Play-by-post Roleplay VS In-game MMO Roleplay

[Alfbie]

I love playing MMORPGs. I’ve been bouncing around various games for years. As I play, I conjure up intricate backstories for my characters and I’m always eager to share those ideas with others.

However, I just can’t get into the groove of in-game RP.

Am I the only one that feels this way?

I’ve tried in-game RP a few times via a friend and I get so nervous every time. I feel like the shy kid stepping into a huge party: I’m so desperate to fit in but I lack the skills and confidence to do so. Lately I get so nervous thinking about it that I make up excuses not to RP in-game at all. Sometimes my in-game RP turns out great and I’m always so elated to have successfully managed “social roleplay.” More often than not, however, I’m so nervous that my character ends up saying the wrong thing, performing the wrong action, I cannot keep up with the conversation at hand, or I feel so small and lost that anything my character does is drowned out by the actions and dialogue of more interesting characters. I’m typically and understandably never invited back to RP again.

However, when it comes to forum/IM/email RP, I flourish. I am an aspiring writer, so I love being descriptive. In this format, I am in my element, so roleplaying with multiple people through written text isn’t nearly so daunting. I can weave my characters’ backstories in an interesting plot without worrying about messing up, and if I do write something incorrectly I’m not so mortified/embarrassed. All of my best RP moments have been through AIM or through email. I feel less restricted in this format. With in-game RP, I don’t feel like I’m writing at all, which makes it difficult for me to get into it.

Am I the only MMO player/roleplayer who feels this way? I have a few gamer RP friends who are fantastic writers, but they (understandably) prefer to roleplay in-game. Successful in-game RP can be a wonderful experience, so I envy those that can work with it so comfortably. I just feel like there’s something wrong with me or my RP skills that I can’t bring my forum RP creativity into the virtual world like my friends can or that I get so nervous about the whole thing when they’re nothing but excited. I simply don't like in-game RP. I understand that my friends and I simply have different RP styles – they prefer in-game RP, I prefer forum/IM RP, and I should find like-minded individuals to roleplay with. I just want to know if I’m the only gamer that loves RP but doesn’t like doing it in-game…

I guess I need reassurance that I’m not too much of an oddball in this regard *laughs*

Thank you so much for reading this!

*bows*

[Pachamac]

I've never tried in-game RPing before, although I find the concept intriquing enough, and I'm sure that in execution it could be a pretty interesting experience. Saying that though, I can't imagine I'd actually be any good at it since I tend to be pretty quiet whilst playing games because I'm concentrating on what's happening in the game, killing and dodging monsters etc etc lolol.

I've always preferred play by post RPing in general though. I've never gotten into IM RPing either.

[Alfbie]

Pachamac,

Thanks for your response! A lot of in-game RP I've experienced involves a bunch of folks sitting/standing around at a tavern/bar/pub/public place and having a conversation, but sometimes someone will throw an event in which more action happens. I agree, it is an interesting concept, and I wish I was better at it than I am. I have a hard time immersing myself in my character enough in-game to flawlessly "mingle", yet it's easier with text-based roleplays. Sometimes my shyness feels like a true curse, haha!

[Gwazi Magnum]

My only experience in video game RP is the Habbo Hotel.ca RP's that used to exists and a Halo 3 Custom Game a friend made that was essentially a hugely expanded version of cops and robbers. Pretty sure I still have the map for it too...

Anyways, what you feel is completely natural.
Game's require at the moment/real time reactions, you need be quick on your feet and quick thinking to do well in such an environment.
While with forum RP's you have the time to sit down, clear your head and invest your time into a decent high quality post.

I'm largely the same way when it comes to playing strategy video games, I largely prefer the per turn ones where you plan each turn out rather than having to fight in real time.

[Alfbie]

Magic Magnum,

Yeah, when it comes to storytelling I'm not very good at thinking on my feet at all, so that could be a big reason why I'm so nervous around in-game RP. When I'm writing on my own, it typically takes me forever (a couple hours) to write a few good pages simply because I'm constantly pausing to re-read my work and to ponder different scenarios. In-game RP can be fast-paced to the point of being stressful, especially when there are several people involved. Not only do I have to worry about what my character should say on the fly but I also have to worry about what that character will also do, which can be madness in the chaos of tells and emotes.

