My Only Problem With This Server

[Ferrochrome]

(I'd like to preface this by saying that I have Aspergers' syndrome, so it's entirely possible that I'm totally overthinking all this and should just stop worrying about it. Please let me know if this is the case.)

EDIT: I don't mean to insult or otherwise insinuate things about staff or server veterans; y'all are awesome. I'm just pointing out something that's not really anyone's fault; it's just an unfortunate result of the way the roleplay mechanics are structured.

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For some background, I've been on this server for four and a half years, on and off. In that time I've done a combination of RP and Factions. Unfortunately, though, I've been kind of spotty, so I haven't really been able to make any long-standing connections with people, OOC or IC.

Something that's troubled me ever since joining this server four years ago is how inaccessible the roleplay is. At least, that's how it seems. From what I can tell, the staff and the veterans all seem to want to RP with each other and few other people. That's not to say that they don't want to RP with other people; it's just that without these long-standing connections such as roleplay families, there aren't really any interesting storylines outside of their little groups. Entering into existing plots is hard because of this, and creating new plots is even harder, because either one person has to think of it and pray to God that the other person is okay with it before approaching them, or two people just walk up to each other, decide they want to RP, and then it's either boring or some stock ERP.

You'd think that the RP would be accessible due to the mechanic of simply seeing who's in the tavern, walking up to them, and saying hi. But, the lack of framework around this makes it actually quite difficult-- and as I mentioned, entering into a framework is equally as difficult.

Let's contrast this with one of my other favorite RP communities, Reddit. I'm an active Reddit user and have been for a while, mostly in roleplaying communities. In those communities, the play-by-comment-chain mechanic means that all someone has to do to get some potentially interesting RP is to make a post, thus entering an implied contract where anyone can comment on that post for RP; or comment on someone else's post, understanding that they have entered into the same contract. When you make a post, you're coming up with the plot content and submitting it to the community as a whole, and presumably everyone interested will comment. When you comment on someone else's post, you're doing that because you find it appealing. Thus, it's much easier for two people to get an interesting plot going-- and it's more accessible, especially for new people.

As you might imagine, the MassiveCraft RP dynamic is quite daunting (and quite frankly a turn-off) for someone like me, who has few connections on the server despite my quasi-veteran status, and plays a character who's naturally a bit of a loner rogue-chameleon type, not really fitting in with any single group but (ideally) finding himself at home in really any situation and (hopefully) getting involved in some interesting plot lines as a result.

Unfortunately, similar to @MonMarty's bit on OOC perception, there's a significant disconnect between my perception of my character and what I can do with him because of my OOC station. Combine this with the fact that there's a (justified) stigma around jumping in on important-seeming RP, and you get a character that in theory should be able to suavely work his way into any number of situations and come out with all parties having had a fun RP, but in reality often just ends up left out.

So that's my only problem with the server (besides the fact that the teleports are glitchy sometimes). I know this cliquiness has been recognized before, but it still deserves repeating. I don't know if the accessibility bit as a whole has been brought up before. It's an unfortunate result of the medium we've chosen, which obviously has other great elements to it; there's just this one nagging side effect that, quite frankly, threatens to leave the entire roleplay experience hanging in the balance.

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SO: Let me know what you guys think below. Also, any tips that might help me get into some more RP would be good.

Please don't say "hey, sucks that you feel that way, I'd be down to RP" and leave it at that. Part of what makes this issue an issue is that the simple "hey bro wanna RP" approach without any prior thought towards plot has little to no redeeming value (unless you're into ERP).

Also, if anyone feeling this way wants to start an RP family or something, I'm thinking of rebooting the Glenwood family. Or the Dread family. Or maybe starting a charter. I dunno. If anyone wants to get in on something new then give me a shout (and of course any plot ideas will be greatly appreciated).

 

[Magivore]

I don't quite have the time to give a full response right now, but if you're willing to read a lot and wait until morning (later in the EMT time, closer toward noon), I will happily give my thoughts on the matter (in a manner far more organized than this)! My only current suggestion through my exhausted mind-- consider it as the first step toward approaching role-players, in fact-- is to try and avoid the 'clique' mentality as best you can. While people do love hanging out in groups, that doesn't necessarily mean they're part of a specific and unobtainable category of RP. The first step to being excluded or being the one excluding others is thinking that everyone is too different or too similar to get any good stories going. I've marked the thread so I'll come back to it in the morning. I'm not 100% sure if you'll find salvation in my soon-to-be advice, but it's what I can give out of about 4 years of role-play!

to be later composed

 

[Ferrochrome]

I don't quite have the time to give a full response right now, but if you're willing to read a lot and wait until morning (later in the EMT time, closer toward noon), I will happily give my thoughts on the matter (in a manner far more organized than this)! My only current suggestion through my exhausted mind-- consider it as the first step toward approaching role-players, in fact-- is to try and avoid the 'clique' mentality as best you can. While people do love hanging out in groups, that doesn't necessarily mean they're part of a specific and unobtainable category of RP. The first step to being excluded or being the one excluding others is thinking that everyone is too different or too similar to get any good stories going. I've marked the thread so I'll come back to it in the morning. I'm not 100% sure if you'll find salvation in my soon-to-be advice, but it's what I can give out of about 4 years of role-play!

to be later composed

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What is EMT time?

