Breaking the Habit

Noradur · Post by **Noradur** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 3:35 am

Deinarious wrote:So what you're saying is I have no imagination...wrong.

Yes very wrong, cause i said:

not using our wonderful backround is just the result of being too lazy to read it.

I have plenty imagination. I've been roleplaying for the majority of my life, most of it offline.

I played soccer from when i was 6 and i still suck at it.

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.

You dont need to, i believe that.

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.

How you seem to define unique, you better create an own game than a char concept for a game that already has a setting.
No i dont take it as a offense.. But i really really want this setting to be played properly, cause otherwise any game logic is taken and illarion looses its authentics.

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...

The wolf aspect of Mallachin is still a hunter. A hunter fights. So weather orc or not, THAT is where you were obviously either to lazy to read or to think. As you seem a smart and creative guy to me i asume the first one.

maryday · Post by **maryday** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:32 pm

General Question;
(char related permaquests;)

If i have a fitting background concept,
would it be possible to switch a whole race of (normally agressive) NPCs to NEUTRAL, against a special char?

((EDIT:spoiler))

Elsi · Post by **Elsi** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:38 pm

maryday wrote:General Question;
(char related permaquests;)

If i have a fitting background concept,
would it be possible to switch a whole race of (normally agressive) NPCs to NEUTRAL, against a special char?

Muhaha..i guess its time to start my second char..if..only if...
((Really, i`d come up with matching trader NPC,
and maybe later a "tollcollector" for a certain bridge..))

You might have to turn that into a player-quest to convince the GMs... it sounds intriguing.

maryday · Post by **maryday** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 1:47 pm

I have difficulties in understanding the exact meaning of "player-quest".

Noradur · Post by **Noradur** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:05 pm

playerquests are quests not made up by GM mostly created or aimed on a particualiary character, or group.

Official quests are just quests that start anywhere and involve just any character.

PLayerquests can be:

"Market Days/TOwn Events (such as celebrations)" = involves a particulair town

CHaracter PLots= Involves a character, by making up an NPC based on the characterbackround. Those can involve a lot of players, but is always depending, on how much player get involved by the char, who gave his backround to make up a quest of it.

Post by **Nitram** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:20 pm

You speak impressive unclear maryday. In case I got you correct you asked if its possible to make some monsters not attacking one character.

The answer is: no.
Thats not possible. There is absolutly no way to do this, but hardcoding that into the server. And you can be sure that this will not happen

Nitram

maryday · Post by **maryday** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:25 am

A whole race?

Post by **Nitram** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:36 am

Its not possible to make monster npcs neutral for anyone except of disableing the attacking of that monster in general

Post by **Estralis Seborian** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:49 am

From what I know, you can make monster deal no damage, create no sound and show no animation when "attacking" a character. But the monster would still follow / approach the character.

This would be neat for GMs in quests, to have monsters not attacking characters that e.g. have a special item equipped (like a lockpick with data 1). This way, one could lure monsters without getting hit all the time or control mobs in a sophisticated way.

Noradur · Post by **Noradur** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 12:41 pm

INdeeeeed i need that one !!!!111one

Lance Thunnigan · Post by **Lance Thunnigan** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 1:31 pm

kn0b.

Aegohl · Post by **Aegohl** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:27 pm

It's one of those obscure rules of gamemastering that all drow are chaotic good outcasts.

However, I think that the storyline should have some strength to hold to some extent and yet be able to be pushed back as well. That is to say at one point do we accept that since the days of the Veralion (nearly as long as Illarion has existed) orcs have been worshipping Moshran, and this was before there was much published work by Damien or Nanuk on orc culture or religion?

The storyline should push so far, and then relent, being pushed back by the players. Or else, we have to find some way to encourage players to play with the storyline, be that some sort of reward or punishment.

At the end of the day, gamemasters have to accept that no matter how carefully they put together a story, players will inevitabley go in some tangent that wasn't expected or, even worse, is the opposite of what was intended (because when everyone is the one exception to the rule, the exception becomes the rule).

