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Do people actually ROLEPLAY anymore?

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  • Chaos_AmunetChaos_Amunet Member Posts: 9
    I've never encountered any decent roleplay in the graphical MMOs I've played. All of the roleplay servers I tried in WoW saw me running into cybersex, or enduring the worst kind of roleplaying cliches. I'd rather go back to pen-and-paper than sift through that crap for a decent RP experience. I play MUDs for roleplay, and graphical MMOs on the rare occasion where I just want to kill things to blow off some steam. 
  • OpapanaxOpapanax Member Posts: 973

    I would if there was a game that offered genuine RP oppurtunities. The issue is more than  having an actual game though. It's more on the players and having enough of them that are really dedicated to RP. Roleplaying although providing much freedom to explore ones character does have restrictions.

    You can't be all over the place with your RP, pretending to be some Hero of the land but running around acting like a jackass to everyone with roflstomp antics that many of todays "trolls" exibit..

    RP is a fine line to be walked, you would need players that are dedicated to it and also a developer willing to insure the integrity of said RP. I feel there's still a market for it, maybe not the most profitable but there are players out there who would jump at an oppurtunity for an authentic RP experience in a modern MMO..

    I myself being one of them.. I thought I heard at one point about WoD and how they planned on having servers where RP was heavily moderated. I could be wrong.. So don't go all haywire with CCP and RP LoLz..

    PM before you report at least or you could just block.

  • LoktofeitLoktofeit Member RarePosts: 14,247
    Originally posted by Scot

    I don't think DAOC had official RP servers, not in Europe anyway. I joined the unofficial RP server, which was decided on in their forums.

    In US, Percival and I think Gawaine were the RP servers with enforced chat and naming rules. Not sure what the EU servers were.

    There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
    "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre

  • Romko1256Romko1256 Member Posts: 6

    .....

     

  • EpuxEpux Member Posts: 5
    Nope
  • MumboJumboMumboJumbo Member UncommonPosts: 3,219
    "The secret to RP in mmorpgs is... is...urghh... !"
  • alicebeautexalicebeautex Member Posts: 6
    Nope. Never roleplay before.. 
  • tom_goretom_gore Member UncommonPosts: 2,001

    The biggest reason for roleplaying disappearing from MMOs is the developers themselves. They create games with virtually zero tools to help roleplaying. And no, throwing in some armor customization and a couple of emotes just don't cut it, when we have been spoiled by games like UO and SWG where we could create a whole town or several for our roleplaying community.

    The second, very important thing missing in most modern MMOs are player factions who can decide who they ally with and who they fight against. WoW started this with their stupid 2-faction divide which was so deep that even communication between the factions was made impossible.

    We need a game where we can at least somewhat affect the politics and shape of the world. Then and only then the roleplaying has any meaning to it. Othewise it will just be tavern chat in an unchanging world.

     

  • tarsus-tastiustarsus-tastius Member Posts: 3
    I've not read the whole thread ... it's two years old ... but recent posts have not mentioned Second Life Gor, which has some fairly intense roleplay going on in its 300-odd sims, some of which are admittedly very odd indeed. I find it a riotous good time, but YMMV.

    World's Most Fictional Hero

  • WrenderWrender Member Posts: 1,386
    Originally posted by Xeno326
    Originally posted by Suilebhain

    I recall the good old days of DAOC where, on the roleplay servers, nearly everyone roleplayed to some degree, even if it was just to say "Hail". Almost never did I encounter people who would approach my elf with their lurikeen and say "whatup dude?" Later, SWG provided a similar, even expanded immersive experience, as player cities became hubs of roleplay activity  where you could wander into a cantina and find people ready, willing and able to engage in improvisational roleplay nearly any time of the day or night.

    Now, though, finding anything resembling a roleplay community that approaches that of Albion/Percival or the entire Nimue server is like finding hen's teeth. Not even on roleplay servers in alleged MMORPGS do people roleplay. I know this all started with WOW and the absurd and infamous Barrens Chat, but it has speard and now nowhere provides a welcoming place for people who prefer a greater level of immersion.

    My most recent escapade came about in Runes of Magic. F2P games attract the most casual of players, but on the unofficial RP server there were only a few guilds and no casual roleplay that I could find. The folks in the guilds seemed like nice enough people, but the majority of their interaction was spent in an OOC channel labeled RP, which really was just a sign to those seeking others who enjoyed RP rather than providing any true outlet. There were little to no in-game opportunities to roleplay, as there was back in DAOC and SWG.