 

[Magivore]

What is EMT time?

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No idea! What I meant was EST, but I accidentally mixed GMT with EST. Whoops!

 

[Ferrochrome]

No idea! What I meant was EST, but I accidentally mixed GMT with EST. Whoops!

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Lol. Yeah, I can wait. Thanks for the heads-up, too!

 

[MonMarty]

Not being approached isn't exclusion. It's just you being lazy. I've not heard your name mentioned once in any of my circles (and I'm a member of many, 3 in fact) nor do you seem to have asked or approached anyone near me for roleplay, which implies you've actually not tried to get engaged with anyone, but rather just expected the carpet to get rolled out at you. Implying all staff are somehow elitist because of your (maybe?) one experience, or assumption, is thus nothing more than knee capping yourself in the process of getting what you want.

Roleplay only comes the way of people who engage.

 

[gnomery]

Please don't say "hey, sucks that you feel that way, I'd be down to RP" and leave it at that. Part of what makes this issue an issue is that the simple "hey bro wanna RP" approach without any prior thought towards plot has little to no redeeming value

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maybe sometimes simple introductions in character are needed for you to feel comfortable and approach them again with more intriguing rp.
and personally I don't usually have it all planned out, just be willing to go with the flow and improvise, that's what rp is about. making up stories as you go along.
take up peoples offers when they say they'd roleplay, you don't need a grand plot to have fun, or at least you shouldn't have to at the very beginning of an rp

 

[GenericNerd]

"Hey! Sucks that you feel that way, I'd be down to RP."

Joking, please refrain from stabbing me. I don't really do planned RP. Anyways. While I won't plan out RP much, I am always up for it, and I could likely try to help out with pushing you into different types of RP. The noble scene, guard, military, etc. Just pop me a message sometime.

 

[Ferrochrome]

snip

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I probably should have made this more clear: I don't expect to get approached out of the blue, and I never have. I have RPed with numerous staff members in the past, and I don't think they're elitist at all. In fact, one of my favorite John mini-arcs involved a staff member (whose name I forget) alongside @MantaRey (who I would put firmly in that "veteran" category), because for one reason or another one of the Santorskis hated John and the other one begrudgingly respected him. To wit, the bit with the staff member came from randomly approaching them in the Golden Willow (at the time) and asking if they wanted to RP.

My commentary is less a complaint towards the attitudes themselves than it is an observation of why people tend to feel this way. I've seen a fair number of comments to the effect of noble RP being cliquey and inaccessible. It's not really an attitude as it is an unfortunate result of the Minecraft medium-- it's difficult to randomly get into new RPs with there being a compelling plot line worth pursuing that's agreed upon by all parties.

Believe me, I would love nothing more than to RP with you and who(m?)ever is part of your circle. My only issues are having a decent IC reason to do so, and actually having a good plot line grow out of it. I don't know what circles you're part of, but taking the nobility as an example, John has no place in nobility unless he ends up being someone's court magician and gets involved in stuff from there. (That's not anyone's fault.)

To summarize:

• I don't mean to insult staff in any way; y'all are awesome
• I don't think there's an attitude per se, it's more an artificial stigma born of the Minecraft medium
• I would be willing to RP with you and/or your circles whenever you're feeling up to it, just name the time and place (or allow me to do so).

 

[Ferrochrome]

maybe sometimes simple introductions in character are needed for you to feel comfortable and approach them again with more intriguing rp.
and personally I don't usually have it all planned out, just be willing to go with the flow and improvise, that's what rp is about. making up stories as you go along.
take up peoples offers when they say they'd roleplay, you don't need a grand plot to have fun, or at least you shouldn't have to at the very beginning of an rp

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It's not that you need a grand plot, it's that you can't very well approach a group of nobles talking nobility in the tavern and have a character not part of those circles suddenly be relevant enough to be worth adding in the scene.

"Hey! Sucks that you feel that way, I'd be down to RP."

Joking, please refrain from stabbing me. I don't really do planned RP. Anyways. While I won't plan out RP much, I am always up for it, and I could likely try to help out with pushing you into different types of RP. The noble scene, guard, military, etc. Just pop me a message sometime.

