Hello everybody who's reading this. I'm having a strange problem on the server, and i'd actually like a bit of input. I was the owner of two roleplay servers in my history of playing these sorts of games. One was Valikorlia on "Graal Online", and one was something sort of bland-yet-successful on Ultima Online. I tended to play (with access to a decent bit of level-editing, monster-spawning junk) kind of world-disturbing characters that advanced plots and otherwise stirred up lazy folk into doing something. That doesn't really fit or work here, so i tried to be something evil. That was actually sort of boring, and felt rather negative due to people usually having overly negative reactions to either subtle or overtly evil things (despite how they could create a situation to spice up everyone's day).

However, I currently play a character named Myra Mercedes, who is a Neutral-Good Enchanter/Illusionist who also has a Greater Focus in Transmutation. I just recently got her into epic levels but i have slowed my leveling tremendously in order to roleplay more. I love my character and how she plays out, but i've never anything to do that really feels different than what i've done.

Now that the background information is out there, let me outline the problem.

Since i began playing here some several months ago, i've been making new characters on and off without finding a whole lot of joy in any of them, and as such they are relatively unknown and not worth mentioning. I've been having a bit of fun on Myra traveling about, seeking and selling items that are of interest to her and her trade, and i am also thinking of having her attend the Seven Star Academy, possibly as a teacher. I roleplay her a tad mischievous at times, but overall a lot of fun is usually had by all the folk involved in it.

Now, i have been logging on and going to places where Myra would go, and finding no one but myself there for long periods of time-- I switched it up and began going to where i know people will be: Cordor, Bendir Dale, The Grove, and outlying areas. I get myself involved in a little back and forth banter, perhaps something intelligent or philosophical... But that's all any of my roleplay amounts to if i am not attacked, or i am not attacking someone else.

How do you do it? How do you keep so much interest in the mundane activities and long drawling conversations of our myriad of level 30 Devildracomancers? I absolutely adore the DM staff here more than anywhere i've had the pleasure of roleplaying before, and the absolutely strange things they're able to think of on-spot to give people something to do (Gunz's giant frog in the grove the other day was interesting). But i understand there cannot always be a DM there to cause a scene, tell a story, or otherwise get people active.

How do i become more pro-active as a good-guy who isn't focused on building a thing, or routing out evil? I tend to enjoy creating more fun for other people (case in point Myra's antics), but most times that i see a player-event it is a big gathering of people, with food on the ground and people chatting. It has become frustrating because i really enjoy being here and interacting with this great playerbase, but i have been feeling that any personal character i create falls flat and feels horribly forced when i attempt to be active.

My Blackguard-hunting Blackguard, for example. Good on paper, kind of monotonous to wander about and go through the motions of asking people who they serve so i can clear out all the evil folk that are competing with He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Moreso monotonous to be evil for evil's sake and attack people.

I guess what this rant is trying to say is... I'm not in it for notoriety or dream-coins, i'm not in it to be a level 30 Rangerguy of Rangerton; I just want to do something interesting, and i want to create a lot of interesting things for folk to do-- random things that do not always require people to be online at the same time, yet not exactly destructive things.

I'm saying... please, help.

(I just tried to request a character, wrote up something interesting and fun, and then immediately deleted it from the forums and got bored when i sat down and pictured the time and effort i would put into this character in-game, without anything being much different than it is now.)

make a drow and join the army of backstabers. if you can seperate the ic from ooc it's really fun to ruin other drows day with months of planning to ruin their plans that took months to build up.

Didn't the massive influx of drow RP just start not long ago? I know someone who was in house Vandree for awhile, and myself frequented Edonil on a darker character-- Nothing was really going on aside from a Kobold who liked to harass people and then greater-sanc, and some misc slaver stuff.

I don't want to turn this into a faction-specific rant, however... I do appreciate the input but i think it's more than just a faction issue in my case.

My suggestion to you would be to involve yourself in a totally new thing that you don't OOCly know that well. That way you learn as your character learns. That's always fun to me.

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My Characters:
Yuilith Kethil Menaiivan Garadeth

never been a fan of altoholics, it just screws up the numbers for active chars in a area in my mind.

for interesting stuff, only you know what you enjoy and find interesting, I play only one guy and have for years and yes it dies down abit where there is little to do.
DM events are nice filler for something to do (dont mean filler in a degraded way)I have played around to alchemy RP for abit, then some mythal research and now am attempting to provide all the needed aid to a island practically alone ( so thats been keeping me busy)

alot of the stuff I am doing now would fall under your "How do you keep so much interest in the mundane activities " in my case its not so much interest at this point that drives it but a mix of about 79% stubborness, 10% pessimism, 10% arrogance and 1% foresight of a delusional outcome.
some times you just have to put up with doing the dull mundane activities so you can get to the interesting stuff.