    So, is it time to drop the RPG from MMORPG and just call it MMO.Com? Do people even value random roleplay ex periences or is it all about gear/level acquisition (AKA Achievement), raiding, and PvP?

    nope I never roleplayed and if I did it was when I was 13 or 14 in a online chat room bored. Other than that I have no intentions of roleplaying. Dunno just feels like 3rd grade to me now, something I have no desire for, ya know? This is also why I don't play on a RP server.

     See here is a perfect example of someone whom as mention above has no clue as to what roleplay even is. No it is not sexual in any way and nothing like that done in a chat room!

  • tarsus-tastiustarsus-tastius Member Posts: 3
    Originally posted by Wrender
    See here is a perfect example of someone whom as mention above has no clue as to what roleplay even is. No it is not sexual in any way and nothing like that done in a chat room!

    I'm not sure I understand what you mean by that. Before there were MMORPGS, there were HTML chat rooms where people did indeed roleplay characters from various stories and games, with conventions for separating OOC comments from IC comments. And some RP can be sexual, if that is the nature of the game or the story. Though I'll agree that if all you are doing is RPing sex, you may not be RPing as most people understand the term.

    World's Most Fictional Hero

  • postpwnpostpwn Member UncommonPosts: 87

    I like to joke-RP in EVE and FFXI.  You just get REALLY into the character and the lore, but kind of in an ironic way, and sometimes people join in and it can be fun and funny.

  • DraronDraron Member Posts: 993

    I RP in Mabinogi - but games like that make it easy too. Good character customization, nice lore, a family/weight/age system, dyeable gear, etc.

    I can't find myself to RP in level based games only because usually (just to name an example) 20 players can lose to someone that outlevels them by a small amount ruins the immersion.

  • Bakkoda24Bakkoda24 Member UncommonPosts: 257

    If the character creation allows, I try to pick a name that is at least something related to the race/class/what-have-you I'm playing as. I tend not to RP anymore but I have been in a few RP guilds (Allods, WAR, Diablo2&3, 9Dragons). It was fun and created immersion that the game lacked otherwise. RP was actually one of the main reasons I played WAR for so long, our guild and allies would do keep sieges/defense and do voice-acting through Vent while the siege/defense was going on.

    Unfortunately, my lack of roleplaying now stems from the fact that I haven't found an MMO that I've been able to get seriously attached to. Age of Wushu will hopefully revive my love for casual roleplaying but we'll have to see.

  • StugStug Member UncommonPosts: 387
    Originally posted by Servant-XII
    Originally posted by Scot

    Yes not so much RP these days, but RP guilds still can be good. Steer clear of the ones that want a four page background, way too snooty. But make sure they have their own webpage and use IC speech in guild chat, that's the hallmark of a good RP guild.

    I happen to like those RP guilds that want a decent background for your character. If they are calling themselves an RP guild then all elements should be geared towards that end. If that makes me snooty well...if the shoe fits...

    But seriously,  the tragedy is that imagination has taken a back seat in MMORPGs. It takes work, care, and creativity to actually mold a good character that will immerse you in whatever world you choose. I don't believe that capitalism has anything to do with the fading aspect of roleplaying (as someone mentioned in an earlier post) as much as it has to do with progressing a worldview of vulgarizing art and then calling it such (as someone else mentioned, I believe roleplaying is an art). It is the sign of the downfall of not just roleplaying but nations. Goodness, when you can make a statement like "I don't roleplay in an MMORPG", the death knell has begun.

    That being said, I do agree that if you find a genuine RP group/guild, make sure it is as such. RPing in guild chat is a mark of a true RP guild. There are those who try to get around the RP for the sake of numbers, as if having a huge guild is what makes it a good one. That kind of shallow thinking has crept into guilds all over the place. I experienced one of those in LotR where they said they were RP but only RPed in one chat and pretty much never at that. Needless to say, I am no longer a part of that guild and am seeking another. In the interim, I keep track of friends who I have had good relations with RPing and that seems to do well just nicely to fill the gap until I find another.

    This lack of RPing in MMORPGs has had me evaluating the games I become a part of very carefully. I have played only one game for years before expanding to another (It was not WoW which I would never play in my life). The only other game I'm interested in playing because of the story aspect for your character is GW2. All others hold no interest for me.

    Roleplaying is fast becoming the red headed step-child of MMORPGs...but I don't mind being a step-child. You have to have that attitude going in nowadays unfortunately.

    The question is, how many players of current MMO's actually have a dice collection?

     

    Not many I guess - and I'd suggest that's the difference - there is absolutely no need for imagination, or any understanding of why you might want to do that.

  • IcewhiteIcewhite Member Posts: 6,403
    Originally posted by Stug

    The question is, how many players of current MMO's actually have a dice collection?

    Guilty--though it has been sitting on the bookshelf untouched for ten years or more (along with the books).

    Decling use of imagination is something MUDs took note of, more than 15 years back. 