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I'd really appreciate that. Part of the issue is it's kind of hard to get connected with all these different scenes. I'll shoot you a DM in game, or-- even better, forum PM me when you get a chance (I know you said that I should pop you a message but I don't really know what you had in mind)

 

[Miss_Confined]

It's not that you need a grand plot, it's that you can't very well approach a group of nobles talking nobility in the tavern and have a character not part of those circles suddenly be relevant enough to be worth adding in the scene.

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I currently play Elizabeth Black, who is indeed a noble! I strive to be inclusive of everyone and if you see me in the tavern, please feel free to approach! Elizabeth enjoys conversing with all people and as long as you continuously contribute she will be thrilled to speak with your character! Nobles are not as intimidating as they may seem! @Film_Noir @darkarely @Suicidium @Markisbeest and a WHOLE LOT of other nobles are very open to conversation (From my experience!).
If you get yourself involved and start working towards goals and things that can affect and benefit other players, your character will get noticed! Elizabeth Black has an almshouse that could be something you could look into if you enjoy helping others through charity work. I would also be willing to help you branch out to more people. You just have to get yourself out there! There's no "rules" on jumping into a roleplay, I promise most people will be very accommodating!

 

[GenericNerd]

forum PM me when you get a chance

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Conversation started!

 

[Ferrochrome]

snip

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I have actually done a bit of RP with @Film_Noir; that was fun.
don'tkillmeforthedoubletag

 

[TyrolleanEagle]

I feel the need to add my (admittedly brief) two cents.

I suppose I'm a veteran. My character is grizzled, cranky, rich, old, and influential. Few nobles interact with him, and even fewer commoners.

Want to start roleplaying with nobles? Make yourself interesting to a noble. I feel as if people feel this disconnect between nobles and commoners simply because they just sit around in the tavern and chat. That's a great way to initiate with other commoners, but not nobility. The Sovereign Prince of Anglia or the Duke of the Hinterlands probably won't care too terribly much for what peasant conversations you're having over beer.

Be interesting to a noble. Ask engaging questions about politics. Ask thought provoking about their lands. Treat them with respect in conversation. Ask them for something politically related like charter rights or a new law in the Assembly, and give them a reason as to why they should. And if none of that seems interesting, I personally find spontaneous plot lines to be fun. Are you an Ithanian agitator or a Daendroque anarchist? Stab me. 9 times out of 10, if you ask permission first and aren't obnoxious or disruptive, I'll allow it to happen and advocate for your escape OOC. You need to do things that get yourself out there. Nobles will not approach commoners. That's simply the nature of nobility.

But no noble is going to chase you off if you're not being rude or obnoxious. Just don't come with nothing but pleasantry roleplay and expect lines of intricate dialogue.


Disclaimer: This is my own personal opinion and it's 12:30 in the morning.

 

[GenericNerd]

Nobles will not approach commoners

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Unless you're Vidarr who will lick you and then offer you a drink even though you just met. :')

 

[Eronoc]

I've actually had the opposite experience. Despite being very new, I've found myself pretty readily included in pretty much whatever group I set my mind to. I started by approaching individuals and asking around, which led to being pointed in the direction of particularly welcoming and helpful nobles. This allowed me access to events and further connections, and I've slowly made my character known in a sensible - though perhaps slightly forward - way. Involving yourself in events that you see happening in and around the tavern seems to be a very good way to start.
This process is the same as in real life. You don't go approach certain people, and they don't approach you. You have to make the right connections lower on the ladder, and slowly progress your way up until you can slot yourself into your place. Come up with a goal, and look for characters who will be sympathetic to that goal. Common goals unite people who otherwise would be very separate, and often make overcoming social barriers a lot easier.

As to doing this sort of thing IC, my trick is to not play characters that I am very much unlike. I'd never pick a character exactly like me, but I do pick characters that I know I will be able to play well because I understand their inner mechanisms and methods intimately. I am not nearly as socially awkward as Augustin is, but I am definitely not extroverted. Because I am a pretty introverted person, I made a character that is also introverted, just more so, because I knew that I would struggle OOC to play an IC extrovert. Try as we might to completely divorce ourselves from our own limitations when playing a character, RP is at its core a social interaction and limitations in that sphere are hard to overcome. Of course Augustin is unlike me in many ways - he is cold and distant, whereas I tend to be laid back with nearly everyone I meet, for instance, and even that is sometimes difficult for me to play because I personally am laughing and smiling, but Augustin would not be. In this way, I ensure that I'm not just playing a self-insert. Still, I know my limitations and stick to them when creating a character. At some level a character will be an extension of yourself, because you are acting in their capacity, and I think that understanding that removes a lot of the OOC disconnect that you mentioned in your post. That's my personal take on it, anyway.

Edit: I should mention that to me, RP isn't about escapism, but about experiencing a good story. I can achieve that goal just fine still playing within my own OOC flaws and quirks - in fact, sometimes RPing that way can teach you things, like any good story. If it was about escapism, I could see that becoming an issue, but I disagree with that style of RP. That's how you end up with power-gaming, Mary Sues, and awkward edgelord characters that no other character in their right mind wants to be around.

