Underlight Discord Chat: http://discord.underlight.com/
Production Server: Online (Version 3.1.15)
Player Test Realm Server: Offline (Version 3.1.15)

Roleplay difficulties...

This out of character forum is for discussion of roleplaying, how to roleplay and roleplay coordination.
Post Reply
User avatar
LordMagmus78
Dreamer
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu May 26, 2016 1:48 pm
Character Name(s): LordMagmus
Location: San Antonio, TX
Contact:

Roleplay difficulties...

Post by LordMagmus78 »

Like most who've been gone I returned with a certain amount of nostalgia involved yet I did not realize just how much I've changed over the years. Since stopping underlight some 12 years ago I ended up in Second Life, roleplaying in a gorean community with generally high standards for 'emoting' and such. I suppose I would be classified as a 'paragraph' roleplayer that takes time to emote while trying to add detail to my posts...However I've truly yet to see another in UL attempt this. Most do not emote beyond a few facial gestures or simply 'nodding'. Even conversations are shotgun posted in quick sentences or a mere few words that I am finding difficult to respond to and even interact with. Am I the only one with this problem? Should I attempt to 'dumb' down my roleplay? I'm simply not used to it anymore and usually feel like my rp style is out of place.

LordMagmus
Pickman
Dreamer
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 11:45 pm

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Pickman »

I've had problems with this myself in the past driving Sala. I tend to write in a lot of detail, and it gets kind a spammy on my part. Sala's meant to be a bit of a windbag though, so he talks a lot.

One piece of advice I can give you is from my creative writing teacher when he was telling us about writing conversations and dialog interactions with characters: Never say in ten words what you can express in two. You aren't dumbing down your writing, but you are controlling the amount of superfluous information you're adding beyond the point of the post.
User avatar
Anasina
Dreamer
Posts: 250
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:35 pm
Character Name(s): Anasina

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Anasina »

I can relate to that. After I left Lyra AND SoT I immediately went into little groups of paragraph RPers where anything under four sentences is typically not going to cut it. Last night, I was catching myself filling my emote box repeatedly and having to go back and trim things down.

The thing is, Underlight is typically SO fast paced. Everyone is talking at once and if you're spending too long filling that text box, you're going to essentially be run over by the conversation or rp you're trying to join in. Not to mention if everyone was doing para-rp all at once we'd never be able to keep up with the chat box - that thing would get fuuulll... I think to counter that, most people who play Underlight tend to mentally fill in the blanks. A common emote for me is "- giggles and bounces!" I know that people around me are going to see little Ana with her skirt fluttering about, her eyes closed and then all sparkly and big when they open and that her ponytail probably bounces with her. I don't have to type all of that, because everyone's going to see it. It's just how we've all been trained over the years. Another example might be... Trenas, from SoT. He would often tap his staff on the floor, and for some reason I just KNEW that gave a nice, satisfying echo every time. Especially in the Lost Caves. He didn't need to type that in because... I just... knew it was there. As long as the necessary details are there, it's very easy to just fill in the rest and get pretty close to what the author was thinking of.
*'~Anasina R. Dupree-Aileron~'*
*'~Blueberry of Mischief~'*
Uthanatos
Dreamer
Posts: 436
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2016 11:08 pm
Character Name(s): Uthanatos
Location: the DMV, Northern VA
Contact:

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Uthanatos »

For me, it comes to context. If you are trying to allow for subtle hints, the extra words are worth it. Generally, if someone nods or waves, you can see them doing it based on the character and the mood. I could type out more, but generally since things move so quickly, it plays more like a movie in my head. Each character actually has an actor or actress I picture them as, dependent on how that character acts. If you want to picture Uthy's facial expressions and inflection, it's very much Dante from clerks when he's frustrated and NPH when he's happy
“Sometimes it isn't easy to be sane, smart, and responsible. Sometimes it sucks. Sucks wang. Camel wang. But that doesn't turn wrong into right or stupid into smart.”
― Jim Butcher, Cold Days
User avatar
Voxaroth
Dreamer
Posts: 50
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2014 7:15 pm

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Voxaroth »

Underlight is more like a play than a novel. We're basically writing the script as we go along, and that requires just the words from our character, and the emotion we're hoping to convey with those words when needed. The setting is essentially already provided at the top of the script depending upon where we are.

