RP Tips?

I'm finding it hard to get much RP and I'm unsure if people are enjoying what I'm throwing out. I'm betting a lot of that is due to my own approach and habits, as each game does things differently. So, some questions for the more experienced Lusternian RPers:

  • How is RP usually initiated in Lusternia?
  • Are there any common gathering areas in each org and game-wide that people tend to hang out in for spontaneous RP?
  • I've noticed most RP tends to be short-form, premotes and say-based RP. What's the best method you've found for finding or transitioning into longform RP?
  • How common is divine RP? What's the best way to initiate that?
  • What's the typical "scene" duration? I'm unsure if I'm boring people by dragging things on, or if I'm running away too soon.
  • Is there any sort of mechanic for friendly feedback for RP here? Aetolia has a method to "express esteem" to someone if you liked their RP and I was wondering if there is an option like that here
Thanks in advance!

Comments

  • I've been at this for quite a few years, so I can give some answers that are pretty generalized, but definitely should be added onto by your own flavor of things:

    1) RP is best initiated simply by speaking to the person, or doing a small emote of your own to show an interest.

    2) Common places are usually the Nexus and Aetherplex, though some orgs have other places people will sit at. Though a lot of the time manses are used.

    3) A lot of RP is short, people get distracted or called away for whatever reason, guild stuff, raids, you name it. I think the best way to make it be a lasting thing, is when you have a successful session, give a hint you'd like to continue. And by session I mean when the RP ends, minds out of gutter people.

    4) Divine RP truly depends on how much the Admin in question has time to spare. I find the best way to get an interaction is to pray to them, which is IC and will usually get a response. Another way is to message them and suggest what you would like to accomplish. Admins here have always been responsive to me - Hype for @Weiwae and @Zvoltz.

    5) Depending on the 'scene' in question, could be a few minutes to hours on end. A quick example is we were having a discussion at the Matrix, moved to @Daraius' teahouse, and that lasted for 3 hours, everyone just chiming in. Once you RP for a while, you'll notice when a subject has been dragged along for too long, and that's when you can transition subject or just call it good.

    6) There's no real feedback system here in Lusternia, so I have a few methods to get a gauge of how it went:
       a) I invite them to join me again at a later time. A yes means you did good and/or like you enough.
       b) Just send them a tell or message and ask. It doesn't have to be awkward, a simple, "Was our time enjoyable?" works just fine, or along those lines. Another example would be a mentor teaching a student the skills, by acting them all out, then asking them if they found it enlightening, etc.
      c) If these don't feel like your cup of tea, I usually just try to initiate another go with them, and if they join in, it means ya did good :).
  • edited September 2016
    I hope you don't mean our interaction! I was a tad sleep deprived. Plus I'm not great about emoting things. But then again, I consider everything rp, even just talking to people. 

    (I personally don't see why shortform rp isn't "Good")
  • On divine RP: I got really lucky, Mysrai happened to be listening in when I went to poke. I think if you do things like that to their order members the God in question will notice you're interested in rping with them. Or you could always try the fulcrux!
  • EveriineEveriine Wise Old Swordsbird / Brontaur Indianapolis, IN, USA
    I know a few times when we've been RPing, all my emotes and says suddenly become much shorter at the end. This is usually because I've been enjoying the RP, and then looked at the clock and realized, "OMG I WAS SUPPOSED TO LEAVE LIKE 10 MINUTES AGO MUST QQ MUST QQ!!" I'm sure I"m not the only person this happens to.

    For another avenue of RP, strike up random conversations with NPCs. If there's an admin paying attention and looking to possess a mob, you might just get a response! If you keep it up over a period of years, your character can actually build persistent relationships with NPCs (why do you think Ev hangs out with Tokota, Sakima, and Adasser so much?), which is one of the neatest things!
    Everiine is a man, and is very manly. This MAN before you is so manly you might as well just gender bend right now, cause he's the manliest man that you ever did see. His manly shape has spurned many women and girlyer men to boughs of fainting. He stands before you in a manly manerific typical man-like outfit which is covered in his manly motto: "I am a man!"

    Daraius said: You gotta risk it for the biscuit.

    Pony power all the way, yo. The more Brontaurs the better.
  • I'm not saying that short form is bad. Sometimes it's perfect for the mood I'm in. I just haven't had much longform here and I miss it and the more relaxed pace, and am curious about the best ways to hunt it down.

    @Tremula - the logs section of forums doesn't seem to have much personal RP arcs. I'm used to Aetolian forums where entire personal stories are shared. Is that something posted here? I am still trying to gauge forum culture here and don't want to commit a faux paus.
  • LuceLuce Fox Populi
    Mostly it's a cultural thing. Lusternian personal character arcs tend to be more subtle and understated, in my experience. There are people you can see develop and grow, but it's in little ways through varied scenes. An example for that is to look into Daraius' various logs with Master Quettle.

    I'd toot my horn, but I've been absent lately and am really more an example of how not to do it most days.
  • TremulaTremula Banished Quasiroyal
    edited September 2016
    @Breandryn I didn't realise that was so lacking. While I can't post much of my personal story arc right now, I do think I have some old logs saved on Dropbox that I can share over there. Personal logs are greatly appreciated, but of course everything varies from person to person. 

