RPing Questions? Ask Here!

[Crypskit]

how do i start a rp? whcih forum do i use? what do i do? HALLLP

[Maltropia]

Try either this forum (International Incidents) or the NationStates subforum if you want an RP involving your country. Go to the subforum's page and press New Topic. You'll probably want to start with some kind of Interest or Sign-ups thread, or just start an In Character thread and let people jump right in. Depends what you're after.

[Roski]

http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?p=21453929#p21453929

Someone please explain what he just said to me, or tell him that isn't true.

Because

• Attacking my fleet
• Attacking My Allies
• Declaring war on my allies

is an invitation for a war.

[The Macabees]

I think he realizes that.

[Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland]

Has anyone played a landlocked nation, or get any advice on doing so? Virtually all regional maps I come across have everyone having access to coastline, and I can certainly understand how if, given the choice, every nation would choose the immense geopolitical advantage that comes with not being landlocked. I am considering having my own nation be landlocked, though, as it fits the Alpine profile and there are few opportunities for coastline on our "Chile syndrome"-heavy regional map. But I don't want to create a map and geo-history only to find that playing as a landlocked nation is too difficult.

[The Macabees]

Has anyone played a landlocked nation, or get any advice on doing so? Virtually all regional maps I come across have everyone having access to coastline, and I can certainly understand how if, given the choice, every nation would choose the immense geopolitical advantage that comes with not being landlocked. I am considering having my own nation be landlocked, though, as it fits the Alpine profile and there are few opportunities for coastline on our "Chile syndrome"-heavy regional map. But I don't want to create a map and geo-history only to find that playing as a landlocked nation is too difficult.

Not having a coastline might imply a few disadvantages, but there's also plenty of benefits as well (e.g. it's more difficult to attack your nation). I think, though, to avoid limiting your options too much, you need to know at least one of your neighbors so that you can establish diplomatic relations with it. That way you have an ally with a coastline, maybe in a similar fashion to what Pakistan is for Afghanistan. If you have a neighbor that isn't so friendly, maybe that's a plot to a good storyline: your invasion of his lands in an effort to secure a coastline.

[Schutzenphalia and West Ruhntuhnkuhnland]

I think, though, to avoid limiting your options too much, you need to know at least one of your neighbors so that you can establish diplomatic relations with it. That way you have an ally with a coastline, maybe in a similar fashion to what Pakistan is for Afghanistan.

That is good advice, thank you.

If you have a neighbor that isn't so friendly, maybe that's a plot to a good storyline: your invasion of his lands in an effort to secure a coastline.

I'm not so interested in war RPs, but that is a good idea, and is similar to my original headcanon for the dual nature of my nation: that the landlocked Schutzenphalia had invaded Ruhntuhnkuhnland in an attempt to gain a warm water port, only to end up only being able to hold onto West Ruhntuhnkuhnland as an exclave.

[Naudin]

How do I deal with people disagreeing on what should happen in my RP? https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=302709&p=21463463#p21463463

[Lamoni]

How do I deal with people disagreeing on what should happen in my RP? https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=302709&p=21463463#p21463463

If you are the thread OP, then you can request that the other player alter their thread to better fit in with what is desired for the RP. It is generally better to work such things out with the other players first, than it is to just up and dictate things to them. I would also suggest that your thread have an OOC thread (if it does not already), so that those in the IC thread can better co-ordinate.

[Vancon]

Wasn't there a thread made by the mods that mentioned how to make better characters, RP skills, OP starts, etc...?

[The Macabees]

Wasn't there a thread made by the mods that mentioned how to make better characters, RP skills, OP starts, etc...?

Maybe one of these is what you have in mind: "Roleplaying Tips and Suggestions" or "A Guide to Story Making." Otherwise check out this this list of help threads.

[Vancon]

Wasn't there a thread made by the mods that mentioned how to make better characters, RP skills, OP starts, etc...?