    But I don't think that's responsible for the death of roleplay--that came about by the games evolving towards a much, much, much bigger audience.

    (see the three orders of magnitude? roughly that much bigger)

    Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.

  • crack_foxcrack_fox Member UncommonPosts: 399
    Originally posted by Stug

    The question is, how many players of current MMO's actually have a dice collection?

     Not many I guess - and I'd suggest that's the difference - there is absolutely no need for imagination, or any understanding of why you might want to do that.

     

    I still have my lucky d10, and a d20 or two. But then I'm not a player of any current MMO, so I guess that disqualifies me. Anyway, to answer the original questions..

     

    I don't usually roleplay in online games. I find that it feels incongruous, sometimes it can even diminish rather than enhance immersion. Flirtatious elven barmaids in the Prancing Pony don't exactly make for an authentic Middle Earth experience. But it can work at a fairly superficial level and I've had some good times in groups with roleplayers. 

     

    Should we drop the 'rpg' from 'mmorpg'? Here is a excellent and rather lengthy essay on the subject of computer 'role-playing games'. It's well worth a read if you're interested in the topic. In a nutshell, when we talk about computer rpgs, we are usually referring to games that implement or replicate some of the technical aspects of P&P rpgs: hit points, various characters attributes and items statistics. In other words, the stuff that went on (mostly) behind the gamemaster's screen to enable players to interact with the game world in a meaningful and measurable manner. But playing a P&P rpg was primarily a kind of shared imagining. The numbers were simply a tool to assist that. By contrast, in computer rpgs, most especially mmorpgs, the numbers are the game because that's all computers are good at. It's small wonder then that the majority of mmo players play the 'numbers' game and that roleplaying in these games is a minority pursuit. And they have the right of it. Attempting to roleplay in the static world of an mmo is futile because the game does not respond to your behaviour, it only responds to your numbers.   

     

  • StugStug Member UncommonPosts: 387
    Originally posted by crack_fox
    Originally posted by Stug

    The question is, how many players of current MMO's actually have a dice collection?

     Not many I guess - and I'd suggest that's the difference - there is absolutely no need for imagination, or any understanding of why you might want to do that.

     

    I still have my lucky d10, and a d20 or two. But then I'm not a player of any current MMO, so I guess that disqualifies me. Anyway, to answer the original questions..

     

    I don't usually roleplay in online games. I find that it feels incongruous, sometimes it can even diminish rather than enhance immersion. Flirtatious elven barmaids in the Prancing Pony don't exactly make for an authentic Middle Earth experience. But it can work at a fairly superficial level and I've had some good times in groups with roleplayers. 

     

    Should we drop the 'rpg' from 'mmorpg'? Here is a excellent and rather lengthy essay on the subject of computer 'role-playing games'. It's well worth a read if you're interested in the topic. In a nutshell, when we talk about computer rpgs, we are usually referring to games that implement or replicate some of the technical aspects of P&P rpgs: hit points, various characters attributes and items statistics. In other words, the stuff that went on (mostly) behind the gamemaster's screen to enable players to interact with the game world in a meaningful and measurable manner. But playing a P&P rpg was primarily a kind of shared imagining. The numbers were simply a tool to assist that. By contrast, in computer rpgs, most especially mmorpgs, the numbers are the game because that's all computers are good at. It's small wonder then that the majority of mmo players play the 'numbers' game and that roleplaying in these games is a minority pursuit. And they have the right of it. Attempting to roleplay in the static world of an mmo is futile because the game does not respond to your behaviour, it only responds to your numbers.   

     

    Very interesting point - I was thinking that the stats and fotm characters based on abiliy, as opposed to purpose (that could in a sense come from character classes such as healers) subsumed the RP factor in some way and I think you nailed it.

    Is roleplay encouraged by fully fleshed out worlds or does a lack f background interest people and help them roleplay...and taking from that foreward - cut scenes in games - these have turned game into cinema - not Deux Ex or the single player Dragon Ages - you are watching not directly participating...just a thought?

  • muffins89muffins89 Member UncommonPosts: 1,585
    Originally posted by Stug
    Originally posted by crack_fox
    Originally posted by Stug

    The question is, how many players of current MMO's actually have a dice collection?

     Not many I guess - and I'd suggest that's the difference - there is absolutely no need for imagination, or any understanding of why you might want to do that.

     

    I still have my lucky d10, and a d20 or two. But then I'm not a player of any current MMO, so I guess that disqualifies me. Anyway, to answer the original questions..

     

    I don't usually roleplay in online games. I find that it feels incongruous, sometimes it can even diminish rather than enhance immersion. Flirtatious elven barmaids in the Prancing Pony don't exactly make for an authentic Middle Earth experience. But it can work at a fairly superficial level and I've had some good times in groups with roleplayers. 

