometimes I might even want to do that. What I'm proposing is that there is a small area of the map that you can go to if you don't want to be around big strong warriors, mosnters, and -- yes, pardon this, but attention-whore characters.

It's not a town. It's not really a guild or "clique" - it's just a damn place, that you can go to to avoid the hustle, bustle, ignoring newbies, and Everything-revolving-around-the-same-three characters there is everywhere else.

Here's my motivation. I'll explain it and if any of you have a better idea, I encourage you to put it forth.

Today on MSN I talked to two people who never log on because they are afraid of getting PK'd or running into monsters or a violent quest.

I also talked to someone who doesn't like to skill any of their characters, just likes to sit around a campfire and tell stories and otherwise engage in roleplay, but doesn't log on because there's no one else to do this with.

I talked to four people who agree there should be some exciting monster quests, but would like a quiet spot on the map to go where there would be quests that are solveable without fighting, and where they will be safe from the bigger, monster quests if they choose.

I also talked to two people who are tired of the roleplay revolving around a few central characters, and who have expressed that they really want the chance to roleplay nobody characters without being overshadowed.

Personally, I agree with most of these points myself - although sometimes the excitement of the towns is nice, too. This idea that I have is not a "Move here and roleplay" town, at all. It's a "come here for a few hours if you want a campfire or need to get away from a giant monster when you have no skills". It's not really a place to live, it's a place to go for a little while to accomplish all the items I mentioned above.

I don't think people really understand that. It's just.... well, a "retreat". I wish I had thought of that word myself, because that's what it is. Let's not lie: People get frustrated in the game a lot and would rather go off somewhere away from most of the other characters and have a campfire. Why not have a place where you can do that without interruption?

Edit: And thinking about it more, I don't see why this can't work with the rest of the community. The druids have a patient that is badly wounded or sick? Send him to the retreat to recover. Someone's being hunted and needs to lay low? Come here and hideout. Sounds like a damn good plot device for everyone, to me. *shrugs*

[Cliu Beothach]

And if the whores, fighters, and "uber rpers" go there, then what?