Maybe one of these is what you have in mind: "Roleplaying Tips and Suggestions" or "A Guide to Story Making." Otherwise check out this this list of help threads.

Thanks, it was the first link.

[The United Zones of the West]

Which forums are for RPing and how exactly do I RP? Please telegram me the answer. I will probably not check back on this thread very often.

[Mizialand]

RP or Role Playing means assuming a particular role in a fictional setting. You can basically RP in all of the sub-forums under the headings of Diplomacy and World Assembly. Here is a brief description of all of them:

1. Factbooks and National Information(FANI)- Assume the role of the Public Relations/Foreign Affairs Ministry or equivalent of your government and publish factbooks, embassy programmes, news articles, surveys, election thread etc. about your nation.

2. NationStates (NS) and 3.International Incidents(II) - The boundaries of these two sub forums are not very clearly defined. In case you want to declare a war or something that has to do with other nation, go for II. If you want to do something solely with your nation like an informal birthday party for a princess, NS is the best place.

4. Global Economics and Trade (GET)- You RP here as a company selling products in the international market.

5. NS Sports - RP as sportsperson

6. General Assembly and 7. Security Council - Discuss WA proposals while RPing as Ambassador of your nation to the WA.

Contact some players (through TG or IRC) who might be interested in RPing with you. Discuss beforehand the roles each of you will play and the plot and setting of the story. If aren't very well acquainted with any RPer, try this thread: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=239275&sid=6a6cb2357fb4f2fb91cb81753237c8cb

Also there are certain links mentioned at the very beginning of this thread. Visit and read them thoroughly. They are very helpful. Hope this is helpful.

- Mizialand

[Rhodevus]

I'm not new to RP'S,but nearly nobody does my RP's that I created,so I end up abandoning them.Why do people not like mine?

what type of RPs do you make?
To make a successful RP, it needs to have a catch. This usually includes a picture and a very short synopsis of the plot or overview. Like a super hero RP will have something talking about superheroes. A war RP will discuss the build up to a war.

But it is different for every RP, maybe post the OP to an RP an I could check it out

[The Macabees]

I'm not new to RP'S,but nearly nobody does my RP's that I created,so I end up abandoning them.Why do people not like mine?

I don't think it's about other RPers not liking your RPs. But, you ask a great question and I don't think there's really a specific answer to it -- although it would make for a great case study (hey, I think I found my first NS survey data project!). Some things I'd keep in mind:

• Continuity: RPers want to know that they can count on the thread surviving until the story is complete. How do you signal your reliability? The major signal is your history as a player. Otherwise, you can start the IC thread without having other players join at first, and once it shows that you're interested in making the IC thread work people might choose to join. I overuse this example, but see how the first two pages, here, of IC posts are mostly mine. Notice too that at first I was not very reliable; it took two years for me to a second post up. But, since then I've worked to rebuild my reputation in that sense.
• Quality: Quality makes an RP an enjoyment to read and an enjoyment to partake in. Make sure that when you post you do your best. Is it something you would show off to friends? If not, you should probably go back and work on it a little longer. This doesn't mean you need to be an expert novelist, but you should always do your best. Other RPers will reward you by joining your RP and reaching out to you.
• Godmodding: I'm not accusing you of godmodding; I don't know your RP history, so there's no way I could ever do that. But, if you have had a history of godmodding that will tarnish your reputation. The good news is that reputation isn't permanent, as it can be rebuilt. What's godmodding? Honestly, what counts as a godmod depends on the player, so what you should focus on is: are the other players in your thread happy with how the RP is unfolding? If they're unhappy they won't RP with you, so you should take care to make sure you address their wants.
• Interesting: As Rhodevus says above, make sure the storyline is interesting. If it's boring, people will be less willing to join. One good way of piquing other RPers' interest is by making the outcome win-win. If everyone gains and no one loses, there should be no one unwilling to RP because they're unhappy with the conclusion. For example, when I approached Stevid, another player, about taking land that belonged to him, I proposed a swap where none of us necessarily lost (requires a little bit of light metagaming, but I'm of the school of thought that metagaming is okay as long as all relevant players agree with the outcome -- call it out of character communication and cooperation).

