The Value of Raid Participation to Role-playing

[carlo aggaruzzi]

Raiders, which are mostly demons, are special. But above all, the defense of towns and sites is a subject for in character discussion, for role-playing. Raiding sea dwellers, bandits, madmen, gremlins, or pirates are good to speculate about. Best of all, Balthazar's demons are the central threat in DG's story. Demon raids and other raids are valuable stimulants to role playing.

On top of that, demons and some other raid combatants differ slightly from other creatures in their occasional drops of special items. This excites Achievers and Killers,* who slice through raids so quickly that others are deprived of participation and the RP opportunities that could result. When a portion of DG's population take a disproportionate part in repelling raids, it follows that the rest of the population is deprived of the RP opportunities.

Extreme achievers and killers lurk raids at the top of each hour, they plant alts there, and they ready their enchanters to teleport. They quickfight through the raids to gain as much as they can. Raids are finished quickly. People who try to fight round by round, for xp or to allow others to also get in some attacks, get run past by the quickfighting lurkers/poised enchanters/planted alts, and are very lucky to get a kill. This discourages us from fighting round by round at all in raids. The rapid defeat of raids discourages people from responding to raids unless they are already very close to the place. The extreme Achievers and Killers don't even stick around to role-play afterwards, so chances are, a role-player will arrive a minute later with the raid done, "defenders" already gone by moving, teleporting, or alt-switching; nothing to talk about, and probably no one to talk with.

Better role-playing would be served by longer-lasting raids at unpredictable locations at unpredictable times, with more people able to participate. As players, we can choose to attack round by round instead of QFing. We can choose to limit ourselves to just one or two kills in a raid, or at least in the first minute of a raid, to give others the chance to get in on them. We can choose to stick around afterwards to try to strike up conversation: boast, make observations, be paranoid, speculate, propose strategy, compliment, complain, pant. I know this will not be read by a majority of DG, let alone heeded by a significant portion of the player population. But it's worth it to me to verbalize and reinforce this point to those who will listen for one reason or another.



*http://www.darkgrimoire.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=8358&highlight=explore%2A+killer%2A
http://www.darkgrimoire.com/bb/viewtopi ... ocialisers

**Some of this post is a re-hashing of a paragraph I wrote in a Feb 17, 2005 post in the following thread.
http://www.darkgrimoire.com/bb/ftop3883-0.html
Note well, that thread preceded the existence of teleport scrolls, and maybe also enchanters' blue portal spells. But it was also early 2005, when the player population had grown but not nearly as much as now, so the number of people slicing through raids was far less than now.

[Korrith]

Raids now DO occur at random times, thankfully, and this does help the problem somewhat. However, you'll never be able to get everyone "on side" with taking raid combat round by round... That problem seems quite unsolvable, but if even a few people take this post to heart and start slowing down themselves during raids, this thread will have been worth it.

[carlo aggaruzzi]

but if even a few people take this post to heart and start slowing down themselves during raids, this thread will have been worth it.

In accord with that what Korrith said, I thought of a practical suggestion for people who arrive at many raids in the first minute.

Kill one or two raiders in a raid instead of killing them all. Then stick around for another couple minutes to see if anyone comes to deal with the rest. If not, cut them down. If so, maybe you'll get the chance to be seen and commended for fighting in the name of Valorn, and to do the same for whoever else answers the call.

For anyone who tries to justify alt-switching and raid-hogging as "in character" because such characters would want to respond to raids and attacks as much as possible and as quickly as possible, as diligent defenders of Valorn, consider the following. As a player, when you are not in game, none of your characters respond to raids, but that is not your failure to play them as responsive to raids and attacks. If that your logic, then you recognize the value of raids in portraying a character as a defender of Valorn. As a player you need to realize that other people need to have the chance for that same portrayal. They should not need to resort to raid-lurking and alt-switching tricks to have that opportunity.

In a mid-level of role-playing, portray characters in the way they think with the limitations of what they should know. But as a player, keep in mind courtesy, fairness, decency, and sensitivity to volatile topics. Raid-hogging in an online RPG is not the abuse of orphans, the mugging little old ladies, harassment, or plagiarism. But this is a forum for discussing DG, so in that context it's a matter worth attention. I categorize it as a matter of courtesy and fairness.

As I said in my previous post, raids are valuable stimulants to role playing. Reduced opportunity to participate in raids deprives more of the population of those RP opportunities. This is not just at the time of the raid at the site of the raid. It is long-term. It is back at the inns, it is in the guild halls, it is wherever. It is not just in the minutes after a raid, it is in the ongoing portrayal of characters as able defenders with examples of their heroism by them or by those they witnessed, rather than as bystanders who have never even seen the demons that attack Caernivale or the Wall or some such place. It is in stories. It is in conversations. It is in the ongoing development of characters' personalities, reputations, and interactions.

Role-playing is a fragile thing that needs protection, nurturing. For those who place any value on role-playing, please consider my suggestion of limiting the quickfighting, the number and speed of kills you make in a raid. Sure. There will be clickers who swoop through and QF the others and leave and you'll get no RP from it and won't see any RP. But if role-players surrender to the QF and raid-hogging methods just to compete, then the extreme achievers and killers have won, and role-playing has lost.

[AKA Azure]

First off Carlo, let me compliment you on a detailed, complex post.

I can see why, in character, someone would bring their character to a raid, QF everything in the belief that 'well, just ridding the land of bad things.' However, I too can support the idea of slowing down and making it just a bit NOT in character in order to allow others to participate as well. (Yes, I know, I'm supporting something not IC?)

Alt switching for a raid is NOT in character as you say. It is bringing someone into creation who shouldn't be aware of what is going on. Yes, perhaps someone could defend it by saying, 'well my character so-and-so was woken up for it', but that's not the case. I would see it as poor RP.

But, DG is not just composed of RP-focused players, it is a great variety as folks have pointed out before. So, how to balance it all for the RPer who wants to raid RP? Think of your character. I as a player may be dismayed to come to a raid and find nothing there; however, as a character, Azure is pleased to see that the trouble has been dealt with and she stays about to commend those who came, discuss what happened and so forth. Others may RP their character being eager for the fight and disappointed that there is nothing to battle. Think about this - how would your CHARACTER react to finding that the threat is gone and the land safe again? React accordingly.

You're right - RP is a fragile thing. There are times I feel I'm slipping out of character and showing more of me the player. And at times it's hard to get into a specific character. I want to respond in a certain way, but I built a character who responds differently.

HOWEVER RP shouldn't be the crumbs left over either. All should be able to participate. Even if there are distinct player types, they tend to bleed into each other too. You can be an explorer who enjoys RP, etc. Let's try to leave something for all. DG is a wonderful feast, let's all enjoy it.



It's something I have to keep in mind at various times.