 

[Reaganism]

If you want to truly engage with nobility you have to be extremely aggressive in approaching & related. I was told and advised this and sorta functioned after two weeks, though my case may be perceived as awkwardly special.

Also, don't fall into the trap of trying to engage only with the "upmost" nobility. It may be tempting but a lot of those nobles who have been around for the years have since gotten jobs or into the college and aren't that much around anymore. Others are tied up with their own plots and spend 90% their uptime resolving those.

Another issue I can see is people approaching the roleplay on the server from a procedural perspective with no idea about drama roleplay. But this can be remedied with a good read.

The single and only issue I saw myself was that one side of the political spectrum in Regalia is far busier than the other and less engaging in casual roleplay than the other. A good change could be to provide a sense of forgiveness towards affiliations in politics when they are based on roleplay-availability and not actual character opinion. Tagging some political swingers to have this idea heard. @TyrolleanEagle @SpunSugar @Theoderic @Film_Noir @Muffins_

 

[Tibertastic]

I'd say this, there is some repetition to the RP in the tavern. Perhaps that's because of its designation to find deeper-meaning roleplay. Perhaps that's why some of the big-wigs don't use it entirely because they have already found that RP?

RP, especially more interesting RP, requires a lot of boldness and not a care for it's risks. That very much is the same for political RP. So be bold, be daring, take your RP friendship to new heights. See if you can admit a deep-rooted secret? See if you can trust this friend to help you rob a bank? Far better than having a drink and talking about Suzzie's glasses. @Suzzie

 

[Pauleen]

and personally I don't usually have it all planned out, just be willing to go with the flow and improvise, that's what rp is about. making up stories as you go along.

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That's pretty much what I do. I have a few people I regularly play with (though there's always room for more), but even that, along with our own continuing storyline, doesn't always guarantee that anything is happening. In those kinds of situations, or if I just feel like the moment is kind of stale, I might try to introduce something else into the scene. Sometimes it's an actual object- one time I had my character bring a flower pot into the tavern. It sounds stupid, but it got a response which eventually led to further conversation. Sometimes it can be a goal I just decided to give the character in that moment, like eavesdropping or getting into something. Whatever you do really just depends on the type of character you play, obviously. I'm not saying the cure is to be ~RaNdOm~ for a reaction (ew), I just mean you might benefit from being spontaneous OOC sometimes with deciding what to have your character get up to.
I feel like I'd have more to add to the topic in general but I need to go to bed.

 

[Lizmun]

I feel like the problem with you is you're... aggressive. I don't know if that's the right word, but that's what I'm going to call you. Aggressive. Rigid, maybe? I don't know.

I consider myself a veteran, despite only playing commoners. I've played on massive for nearly 5-6 years, and that makes me a veteran. I'd like to say you're wrong when you say veterans are unapproachable. I approached you just fine, and you did very fine with Abigail. Up until @Empaul dropped in as Taavi.

You became aggressive, defensive. You were insistant on fighting oocly with Paul, which you did for at least 15 - 30 mins. Some points you made, which interestingly enough properly contrast most of your post, were "you must ask to join a rp", "you can't just jump in". Stuff like that. This mindset does not get you rp, nor does throwing a fit oocly when things don't go your way.

Perhaps aggressive was the wrong word. Maybe 'close minded' is better.

Tl;dr - don't try to limit yourself with personal rules, and don't get prissy ooc when what you want to happen doesn't happen.

 

[Conflee]

As someone who has been here a while, I have noticed a trend in this regard. I always try to be open to new people, and wonder why they dont approach me more often, and then I thought back and realized: Back when I first started, the only people I roleplayed with were players with less than a year on the server, if I could help it, for the first month or two.

Taking that into account and assuming I wasnt just a weirdo, all the fried circles of 'noob' roleplayers that tend to form and disband over time, IE the Aphmau Group and various other kind of... edgy groups, makes a lot of sense.

I can see the accessibility issue. But I do think in the end it tends to fall on older players more. As an example of a positive influence, I see @DrFong around fairly often, just, chatting with anyone who walks by, and I have heard from a lot of people that their first interactions with his character are some of the ones they remember best from their newer days. Probably equal parts due to how memorable the character The Mysterious Dr. Fong is, and the fact that he takes the time to do this.


I feel like if more people went out on a limb and specifically counteract the interaction bias newer players have, by trying to get into RP with them consistently, it might improve things.

I sadly dont have enough time to make much effort there- on days I work I have only 4 hours of freetime TOTAL for a day, but i guess its something to keep in mind.

 

[ezalB]

I consider myself a veteran,

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I suppose I could be considered a veteran myself, however I really don't feel like it most of the time.

Dongler and I were part of a clique together for a while, but we all ended up going our separate way years ago.

