Is RP a dying art form?

[acridiel]

With RP players coming to Leanon to practice their hobby and telling sad tales of the decline of the art, I finally felt inclined to ask you.

Players of Arispotle, is RP realy dying on your Server?
Is someone who plays for the sake of “playing” and not participating in PvP, really a ridiculed non-person on Arispotle?
Is someone who plays a “Role” other than that of “gun fodder” or “mighty crusher of Kami/Karavan” really not welcome on your server anymore?

Why is RP seemingly reduced to “Battle it out against the others”, while it can be so much more?
Why is the hobby and play style of RP so frowned upon?
Why has Atys become in fact a world of warcraft, more than a world of homins just living in it?
(pun intended )

Ryzom is an MMORPG, so why is the RPG part being killed? Or reduced to the “roles” of fighter, mage and healer?

If what I keep seeing on these boards and hearing from friends is true, then it´s no wonder for me at least that those who in fact do like Roleplay in its classic sense won´t stay long on Arispotle.

I can´t say a thing about Aniro and I realy hope that it hasn´t got the same problems. Well some might not even see this as problems, I know.

On Leanon RP is reduced to a very select few, but at least tolerated by most. We do our thing and most of us even try to fit in with the PvP content and are still being ridiculed for it, while others do only pay lip service to the Gods of RP to heap abuse on the other faction.

I´m going to speak in general terms now and I´m definitely not trying to abuse/accuse, or berate anyone now. I just want sensible answers. Edit to clarify: The following questions are aimed at all MMORPGs. Not just Ryzom.

So, in essence my question is, why is RP so unpopular?
And why, if Games such as Ryzom/WoW/TCoS/WAR are as some say exclusively built for PvP purposes, do Devs even bother to develop a deep and rich lore, if nobody does give a fart about it in the end.
Wouldn´t it suffice to just say: We´ve got Black faction and White faction, go hit the others with sticks/guns/swords whatever?
Why build a world to “play” in when the “playing” is reduced to hitting each other over the head?
Why even be creative in that world, when all we need to do is hit each other?

I can understand the thrill of competing against another humans mind and skills. And I accept it.
But, tell me, why is it so few of the large PvP Crowd do seem to be able to accept and tolerate those who don´t like “their way of gaming”?
Is it the inherent aim for competition? Must everything that is not “me” always be the enemy and thus be eradicated?

I´m pretty sure that I will rouse some tempers with this post and if I´m wrong in my view of RP dying on your server then please, for the love of Jena/Ma´Duk correct me. But otherwise, respond as it is known and liked to be the way of this whole community, in kind.

CU
Acridiel

[whiterider]

I think this depends largely on the type of RP you're talking about.

I'd say there are a huge amount of semi-RPers on Aris - most of the teams I find myself in tend to be semi-RP most of the time, although no definite line is drawn between that and moments of "fdafksdqw my cat just walked across my keyboard....". In this sense, the lore, the factions, the saga - it's all very much relevant, and certainly alive.

If you're thinking of "high" or heavy RP, I'm not sure. We have a few high RP guilds, most notably House Etchmarc; I couldn't tell you how active they are or aren't. RP isn't seen often in public channels, but when you do see [OOC] no-one really comments, except sometimes to ask what that means. Mostly if people are talking to RPers they're happy to RP for the duration of that conversation - I've never seen intolerance of it.

Of course I'm not an RPer, so I don't have nearly as much experience to draw on as an Aris RPer would; but from what I've seen, we have a small but still thriving RP contingent.

[ajsuk]

You forgot: Is someone who likes a bit of both still misunderstood by the omniscient fanatics?

Really though, I'd be all for some RP if there were some events to go to. I'm not hardcore & don't enjoy the day-to-day stuff so I guess for me personally, the RP died off with the events. Just my worthless cents there.

[dakhound]

So, in essence my question is, why is RP so unpopular?

it isnt

And why, if Games such as Ryzom are as some say exclusively built for PvP?

I've never heard that said

purposes, do Devs even bother to develop a deep and rich lore, if nobody does give a fart about it in the end?

some people did, most dont care and you cant change that much

Wouldn´t it suffice to just say: We´ve got Black faction and White faction, go hit the others with sticks/guns/swords whatever?

far from it, you have multiple factions withing factions and cross over factions on aris, you just dont play here so dont know the politics

Why build a world to “play” in when the “playing” is reduced to hitting each other over the head?

the main complain here is a lack fo pvp not too much of it, the problem seems to be no-one wants to hit each other anymore.

