Role playing in Guild Wars
RSGashapon
LARPing is just scary...
Kakumei
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Originally Posted by HawkofStorms
Its tougher to do in GW because this game actually has a storyline. You can't RP as a white mantle or as the bad guy while playing the game. About the closest you can do to being a unique character is be a member of the Kurzicks or the Luxons.
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How can you roleplay in a game in which you don't have any freedom?
Hephaestus Ram
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Originally Posted by Kakumei
This.
How can you roleplay in a game in which you don't have any freedom? |
people to go into the direction that "you" want them to go.
Seems more like you want the game developers to force others
to do what you want, than you what to use the force of your
own personality to direct the role that you want people play.
Bryant Again
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Originally Posted by Kakumei
This.
How can you roleplay in a game in which you don't have any freedom? |
Role-playing in Guild Wars: Perfectly fine, nothing wrong with it.
To the OP - why do people treat RPers poorly? Because, simply put, they - the griefers, not the RPers - are assholes.
Fox Reeveheart
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Originally Posted by MirandaKali
OOooo! Look, a freshly opened can of worms!
I hear what you're saying, and you have my sympathies. There are so many social and psychological implications to the Roleplaying issue...it's like trying to separate a dried ball of spaghetti. The biggest hurdle is certainly definition. Even when I was playing old school RPG's, I encountered people who thought the "role" in "roleplaying" referred to dice. There were many times when I'ld be playing with friends that I'ld get asked to tone it down. What can I say, I've got a theater background and like pretending, and believe me...paper and dice RPG's are REALLY dull without any thespian elements. (the in game graphics and game engine are a bit slow...). 'Course now you've got people who don't want to play an RPG. They want to play a video game. Pretty flashing lights, big explosions, sexy characters in skimpy outfits...all that. Hey, it's fun stuff, I must admit. To be honest, I would imagine that most of the people playing GW could care less about role playing. Why? That's where the social and psychological conundrum come in. For some people, their character is an extension of their own personality. They have abilities they would'nt have in real life and are more uninhibited. Other's use the game to explore character traits they wish they had or can't publicly express, and of course there are those who simply play the game for it's own sake. For them it really is just an evolved version of Space Invaders and they have little connection to their character. The reasons that people have for playing RPG's are vast. Tomes have been written on the subject. Again the particular problem plaguing you has been around since Gary Gygax penned the original D&D. Some people want to RP a lot. Some a little, and now those who never wanted to RP at all can get in on the game just to rend apart pixelated foes. (magnificently rendered, pixelated foes, at that) I have my doubts that ANet will do anything to help the roleplaying community. It would seem they have little impetus to, at least until White Wolf get it's World of Darkness MMORPG together to provide some compition in that regard. Till then, it would seem that the answer is to do what serious RPers have always done...Find like like-minded individuals and form groups to play. I know there are RP only guilds, perhaps even alliances. When you hit a town, use the emptiest district to cut down on hecklers. Set up events for your guild. LAN parties and such, where you actually do garb and set up an atmosphere. Make the visual aspects of the game an extension of the RP aspects. Hell, dig out that old D100 as a lucky touchstone. Have party contests for most unintelligible character accent....As always, have fun  In this life or the next! ...Excelsior! |
Kool Pajamas
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Originally Posted by Hephaestus Ram
This is probably getting a little off topic, sorry for that.
Your comments just show how ignorant you are of RPGers. My wife rpgs often when she's playing the game. She also helps maintain our home, works a full time job to help support our family and our government, and does most of the work involved in taking care of our four children. When she has time to "Get away" and role play, it's no different then when she reads a series of novels like Lord of the Rings, The Dragon Rider series by Anne McCaffrey (she's read The White Dragon at least ten times (she loves Ruth)), or The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. It's not exactly the same thing, but it's very similar. Maybe if you spent a little time getting to know what people are about before you criticize them, you'd have some credibility. |
And I don't read novels so you still didn't answer my question. Maybe you should read and comprehend before you go about criticizing others yourself and you'd have some credibility?
