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The Smirk

This out of character forum is for discussion of roleplaying, how to roleplay and roleplay coordination.
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kendo
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The Smirk

Post by kendo »

Although highly effective and endlessly infuriating, this is perhaps the lamest rp vehicle in the game and is horribly overused by those who try to be "dark". I've noticed one in particular who, when unable to defend their position, leans on this crutch again and again.

Just my 2 cents.
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

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Sidas
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Sidas »

I like to stick to short, concise, and easy to understand references when it comes to an emote. Everyone can visualize what "smirk", "nod", and "grin" reference. So how would it make sense to go beyond that?

My bigger peeve is when people emote as-if it were their character emoting instead of a controller emoting to convey information to another controller.
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Arnaya
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Arnaya »

The smirk is a nice vehicle for a lot of different situations. But yeah... "Dark" characters seem to use it a lot. Its kind of a "I know more than you" or "Isn't that cute, you actually think your someone" type of thing. Any arrogant, or very confident character gets a lot of use out of it. As long as that isn't the characters Only expression, its not too bad. But there's 2 that I can think of that never seem to smile, or laugh, or anything besides *dreamer x smirks at dreamer y*.. or *dreamer x smirks*. Not a big deal, as a controller I usually make it a game to predict when and where that emote is going to be slipped in ;)
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.
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Cherokee
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Cherokee »

I'll admit, I use that action on Jade quite a bit - but only when it's necessary. It's not the only action/expression I use. In some cases, little things like smirking or nodding is easer when quick dialogue is taking place. It's hard to write up a whole long emote about your characters expression in those circumstances, because by the time you do, people are probably talking about something else.

I agree with Sidas, I hate seeing people emote something like: >So-and-so stares at the fire and wonders how hot it is. You can't emote what you are thinking!
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.
Dina

Re: The Smirk

Post by Dina »

Yeah I get annoyed with it too Jade. I'm bad though and make it worse by emoting "Dina doesn't know what the hell so and so is thinking." I need to stop doing it and just ignore the bad emotes lol.

I don't think Dina smirks, but she will snicker!!!
Wolfgar
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Wolfgar »

*smirks and wanders off thinking people have too much free time...*
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Malarky
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Malarky »

Worst type of emote ever....Forced emotes.

Malarky flicks at Dina's hanging hand as she trances until it starts swinging. He swings her arm in a wide arc and then grabs her elbow forcing her hand to whip back around to smack her in the head lifelessly.

My favorite RPers always open an emote with an idea and close it with a proposition. Something for others to pick up and carry the ball on in a proressive manner.
Dina

Re: The Smirk

Post by Dina »

Malarky flicks at Dina's hanging hand as she trances until it starts swinging. He swings her arm in a wide arc and then grabs her elbow forcing her hand to whip back around to smack her in the head lifelessly.
Hey now, be nice! :(
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Malarky
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Malarky »

Dina wrote:Hey now, be nice! :(

Just illustrating forced emotes for the uninitiated. I've seen some reeeeeeeally bad ones. Some that would even warrant a visit to the unknown.
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Clarity
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Clarity »

Be thankful that at least no one here puts stuff in say/talk in quotes. *twitches*

I can live with over-used emotes and mind-reading emotes.
So it’s gonna be forever, and I will stay up through the night. You can tell me when it’s over, and let’s be clear, won’t close my eyes. @-;-
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Sorsha
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Sorsha »

My choice of smile for Sorsha was always the occasional smirk. Now I'm all paranoid and not doing it anymore. :?
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Noidea
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Noidea »

I think what Kendo describes is a case for as you might say "getting IC on their ass". If all they will do is smirk but not say anything, then the character is being irritating too, not just the controller, and can legitimately be met with "Well? What are you smirking about?", "Got something to say?", "I don't believe you do know anything - you just want us to think you do!"
Efforts yield rewards, not words alone.
Ceyllynn
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Ceyllynn »

you lot forgot to mention the two worst things a so-called evil character can do:

1> the forced emote reaction to their badness or the declaration aka shoving it into your face.
*walks into the room radiating evil, making all cringe away in fear and forboding.
"i am EVIL!"

2> sticking it in their blasted description which is another type of forced reaction.
you see a tall dark man, his obvious kingship, and evil makes you want to bow down every time you see him.

being a dark or evil character is something you build, not something you declare verbally, or force on others through your descriptions and emotes by declaring it that way either. that will get you treated like you are nuts or laughed and mocked outright. it's your deeds that imprints the message on the minds of your fellow dreamers. a description, is best thought of as a picture and nothing more, a surface image describing your physical appearance and what you are wearing, visible items only (not *their whole body is covered in tattoos under their clothing*), and a hint of your personality, like*a cheeky smile hovers around her lips* or *his face is hard with deep frown lines*.

i forgot to add... okay so you "smirk" too much? well, change it up... *smirks slyly* *smirks faintly* *smirks as they wander off* rather than the single emote. there is nothing wrong with smirking, yes it can be over-used, think about what else you can use to give the same impression using a different word... like malicious etc.
Last edited by Ceyllynn on Sat Jul 23, 2016 11:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
Joandaltha
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Joandaltha »

You nailed it. Storytelling 101. Show don't tell. Your actions and behaviors need to morph and change. Show other players how you have formed the beliefs that currently hold. There are things my character has experienced that shape his behavior in certain situations. I try to convey those behavior ions to others to help them better understand who I am and where I am coming from. I'm still new, and it is great to have these arcs on how my character grows in this place.
Ceyllynn
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Ceyllynn »

well jo, i can tell you any character that doesn't grow, is stagnating and doesn't really contribute. cey/dw started as a good little oosm and evolved into what she is, everything that has happened to her both good and bad... makes her the psychotic toon she is today... hence her being defintely evil.. but has a streak of honour or two she wont break. like she never, ever lies, and once she gives her word, if you can get her to do it... she keeps it. she's managed to be on the good and bad side of houses and make friends, even though they know she's certifiable.
Noidea
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Noidea »

Well, a character that's stagnating DOES contribute - it may well be a good act just the way it is, and having it around provides something you can work with.
But I admit it does get annoying, if nothing ever gets a character to act any differently from the way they always do (e.g. there is NOTHING you can say to them that will budge the smirk off their face!). The reason, I suppose, is that if you're interacting with them, affecting them is exactly what you, or your character, are trying to do - shock them, change their minds, cheer them up or wipe the smile off their face. If nothing you do makes any impression on them you start to feel that it's a waste of time dancing up and down in front of them all the time. Something to bear in mind if you think your character might be a little TOO waterproof. It might be hard to tell, of course, from your side; why it's important to pay attention if you hear other people say something about your character - they might have noticed something that's not apparent to you.
Efforts yield rewards, not words alone.
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Anasina
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Re: The Smirk

Post by Anasina »

I tinhk most characters tend to grow in some form or another, but it tends to be gradual. Anasina was much more innocent her first dreams than she is now. She was trusting, unbelievably loyal to a fault. Then certain things happened, which I won't delve into and she lost a lot of trust for people. She became more reclusive, then slowly came back as she recovered and grew with her new knowledge. It was a slow, painful process that took place over the course of MONTHS of gameplay and wasn't ever intended. People change as they experience new things, and so do Underlight characters. <3 You may not always notice it, but it happens.
*'~Anasina R. Dupree-Aileron~'*
*'~Blueberry of Mischief~'*
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