What happened to roleplay?

Aiushta

I remember that when I started playing Imperian It was all about the lore, the history of the realm and the way my character resonated with the guild’s and city’s principles. OOC Talk was reserved to ring channels or tells and anything said could OOC-ly could not have IC consequences. I just logged in after some time and I just want to know, that the hell happened Imperian? Where did we go wrong? 

(Excuse the quality of the screenshots. I was on the mobile)

Granted, I did drop the F bomb but seriously?

Edited to remove a screenshot that violated language rules - Eoghan

Ryse

Hi there.

Roleplay is alive and well, though generally isolated to smaller groups. I haven’t seen much RP on a large scale in a while, though for the most part everyone prefaces OOC speak with // or (). 

It sounds like your contention is with mechanical speak inside IC channels. That could probably be addressed with a polite tell, instead of a public forum post. 

Bronach

I'd support anything to improve storyline, immersion, and purpose. Except policing the current arbitrary circle dogma. Magick is not understandable by normal logic? That dog won't hunt.

Xzerizenabel

*cough* join the Axioun no ooc from us. Although we don't really need shit starters. But this does seem like another instance of junk making the concept of an Anti-magick circle pointless. Magick really isn't understandable by normal logic, without knowing about diachemwhatever of which my character has never had a single instance of the word read or spoken. It's probably more out of character that I don't try and burn anyway running around with an artifact I don't understand. Or more aptly the guards and simple people of the city.

Valence

There was that time when my character thought tattoos were Magick. 

Kalynthari

Ryse said:

It sounds like your contention is with mechanical speak inside IC channels. That could probably be addressed with a polite tell, instead of a public forum post. 

Saying "admin" is not mechanical speak. It is outright OOC.

Imperian is pretty much beyond repair with trying to RP seriously. People talk OOCly frequently in says, even. Shouts 99% of the time are borderline OOC. People will openly discuss issues and shit talk people who issue them. They will constantly try to circumvent ignore with practically zero repercussion, including unignoring you to start shit before putting you back on it. They will try to start fights the second you look at them funny, let alone saying anything.

If you do manage to have IC discussions with someone, it'll go OOC at the drop of the hat the minute something happens they don't like/agree with.

People don't play Imperian to RP. It's just a glorified chatroom, with PK.

Bix

This sort of stuff is why the game is dead and dying even more each day. 100%

Bronach

 I was hoping on something RP or lore-related with the Moonforge. I'd RP it with the slightest hint of a narrative. That thread is still open. More causes, less carrots.

Kalynthari

It's definitely high on the list of why I stopped playing, not to mention a number of others I played with. I'm sure they're capable of weighing in if they care.

Why play a game that apparently prides itself on RP and storylines, when it has neither?

Rokas

Not much excuse for referring to "admin," but considering that the majority of people don't care about RP, that most newbies anymore are troll alts, and with what @Kalynthari said, I can't say I'm upset at Infin for giving a snappy response of where he didn't want to deal with it.

Ithaqua does(did?) have a good basis for RP to it. I played the game mostly for RP with some PK, but I've all but quit for a multitude of reasons. A lack of personal enjoyment was the main reason.

Valence

Bronach said:

 I was hoping on something RP or lore-related with the Moonforge. I'd RP it with the slightest hint of a narrative. That thread is still open. More causes, less carrots.

There is lore behind the Moonforge, but accessing it involves completing a quest.

On a more serious note: RP-enforced server this really isn't, anymore. Finding RP tends to involve making your own and rolling with what you get. There's fun to be had, but it's not for everyone.

Xzerizenabel

It's more systemic then that honestly. It used to be that IRE only had one ooc message telling you to vote. Now when you play the game the system practically spams you with ooc constantly.

Bronach

Coming back to the initial observation and what was discussed here, my take-home message is that Aiushta's frustration (read: "you wouldn't understand it, little one"), but it's not @Infin's fault.

As an avid RPer, I'm not at all concerned with the breach of etiquette by forgetting the RP-shields (e.g., please say "I am acting with the blessing of the powers that be and in concordance with the principles of this organisation and guild", or "//the admin said it was ok for us to buy this//"). That's small potatoes. You'll see no council or guild disfavours or player issuing from me about that stuff. I'm saying, even useless leylines got an NPC. Now, no one even bothers to ask. I went on the forums for the last week because I didn't understand the most significant world event that has happened in a year. And no one is allowed to tell me IC.

On a more serious note: RP does not exist large-scale because the universally-accepted narrative is "you wouldn't understand it, little one". NOBODY understands that "why we fight" stuff, even folks that (used to) want to. Not the ((admin)). Not the player-volunteer Entities, because my character asked three Entities IC when Imperian was still doing that, and they didn't know either. Not me, the "month" (day) after Kinsy raided Celidon because our Entity IC blocked a room. Meh. We can do better.

