RPing Questions? Ask Here!

[Maltropia]

The link to World Cup rankings is in the signature of the World Cup Signups account, which I believe is what you're looking for.

I'll forward your question.

Might be time to backward that question? Maybe?

I am interested in creating an interest thread for a Fullmetal Alchemist RP that I've been cooking up, I'm basically wanting to know how to do the nuts and bolts of creating threads, maintaining it, and any/all possible Co-OPs.

That's really more of a P2TM topic than an N&I (nearly typed Diplomacy <.<) one, so I'll suggest you ask one of the P2TM Mentors or in a help thread over at their end, but I'll take a quick shot at answering it a little first. Creating a thread is much more hands-on than just participating in one; first and foremost, you have to drum up interest. If you have friends you think might be interested, let them know once you've set it up. P2TM has a roleplay advertisement thread that might also help. Of course, advertising's not a lot of good if your thread can't retain people's interest once they click on it then you're not on the right track. Describe your roleplay, its premise, its end goals (if any); if there's an overarching story line, introduce that, or give a teaser. Then you lay down your ground rules.

It's been a while since I ran an RP, and even longer since I had a co-OP, but their job is something along the lines of arbitration, helping to keep the roleplay running smoothly. When you're picking co-OPs, make sure they're people you trust to do it fairly.

I'm not equipped to cater to the more specific questions of your franchise, but if you have more questions on RP I encourage you to contact me or any of the other Mentors, and probably especially the P2TM crowd.

[Mount Seymour]

Hello everybody,

I'm pretty new to roleplaying, but I think I could get into it. I'm trying to start some RPing in my region. We have a map, some people who are interested, and some pre-existing roleplay-like international incidents. What thing(s) should I do next to get the RPing going? I was thinking of making an international organisation/alliance, but what are your thoughts?

Thanks!

[Aquitayne]

Hello everybody,

I'm pretty new to roleplaying, but I think I could get into it. I'm trying to start some RPing in my region. We have a map, some people who are interested, and some pre-existing roleplay-like international incidents. What thing(s) should I do next to get the RPing going? I was thinking of making an international organisation/alliance, but what are your thoughts?

Thanks!

Hi there!

Having a map and some active people is a great way to start off any roleplaying community. Some interesting things that you could begin RP with are diplomatic talks, developing some historical ties to one another, maybe a border skirmish or some terrorist attacks. Anything under the sun is available! Another great thing to do is start a news thread. This is a type of thread where the members of your region can post stories about their country, its people, and its view of the rest of the world. Creating an international organization or alliance is definitely a good way to foster some roleplay between the members of your region. You can host a summit, RP talks about the establishment of the treaty itself, whats inside it and what it does for its signatories.

If the RP community is in a Modern Tech setting, you can really use anything from the real world you can think of to start off an RP. If you need any other help, feel free to TG me!

[Mount Seymour]

Thanks! Those are some good ideas!

[Reich-Keepers]

If you win an RP war, what really can you do with the other country? is it just peace, or can I "take" a province or two?

[Ghant]

If you win an RP war, what really can you do with the other country? is it just peace, or can I "take" a province or two?

It depends on what the other player is OOCly comfortable with. Since their provinces are their intellectual property, you can't take them unless he OOCly allows you to.

[The Macabees]

If you win an RP war, what really can you do with the other country? is it just peace, or can I "take" a province or two?

It depends.

If you're fighting a war with another player, then ultimately both players have to accept the outcome of the war. More likely than not, that means that along the way you're going to have to coordinate and collaborate with this player, to make sure that the direction of the RP is of interest to both of you. Otherwise, what ends up happening is that you'll claim some outcome, he'll disagree, and that creates a friction point that very often kills the RP. In short, when your roleplaying wars with other players, coordinate and collaborate.

I'll give you an example, through two war RPs that I'm currently involved in. In A Wolf in the Jungle, UWO and I have an open-ended RP to some extent, but on another level we pretty much know what general direction this is going -- it has to be a direction that we're both comfortable with, to minimize the chance of a failed RP. And we keep in constant communication, so when I'm replying to his posts I can verify and clarify with him that what I'm doing is okay and fits the general story idea we had for the thread -- and I of course can propose new elements to the story and vice versa. For example, the part of the RP where I send a tank brigade to harass one of his flanks was impromptu, but I still communicated to and validated the idea with him before posting.

On another side of the spectrum stands, for example, Titanomachy. There Scand and I pretty much know how the RP will end, but the elements in between are more open ended. That way, much like in A Wolf in the Jungle, we're comfortable where the RP is headed, but there's still a lot of creative license for what happens in between. This helps stabilize the RP, but also gives us a chance to deviate a little and make it fun and exciting.