Torikae
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Originally Posted by Kool Pajamas
And I don't read novels so you still didn't answer my question. Maybe you should read and comprehend before you go about criticizing others yourself and you'd have some credibility?
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You don't have to have a crappy real life to want to escape into a fantasy world every once in a while. It's just that the real world isn't always that interesting.
Milennin
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Originally Posted by Kool Pajamas
What is the kick out of being someone you aren't? Enlighten me.
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Real life is boring enough, you just go to school, do a job or some other stuff. In a game you can wield magic powers and huge weapons, so what's cooler than adding some background to your character and act like it's all real?=D
Mitchel
When someone asked me "What Armor are you wearing, adventurer, it looks so strong and fiendish.", I knew it was time to switch districts.
Rothen Kithkanan
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Originally Posted by Kool Pajamas
Personally I think it's sad people like to pretend to be someone they aren't for fun. (Exception for the bedroom
 ) It was sorta fun was I was 5 but I don't get it otherwise. Is it because they're real life sucks that bad that they feel the need to be someone else?This is just my honest view on the subject and why I personally have looked down on RP'ing. Not to be taken as flame. What is the kick out of being someone you aren't? Enlighten me. |
Sli Ander
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Originally Posted by Kool Pajamas
First of all I was asking a question as to why. I wasn't criticizing. I was explaining my view and why and then asked to enlighten me so maybe I would change my mind. Yea I am ignorant about it which is exactly why I asked. Dee Dee Dee!
And I don't read novels so you still didn't answer my question. Maybe you should read and comprehend before you go about criticizing others yourself and you'd have some credibility? |
The point of reading a book, playing a game, or watching a movie is to expose yourself to something you can't do in real life. Even war movies and documentaries, they're not normally about average joe. They are usually in some manner about heroes, about something most people will never get a chance to experience. Would you enjoy playing an MMO if it were entirely like the real world, where your entire goal was to reach retirement, etc.?
When you read a book or play a game, its about suspending your disbelief and looking for something to distract you from the concrete world, or simply to relax. For some, rping is simply to take the lore of GW and make it their own. This gives a deeper sense of connection to the world in which they are playing. It gives them the sense that they are writing the story, that they are actually the heroes the game purports their characters to be. I rarely rp, but for me its more about fleshing out the characters, giving them backgrounds and personalities which fit into the GW realm. For me its just a lot of fun to create that type of story.
Hopefully this helps to explain it; as you don't read novels, its difficult to explain the feeling you get when you're immersed in a good story. And to whomever it was that referred to rp'ers speaking in 'ye olde english', its actually middle english you are referring to, and its a rather nasty, untrue stereotype.
But that's just my two cents
cyberjanet
Why should ANet set aside a role-playing district? Why not just claim one? It could just become a "tradition" that the International district is for role playing, for example. There's hardly anyone there at the best of times.
Having said that, there is no alignment in GW, which makes RP hard. It doesn't actually matter whether you chose lawful evil or chaotic neutral or anythingn else, because it's not going to affect the way your game goes. And your playing out of alignment is not going to affect your RP any either.
Personally I'd rather listen to people acting out their characters than listening to people trying to beat the trade spam curbs any day.
[edit] Actually these forums are a hive of role-playing though possibly not in the way the OP intended.
Having said that, there is no alignment in GW, which makes RP hard. It doesn't actually matter whether you chose lawful evil or chaotic neutral or anythingn else, because it's not going to affect the way your game goes. And your playing out of alignment is not going to affect your RP any either.
Personally I'd rather listen to people acting out their characters than listening to people trying to beat the trade spam curbs any day.
[edit] Actually these forums are a hive of role-playing though possibly not in the way the OP intended.
Muspellsheimr
While I am a fan of role-playing (Shadowrun and World of Darkness, some LARPing, and past experience with D&D), this game (most video games) has several key features that make it more or less worthless.
1) Severe lack of character customization
2) Lack of options (everyone is the "good guy", no actual choices to be made)
3) Purely combat based game system
4) Poorly developed game lore
5) Abundance of griefers and immature assholes
Anyone that wishes to RP in this game is welcome to, but seriously, it is not worth it. Try getting a tabletop game together with some RL friends, or find out where the nearest Vampire LARP is.