     

    Should we drop the 'rpg' from 'mmorpg'? Here is a excellent and rather lengthy essay on the subject of computer 'role-playing games'. It's well worth a read if you're interested in the topic. In a nutshell, when we talk about computer rpgs, we are usually referring to games that implement or replicate some of the technical aspects of P&P rpgs: hit points, various characters attributes and items statistics. In other words, the stuff that went on (mostly) behind the gamemaster's screen to enable players to interact with the game world in a meaningful and measurable manner. But playing a P&P rpg was primarily a kind of shared imagining. The numbers were simply a tool to assist that. By contrast, in computer rpgs, most especially mmorpgs, the numbers are the game because that's all computers are good at. It's small wonder then that the majority of mmo players play the 'numbers' game and that roleplaying in these games is a minority pursuit. And they have the right of it. Attempting to roleplay in the static world of an mmo is futile because the game does not respond to your behaviour, it only responds to your numbers.   

     

    Very interesting point - I was thinking that the stats and fotm characters based on abiliy, as opposed to purpose (that could in a sense come from character classes such as healers) subsumed the RP factor in some way and I think you nailed it.

    Is roleplay encouraged by fully fleshed out worlds or does a lack f background interest people and help them roleplay...and taking from that foreward - cut scenes in games - these have turned game into cinema - not Deux Ex or the single player Dragon Ages - you are watching not directly participating...just a thought?

    lack of back ground is what i like.  i've never role-played in a game with other people say talking olde english and all that.  but in my head sometimes i want to play a role.  for example in skyrim i can play the role of a thief.  i can come up with reasons im in skyrim and what im doing.  in most games nawadays that's all layed out for me.  even if im given choices for example in gw2.  i can be an orphan or raised by nobility or whatever but im not given the option to make my own backstory.  there doesnt seem to be any middle ground for someone like me who wants to play a role without having to group up and talk in olde english.  at least those are some of my thoughts. 

     

    but i do think part of what is missing from moderns mmo's is the role-play factor.  sure there are classes to pick from,  but most of the time they all feel the same while playing them.  if i pick thief,  i dont feel like a thief.  i feel like im pressing buttons.  same as any class.

  • dzoni87dzoni87 Member Posts: 541

    Wanna hear the sad thing ive been told not so long ago?

    "Ah hurr, it is not RPG if it doesnt have roles. Roles being Healer, tank, DPS, support etc." -Random 12 year old at public chat

    "Do you know what RP in RPG means at all? Do you even know what 'Dungeons and Dragons' is?" -Me

    "Dungeons and Dragons? It is that 'nerd' thing-game. That is dumb as fuck" -Random 12 year old at public chat.

     

    MUDs used to get inspiration from DnD and other PnPs As i remember? But nowadays... *sigh*

    Main MMO at the moment: Guild Wars 2
    Waiting for: Pathfinder Online

  • muffins89muffins89 Member UncommonPosts: 1,585
    Originally posted by dzoni87

    Wanna hear the sad thing ive been told not so long ago?

    "Ah hurr, it is not RPG if it doesnt have roles. Roles being Healer, tank, DPS, support etc." -Random 12 year old at public chat

     

    that line is so true. 

  • denyfrdenyfr Member Posts: 3
    we can only hope for a good game...
  • ErgloadErgload Member UncommonPosts: 433
    People definitely still roleplay in MUDs like Achaea, but it also helps that the game staff plays God characters that interact with us "mortals" in a variety of ways. One time my character was talking about the true meaning of Good and Light, and the God of Righteousness (played by a staff member) showed up and gave me an epic burning flail. Was tizzight.
  • fat_taddlerfat_taddler Member Posts: 286

    I play on the Emerald Dream (RP-PVP) server in WoW and there are definitely quite a few role playing guilds that are very active.

    I realize that WoW is a four letter word on this site but if you are looking for some RP, it's still quite prevelent on some servers.

     

  • utterbaverutterbaver Member UncommonPosts: 51

    Just mentioning something short.

    I remember playing "Lord of the rings online" a while back. Maybe two years ago and i couldn't stand entering a normal server in the game after playing on a roleplaying server.

    Even though i felt like i was in middle earth with my jewelry selling hobbit. Players couldnt ignore the fact that there were world event with in-game prices. I'm talking enchanted items here. Which meant, players dropped their roleplaying mantle and went a bit crazy over the prizes.(This is just an example of course).

    And just overall. The whole notion that it is an MMO. it was MADE for competing to be the best of the best, right?

    But thats just "Lotro". I don't think i have any other roleplaying experiences with MMO's.

    I play MUD's alot which are roleplaying enforced.

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