Occasionally you can slow things down and go into more depth, but when there are multiple people contributing to a conversation in script-like style, the conversation will have moved on before you finished typing.
Sidas
Developer
Posts: 342
Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2014 2:11 pm
Character Name(s): Dreiko

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Sidas »

I prefer to focus on getting a clear point across than throwing every adjective in my vocabulary into a sentence. But that's just my personal preference and I'm fine with however other people want to emote.

My only real pet peeves are people who force emote and people who emote like it's their character portraying the emotes instead of the controller.
User avatar
Cherokee
Dreamer
Posts: 413
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:55 pm
Character Name(s): Jade

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Cherokee »

It really depends on the situation, how many players are around, and what type of characters they are. If a room is crowded, there's no time for long scripts. If there's a handful of people around or an in depth RP going on, I prefer typing out more detail in my emotes or what my character is saying. Like Anasina, often I find myself having to cut down on some words to fit the text box. But I don't like drawing out dialog or emotes just for the sake of doing it either.
23:48:24: Laviticas: (( I am going to ****ing say this now because I will not be back in the stupid game.)

22:44:20: >Jawsman evokes his own dreamquake, which is bigger than Magnilia's dreamquake.
User avatar
Arnaya
Dreamer
Posts: 831
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2015 2:25 am
Character Name(s): Arnaya

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Arnaya »

Cherokee wrote:It really depends on the situation, how many players are around, and what type of characters they are. If a room is crowded, there's no time for long scripts. If there's a handful of people around or an in depth RP going on, I prefer typing out more detail in my emotes or what my character is saying. Like Anasina, often I find myself having to cut down on some words to fit the text box. But I don't like drawing out dialog or emotes just for the sake of doing it either.
What she said ;)
The most important lesson I've learned over this past year, is not to let anyone make you cruel. No matter how badly you want to give the world a taste of it's own bitter medicine, it is never worth losing yourself.
User avatar
kendo
Dreamer
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2016 5:15 am
Character Name(s): kendo,and those two other dudes
Location: Northern California

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by kendo »

I agree with anasina and I'm guilty of this as well. In trying to portray kendo's manic nature silence makes him uncomfortable and he tends to overspeak. I'm going to try to balance things out a bit, as listening in an art in Underlight. and the "nod" thing I'm definitely guilty of this as a fairly new roleplayer. I'll try to correct this.

There are fewer players now but the ones who remain tend to be rather hardcore and group gatherings are few.. so when they're in one individuals see an opportunity to push forward various agendas and it can indeed become chaotic.

Magmus I hope you don't leave. Kendo turned his back on the Keepers mostly due to the lack of focus in leadership and balance. I'm very interested in where this leads and tried to talk to you about it yesterday and will make further attempts. It sounds like you may have to lower your expectations a bit but there's still plenty of fun to be had. I'd hate to see this particular rp abandoned.
There is a boundary to men's passions when they act from feelings; but none when they are under the influence of imagination. -Edmund Burke

“Who needs sports stardom when you can shoot fireballs from your fingertips?”
― Ethan Gilsdorf
User avatar
SnowAngel
Dreamer
Posts: 213
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2016 1:25 pm
Character Name(s): Snow Angel X

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by SnowAngel »

So in reading all of this... what suggestions do yo have to offer on improving emotes?
A lot of things get way overused in emotes and sometimes it is hard to come up with something that conveys the action you see your character doing and using wording that makes sense.

What else might you say instead of nods? We all know there are times that speaking is not always necessary but a nod indicates you are following along ( mostly though I know sometimes it is just used to avoid conversation!)

So I am curious on others ideas and suggestions for improving emotes. I would be all about it. All the other mmorpgs I have played did not rely heavily on emotes.

Interested in hearing what you all have to offer!
There are times when we stop.. We sit still... We listen and breezes from a whole other world begin to whisper.
James Carroll
User avatar
Anasina
Dreamer
Posts: 250
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:35 pm
Character Name(s): Anasina

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Anasina »

Hmm.. things to show you're following along? Maybe something like...

taps (his/her) chin, tilting (his/her) head as (he/she) focuses on (dreamer)'s words.