Over the years i've personally had trouble worming my way back into the groups after that initial one with Dongler, but, like said in a few posts above, viewing the people in RP as without groups helps reduce that pressure immensely. I've personally never RPed with you, and honestly have been a bit inactive as of recent. If you really are struggling with finding a group of people, my best advice is to just keep an open mind and remind yourself that nobility isn't the only "goal" you should be aiming for. There are plenty of interesting people who aren't nobility to head out and meet!

extremelyloudcoughmostyanarandallarextremelyloudcough

 

[Magivore]

From how full this thread seems to be, many of my points have already been said. What I will do is re-iterate! For a TL;DR, read the bold. I highly recommend you read all of this!

Some points you made, which interestingly enough properly contrast most of your post, were "you must ask to join a rp", "you can't just jump in". Stuff like that. This mindset does not get you rp . . .

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Roleplay only comes the way of people who engage.

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RP, especially more interesting RP, requires a lot of boldness and not a care for it's risks.

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Make yourself interesting . . .

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• By making yourself generally interesting, you will therefore find generally interesting company. If you're having trouble getting people's attention, look for an excuse to get some random assistance (e.g. "I need help getting down from this tree," "You know anyone by the name of ___? No? Well, hello anyways," "I have this strange invention that needs a tool, have this tool?"). By giving your character this momentary weakness or hole, they will have to find someone who can fill it. Intellectual characters need knights to study in peace, and knights need scholars to pay them to go on adventures.
• Don't create categories. While some people fall under tags (nobles, mages, knights, et cetera), that does not limit them to only interacting with others of the same name. Cliques really only exist because someone finds someone else a snob, so they put them in a category not a part of their own so that they 'are not like one of them.' In all reality, we are exactly like all of them by doing just that. Eventually, you exclude their friends, their acquaintances, the people they see, and eventually, everyone similar to them.
• Accept what spaces are public and what spaces aren't. If you can access a location without breaking into it or needing to get past a lock, expect people to hear or 'figure' out you're near. Some people like myself are very aggressive when it comes to squeezing into random encounters, so if you don't want one, go some place that's logically locked up (this does not include being behind a park bush, being beneath a bridge in the slums, or standing inside a facility with its door wide open and without a guard). If someone wants to join you, unless they have a notorious reputation of character death evasion / powergaming / metagaming, you should let them in just so your experiences expand.
• Instigate as often as you can and recognize what tags aren't reachable with your skills. If you're playing as an Elf, you will clearly have a much harder time fitting in around a bunch of Orcs. This also applies to being a Drowdar who tries to talk to people with blue blood. It's generally easier to play as races accepted by society (e.g. Al-Allar, Ailor, Avanthar), so you might be accidentally excluding yourself by trying to talk to a group of Ailor supremacists when you're a Slizzar. If a character seems to hate you, look for a way to make that hatred slow and steady so that you develop a nemesis; an obstacle your character will overcome by the aid of supportive friends who won't stand to have their companion mocked. This sometimes requires you to take risks, such as allowing a hand to be removed or being arrested over almost pure illegitimacy (just so long as you have a plan for after it happens!)
• Above all, don't lose hope and accept that some days will have more RP than others. Losing your patience and yelling at someone is shooting yourself in the foot, as well as saying "they won't include me" should be a fact rather than a cry for help. If you want to be included, give yourself-- and someone else, for that matter-- a reason to be included, even if it's a bit goofy at first.

I hope this helps, @Ferrochrome ! I'm always willing to help where I can, even if it's just a 'help what do I do' type of scenario.

 

[RedSentinel]

Right, I cant dedicate five paragraphs so I'll just break it down. I used to think it was hard to get into plot lines, and it is still to a certain extent if you don't have connections and/friendships with players. But the thing about the Massivecraft scene is that it's not plot driven, it's character driven. This means that barring world progressions, every plot is caused by the actions of a character or characters. If you have more friends and connections on the server, it's easier to rp bigger social scenes and create bigger plots. Get out there, talk to EVERYONE you can, and eventually you'll find your people. Once you have a circle of friends, it's easier to engage in bigger arcs.

 

[AtticCat]

Honestly? I've given this advice before, if you want to get known and you're starting out (not saying you're new, but like even trying to get back into it), I'd make a obnoxious, friendly, or criminal character. Obnoxious and friendly characters get good and bad attention- they draw people and Criminal characters are actually really good if you don't know the laws of Regalia well or something because your character simply won't care about them IC.

That doesn't help much, but there ya go.

 

[SnashuuPomaymay]

I'll admit, I'm probably a hypocrite to give advice on this situation being as I'm horrible at jumping in on some roleplays myself, and I haven't been playing long either, but I completely understand what you mean with this post. So I'll try to give advice how I can!