EDIT-
Although I cannot say specifically why it is enjoyable, I would guess for the same reason some people enjoy acting in plays/movies. I don't think it's so much playing as someone else, as it is "living" in a fantasy or sci-fi based world. Personally, most of my characters are not someone else per se, but rather how I would see myself in whatever setting the game is taking place in.
1) Severe lack of character customization
2) Lack of options (everyone is the "good guy", no actual choices to be made)
3) Purely combat based game system
4) Poorly developed game lore
5) Abundance of griefers and immature assholes
Anyone that wishes to RP in this game is welcome to, but seriously, it is not worth it. Try getting a tabletop game together with some RL friends, or find out where the nearest Vampire LARP is.
EDIT-
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Originally Posted by Kool Pajamas
What is the kick out of being someone you aren't? Enlighten me.
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Silent Coyote
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Originally Posted by Sli Ander
And to whomever it was that referred to rp'ers speaking in 'ye olde english', its actually middle english you are referring to, and its a rather nasty, untrue stereotype.
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Kakumei
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Originally Posted by Hephaestus Ram
You have freedom, seems more like you can't force other
people to go into the direction that "you" want them to go. Seems more like you want the game developers to force others to do what you want, than you what to use the force of your own personality to direct the role that you want people play. |
All I'm saying is that GW is not at all suited for roleplay--the lack of freedom puts an enormous damper on one's imagination.
"I want to make an evil character, a bad guy. I want to fight the heroes and prevent them from saving Tyria. Oh wait, I can't?"
I personally have roleplayed for ~8 years--just never, ever in GW, because it's not the place for it.
quick edit: Hey, if you want to go play in Lion's Arch or something, knock yourself out. I just can't fathom why people would choose to cripple themselves like this, when it's just as easy to go find an IRC FFRP room, a MUD, or go play D&D--all of which are actually intended for roleplaying.
Sli Ander
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Originally Posted by Silent Coyote
Heh, sorry didn't mean to offend – and I stand corrected. For the record I have no problem with people that want RP and understand why they would. I just personally never find it fun taking it that far, which was my point about there being different levels of RP'ing thus the potential for conflict among role players if a district were added.
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Even with tabletop rpg's I don't usually go full in-character myself, but I definitely see conflict coming up if rp'ers make there presence more obvious(say with an rp district). The biggest problem with an rp district is the whole griefer aspect, and Anet probably doesn't have the resources to police a bunch of immature dopes. Hopefully GW2 will be have built-in measures to cater to rp aspects of the game(even people that don't rp would enjoy the ability to make their char's more customized visually). How a person plays the game will be up to them after that, and hopefully they can find a way to enjoy it without being hassled overmuch.But that's just my two cents
bug_out
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Originally Posted by MirandaKali
I sooo wish GW had gazebo. There just NEEDS to be a gazebo that eats people in the game..
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Eric and the Gazebo, by Richard Aronson
[email protected]
Ed Whitchurch (DM): You see a well groomed garden. In the middle, on a small hill, you see a gazebo
Eric Sorenson: A gazebo? What color is it?
Ed: (Pause). It's white Eric.
Eric: How far away is it?
Ed: About 50 yards
Eric: How big is it?
Ed: (Pause). It's about 30ft across, 15ft high, with a pointed top
Eric: I use my sword to detect good on it.
Ed: It's not good Eric, it's a gazebo
Eric: I call out to it.
Ed: It won't answer. It's a __gazebo__
Eric: I shoot it with my bow (roll to hit). What happened?
Ed: There is now a gazebo with an arrow sticking out of it.
Eric: (Pause) Wasn't it wounded?
Ed: OF COURSE NOT, ERIC! IT'S A GAZEBO!
Eric: (Whimper) But that was a +3 arrow!
Ed: I suppose you could try to burn it, but I don't know why anybody would even try, it's a @#$%!! gazebo!
Eric: (Long pause. He has no axe or fire spells). I run away
Ed: (Thoroughly Frustrated). It's too late. You've awakened the gazebo. It catches you and eats you.
