Roleplaying your avatar

I think when you bring a RCE into the mix--roleplaying is kind of hard to get into. I mean many people play as who they are in real life. I absolutely refuse to name Neverdie's song as a reference! lol

 

I couldn't agree with you more. I love role-playing, and I know several in our community who love to as well. I also think it's a wonderful idea to somehow link the planets. I know that each planet has its own historical beginning, as well as their own official storyline (I think), but when it comes to role-playing, the possibilities are endless as long as it's depicted as such, and not official storyline.

I know that when I write from a role-playing perspective for Cyrene, I will be approaching it from two angles:

• role-playing within the context of official storyline so that I can reveal more of Cyrene to the community, but ... I also cannot introduce new character names into this type of role-playing storyline ... for example: in the "Cyrene - Secrets and Covert Operations" storyline, I followed the official storyline as presented to me by Ed in his outline, but I could not give the "flyboys" an actual character name.
• role-playing from a fan fiction perspective which allows me to use names of other Entropians in the context of the storyline ... for example: let's say I was conducting an event on Cyrene where role-playing would fit it quite nicely, and a great role-playing soc like Manticore got involved and really added dimension to the event ... in this instance, I could name every one of their soc members who participated without detracting whatsoever from the official Cyrene storyline that has already been written by Ed

My understanding is, that there is a legal and copyright aspect attached to official storyline, which means that it cannot be altered or added to other than by the authors, so ... if there were to be interplanetary storyline, then I think it might need to be worked out with the Planet Partners. I could be wrong, but at this point in time, this is what my understanding is.

There was a time when a lot of role-playing activities were going on, and it was a grand time, so I hope it will pick up in the future and we can once again inspire our fellow Entropians to get creative. I would love to see a new "Break Out" series produced by Oleg again, and Manticore and others just really carrying on a role-playing storyline in the forums as in the past. It really enhances the experience ... especially during major events.

Once Cyrene is launched ... I will be working closely with Ed regarding in-game events, so maybe we can motivate a few to participate. I will also explore interplanetary role-playing with Ed to see what he thinks about it.

Nice thread initiative Lykke. :)

 

Interesting idea Lykke. Funny you should post this right now, as I have a draft of a blog post I wanted to put out there about the idea of "Roles" and how people can see them within Entropia (and real life). Just didn't get around to posting it yet, because I feel I'm missing something, but don't know what. You've inspired me to think hard on it and get it posted. Look out for that coming up soon.

As for my own view of roleplaying, I can trace my avatar's life back through the years, linking to how the Entropia Universe has developed. I see things exactly how you wish to see them, with my avatar's story being supported by the storyline of Entropia in general.

The secret? You have to have something to do for longer periods of time that doesn't cost you so much. If you don't want things to be about money so much, don't be involved so much with money :) Find other stuff you like to do that doesn't cost as much as crafting OA-101 amps (old name I know). Frustration just shows that you're putting too much into it; too high expectations, too much of a feeling of justice when that is not the point, and taking it generally too seriously to be comfortable. I say this only in relation to the "carefree" roleplaying you talk about and wish for.

It's the bane of our society that we're too attached to what we have and what others have. Some people even sell out to try to get rid of it, but usually end up in the same position. They want to start afresh and have that carefree feeling, the excitement of starting again. Usually they return to their state of frustration from before. I don't know if it's possible to change the way you perceive EU, but I know that you can get that exciting feeling all over again. I have recently experienced it with the opening up of Space, which I didn't even think I would be that interested in.

These big changes are often not appreciated as they should be, because people are ironically too focussed on their own life within the Universe and worrying about economic effects. To have a vehicle system that allows us to enter Space and fly to different planets in an open-world MMO (that is even as good looking as EU) is a MASSIVE development. To have multiple companies working on different planets within the same Universe at the same time, trying to find their feet and gain their own character, is mindblowing. We take it for granted a bit, I think.

We all know that Mindark take their time (they're pioneering the MMO industry, of course they take their time!), so if you can last between seasons of action and "storyline downtime", then you will be able to get through the dry times. Of course the hope is that the storyline action will be continuous - it is improving - but until then we have to "survive" (or more importantly, learn to thrive) if we want to stay around for the long haul and actually have a role to play...

