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Author Topic: About Roleplay and Responsibility (all read)  (Read 7840 times)

Soren / Zarathustra217

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About Roleplay and Responsibility (all read)
« on: June 17, 2011, 08:01:37 AM »
Dear all fellow prisoners of the mist,

It has always been the aim when designing Ravenloft POTM that it should serve as the ideal stage for roleplay. Whenever possible, we aim to design the world in ways that inspires and encourages roleplay without putting rigid confines on it or dictating it. Roleplay is about creativity, and creativity thrives best with a good amount of freedom.

Freedom however entails responsibility. We don't want to enforce exactly how you should tell your stories, but this means that the quality of the roleplay here will be as good as you players in common make it. We try to provide the ideal terms for it, but it is up to you to set the bar and make this place into a meeting point of amazing roleplay.

Lately, it could seem that many players are acting as if oblivious to this fact - even our most veteran players. The unifying theme of the roleplay here is gothic horror, but if we want to have some creative freedom in how we approach this, we all need to take responsibility toward not ruining it. To hone it instead.

What does this mean in a practical sense? Most of us should be aware of it by now, especially if you've read the roleplay manifest. But to make it all further transparent to everyone, we've tried to summarize a few key points that may serve as an outset. These are as much guidelines as they are rules, something we won't rigidly enforce, but that we expect all to give effort to adhere to and help remind each other of:

  • Tell stories in common, and don't try to make the common stories your own. Roleplay has it's strength by the shared storytelling.

  • Let your character be moved by the world and other players. Choose and play out weaknesses of your characters. Invincible superheroes (or -villains) don't work well in gothic horror.

  • Don't make OOC remarks in places where it's viewable by more than close friends, unless there's an urgent reason for it. It breaks off the immersion.

  • Don't clear dungeons or hang around in low level zones with your high level character. Even the Western Outskirts should be avoided if you are around level 10 or above. The danger of a situation is set by the strongest presence on each side.

  • Don't solo dungeons when there's a party to be had. Dungeon adventures should be considered roleplay opportunities too.

  • Show other players consideration in what your character do, but consider all what they do as in character. Don't be a douche-bag but give IC a chance.

  • Try to keep a cool head, be mature and open minded. This isn't kindergarten, but a place for people with a mutual passion for roleplay. Let that be your focus.

Of course, as these aren't rigid rules, there may be exceptional circumstances that warrants exceptions. But remember that most of the time we ourselves put these circumstances in place, so don't do this lightly and never make it into something perduring. We all set examples for each other in what we do.

Thank you for reading and helping to lift the roleplay quality of the server into even higher levels,

~The Community Council and Server Staff
« Last Edit: September 01, 2013, 03:54:03 PM by Zarathustra217 »

Soren / Zarathustra217

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Re: About Roleplay and Responsibility (all read)
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2011, 08:12:11 AM »
(If you have any comments to this, please post them here: http://www.nwnravenloft.com/forum/index.php?topic=24288.0)