How to meet new people to RP with?

[Paragon Vanguard]

2 hours ago, _Kai_ said:

 

It was an extreme example, but it's less 'some bad apples' and 'lots of well intentioned enthusiastic apples that don't talk to each other and get mad when someone else does/writes/says something that contradicts/negates/makes useless what their own character did/planned/wanted to do' 🙂  Ultimately it does the opposite of providing opportunity, namely that sides are taken, people are excluded, people's feelings are hurt, etc and they choose to disengage and warn away others from engaging, and stories grind to a halt.

 

That's not to say that doesn't happen when someone is directing the story, it happened to at least one of the Community Arcs from City of Roleplay Discord, but in general, if you throw a situation out there without any intent to guide it, invariably someone will come along and declare themselves to be 'in charge' or fixing it, and other people will not go along with it, and that forces everyone interested in it to pick a side, or, more than likely, just not engage because they don't need that kind of drama 🙂

 

I mean, if you feel like it, go for it? But don't be surprised if it erupts in drama and having people on your friends list who you like to RP with, but will never again RP with each other 🙂

What you described are bad apples. Those things can happen. I don't disagree with that, but that doesn't need to be the focus. I have rp'ed now for over 35 years, lead games in rp, and lead and wrote fiction for 100s of people to play off of. Not bragging, just saying there isn't much I have not seen. I don't have many rp friends that will do the things you described, because by now, they have all faded, with me having to do nothing. Some I like in rl. Just is what it is. You can't be scared of those things if you want to set up something for rp'ers on a broader scale than 8 people. Nothing wrong with setting up for 8 and I don't think micro managing is wrong, it is in fact much easier, but I was talking about how to get people involved on a broader scale. It of course can be done, as it has been done many times in the past on other platforms. We just have to find positive ways of accomplishing it. You have already decided on how it will go, but, you can try and help it not go that way if you really wanted to. You know the hang ups, find the solutions, or help with them. As of right now the rp is lacking, and that is why people are talking about it, and while it is lacking, the potential is great. We just have to find ways to tap into it. Just my 2 cents, and I know, hardly worth a dime. 

[Kelri Irris]

Late to the thread, I know. Apologies, but RL has kept me hopping of late. 

 

Honestly, I like a lot of what was suggested here. I started to think about times in other games, as well as CoH when it was live, where I met other RP'ers. I've never actually used the classifieds associated with roleplaying forums, but I think it's a great idea if it's done right. I have no idea if I'd participate, but it seems to work for a lot of folks. In my last game, I found my guild by literally walking by them on what was essentially their weekly night for hanging out in the bar. They welcomed walk-up RP, and...well, to be honest, a kindly word to beckon my character over was necessary, because as a player, I was a scaredy cat. 😛

 

What came to mind most strongly was how I met my first SG/Coalition in CoH. One of the leaders had advertised on the official forums that the combined supergroups (this was before coalitions were put in the game) that would eventually be that coalition were hosting a...not sure what it was...a picnic maybe? Something social but that could be held in Atlas. By the time that coalition was no more, I had plenty of friends to transplant myself to Virtue and find all manner of new rp'ers to run in horror from. 

 

Still, I think what I am taking away from this is the same thing I've always said: There's no right way to get involved in RP. My best advice has always been to participate where you can if you don't want to run something yourself. On a community level, there are plenty of things to do, and depending on the community, they often work out well when they're done in a way that is inclusive and inviting. Whether it's a plot or a picnic often depends just as much on who the event appeals to as the interest that can be generated for it. 

 

Which is...where I step aside. A regular event from my last game burnt me out pretty hard, and I'm determined to remain as misanthropic as possible both IC and OOC.