Niema "BlackDeath" Pyke
RETIRED
Mastermind of the Underside
Posts: 105
Superior: Count Alistair Covok
OCCUPATION/SPECIALTY::: Killer, Torturer, Strategist & Hunter/Tracker
:::::::::::::::::::::HGT:::::::::::::::::::: 5' 8''
:::::::::::::::::::::WGT:::::::::::::::::::: 140ish lbs
:::::::::::::::SCENT:::::::::::::::: Warm desert spice, metal, blood, & leather
::::::::AURA-COLOR/s:::::::: Black
++++++ WORDS +++++: "Don't try to predict what I'll do. I'll prove you wrong just because I can. Assume the stories you've heard of me are true and know when you choose to toe up with me I will not have mercy. I will kill you or I will own you and brand you as mine; your service to me for your life. That is what you gamble with whether you realize it or not." - Niema
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Post by Niema "BlackDeath" Pyke on Sept 28, 2013 13:42:24 GMT -5
The vote will be made viewable once at least 6 voters have voted.
I've been thinking for the last week or so, posting a little here and a little there. Playing a small bit too but largely feeling uninspired and defeated. I love the ideas and concepts for this SL and the mass potential but regardless of whether or not anyone else is actually excited.. it doesn't feel that way to me. I feel like no one really cares to play here even if part of them wants to, it's not inspiring enough as a whole to make players want to RP any chance they get. Be it because of me and my mouth and bluntness and apparent inability to request RP of others myself or to finish a scene as the case may be.
Regardless, the fact is I'm ready to walk away and maybe just play in one of the SL's otherwise open/available if they'll have me. I don't like feeling like everyone's waiting for me to play something, or feeling like some of you are upset with me and/or partly blame me as much as I blame myself for the way this SL has gone down hill.
The bottom line for me is that I don't want to keep trying if you guys are only half into it/interested/inspired. It shouldn't be forced, it shouldn't have to be forced, not by me, not by any of you. So speak your peace and if we want to walk away, we walk away, if we want to try something new then we try something new... if no one has an opinion or possible solutions I'll just take my leave and wish everyone the best.
Rem
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Bomont
Commoner
The Engineer
Posts: 10
Superior: JSS Handler (NPC)
OCCUPATION/SPECIALTY::: Engineering
:::::::::::::::::::::HGT:::::::::::::::::::: 5'7''
:::::::::::::::::::::WGT:::::::::::::::::::: 133 lbs
:::::::::::::::SCENT:::::::::::::::: Under the daily grease, oil and metal scents she has base notes of cinnamon and vanilla, with hints of jasmine and rose.
++++++ WORDS +++++: "Sure I let it cross me mind, then I chose to think about another something."-- Bomont
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Post by Bomont on Sept 28, 2013 14:02:02 GMT -5
I haven't been around enough to really vote but I do want to be in the conversation! I'm also a little stunned on what to say!
I'm so terribly sorry if you feel this way because of me Rem! I know I unexpectedly left and came back with less time to offer than before so I accept that fall in leadership. You didn't want to run a SL alone and I've given you little choice, I'm sorry! I wish I could make promises but it would be unfair considering my RL situation. I agree with Remmy that the play shouldn't be forced so I'm open and willing to do whatever the group would like to do!
(((hugs Rem even if she doesn't want it!)))
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Post by Papa Cain on Sept 28, 2013 14:58:16 GMT -5
Me personally, is over thinking, over creating. I also have my wedding coming up but, for the most part I have got to the part that, I need to stop MAKING things and PEOPLE. I NEED to play. This is a reflection of me not others. I want to make it my goal that if I am on, I'm going to start IMing people. I will make random scenes. I'm going to get the play in. Maybe Papa needs to go apply for the expedition. Maybe I'll play him back on Da'goh if any wishes. Bar scenes, walking around midwway, shopping, helping heal someone. Don't care. I'm going to start playing. I just want to play Papa and develop him. The journal will help, but play will be better. Not sure anyone else feels this way but from now on if you see me on. IM ME ALREADY. I will play. Again, my opinion If no one is Mod... Everyone is Part Mod. Meaning I need to do a bit of dedication. If I want Papa and or the SL to work, I got to work. I can't just drift in this Storyline... speaking of.. I have app to comment on.
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balefuldirge
slave
Piked-Man of the Underboss
Posts: 22
Superior: Niema Pyke
OCCUPATION/SPECIALTY::: Slave
:::::::::::::::::::::HGT:::::::::::::::::::: 6'0
:::::::::::::::::::::WGT:::::::::::::::::::: 180
:::::::::::::::SCENT:::::::::::::::: Woodsmoke, vanilla
::::::::AURA-COLOR/s:::::::: Blue, gold
++++++ WORDS +++++: The last will be first, and the first will be last.
