RPing Questions? Ask Here!

[The Macabees]

My Question Here is, could we also play humanitarian and disaster/calamity response like disaster relief in a natural disaster aside from wars and other diplomatic events?

To echo Shwe, yes please do!

[Havensky]

My Question Here is, could we also play humanitarian and disaster/calamity response like disaster relief in a natural disaster aside from wars and other diplomatic events?

Yes please!

I don't do them as often, but I personally love disaster response RPs as a way to showcase your nation either as your nation responding to it's own disaster OR helping others.

[Kingdom of Eight Nations]

Can the country have WMD in the game?

[Kylarnatia]

Can the country have WMD in the game?

If you mean "Can you roleplay as possessing WMDs?", the answer is theoretically yes, but in practice they very rarely get used, because for the most part WMDs are unsatisfying in most cases of role-playing conflict. Due to their destructive nature and ever-lasting effects, they're a bit too canon-altering for most people's tastes.

Therefore most players either have a stockpile but never use it (think of M.A.D.) or just don't mention them at all and stick to more conventional means of warfare.

[New Aeyariss]

Can the country have WMD in the game?

If you mean "Can you roleplay as possessing WMDs?", the answer is theoretically yes, but in practice they very rarely get used, because for the most part WMDs are unsatisfying in most cases of role-playing conflict. Due to their destructive nature and ever-lasting effects, they're a bit too canon-altering for most people's tastes.

Therefore most players either have a stockpile but never use it (think of M.A.D.) or just don't mention them at all and stick to more conventional means of warfare.

I have a bit contrary opinion here, to be frank. I do think that WMDs do give you an interesting dynamic you can add to your RPs when you include the threat of escalation. The reason for that is that an eventual conflict with WMD use is something you can compare to a knife fight in the alley, where both parties have guns, but don't want to pull them, afraid that the moment they do, the other side will pull their own. In WW II, both sides had chemical weapons - but neither wanted to use them, afraid of enemy's retaliation.

The thread of nuclear escalation is a very tangible way of keeping one's homeland away from being attacked and thus, limiting the scale of warfare to the point where hours of creativity one put in a nation. For example 2018 Nifonese national security doctrine contains a concept of "flexible response" inspired by the one possessed by France during the Cold war.

Flexible Response is a Nifonese doctrine concerning escalation. It states that in case of an attack on the Empire of Greater Nifon, the Empire of Greater Nifon will use means of response proportional to the attack that had been carried out. This means that should Nifonese forces be engaged outside 2nd Island Chain, and the limited conventional conflict they would be pulled in would not endanger the Nifonese state and it's crucial interests like sea lanes of communication or access to resources, the Empire of Greater Nifon will refrain from using the WMDs unless the enemy escalates. Likewise, in case of a hybrid attack on the Empire of Greater Nifon, the Empire of Greater Nifon will direct proportional response against the attackers, and non-state actors (such as corporations or NGOs) can be designated as "enemy combatants" which will be engaged by kinetic or non-kinetic means depending on severity of the attack. NGOs that "aid in moral subversion of Nifonese society" will be arrested; tech companies that attempt to censor pro-Nifonese narratives may be targeted by cyber strikes; media carrying anti-Nifonese information warfare will be target of Nifonese information warfare, etc. etc.

[Kylarnatia]

-snip-

Sure, there's nothing wrong with that opinion, neither was it contrary to mine: again, as I said, it is possible to have a stockpile and just never use them out of the fear of the consequences (M.A.D. or Mutually Assured Destruction).

I was just making the point that most people either do that or don't even acknowledge them at all because there's nothing satisfying in someone saying "I have n00ks and I've devastated your country LOL!!1!"

Regardless, as I said, your point isn't contrary to mine. :)

[Bears Armed]

I was just making the point that most people either do that or don't even acknowledge them at all because there's nothing satisfying in someone saying "I have n00ks and I've devastated your country LOL!!1!"

Also, as 'war' in NS roleplay is a consensual affair, a player who unilaterally decides that they can destroy somebody else's nation like that -- instead of the attack having been agreed OOC in advance -- is likely to find that other players are unwilling to play with them...

[Deutschess Kaiserreich]

How would one name their thread?

Bonus ?

What do the mentors think about using the scp style of logs (exploration, Interviews etc etc) in a story.

[Shwe Tu Colony]

How would one name their thread?

When you're making a new topic, it's the empty box nearby the "Subject" below the subforum name. Click that & type.

[Deutschess Kaiserreich]

How would one name their thread?

When you're making a new topic, it's the empty box nearby the "Subject" below the subforum name. Click that & type.

No no no. I know how To do that. Like naming a book one must have a good title or no one will pick other up!

[Sunset]

When you're making a new topic, it's the empty box nearby the "Subject" below the subforum name. Click that & type.

No no no. I know how To do that. Like naming a book one must have a good title or no one will pick other up!