You can collaborate on the taking territory part. In Gholgoth, Kraven conquered and subjugated the original Jagadan territory. The free Jagadan government had to go elsewhere. Approach it as, "This is what makes sense for the story. And if we do it this way, here is where the story can go in the future."

I always try to compensate for the loss too. For example, with UWO, if he ends up losing S. Panooly, I compensated that by giving ideas for future RPs where he can rebuild that territorial domain. NationStates has unlimited possibilities, so in reality there's no reason why a war RP couldn't be win-win. You just have to find those opportunities to give the 'loser' a chance to win at some future date, whether it's against you or someone else.

Does any of this make sense?

[Doperland]

So, I'm planning on starting an RP, but i'm not sure how to write the OOC thread. Does anyone have any advice or be willing to help? I already know what I'll write for the IC thread (Although, should i include anything else in the IC other than some background and a link to the OOC?) Also, would once, maybe twice a day be a good response time here? It's been a while since i've done any roleplaying here.

[Ghant]

So, I'm planning on starting an RP, but i'm not sure how to write the OOC thread. Does anyone have any advice or be willing to help? I already know what I'll write for the IC thread (Although, should i include anything else in the IC other than some background and a link to the OOC?) Also, would once, maybe twice a day be a good response time here? It's been a while since i've done any roleplaying here.

I will repost what I posted earlier in this thread for convenience sake:

The OOC thread can do several things for you, such as:

• Be a place where interested players can signup for the RP.
• Serve as a hub of discussion about the thread, and where questions, comments and concerns can be raised.
• Where you can provide the rules of the thread and guidelines.

You should start off with this OOC thread and leave it up for at least a week, maybe two, before you launch the IC thread. That way, you can gather signups and gain some traction before you start the thread so that when you do, you can ideally start with the ball already rolling.

As far as maintaining it, it helps if you already have a story in mind, one that is flexible enough to allow participation from other players. Don't get discouraged if it starts off slow or slows down, that's pretty normal, and as long as you have direction for your thread, you can continue to post in order to advance the story towards whatever conclusion you had in mind. So as far as maintaining it, just be sure to keep posting.

If you encounter any trouble from other players, you can always refer them to the rules and guidelines that you posted in the OOC thread. If they still continue to cause trouble, you can consider kicking them out of the RP, which may involve retconning their involvement from the thread, ignoring those and any future posts, and alerting moderation if they continue to post in the thread even after you informed them that they are no longer welcome to post in it.

As far as Co-OPs, usually one or two at most, and these should be people that can help you advance the story in the event that you get busy and are suddenly unable to post, and people that you trust enough with the narrative to advance it with your initial vision for the story in mind.

Hope that helps. Feel free to post in here again if you need any more help, or feel free to send me a TG if you'd like any more help from me specifically!

In summation, the OOC thread is basically a place where interested and involved players can read the rules of the thread, ask questions, share comments and concerns, provide a rough guideline, etc. Please let me know if there's more you'd like to know, either here or via TG.

[Chernobyliya]

There is always this huge problem i had. Noticing that its hard to attract people to a thread. I do not wish to end up working hard on something just to have 0 people participate in it.
Other then bumping, is there any way of attracting people to a thread?

[Gurori]

You could use the RP Advertisement thread if it's in P2TM. You could also TG people who you think might be interested in it (this works for both NS Roleplays and P2TM roleplays)

[The Macabees]

There is always this huge problem i had. Noticing that its hard to attract people to a thread. I do not wish to end up working hard on something just to have 0 people participate in it.
Other then bumping, is there any way of attracting people to a thread?

My recommendation: throw **** at the wall and see what sticks.

There are a lot of factors that go into interest in a thread: what they know about the OP (good writer? fun to RP with? et cetera), how effective the pitch (the opening post or the abstract some people post in out of character interest threads) is, whether anybody they know is already involved, how easy it is to tie themselves into the plot, and the list goes on.

If you produce content and you keep trying, you're going to eventually get your first hit. You're going to develop a network of players you know and at some point you're going to find it really easy to start an active thread.

[Doperland]

I asked about it earlier, but I made the OOC thread, and I'd like for you all to look it over and see if there's anything I could do to make it better. (The OOC)

[Murovanka]

I asked about it earlier, but I made the OOC thread, and I'd like for you all to look it over and see if there's anything I could do to make it better. (The OOC)

What I would ask, if I were to apply, would be more detail on the history, culture, geography (a map is always great). An example here; what I've gotten down is still very brief and could be expanded, but what is good is to give people a solid background of hard facts to work on.

