View Topic

Hey there! While our activity and culture has grown by leaps and bounds since the winter, one area I've noticed that could still use some improvement is the roleplay area. It's an area that's largely been inactive for the past few months other than a few things that have recently been started, and I'm not sure we're delivering on the promises that we make in our recruitment telegram. If possible, I would like to revamp our roleplays and/or our systems behind them based on input from people who are experienced in roleplaying or are just interested in roleplaying and are having issues getting involved in our region.

As a first step, I wanted to open the floor to topics, opinions, and suggestions from anyone to establish what is wanted and needed. What's ailing roleplay in Wintreath, and how can we fix it and better promote roleplaying in our region? What are your thoughts?

I think it's just a common problem in story-driven RPs especially.  If they're RPs that were started quite some time ago, I imagine people have a hard time joining, especially if they're ones to where the activity stopped because either the members originally involved left, or whatever the reason happens to be.

Maybe perhaps do a switch around: Have the big proposed story driven ones in their own Subforum, and have the lighter ones found in TWWOW subforum out in the open?  That way people will always see less-investing ones they can take part in, and go off to visit the story ones.

That, or have a subforum for character signups/OOC in general, and mix the Story RPs and WWOW RPs together in the main area so that people don't have to move around to get to the RPs specifically.

For a start, it would be good if Insectum's They fell from the sky is attached to a heading.

He never applied for a heading...

Please? (◕‿◕)

Please? (◕‿◕)

He would need to tell me what he wants it to be named and described as.

Please? (◕‿◕)

He would need to tell me what he wants it to be named and described as.

Name: The Pandor
Description: Wintreath Vs. The Pandorian Worlds, a powerful alien menace from beyond Time and Space!

Added!

Now, to get this party started, in addition to those that have already posted, I would like to invite these people that I feel are knowledgeable and skilled with roleplay to speak their thoughts if they'd like: @Weissreich, @Reon, @JustAGamer, @Aragonn, @Wuufu, and @Drexyl Nox.

Ah.. An open discussion on roleplay.
First off, I would like to say I'm honored to be recognized (lovs to you, Wintermoot), and thank you all for what you do.

Thanks for the recognition, Wintermoot.

Ah.. An open discussion on roleplay.
First off, I would like to say I'm honored to be recognized (lovs to you, Wintermoot), and thank you all for what you do.

Yeah, yeah. Enough of the brown-nosing and onward to business.

I think it's just a common problem in story-driven RPs especially.  If they're RPs that were started quite some time ago, I imagine people have a hard time joining, especially if they're ones to where the activity stopped because either the members originally involved left, or whatever the reason happens to be.

Maybe perhaps do a switch around: Have the big proposed story driven ones in their own Subforum, and have the lighter ones found in TWWOW subforum out in the open?  That way people will always see less-investing ones they can take part in, and go off to visit the story ones.

That, or have a subforum for character signups/OOC in general, and mix the Story RPs and WWOW RPs together in the main area so that people don't have to move around to get to the RPs specifically.

New Hyperion has a system where there are two spots on the forum for RPs, one for a main region-wide RP that anyone can join at any time and one for minor RPs which are just for fun. We're currently setting up our main region-wide RP, but we have a side RP going called Penguins vs Cookies, PvC for short (Read the RP posts if you want to know why it's named as such). The region-wide RP is always open and available for newcomers so long as they can figure a way to worm their way into it which isn't usually very hard.

In New Hyperion, I'm pretty much the equivalent of your Jarl of Culture

Thanks for the recognition, Wintermoot.

Ah.. An open discussion on roleplay.
First off, I would like to say I'm honored to be recognized (lovs to you, Wintermoot), and thank you all for what you do.

Yeah, yeah. Enough of the brown-nosing and onward to business.

I think it's just a common problem in story-driven RPs especially.  If they're RPs that were started quite some time ago, I imagine people have a hard time joining, especially if they're ones to where the activity stopped because either the members originally involved left, or whatever the reason happens to be.

Maybe perhaps do a switch around: Have the big proposed story driven ones in their own Subforum, and have the lighter ones found in TWWOW subforum out in the open?  That way people will always see less-investing ones they can take part in, and go off to visit the story ones.

That, or have a subforum for character signups/OOC in general, and mix the Story RPs and WWOW RPs together in the main area so that people don't have to move around to get to the RPs specifically.

New Hyperion has a system where there are two spots on the forum for RPs, one for a main region-wide RP that anyone can join at any time and one for minor RPs which are just for fun. We're currently setting up our main region-wide RP, but we have a side RP going called Penguins vs Cookies, PvC for short (Read the RP posts if you want to know why it's named as such). The region-wide RP is always open and available for newcomers so long as they can figure a way to worm their way into it which isn't usually very hard.

In New Hyperion, I'm pretty much the equivalent of your Jarl of Culture

Mmmm... ok. SO how would we distinguish between major RPs and minor ones? Obviously, it is pointed out, but how do we indeed classify them?