Spoiler: A D V I C E S T U F F

Yes, some people do seem intimidating, and massive itself I've noticed has spooked a few people into completely leaving, or trying to, after so long of struggling to find a way to approach in roleplay. I understand that entirely, being as it takes minutes of convincing just to approach a group, even if I know them already. From a feeling of missplacement to a wave of uncertainty in some situations, sometimes joining in on roleplay will seem more intimidating than it actually is. But, still speaking from personal experience, it's not as bad as it seems either. Here's a bit of advice. Make long, interesting emotes for entries, for one. You might get someone's attention! If someone else makes a long entry emote into a roleplay, or even into the tavern, be the first to notice them. Try making a character that does acting, throw them on the tavern stage, and try Throwing on a show as well! That poor platform is rarely used anyways, it's worth a try. Not to mention, now is the best time to try to join roleplay! With the snow, the courtyard outside he tavern has a snowball fight like. Every other hour. Join in on that! That's something that literally cannot be problematic to anyone, and it helps you meet more people. Literally anything works, and it'll almost always work out!
Now, I'm horrible at advice, and I probably trailed off a lot there, but it was still worth a shot. I hope I shot ya a few ideas. Feel free to message me IG, SnashuuPomaymay, if you ever want to talk about it, or maybe you need help finding a group of role players to join in on. I'll happily give it a go, being as I'm usually just hanging out AFK, or running around trying to find something to do. If I'm busy, I'll Gladly take a rain check as well. Whatever works!

Have a nice day!
Andsorryfortalkingsomuch o-o

 

[Moribundity]

When it comes to becoming involved in RP, I, being a player with no connections to anyone really (With the exception of SlyChung and Vivamente), found it hard to integrate into the roleplaying community. However, I found the best way to do so was to instigate roleplay. Walk up to people, say hello in character, even if you feel it goes against your character to do as such. With Katrina, my first character, she craved power but despised talking to ailor but craved power and popularity. As such, I had her put on a facade, making out like she didn't mind ailor, and eventually, I was recognised. It took about a week for me to find a group of friends who got me further within RP, and they're great. Feel free to RP with me anytime. I don't bite!

 

[MokeDuck]

(I'd like to preface this by saying that I have Aspergers' syndrome, so it's entirely possible that I'm totally overthinking all this and should just stop worrying about it. Please let me know if this is the case.)

EDIT: I don't mean to insult or otherwise insinuate things about staff or server veterans; y'all are awesome. I'm just pointing out something that's not really anyone's fault; it's just an unfortunate result of the way the roleplay mechanics are structured.

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For some background, I've been on this server for four and a half years, on and off. In that time I've done a combination of RP and Factions. Unfortunately, though, I've been kind of spotty, so I haven't really been able to make any long-standing connections with people, OOC or IC.

Something that's troubled me ever since joining this server four years ago is how inaccessible the roleplay is. At least, that's how it seems. From what I can tell, the staff and the veterans all seem to want to RP with each other and few other people. That's not to say that they don't want to RP with other people; it's just that without these long-standing connections such as roleplay families, there aren't really any interesting storylines outside of their little groups. Entering into existing plots is hard because of this, and creating new plots is even harder, because either one person has to think of it and pray to God that the other person is okay with it before approaching them, or two people just walk up to each other, decide they want to RP, and then it's either boring or some stock ERP.

You'd think that the RP would be accessible due to the mechanic of simply seeing who's in the tavern, walking up to them, and saying hi. But, the lack of framework around this makes it actually quite difficult-- and as I mentioned, entering into a framework is equally as difficult.

Let's contrast this with one of my other favorite RP communities, Reddit. I'm an active Reddit user and have been for a while, mostly in roleplaying communities. In those communities, the play-by-comment-chain mechanic means that all someone has to do to get some potentially interesting RP is to make a post, thus entering an implied contract where anyone can comment on that post for RP; or comment on someone else's post, understanding that they have entered into the same contract. When you make a post, you're coming up with the plot content and submitting it to the community as a whole, and presumably everyone interested will comment. When you comment on someone else's post, you're doing that because you find it appealing. Thus, it's much easier for two people to get an interesting plot going-- and it's more accessible, especially for new people.

As you might imagine, the MassiveCraft RP dynamic is quite daunting (and quite frankly a turn-off) for someone like me, who has few connections on the server despite my quasi-veteran status, and plays a character who's naturally a bit of a loner rogue-chameleon type, not really fitting in with any single group but (ideally) finding himself at home in really any situation and (hopefully) getting involved in some interesting plot lines as a result.

Unfortunately, similar to @MonMarty's bit on OOC perception, there's a significant disconnect between my perception of my character and what I can do with him because of my OOC station. Combine this with the fact that there's a (justified) stigma around jumping in on important-seeming RP, and you get a character that in theory should be able to suavely work his way into any number of situations and come out with all parties having had a fun RP, but in reality often just ends up left out.

