tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18732348323247584212023-11-15T18:24:51.592+01:00Roleplaying Theory.(we'll start on Saturday if i can).nm108http://www.blogger.com/profile/09275924309079292633noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873234832324758421.post-77287028943607450242023-01-24T15:08:00.007+01:002023-01-24T15:11:57.726+01:00Props.There are a lot of possible props that can be used to enhance mood, in-game immersion, and overall good experience of the game time.<br><br><br>
Here are just a few of most common possibilities:<br><br>
- Candles & Incense,<br>
- Mood music played in background during rpg session. Films or Computer Games Soundtracks are among the best of background music available for this purpose,<br>
- Maps,<br>
- Tattered Notes,<br>
- Characters' Portraits & various images of people, items and places used in the game,<br>
- etc.<br><br>
nm108http://www.blogger.com/profile/09275924309079292633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873234832324758421.post-38333149926584382552018-06-12T16:46:00.000+02:002018-06-12T16:47:54.780+02:00Character Creation & Development.<b>Creation.</b><br><br>
Filling character sheet should be an Art, not just a character optimization mathematical exercise.<br><br>
Best way is to start from a character's concept - decide whom you wish to play.<br><br>
Some ideas might include:<br>
- Archer Witch?<br>
- Swordsmaster?<br>
- Lightsaber engineer?<br>
- Hacker?<br><br>
Character's concept must adhere to the game world - in the most of fantasy worlds, technology is underdeveloped - so there are no hackers, for example.<br><br>
Once concept is decided, think of character's background - where he or she was born and raised, what's her or his age, education, goals, hobbies, history, personality, etc.<br><br>
Then come up with description - how he or she looks, behaves, what he or she wears and on what occasion, what she or he carries.<br><br>
Then choose skills, feats, powers, equipment, etc - in a way that makes sense considering concept and background.<br><br>
Then add visual representation - if You can draw, do it. Otherwise You can download something from the internet.<br><br>
Character's theme song or a few are also nice, You can give these to Storyguide / Game Master / so he or she can use these during game sessions - or if You play online, You can listen to these while playing Your character.<br><br><br>
<b>Development.</b><br><br>
In most of roleplaying games characters accumulate experiences, scars, gain and lose equipment.<br><br>
Choosing which powers to develop should be consistent with what was played already, as well as with what training options character has.<br><br>
It's nice to write character's journals - even if You do not publish these, as well.<br><br><br>
<b>Conclusion.</b><br><br>
Character creation & development should be internally consistent, an art form - but too many don't know how to fill their character sheets. ;)<br><br>nm108http://www.blogger.com/profile/09275924309079292633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873234832324758421.post-7316670089522608642017-10-21T07:37:00.000+02:002019-08-09T15:33:19.862+02:00Play Styles.<b>Introduction.</b><br><br>
There are many of possible goals & play styles, people can play as they wish ... but not everyone will want to play with those who abuse, and i think it's wise to avoid harmful 'company'.<br><br>
... playstyles can be combined - one can include skills/powers in talk, expressions, descriptions, etc.<br><br>
Powergaming doesn't have to exclude 'playing roles'.<br><br>
... initial character idea often evolves after character's creation.<br><br>
... failinig is character development, i think.<br><br><br>
<b>Evoking moods.</b><br><br>
i started Game-Mastering with 'Ravenloft' AD&D Horror Game setting. Earlier tries with 'Crystals of Time' were far too unsignificiant to consider them a true start.<br><br>
Various types of scares, romaticism, evoking various feelings & moods were taught & considered to play with, to entertain.<br><br>
Word plays, acting, voice modulation were considered, as well as building up tensions, drama & other tools.<br><br><br>
<b>Intelectual Game.</b><br><br>
Many players love intellectual challenges - social games, politics, puzzles, plotting, scheming, combat tactics and/or problem solving.<br><br><br>