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================-<Cory ShadowFlame>-================
Risenlord-Shifter(OMG a Non-Dragon Shifter that can hold his own in PvE)

Set up multiple goals and activities for your characters. It will keep you busy and the job system can be used to support some of them quite a lot.

Oh, geez, I remember that Graal server... now I feel old.

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"Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words."

You and i both, that was so long ago. It was a huge mess, but i created a lot of great roleplay there. Shame folk in that game were so immature.

Thank you everyone for your input... now... How would i go about creating some kind of alternative goals? I know that i'm the only one who can really say what she wants or doesn't want, but let's use an example.

If i wanted to go out and be the creator of some thing based on my research, it'd sort of be deadlined regardless of how much RP went into it, or the quality of the roleplay itself, if i didn't have the DCs neccesary to pay for it.

Or... if i were one of those stuffy druid folk and i felt that we've -really- let the western forest go and it's in need of a cleansing... you couldn't really just go and cleanse it. You'd require a coordinated effort IC, i understand, but also a great one OOC to make any physical changes to the world. The changes would affect other players and their leveling / roleplay and would have to be considered for more than it's IC merit, however strong.

How do you go about making things happen in this world without needing to go through lengthy channels for OOC approvals and coordination? What can i as a player do to truly advance anything more than a personal story without trying to rack up a huge DC bill?

I think i'm having a problem articulating the exact cause of my frustration. I can't change anything, but i also don't expect that every dick and harry should have the ability to. (Nor do i always think my ideas are best for everyone)

When I first came to Amia I made a lot of characters, ecperimenting with building and finding out just what it was I liked to play. I think can be said to be par for the course for most people.

But then I hit upon Belladonna (my halfling ranger) and I, for want of a better term, settled down with her. She fit me, she was fun in whatever she got up to, even if that was just patrolling the woodland paths. And she has been my main for the past couple of years.

There have been others who have come and gone but she has stayed with me, she even has a novel to her name, though I doubt it will ever be published, that I created when I was forced offline for several months.

Anyways... my point is that you are probably still trying to find the =right= character to settle with and it will happen in time. I am largely absent from Amia these days, busy with RL and other online projects, but when I do come home to Amia then like as not its to Bellla and her friends I look first.

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Siggy by Maryn

Yeah, I've been having this problem too; whenever I log in, I just end up loitering around a few areas for 10 minutes before getting bored and logging out.

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I think you've got this a little backwards...

Approvals and changes really won't go through if you have no IC or RP behind it. It doesn't matter how amazing you make it sound, without RP, nothing will change. You request these things OOCly if you're speaking on the basis of technicality, but what makes those requests and changes happens are the RP behind it you advance with the other players here on Amia.

If you want to make something happen, you have to work with other characters in the world. I think if you can get away from "I" mentality and think of a "we" mentality you'd find everything a lot more enjoyable.

It's spot on, in my opinion. DM unwillingness can utterly invalidate RP, making a request or affirmation prior to it preferable. No matter how amazing some RP can be, certain things will simply never happen. For example, a permanent fixture of a player upon the module, in the form of, say, a statue, is a simple thing to do ICly, but will not likely happen OOCly.

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If you're looking for a very changeable setting where players engage in an overarching storyline, that can happen on Amia but from what I've seen it's quite rare. There are roleplay groups which form and you should keep an eye on the forums for something which interests you because they're the most storyline-focused groups of the lot.

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Zeskija Inalka - Catkin Meadowleaf - Xyme Thanas'ka

I'm not neccesarily saying it's a DM problem... but what if some guy has a really good idea but he and nobody he knows has the DCs to pay for it, or it would be complicated due to it being a leveling hub, etc. A lot of OOC reasons some IC junk can't happen. More recently even, there are events which are canceled or moved due to the people needing to be there simply not being there. Nobody wants to miss things, but i think a lot more should go on in the world regardless of who's on.

I'm all for everything requiring rigorous confirmation to fit into the game world.

I don'know, while I enjoy a nice DM plot (be it big or small) I find just as much joy in the so called "casual RP".

Talking with other PC, maybe holding some classes with my druid or doing some bartering with my wizard. The occasional hunt or patrol with friends/faction members/or complete strangers.

Seems I enjoy the small, not necessarily "epic" things just the like.

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If the RP behind it is amazing, people will most likely chip into help you, whether that be DMs or fellow players. You see this happen a lot with a lot of people's requests. Again, it's not an "I" mentality. It's a "we" mentality. It's a community here on Amia. You don't have to try to do everything by yourself. Even if it's DC related.



A lot of things -are- going on. If you haven't been part of it, maybe you should indulge yourself in a gathering of people that -seems- to be sitting in one area doing nothing but gossiping about who has the cutest butt. Sometimes that's all there is. Other times something really is happening.

You really can't be in middle of some epicness all the time... Even making big change happens requires a lot of sitting around and seemingly casual chatter RP.

you dont have to DC request the stuff right away you can wait months, dont let not having DCs stop you from doing RP and attempting something.