So that's my only problem with the server (besides the fact that the teleports are glitchy sometimes). I know this cliquiness has been recognized before, but it still deserves repeating. I don't know if the accessibility bit as a whole has been brought up before. It's an unfortunate result of the medium we've chosen, which obviously has other great elements to it; there's just this one nagging side effect that, quite frankly, threatens to leave the entire roleplay experience hanging in the balance.

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SO: Let me know what you guys think below. Also, any tips that might help me get into some more RP would be good.

Please don't say "hey, sucks that you feel that way, I'd be down to RP" and leave it at that. Part of what makes this issue an issue is that the simple "hey bro wanna RP" approach without any prior thought towards plot has little to no redeeming value (unless you're into ERP).

Also, if anyone feeling this way wants to start an RP family or something, I'm thinking of rebooting the Glenwood family. Or the Dread family. Or maybe starting a charter. I dunno. If anyone wants to get in on something new then give me a shout (and of course any plot ideas will be greatly appreciated).

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I completely agree. I also don't think you are overthinking it, If that is a thing. Delving into and thinking long and hard about a problem isn't a bad thing in my opinion, syndrome thingy or no syndrome thingy.

Personally, (noting that I don't RP often, mostly for this very reason) I think that there are two ways to get around this problem. From what a player can do, you can jump into a roleplay family and make connections there, getting involved and thus giving your actions significance and meaning. The other thing that can be done is from a staff perspective, which is to host RP events where difficulties and/or opportunities are imposed onto other people. Essentially, this boils down to three different types of roleplay.

1. "Defencive" roleplay, the easiest: Where situations are imposed upon players and the fun comes from trying to work around, avoid, confront, or solve these problems or situations. Basically, it is when the RP world affects the character. This is most often experienced through RP events, for instance the plague incident or the event where a wanted assassin got into the walled-off slums, thus enforcing lots of fun situations for players. I personally joined a group, which got into a fight with another group, and then the black hand showed up cause there was like 10 of us. By far my best RPing experience.

2. "Passive" roleplay, the most common: This is when players just kinda interact with each other with no goals or problems. This is what most new roleplayers experience. It can be fun to kinda wander round regalia, but besides that not much good comes from this except finding other roleplay.

3. "Offensive" roleplay, the one I haven't experienced, but presumably the harder and most desirable kind: This is the kind of roleplay where the players enforce situations onto other players. This can be working for a good RP goal, which is suggested when creating a character app, working with Regalia politics, noble interactions, and stuff like that. This is a player's effect on the RP world.

If this seems in-depth, it is cause I am reading Aristotle online...

 

[MokeDuck]

@enderdragon @selemo @KittyCutie123

 

[Pauleen]

dit: I should mention that to me, RP isn't about escapism, but about experiencing a good story. I can achieve that goal just fine still playing within my own OOC flaws and quirks - in fact, sometimes RPing that way can teach you things, like any good story. If it was about escapism, I could see that becoming an issue, but I disagree with that style of RP. That's how you end up with power-gaming, Mary Sues, and awkward edgelord characters that no other character in their right mind wants to be around.

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I can see how using RP as escapism could create completely insufferable characters in some (a lot of?) cases, but I think it's also worth remembering that escaping reality isn't always about going somewhere "better" and sometimes is just about going somewhere different. That's how it is for me, anyway. My character isn't strong or influential, and he has his limitations, but I heavily relate to him and I enjoy putting myself in his position and acting out those interactions he would have, and it still feels like an escape from my regular life.
BUt then, maybe not everyone thinks of it that way and would rather just be flawless and completely powerful.

 

[Reaganism]

I can see how using RP as escapism could create completely insufferable characters in some (a lot of?) cases, but I think it's also worth remembering that escaping reality isn't always about going somewhere "better" and sometimes is just about going somewhere different. That's how it is for me, anyway. My character isn't strong or influential, and he has his limitations, but I heavily relate to him and I enjoy putting myself in his position and acting out those interactions he would have, and it still feels like an escape from my regular life.
BUt then, maybe not everyone thinks of it that way and would rather just be flawless and completely powerful.

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The question why someone roleplays is largely irrelevant to one's ability to create roleplay or involve others - which this thread is about - except for one single thing to note. Perhaps a little too many people approach roleplay from the "classic" perspective: surely, in a mainstream RPG events revolve around one's character and it's the only actor imposing change on the environment. What I find troublesome is when a new player, a returning player or a regular player on a roleplay platform expects their characters to be approached and involved by others, either by the "big players" or the "staff". Another false assumption is that if one wants to roleplay, they have to create a plotline, hold events, drive them and manage them, essentially taking the "big player" or "staff" role previously mentioned. I found the best case is when players find a middle-way between the two when characters create (often conflicting) goals against each other that allow for everyday interaction and the arrangement of dramatic scenes.