Your response was very enlightening; thanks :)

[Brovo]

The trick to in-game RPing is to remember that ninety percent of what you'd normally have to describe or say is already drawn on screen for you by a graphics engine. You reduce dialogue to 1-2 lines in most instances and while it's fine to have the occasional action (ex: /shrug, /laugh, /chuckle, /pat, /me has a confused expression, etc) it's best to not spam this either, it makes you sincerely look like a tryhard.

Also, that a lot of people you will meet in MMORPG role playing communities are just plain, truly atrocious at it.

Beyond that? If you can find a solid group, remember it's all about the speed. Pacing is a friend to any story and if 90% of everything you'd describe is done for you, then MMORPG's are much less about forethought and description, and far more about rapid thinking and quick but meaningful dialogue.

That's about all I could offer as a suggestion, really.

[Jorick]

Roleplaying in an MMO is most certainly a different beast than roleplaying on a forum or via an instant messenger program, so not liking the one while enjoying the others is totally understandable.

I've done a fair amount of in-game roleplaying, mostly in World of Warcraft back when I played it, and honestly I can't stand the usual RP fare you find in such a game. The people just hanging out at bars and chatting is just tedious. I would probably be in your same situation of disliking in-game RP if not for the fact that early on I found a couple others who felt the same way, and those people introduced me to others, so I found my way into a group of roleplayers that disdained the normal in-game stuff.

We roleplayed like we were on an instant messenger program, with full descriptive stuff despite it all being technically done for us by the game. Most of us got a mod for the game that allowed us to ignore the character limit for posts in the chat system, so we were able to go long with it whenever we wanted without any issues. Sometimes we'd RP over IM programs and it was basically the same experience minus the need of having to find a good outfit or a nice place in the game to RP.

Anyway, I'd suggest you try one of two things. First, maybe try to find your own group of people who shirk the norm for MMO roleplaying. There are bound to be other people out there who like roleplaying but aren't keen on the quick and short responses game, so all you have to do is find them. Or, if that doesn't seem like a viable route to you, go ahead with what you already said and find others who share your preferences. Trying to force yourself to roleplay in a format you're not comfortable with will just be a pain in the ass and a lot of time spent feeling awkward instead of having fun, and there's nothing to be gained from that.

[idlehands]

I first started roleplaying on an MMO, LOTRO to be specific. There is a lot of tavern RP to be sure but there are handfuls of people that do events and will RP battles or a mission of their own creation. It's a lot faster pace of course and space is limited for exposition. On the positive note, you have your characters there and can actually perform what is being written (to a certain extent). I had some great times with a core group of people playing as Rangers and later Rohirrim and we came up with decent story lines rather than play through the game's quests. As for long posts, if I could find a mode that removed the restriction for character limits that would be great, otherwise we just use '...' and continue on. Trust me, there are a lot of wall of text posters and the main hub gets a little crowded with it sometimes. I prefer to take my RP out into the world myself. Or you can form a group and have a private chat room in game and not worry about flooding other people's chat logs or offending anyone.

The visuals added a nice touch to the story telling. I might be biased as I cut my teeth on it but it was a lot of fun and I still occassionally RP in that game though my regular group is all but gone. Most MMOs have certain servers that are dedicated to RP, whether officially or just communities have grown there. LOTRO has a lot of RPers and their cosmetic system is great, they also have a place for a bio on the character sheet which as far as I know allows for an extensive CS. It's F2P and if you like Tolkien that's a good place to start. I suggest the servers Landroval if you're in the US or Laurelin if you're in Europe.

I went from RPing in game to Advanced, and I still enjoy both. Finding the people to do it with is the tough part, but read the forums of whatever game you choose, see if people are posting events or advertising kinships/guilds that are geared towards RP. Good luck!