In addition, why should foreign players intervene? Is it the resources the country has, or its strategic location?

Keep in mind that in open RPs people's interests fluctuate, and unfortunately most seem to die before coming to a good conclusion. In my experience it's the OP that is the most important- he must be committed all along, because if he loses interest, it is certain to die.

Anyway, this is a checklist I've written for my region based on experience, if it helps; if you have any questions, or if anyone has suggestions to improve/add to it based on their experience, please do tell me.

[New Aeyariss]

You know, more I look at current state of II... more I think it needs some sort of unified RPer's ethic and greater degree of moderation. Several threads I have been in the past exploded in OOC drama between the players who could not get a common language.

I think it is time to put II back on track after wasteland it became in 2015... Once there was no problem in finding a good RP, even one with sign ups. Today good Rpers are few, scarce and dispersed, often closing themselves into their own little communities.

Maybe it is time to make II great again?

What I think would be useful:

- An unified RPing code of behaviour adherence to which would be at least demanded from community. It is not as much about IC stuff, but about proper OOC behaviour which we are currently often lacking.

- Some sort of a program to teach younger RPers how to write better.

[Asigna]

You know, more I look at current state of II... more I think it needs some sort of unified RPer's ethic and greater degree of moderation. Several threads I have been in the past exploded in OOC drama between the players who could not get a common language.

I think it is time to put II back on track after wasteland it became in 2015... Once there was no problem in finding a good RP, even one with sign ups. Today good Rpers are few, scarce and dispersed, often closing themselves into their own little communities.

Maybe it is time to make II great again?

What I think would be useful:

- An unified RPing code of behaviour adherence to which would be at least demanded from community. It is not as much about IC stuff, but about proper OOC behaviour which we are currently often lacking.

- Some sort of a program to teach younger RPers how to write better.

/\/\ Tried before, failed. Sadly.

[Adevia-Ardvilla]

You know, more I look at current state of II... more I think it needs some sort of unified RPer's ethic and greater degree of moderation. Several threads I have been in the past exploded in OOC drama between the players who could not get a common language.

I think it is time to put II back on track after wasteland it became in 2015... Once there was no problem in finding a good RP, even one with sign ups. Today good Rpers are few, scarce and dispersed, often closing themselves into their own little communities.

Maybe it is time to make II great again?

What I think would be useful:

- An unified RPing code of behaviour adherence to which would be at least demanded from community. It is not as much about IC stuff, but about proper OOC behaviour which we are currently often lacking.

- Some sort of a program to teach younger RPers how to write better.

Agreed. It was difficult for me to find a RP that wasn't closed when I first made this nation.

[Asigna]

You know, more I look at current state of II... more I think it needs some sort of unified RPer's ethic and greater degree of moderation. Several threads I have been in the past exploded in OOC drama between the players who could not get a common language.

I think it is time to put II back on track after wasteland it became in 2015... Once there was no problem in finding a good RP, even one with sign ups. Today good Rpers are few, scarce and dispersed, often closing themselves into their own little communities.

Maybe it is time to make II great again?

What I think would be useful:

- An unified RPing code of behaviour adherence to which would be at least demanded from community. It is not as much about IC stuff, but about proper OOC behaviour which we are currently often lacking.

- Some sort of a program to teach younger RPers how to write better.

Agreed. It was difficult for me to find a RP that wasn't closed when I first made this nation.

Tip: P2M is the best repository for open and easily accessible RPs. There are also numerous RP groups where you could wish to apply. If i may, i would endorse New Ausozera and Atlas (fun people, terrific people and newcomer friendly), among many.

[Kyrusia]

You know, more I look at current state of II... more I think it needs some sort of unified RPer's ethic and greater degree of moderation. Several threads I have been in the past exploded in OOC drama between the players who could not get a common language.

I think it is time to put II back on track after wasteland it became in 2015... Once there was no problem in finding a good RP, even one with sign ups. Today good Rpers are few, scarce and dispersed, often closing themselves into their own little communities.

Maybe it is time to make II great again?

What I think would be useful:

- An unified RPing code of behaviour adherence to which would be at least demanded from community. It is not as much about IC stuff, but about proper OOC behaviour which we are currently often lacking.

- Some sort of a program to teach younger RPers how to write better.

While I understand the position you're coming from, Moderation doesn't police the quality of roleplay. That involves enforcing player/community conventions, something we simply do not do. If it's something that violates the rules, report it; we can't be everywhere at once, unfortunately.