<b>Power Gaming.</b><br><br>
Many players like to feel power, advantage over others - either over other players, their characters or game-master-guided adversaries.<br><br>
i think that lessons of skillfull and responsible power-wielding can be nice challenges, ... - but there's danger of very quick escalation into immaturity, into conflicts and/or worse.<br><br>
...<br><br>
... is 'dressing nicely' a form of powergaming?<br><br>
...<br>nm108http://www.blogger.com/profile/09275924309079292633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873234832324758421.post-61648988153939542772017-06-02T15:03:00.000+02:002017-06-02T15:34:14.030+02:00Going beyond a Class & Archetype.There are roleplaying games with character classess, such as Dungeons & Dragons.<br><br>
Strictly adhering to selected class is somewhat limiting, as far as character's description & idea originality goes.<br><br>
Class is a stereotype, but also a 'framework' for a character.<br><br>
To enrich storytelling, characters & game masters can use character class to describe character's abilities, then come up with alternate description & name for an in-character's profession.<br><br>
This can include unusual background, morality, personality, goals - as well as a weapon, armour & tool choices, etc.<br><br>
Examples:<br><br>
1. Is Your Monk-class character in fact a Yogin? Which of monastic vows he did take, which he did not?<br><br>
2. Is Your Fighter-class character is in fact ceremonial warrior of a temple? Does he fight in Ceremonial Robes instead of in a Full-Plate Armour? How he thinks about violence & harm, how he thinks about self-defence & protecting others? Does he eat meat?<br><br>
3. Is your Cleric-class character coming from far-eastern continent in fact a Mage-Priestess caste member, a worshipper of light & shadow? A godless sect believing in self-realization & self-ascension? Is she gentle & pragmatic or ruthless & brutal? Did she swore to not use certain weapons because of her religion?<br><br><br>
There's lot of possibilities for character design, even with limiting factor of a character classes - but let's not deny it - skill based character creation usually offers more of flexibility for character creation than class-systems.<br><br>nm108http://www.blogger.com/profile/09275924309079292633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873234832324758421.post-28916852838862014522015-04-27T00:53:00.000+02:002015-04-27T00:53:14.665+02:00Griefing.part of roleplaying games is using written speech & symbolics properly.<br><br>
it's best to not call someone a dog then 'go hunting gnolls' in a way or another.<br><br>
gnolls are 'dogs on two legs' in this game, orcs are 'pigs on two legs', kuo-toa are 'fish-folk', etc ...<br><br>
not everyone is expert in this at first, but this can be learned, practiced, perhaps more literary & artful friends can undo damage someone unskilled did cause to other players, etc ... (et cetera ...).<br><br>
characters are not players, but every interaction afffects mind, later speech, then body, etc ... of players as well.<br><br>
staying in character helps, but everything counts.<br><br>
griefing is making someone suffer by improper conduct, for example with improper speech that belittle others.<br><br>
see also, if You wish: <a href="http://cheajournal.blogspot.com/2015/04/fishmen.html">Fishmen</a>.nm108http://www.blogger.com/profile/09275924309079292633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873234832324758421.post-80207603815878493062014-11-01T20:20:00.001+01:002014-11-01T20:21:22.423+01:00Archetypes.in roleplaying games characters are often archetypes.<br><br>
archetype is a stereotype, something easy to understand.<br><br>
there can be anti-stereotype characters but this is also the stereotype.<br><br>
more complex characters are hard to convey.nm108http://www.blogger.com/profile/09275924309079292633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873234832324758421.post-9820985741253209322014-10-22T08:54:00.000+02:002014-10-22T08:54:17.012+02:00Scent.<b>Introduction.</b><br><br>
Scent is short for Stories, Scenes & Messages.<br><br>
For Roleplaying to scent well, each of these should be of highest quality.<br><br><br>
<b>Stories & Scenarios.</b><br><br>
Scenario is a Story's parts.<br><br>
Who plays which role, how & why.<br><br>
