I've recently had a minor relapse back into World of Warcraft, and while I could discuss some of its design at length, I would much rather discuss something more vague and to me interesting. If you know my at all or have read the title of this post (go you!) you can guess where I am going. I of course went onto a roleplaying server and accidentially tracked down some pretty cool folks.
To return from my tangent: normally pen and paper roleplaying as we see it with D&D and the like, is a very structured and pre-agreed size. Ideally GM's hold a session 0 where everyone discusses what kind of story they'd like to tell, what could be cool campaign themes, what characters and the world is like etc. But in an MMO its practically a ball pit of peoples different characters bumping into each others willy nilly, with no real structure or GM to handle disputes. Its a weird, and somewhat anarchistic thing, with a lot of what could be considered "cultural differences" due to its format.
Terms of Engagement
One thing I was quickly told by my soon to be guildmate, was that I should look up the mod TRP3 (Total RolePlay 3). It adds some new interface stuff and gives you an expanded character profile where you can imput roleplay relevant information like descriptions of their appearance. But beyond that, it provides something even more interesting.
It allows you to set up what could be considered a "dating profile" if you will, where you can explain what kind of roleplay you're looking for and what kind of things you'd rather avoid. For instance are you okay with strangers approaching your character and starting a conversation? How about character injury, romance or death? Its a way to communicate one player to the other what kind of stories they are wishing to tell and participate in. Plus due to the slightly different player profiles you can at a simple mouse-over see who are dedicated roleplayers (as they have the TRP profiles too) and who're just running around trying to gather loot or exp.
And I find it really interesting how the roleplayers have taken this to heart, and are embracing it to preemptively set boundries for the social interactions they wish to have.
Illusions of Grandeur
Something that seems like a pitfall for a lot of upstart roleplayers is how the game itself treats players. Sure you may during actual play start as but a squire hunting boars and what not, but will soon be riding dragons, command your own garrison and be adressed by the title of Warmaster. And heck yeah that feels good doesn't it? Look at you with your flaming swords, very point armour, monstrous mount and countless slain foes... except, the same thing goes for everyone else.
In giving in to everyone's power fantasies, the game creates a self image of being the chosen one, something that is hindering any kind of meaningful or vulnerable storytelling.
I mean yeah I've slapped Ragnaros, the elemental lord of fire who's summoning all but broke the land, around. I've been by Kel'Thuzad, the archliche who helped spread the scourge across the lands of Lordearon, and shat on his doorstep. And after that I went to give none other than Illidan a wet willy atop his darkened citadel in the demonic hellscape realm of Outland. What I'm getting at, I'm kind of a big deal.... right?
Fear not Peasants!
Another really poignant issue with these power levels is completely breaking the story lines or issues set up by other players.
In my thoroughly enjoyable guild The Nightwatchers, we are acting as the militia of the townsfolk in town Darkshire, a place beset by undead, wild animals and worse in the dark night. Despite the capitol being so close the town is nearly forgotten by the power that be, there was sent no actual guards to help out and now instead a few brave souls have taken up the torch and black mail to keep the roads clear and the people safe. We've chosen a very down to earth low-fantasy approach, we're humans, gnomes and the like, the night is big bad and scary and we're the only ones keeping the lurking fiends within at bay.
But from a gameplay perspective most of those enemies are around level 20-something, so the majority of player characters are vastly stronger than theses enemies in the game. And I have been approached by players who not quite understood this. Thoroughly ignoring the time we've put into this microcosmos by going "Oh yeah, well I'm a Grandmaster Deathknight, a few undeads are hardly any trouble for me!" Yeah and neither are they for my in-game character, I have a spell called Cataclysm for gods sake and the majority of people in the guild are max level, if this was about mechanics we could kill all the undead a hundred times over, but this is about the story. And this blatant disregard of it sort of ruins our possibilities for interesting play.
What he could have done was talking a back seat, asked about how our duties are going, how we're handling it, if we had any wounded recently all etc. You know, taking a back seat and given me a chance to explore my character, because:
We Can't all be Protagonists
Anyone who've tried running a pen and paper roleplaying session will probably know the mantran "give everyone time in the limelight" by heart by now. After all roleplaying is a deeply communal thing, it isnt about you or how cool you are. But rather about exploring your characters, their struggles and shortcomings. Just take a look at any of the recent super hero team movies we've had. While there has been plenty of action shots, its never just one guy hogging the spot light is it?
Ideally good roleplay and storytelling should give room for character growth, some times you have to accept this truth, shut up and instead provide others with the room and opportunity to shine in a given moment. And more often than not it is way more interesting to explore these areas where your character struggle instead of the areas where you shine. Seek out the points where views and ideals within a character may pull them in different directions, and challenge those ideas and their self image.
With my character Braedith, a dwarf from the Dark Iron empire, I've tried to make many of these things front and center. Her race has done and build incredible things, but also happened to be major bad guys in WoWs first iteration. How does her self-image change as she has to come to terms with an outsiders view of her people? And considering her peoples history, she will of course be trying to make amends. However, how far does this courtesy extend? And now that she has joined the watch, how far is she willing to push herself for these new allies? Its all questions I have in the back of my mind as I try to explore them through play.