In New Hyperion, we brand one RP as the main one, and indeed put in the most effort when planning and executing it to be as open, simple and all-inclusive to new people as possible, and we are even working on a payment model so that people's work in the region can be rewarded in a tangible, usable way by using your pay in the RP.

But although I can sometimes be a skilled story teller in RP (I like to think so anyway), @Colberius X and Aragonn are really the ones who know the most from New Hyperion who also happen to be citizens of Wintreath.

I think it might be wise for Aragonn, Colby and @taulover to chime in about the previous main Aura Hyperia RP as well.

Having participated in a number of roleplays both outside and inside NS (and by outside, I'm referring mainly to Star Trek Simms where the entire focus of the community is on the RP), I can tell you the one thing that is difficult about any RP is keeping people interested.

There are a number of scenarios. For example, the GM could lose interest in maintaining the RP (which has happened to myself once or twice). Someone could have RL (or other NS duties) interfere, which means they can't participate, and in some RPs that means that it's difficult for them to get themselves back into the story. Or perhaps the story itself could be running a little loose, either it's too complicated, too dull, or just going too slowly. Some or all of these factors mean that specialised RPs find it difficult to keep going.

I do like the idea of having a main easily accessible RP where people can jump in or out of the RP easily. You could also introduce RP's that lack a main story and instead are set in a well defined area, where the main story comes from the interactions between characters, and those interactions form the story. In both these areas, the GM becomes less involved and is just one of the characters, RL/NS interference means you just bounce out and can reappear later without too much difficulty, and the story is what you make of it.

Anyway, that's my hastily written two cents

Thank you, JustAGamer. In your case, you're newer to the region and have recently attempted to set up and promote a new roleplay, which gives you unique perspectives and thoughts about RP in the region.

I feel like even though RP has never been front and center in the region, it has always had potential and the region could become sort of a roleplay haven where we have lots of great character, social, and nation RPs. The latter has particularly vexed us since our founding, because people in the region on-site have indicated interest in doing one before, but we've never had anyone with the knowledge to put one together and to promote RPs in general to the region. I think we have a particularly opportunity because unlike other regions we can develop our website and forums to better conduct roleplays...the problem is, I don't really know what developments would encourage that. I'm not experienced in RP, and it's never been a regional strength.

I would love to get more RPs of different types going, to better promote them in the region, and to promote them in our recruitment messages and our FA network...it's just a matter of getting there. But I guess that's my vision for it overall. I just don't know how to get there...so I appreciate everyone's thoughts and discussions.

Having participated in a number of roleplays both outside and inside NS (and by outside, I'm referring mainly to Star Trek Simms where the entire focus of the community is on the RP), I can tell you the one thing that is difficult about any RP is keeping people interested.

There are a number of scenarios. For example, the GM could lose interest in maintaining the RP (which has happened to myself once or twice). Someone could have RL (or other NS duties) interfere, which means they can't participate, and in some RPs that means that it's difficult for them to get themselves back into the story. Or perhaps the story itself could be running a little loose, either it's too complicated, too dull, or just going too slowly. Some or all of these factors mean that specialised RPs find it difficult to keep going.

I do like the idea of having a main easily accessible RP where people can jump in or out of the RP easily. You could also introduce RP's that lack a main story and instead are set in a well defined area, where the main story comes from the interactions between characters, and those interactions form the story. In both these areas, the GM becomes less involved and is just one of the characters, RL/NS interference means you just bounce out and can reappear later without too much difficulty, and the story is what you make of it.

Anyway, that's my hastily written two cents

Well, you've gotten a lot with those two cents. I'm gonna have to call you an economic genius.

Jokes aside, the New Hyperion main RP has its own section of the forum with a few subforums dedicated soley to specific IC and OOC threads like factbooks, story threads, and OOC discussion. We have a tendency to create an entire nation to use but also have main characters to use like politicians, generals, etc., the big important figures (E.g. the Aesir Empire has a Jarl, three Kommanders, and nine Chieftains, thirteen important figures at the least. In PvC, the aforementioned RP, I've also thrown in a lead weapons engineer, Akaz Sveigdir.). And going off of what Wuufu (awesome avatar by the way) said, we don't use a defined story. We make the story by interacting with one another. With there being such a loose story, we do have the potential to jump in at any point, but it also can be that you get so involved in what's going on that you can't just jump out. This is why we have a special group on our forum called the Roleplayers Guild that one has to apply to enter into if they want to RP on our forum. In the application, we make it known that activity and participation are requirements for reoleplaying and if these requirements cannot be met, don't even bother applying.

As a promotion to our RPs, we kinda make them the star of the show in the region. Sure, there's the Body Republic, WA Comm, Inquisition, Media, etc, but none of those are on par with the RPs. When we have the main RP going, we make sure everyone knows about it and that they know they are free and welcome to join at anytime. We do have rules set in place to make it fair for everyone but still enjoyable.

If you need further explanation, please don't hesitate to ask. I'm kinda writing this last part in a rush, so I may have left out some key things.