I like something allusional; 'In Case of Emergency...' 'Seeking Safety for Numbers'. Something that gives a hint of what the story might be about, but just enough (hopefully) that someone will read it, 'Huh, what does that...' *Click* 'Oh, I see. That looks interesting!'

Whether that always works... Well, I've had my share of threads just disappear into oblivion.

[Shwe Tu Colony]

No no no. I know how To do that. Like naming a book one must have a good title or no one will pick other up!

This is likely my own bias, but to me the first priority of the thread, rather than the philosophical title, are the tags that define who is allowed in. Is it a regional affair, invite only, what's the tech allowed (the tech of your nation had caused confusion in my experience), can even sapient furniture walk in no questions asked? Otherwise, you can get situations like these from the lack of clarity, which is needless to say really awkward; if you run out of space for your tags, the rules section will do just as well. As for the actual title of your affair, my usual method is to find what the overall theme of the thread is. For example, in Thus, Men of Iron Fought There, the theme is just that — tough soldiers in another universe ("Men of Iron Fought There"), motivated by the atrocities of the target nation ("Thus"). For the reader, the ambiguity of the "thus," the implied violence of the "fought," & the promise of something exotic with the "there" is likely to attract their attention, more so if the "semi-closed" was not in the title, but as I claimed prior, tags are important to your thread.

If you'd like, you could post about the idea for the roleplay in the RP Think Tank for a name.

I was going to include a bit more using an analysis of the title of my own roleplay, but I came to realize it was an ego stroke rather than a useful example, seeing as I failed to actually attract much lasting attention with the title anyway & I'd wager most other people wouldn't care for the thematic implications anyway when it comes to thread titles. That said, I do agree that Sunset is right that providing that sort of hint to the story, just a glimpse into it, is a good way to develop interest.

[Ruskland-Preuben]

Why are all the good RPs nowadays closed or invite only? I rarely see open signup except for RPs using oneliners.

[Kylarnatia]

Why are all the good RPs nowadays closed or invite only? I rarely see open signup except for RPs using oneliners.

Closed roleplays tend to be for regions or close-knit groups who are more likely to cooperatively plan and control the story of the roleplay as they write it, so often more thought is required, hence "good".

That isn't to say that Open roleplays can't be "good", though. It's just that they can often be harder to cooperatively plan and control because it's open and you can't foresee what someone might do. Regardless of their quality they're also where a lot of new roleplayers start, like we all did at some point, so don't bash them. If you think that they can improve, take part and lead by example: I've often seen new roleplayers begin to write more than a few lines once they've interacted with someone who writes something they enjoy and inspires them.

Also, this isn't anything new in the roleplay forums. As my memory serves it has always been this way, so enough with the "nowadays". :P

[Neu Engollon]

Why are all the good RPs nowadays closed or invite only? I rarely see open signup except for RPs using oneliners.

The answer to your question is in your second sentence.

Seriously though, open RPs are plagued with problems. Some, if overcome, can make the RP more entertaining, such as new players getting to know each others' styles. Others are things that most players can't get past. People whose interest wanes two posts into the IC thread, often including the OP that started the whole mess. People who don't want to cooperate or be on the same page as everyone else, but just want to win. People who aren't there to write, but script out actions ala their favorite video game. I could go on, but enough negative.

Your best course of action is to find 'interest' threads, or create one yourself. Basically, these are threads started by players to generate interest in a RP concept and to brainstorm ideas with other players about what they want to see in their RP: Sides, reason for conflict or discussion, limits and rules, tech, etc. Being the OP is tough, especially when you think you had a great idea, but not a lot of people are very interested. That's why it helps to narrow down your target market of players, or expand it by incorporating aspects into the RP that you never would have thought of on your own. Best way to accomplish this is to make an interest thread which can then be turned into the OOC thread after the RP IC thread is launched.

EDIT: Ninja'd by Kyle. Excellent points. I am also tired of hearing about these 'good old days'.

[The Macabees]

Why are all the good RPs nowadays closed or invite only? I rarely see open signup except for RPs using oneliners.

This won't work 100% of the time, but it will work a surprising amount of the time:

TG the OP.

Don't say, "I want to join the RP."

Read the RP first, then TG the OP with ideas of how you would involve yourself in the thread. Show them that you intend to join on good faith, are invested in making it enjoyable (which you proved by reading the thread and knowing what's going on), and have the potential to be a good RP partner for them.

If possible, link to a few of your past RPs as a sort of resume.

[Sunset]

Why are all the good RPs nowadays closed or invite only? I rarely see open signup except for RPs using oneliners.

This won't work 100% of the time, but it will work a surprising amount of the time:

TG the OP.

Don't say, "I want to join the RP."

Read the RP first, then TG the OP with ideas of how you would involve yourself in the thread. Show them that you intend to join on good faith, are invested in making it enjoyable (which you proved by reading the thread and knowing what's going on), and have the potential to be a good RP partner for them.

