Elite roleplay: Q&A and OOC
04 Sep 2019, 5:56pm
Not every interaction needs a story attached, but an occasional deeper narrative is to be expected. And ours isn't the only one taking place right now.
05 Sep 2019, 6:42pm
Rather than RP conversation between individual CMDRs, people are writing full blown narrative and exposition.
I fully support this, writing is awesome, but it's not roleplay; it's a story with multiple authors - unless you say you're roleplaying when you're writing or reading a book.
It makes me think there should be a separate section for narrative driven RP here (pssst, like the personal logs, where I've been writing my narrative).
Banter is the only exception to this and it's pretty much non-rp.
It would have been cool to just walk into the bar after a gaming session, approach "a commander" at the bar, start a conversation about something you did or saw today, and wait for someone to respond.
Hope nobody takes offence to this, it's just my opinion. Maybe my old-school RP ideology is outdated. Even the idea of a "player" controlling the action of "NPCs" seems wrong to me - the DND gamemaster would kick you out of the game
05 Sep 2019, 7:05pm
LapstrakeI was intrigued by this RP section, but the comments here kinda sums up what puts me off.
Rather than RP conversation between individual CMDRs, people are writing full blown narrative and exposition.
It would have been cool to just walk into the bar after a gaming session, approach "a commander" at the bar, start a conversation about something you did or saw today, and wait for someone to respond.
I agree, the log would be better for this type of story telling. The novels are impossible to jump into. I envisioned "so a cmdr walks into the bar" as you stated. I read logs for the excellent writing but in the forums I just hit it to make the new item marker go away....
I think the long stories limit the posting to just those novelists and leaves the rest of us casual conversationalists out of the loop. No offense its just how I think about it. I would like to RP here but cannot figure out how to get involved in those story lines....
05 Sep 2019, 7:21pm
We have a lot of personal messages with each other before anyone puts up a novel, making our role play happen there so the reader gets a compleat episode. It's just saving time and posting a compleat back and forth interaction in one hit in story form. All of us know what RP is very very well.
I do like the back and forth, and in the right setting enjoy using it, but I find it mind-numbingly dull reading 20 posts about some guy walking in and sitting at a table. How ever, I'm not the fun police. I'm glad to be part of an active community and theres plenty of room on the boards for both styles without complaining about the differences in style.
Last edit: 05 Sep 2019, 7:42pm
05 Sep 2019, 7:28pm
Looks at Frontier Forums... shutters
On the Inara boards, we have a good group of people who love to help out and make suggestions to help, not hinder.
It seems that myself, Ren, and a bunch of us agree on the topic. Yet, we don't want anyone to stop what they are doing. We give advice, take or leave it.
We only get super salty at universe breaking posts. Please keep things to in-universe lore!
o7
Last edit: 05 Sep 2019, 8:02pm
05 Sep 2019, 8:15pm
Jubei HimuraWe only get super salty at universe breaking posts. Please keep things to in-universe lore!
I'm sure I'm guilty of this but it wasn't intentional.
In any case, there's no reason a couple of things can't be going on at once. If you want to walk into the bar and see where it leads, go ahead and post it. That's how I've gotten into everything I've done on this board.
If you happen to like where our story is going and want to be a part of what we're doing and are having trouble finding a good way to insert yourself, message one of us. Like Lambast said due to many factors its hard for us to have a normal back-and-forth without having it take a month to order a drink and sit down.
The idea for a separate section for narrative driven RP is a decent one, though personal logs are, well... personal. Wouldn't really work well for stories involving multiple CMDRs. My opinion, worth exactly what you paid for it.
If nothing else, I'm glad we can converse about differing opinions like adults. There's a sad lack of that on the internet these days. A community that's both active and civil is a unicorn-level rarity.
05 Sep 2019, 11:21pm
I also wouldn't expect you to dilute your writing down into a constant back-and-forth form. I agree that would be extremely inconvenient, and I'm sure you'd get bored.
You make a good point about the personal logs too. They're surprisingly impersonal, and it would be more difficult for you to interact smoothly with one another.
The problem is that RP is supposed to be immersive (as much as it can be), so when I open the RP room to find people writing narrative and exposition, it's kind of the opposite of immersive, because I'm not reading your words, and I'm not imagining you talk, but I'm instead reading a story that you've written about your character - who clearly isn't you because you're referring to him/her in third person. You are the narrator rather than the character, and if I want to interact with you, I have to take myself out of my character, and narrate what he says and does.
I looked in a forum earlier to find one of these narrative posts, and just beneath it was a guy trying to just RP his character, and reading his post felt completely out of place.
"All of us know what RP is very very well." - you may well do, but writing about your in-game character is very different to role-playing as your in-game character. Your writing is more akin to fan fiction than RP, and that's great, but it's a little intimidating and immersion breaking for an RPer who just wants to pop in and start a little conversation, or spread a rumour, or whatever.
…
I have a simple suggestion, because having separate bar/docks/gateway/off-station topics for RP and RP-narrative could be a bit OTT.
This is about opposing RP styles, essentially, so how about we define both styles in the rules, and for narrative driven posts (or for example, if you're going to be referring to your character in third person), wrap your posts inside a spoiler/code/quote block, or start and end your posts with a clear visual marker like <RP-narrative>writing...</RP-narrative>. I'm sure someone can think of a better visual marker, but you get the idea. Maybe a better one would be...if your narrative has a title/name you could put that in the tag instead - that would also make it easier for people to follow the story.
That way, people can still try to join in with you, but they also don't feel so intimidated about doing their own thing.