DMs will try thier best to make things work if the person really put the effort into it and its a logical request, all the updates the poor devs have had to do with me and the building of the port......

the effort and reason are the most key factors I belive.
if I ask the DM I want to clear Aigheshed because its full of undead and undead are bad... and the RP effort was I'm level 30 and no amount of the monsters from that zone spawned by DMs could ever kill me so *STABBY STABBY*.... I would not go holding my breath for it happening.

but if you were "cleansing" a zone for say a cart path or something else and did put in effort over time, the DMs might do thier best to help you achieve your goal by say moving monster spawns away from the road.

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================-<Cory ShadowFlame>-================
Risenlord-Shifter(OMG a Non-Dragon Shifter that can hold his own in PvE)

Perhaps it is a problem with me, then. It just seems like an awful lot of folk are content to stand in their favorite spot and wait to be attacked, all the while consoling someone over their relationship problems.

Though i don't particularly want to know the details of what happened to Vizuan and his slavers, it was always interesting when they were all just simply online, and decided to go raid someplace or other. Even being a pvp-centric gathering, it created a decent bit of roleplay before the fight, after the fight, and the ensuing events that happened because of it.

I think i need to find a way to go out and make things happen myself. They didn't change a physical level on the server, but you can't say they didn't do anything for anyone's characters with it. I think Crow is still pretty pissed about being sold.

There really should be more random, unplanned occurences that can involve settlers and loafers. Everyone topside seems to hide behind gates nowadays.

Okay this may sound very stupid for most people, it did for me too at the beginning. Anyhow I work with this for a while now and it somehow worked for me.

In my job, we get a lot of personal coaching and training. And one thing our personal Coach once taught us pretty much at the beginning was this:

Whatever annoys you in your life or whenever you feel unhappy with a situation, remember you have always three options to choose between. Generally, choosing one, no matter which, is always better than just keep dwelling the matter over and over.

Your always availabe options are:

1. Take it
The situation may not be perfect, but you can cope with it and maybe find some aspects you like even

2. Change it
Try to make a turn of events and bring things on a different course on your own accord instead of waiting/hoping someone else does

3. Leave it
Sometimes you just find no way to take the situation or truly change it to a for you acceptable/comfortable degree. If all fails you still have the option to leave things behind and find something new

So don't get me wrong please. This is no critizm or complaint or whatever. Just something that often helped me and I thought I'd share.

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You could always join Copper Industries! We're the go-to folks for plenty of construction projects and other "change" ideas, if that's the sort of thing you're specifically looking for. We've helped (at least partially) with two recent module additions. It sounds like you mostly just want to be a part of something where you'll have a hand in creating and changing things server-wide - important things that make a difference. Anything that does that will require a lot of RP, which is a given, but you have to realize it'll also force you to work with other characters who want the same goal. That's the best part about Amia: being able to make server-wide changes due to your own (and others') initiative.

Oh, and... Generally, making changes like building a brand new shrine or a gate, or really any other module change that's based on weeks or months of RP won't cost any DCs, so you shouldn't worry about a "DC Bill".

Also! There's plenty of RP behind those gates, as well. It's not always about relationship problems or who wants to sleep with whom. My character Zelly is a very social creature and she's stuck behind the gates of Kohlingen right now for very IC reasons. As someone has already said before, sometimes that gathering of people isn't just a hub of giggle-poke-drama.


Actually, if you wanted to try your hand with RP that revolves around staying in the walls of a city, I would actually welcome you to look into creating an elven character for the few remaining positions left in the Winya Alternate Beginnings. I was there for the first RP session they had (with an old elven character - not a new one) and it was very fun!

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There are many things you can do. You could seek to rise up and conduct research on many unknowns or things that people know much of but still not enough(like Mythals), being an Arcanist.

Cliques are a common trend on Amia. Most people have their own little ongoing plots, and thus rarely show their faces in the open so that it would lure outsiders to partake of the RP. I've personally become completely estranged from the server lately, and it feels absolutely terrible to step out of my comfort zone anymore. Amia is really quite a welcoming place if you make the effort, though. Just be persistent, conciliatory, and open-minded.

For instance, making a character with the intent of joining an active player group is not sad. On the contrary, it is a great way of getting into the cliques. I only make it sad to myself, because I'm so hopelessly stuck with what used to be and is no more.

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UCE THIS, YOU COW.

Can't tell you what to do but, I can give you advice from my experiences in RP from oh...about 33 years of PnP and Online gaming...and the few months here on Amia...

First, expect other players to lose interest in their characters. Sad but true fact, as in life, few folks are going to stick around on one character for whatever reason. I'm not saying they are going to kill off their characters but, most people wander away, get bored, want to try new stuff, run with others..etc. Expect it and deal with it.

