World of Warcraft®

I haven't posted in any of the various OMG-RP-is-dead threads because I didn't have anything positive and constructive to add to the OPs. However, I think a lot of people may be blowing things way out of proportion. I don't think that RP is dead (or dying) or anything else. I just think a lot of people are less interested in it right this second than they have been in previous moments.

Roleplaying takes work. To create environments and stories and yes, characters. It only takes two people to roleplay. So as long as two people can get together when it's convenient to them, and tackle a story they want to tell collaboratively, roleplaying isn't dead.

The problem is that WoW isn't a game tailored around roleplaying. It's an MMO, where you have an engine and an actual game to play, so the majority of the players get involved in that game (leveling up characters, gearing alts, raiding, going through all the quests). They're busy right now, and less interested in roleplaying. That's OK!

When they're ready to RP again, I'm certain they will.

Mostly, I'm trying to address two points here. First, that people are busy/entertained and RP for many is not the central reason to play WoW (or even to play on an RP server); it may be a side aspect they enjoy. Maybe they spontaneously roleplay while playing at times. But the whole, log-on-for-three-hours-and-RP-in-Org thing does not define every roleplayer, and that's really ok.

Second, it's hardly dead. It just takes a lot of work. To build stories, to organize players, to get people on at the same time, and to make RP more interesting than the game (aka, blowing off raid night for RP instead of the reverse). It takes a lot more to make fun and engaging RP than to have two characters meet up. It takes storytellers.

If you really want to increase the amount of open RP on the server, then put effort into becoming a storyteller who creates opportunities for others to RP. Those who are interested, will come. Those who aren't, won't.

But just imagine for a moment, that I started to post, "Raiding is dead/dying" threads all over the forums. It would be silly. SoE is hardly a world-first server, but people are chugging away at it at their own pace. So it goes with RP is dead/dying threads. It's not dead. It's not dying. It takes you and a friend and some elbow grease to make RP happen.

I whole heartedly agree. I came from another server 'The Scyers'. If you want to see a 'dead' RP server take a look over there. The community here is well knit and there's almost always someone willing to take an RP break with you. These people are just screaming "The sky is falling!" without stopping to check if it was just an acorn...

I appreciate your feedback, Fae. It's important to know what those who don't roleplay think of a community they're not involved with. :)

I do agree on the point that not everyone does the same as others. It's not the simple idea that people should log in only to RP for hours at a time. Some do, some don't. And you're right - it's perfectly fine. And no one is asking anyone to stop any PvE or PvP activity in the name of roleplay.

These are people who are looking for something we once had, and they've the courage enough to say something when they can't find it.

Some like a storytelling atmosphere. Some prefer to leave things open, letting possibilities for character growth and change come to them. Some like a blend of both. Doing something as small as being IC while you're flitting about Org? Or maybe pulling RP out of scheduled-only events and taking it to the public once again, just as it was long ago? Those kinds of things make a difference.

To touch on Moredekai's words of the community being "tightly knit"? Indeed it is. So much so, there are those who are new who don't get a chance to push their own character's stories. And there are those who flip from Alliance to Horde (or vice versa) and have nowhere to explore their ideas for their character.

As well, for these regularly scheduled RP events that happen? I know of a couple that have hit a brick wall because someone left server/game, and it sent people scrambling. No event = no roleplay? Maybe. And that's sad, because we never used to have to schedule everything here since it's an RP server.

People make mistakes others are unwilling to forgive or work through, and egos and false pride make these tightly knit circles become very, very small. People feel the need to be the Diana Ross of things, having their character always be at the center of everyone's universe. This is, contrary to some people's beliefs, killing roleplay. It's something you have to witness, however, to understand what it's doing.

My call for open RP to come back to the server wasn't for me, nor any other one roleplayer in particular. It was for all of us that put time, effort, and energy into weaving more depth into a game. It was for the roleplaying community on server. The purpose of my post was to urge people to step outside of small groups and cliques and guilds and see what else is out there.

But just like you can't stop a tank from stacking resil, you can't stop people who want to maintain control of the roleplay environment to the point where a hug becomes a choke, and eventually things break irrevocably. You can't stop those who believe everything is okay because for now, their tiny circle is intact. And should the time come and they find themselves at a loss because things break? Well, people speaking out now is working to help them during that time, should it arrive.

I do want to point out, however, that if there are those on server that do feel that RP is missing, they've a right to post and not be deemed wrong, because they are the ones seeking something. They're involved with it... they're vested.

