The importance of roleplaying...

[Garrett Blade]

...sounds like the title in a school exercise book don't it! :)

I have just been talking to Dagger about the importance of certain things in a roleplay. He believes that the most important part of a roleplay is the end result - which is brought about through the ways in which people roleplay their character and thereby contribute to an ever expanding and developing story-plot.

I could not help but wonder why he believed this. I mean...imagine if the ending was prioritised! It would be boring! A bunch of hastily-written posts with minute detail and little concentration, all thrown out to arrive as quickly as possible to the climax. And what follows the climax? The end! And what follows the end? Nothing. So why rush things? Why not put everything you've got into every post you make "in-character" whilst you can...because once the roleplays finished...thats it (as far as that roleplay is concerned).

For me, the greatest part of a roleplay is the detail. Seeing how people describe things is very interesting to me, as well as actually WHAT they describe. I often wonder why people describe "this thing" instead of "that" - why is the fact that the speeder with a dented hull is parked right up against a crooked lamp post so important? This is, as I believe, to set the scene. That speeder actually crashed into the lamp post several hours ago, but if there were no crooked lamp post or a dent in the speeder we wouldn't know. This then suggests that something must have happened earlier, an accident or fight perhaps. Without this detail we would not know unless we were told "There was a crash earlier"...but the gossip combined with the description makes it more interesting and subtle. If he wanted to, George Lucas could have saved a hell of a lot of money when making Star Wars by cutting down on the attention to detail - but just imagine how bad the films would be!

I'll tell you something that I really shouldn't. My friend Eddie and I are working on the screenplay to a movie. When I first read the initial story-plot, I knew how much work needed to go into it...but I still noticed interesting details, like the part about a scientist's office with enormous computer interfaces, yet writing paper was littered about the room - telling us that this guy doesn't like to use his computers. As simple as it seems...that detail tells us something about the scientists characters...he prefers to do things his own way rather than let a computer do it for him (I wouldn't be surprised if he hated calculators too, since he can tell you the square root of 156335.219 in his head! :) )

If detail was sacrificed for the result - think how much books would be cut down by. A 400 page novel could decrease to 7 pages! Imagine "The Lord of the Rings" going anorexic - snoresville!!!



I am curious as to what other people think and have to say on the matter. What do you think is more important - the build up and development...or the end result?

[ReaperFett]

telling us that this guy doesn't like to use his computers
Maybe he ran out of toilet roll? Or for a more serious answer, maybe he is guilty he is leaving his roots, so uses paper when he can, while not always wanting to use it




Id personally say end result is the main thing. If the end result is nothing, noone cares. the filling may make it be better, but without a good end, the filling gets missed for the bad story

[Anbira Hicchoru]

For me, I think its gotta be a balance. I don't really think that stories should be "happily ever after" kind of affairs. Nothing really "ends", and there are always consequences or other things to be weighed at the end of a tale. However, that doesn't mean you have to skimp from the gritty detail of a story's more mundane roots. Some of my favorite writing is digging deeply into something otherwise-bland, and kind of exposing an angle within it that might not be thought about.

But to say one is more important than the other? How can I say that? They're both integral to a good story, and I think different people focus on them in different ways...with each having their own successes.

[Jeseth Cloak]

The importance of a RP for me has to be characterization of emotions. If you can't make people feel your character's emotions (either through thoughts, details, or even lack thereof) then they tend to get rather dull and drawn out. I really could care less about the end result of the RP. Most of the time, I don't even have a defined ending to my RPs, just a goal that gets accomplished somewhere in the middle...

[Dara Shadowtide]

Juxtaposing only slightly, the important part of roleplaying for me is to have fun. I enjoy the common medium of Star Wars that allows me to meet others who share in a genuine interest of the whole saga, as well as the aspect of developing and portraying a roleplay character.

I have tabletop roleplayed AD&D for many years, and I enjoy the message boards roleplay system where you can take your time and come back to a particular thread when real life allows you to. The excitement and escapism are quite alluring as well and I like the details collected along the way in a roleplay as well as the defined result. :)

[Darth Varlon]

To me, the importance of roleplaying is having fun. This is quickly followed by detail. Sure, a lot of people might not like reading a post that could come out on three pages in printed format, but if you read through, you'll see it nearly real-time in your head. For me, having a pretty detailed post gives me the fun of having to dissect it and reply it in a just as detailed form.

If I can't really use my imagination in anything, be it a duel between me and some random Jedi, down to a full-scale recreation of the Battle of Endor, if its one or two liners without any detail, it gets old and I just pretty much quit. But if we're talking a dozen or so well-written posts, I'll enjoy it greatly. So, overall, a tie for first goes to Fun and detail.

[Force Master Hunter]

I think the best part of Rp is doing something totally left of centre. Humour. I love doing something funny. I also like pulling surprises and doing things you wouldn't expect, being inventive, which is why I go in fits and bursts. I like interaction as well.

And of course just plain having fun.

[Jyanis Scorpion]

The best part for me is reading someone else's work and actually picturing it in full detail. Like if someone described the whine of the engine and the radiant color of the emission, accompanied by the hum-click-whirr of s-foils opening. That's what really makes RP good for me.

[FightingChance]

For me, the joy of the role play is to look into someone elses mind and see thier perspective in the world in which they exist. Like Jeseth, emotion is good. But detail is great..its perfect. Without detail no fun. Role Playing should be candy to the eye. Colorful and attractive and filled to the top with flavor.

[Lady DeVille]

Ahhh, the importance of Roleplaying.

I had to read this thread, Garrett, because I wanted to see what new craziness you were getting into. But, instead I find this!? What is this? Seriousness!? ;)

What I enjoy most about roleplaying is writing. I love writing, and I love reading. Here I can do both. Contribute to stories, yet always having my imagination stretch when another RPer takes the story in a different direction than I expected. The give and take of RPing is great fun. I really enjoy it when its done correctly.

Attention to detail is a MUST, but the end result must be kept in sight. I mean, have you ever read the book, The Last of the Mohicans? Talk about TOO much detail! The devil is, as they say, in the details. Details included yes, but always working towards a goal.

I try to include details that set the scene. If you include all the five senses, or as many of them as you can, it transports the reader to the place as well. For example:

"He walked up the rough cobblestone road, towards the martketplace. The smell of onions was heavy in the air as he passed a restaurant, dodging the waste thrown down from the top story. People clamoured over the goods in the market, and brightly clothed children chased each other screaming around the stalls."

[Lady DeVille]

Ahhh, the importance of Roleplaying.

I had to read this thread, Garrett, because I wanted to see what new craziness you were getting into. But, instead I find this!? What is this? Seriousness!? ;)

What I enjoy most about roleplaying is writing. I love writing, and I love reading. Here I can do both. Contribute to stories, yet always having my imagination stretch when another RPer takes the story in a different direction than I expected. The give and take of RPing is great fun. I really enjoy it when its done correctly.

Attention to detail is a MUST, but the end result must be kept in sight. I mean, have you ever read the book, The Last of the Mohicans? Talk about TOO much detail! The devil is, as they say, in the details. Details included yes, but always working towards a goal.

I try to include details that set the scene. If you include all the five senses, or as many of them as you can, it transports the reader to the place as well. For example:

"He walked up the rough cobblestone road, towards the martketplace. The smell of onions was heavy in the air as he passed a restaurant, dodging the waste thrown down from the top story. People clamoured over the goods in the market, and brightly clothed children chased each other screaming around the stalls."

See? :)

[PraetoriteYominCarr]

For me, the most important part- and the largest hurdle- is to get out there and post.