An Overly Long Overdue Return of Roleplay Workshops!

[McSpazz]

HI! IT'S ME! SPAZZY!

I've been on break from the game for well over a year and one of the things I've been interested in doing on my return was resuming the roleplay workshops I hosted for a while. For those that don't know, I would host workshops aimed to giving roleplayers new or alternate insights on how to go about roleplay and the pitfalls you could end up in. The end goal is to try and help the overall community improve which should, in theory, help everyone have a better time. While I am leading this, I am not without fault. This is just as much for me as it is for you!

Now that a year has passed, I've been thinking of how I want to do them as to improve on multiple fronts.
 

1. Workshops will be once a month instead of bi-monthly to give me more time to decompress and reassess how to present things.
2. Instead of specific topics I lecture on, I'd like to instead focus each workshop on a more broad topic and let the people attending lead where the discussion goes.
3. Host at least once workshop per month entirely focused on utilizing mechanics specific to City of Heroes to enrich the experience (bindings, emotes, points on the RP culture in Everlasting, etc).
4. Utilize the tutorials I have already or have yet to write on the forums for long form content that cannot be easily broken down in an in person meeting.
5. Try and give more positive examples of things you should do rather than things you shouldn't do.

 

Current workshop topics I have in mind:

• Starting Roleplay (With strangers or with friends)
• Integrating Mechanics (City of Heroes unique features that can add to your experience)
• Doing Arcs (How to make it more than just about you)
• Consent and Communication (Probably the most essential...I know I made a write-up for this on the forums, but this is a biggie.)

 

There are a few challenges or things I want to do but I'm not specifically sure on how to go about which is why I'm making the announcement I'm resuming even before I have a set start date.
 

1. I'd love to do a workshop where two players roleplay and, once in a while, we pause for observations or comments on what's being done. As much as I've wanted to do hands on sessions where people break up into groups and roleplay among themselves, I feel like my attention would get too spread out. While having two people demonstrate is great in theory, I'd need to figure out a good theme or prompt topic to get the ball rolling for whoever volunteers.
2. Some of the feedback I've gotten on the workshops has been second hand from people who were for whatever reason not comfortable giving me criticism. Totally understand, but that doesn't help me very much. I'm trying to decide on a good anonymous way of getting feedback. My initial instinct is Google Forms but I'd like to know if anyone has any better ideas.

 

I'd really like to know what general subjects people would like to see done in game and in person and what subjects people want full on write ups like I have done in the past. If anyone is just finding out about my efforts with this, know that I am TOTALLY in favor of adding well done tutorials made by other people to that linked list. It's a resource, not a resume.

Thanks for reading, folks! Here's hoping the next run of workshops is even better than the last!

 

---

Edit: OH WOW! So....Homecoming is now official and we got a TON of new people. That means there's even MORE people that have no idea who I am or what the Roleplay Workshop is.

Allow me to introduce myself! I'm McSpazz! I've been playing City of Heroes on and off for...jeez, a good chunk of my life. I was even in the super secret SCoRE server back in the day. For all of this time, I've been very invested in roleplay. Some time ago, I joined in on a tabletop game and found that despite my many years of experience, I was really struggling to do...well, anything. It was then I not only discovered the many unwritten rules that differ between tabletop games and MMO's, but realized how useful a class could be.

Sure enough, fast forward, and @Crystal Dragon approached me to help her run roleplaying workshops that was intended to help reinforce healthy behavior in roleplay and give people the tools they needed to succeed. While they are no longer as involved in the workshops, they have (apparently) been of great help to many players and I am keen on resuming them after a long hiatus!

They aren't just for new players. In hosting these, I've come to not just find the words to put to unspoken rules I already knew but found ways to improve my own writing and interactions with others. I don't want you to think I'm some kind of expert that knows the right way to roleplay. I'm just a guy that knows his stuff and wants to offer ideas to others to improve their RP and maybe learn some things along the way myself.

If you prefer a written format rather than a hands-on workshop, I recommend my overly long post series! I always love seeing people posting below and will happily answer any questions that are posted in them.

 

Anyhow, Workshops resume this coming February! Welcome Home!

 

-Spazzy

Edited January 20 by McSpazz
Added a PROPER introduction for the newcomers!