Short and sweet, you know? Or leaning against the wall with arms crossed. Biting your lip in contemplation. Stand there and make a note of something the person is saying if it's one of those conversations. Maybe your character got a song from her shard stuck in her head while listening and suddenly starts tapping her foot while focusing her gaze on the speaker. Or maybe glancing down at your feet, kind of nudging a pebble with your toe and looking back up at the speaker. Aaah so many things with this nice, open scenario! <3

Quick Edit: Just think of what you do when you're listening to people. You may look at them, but your body can't stay completely still for long. Shuffle. Scratch your nose. And even nod once in a while WHILE scratching your nose. ;p It's all about variety and figuring out your character's natural listening behavior. Even the most attentive soldier drops his eyes a moment, blinks then returns his attention to a speaker.
*'~Anasina R. Dupree-Aileron~'*
*'~Blueberry of Mischief~'*
User avatar
Roleplayer
Dreamer
Posts: 272
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 9:33 pm
Character Name(s): Liolira

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Roleplayer »

Lace and I have fun when I am on the tiny toon

Lace cuts so and so a look
So and So cuts Lace a look
Shows contempt for each other.
Image
"Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes." - Carl Jung
Noidea
Dreamer
Posts: 223
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2014 4:25 pm
Character Name(s): Blue; Neveren (inactive)
Location: Great Britain

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Noidea »

Hehe I remember now, THAT's what I was going to post you both a kudos for. Knew there was something. That made me laugh.
Efforts yield rewards, not words alone.
Joandaltha
Dreamer
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2016 8:21 am
Character Name(s): Joandaltha

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Joandaltha »

Like what was stated before, context means everything. When doing one on one conversations, go all out even if the other person isn't reciprocating. Usually it takes some time for the to gauge how you play before they respond in turn. I just encourage people to think more about their surroundings and use the world as tools in your roleplay. A lot of people rely only on themselves because the world does lack detail. Fill in those blanks.

When doing common actions like listening or greeting people, repetition is ok as long as your character is in that same kind of groove. When playing, for me, I always take into consideration the context of the world around him and how people behave. Go into a frightening and dangerous place and see people laughing and being silly and my character feels outraged. Have violence erupt out of nowhere around him suddenly? He is shocked and a bit disturbed.

I am rambling I know, but I just wanted to throw in my two cents. I am usually a big typer, but I can type 102 words per minute and it causes some problems because I sometimes never let people get a word in edgewise.
Ceyllynn
Dreamer
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 6:11 pm
Location: Great White North
Contact:

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Ceyllynn »

first off, i'm going to apologise in advance... cey is going to have a bit of an unintentional accent now, due to me as the player having a hard time typing. as some know my left arm is mangled between shoulder injuries and torn medial tendons... so sometimes i think i've hit a letter with my left hand, but really didn't or hit the wrong one. i'll try an correct it when i see it, but sometimes speed is more important than accuracy when rping on the fly as my tendancy is... which brings us to the subject at hand.

i'm a longish descriptive emote when i can, but do shorten certain types of emotes. ex:

cey: steps up to the dreamer, with a wicked grin slowly spreading across her face, running one talon slowly down his chest... unfurling her fingers to finally place them flat against his chest.
or
cey: looks at the dreamer blinking in shock
but i'm also one who likes to emote and speak at the same time
cey: pats him on the head saying "there there dear" with a small chuckle

sometimes a few words or sentences are all that is needed, but, other times yes! full on paragraph emotes are a wonderful thing... and yes i despise forced emotes and i will ignore them.
Noidea
Dreamer
Posts: 223
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2014 4:25 pm
Character Name(s): Blue; Neveren (inactive)
Location: Great Britain

Re: Roleplay difficulties...

Post by Noidea »

Good point about bringing the environment into it, Jo. Helps to create a sense of the surroundings apart from anything else, if a dreamer, say, "lies on her back in the long grass and closes her eyes", "gazes idly across the marshes, her attention wandering," or, if spooky, "falls silent, smiling into the leaping flames as if sharing a private joke". (Those are all meant to be trance emotes. You can have some fun with trance emotes, if you make them up in advance - obviously you have to do that, as by nature they're generally wanted at short notice.) There are some interesting settings in this game and it's easy to rather forget what your surroundings are if they're not drawn attention to.
Efforts yield rewards, not words alone.
Post Reply