Last edit: 05 Sep 2019, 11:33pm
06 Sep 2019, 3:16pm
Lapstrake
This is about opposing RP styles, essentially, so how about we define both styles in the rules, and for narrative driven posts (or for example, if you're going to be referring to your character in third person), wrap your posts inside a spoiler/code/quote block, or start and end your posts with a clear visual marker like <RP-narrative>writing...</RP-narrative>. I'm sure someone can think of a better visual marker, but you get the idea. Maybe a better one would be...if your narrative has a title/name you could put that in the tag instead - that would also make it easier for people to follow the story.
That way, people can still try to join in with you, but they also don't feel so intimidated about doing their own thing.
I think that's a wonderful compromise. I'll start doing that.
As a side note/observation, even when I have done simpler back-and-forth RP as you describe, I've still referred to myself in the third person... always seemed strange writing it in first person.
'"Such and such", I said, opening my satchel and removing the inflatable donkey' or whatever actions I'm doing... just felt like if you're scrolling through and not looking at who made the post it could get confusing.
06 Sep 2019, 3:36pm
EvilCreamsicle
'"Such and such", I said, opening my satchel and removing the inflatable donkey' or whatever actions I'm doing... just felt like if you're scrolling through and not looking at who made the post it could get confusing.
That was Kai’s inflatable donkey - she just let you borrow it.
06 Sep 2019, 4:59pm
EvilCreamsicle
'"Such and such", I said, opening my satchel and removing the inflatable donkey' or whatever actions I'm doing... .
That's too much information...
(but I don't blame you, space sure gets lonely)I hear you though, I guess the styles of RP are more varied than any one person can define. I suppose it doesn't matter so much if you refer to yourself in third person, whatever feels more natural to you.
But, I think we can agree, although there's a slightly vague line between styles, the difference is pretty obvious when you're reading strict-RP vs. an RP narrative.
And when I say strict RP, I mean...
*I walk into the bar, open my satchel and remove my inflatable donkey*
Hey guys, I want to introduce you to my girl friend.
or
*Lapstrake walks into the bar, opens his satchel and removes his inflatable donkey*
Hey, you! Stop looking at my girl.
Edit: I feel like the RP police, forgive me!
06 Sep 2019, 5:35pm
Falcon15e
That was Kai’s inflatable donkey - she just let you borrow it.
lmao yeah, your inflatables did inspire that example
06 Sep 2019, 5:59pm
However, as we’re all way out on the edge of the bubble, doing clandestine missions in clandestine secret ways where no other players are even close to being involved, I’ll be sticking to our house rules thanks very much.
If ya wanna get involved, just pop a message our way, or maybe an invitation will come along if we like your posts. My explorer's log got me invited to the party.
I see no difference in a collection of individual entries and one big collaboration first or third person. They are both just as confusing to trace back to a starting point and just as worrying to find a way into. After all, I don’t want to spoil anyone storey flow if I can help it even if I am eager to take part.
All the -
[I take a cred stick out my top pocket]
-takes me as far out of the story as the cred stick was from Lambast’s pocket.
I use a lil thing called the written language to get across the actions my character took part in with the other characters around her. It’s got lots of complicated tool and rules to save confusion and I don’t feel I’d like to try to add to them. It has been sorted out by some very clever people after all and doesn’t require an additional third person warning.
There is nothing opposing about the styles, they are just the way people have chosen to use the space provided. Like I said, as soon as I’m back in the Gateway, I’ll step right back in line. I only comment on other people’s work when I really like it and wish to let them know how much I enjoyed it. If I don’t like something, I don’t wanna put that person off just because that style ain’t my thing, that’s just bad form.
Let me summarise my feelings within the rules.
[I take the <RP-narrative>writing...</RP-narrative> offered and vigorously endeavour to insert it up the Fun Police man’s bum gap]
“Take that nosy parker” I say in a loud voice.
[ The <RP-narrative>writing...</RP-narrative> went up the Fun Police man’s bum gap without resistance, so I take it out and insert it sideways this time]
06 Sep 2019, 6:54pm
06 Sep 2019, 8:03pm
Wow, I'm glad I held back my sarcasm...
</sarcasm>
okay then...
I see no difference in a collection of individual entries and one big collaboration first or third person.
Quantity is irrelevant. Nobody mentioned that.
All the -
[I take a cred stick out my top pocket]
-takes me as far out of the story as the cred stick was from Lambast’s pocket.
That's roleplay.
I use a lil thing called the written language to get across the actions my character took part in with the other characters around her. It’s got lots of complicated tool and rules to save confusion and I don’t feel I’d like to try to add to them. It has been sorted out by some very clever people after all and doesn’t require an additional third person warning.
Really? Going into condescending territory?
There is nothing opposing about the styles
Nothing...except, you know...everything.
they are just the way people have chosen to use the space provided
Yes, and notice how all the RPers use Banter because it's the only place they feel welcome?
I don’t wanna put that person off just because that style ain’t my thing, that’s just bad form.
Nobody is trying to put anyone off. In fact, we're discussing how RPers are put off from the RP forums due to the opposing styles. Others seem to find this discussion quite reasonable, and we've all managed to not be sarcastic and condescending yet.
Let me summarise my feelings within the rules.
[I take the <RP-narrative>writing...</RP-narrative> offered and vigorously endeavour to insert it up the Fun Police man’s bum gap]
“Take that nosy parker” I say in a loud voice.
[ The <RP-narrative>writing...</RP-narrative> went up the Fun Police man’s bum gap without resistance, so I take it out and insert it sideways this time]
… You're using the suggestion incorrectly, but at least you're roleplaying, finally.
See. I can be sarcastic too!
*fun police man turns his siren on and leaves*
NEE NAW NEE NAW
Last edit: 06 Sep 2019, 8:14pm