If possible, link to a few of your past RPs as a sort of resume.

I would add that a factbook - and this is pretty much directed to everyone - can also serve as a form of resume. Especially if you don't have a lot of role-playing experience to refer back to yet. And like a resume, you don't need a big one either. A few paragraphs or bullet points saying who 'you' are and what 'you're' up to can really help 'me' quickly determine whether 'you're' someone to include or not. Which does mean you should pay attention to spelling, formatting, etc.

"Dress for the job you want!"

[Neu Engollon]

Why are all the good RPs nowadays closed or invite only? I rarely see open signup except for RPs using oneliners.

This won't work 100% of the time, but it will work a surprising amount of the time:

TG the OP.

Don't say, "I want to join the RP."

Read the RP first, then TG the OP with ideas of how you would involve yourself in the thread. Show them that you intend to join on good faith, are invested in making it enjoyable (which you proved by reading the thread and knowing what's going on), and have the potential to be a good RP partner for them.

If possible, link to a few of your past RPs as a sort of resume.

I have done this many times, usually through my PMC based NS account. You will almost always get a favorable response. The only times I think it wouldn't is if the OP has something against you personally, or if they have already flaked off and have given up on the RP, or on NS as a whole.

[Gudmund]

RP War & Conflict Question
I have yet to encounter any 'all out war' RP situations (aside from 'Could you beat the AN' based topics). I'm expecting that I and some other nation(s) will eventually go in-depth on explaining how we destroy/takeover/invade certain parts of one another. To be frank, I don't like the idea of someone claiming to have instantly obliterated my nation, or that they just steamrolled through my defences in a matter of days. Especially so when the attacking or defending nation has little to no info provided.

I'm asking if I should establish some easier to takeover landmarks/bases to make things flow easier, and give other nations actual goals/targets instead of vaguely attacking everything at once (so that I don't have to repeatedly explain). For example, should I make a detailed map displaying where shipyards, factories, cities, territories, colonies and other such things are located? I often get disappointed because other nations immediately invade, skipping over the fact that my nation is set in a different part of the galaxy.

Any tips or suggestions? Would you/other users appreciate that kind of information being provided? Would others even bother to read through so much info? What sort of info do you/others like to see before initiating conflict?

(I may not respond to answers, but I will definitely read them)

[The Macabees]

Behind interesting wars are a group of individuals, of whatever size, who are knowledgeable about what they're doing and knows what to think about in order to meet their objectives.

Even in tribal societies, warriors were taught to track, survive, read the land, etc. Commanders, even if commanding only through inheritance, usually had some sort of court education and young princes/lords experienced it alongside their father after a certain age if possible.

So they know what questions to ask. They know what they don't know, so they know what to look for.

I would say, if you created a map or a resource, you would at least be able to guide opponents toward your vulnerabilities. It sounds counterintuitive, but if you're frustrated about not having a war that meets your standard, something which I understand and totally sympathize with, then the best bet is to help your opponents understand the details about you that the opponents you want to fight would know.

Edit: Also, somewhat related: War and Storytelling.

[Bengal and Assam]

Um, hello everyone. I am kinda looking for a region with
multiple interconnected RPs running that affect
the world the region is based in. I'll appreciate in.
Suggestions pls....

[Rhodevus]

Um, hello everyone. I am kinda looking for a region with
multiple interconnected RPs running that affect
the world the region is based in. I'll appreciate in.
Suggestions pls....

Hi!

Sunalaya is a modern tech region that has an interconnected historical canon among all its nations. We roleplay historical and modern day roleplays as well as have some futuristic RPs (although this is considered as a secondary canon not fully linked to the MT one).

If you would like more regions to check out, these types of posts generally belong in the Find-A-Region-Megathread

[Bengal and Assam]

Um, hello everyone. I am kinda looking for a region with
multiple interconnected RPs running that affect
the world the region is based in. I'll appreciate in.
Suggestions pls....

Hi!

Sunalaya is a modern tech region that has an interconnected historical canon among all its nations. We roleplay historical and modern day roleplays as well as have some futuristic RPs (although this is considered as a secondary canon not fully linked to the MT one).

If you would like more regions to check out, these types of posts generally belong in the Find-A-Region-Megathread

Thank you very much, I will check it out......

[Rezmaeristan]

This might have been asked, but how would I set up RP related to fleshing out my nation's history? Specifically I want some other nations to RP various positions that affected Rezmaeristan's history.

[Deutschess Kaiserreich]

This might have been asked, but how would I set up RP related to fleshing out my nation's history? Specifically I want some other nations to RP various positions that affected Rezmaeristan's history.

I would have the players RP characters in your nation rather than their own nations. If you do wish to have nations I would suggest they go through a vetting process on an OOC thread and have good communication with them through the proper channels like Discord or the OOC thread.