Second, you can always work with the RP events the DMs have even if you are not a main player in the event. The Winya RP is a good example. You don't HAVE to make an elven character to interact with it. Its nice if you do and want to commit to that time and run in that RP. There are countless other things too. Peeves is doing some Green Lake things...Dust has his Kobolds...etc...again, you don't have to be a central character in these to have fun with them. Just make yourself available as a "supporting cast" member....I am doing that with the Winya RP and now that this event is started, we'll see where it goes.

Next, make a name for yourself and "be" your character. Put your character on like a role in a play or movie and then, run with it. That's what I have done with Krugan. He's famous (or infamous) but, he is who he is. He make no apology for it, he will move to counter other's RP, he will start RP and such.

And example of this was his wedding with Amenia. When Amenia's player agreed to make them a couple and get married, we discussed how we could make it fun for the most people. I got Kurchin to cater, started in the Grove and then moved to the Dale as that RP played out, had his ex fiancee he thought was dead show back up, had someone that was seeking to kill Amenia from her past show back up (least send a messenger) and alot more. The entire RP was player driven and interacted and all this was going on while Krugan was deepening his touch with the Shadow (and more players were involved with that and some DM support) so for about 4-6 weeks, there were ALOT of RP things going on for Krugan and others. Krugan is paying people to map the lands, looking for jewelers, miners, smelters etc....players that have their own desires for RP and plans...

In a nutshell, support OTHERS RP desires and you will quickly find you have more RP things you are doing then you can chase. I've run into Myra Mercedes and we have had some short but fun RP. Krugan is around quite a bit in the areas you mention and always up to RP with folks. He can be a foil, a supporter, an agent, a merchant...pretty much whatever...to any other player.

What I would suggest is this...don't limit yourself to a specific idea or thought on RP...make a character with a certain thought or idea in mind then, let them come alive.

Krugan never started out to be what he is today. He didn't want love. He didn't want to be the center of attention (at all, just another face in the crowd in fact) but, his RP drove him in a totally and completely different path. I in fact, remade him twice at level 3 before he found his way to be where he is...neither evil nor good...not seeking to kill but, being quite capable and willing to do so when needed.

One player described him as a "professional killer...with a heart"....and that pretty much describes him. If someone said he was a thief, he would take offense to it even though, he does steal sometimes. He isn't a thief in his mind, he's a rogue. Actually...he is a Rogue with a capital R...as in a Rogue of Tilverton. He has a personal code of ethics and morals and he is as fiercely tied to it as any paladin or cleric. As Zelly and others will tell you, he don't back down from his beliefs regardless of what others think or do...he adapts and overcomes.

I have found most folks love it even if it annoys them at times...because...Krugan is memorable. He takes a stand for what he believes and he don't back down. And also, nobody is really quite sure what to make of him....he's very much like the Shadow...fluid...not fixed...for the most part.

Unlike many, he is not secretive about being a Shadow Dancer...he is quite proud of it. Holding it out as an honorable profession despite the general feeling a Dancer is "shady and evil"...he's become kinda the face of being a Shadow dancer to alot of characters...which again is totally opposite of what he originally was going after...he wanted to be a nobody...just another faceless adventurer dressed in grey, not white or black...

Allow others to play off you too...to be your foil or thorn in your side...stick to your character..your "role" in the roleplay. Let's others shine and run with their own RP...and you will find its fun too.

You know most of this I think...just don't get discouraged. I have had 4 RPs shot out from under me for various reasons. Maybe you should make a Mulan and join that RP...or an Elf for the Winya one...or a Kobold or Goblin...or run with Myra and the Seven Stars or something else.

There is a host of RP opportunities...more then you can probably fit your time into here...and you can always make your own. Amia has a wealth of fantastic DMs AND Players...from Drow to Paladins and all in between.

Just because one concept doesn't come to life doesn't mean the next one won't...I have plenty of "alts"....4 have tried to come to life truly....1 made it....though possible one or two more are trying and we will see.

I know I can honestly probably only "be" 2 to 3 characters...and even with only 1 main and 2 possibles...I have already run into the problem of needed to be on as 2 or 3 characters at the same time. My Mulan couldn't be at the RP for the meeting because I also needed to be working as Krugan for his promotion and some RP things...and my supporting character for the Winya RP should have been around the RP last night but ended up getting turned about and had some other RP and hunting to do....its hard having more than one "main"....

But don't let it stop you....sometimes having a level 6-10 is fine forever...don't have to be 30 to have RP fun after all. And don't rush to 30 and suddenly think that once you get there you will magically get RP....mix the two...RP as you move up to 30 and you will find that 30 is just where you stop getting EXP...not having fun...lol.

Hope this book I wrote helps! And have Myra find Krugan...he can always use another contact and once he knows your skill set....in the Jobs for instant...he might have work for you!

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Ya see, long time ago, me father taught me somethin that be right true.
An amateur practices until they get it right. A professional practices till they can't get it wrong.
Dwarves are professionals at what we do.