Why even be creative in that world, when all we need to do is hit each other?

stupid question

I can understand the thrill of competing against another humans mind and skills. And I accept it.
But, tell me, why is it so few of the large PvP Crowd do seem to be able to accept and tolerate those who don´t like “their way of gaming”?

again you are a mile off the mark, most pvp'rs sorta respect the RP crowd and dont mess with their op's (much), the are guilds are generally held up as nice people who do their own thing so they get left alone

Is it the inherent aim for competition? Must everything that is not “me” always be the enemy and thus be eradicated?

with all due respects you seem to know jack-all about this server community and have based opinion on my/sunce's wind ups

[fiach]

1. Why is RP seemingly reduced to “Battle it out against the others”, while it can be so much more?
2. Why is the hobby and play style of RP so frowned upon?
3.Why has Atys become in fact a world of warcraft, more than a world of homins just living in it?
(pun intended )

I dont RP, My guild doesnt RP, we are a PvP guild, but on saying that I have never, nor have I ever seen anybody else berate a person for RP-ing, so I cant see how non-RP players are scaring RP-rs away from Arispotle.

I think of RP-rs as NPC's, that provide flavour to the game, but to me its just background noise, nothing else.

But the only thing I can think of, that would make them uncomfortable, is maybe the general populace doesnt interact with them, well, y'know, personally I dont want to roleplay, so I'm not going to, just for their benefit, it may sound harsh, but I cant see why I should be forced to RP against my wishes, maybe other non-RPrs feel the same way.

When I was in Samsara, I RP-d a bit with Jyudas and even wrote some Ryzom prose when I was there, regarding Valdas adventures in Ryzom, but that was because the guild fostered that environment, but it was just a mild diversion for me, when DCP formed, it was more my preferred style of guild.

1. I dont care if its more or less, I go to OPs and chat with my guildies and friends, its of no consequence to me if the combatants favour one deity over the other as the OP's arent really factioned here, with kamis and karas flitting from side to side on an ongoing basis.

2. Its not frowned upon, but I cant see why normal players should be forced to interact with RP'rs.

3. I dont see why everyone here takes a chance to poke fun at WoW either, its a great game, I prefer Ryzom, but taking cheap shots at WoW like that makes me laugh, WoW has way more RP'rs than Ryzom on every single one of its servers. They are games, just games, nothing more, thats like a Snakes and Ladders player, frowning on sombody that plays Buckaroo

[acridiel]

Ok Jackoo

But you seemingly didn´t notice the term "general"
My last questions were aimed at MMORPGs in general, not just Arispotle. Corrected that. Sorry, my bad.
Reading other games forums, lets you notice this trend more and more.
RP is unpopular, for at least to myself, unknown reasons.

And yes, I saw these arguments a LOT, even on these very boards. People claiming that Ryzom was an exclusive PvP game and all RPers shouldn´t even be here and bother them. But that was quite some time ago, admittedly. On other boards you´ll see this discussion heating up frequently. Even in games with separated RP/PvP Servers. PvPers coming to RP Servers and then claiming that the RPers are ruining their game experience. *headdesk*

But what Nysha said, already answers my questions and very much calms my obviously overreacting mind. Thank you

Is someone who likes a bit of both still misunderstood by the omniscient fanatics?

Hard to say. At least by some he/she definitely IS misunderstood. But these omniscient fanatics are... well... fanatics and in my opinion hardly worth any notice anymore. For they´re basically the same and just don´t notice.


Fiach, you´re fast
Who said that you´re forced to play along with the RPers?
Where did that notion come from?

CU
Acridiel

[ajsuk]

Yeah, works both ways doesn't it.

[fiach]

Ok Jackoo




Fiach, you´re fast
Who said that you´re forced to play along with the RPers?
Where did that notion come from?

CU
Acridiel

Nobody said it Acridiel

My point was, if they feel unwanted or unloved here, its not because anybody berates them for roleplaying, but maybe its because non-RP players dont interact with them in a RP style.

I dont RP, why should I be forced to interact with them on a RP level, just to make them feel wanted here

[acridiel]

Nobody said it Acridiel

My point was, if they feel unwanted or unloved here, its not because anybody berates them for roleplaying, but maybe its because non-RP players dont interact with them in a RP style.

I dont RP, why should I be forced to interact with them on a RP level, just to make them feel wanted here

Ah, but well, I don´t think anyone would really expect that.
Any sensible RPer coming to a game with no special servers, won´t expect to be greeted with a "Hail thee!" by every player on the server.
And now don´t tell me "sensible" is arguable

CU
Acridiel

[whiterider]

I dunno... I still get a kick out of scaring Soul newbies by greeting them with "Well met, Soul"