How do roleplays work?

[Phoenix Flair 332]

First off, dunno if this goes in the general discussion area, but it seemed like the roleplay area is just for roleplays and recruitment, so I'll try and stick this here.

 

Anyway, I'm a writer. Have been since I was six, and I love it. I also love the idea of collabing with another aspiring author, though I haven't worked up the nerve to do it yet. But I don't get roleplays. I mean, what's the point of it? You don't create any story that you could have other people read. it's too long and unprofessional for that. And how do you reconcile the disparity in skill level? The roleplays I've read are like patchworks with all the different styles and tenses and POV's mushed together. How can you make a cohesive story with all these different people going about it different ways?

 

And how do you agree on where the plot goes? Do you just go with whatever your partners drudge up? Is there a way to tell someone that their idea is rubbish, or that their character is WAY too overpowered? I've always imagined a roleplay like when little kids play superheroes, you know? You start off picking your one power and then not ten minutes into the game someone else wants to add flight, and then everyone else wants a second power, and someone else wants a third until at the end everyone's Superman and the game is complete chaos.

 

I guess the main question is: How do you balance that many egos and different personalities in a roleplay?

[MasterCombine 316]

@@Phoenix Flair

 

I agree that the disparity in skill level can often be frustrating (grammar often gets brutally massacred in these things). That's why, when I do RP, I tend to gravitate more towards the ones filled with longer, better-written posts (assuming I can find them), and less so towards the shorter, faster-moving ones. 

 

As for the fun, RPing is a form of collaborative storytelling in its own right, but I'd liken it more to tabletop roleplaying (which, for the record, I've never actually done) than actually writing a story. I'd say the general spontaneity and unpredictability is part of the appeal. You might have an idea layed out for your own character's personal story in the game (or not, as most often seems to be the case; this might be another positive for RPing, as its very easy to jump into), but then you have to factor in all of the other players, and adjust your character's actions and reactions according to theirs. It's improvisational writing, and you essentially get to "live" through your character when you're playing (I know that sounds cheesy). 

 

In regards to the mechanics, there is sometimes a pre-determined plot, of sorts. Again, this is like tabletop roleplaying, and generally the person who started/created the RP takes up the position of GM. This means they get to control all of the "Non-player Characters" and provide the situations which the players must react to. They may have a plot in mind, but may also need to react on the fly according to the players' responses. A good GM gives the players direction without manipulating them into following one strict path. I suppose if you hated something another player did or said, you could tell them nicely in the OC thread. But you have to keep in mind that an RP is not all about you. It's generally a good idea to give everyone a chance to contribute to the story. Godmodding/powermodding (being completely overpowered, as you said) is heavily frowned upon in RPing, and is usually corrected quickly. In my experience, it's not much of a problem. 

 

Overall, I enjoy roleplaying when it's a quality RP. And as a guy who hopes to one day write stuff (fanfics and such), it gives me a way to occasionally practice/hone my skills without dealing with a crushing fear of inadequacy (as a writer, I mean   ). 

 

Hope that helped!

Edited August 14, 2014 by MasterCombine

[Kay Dreamer 884]

@@Phoenix Flair,

Hi there! My name's Kay, and I'm one of the staff for the Roleplay World here on MLPForums. I'll try to answer a few of the questions you've put forward here, and see if I can't illuminate things a little. I'm extremely passionate about roleplay. As a teacher, I see it as a fantastic platform for people to practice writing, without the need to worry about the overwhelming feeling of writing a story from scratch on their own. Controlling a single character is far easier, and learning the nuances of good character writing is extremely valuable in the context of moving forward to write your own original work.

 

First of all, here on MLPForums, we have separate OOC, or Out-Of-Character threads which are linked to every roleplay in our section. These threads serve three primary purposes; to allow the person hosting the roleplay to explain what it's about, including the overarching plot if they wish; to allow people to sign up for this roleplay; and finally, to facilitate any roleplay-related communication which is not 'In-Character'. This is where the nitty-gritty stuff like plot, characters, and who can do what is worked out.

 

MLPForums has fantastic character databases where you can specify everything about your character. This can include personality, backstory, likes and dislikes, in addition to what skills or powers your character has. Generally, it is a character in this database whom a player will link to when indicating what they're playing. A good rule of thumb is: If that power is not in your character sheet, your character can't do that.

 

The best indicator of the quality of a roleplay is always going to be the DM, or 'Dungeon Master.' This is the person who runs the roleplay. A good DM knows which characters to accept, and which to refuse. A good DM looks at the writing capabilities of all his players to ensure they're of a comparable level. A good DM specifies the tense in which he/she wants his/her players to write in, and manages the roleplay with a fair yet strong hand.

 

The act of roleplaying is primarily for the joy of the writers. Collaborating to build a story, and bouncing the actions of your character of the other characters in the story, is a lot of fun. However, best kind of roleplays will produce a finished product which is fun and engaging to read. These are the roleplays populated with skilled writers, and with a DM who has a clear vision of where he/she wants his/her plot to go, and when.

 

There are some superb roleplays being run in both the Roleplay World, and the Equestrian Empire sub-section. They both have value, and they're both worth taking a deeper look at. If you're interested in partaking in a roleplay environment with a higher entry level and stricter rules, I'd encourage you to have a look at EqE. It is our canon section, and requires all characters to go through an application process before they are accepted into our database. You can find information about the section here: http://mlpforums.com/topic/88047-equestrian-empire-roleplay-what-it-is-rules-and-how-to-join/

 

Hope I helped. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask!

[MasterCombine 316]

@@Kay Dreamer 

 

Great post, Kay. And from the sound of things, I should really take a look at EqE!

[Kay Dreamer 884]

@@MasterCombine,

 

You absolutely should! Granted, I'm in two fantastic roleplays in the regular section as well, but one is full, and I'm not sure if the other is alive... Good threads are just easier to find in EqE at the moment. It's well worth getting a character or two into our database anyway, just in case you come across something you'd really like to join.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,153]

@@Kay Dreamer 

 

Great post, Kay. And from the sound of things, I should really take a look at EqE!

 

As a new poster in the EqE section, I fully recommend it. Considering the high standards for characters and posts, it kinda forces you to really think about your character(s) and thir development. That's what I did for my chacater Pathfinder, and actually taking the time to brainstorm about his personality, backstory, and his hometown of Derbyshire was really worth it.

 

Right now I'm only in one RP in EqE and considering joining another. I have only one post, but taking the time to write it was actually enjoyable.

 

So yes, I recommend it heartily.

[Ashley 2,427]

Seeing as how you've gotten plenty of answers from the roleplay community, I'm going to lock this thread.

Have a nice day!