Eric: (Reaching for dice). Maybe I'll roll up a fire-using mage so I can avenge my Paladin
GLOSSARY
Gazebo - A) a monster (see monster section); B) a noun; C) something paladins attack D) A wooden structure about 30ft across, 15ft high with a pointed top, often found sleeping on lands belonging to the wealthy
Snow Bunny
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Originally Posted by HawkofStorms
Its tougher to do in GW because this game actually has a storyline. You can't RP as a white mantle or as the bad guy while playing the game. About the closest you can do to being a unique character is be a member of the Kurzicks or the Luxons
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I remember my friend in vent (he's a savior of kurz and i'm a bastion, so i suppose this is more funny to me) using a shock/evis warrior in AB, and he'd go around and cut down stragglers for fun.
He'd sort of make fun of RP's by saying, "Ahhh! Face down a Savior, willyou?! Eat my axe! Gaaaah Suxons! And I axe you, and you, and you, and you, and ahhh little luxon, ahahaha!"
It was hilarious. Every guild needs someone like this to liven it up. It's just when they get serious I suppose its subject to ridicule.
ChaoticCoyote
GW lacks the depth required for true role-playing. If I want to role-play, I bring out the pen-and-paper games, or I play Lord of the Rings Online.
GW is basically Diablo on steroids -- a fast-paced hack-and-slash with a story line. That's fun, sometimes, but it makes a lousy environemnt for role-playing.
GW is basically Diablo on steroids -- a fast-paced hack-and-slash with a story line. That's fun, sometimes, but it makes a lousy environemnt for role-playing.
Tachyon
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Originally Posted by perfect
"I put on my robe and wizard hat…"
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steamee
I've come from the Virtue server in City of Heroes/Villains. Its the Unofficial RP server for both games. Unofficial in that it has been "claimed" (almost from day one) by RPers and its reputation for being the RP server has continued.
All my major characters are on that server. On my most RP intensive days I'm a medium RPer at best. 80% of the time I just run around and play the game. I think a good 75% of the population of the server does the same. There is very little griefing except MAYBE in Atlas Park (level 1 starting point) once in a blue moon. I find the server to be my favourite, full of skillful players (I've done PvP there), and generally mature. Lots of creative bios. Compared to GW its RP utopia - heck people are just downright respectful 95% of the time. If GW was my first MMORPG I would have quit and never come back to the genre probably within a month.
POINT: I think whether RPing w/o griefing is possible depends on the population. Judging by this post and in-game observations, the population just doesn't want it - or worse - insists on ruining it.
CoH/V is apparently a B&W game of good vs. evil. Its storyline, in my opinion, is not as good as the GW storyline in many ways. But many people, have written great stories in their bios around just being a good guy or bad guy. I've played for 3+ years there and I keep getting surprised by nice little backgrounds that people come up with or RP. Write a character is not the same as writing a novel or a complete storyline. You can write a character to participate in the overall storyline without having to abide by every last detail of some world.
All my major characters are on that server. On my most RP intensive days I'm a medium RPer at best. 80% of the time I just run around and play the game. I think a good 75% of the population of the server does the same. There is very little griefing except MAYBE in Atlas Park (level 1 starting point) once in a blue moon. I find the server to be my favourite, full of skillful players (I've done PvP there), and generally mature. Lots of creative bios. Compared to GW its RP utopia - heck people are just downright respectful 95% of the time. If GW was my first MMORPG I would have quit and never come back to the genre probably within a month.
POINT: I think whether RPing w/o griefing is possible depends on the population. Judging by this post and in-game observations, the population just doesn't want it - or worse - insists on ruining it.
CoH/V is apparently a B&W game of good vs. evil. Its storyline, in my opinion, is not as good as the GW storyline in many ways. But many people, have written great stories in their bios around just being a good guy or bad guy. I've played for 3+ years there and I keep getting surprised by nice little backgrounds that people come up with or RP. Write a character is not the same as writing a novel or a complete storyline. You can write a character to participate in the overall storyline without having to abide by every last detail of some world.