Ocaris

Bronach said:

Coming back to the initial observation and what was discussed here, my take-home message is that Aiushta's frustration (read: "you wouldn't understand it, little one"), but it's not @Infin's fault.

As an avid RPer, I'm not at all concerned with the breach of etiquette by forgetting the RP-shields (e.g., please say "I am acting with the blessing of the powers that be and in concordance with the principles of this organisation and guild", or "//the admin said it was ok for us to buy this//"). That's small potatoes. You'll see no council or guild disfavours or player issuing from me about that stuff. I'm saying, even useless leylines got an NPC. Now, no one even bothers to ask. I went on the forums for the last week because I didn't understand the most significant world event that has happened in a year. And no one is allowed to tell me IC.

On a more serious note: RP does not exist large-scale because the universally-accepted narrative is "you wouldn't understand it, little one". NOBODY understands that "why we fight" stuff, even folks that (used to) want to. Not the ((admin)). Not the player-volunteer Entities, because my character asked three Entities IC when Imperian was still doing that, and they didn't know either. Not me, the "month" (day) after Kinsy raided Celidon because our Entity IC blocked a room. Meh. We can do better.

The Gods died and Antioch lost its entire arc. Demons died, they destroyed Stavenn, and now somehow Khandava is "demonic". Ithaqua's all "grrr, rugged isolationism and self sufficiency through the harsh truths of nature making us strong without powers" (or something, I don't know what you guys do with your bard powers) but has to either ally with Antioch (boom isolationism, boom nature) or Khandava (boom isolationism, boom the sort of antimagick depth they had). Kinsarmar is an ouroboros, I'm unsure how much internal stuff they have going on but they exist to feed themselves, it's Stavenn but instead of Hot Topic they're Claire's, and Celidon is just Kinsarmar in a cave.

Circles proned Aetherius, and the deaths of two of the three major conflict generators/storyline instigators BBT'd it into Dis. The world is now entirely reliant on sandbox instigation but provides so many closed systems that there's nothing to be done.

Iunno.  Reboot it.  Imperian Classic.

Kalynthari

Bronach said:

(e.g., please say "I am acting with the blessing of the powers that be and in concordance with the principles of this organisation and guild", or "//the admin said it was ok for us to buy this//").

How about just not trying to reference the admin at all, in any way? They are not IC entities.

Rokas

Ocaris said:

Ithaqua's all "grrr, rugged isolationism and self sufficiency through the harsh truths of nature making us strong without powers" (or something, I don't know what you guys do with your bard powers) but has to either ally with Antioch (boom isolationism, boom nature) or Khandava (boom isolationism, boom the sort of antimagick depth they had).

Survivalists, pragmatists. We're not really "ra ra" anything to the point of being "ra ra" stupid like some other orgs are.

Infin's also not the first person to use a mirror to use another circle's class. Kinsarmar had Morrow trying to use the ranged telepathy kill from monks before it got nerfed, and that's a case where it's known what the point of the mirror was. All we have here is GWHO output and an immediate jump to a conclusion; who's to say that there weren't actual IC reasons? (Granted, jumping to "admin said it's fine" probably means that there weren't good IC reasons, but I'm also in the "who cares?" boat given how deplorable RP as a whole is and the constant shit people like to give each other.)

Ocaris

Rokas said:

Ocaris said:

Ithaqua's all "grrr, rugged isolationism and self sufficiency through the harsh truths of nature making us strong without powers" (or something, I don't know what you guys do with your bard powers) but has to either ally with Antioch (boom isolationism, boom nature) or Khandava (boom isolationism, boom the sort of antimagick depth they had).

Survivalists, pragmatists. We're not really "ra ra" anything to the point of being "ra ra" stupid like some other orgs are.

Infin's also not the first person to use a mirror to use another circle's class. Kinsarmar had Morrow trying to use the ranged telepathy kill from monks before it got nerfed, and that's a case where it's known what the point of the mirror was. All we have here is GWHO output and an immediate jump to a conclusion; who's to say that there weren't actual IC reasons? (Granted, jumping to "admin said it's fine" probably means that there weren't good IC reasons, but I'm also in the "who cares?" boat given how deplorable RP as a whole is and the constant **** people like to give each other.)

I was being flippant about the bard thing - Ithaqua has never struck me as rabid enough to REALLY give a shit, I think back in the day they allowed some Bards minus artistry because voice was the divine language or whatever.

I'm just saying the game painted itself into corners and then hucked people to opposite ends of the room. It's not doing anything to promote interaction in any way that isn't "raid offpeak" "zerg" or "talk shit in shouts".