 

I have lots to say on this subject but not alot of time atm. I'll post something later that discusses my favorite RPG and what I thought worked best about it from a RP standpoint. Get your dice and graph paper kiddies, it's gonna be a long session!

 

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No warning needed, and I actually think you did a great job at presenting a flow with your thoughts. It was quite easy for me to follow, and will say that you presented a very thought-provoking perspective - so much so, that I am inspired to address a few things that you shared.

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I wholeheartedly agree with this statement, because it's quite difficult to recapture the newness, novelty, and innocence of discovery that we were first introduced to, as we already have a taste of what the flavors are, or might be. That said, I don't think it's impossible to develop an even more keen sense of adventure and wonderment by fine-tuning our creativity and being open to possibilities that we may not have tapped into yet.

We can often become stagnant and complacent with our surroundings, but I think we've been given enough of an opportunity with all that has been presented to us to expand our horizons and look beyond the ordinary. AlphaGeek pointed out somewhere that there's an "RPG" factor attached to the mmo of the game, and while we have witnessed some role-playing in the past, I don't think it was anywhere near what we are capable of doing as a community.

Even though there are many who might approach the universe in skill-based roles, it doesn't mean that those professional roles can't be incorporated into a role-playing scenario now and then with the potential to add a bit of richness to an ongoing storyline. Incorporating the battle-intensity between uber rivals could actually make for an exciting read.

I have to agree with Narfi from the perspective that I don't think we've given enough thought to the potential of what we have right in front of us. Perhaps because we have become so complacent and so expectant in certain respects, or because we've become so weighted down with the frustration of how we play the universe that we find it difficult to see beyond that - I don't know.

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I think you basically answered your own question, but I'll add a bit to it. I think role-playing is action and fan fiction is written storytelling, but of course there's a storytelling aspect to role-playing as well if written about in some fashion. With role-playing, you are interacting with other characters and creating a storyline (mini or otherwise) where you as an individual or people as a group are key in developing how you experience your environment, and in a way that may add to or enhance the actual or overall official universe storyline from a peripheral perspective, without altering the official history of the planet.

With fan fiction, it's putting your creativity into print with the option of creating fictional characters, or basing them off perhaps people within the universe and developing a storyline in that respect, rather than full-on interaction inside the universe with your character that may have less of a controlled role in how the storyline unfolds. In this sense, then you would be presented with elements that may inspire the writing rather than making them up yourself.

However, while there may be a distinct difference in some respects, role-playing and fan fiction aren't that far removed from each other based on your approach. I think both add a wonderful and more exciting dimension to our virtual experiences, and something we should give more consideration to.

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I agree with this assessment as well - it's very common place to be inspired by themes. However, we have a diverse universe with an enormous opportunity to weave a fabric of interplanetary experience and storyline. While I doubt there is opposition with regard to us as individuals doing this with our own role-playing and fan fiction endeavors, I think it becomes a more involved undertaking when it comes to the official (or perceived official) storylines of each of the planets. As mentioned in a previous post ... we then get into a legal and copyright aspect of planet history and evolved storyline, and only the authors have the rights to alter that. This is where I think Planet Partners would need to communicate and collaborate in order to make something like this happen.

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This is where my opinion differs a bit. I like mysteries and unsolved stories that give us an opportunity to explore and perhaps be a part of solving them, if only from a role-playing perspective. However, I think when you take a specific story element and drag it out for an extended period of time (in our case, years), you risk losing your audience and any excited interest. Drawing out a mystery (if well written) will capture interest, and even inspire a "we want to know more" behavior like in the who done its, but if you stretch it too far, there's the potential of giving up your edge.

Curiosity definitely drives us, and I like being drawn in and taken for a ride on the mystery wave, but give me something to hold on to, and give me the sense that something big or unique will eventually happen, but be very careful not to hold me in suspended animation too long, because you'll lose me for sure, and I think that's what's happened to many within our universe as a result of some of the scenarios that have not been played out yet for far too long. There's so much potential, and I would like to see us brought back into the fold with a new level of excitement.