Always remember a character has her/his own story.

Whenever I make a char I already have a design in my head for him or her and a decent background.

Since a "Rogue/thief from Evermeet who was poor so he turned to Mask to get rich" type of cliche is not really my thing I usually try to spice things up with a bit of originality, sometimes even inconsistency, for example a Duergar who due to -insert random excuse- went to the surfaced and even though he hates it and is still evil, forces himself to stay topside. Dwarves are already disliked, and duergar aren't the cutest to look at either so that'll earn a lot of confrontations already.

Create whatever you like but remember to make it interesting to play for you and others as well.

Then the next thing is you need a goal. Not a "I'll make a travelling monk who just does stuff around" You'll get bored of that.
Perhaps your character is cursed or insane and is searching for something or someone who leads him to the next clue. Plots like that spice the RP up a lot. If you feel like you have ended your storyline you have a choice to either willingly permakill your character (which isn't always death, the char can just leave the island) or continue on and come up with a new story.

If you're not good at making up backgrounds and plots ask people around for help. You might not hit the spot the first 2 or 3 times but the fourth one might just be it and that character will suddenly become your main, without you even planning on it. The best thing about an online community like on Amia is that even though you have plans for your char another person ight pass by and alter it all with one sentence, for example my drow came to the island as a shy, undereducated illiterate who always whispered and after 2 months he grew to be loud and annoying, and all because of three chars who kept screwing up his life, in a good way.


Tip from me, when making a char, take your time, make up a fun background and some past acquaintances so you don't start off on nothing. I usually take a week for myself to discover if the char is worth the play or will I get bored of it in a day and it helps me, without that I probably would spam Amia with shallow toons....


...yes I said toons.

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These trees are made for humpin'!

LOL, he's not pissed about being sold...twice, it was more of an embarrassment for him. He 'is' pissed about something concerning the slavers though, but I doubt that will ever come to fruition now.

I wondered many of the things you do, when I first joined Amia. As I developed Crow and his personality, and his excruciatingly slow level up, the role-play just fell into place. One little event (Fox's capture), thrust Crow into the world, from being a lone rogue that no one knew, to being a fairly respected member of Amian society. Crow was forced to interact with people he didn't know, and made some lasting relationships in the process. Those relationships, have given him enough base to build solid RP on, and allows him to branch out to different characters. 'Course, being TN has it's benefits :P

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Seconded.

Amia isn't as big as we'd like it to be, or as we think it is. Really, we end up roleplaying with the same people in different images. And often times, the interest of the people drifts and changes fairly dramatically. For example, over the past few months, I've witnessed an influx of Bendir Dale Halflings as a counter to an Influx of Slaver/Evil people (Very much my own opinion, and in no way is that claim meant in an offensive manner). Then there was a large group of Drow in the Underdark. Now, it seems, there's a huge amount of people playing Elves. I think Amia acts in waves, or series. During these waves of favored roleplay, a few characters really shine, develop, and persist- And so a Clique develops. Find these people, find the rhythmical sway of Amia- and you'll find your set of Roleplay.

Now.. on a micro level, I have a few suggestions of my own. The past few characters I've played, and the current character I'm playing now are evil, but subtlely so (Some less than others). What I found to be an absolutely enthralling evil was an evil that could mask itself. I had characters that could adopt personalities on a whim, enter these previously mentioned cliques with little difficulty- and with patience and careful planning, I would sway others to do things I'd wanted, or gather important information only to sell it to another source. Yes, I did all kinds of banal activities, non-epic adventure roleplay-- But that didn't change the danger of what I was doing. At any moment, I could have been exposed, so I had to play with utmost caution and a sharp mind at all times. And everything I'd said or done was with my own personal twist, intentional, and done in the hopes of casually persuading others to whatever end I was trying to accomplish. *Shrug* If you can play with this kind of mindset, or at least add your own danger/importance/risks to your roleplay, even the everyday activities, you'll really dive into your character.

The most fun I've had with a character is playing a character who could, at any moment, lose everything.

I'd also recommend a kind of character that has to learn. Be it.. a Dragon Disciple's quest to know as much as she can about her ancestry and the Dragons, or a Palemaster's endeavor to embody the undead. Or even a Wizard's personal journey as she excels through the weave, learning the intricacies and mastery of every single spell she's capable of casting. Spending even a few days learning from a single scroll. Take things slowly, involve others in projects. The more you dedicate to your character, in a way that's public and allows others to join you- the more Roleplay will -come to you-.

Who doesn't want to be a part of Arion's magical tales, or impress Amia's Copper Kin with fanciful ideas of Dragon discipleship, or to talk magical theory with Amia's most potent and clever wizard? Make yourself a mastery of your field, and the roleplay will come to you.