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Post by balefuldirge on Sept 28, 2013 19:15:51 GMT -5
I'm not clear what the expectations are. We're a new, small group trying to build a world and create new characters. Instead of putting pressure on ourselves we should relax and enjoy the process. People just need to play more.
Since this is a new world I think people are less inclined to initiate big, sl shaking ideas because there's an uncertainty of it fits or not. We're not talking about an established world like Game of Thrones or Firefly, where there's television and literature to reference. On top of that there are only a handful of us. Less players means it's harder to getting something big going. In the beginning like this people are more interested in developing and learning about their own character, who then reacts to the world around them. We've created a world where there are multiple planets and moons yet the majority of the RP happens on Midway station. As the player count grows people will naturally spread out more to start working with and populating areas that we just don't have the numbers to right now. And I think that raises a crucial question: do groups grow naturally and organically from the bottom, or do they grow from more structure and organization from the top?
I personally like this group, the world and the characters involved. I'm eager to play more and I think most everyone is. In my opinion if we just focus on playing plots will develop naturally as characters interact.
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Post by Jai Theron Cross "Crossfire" on Sept 28, 2013 20:06:26 GMT -5
I think there are a few issues I could point out, the group is small but the world is huge!, people having scheduling issues, not enough RP in general due to the previous, but I can honestly say that in my opinion the issue isn't a lack of interest, Remmy. I think everyone has interesting chars that they are eager to play although I will agree that many of us have been leaning a bit too much on the creators of the SL to initiate and organize RP. If the group had more people it may not be as much of an issue but this seems to happen in all types of group SLs whether the creators claim leadership or not. I'll agree that it's a weight that has unfairly been placed upon you and I'm sorry for that.
However, you seem to be accepting far too much responsibility for it. If there IS something lacking we all share the blame in a way. That said, this SL is still young like someone else said and there's still a small group of people here who are interested and willing to play. Hopefully we will continue to gain a few more members in the future but we'll see. I don't think we should give up on it, especially since one of the major plotlines - the expedition - hasn't even begun yet. We all should take extra initiative to get our chars in play more and I think we'll see an improvement.
Give the SL more time, with all that has been created and the time invested in it, it deserves that much. As always, I'm ready and willing to help.
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Post by MADDOX on Sept 29, 2013 12:57:36 GMT -5
^ ditto
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Post by Anton Kresnikov on Sept 30, 2013 21:04:39 GMT -5
I haven't been in this system very long, but I have seen this problem crop up in plenty of story line systems that I've participated in, so here's what I can say to it. There needs to be a small group of people who are at the center and focus of the play for anything to build off of it. If you have everyone being their own individual entity, nobody is attempting to build off of a foundation of anything because everyone is too busy trying to build their own foundation. This creates a situation where nothing sticks because nobody feels comfortable trying to be the center of other people's attentions.
There needs to be someone who is willing to be the center of it. The idea of not having a story owner just generally creates confusion and makes it difficult for people to stay focused on one thing because they don't want to mess up anyone else's. This is perfectly okay, and it's polite, but it has the problem of preventing any actual development. Stories require drama. If everyone is always happy there's never any conflict and we all might as well just be sitting around at Sunday Brunch enjoying coffee and omelettes. There needs to be someone who is providing an antagonist role in order for there to be continued development that isn't just space filler. Someone is going to have to want to take that responsibility of playing the 'villain' as it were, the manipulator, string-puller, things of that nature.
For this story to continue with healthy development, I think the reins need to be tightened a little bit. The idea of multiple worlds is great and obviously something that people want, but it makes everything stretched out. Before we get to that point, the involved characters need to have a reason to be forced to interact. The players are obviously interested, we all like each other, we all have an interest in the 'verse, but there's too much opportunity to be doing things without other people to make play natural and conducive. I don't think anyone needs to walk away, I think that connections just need to be built to make people interested in playing on a more frequent basis.
This, however, brings up a separate point. Message boards make interactive play really, really hard. It's great if you use one like you would a room and everyone's willing to be patient for a scene to progress, but sometimes this means that larger plots can take weeks to play out because you have to wait hours between responses. Room play is great for smaller scenes, but you're relying on everyone's schedules to line up and that's also problematic; especially when you have people who are in different time zones and have randomly adjusting schedules. This again is nobody's fault, but it does mean that patience is going to be necessary for this kind of functionality.
I don't think anyone needs to walk away, I think we're all interested, I just think that we all need a little story direction to keep everyone involved in a compelling manner, and maybe with fewer things working at once.
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Olan Sinclair
RETIRED
Prodigal Aviator & Jack-Pilot Savant
Posts: 76
OCCUPATION/SPECIALTY::: Pilot/Jack-Pilot
:::::::::::::::::::::HGT:::::::::::::::::::: 5'3''
:::::::::::::::::::::WGT:::::::::::::::::::: 110 lbs
:::::::::::::::SCENT:::::::::::::::: A little warm metal; hint of citrus/orange; splash of cucumber melon. It's a light, airy & zesty smell.