    EDIT: All my old ones are cluttered with personal OOC clan tells or have been lost to the ages. Sorry, I'll try and do better about logging them!
                          * * * WRACK AND ROLL AND DEATH AND PAIN * * *
                                         * * * LET'S FEEL THE FEAR OF DEATH AGAIN * * *
              * * * WE'LL KILL AND SLAUGHTER, EAT THE SLAIN * * *
      * * * IN RAVAGING WE'LL ENTERTAIN * * *

    Ixion tells you, "// I don't think anyone else had a clue, amazing form."
  • I'll speak for myself, the length of RP is determined by the mood and the availability. I've found myself RPing for straight 5-6 hours here with lengthy emotes and I enjoy it too tbh, but %90 of the time it's in short form. Mostly because of other players, then it's myself being dodgy because I have things to do over here. There are also times when I am just logging into bashing/PvP because that's what I, as the player, feel like doing. (But yeah, sometimes I end up getting caught in the wind and RPing with someone. Despite my predetermined goals.)
     "Oh the year was 453CE, how I wish I was in Serenwilde now... aletter of marque come from the regent to the scummiest aethership I ever seen, gods damn them all...I was told we'd cruise the void for auronidion and dust, we'd fire no turrets, shed no tears.. now I'm a broken man on a Hallifax tier, the last of Saz's privateers."

    -Kilian
  • @Breandryn - I just wanted to say I absolutely loved the way you approached me for RP! I'm a huge fan of longform stuff. Similar to @Everiine above, I only left because I would have passed out at the desk on you otherwise.
  • Hmm. I may start setting my alarm earlier so I can get home from work sooner....
  • @Tremula I might be weird in this regard but I love reading logs about personal stories and watching characters change.
  • LuceLuce Fox Populi
    For me my main issue is a combination of ooc clutter (I'm obsessive about checking CW/SC/STAT/FW/SCENT/(repeat ad nauseum)) and plain forgetting to log the scenes, Plus the fact that a lot of my interactions aren't about me, only change a little at a time, or are just really tiny. A couple lines in both directions and done.

    Doesn't mean they aren't important, just that there's hours of otherwise unrelated content that gives context, like the frosty two or three round conversation Luce had about Rolsand at the Aetherplex one day. (In front of Rolsand, no less.)
  • EveriineEveriine Wise Old Swordsbird / Brontaur Indianapolis, IN, USA
    I need to start getting in the habit of hitting the Start Log button whenever I'm interacting with someone. I post so few logs because I log so few things. If I know it's going to be a big thing (talking to the centaurs, or doing vision quests), I remember to do it, but most of the time, I simply forget.
    Everiine is a man, and is very manly. This MAN before you is so manly you might as well just gender bend right now, cause he's the manliest man that you ever did see. His manly shape has spurned many women and girlyer men to boughs of fainting. He stands before you in a manly manerific typical man-like outfit which is covered in his manly motto: "I am a man!"

    Daraius said: You gotta risk it for the biscuit.

    Pony power all the way, yo. The more Brontaurs the better.
  • Oh I do 2 things for that, since I forget to log too. I start a log when I login to the game. Just trigger logging to the welcome message.

    I also use ansi triggers to copy emotes/says/tells/shouts to a separate window, so I can just c/p that or trigger a log off that window when I login.
  • Thank you everyone for all the feedback so far, by the way. I was feeling discouraged about RP but now I can't wait to get home and login!
  • The best thing is, to not expect every moment to be this big grand arc. Like others here have stated, most people show off characters in smaller, subtle ways over time. 

    Keep at it, don't get discouraged, and just have fun.

    Avurekhos says, "Dylara's a PvP menace in my eyes, totes rekting face."

    The eye of Dylara materialises in your hands and flings itself around your neck, tightening incomprehensibly until it is irremovable.
    Perfectly clean, this eyeball has been wrenched from the socket of Dylara. It has been animated by some unusual force, constantly looking around itself as if in shock or fear. It is bathed in a light covering of white flames that roll endlessly over its surface. A single chain of empyreal metal pierces either side of the eye, allowing it to be worn around the neck.


  • edited September 2016
    I guess event scrolls as a section title also sways perception a bit as to what should be posted. I'd love if there were a personal RP section to mirror event scrolls. Reading RP logs is one of my favorite things to do when I'm bashing or playing another game like a mobs and waiting for game queues.

    Logs are also how I've been finding people to stalk for RP. @Everiine's Serenguard logs are why I picked the guild, for example.
  • Oh, that makes sense. I actually didn't even think of that. I like logs for the stories and writing and assume people are always spying anyways but that's probably because I've played a few other muds with spy classes.
  • I'm late to respond to this because life. But honestly, a lot of people will respond in turn if they're shown consistency and time. But I often simply don't have the time or the attention span to commit to longform anything, plus I am often frustrated by the way we can't interact with things very well, so I do tend to use prepended says a lot more than anything else. 
    Wildeflower Aramel Strongleaf says to Xiran, "My cousin's attitude to life is rather like her attitude towards cake - to have everything, and at once, and lots of it."
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