[Vic Raiden]

One big thing I'd look forward to is another look at the issue of roleplaying with MMO limitations in mind, particularly the static status quo and the nature of quests. For instance, if one refers to the events of a mission, how should they go about it considering the mission in question was done by hundreds if not thousands of other players?

 

Related to that, integrating character backstory with CoH's setting in a way that doesn't reek of godmodding on closer examination, or how to be a powerful supervillain if the world doesn't reflect that.

 

EDIT: Got a third potential topic: using the Mission Architect to enhance roleplay.

Edited October 12, 2023 by Vic Raiden
Third idea added without making a double post.

[Vic Raiden]

On 10/4/2023 at 12:39 AM, McSpazz said:

1. I'd love to do a workshop where two players roleplay and, once in a while, we pause for observations or comments on what's being done. As much as I've wanted to do hands on sessions where people break up into groups and roleplay among themselves, I feel like my attention would get too spread out. While having two people demonstrate is great in theory, I'd need to figure out a good theme or prompt topic to get the ball rolling for whoever volunteers.

Okay, screw the law of no double-posting, just this once.

 

I'm honestly surprised there was so little interest shown by the server's people. But if it's of any help, I'd like to volunteer for the workshop idea.

[UltraAlt]

2 hours ago, Vic Raiden said:

I'm honestly surprised there was so little interest shown by the server's people.

 

Hi.

I'm not really a part of the RP community (though I always have a bio) and will speak in character if someone approaches me with RP. 

I don't go out of my way to find it.

I also don't go out of my way to dig through all the individual forums looking for posts. I just look at what is recent and check out what I think is interesting.

 

What I find odd about the original post is ... that with all the detail ... it doesn't say where or when it is going on.

 

Why don't you see "server people" in the forums checking this out?

One thing is that in most gaming communities less than 10% of the players go to the game forums for any reason other than to ask questions. I think that percentage is higher here, but it is hard to tell as there seem to be a good number of multi-boxers and multi-accounters. There is even a smaller percentage comes to the forums every time they game. I pretty much never look at the Calender.  I think you get my point.

 

I can only hope the McSpazz is using /LFG when their workshops are going to to try to gain some traction.

[McSpazz]

49 minutes ago, UltraAlt said:

 

Hi.

I'm not really a part of the RP community (though I always have a bio) and will speak in character if someone approaches me with RP. 

I don't go out of my way to find it.

I also don't go out of my way to dig through all the individual forums looking for posts. I just look at what is recent and check out what I think is interesting.

 

What I find odd about the original post is ... that with all the detail ... it doesn't say where or when it is going on.

 

Why don't you see "server people" in the forums checking this out?

One thing is that in most gaming communities less than 10% of the players go to the game forums for any reason other than to ask questions. I think that percentage is higher here, but it is hard to tell as there seem to be a good number of multi-boxers and multi-accounters. There is even a smaller percentage comes to the forums every time they game. I pretty much never look at the Calender.  I think you get my point.

 

I can only hope the McSpazz is using /LFG when their workshops are going to to try to gain some traction.

When I was hosting the workshops, yes, I was using /LFG. The reason it doesn't say when or where it is going on is because I have not yet determined a start date. I'm focusing on changing up how I do things and I'll start after I get that sorted.

[Vic Raiden]

Okay, that sounds understandable to me.

What have you been able to sort out so far, if I may ask?

[McSpazz]

9 hours ago, Vic Raiden said:

Okay, screw the law of no double-posting, just this once.

 

I'm honestly surprised there was so little interest shown by the server's people. But if it's of any help, I'd like to volunteer for the workshop idea.

 

I appreciate it! I plan on running this solo for the first month or two but if I got other people involved we could theoretically run it more than once a month.

[Crystal Dragon]

I'd like to participate if as an assist when possible. Do let me know when and where and we'll see how things roll out with your plans. ^^

 

[chase]

I've tried to make my comeback to the game several times now... annoying how "real life" can get in the way of things so easily.    I also would love to participate.   

[McSpazz]

EEEY! It's been a busy end and start of the year for me, but I plan on getting this started soon!!

For those new to Homecoming...WELCOME BACK! If there was ever a time to restart the workshop, now's the time.

Starting February, I will be hosting a workshop on Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday from 5:30 PM EST until 10:00 PM EST latest! I'm going to edit the first post with a bit more of an introduction as to who I am and what this is all about because we have had such a huge influx of new people. See you next month!