Gotta scorched earth it.

Celewyn

Sadly a lot of people posting here are the people that are OOC in public channels and make me lollerskates (hi 1999!). Ryse, Ocaris, Rokas, etc. I've seen it, pretty sure I still have the logs if memories need be refreshed!

I wager the people that actually do roleplay in the game are busy doing that and not lamenting about how the imms suck. 

But in regards to the log! The "admin" part isn't where I think the roleplay went south. I think the fact that people are defending their blatant disregard of RP (I don't use magick, and am vehemently against it per my org, but I'll be a magick class cuz i have the artifact!) because the imms say it is ok. The imms also tell you the proper amount of time your character should be seeking revenge. In other words, dictating what is RP which unfortunately was around before this game or they learned to program. Thus, why would any RPer worth their salt stick around? Both of these things, and more, are just to appease players and make them buy more credits unfortunately that does nothing for RP.  Anyone into RP real RP ( and not bound to this game by thousands of dollars spent on credits) will just find a decent RP environment.  And generally speaking the people that spend thousands of bucks on artifacts that mostly affect PvP and PvE are not playing this game to/for RP.

In other words, what happened to RP? It left with the RPers.

Kalynthari

Rokas

Celewyn said:

Sadly a lot of people posting here are the people that are OOC in public channels and make me lollerskates (hi 1999!). Ryse, Ocaris, Rokas, etc. I've seen it, pretty sure I still have the logs if memories need be refreshed!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu_quoque

Celewyn said:

In other words, what happened to RP? It left with the RPers.

I logged in to help someone, but aside from that, I haven't been around for more than 5-10 minutes at a time once every few weeks.

Aeterna Silphium

Complaining is fine and all, but set a positive example. Run an event. Use complex emotes. Read some old philosophy and bring it into the game. Write a treatise on why this is borked from an in-game academic's standpoint.

Mehmed

I think we have RP, but it's just very quiet now. I try to RP when I can, but when no one else makes the effort, it feels like punching a wall. In a time where people are more hung up on mechanics than anything else, when artifacts that basically look like magick or demonic stuff are accessible to anyone and no one bats an eye( @sadey and @kamaylie can testify with the undead bear), when most people force stuff over ring chat to Organise, you sort of need to go along or risk fighting the stream and becoming frustrated.

Edon

I have barely seen RP in Imperian for the last...what...8 years? It is sad, really. Use to be more RPI. Now it is just a text based medieval call of duty.

Edon

Aeterna Silphium said:

Complaining is fine and all, but set a positive example. Run an event. Use complex emotes. Read some old philosophy and bring it into the game. Write a treatise on why this is borked from an in-game academic's standpoint.

Big facts. Be the change you wanna see. IC, Edon presumes anyone who uses ooc chatter on IC mediums is soft-skulled and holds the in very low regard. But, I complex emote and speak IC pretty much anywhere NOT a ring. Though, I should note, a person playing Imperian and considering the forums here state roleplay makes Imperian unique, and there is little RP, it makes Imperian appear to not care. I can see that. Maybe admin can get a bit more involved or seek ideas and volunteers to help stage larger rp-oriented events that reward and incentivize RP in a way that draws players in. Imperian use to be the best. Now it somehow is dying, and only we can save it.

Xzerizenabel

Mehmed said:

I think we have RP, but it's just very quiet now. I try to RP when I can, but when no one else makes the effort, it feels like punching a wall. In a time where people are more hung up on mechanics than anything else, when artifacts that basically look like magick or demonic stuff are accessible to anyone and no one bats an eye( @sadey and @kamaylie can testify with the undead bear), when most people force stuff over ring chat to Organise, you sort of need to go along or risk fighting the stream and becoming frustrated.

Yeah I've brought this up before. Magic bow metoers are evil magick, my statue shooting meteors divine artifact don't question me. Real problem is I can't grind credits while RPing. I still try to roleplay as much as possible avoid nearly all forms of OOC.

Eosphoros

Hello everyone!

I'm seeking all Roleplayers for a chance to make our own stories and advance the plot forward.

If anyone is interested please don't hesitate to send a message my way and start hashing out the details.

I still believe we can have a small close knit group of Roleplayers that can shake things up.

Gurak

So this all started... over an IC eureka that made your character suspicious of magick using? Why did you directly confront them instead of ask the higher ups of your council or city? Don't get me wrong i LOVE good rp, but sometimes curtness gets mistaken for rudeness.  Also this just looks like a bit too much drama for ONE word mishap. 

Eosphoros

Anyone out there?

Lartus

We are here. @Eosphoros