[Rhodevus]

I'm not new to RP'S,but nearly nobody does my RP's that I created,so I end up abandoning them.Why do people not like mine?

I don't think it's about other RPers not liking your RPs. But, you ask a great question and I don't think there's really a specific answer to it -- although it would make for a great case study (hey, I think I found my first NS survey data project!). Some things I'd keep in mind:

• Continuity: RPers want to know that they can count on the thread surviving until the story is complete. How do you signal your reliability? The major signal is your history as a player. Otherwise, you can start the IC thread without having other players join at first, and once it shows that you're interesting in making the IC thread work people might choose to join. I overuse this example, but see how the first two pages, here, of IC posts are mostly mine. Notice too that at first I was not very reliable; it took two years for me to a second post up. But, since then I've worked to rebuild my reputation in that sense.
• Quality: Quality makes an RP an enjoyment to read and an enjoyment to partake in. Make sure that when you post you do your best. Is it something you would show off to friends? If not, you should probably go back and work on it a little longer. This doesn't mean you need to be an expert novelist, but you should always do your best. Other RPers will reward you by joining your RP and reaching out to you.
• Godmodding: I'm not accusing you of godmodding; I don't know your RP history, so there's no way I could ever do that. But, if have had a history of godmodding that will tarnish your reputation. The good news is that reputation isn't permanent, as it can be rebuilt. What's godmodding? Honestly, what counts as a godmod depends on the player, so what you should focus on is: are the other players in your thread happy with how the RP is unfolding? If they're unhappy they won't RP with you, so you should take care to make sure you address their wants.
• Interesting: As Rhodevus says above, make sure the storyline is interesting. If it's boring, people will be less willing to join. One good way of piquing other RPers' interest is by making the outcome win-win. If everyone gains and no one loses, there should be no one unwilling to RP because they're unhappy with the conclusion. For example, when I approached Stevid, another player, about taking land that belonged to him, I proposed a swap where none of us necessarily lost (requires a little bit of light metagaming, but I'm of the school of thought that metagaming is okay as long as all relevant players agree with the outcome -- call it out of character communication and cooperation).

mind if I sig this for later use?

[The Macabees]

Go for it!

[Astholm]

I've rebooted my nation's history, created this new RP but would be interested to know how I can make a riot/independence movement seem realistic?

I used things like the Ukrainian crisis, Kosovo and Northern Cyprus/Cyprus as inspiration.

[quote=The Macabees][*]Interesting: As Rhodevus says above, make sure the storyline is interesting. If it's boring, people will be less willing to join. One good way of piquing other RPers' interest is by making the outcome win-win. If everyone gains and no one loses, there should be no one unwilling to RP because they're unhappy with the conclusion. For example, when I approached Stevid, another player, about taking land that belonged to him, I proposed a swap where none of us necessarily lost (requires a little bit of light metagaming, but I'm of the school of thought that metagaming is okay as long as all relevant players agree with the outcome -- call it out of character communication and cooperation).[/quote]

I've definitely tried to make it interesting; an ethnic enclave wanting its own independence, especially as it's like a sort of fabricated country, it's not some ethnic dispute going back hundreds of years etc.

Basically... I've managed to get some interest posting it on the RMB, but how to make the story progress in an interesting manner is the hard part; this one is as much about the people as it is about the war and government etc.

[Rhodevus]

I've rebooted my nation's history, created this new RP but would be interested to know how I can make a riot/independence movement seem realistic?

I used things like the Ukrainian crisis, Kosovo and Northern Cyprus/Cyprus as inspiration.