Beyond that, and in the realm of community conventions, it's up to the player communities themselves to enforce such, namely by being proactive and seeking to reinforce positive player behaviors. Sometimes this can be difficult and, strictly speaking, some players are better at it than others. Often it really does simply boil down to how a player presents their advice and how they engage with other players in an Out-of-Character capacity. Mentors can help with this, but they also cannot be everywhere at once; players are encouraged to get involved in a positive manner and help others - and II, NS, et al has a long history of this (the copious amounts of guides over the years serve as a bit of a testament). I don't think you're implying that one needs to be a Mentor (or any other special group, player-created or otherwise) to help players, but I think it does well to note that anyone can be helpful.

Fundamentally, however, there is always a point of disconnect; namely: no one - regardless of the color of their name - can force a player to take, accept, and follow advice. Be it on standards of military realism, scale, or anything else; it's ultimately a choice the player has to make. Some make it, some do not.

As for a unified RPing code, these exist, though often they are unspoken - or, at least, often unrecorded. While my most recent years in roleplaying have largely been in Future Tech, once upon a time that was not the case. I've run the gambit of the tech levels (and regions) over the years and found, fundamentally, that people are usually in this for the fun of it. That is a good starting point, but it often ignores a basic presupposition: "If I'm in it for the fun of it, then it is likely my roleplay partner is, too." Players would often do well to be reminded of this, I feel, as it can help level whatever tension may exist and help serve to remind everyone that, fundamentally, this is a game - a sometimes very elaborate game, but a game nonetheless. When it stops being fun, it stops being a game; it also becomes a chore.

I do think there is something that, at least to the extent it has been more recorded, could be imparted to this discussion. I think most players attempt to adhere to something similar, albeit under names preferred by their community of choice, but it's gotten press in the FTA&A thread and the PMT Community Thread (a reminder that these, and the MT Community Thread, exist) for quite some time: C4.

• C4, the Four C's (#C4): The broadly-accepted, standard fundamentals of the NationStates Future Tech community: collaboration, compromise, creativity, and consistency; a willingness to collaborate with other players, a willingness to compromise with other players for mutual enjoyment, being generally creative in design and the execution of an idea or concept, and being consistent in regards to the rules of any one idea or concept - including culture, politics, technology, etc.; compare to "Code of Bro" (collaboration and compromise) and "Rule of Cool" (creativity and consistency).

This isn't something any one player devised. It's something that has emerged from the roleplaying community (this specific presentation/name for it being from FT) as an acceptable "fundamental" code of Out-of-Character behavior. Things like this really can't be forced on a community; they need to be emergent, natural, and flow from a gestalt mental acceptance (or lack thereof) of a certain range of behaviors. To use a quote from the OSRS, it ultimately boils down to "Don't be a dick"; I think most of the communities here - not just roleplaying - attempt to adhere to that, though mistakes will always happen. As I always say: "The only unforgivable mistake, is the mistaken presumption you (general "you") have never made any."

More generally speaking now: the Mentor Program is always looking out for players who show a propensity for the responsibility and duty of mentoring. We are always looking for people who take proactive steps to become involved in bettering their respective communities, are knowledgeable, and have a positive attitude - both in general and with their fellow players. If players don't feel they can do that - or, fundamentally, don't want to for whatever reason - then they can send a Mentor a telegram: "Hey, I think this guy could use a little guidance." There's nothing wrong with that. There's even Mentor 911 that can be used. There's also nothing wrong with simply telling a friend you know has a good attitude and can be helpful the same; maybe they'll get on our radar that way. Further, while we don't accept blatant self-nominations, a telegram to one of us asking about how to become involved in the Program isn't something we shun - nor is appraising us of a player that might make a good addition to the Mentor Team.

Ultimately, it's up to the community. It takes everyone (or, at least, a sizable portion of "everyone") to nurture something like this. It doesn't just stay healthy on its own. It needs people - regardless of the color of their name - to be involved, to be proactive, and to help ensure players (or, at least, the ones they regularly interact with) try and keep an even keel. Sometimes we all need a bit of a strong shake to remember why we're here and, further, remember why we want to be.

</$0.02>

[Asigna]

It could not be phrased any better Kyrusia.

[Altito Asmoro]

You know, more I look at current state of II... more I think it needs some sort of unified RPer's ethic and greater degree of moderation. Several threads I have been in the past exploded in OOC drama between the players who could not get a common language.

I think it is time to put II back on track after wasteland it became in 2015... Once there was no problem in finding a good RP, even one with sign ups. Today good Rpers are few, scarce and dispersed, often closing themselves into their own little communities.

Maybe it is time to make II great again?