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Thank you very much. And as I mentioned before, I am very humbled, grateful, and excited about this new opportunity to write for Cyrene. I think what I'm most excited about is that Ed loves role-playing, and he's not afraid to get into the trenches in that respect.

I am looking forward to not only developing one of the key characters in the official Cyrene storyline (Vida), but also getting to role-play her. This will be a part of my official storyline responsibilities, but I also get to role-play MS9 with the Senator that will continue to introduce more about Cyrene the planet and its history prior to the planet's release. Again, it's done in a way that doesn't detract from the official storyline written by Ed, with the restriction that I cannot introduce any new character names.

Details still need to be sorted with regard to the in-game events, but I'm excited that Ed and I will be collaborating on designing and presenting them so that they fit and expand the official storyline, and where Entropians will be able to potentially engage in role-play with an end benefit.

I'm really glad that Lykke started this discussion, because I think it's time we gathered again as a community to give thought to new possibilities. Perhaps for some to reassess how they approach the universe, and reconsider making changes that foster less frustration. I know that reinventing yourself isn't always an easy proposition, but we have a "bazzillion" (as Narfi coins it) brilliant people in our community with tapped and untapped talent and creativity, and I would love to see a resurgence of the (positive) frenetic energy that many of us have had the benefit of experiencing ... this I know is available in abundance ... we just have to make the decision to plug in.

EDIT:

I just wanted to add that I love what you wrote Spawn, because these are absolutely the details that told the story without something being written, and it was done exceptionally well. I so appreciate the emotional aspect conveyed as well, because it adds to our overall existence ... where we are and where we've come from.

And ... thanks Peter for the reminder of how incredibly special the whole Lootius storyline was well played out by CoL and others who took on the challenge. We all know that Lootius still exists, but I think he's spending far too much time sitting next to Lykke's treasure chest and guarding the loot (yes AlphaGeek, there's loot in Lykke's treasure chest ... get over it :p). This was a huge role-playing storyline, and I wouldn't mind seeing it revived as well. :)

Also looking forward to AlphaGeek's contribution ... one of our premiere Entropian role-players. :D

 

Precisely. This is a problem for many people. I have a slightly different way of dealing with it to offer. Consider these two views:

View 1 (most people):

I wish it was as exciting as it used to be. /// We used to do *blah*, *blah* and *blah* and it was awesome fun. No worries, no cares, just going for it all the time! Those were the days...

*Melancholy leads to constant comparisons between the past and the present. When the level of excitement doesn't live up to expectations, frustrations appear and the entire picture is negative*

/// is the point at which View 1 goes "wrong" as far as I see it. They start looking back for ideas on how it should be now. To make the most of nostalgia, you have to accept that things have changed and will never be the same again (not exactly the same anyway). Also know that the exact situation you were in before was not the thing that gave that feeling, so don't try to recreate the exact situation.

View 2 (my suggestion):

I wish it was as exciting as it used to be. I know those times are over, but I am glad I was a part of them. The memories I have are a special possession that not many people were lucky enough to be a part of. Now I'm more experienced, I can move on consciously and involve myself in things that I enjoy and new things that I'm not familiar with. This, I know, can give me a similar feeling to that I have fond memories of.

*Melancholy leads to contentment and thoughtful reflection on how to progress. Ideals are formed and a positive direction can be found*

It is important not to let the differences between the past and present get you down or slow you down. People often mistake the beginning for the end. When you come up against what seems like a block in the road (when the idea of "the good old days" comes up), it is not the end, it is the beginning of your Entropian journey!

To use an analogy, take running for example. When you start running it feels like hell and before a mile has passed under your feet, you're panting and sweating and ready to stop. That is the beginning of your run. Once you get past that stage, you get acclimated to the pace and your breathing organises itself and you can run on for a much longer distance than it first seemed.

Acceptance and appreciation of the fact that things are not the same can be hard. I'd also like to link to a thread I created which may help you get an idea of how I have dealt with it:

http://www.planetcalypsoforum.com/forums/showthread.php?186315-Atlas-Island-Day-21st-April

I love the feeling of nostalgia and happily reminisce about "the good old days," but fondly. Without any relation to the present day; how things are now. I just think about how it was, with a (perhaps goofy, bite me) smile :)

Anyway, hope this makes some sense, and enjoy my linked thread.