With my main, Daniel, he had a set of goals and an active flaw that drove him both to those goals and yet away at the same time. This caused alot of interaction with people on both sides of neutral as he was pulled first this way and that. Both from his own conflict and later for love.

The fulcrum of creating RP for myself is always to tuck my own mind away and let the RP drive plot. Don't know if that gives you ideas or not but I hope it helps at least to understand how someone else plays

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Guys I play:
Finng Meras
Joshua Steel
Daniel Makie
Celub Elubmiire
Tristan
Len'ionel

Thank you everyone, truly. I've taken bits if not the whole message from everything said here. I've tried making characters for interesting factions, only to find out nothing was really going on. When i'm not playing, i more often than not sitting behind someone and watch Grove RP over their shoulder to see what's going on.

I know that building such things like gates and zone makeovers take a lot of time and RP, that's great, it's refreshing. However, once you get that gate, people start to sort-of... Hide behind it. You're all pretty safe behind that Bendir Dale gate, and the druids have all moved further away into seclusion. I don't like being raided or having to deal with some zombie when i'm into something, but the ever-present danger that you could is exciting.

A kindly player has sent me a PM with an offer that... honestly outlines a problem i've had since i joined the server that i did not see. How when i began playing here months ago, it was a drastically different "feel" than it is now. I do believe i will join them to help restoring that feel, as i've missed it dearly.

Once more, thank you.

Edit: For typos on part of delicious, delicious wine.

This made me very proud of our playerbase.

Good luck, Mercedes.

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We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don't know.

There is no danger in the world unless people impose it upon themselves, really. If you get killed, you don't have to stay dead, and most characters won't.

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I think Hackums said it best when he told me that people should work toward finding non-killing solutions to conflicts, as death is sort of an RP-Killer. Leaving people alive, taking hostages, etc.

Finding ways to harm your enemies that aren't knee-jerk pvp reactions to things you don't like. I have to say i agree, as more interesting situations could very well play out if it isn't just "Go away or i kill you" all the time.

yeah PVP and killing all people as "RP" is kind of just plain lame, and also in my eyes degrades the server as making people have Powerbuild and Boss farm.... because the scale is changed to being weighted from RP to NWN mechanical.

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================-<Cory ShadowFlame>-================
Risenlord-Shifter(OMG a Non-Dragon Shifter that can hold his own in PvE)

I find that if you use dying as a normal thing in some worlds it works out alright for roleplay as well. For example, in drow-world, "dead" doesn't always exist and more players are starting to realize the fun isn't in PVPing someone, it's in shaming them in front of a whole city. So now death still happens and is used as a threat, but some characters aren't and haven't batted an eyelash. "Kill me? Cool. Whatever. I'll come back and I'm still on the throne of awesome."

It isn't my favorite recipe, but it works to sate the untasteful appetities of some PVP-happy people that exist and must be acknowledged.

Also, New Beginnings things are awesome ways to find some purpose with a character, OP! I highly recommend them when you don't have other main characters already-- because sadly, the people I see who have main characters and then start a New Beginning don't end up playing their NB character that much and it's just stupid that some of them even did it.

Fixed!

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My Characters:
Yuilith Kethil Menaiivan Garadeth

One thing can make make people loose interest is not having a goal. It helps to have some "master plan" that may even be impossible. But then you make smaller goals to help achieve it. So you could have a goal to take over the world, even though it may never happen, you can still try to do it along the way

I think cliques can sometimes happen when people think the proper line of roleplay is to ignore another person. Ignoring people is never good roleplay, even if it's what your character would do, it's still not good roleplay.

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Zeskija Inalka - Catkin Meadowleaf - Xyme Thanas'ka

I agree. I played a character once with grand goals, and had a whole faction trying to track her down for a long time. It was interesting to realize how much influence on things one character can have. My advise is to have characters with grand goals, and have them aggressively persue them.

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Taking Hostages doesn't always work either. I know that from experience in Caraigh. People was just like "Yeah well, you kill him and he'll respawn anyway. *Shrug*"

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Khaldun Menetnashte Khalfani
Victor Wilkinson

^totally not a lie or anything.

Read the topic . Dunno what much else to say that hasn't already been said. Cheers, I guess!

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Davion Telemos - Monk of the Four Winds
Korthan Isharnos - Dragon Shaman of Thunder Spirit Zamasham

because as allready stated, PVP 9 times out of 10 ends bad because its more mechanical advantage and ePenis flexing then RP.

geting a bunch of high levels with epic builds and boss farmed loot and steam rolling is meh,if not for DMs having to oversee every town attack..ect they would get nuked each day.

*Pally town is attack by 10+ epic mages who all spam timestop and hellballs, your city is destroyed* next day *necro city is counter attacked by 10+ epic clerics from pally town who spam Earthquake offshore and necro city is swallowed up by the earth and sea like a 5$ whore*

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================-<Cory ShadowFlame>-================
Risenlord-Shifter(OMG a Non-Dragon Shifter that can hold his own in PvE)

Yep the monk/BG/Dwarven Defender or Bard/PM/Dragon Disciple will always beat the ranger/Master scout RP build. But I do believe that PvP really doesn't have dire enough consequences personally. Sure you repelled the slaver attack and chopped their heads off. *respawn* They'll be back.