What I think would be useful:

- An unified RPing code of behaviour adherence to which would be at least demanded from community. It is not as much about IC stuff, but about proper OOC behaviour which we are currently often lacking.

- Some sort of a program to teach younger RPers how to write better.

Agreed, for I think that II is in a sadder state than before.

[Kyrusia]

It could not be phrased any better Kyrusia.

While I appreciate the compliment, I'm notoriously long-winded; it actually probably could be.

That being said, there is also something to remember vis-a-vis young roleplayers and writing... Many of our roleplayers are young. Some as young as thirteen (given one must be thirteen to post on the forums). Developing a literary voice - which, make no mistake, regardless of how one roleplays, it plays a role - takes time; with that time often comes parts of writing/roleplaying that can't readily be taught - at least not taught in a way that doesn't require extensive time (often far more than many of us have to dedicate, given real life obligations such as schooling, employment, families, etc.). It takes years, frankly, to develop a literary voice; it can take just as long to develop an understanding and comprehension of more mechanical aspects of writing (grammar, punctuation, spelling, vocabulary, etc.; we go to school for this, after all), and can take a lifetime to develop more nuanced skills involved in writing, roleplaying, storytelling, etc.

Any player can help in this, but for some things it really is a "practice makes perfect" situation. It's a skill (or skill set) just like any other; we're always going to have some players who are better at it than others. What's important, in my opinion, is understanding it takes time to develop this skill and that it can often be more beneficial to nurture an environment where experimentation with and learning of that skill is embraced and accepted (along with all the rusty, jagged, "needs polishing" edges) than simply trying to instruct, teach, or give advice on it alone. To me, you need a bit of both to be successful.

[Asigna]

Agreed, for I think that II is in a sadder state than before.

There's a reason for the so-called "decline" in the quality of RPs. First thing's first, it is because of the fear of the newbies. Many people are closing themselves on RP communities while espousing strict RP standards for one to enter their communities disallowing those perceived to be "unfit" for their standards in fear they might "ruin" the desired quality of the RPs they want to rp. In turn, this causes the newbies to find themselves having limited options, discouraging them from the RP endeavor. There is a reason why the NS summer keeps getting less and less wild than it has before, so many people find themselves with so little choices and when starting an RP, they tend to not help in comparing themselves to the RPs of other people hence demoralizing the could be RPers. It's this elitism that is indeed very much discouraging.

[EsToVnIa]

a reminder that these, and the MT Community Thread, exist

Something of a suggestion since I have little to add to the current conversation.

Would it be at all possible to add the FTA&A Thread, PMT Community Thread, and MT Community Thread individually to the stickies rather than linking them under the "Help and Resources" tab of the general International Incidents thread?

I know the FTA&A thread and PMT Community threads are doing well-off without being stickied, but by comparison the MT Community thread (arguably the largest and most relevant demographic for II itself) is practically, for lack of a better term, dead so to speak. I'm not sure what Moderation's stance on those threads are (more-so specifically if you would view it as up to the OP's of each respective thread to "keep the thread alive") but I feel each one is a great enough resource to its respective community where placing them in the stickies might not be a poor idea.

e: just realised that would take up too much space on the front page so nvm

[Kyrusia]

a reminder that these, and the MT Community Thread, exist

Something of a suggestion since I have little to add to the current conversation.

Would it be at all possible to add the FTA&A Thread, PMT Community Thread, and MT Community Thread individually to the stickies rather than linking them under the "Help and Resources" tab of the general International Incidents thread?

I know the FTA&A thread and PMT Community threads are doing well-off without being stickied, but by comparison the MT Community thread (arguably the largest and most relevant demographic for II itself) is practically, for lack of a better term, dead so to speak. I'm not sure what Moderation's stance on those threads are (more-so specifically if you would view it as up to the OP's of each respective thread to "keep the thread alive") but I feel each one is a great enough resource to its respective community where placing them in the stickies might not be a poor idea.

e: just realised that would take up too much space on the front page so nvm

This is something that's been considered more than once, but something I've not done for a number of reasons, the chief being what you sort of realized in the end.

Even assuming we took out one of the stickies we currently have, that'd still leave us with six. If we moved, say, "International Incidents (New Player? Click Here!)" to an announcement - something we don't really like doing - that'd still leave us with five. We try and keep it at no more than 4 immediately pressing stickies, typically three permanent and one "featured thing." Out of practice, we've evolved to four due to the gameplay-related/roleplay-related guide for regions. That being said, I think I'll unsticky that one now, given the major cause for it is quite in the past. (It's still linked in the aforementioned sticky, though.)