If some of this sounds interesting be sure to pas by Darkshire on Argent Dawn, were I'll likely be standing on attention somewhere, torch in hand.
To return from my tangent: normally pen and paper roleplaying as we see it with D&D and the like, is a very structured and pre-agreed size. Ideally GM's hold a session 0 where everyone discusses what kind of story they'd like to tell, what could be cool campaign themes, what characters and the world is like etc. But in an MMO its practically a ball pit of peoples different characters bumping into each others willy nilly, with no real structure or GM to handle disputes. Its a weird, and somewhat anarchistic thing, with a lot of what could be considered "cultural differences" due to its format.
Terms of Engagement
One thing I was quickly told by my soon to be guildmate, was that I should look up the mod TRP3 (Total RolePlay 3). It adds some new interface stuff and gives you an expanded character profile where you can imput roleplay relevant information like descriptions of their appearance. But beyond that, it provides something even more interesting.
It allows you to set up what could be considered a "dating profile" if you will, where you can explain what kind of roleplay you're looking for and what kind of things you'd rather avoid. For instance are you okay with strangers approaching your character and starting a conversation? How about character injury, romance or death? Its a way to communicate one player to the other what kind of stories they are wishing to tell and participate in. Plus due to the slightly different player profiles you can at a simple mouse-over see who are dedicated roleplayers (as they have the TRP profiles too) and who're just running around trying to gather loot or exp.
And I find it really interesting how the roleplayers have taken this to heart, and are embracing it to preemptively set boundries for the social interactions they wish to have.
Illusions of Grandeur
Something that seems like a pitfall for a lot of upstart roleplayers is how the game itself treats players. Sure you may during actual play start as but a squire hunting boars and what not, but will soon be riding dragons, command your own garrison and be adressed by the title of Warmaster. And heck yeah that feels good doesn't it? Look at you with your flaming swords, very point armour, monstrous mount and countless slain foes... except, the same thing goes for everyone else.
In giving in to everyone's power fantasies, the game creates a self image of being the chosen one, something that is hindering any kind of meaningful or vulnerable storytelling.
I mean yeah I've slapped Ragnaros, the elemental lord of fire who's summoning all but broke the land, around. I've been by Kel'Thuzad, the archliche who helped spread the scourge across the lands of Lordearon, and shat on his doorstep. And after that I went to give none other than Illidan a wet willy atop his darkened citadel in the demonic hellscape realm of Outland. What I'm getting at, I'm kind of a big deal.... right?
Fear not Peasants!
Another really poignant issue with these power levels is completely breaking the story lines or issues set up by other players.
In my thoroughly enjoyable guild The Nightwatchers, we are acting as the militia of the townsfolk in town Darkshire, a place beset by undead, wild animals and worse in the dark night. Despite the capitol being so close the town is nearly forgotten by the power that be, there was sent no actual guards to help out and now instead a few brave souls have taken up the torch and black mail to keep the roads clear and the people safe. We've chosen a very down to earth low-fantasy approach, we're humans, gnomes and the like, the night is big bad and scary and we're the only ones keeping the lurking fiends within at bay.
But from a gameplay perspective most of those enemies are around level 20-something, so the majority of player characters are vastly stronger than theses enemies in the game. And I have been approached by players who not quite understood this. Thoroughly ignoring the time we've put into this microcosmos by going "Oh yeah, well I'm a Grandmaster Deathknight, a few undeads are hardly any trouble for me!" Yeah and neither are they for my in-game character, I have a spell called Cataclysm for gods sake and the majority of people in the guild are max level, if this was about mechanics we could kill all the undead a hundred times over, but this is about the story. And this blatant disregard of it sort of ruins our possibilities for interesting play.
What he could have done was talking a back seat, asked about how our duties are going, how we're handling it, if we had any wounded recently all etc. You know, taking a back seat and given me a chance to explore my character, because:
We Can't all be Protagonists
Anyone who've tried running a pen and paper roleplaying session will probably know the mantran "give everyone time in the limelight" by heart by now. After all roleplaying is a deeply communal thing, it isnt about you or how cool you are. But rather about exploring your characters, their struggles and shortcomings. Just take a look at any of the recent super hero team movies we've had. While there has been plenty of action shots, its never just one guy hogging the spot light is it?
Ideally good roleplay and storytelling should give room for character growth, some times you have to accept this truth, shut up and instead provide others with the room and opportunity to shine in a given moment. And more often than not it is way more interesting to explore these areas where your character struggle instead of the areas where you shine. Seek out the points where views and ideals within a character may pull them in different directions, and challenge those ideas and their self image.
With my character Braedith, a dwarf from the Dark Iron empire, I've tried to make many of these things front and center. Her race has done and build incredible things, but also happened to be major bad guys in WoWs first iteration. How does her self-image change as she has to come to terms with an outsiders view of her people? And considering her peoples history, she will of course be trying to make amends. However, how far does this courtesy extend? And now that she has joined the watch, how far is she willing to push herself for these new allies? Its all questions I have in the back of my mind as I try to explore them through play.
If some of this sounds interesting be sure to pas by Darkshire on Argent Dawn, were I'll likely be standing on attention somewhere, torch in hand.
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