Breaking the Habit

Everything about Illarion that fits nowhere else. / Alles über Illarion was inhaltlich in kein anderes Board passt.

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Deinarious
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Breaking the Habit

Post by Deinarious »

Okay, I was just wandering around the Guild forum after posting in the Magic Academy thread an application for my most recent character, when I stumbled into the Skullcrushers thread...It made me realize I have an orc character, but he is intelligent, peaceful and doesn't worship Moshran. Is this wrong, or just a sign that I should start a "flower orc" guild?

Also, who here adheres to the racial backgrounds, and who here "breaks the habit" of doing so, as in deviating from the backgrounds to have unique characters? I myself deviate more often than not, but to what extreme depends on the character.

Oh, and is this kind of topic right for General? If so, good, if not, please move it.
Damien
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Post by Damien »

It's okay.
There is a whole race description about orcs and even a religion description about the orcish race. Reading those will provide you with lots of info and ideas. In fact, usually a "moshran-ish" played orc is usually played by a player who does not know or does not really care for background story.

Orcs see the gods a bit different than other races, that much is true. But usually moshran just belongs to their pantheon, and is just another god besides others with no special weight. Additionally, he counts as harmful and unreliable, so most Orcs usually prefer praying to Malachin befor a battle instead of Moshran, who could send them into a battle rage in which they also harm their friends, not only their enemies.

A common misunderstanding is that usually, from the background, orcs should hate black cultists even more than the most other races, because they suffered alot under their influence in the past.

That doesn't make orcs "flowery" at all. Wild orcs are still wild barbarians, usually not too bright and can get an ill temper... but, read that in the background stuff.

So, in short, all these "Moshran"-orcs are just what usually comes up from players with not much imagination. An orc can pretty well be a villain through bruteness and even dumbness and still bash the guts out of every black-cultist he meets, instead of becoming one himself.
But a simply friendly and civilized "flower"orc without ANY orcish behaviour treat is also quite imaginationless.
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Cliu Beothach
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Post by Cliu Beothach »

...

My cheeks are red
Deinarious
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Post by Deinarious »

I see...Hmm...
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Irania
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Post by Irania »

Cliu Beothach wrote:...

My cheeks are red
Mine are too

...
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Lance Thunnigan
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Post by Lance Thunnigan »

I thought this thread was gonna be about Linkin Park.
*cry*
Fooser
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Post by Fooser »

Cliu Beothach wrote:...

My cheeks are red
Damien
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Post by Damien »

What about renaming it to "breaking the hobbit" then ? :twisted:
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Post by Retlak »

Is it wrong that I have a fairy warrior?
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Taeryon Silverlight
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Post by Taeryon Silverlight »

Awsome joke, Lord of the Small Ones
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abcfantasy
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Post by abcfantasy »

Taeryon Silverlight wrote:Awsome joke, Lord of the Small Ones
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Elsi
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Post by Elsi »

Damien wrote: But a simply friendly and civilized "flower"orc without ANY orcish behaviour treat is also quite imaginationless.
...unless there's a good back story about how this orc came to be this way, and some interesting interaction with the orcish community.

It could actually be a very good thing, if a little bit of thought it put into it.
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Juliana D'cheyne
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Post by Juliana D'cheyne »

I believe it was intended the racial characteristics of the different races be followed to some extent (otherwise why have them at all). However, they should be read closely, some "ideas" ig now are actually not at all in the description written of the races. If a char deviates, a good RP background describing some reason for the deviation ....which can usually be done... would be helpful.
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Juniper Onyx
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Post by Juniper Onyx »

My dwarf 'Chester' is another one of these 'deviant's' I think.

When most dwarves stay underground and focus on smithing exclusively, I wanted something different. Chester grew up around humans and knows and adopted some of their ways. He also remembers tales of old when Dwarves used to live on the surface ((Background stories of races)). However, I try to play him as the stereotypical D&D dwarf with his love of Beer and women.

Nonetheless, I believe several of the Illa dwarves don't think he is playing in character. Oh, well that's their opinion.

With Goldburg, the idea is to keep one foot underground, while bringing dwarves to the surface too. We don't need another silverbrand, so Goldburg plans to be different.

I've been criticised that Goldburg is more 'human' than 'dwarven'. I disagree. I believe any new 'guild' has to be different than others, and offer something unique to the game, or what's the point? Goldburg offers a place for English Dwarves to RP together and solves the problem that plagued Silverbrand, English Dwarves couldn't 'easily' enter or RP there. I agree that a division of dwarves into languages isn't best, but it does 'help' the game for now. Maybe in the future, Silverbrand may change. Who knows?

This should be a warning to other "Single Language" settlements (Guilds are OK, too small). By catering to one language, the other feels unwelcome. English players are just as guilty as German.

But what do I know, I'm a 'deviant'. :twisted:
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Konrad Knox
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Post by Konrad Knox »

Sirani ftw.

Cherga orc would be cool too, Undertaker Green.
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Elsi
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Post by Elsi »

It's interesting. When I came up with the idea of Katagil I wanted to play a dwarf who was a little bit uneasy underground. I've since run into at least two others with more or less the same idea.... having these 'misfit' dwarves band together is rather nice.... and if they're accepting of each other, so much the better for it.
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Hrar Godcairn
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Post by Hrar Godcairn »

Interesting indeed. I also started playing Hrar as dwarf that grew up amongst humans, and that was the reason why he became at first a citizen of Troll's Bane and not Silverbrand (also because by that time I didn't know any german :D ). I also wanted to play Hrar as a dwarf who spoke in an ironic way, wich always makes me laugh :lol:.