 

[DrDrago]

As someone who is normally on and off becuase of restrictions of school i do understand aswell after being gone a long time that it is hard to find the people you can roleplay with but the best way i have seemed to do it is by IC getting drunk in a tavern because it normally ends up with everyone there getting involved and meeting lots of new people or applying to a group for me in this case i just came back from maybe a two month break and what i did was apply for the Nordmark which made me meet alot of new people and get more involved with lots of events. I hope this helps

 

[Eronoc]

-snip-

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That's a fair point. If someone is RPing for escapism but not "me but better" escapism, that's entirely respectable. I think that for many people it takes restraint, and some may lack the maturity to be able to honestly do that. In any case, to that form of escapism I think my point still stands: You have to be aware of your own OOC limitations that may affect your RP.

 

[Pauleen]

The question why someone roleplays is largely irrelevant to one's ability to create roleplay or involve others

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Well I mean... If someone's reason for Roleplay is focused on constantly being the Main Character and winning in any given situation/avoiding all consequences rather than being able to take a hit, physically or figuratively, or playing in a way that implies the understanding that everyone else's characters are just as important as your own, that's likely to affect whether people feel that getting involved is fun or interesting.
But yeah, the expectation for Roleplay to just gravitate to a player who isn't taking initiative is clearly flawed for the most part.
I feel like I wrote this weird, oops.

 

[Reaganism]

Well I mean... If someone's reason for Roleplay is focused on constantly being the Main Character and winning in any given situation/avoiding all consequences rather than being able to take a hit, physically or figuratively, or playing in a way that implies the understanding that everyone else's characters are just as important as your own, that's likely to affect whether people feel that getting involved is fun or interesting.
But yeah, the expectation for Roleplay to just gravitate to a player who isn't taking initiative is clearly flawed for the most part.
I feel like I wrote this weird, oops.

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Read the rest of my comment and what is below "except for a single case".

 

[Pauleen]

Read the rest of my comment and what is below "except for a single case".

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I already did that, thanks

 

[ZiggyStarDusted]

Not being approached isn't exclusion. It's just you being lazy. I've not heard your name mentioned once in any of my circles (and I'm a member of many, 3 in fact) nor do you seem to have asked or approached anyone near me for roleplay, which implies you've actually not tried to get engaged with anyone, but rather just expected the carpet to get rolled out at you. Implying all staff are somehow elitist because of your (maybe?) one experience, or assumption, is thus nothing more than knee capping yourself in the process of getting what you want.

Roleplay only comes the way of people who engage.

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But a lot of the time people of 'higher' IC status tend to not really want to include people lower than them and just avoid you in and ooc...
Maybe encourage some people on your circles to give the hug box tavern a try more frequently. Because in theory, its a brilliant idea!

 

[MonMarty]

But a lot of the time people of 'higher' IC status tend to not really want to include people lower than them and just avoid you in and ooc...
Maybe encourage some people on your circles to give the hug box tavern a try more frequently. Because in theory, its a brilliant idea!

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Can you cite specific individuals without laying an insulting claim like that at the doorstep of 50+ people? Representative data is everything here.

 

[Pauleen]

Representative data is everything here.

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Uunfortunately, people don't tend to keep records of that kind of thing, but if they did, would that not be something like a call-out post? Those aren't very nice either. How should someone present their data?

 

[MonMarty]

Uunfortunately, people don't tend to keep records of that kind of thing, but if they did, would that not be something like a call-out post? Those aren't very nice either. How should someone present their data?

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Forum Player Reports, the way they are meant to be used. I feel flinging accusations like that into the world without actual statistical proof is just an attack on the integrity of the people who are being accused, and a claim at full truthfulness without actual evidence behind it. Obviously while some people won't believe it without valid proof, unfortunately a lot of people will parrot the shared sentiment even if they don't actually know if it's true because it helps them foster a victim mentality.

I find that in the cases I've dealt with these sort of matters, a mean noble, like let's say: Ulric Typhonus, who is mean because he is a die-hard conservative and hates non-Humans says something vaguely insulting against a she-Elf. Said player who has a lacking understanding of the separation of OOC and IC might suddenly jump on the forum and accuse TyrolleanEagle of being an asshole because they feel personally insulted, or fling out the accusation that all nobles are mean despite only having had an interaction with one of them out of 50. On the flip side, TyrolleanEagle also played a nice character, but his mean character starts defining him and every noble around him just because it helps the narrative crafted by someone who wants to play the blame game.

I am not contesting that there aren't mean nobles who are indeed entitled OOC, but this is an oddity, not a trend, which I can say as a person who works with them all extensively and frequently watches their roleplay. I agree, call-out posts aren't nice, but leveled blaming rhetoric and accusations against whole population groups are also incredibly toxic, which effectively happens when quantifiers as "a lot" are used.