A
Discussion of Roleplaying
by Titaniia Lightfooted
"Someone wise had mentioned somewhere else that good RP was backing off enough to give others the space to roleplay into your scenario."
~ Prestius
Roleplay. It is the lifeblood of Gemstone; the magic and mystery, the basis of conflict and friendships. At their best, a roleplayer is able to make you for a moment forget you are playing a game and immerse yourself in the story with them. At their best, a roleplayer can inspire others to do the same.
"Creating a believable character means understanding who that character is.... where they come from, why they are adventurers."
~ Harmonius
In Gemstone, roleplay begins with your character. Their race, their profession, and their worship - every aspect of your character can contribute to your portrayal of them. What is your motivation for your actions? Are you interested in power, wealth, family? Are you a loner or a "people-person"? And if you are a loner, how will you manage to roleplay that in a way that engages and interests other roleplayers rather then alienating them?
"Those who wish to roleplay introverted and quiet characters as a part of the public and shared story need to keep in mind that they still must make their presence known if people are going to know that they are quiet and introverted."
~ GM-Aelsidhe
Logging into Gemstone is like walking into a never-ending story where we all get to shape the plot. We can contribute to it or simply observe, but the opportunity is there for all of us to enhance the experience of others as well as our own. It can be difficult to play a loner or a dark character and still manage to create an atmosphere that invites others to join in your roleplay, but it can be done. Likewise, it can be difficult to restrain yourself from going too far and forcing your roleplay onto others. There is a delicate balance that allows for interaction rather then reaction.
"Creativity is fine, but chaos is not."
~ Lylia
The creators and GameMasters of Gemstone have created a rich, colorful world for us to roleplay in. From Estrion in the past to Mynal'lynna in the present we have a wealth of good and evil to either battle against or struggle for. The history and lore are available for us all to study and the mechanics allow for us to use ACT and SMILE commands to further shape our characters.
While this can allow us to really flesh out a character, for instance, an elf who limps due to an old war injury or a sylvan who only smiles sardonically ~ leaving you to wonder what embittered them. It can also be temptation to color outside the lines of established history and lore and to create characters that do not fit into the world which Simutronics has created for us.
There is a very subtle line between stretching the boundaries and other's ability to roleplay by the use of roleplay devices and forcing an alternate reality upon other players. An example would be a character that believes he is an orc. If it is just the character's belief, others can react to him within the boundaries of Elanthian reality. We know he's not an orc. When we look at him we see a dwarf. But we now have the choice to either go along with him or treat him as a dangerous psychopath. When the player behind the character insists that he is an orc, the bounds of our Elanthian world are breached and other players are forced to react to what seems clearly impossible to them.
"You have be willing to lose sometimes."
~ Nevrek
"If you initiate conflict with people you don't know, you should plan to lose"
~ Harun
Some of the best roleplay comes in the form of conflict. A good Gemstone conflict can have you standing up in front of the keyboard, screaming at the monitor and laughing at the same time. At the same time, some of the worst roleplay in Gemstone comes in the form of conflict. It's a tricky type of roleplay to engage in and can quickly turn bad if everyone involved isn't roleplaying.
When engaging in roleplayed conflict, you must be willing to lose and take the consequences of that loss. Remember that the conflict is between characters and has nothing at all to do with you - the player of the character. If your character is outwitted, be willing to accept the consequences. The best roleplayers don't use levels and spells to win conflicts - they play them out and take the good with the bad.
Unfortunately, not everyone in Gemstone enjoys conflict or is able to roleplay it without allowing it to spill over to real life emotions. Approach conflict carefully and know when to simply walk away.
"When you think of the real legends, whom do you think of? I'll bet you that it's the people who have created vivid, believable, and interesting characters within the boundaries the GM's have made for us."
~ Armaxis
Remember that novelty characters tend to be flash in the pans. While it may seem like a good idea to create a controversial character in order to gain quick fame or attention, it is the long term, consistently roleplayed character that we all come to know and love. Whether good or evil, dark or light, we all are able to instantly think of characters who are truly legendary. When creating a character it is always a good idea to first think of what other characters you admire and why, and then use that knowledge to craft your own unique personality.
Character creation takes time and even the best roleplayed characters won't be noticed or praised their first few nights in town. This doesn't mean that you can't create a well roleplayed controversial or unique character. Some of the finest roleplayers in Gemstone play some of the darkest or strangest characters around. The key is that they all played within the boundaries of Elanthian history and lore, were willing to take their lumps and were consistent in their roleplay. Be patient and persistent and in time others will be looking at your characters as legends as well.
What makes
a good character?
by Joter
ParkShane
Well this is a difficult question to answer as a lot of this depends on the individual and situation. However, in general there are a few traits that can be found in all characters.
One is consistency. Do you follow Voln? Then if that is the case you should ask yourself the question "Why am I aiding Luukos?" If you can not find a good reason for it or you do not want to role-play it then that is out of character for you.
What is important to you? You should have your own set of values and your character should live up to them, whether it be religious, moral, or ethical, or a combination of these. If you tell a young one how to do something shouldn't you also follow through?
You should also maintain good role playing etiquette. Whisper anything that is not Elanthian, don't shout, don't annoy, and most importantly, no player versus player conflicts without consent (as in a duel). There are other things but I think Trevor and the warrior Raging Thrak probably already told it to you.
There is one other thing you may want to do. Build a background. What is your family history? You an orphan? Have parents? Where? What got you into adventuring? Anything influence you? Also, as I mentioned earlier, you may want to pick a god. Remember your god represents who you are. I suggest you come up with a background and then pick the god that fits you as a person. Also, remember, if you wish you can be single, get married, and/or adopt children. In this way you can build a personal history from your present period forward.
Remember the first rule of role-play -- it is never open and shut! There is always rule to explained it as I have shown you.
May the Arkati be with you!