Anyway, later on Hrar felt he needed to be amongst more dwarves and joined Silverbrand. And yes, Hrar has been told many times that he's no normal dwarf... maybe he isn't.
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Korm Kormsen
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Post by Korm Kormsen »

i think, "deviated" chars are most common.

it is the one most basic failure, roleplaying has.
while any created world needs typical chars, every player needs distinguishable chars.
playing a typical .... (fill in your race of choice) is boring for most players.

to face the truth: roleplayers are all missfits of Real Life in one way or the other.
i suppose, that many play RPGs, because they are not satisfied with their insignificant real lives. - so they tend to play "something special" in a role playing game.
everybody playing something special, something deviated from the given norm by the game, the deviations become the norm....

freak-world

ps: but that's ok for me. i just have to play a char, that is NO deviation from the given norm to have a very special char... :twisted:
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Greisling
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Post by Greisling »

I agree with Korm in a way.
In a RPG world like Illarion we need characters who are clearly living and fighting for one side or guild. If you see a character you should think:

"Oh, it is one of them. He follows Moshran. I don't want to cope with him in any way."
or
"Look, there is one of the Jarls. Better don't talk to him if you are not a good warrior. Barbarians hate weak guys."


Although individual characters - who maybe have deep character developments, from being a bad guy to a good guy to the devil himself - might be interesting and more fun to play. But it is very difficult for others to really understand who that character is and what he stands for.

I do not say that I want personal character development to see forbidden! But I say that such character developments have to take place over a long RL-period of time. And in a way that all parts of the community have the opportunity to notice these developments.


Sometimes it might happen that your character acts in a way without thinking much about the consequences. If the consequence would be that many characters consider your character then as 'evil' then, your character should accept that. Then the character either should try to change the own reputation IG or he can act now freely cause his reputation is down anyway.

In the end it is all about coherent, logic and traceable roleplay. Stick to the role you intended to play and accept the role the game gives your character during the time your character is on Gobaith.
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Noradur
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Post by Noradur »

all bullshit to me, i think..

the best roleplayers in my eyes are those who use the backround to build their char concepts on, from there we can see that someone has actually put some thinking into it. And there is no reason why you couldn't still be individual and special in your concept, when you keep by the backround of your race.

Furthermore, Illarion is far different from the Real World. So if one really needs to escape his boring or none existant real life, with playing an RPG, is still no excuse for not using the backround.

Matter of fact, not using our wonderful backround is just the result of being too lazy to read it.
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abcfantasy
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Post by abcfantasy »

You sound like an Albarian!
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Noradur
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Post by Noradur »

played quite a few... maybe thats the reason
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Greisling
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Post by Greisling »

Noradur wrote:all bullshit to me, i think..
A day can't start better than reading this sort of introduction... :twisted: :wink:
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Noradur
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Post by Noradur »

the last one hasn't ended, yet.. for me its still friday.. so blame it on that :wink:
Deinarious
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Post by Deinarious »

So what you're saying is I have no imagination...wrong. I have plenty imagination. I've been roleplaying for the majority of my life, most of it offline. I've come up with hundreds, if not thousands of concepts over the years, and many gameworlds to put them in. The problem is I just don't have a means to make these concepts or worlds into a form that other people can see. So I cannot prove it for now.

And, my problem with staying with the given backgrounds, is that it's difficult to create a unique concept with them, and even more difficult to stay with them, because they, in my opinion, leave little room for the imagination. Note that I'm not trying to offend the devs. I do like Illarion. I just wish there was more room for making unique characters. Then, you could see the full on power of my imagination.

Maybe I should take Wolfsword's lead and go to MudMaker. That could help me release some of my creative content...

Anyhow, the character I made this topic about is deleted from the Illarion world. Apparently playing an orc who doesn't like fighting and worships the wolf aspect of Malachin isn't allowed...
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AlexRose
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Post by AlexRose »

It's great having an imagination, but not appropriate if you're thinking of ninja robots who fight mutant pirate dinosaurs. Surely you can think of more suitable things for illa if you have "plenty imagination".
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wolfsword
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Post by wolfsword »

AlexRose wrote:It's great having an imagination, but not appropriate if you're thinking of ninja robots who fight mutant pirate dinosaurs. Surely you can think of more suitable things for illa if you have "plenty imagination".
pirates and robots....
SPONGEBOB!
XD god I love that episode when they pretend inside the box....:)
Deinarious
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Post by Deinarious »

AlexRose wrote:It's great having an imagination, but not appropriate if you're thinking of ninja robots who fight mutant pirate dinosaurs. Surely you can think of more suitable things for illa if you have "plenty imagination".
I don't think of shit like that. Weirdest thing I've thought of for a game are winged fire-breathing cows and one-foot tall dragons made of Legos that feed on hallucinogenic mushrooms and used lipstick. And I wouldn't create a character that was either one for Illarion. I learned a similar lesson like that the hard way with Emily Thorowitz.

Now, if you excuse me, I'm designing races for my MUD...Anymore questions or bullshit like that can be directed to the proverbial brick wall of the mind.
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Post by Damien »

It's also easy to play a out-of-the-line-char within the race's stereotypes.
Take one Dwarf i play. Just a very easy example. He's in a constant gold-rush, kisses his nuggets, does not care for anything more than eating, sleeping and finding nuggets... Oh, and beer. Was thought as a fun character, has some background but not much character depth (yet).
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Boindil
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Post by Boindil »

Damien wrote:It's also easy to play a out-of-the-line-char within the race's stereotypes.
Take one Dwarf i play. Just a very easy example. He's in a constant gold-rush, kisses his nuggets, does not care for anything more than eating, sleeping and finding nuggets... Oh, and beer. Was thought as a fun character, has some background but not much character depth (yet).
You are Garabosch? :shock:
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