In any case, this is one of the reasons I find fantasy weak. Fantasy is all background and very little development. It is not a genre that lends itself well to collective storytelling, but it doesn't necessarily have to be so.

Gwendolin Cad'ell · Post by **Gwendolin Cad'ell** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:32 pm

Aegohl wrote:It's one of those obscure rules of gamemastering that all drow are chaotic good outcasts.

*looks very, very confused*

Aegohl · Post by **Aegohl** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:39 pm

Old joke.

Forgotten Realms has a popular character named Drizzt. He's a chaotic good drow who left the underground and became a hero. He's probably one of the most copied characters in roleplaying history.

It's an example of how if you apply a norm in a roleplaying game, people will be immediately interested in playing the character that doesn't fit that mold. It works in a pen and paper game to some extent, because your characters are three or four heros among a whole world of norms, but when you're one player among thirty other players, and everyone's the exception to the rule, it gets cheesy. =)

Naerwyn · Post by **Naerwyn** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:11 pm

In other words: Play a character that fits to the guidelines, and boom! Instant unique character!

Korm Kormsen · Post by **Korm Kormsen** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:26 pm

as i mentioned before: with everybody and his dog playing special chars, just play an ordinary guy, and your char is special...

Elsi · Post by **Elsi** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:27 pm

As far as I'm concerned, guidelines are just that, guidelines. They're a starting point.

Most characters should start within the guidelines, and develop outwards. Occasionally, a character can start outside the lines, but there should be a good solid backstory explaining why and how the deviation occurred.

Faladron · Post by **Faladron** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:58 pm

Backgrounds are nice. Here's a little something to ponder on:

http://www.thenoobcomic.com/daily/strip248.html

Lrmy · Post by **Lrmy** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:30 pm

This topic is up there on the most discussed in not just Illarion all RPGs. I suggest reading the older forum posts about the exact same thing from years ago. Might learn something.
http://illarion.org/community/forums/v ... hp?t=20190

http://illarion.org/community/forums/vi ... hp?t=17544

http://illarion.org/community/forums/vi ... hp?t=14643

Cliu Beothach · Post by **Cliu Beothach** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:04 pm

Mitch, last time I checked cheese was good.

Korr · Post by **Korr** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:22 pm

We should stay on topic because it was getting all interesting and making me think briefly until I was side-tracked by...

1. Wondering what 'cheeks' Cliu, Irania and Fooser were referring to.

2. The Linkin Park conversation.

3. The Lord of the Small Ones joke...which I still don't get because I have a third-grade reading level.

4. abcfantasy's quoting of the Lord of the Small Ones joke, which just frustrated me further to the point to where I had to Google it...still found nothing. Also the fact that he called Noradur an Albarian.

5. Greisling's remark on how days can't start better, even though everybody knows you have to watch re-runs of the Ren and Stimpy show to start the day off, that's just a fact.

6. wolfsword's pointless remark on SpongeBob, robots and pirates. Which, btw...I'm going to go watch SpongeBob now because of that, thanks.

7. Boindil's cunning attempt to promote laughter and joy by referring to Garabosch. Haha, that was rich.

8. Noradur's agreement to Estralis' remark about the item that could lure monsters without attacking, even though he was just expressing how he agrees was all and that's not as bad compared to the other things I've mentioned above.

9. Lance Thunnigan's kn0b remark.

10. Faladron's reference to a web comic. HAHAHA, PRICELESS!!

11. Cliu on cheese. Mmmmmmh. Cheese.

No offense intended at all, just would like to get back to the topic. Peace and Love. *hugs for everybody*

Noradur · Post by **Noradur** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:28 pm

Read the backround, play it and if something is unclear PM or MSN me or Naerwyn.

WORD

No need to discuss this any further, but thanks for showing how easy we are to distract, really suprised me

Lock?

Cliu Beothach · Post by **Cliu Beothach** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:08 pm

We are never distracted, we just bring out the truth.

Lrmy · Post by **Lrmy** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:14 pm

The truth blinds those with a closed mind! So let the topic stay open.

Arien Edhel · Post by **Arien Edhel** » Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:43 pm

Noradur wrote: Lock?

At your service.