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I Play.....
Zeo, Great Kobold Sorcerer
Taal Datton, Half-Elven Ranger of Mielikki
Redelin Flintfar goodly cleric of Moradin.
Alaund Lolarox, enigmatic Weapon Master.

...on Amia

The main reason to it is that people spend time with each other, and get fond of each other. It's just a natural thing not to show so much affection to other people as you do to the ones you're already bonded with. Naturally, exclusive RP, or seclusive if you will, is more apt to ruining the chances of outer people, but I wouldn't lay most of the blame on it, although it's the part that is easiest to affect.

And coming up with goals for your character is a yawn, though I thank people for doing it as it produces RP as a by-product.

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UCE THIS, YOU COW.

I do have to point out that is a bad way to think about factions. "I'm here now, entertain me" simply ain't attitude that can work concerning this. If your toon joins a faction, it is because he really believes in their ideals and wants to help (or is a spy). And that means not just standing a waiting for an order to be given, but actively putting up your own ideas on the table. No matter your rank or social status in that faction, any leader worth his salt should listen to you, and if he (or faction as a whole, depends on leadership method) decides it is plausible idea, then he should do anything to assist you in achieving that idea (organizing other members, supplying resources, diplomacy etc.). That's his duty, to support his subordinates ideas, not to play PC quest giver.
In the end, activity of a faction depends on every damn member, not just the leader. He's there just to see that things are running smoothly.



Well, thing is, often such PvP escalates far beyond anything that can remotely resemble fun (at least for some people). "Okay you raided us for slaves fifth time this week, whatever" or "Gee, look, more cultists want to fight, let's just go elsewhere, not that it matters anyhow" - such reactions do not come without reason. Yes, conflict can generate some nice RP, but when it happens in reasonable intervals, no every day. I have seen places like Caraigh ending up almost totally deserted because people got fed up with such constant barrage of useless PvP and leaving.

As for general advice, I can say that in this 10 months I am playing here, I had some awesome fun. My main changed so much during this time I can barely recognize him, and most of that fun did not come from PvP, but from pretty much everything else (and this comes from player of a toon that's leader of faction dedicated to War Gods). Having goals is basic thing why people go adventuring anyway, or join factions (and I mean some tangible goals, not "gather bunch of cash"). Also, utilizing job system is awesome.

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"A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." - Antoine de Saint-Exupry

This is very much a two way street. Believe me when I say the intention is to not 'farm for slaves' and constantly go after the player base, initially it is done to create rp, much as you say it can generate nice rp but not every day--however it happens more frequent when no one pursues the rp created in attempt to provide or encourage the pursuit.

As someone who has actively participated in both instances you mentioned, I understand that is desensitizing and a general annoyance when it happens just about every day, but it is equally as annoying trying to throw a hook out there and the reaction is ooc contempt and ignored rp.

So you say you do not wish it every day, nor did I ever; but when there's a lot of "//fuck this they are ruining the rp and capturing my friend. I'm so mad and I will do whatever it takes to win, or try to get them banned"

...Then yes, it does become repetitive, because I don't like the idea of potential rp going to ruin because someone refuses to stay in character, therefore with higher frequency the people who do want to stay in character and play the game receive knowledge and player created hooks for it. So you don't like it happening every day as much as I don't like the rp being ignored or treated as something other than rp.


As said in your own words "Not that it matters anyhow" if it was rp'd as if it did matter, instead of dropping to ooc saying //you are bullying me this isn't fair you are ganging up on me" when there is nothing more to it in the minds of 'evil gangs' other than "Hey lets play the bad guys and create rp for others rather than waiting to respond to something." Then there wouldn't be the thought of "hey they are ignoring their rp, let's try this again in hope it is not ignored."

...Or inappropriate reactions, for example the angry manimal pc staring down the road growling at pc's, and a cutesy pc runs up giggling and trying to tell jokes...only to get mad when the evil pc starts to talk about killing said pc. I'm not saying you have to have your pc run in fear, because that's not what it is about at all. But each player does have the responsibility to rp appropriately.

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I am the new way to go, I am the way of the future.

Cecilia - Most evil 2011!

I think the biggest thing is fear.

What I've been noticing is that death is an easy end to an RP conflict/PvP event. The problem in this is that it's become -too- popular.

I've played both sides of these conflicts. I was the Dawnmaster in Caraigh and played as a slaver afterward. The plea is really quite similar on both sides. Where in typical stories, outside of Amia, death is a very serious action. It's a story progressor, and end, etc. However, on Amia, it's can be a roleplay killer.