After all, roleplaying takes work. It takes you and a friend and some elbow grease to make it happen. (I do believe those were the words, right?)

But that? That includes urging people to voice what they'd like to see change, and going out and doing it. That includes making it happen.

The fact that I got tells from folks thanking me for RP they'd not normally have tried for and others who thanked me for helping push their stories along tells me I wasn't off-target. The fact that I get whispers from well-known RPers telling me they miss the "old SoE atmosphere" and that people are being more vocal about it on the o-boards tells me I'm not the only one who knows what this server was not only designated for, but used to be prideful of having.

I say bravo for those who dare speak out about their concerns and are willing to step outside of tightly knit clusters of roleplayers. They are working to improve our roleplay community.

And that? That takes hard work.

02/28/2011 1:28 PMPosted by Bellamuerte

I appreciate your feedback, Fae. It's important to know what those who don't roleplay think of a community they're not involved with. :)

I do roleplay, just not with you, Bella. Just because you're part of the community, doesn't mean that I'm eager to spend time with you and some of yours. :P

02/28/2011 1:28 PMPosted by Bellamuerte

My call for open RP to come back to the server wasn't for me, nor any other one roleplayer in particular.

I tend to find the people who create drama about drama (nice pun, hmm?) are oftentimes just seeking attention. As much as you exclaim that you're not flailing about the end of the RP world, it kind of feels a lot like you're looking for a spotlight.

And for the record, my post actually had nothing to do with you or your event or your forum posts. It was more just to coax people into understanding that RP doesn't always just miraculously happen. You need people to put work into setting up stories and cultivating good environments to play within. If anything, what I had to say was probably more of an endorsement of your strategy.

Good luck in your endeavors. ^^

02/28/2011 5:31 PMPosted by Faeylin

I do roleplay, just not with you, Bella. Just because you're part of the community, doesn't mean that I'm eager to spend time with you and some of yours. :P

Indeed, Fae. In the two years since we've been acquainted on server, however, I've never seen you active in the community, most events, nor have you mentioned roleplay at all in the guild channel we once shared long ago.

My mistake, of course. It is, however, an excellent example of keeping RP closed off, so thank you.

As for not roleplaying with me? It's your subscription fee, dear. Do as you will. You've not offended me at all, and I'm quite fine. No, really.

I tend to find the people who create drama about drama (nice pun, hmm?) are oftentimes just seeking attention. As much as you exclaim that you're not flailing about the end of the RP world, it kind of feels a lot like you're looking for a spotlight.

Well, the responses I've gotten from folks (ones in CoL, even) regarding roleplay being unlike it used to be serves to let me know that what I did and what I've said was correct.

You may choose to believe what you will of me, Fae. You've that right, and I won't bicker to feed your cause. It's more destructive. It then turns into you and me, and not the issue at hand. We've seen enough of that already on this server, hence the people posting.

Regardless of things, this is an MMORPG. That means lots of folks in an online roleplaying game. It's a social environ. There are different things here for different styles of play, and roleplaying is one.

Arguing that people shouldn't speak out about roleplay on a roleplay server in a roleplay game is not really conducive to creating an environment friendly to it and will more than likely in the end cause more harm.

Saying that people can only roleplay using set storylines and not being able to write freely? That's one style of RP, Fae. But not everyone's. I just don't think people who pluck up the courage to speak out on the boards about missing what is gone or wanting to recapture RP as it was should be condemned for it.

But as you say, good luck in your endeavors. :)

Just to put in my two cents.

I do agree a lot with your original post, mostly because you hit the nail on the head when it comes to explaining my view of rp. I enjoy it, love it... but its what I do when I'm not raiding. Its a hobby within my hobby (if that makes sense).

I think that's what hurt our community, everyone was so thrilled with the new content, we all just went our different ways. Which is understandable, after all I don't pay anyone's subscription so why should I dictate how another spends their online time?

One also must remember that a call to arms doesn't mean X or Y is looking for the spotlight, after all if we want the atmosphere to improve one of us has to start inspiring others, right?

But yes, very often we forget that we can't sit and expect rp to happen to us. You'd be surprised how many new people I met this past weekend when I started just emoting to anyone and everyone xD

03/02/2011 10:14 PMPosted by Kailiah

it is the ERP capital of WoW

Five hours after Kailiah's post...

SoE's population dropped from 10,789 to 9,643.

Moonguard's population increased from 48,538 to 49,684. <insert spinning digits>

:D