[quote=The Macabees][*]Interesting: As Rhodevus says above, make sure the storyline is interesting. If it's boring, people will be less willing to join. One good way of piquing other RPers' interest is by making the outcome win-win. If everyone gains and no one loses, there should be no one unwilling to RP because they're unhappy with the conclusion. For example, when I approached Stevid, another player, about taking land that belonged to him, I proposed a swap where none of us necessarily lost (requires a little bit of light metagaming, but I'm of the school of thought that metagaming is okay as long as all relevant players agree with the outcome -- call it out of character communication and cooperation).

I've definitely tried to make it interesting; an ethnic enclave wanting its own independence, especially as it's like a sort of fabricated country, it's not some ethnic dispute going back hundreds of years etc.

Basically... I've managed to get some interest posting it on the RMB, but how to make the story progress in an interesting manner is the hard part; this one is as much about the people as it is about the war and government etc.[/quote]

well, In my experience OPping Civil War RPs, Revolution RPs and that sort of thing, I usually find it best to open with something climactic, as in a huge riot or if you want it to progress into a real Civil War/Revolution, maybe try starting with a small attack, that gets the international attention. Think Ukraine, Russia attacked after a large civil dispute. The country was already bathed in riots before Russia stepped in.

Try something of the same, if this is how you want to progress. But lead with a climax. Once you overcome this scenario, try to allow for a general story line, where other people can add to it and put it in a direction you may not have originally planned for. Of course, since it is history, you know how it will end. The middle is what is left to be decided.

Now, how to make an independence movement seem realistic: The first place to start, is to give them a motive. Are they like the 13 colonies, who are just sick of the government taxing them? Are they like the French who are fed up with the monarchy? Whatever reason they have for declaring independence, you must say it out loud and be able to visualize it being played on the news. If you think it is too cheesy, scratch that idea and try again.

After the motive, there needs to be an adequate reason for rebelling. Why did they choose to rebel at that exact moment? Why not a week before? Why not next year?

For a riot, pretty much, riots may start out as something simple, yet will almost always progress into something it was never intended to be. Make sure to involve looting, burning. To make it as the intro to a independence movement, add some flag burning. But all in all, these two things will only seem realistic, if you can imagine hearing a story about it on the news. If you cannot imagine it actually happening, 9 times out of 10 it is not realistic or just too cheesy.
But, then again, this may only help for me. Everyone develops their own style of creating realism.

[Astholm]

well, In my experience OPping Civil War RPs, Revolution RPs and that sort of thing, I usually find it best to open with something climactic, as in a huge riot or if you want it to progress into a real Civil War/Revolution, maybe try starting with a small attack, that gets the international attention. Think Ukraine, Russia attacked after a large civil dispute. The country was already bathed in riots before Russia stepped in.

Try something of the same, if this is how you want to progress. But lead with a climax. Once you overcome this scenario, try to allow for a general story line, where other people can add to it and put it in a direction you may not have originally planned for. Of course, since it is history, you know how it will end. The middle is what is left to be decided.

Now, how to make an independence movement seem realistic: The first place to start, is to give them a motive. Are they like the 13 colonies, who are just sick of the government taxing them? Are they like the French who are fed up with the monarchy? Whatever reason they have for declaring independence, you must say it out loud and be able to visualize it being played on the news. If you think it is too cheesy, scratch that idea and try again.

After the motive, there needs to be an adequate reason for rebelling. Why did they choose to rebel at that exact moment? Why not a week before? Why not next year?

For a riot, pretty much, riots may start out as something simple, yet will almost always progress into something it was never intended to be. Make sure to involve looting, burning. To make it as the intro to a independence movement, add some flag burning. But all in all, these two things will only seem realistic, if you can imagine hearing a story about it on the news. If you cannot imagine it actually happening, 9 times out of 10 it is not realistic or just too cheesy.
But, then again, this may only help for me. Everyone develops their own style of creating realism.