Obviously, you're killing another character. His player can only come up with different ways to emote being dead for so long. However, in a more subtle way, it instills a sense of distance between the good and evil on Amia. No one wants to die, and many would do anything they can to stop it. They'd easily kill first if it meant that they wouldn't die. It's the security dilemma in action. Preemptive strikes, quick solutions, and a danger in the highest: How could we expect anything different? We need to very actively get rid of this idea of "He's going to kill me if I don't kill him first."

If PvP is in the forefront of our minds, due to our efforts to -avoid- our own character demise, then we'll all struggle to find that juicy plot RP between Good and Evil characters.

I've got my own solution in the works, and I'm really looking forward to seeing whether or not it works. I've got enough faith in the playerbase here to believe that it will. It'll just be something we're not used to.

Not all of of us felt that way, Bella. Some of us 'goodly' folks were trying to do things IC, about y'all.
Now all that RP is mostly gone.
But it comes in waves, here on Amia, there will be times of very high character RP, and times of low too. I like to ride the waves, maybe it's because I like roller coasters so much.

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Good and evil on Amia are like Oil and Water. A water like another kind of just as needy Oil. The two usually cant and dont get along in any fashion until the DM's give a far nastier threat to be delt with that effects everyone. But then it usually devolves into a mass effect kind of scenario.

Say npc 1 has information the gooduns try to reason, barter, do quests. The evil folk set his children on fire, eat them, shit them out and then grow child shaped bonzai trees using them as fertiliser.

Nobody wants to lose and certainly nobody but idiots want to see their characters gone with. Its a lot of hard work to get them there. Which leaves a world thats run 24/7 so people have the kind of freetime to think up some bullshit faction and some even more bullshittier goal that in the scope of things isnt feasable simply because world domination or destruction tends to end servers pretty fast.

Then think just because they have 5-10 folks who can build up a powerbuild to bully everyone else around their goals should be completed. Then when the staff doesnt bow down to their verile demands of studlyness get bored, to make a good aligned pc and do the same thing as above or just leave server.

Also if you just got offeneded by this post because you think im talking about what you did or your faction then clearly you might want to reevaluate the actual reasons you spend time on server. Its kind of a meta-win in that regard. Its easy and stupid to destroy but try creating something that doesnt revolve around killing npcs, pc's and mobs.

Now as to the OP about being bored well you get out of amia what you put into it, you know, not always. But that cant be helped. When the numbers get to the tippy top its got to be like herding cats, and for people who dont get paid to staff the place well you cant demand a thing from them. It has to be fun for them too. My suggestions is instead of good and evil try neutral, waft from side to side, dont limit yourself to a sect of people based on idealogue or alignment.

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"I'm going to spend all my money on ale and whores." "Okay roll for whores." "That's 1d4 whores right?"

Common trend, yes. But not necessarily something one has to accept as being inevitable. In fact, refusing to give into the idea of cliques and keeping an open mind as you RP helps a lot. I mean, the worst thing that can happen would be fools that would just flat out ignore your attempts to RP with them. But most people on Amia I try to RP with actually do respond to the attempt in some manner or form, be it hostile or otherwise. Which has left for some interesting outcomes, to say the least.

Well, if people keep ignoring your attempts at RP, trying to force them obviously ain't gonna work, it will just create more OOC contempt and bullshit, creating negative picture about people who play evil PCs. As Kudark said, there are people who will take the hooks and keep the RP flowing. While I personally don't give a damn, in some cases trying to continually PvP people who obviously ingore it is just beating a dead horse and, in the end, waste of both yours and their time.



I completely agree on that. IC actions cause IC consequences.

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"A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." - Antoine de Saint-Exupry

I think you need to re-evaluate your own time why you play on the server, there are people such as myself who don't MIND losing. Ask anyone that's rp'd with me, and especially you, should know me much better.

Part of the reason I rp is strictly for the story. I don't care what happens to my character so long as the rp continues, and I've had no problem rp'ing appropriately.

No one expects 'world domination' to be successful, but part of having a character is having goals--so if you would kindly stop judging people based on your own mentality, it would be much appreciated...because guess what while one half of the antagonist rp is for a story, the other half is because I would prefer to give people something to do then wait or whine.

That includes you, even if it interrupts your sandbox style play, even if the perception is misunderstood. And no, I haven't played on the server in a while not because "I don't get what I want", just as your own response highlights the example of what I meant earlier (essentially you are saying if you play evil and try to run a faction then it's bullshit, and if you don't mind seeing your character perma'd or look forward to it then you are an idiot)

what's the point in playing with you if you're taking it personally, pissed off, and then I can't even rp my character precisely as how she would act based on the three years worth of storyline she has been through...

...Not everyone plays extensions of themselves, and not everyone plays to be a superhero. And believe it or not, not everyone plays to 'win'.

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I am the new way to go, I am the way of the future.

Cecilia - Most evil 2011!