::::::::AURA-COLOR/s:::::::: Slow pulsing white.
++++++ WORDS +++++: "What youz ask'n for is a gambit of hazzuks maneuvers...soz at least you're asking the right pilot, eh?"
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Post by Olan Sinclair on Sept 30, 2013 23:39:48 GMT -5
There needs to be a small group of people who are at the center and focus of the play for anything to build off of it. If you have everyone being their own individual entity, nobody is attempting to build off of a foundation of anything because everyone is too busy trying to build their own foundation. This creates a situation where nothing sticks because nobody feels comfortable trying to be the center of other people's attentions. There needs to be someone who is willing to be the center of it. I disagree with this somewhat. In some cases, yes there needs to be a leading player/character pulling strings etc. But overall the characters in the SL should be able to provide plot, jobs, etc for people to play from amongst each other. Make shit up, pretend their on a job/mission even if they're not, or make up jobs for other people to play through while you play together. No one or even small group should have the pressure of leading everyone else-- though obviously if someone wants to do that, go for it! Use the communications board and WAanonymous to send anonymous notes or post job offers/ or wanted posters etc to spark and promote RP ideas. I think that's a better solution than asking a group to take the lead for everyone else. Again, i'm only in partial agreement. I agree that I think players are afraid to mess each-other's ideas and plans up and this spawns stalemates in RP. I agree we as a group should be vocally open to IC conflict and allowing other players to play freely and let the stories and plots go where they may. IE, keep plans and ideas loose and open for the RP to change everything and go an entirely different direction. Play off-of one another in your posts even when no direct interaction is made yet. I think character engagement is where the weakness is more than the need for an actual villain type. Not that they wont help and make things more interesting, but I think the bottom line is when people post their entrances, they should engage the other players with their post. Be it a look, a consideration, a gesture, a pointed ignore.
I know for me, my mood dies when I see someone, or myself even, post an Entrance or start a scene and no one mentions or engages my character. Ask yourself... do you feel compelled to keep playing with someone or a group who makes no mention of your character when you post? When you say "tightened a bit" do you mean less new creation and more refinement and development of what's already here?
I do agree on characters needing to get involved with one another and build various relationships and all the engagement points I made above. I can understand that MB play and interaction is hard for some, but I don't agree as a general statement. I think the two used together can make RP easier, especially in conflict situations like with schedules. I've been lax suggesting it because I think more may agree with you than me but I think the MB is a great way to finish RP's that are paused and no one knows for sure when the next schedule line up will be. If I'm on off and on all day but the others are only on a night then I can post in the morning, they can post at night, and I can reply again in the morning, which may only be 1 or 2 posts per char, but that's a little bit further than the no-progress that happens when we wait for times to match up.
Also, for me anyway, MB RP is better for difficult scenes where I want more time to think about my posts before I write them.
That's all I got for now.
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Post by Anton Kresnikov on Oct 1, 2013 1:26:13 GMT -5
I may have overshot what I was intending to imply here, but the vast majority of your responses to my post were the points I was actually trying to get across. In specifics!
1) I wasn't specifically referring to a singular character that needs to be the end-all be-all of the story line, but that when there is a central group of plot-relevant characters it is easier to build play off of that base. With an understanding of "everyone can create NPCs" to start stories with this can help, but it will still rely on everyone to attach themselves to something taking place instead of people feeling like there's something they're already attached to just by participating. Everybody is responsible for play, but we all have to remember to play with each other, not just by ourselves.
2) "I agree that I think players are afraid to mess each-other's ideas and plans up and this spawns stalemates in RP." and "I know for me, my mood dies when I see someone, or myself even, post an Entrance or start a scene and no one mentions or engages my character." were -exactly- what I was getting at here. Granted, none of us want to see our characters wasted, or their potential squashed, and this goes both ways. A little bit of scene setup anytime something is starting can help players feel like they're in on the big secret, and sometimes that makes the play a lot more fun, and people are more interested in getting involved because they know they aren't preventing someone's plans.
3) Sadly, I do mean a little less new creation. I know that the idea is for everyone to bring their ideas to the table, but I think that refining the already expansive resources that are in place for this system will help prevent it from looking like such a large sandbox. To use a horrible analogy, if there are twenty kids at recess, and sixty things for them to play on, then there's not really any reason for the kids to play with each other.
4) "I think the two used together can make RP easier, especially in conflict situations like with schedules." is exactly what I was trying to get at. Playing in rooms is easier, but it's hard to get everyone around, and playing on boards just means that scenes are going to take a lot longer to play out. Neither are bad, but both in conjunction are great.
So! That said, really I already agree with you. It may have looked combative, that's my bad. I have a friend that introduces me to her friends; "So and so, this is Vid, he comes out swinging."
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