 

Wonderfully written Dalas, and in a way that gave me pause to reconsider my own thinking about the past. I have certainly been guilty of having thoughts that languished in the good ol' days, and wishing it could be more like then. However, your perspective has eloquently cleared a path for new thinking.

I guess I was so taken by the elements and interactions of our universe back in the day that had us interacting more at various levels, along with experiencing the excitement of community life that just took us places that exhilarated our senses, which gave me the feeling it had somehow gotten lost, and that we wouldn't be able to recover it.

However, I still feel that it has to be a collaborative effort to move forward and evolve in the universe that is being presented to us in a way that elevates and renews a more excited spirit. Yes, it takes effort, but I have always had faith in this community that it wasn't beyond possible.

I have to agree that it's not always easy to adapt to change, especially when familiar aspects of our environment have been altered or even removed. However, I think Dalas is right in stating (in so many words) that what's new and unfamiliar may just be the beginning, and rather than drowning ourselves in what used to be, we grab hold of the opportunity in front of us and head back to the drawing board to see what we can come up with.

Thanks for the inspiration Dalas, and for bringing to light how some of us can get caught up in what was.

 

I fear that what many of us think of as the good 'ol days needs to be brought back to life for EU to thrive, but I don't really see a way for this to happen.

When I started in 2005 I could put in $10 and play play play. I just don't see new players now being able to do that.

I also remember, fondly, going out hunting certain mobs to try to loot the various armor parts or weapons that I wanted. That feeling of being able to loot what you would use was a great incentive.

Having to worry about every ped and pec, and seeing them go away quickly doesn't help one to be comfortable enough to roleplay.

I was never a roleplayer in EU because I've been fascinated by the aspect of getting to know people from all over Earth. I really should try to get over that to a degree and start roleplaying. I do it all the time in D&D and CoC so it would probably come naturally.

Great, now you all have me thinking about completely changiong the way I play in EU. LOL.

 

I'm not quite sure if i Role-play or if i just play myself really. But i think my real chosen profession is more focused on my role i play in Entropia. I've always thought my primary profession was as a Teacher or Mentor as MA has called it. But by playing that role i was having fun and it actually wasn't costing me. I kinda looked at it as some play as a hunter or a miner and they do there jobs of killing stuff and digging up rocks. As a Mentor i did what a Teacher would do and that was Teach people how to survive on this new planet and now Universe. I realized that we all play as something and this was just the new profession that i started along with many others way back years and years ago before there was the Mentor profession officially in-game. So i am very much looking forward to seeing what MA will do now with it coming back as i didn't really like the old one because it attracted the wrong type of ppl. Kinda like why i think it's stupid to pay politions so much because your just attracting the wrong kind of people for a job that people should just want to do because they want to help people.

 

:) I hope you read my blog post when I get done with it. That thought is possibly the most important in your EU life. Hold it.

 

Keep one thing in mind guys...

How EU is today is not how it is forever.

There was actually a bit of a storyline around the Cryengine release, which talked about an ice age on Calypso causing dramatic changes to the landscape after the Thyphon impact . From what we've learned so far, the old walls of Port Atlantis (one of the few areas which have been redone) have been discovered at the borders of the new city. This is an example of how the old history is beginning to show up again in the new world. I don't see why things like this wouldn't continue to pop up. Don't however, expect the same old stuff to pop up from before. The dead soldiers, the destroyed mechs... Most of which would most likely have been buried or destroyed in the impact or ice age. However don't rule them out either.

The only thing it needs is time, and plenty of it. It's a bit premature to miss the old (and more complete) landscape of EU when the new one hasn't had a chance to be remodelled yet. As far as I remember, the idea of Mindark was to get the Cryengine up and running as fast as possible by doing a very basic version of Calypso with nothing special on it, and then re-do the whole thing once the CE2 got going. So of course we don't have so many landmarks and special sites, but just you wait, they'll come ;)

Good things come to those who wait.