Kryhs
New Member
Posts: 27
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Post by Kryhs on Apr 21, 2012 10:13:40 GMT -5
I've tried for years and years to try to make a successful, and even perfect, roleplay. And obviously, time and time again I've failed to find the perfect balance of all the right elements of a perfect roleplay.
I've developed, in my eyes, a really good, unique original plot called "The Tale of Pishon". However, every single time I try to execute it always falls short of what people are interested in. Its either too detailed, too controlling, or not open ended enough.
I think the main problem I face is that I don't really open it as a roleplay, but more like a predetermined plot that the roleplayers must follow word for word pretty much. Last time, I told them that they could do whatever they wanted, and I would just change the plot as we went on. However, they quickly told me they simply didn't know what to do. Everyone stopped posting because either they didn't know enough of the plot to move forward, or it was too complicated.
So I'm wondering, how do you make the perfect roleplay? How do you have a great, original plot, but allow for people to understand enough to make their own paths, and create their own twists, while keeping the plot in tact?
What am I doing wrong?? I really enjoy writing, roleplaying, and interacting with so many different personalities. But I can never seem to keep one going.
What is the perfect roleplay? How did Keepers Universe do it?
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Post by D.A.E. on Jul 7, 2012 16:21:40 GMT -5
Wow, wish I came along to this a while ago but been busy and need to get back into Keepers.
Keepers worked with friends tying stories together they had. We had three governments. Republic, Socialist, and Imperial. If you didn't like those, you could go bandit, rogue or hell we had a Trader who just flew around and caused trouble. A successful bit isn't letting people run around, but having clear lines of communication and roles to play.
Eliar is the effective Emperor of the Alltradeuin Empire Entarmor is a Sniper who follows orders of the Military Tahu is a pilot Elizabeth is the child of Eliar and Allena Nex is just Nex.
The real course of how Keepers survived was that we had three main groups going about their own story lines, we updated everyone on what was happening with the other groups based on 'Spy Reports' and how others would handle that news. Giving updates in simple enough format helped a lot of our members figure out what others are doing. Downside is the work load of the boss. So we had The Keeper, the Keeper Assistant to help organize along with running out own story modes. Plus we had a unique enough amount of technology and desire to fight that it worked for us so well.
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Post by Katie on Jul 8, 2012 18:48:43 GMT -5
You also had a few crazies like me who were committed to the community and who just ran around and made trouble -- ie got their characters into trouble and then (maybe) got them out again.
Will and Taita? Classic example. >D
The trick is this: You need two things. The first thing you need is a world and a plot to provide an environment for the characters to interact, make friends, make enemies, fall in love, hate each other's guts, kill each other, save each other's lives, save the world, destroy the world, and so on... The second thing you need is enough wiggle room for the characters to do all these things autonomously -- no forcing. The players themselves develop a plot arc and implement it -- sometimes planning most of it out, sometimes working only off a rough outline, other times playing the arc out extemporaneously. These two things exist in tension and in balance. Maintaining that is both an art and a science. It requires teamwork. Some groups of rp'ers come together and manage to form a cohesive community. Other groups never manage to form or maintain that cohesion, for one reason or another. Again, it is both an art and a science, and it doesn't happen every time.
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