In my OP here, I've attempted to explain the reasons.
To quote from it:

• White people are a minority; at least in terms of Native Astholmians
• Area is an ethnic enclave, mainly inhabited by Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Turkish, Kurdish, Bosnian and Nigerian people.
• The local district of Luthoksthorpe and Halsby covers 186 km² (71.86 sq mi)
• The area considers itself a separate nation from Astholm, and an independence movement started in April 2011; two votes for independence failed previously, but as of August 2014 there was renewed interest on social media.
• The people do not consider themselves citizens of Astholm, but as their own nation with its own laws and taxes; they find Astholm's government boring and stifling, and want to seek their own path.
• They find Astholm's tax rate too high.
• Riots have broken out after protests about Astholm taxes.
• Officially it is part of Svenska-Astholm, a constituent nation within Astholm; and is within the county council of Söderfält, in the county of Steniglänet.
• Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Urdu, Turkish, Bosnian, Hausa, Yoruba, Chinese

Do these seem like valid reasons for the revolution to start?

[Rhodevus]

well, In my experience OPping Civil War RPs, Revolution RPs and that sort of thing, I usually find it best to open with something climactic, as in a huge riot or if you want it to progress into a real Civil War/Revolution, maybe try starting with a small attack, that gets the international attention. Think Ukraine, Russia attacked after a large civil dispute. The country was already bathed in riots before Russia stepped in.

Try something of the same, if this is how you want to progress. But lead with a climax. Once you overcome this scenario, try to allow for a general story line, where other people can add to it and put it in a direction you may not have originally planned for. Of course, since it is history, you know how it will end. The middle is what is left to be decided.

Now, how to make an independence movement seem realistic: The first place to start, is to give them a motive. Are they like the 13 colonies, who are just sick of the government taxing them? Are they like the French who are fed up with the monarchy? Whatever reason they have for declaring independence, you must say it out loud and be able to visualize it being played on the news. If you think it is too cheesy, scratch that idea and try again.

After the motive, there needs to be an adequate reason for rebelling. Why did they choose to rebel at that exact moment? Why not a week before? Why not next year?

For a riot, pretty much, riots may start out as something simple, yet will almost always progress into something it was never intended to be. Make sure to involve looting, burning. To make it as the intro to a independence movement, add some flag burning. But all in all, these two things will only seem realistic, if you can imagine hearing a story about it on the news. If you cannot imagine it actually happening, 9 times out of 10 it is not realistic or just too cheesy.
But, then again, this may only help for me. Everyone develops their own style of creating realism.

In my OP here, I've attempted to explain the reasons.
To quote from it:

• White people are a minority; at least in terms of Native Astholmians
• Area is an ethnic enclave, mainly inhabited by Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Turkish, Kurdish, Bosnian and Nigerian people.
• The local district of Luthoksthorpe and Halsby covers 186 km² (71.86 sq mi)
• The area considers itself a separate nation from Astholm, and an independence movement started in April 2011; two votes for independence failed previously, but as of August 2014 there was renewed interest on social media.
• The people do not consider themselves citizens of Astholm, but as their own nation with its own laws and taxes; they find Astholm's government boring and stifling, and want to seek their own path.
• They find Astholm's tax rate too high.
• Riots have broken out after protests about Astholm taxes.
• Officially it is part of Svenska-Astholm, a constituent nation within Astholm; and is within the county council of Söderfält, in the county of Steniglänet.
• Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Urdu, Turkish, Bosnian, Hausa, Yoruba, Chinese

Do these seem like valid reasons for the revolution to start?

These reasons seem plausible for having another referendum, but they don't seem severe enough to start an entire independence war. (If that is the way you are going) Except maybe the tax riots. That sounds nice. Maybe add that it has been discovered that there was vote rigging in the last independence referendum. Now, that would get people all fired up!

[Morthyria]

Am I allowed 65% of the population in the military?

[Rhodevus]

Am I allowed 65% of the population in the military?

usually no. You better have a VERY good reason for having an army with that large a percentage. Most armies are between 1% and 5% of their population

[Morthyria]

We are an ultra militarized nation.