Where is the Stage, why, what it says.<br><br><br>
<b>Stage.</b><br><br>
Stage is a place.<br><br>
At given time there are certain characters & proper furniture.<br><br><br>
<b>Lighting.</b><br><br>
Light can set a mood.<br><br>
In proper light things are seen differently.<br><br>
Darkness is different lighting, for there are creatures that thrive in dark.<br><br>
Every stage can have different lighting at different times.<br><br><br>
<b>Scenes.</b><br><br>
Scene is something played.<br><br>
Scene can occur at a stage with certain characters playing together or against.<br><br><br>
<b>Messages.</b><br><br>
Message is something told.<br><br>
Each character, each scene, each story carries a message.<br><br>
They are woven together by players & storyguide to tell something together.nm108http://www.blogger.com/profile/09275924309079292633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873234832324758421.post-76354196013410382452014-10-19T08:46:00.001+02:002014-10-19T08:46:49.695+02:00Antics.Why 'antics' are chosen to be background image of this blog site?<br><br>
Because of Traditions of Theatre going to Ancient Greece, Antique Classical Period.<br><br>
Such is Transmission of the Art, to speak the same thing in many ways - using voice, gestures, requisites - including images in the Internet or Costumes, for example.<br><br>
That way message will be more clear & complete.<br><br>
... if You care enough to say something well.nm108http://www.blogger.com/profile/09275924309079292633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1873234832324758421.post-42910449087261456992014-10-18T10:01:00.000+02:002014-10-18T14:13:13.472+02:00What is Roleplaying?<b>Introduction.</b><br><br>
roleplaying is as name suggests, playing 'roles'.<br><br><br>
<b>Types of Roleplaying games.</b><br><br>
there are roleplaying games:<br><br>
- online roleplaying games,<br>
- traditional (pen & paper or tabletop) roleplaying games,<br>
- LARPs (Live Action Roleplaying) with costumes, terrain, perhaps more,<br>
- offline computer rpg games for single player,<br>
- perhaps more (i know too little about improvised theatres, cosplays, etc... to write about, for now at least).<br><br>
they have something in common - player assumes a role, and 'plays' it appropriately, as in 'theatre' to certain extent.<br><br>
roleplaying games are not a model of Reality, but a form of artful expression - though many would disagree. in blog author's opinion they are just styled for certain 'worlds', model worlds that live in game's creator's head.<br><br>
<i>roleplaying games can be used to express Artfully, to practice Lyrics & other Arts, to meet with other players & get to know each other & their 'worlds'.</i><br><br>
in blog author's opinion game mechanic is not so important as game worlds & Art, but everyone who plays can play as they please. some prefer to outsmart others with game mechanics (mathematical rules, statistics) & kick other players' assess. many don't like that type of abuse, preferring beauty to strength. solution is to not play with players who do abuse too much - unless You can handle this somehow.<br><br><br>
<b>Traditional or Pen & Paper Roleplaying.</b><br><br>
a group, or troupe of roleplayers meets & plays a scenario / story (more about scenarios / stories later).<br><br>
each player plays one character which fulfills certain role in group & world, (there are exceptions, later about that), with a storyguide (storyteller, game master, dungeon master etc...) playing non-player characters, narrating & judging outcomes of players' decisions.<br><br>
after a certain time, when scenario is finished, all characters dead, or time runs out - game session is over. memories remain, characters develop or detoriate.<br><br><br>
<b>Online Theatre.</b><br><br>
- Arcade Roleplaying.<br><br>
most online roleplaying computer games offer a world in which groups of players can play characters with certain abilities and fight against monsters & themselves. with chat option there's possibility to roleplay and perhaps many use it.<br><br>
but many do not.<br><br>
- Online Theatre.<br><br>
there are strictly roleplaying online games with focus on playing roles & character interaction.<br><br>
(... more to come later, probably ...)nm108http://www.blogger.com/profile/09275924309079292633noreply@blogger.com0