What ever happened to Role Playing?

[Kanegrundar]

This seems to be a topic that comes back time and time again. The two camps of Role Players vs. Roll Players squaring off to battle to stalemate. The simple fact of the matter is that in RPG's the mechanics are the only part of the game that is tangible. Role playing talking to a king or a beggar or throwing witticisms around with the villain requires no rules, just a sense of dramatic acting. So the only real part of the game, that in many cases will take a large portion of game time whether or not you're playing a combat heavy game, are the mechanics. What really is up for interpretation in roleplaying? What accent fits which society better? What color should my Rashemi trader's smock be, so I stay true to the setting? I can get the roleplaying right, it's right no matter how I play it as long as I don't change the character mid-scene. Mechanics are up to that level of leeway. If I want to stay true to the system, I need to understand the rules as the majority feels that they were written. That's why there are so many mechanics discussions. It's not that rp'ers have become computer dorks, it's that it's the primary part of the game to talk about without recounting countless in-game stories, most of which aren't going to that interesting to those that weren't there firsthand.

Then there is the issue of some people thinking that 1e and 2e added more roleplaying to game. Bull. Roleplaying is up to how the game is set up by the GM and whether or not the players are up for that style of game. That's no different from 1e to 3e, from D&D to Rifts. In my own personal experience, I find that my character options, not in just mechanics, but in the mechanics being able to match my character concept are much better in 3/3.5e.

Of course, this is just my opinion!

Kane

 

[mythusmage]

I won't call you a troll. I'll call you a guy in dire need of getting over himself.


Patrick Y.

Patrick, it is not a wise idea to provide ammunition to your opponent.

Let me guess, you got a 'D' in debate class because the teacher didn't want to see you back next year. Your idea of a rousing intellectual debate is a round of "Are so!", "Am Not!" endlessly repeated until laryngitis sets in. Your parent's attempts at socialization failed so utterly the only insults you can think off are the ones that apply to you.

You are barely amusing. Easily aroused to irate prattle by comments most adults have no trouble dealing with. But in your case adult is overestimating your level of maturation. You saw in my words an insult, and so set out to show the world I had you pegged, even though I never named you specifically.

No, you assumed I was talking about you, and determined to prove me right. When, by remaining silent, nobody would've been any the wiser. Open mouth, insert foot, advertise the event. In that you succeeded marvelously. You let your hurt feelings put you in harms way.

Poor child. Should I feel sorry for you? Should I ignore your weak attempt at a put down? Should I overlook your lackwit attempt at humor and ignore your posting. Should I assume you were upset about something else and taking it out on someone who couldn't effectively retaliate? Should I take into account your delicate condition and not take advantage of your lack of interpersonal skills?

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

 

[mythusmage]

Ah, but if you'll look at his initial post, he says he has read these boards and others for quite a while now.

So he's either a troll, or he has the social graces of a 12 year old. Reminds me of the ones so quick to cry "Troll!" at the slightest provocation.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

So he's either a troll, or he has the social graces of a 12 year old. Reminds me of the ones so quick to cry "Troll!" at the slightest provocation.

I'll concede that either may be true, or perhaps we are all mistaken in one way or the other. I look forward to more posts by the poster in question.

 

[mythusmage]

The simple fact of the matter is that in RPG's the mechanics are the only part of the game that is tangible.

All too often they are the only parts made tangible, and even when guidelines for roleplay are included, some folks dismiss them as, 'fluff'.

Frankly, considering RPGs as just games, and playing them as such, shortchanges them no end. If you must treat D&D as 'just a game' you might as well play Munchkin. At least there you're expected to kill things and take their stuff with none of that roleplaying garbage.

Can people do more with D&D? Yes, but not as long as they are given no encouragement to do so, and are actively discouraged by the small minded and shallow.

 

[jasamcarl]

Patrick, it is not a wise idea to provide ammunition to your opponent.

Let me guess, you got a 'D' in debate class because the teacher didn't want to see you back next year. Your idea of a rousing intellectual debate is a round of "Are so!", "Am Not!" endlessly repeated until laryngitis sets in. Your parent's attempts at socialization failed so utterly the only insults you can think off are the ones that apply to you.

You are barely amusing. Easily aroused to irate prattle by comments most adults have no trouble dealing with. But in your case adult is overestimating your level of maturation. You saw in my words an insult, and so set out to show the world I had you pegged, even though I never named you specifically.

No, you assumed I was talking about you, and determined to prove me right. When, by remaining silent, nobody would've been any the wiser. Open mouth, insert foot, advertise the event. In that you succeeded marvelously. You let your hurt feelings put you in harms way.

Poor child. Should I feel sorry for you? Should I ignore your weak attempt at a put down? Should I overlook your lackwit attempt at humor and ignore your posting. Should I assume you were upset about something else and taking it out on someone who couldn't effectively retaliate? Should I take into account your delicate condition and not take advantage of your lack of interpersonal skills?

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Wow!!! You must be a genious. So hypocritcal yet so impassioned. Others have clearly explained why the level of discussion of RP does not neccessarily indicative of that which is going on in individual groups as well as other places on this board where one can go for such topics, but you ignore such points. You make a pretty pathetic conclusion and claim that there is 'not enough' such discussion, but then give yourself some sort of blanket immunity that anyone who calls you out on this is simple-minded, immature, etc.

It doesn't stop there. One person makes a single sentence remak that is entirely on point, and you respond by going into this page-long diatribe in which you attempt to convince yourself that he was in fact overreacting, using personal insults that are rendered irrelevant by their obviously forced nature.

Pathetic.....

 

[jasamcarl]

All too often they are the only parts made tangible, and even when guidelines for roleplay are included, some folks dismiss them as, 'fluff'.

Frankly, considering RPGs as just games, and playing them as such, shortchanges them no end. If you must treat D&D as 'just a game' you might as well play Munchkin. At least there you're expected to kill things and take their stuff with none of that roleplaying garbage.

Can people do more with D&D? Yes, but not as long as they are given no encouragement to do so, and are actively discouraged by the small minded and shallow.

Spare us all the bs victim-complex. People play DND because they in fact do want some level of fluff. But most don't need explicit-hand holding, mechanical encouragment, or go blathering about some incident that usually only means something to they and their group.

We can't all be so self-indulgent.

 

[Tsyr]

If there is mechanical encouragement to the roleplaying, IMO, it's not 'pure' roleplaying. Doesn't mean it isn't roleplaying at all, don't get me wrong, but it's not roleplaying simply to roleplay. People who roleplay a flaw without taking the flaw mechanicly are roleplaying. People who take a flaw, get a bonus, and then roleplay the flaw are, IMO, not doing much more than rationalizing a stat.

Please don't take 'pure' to be as elitist as it sounds, that's not how I mean it... I just mean that it's not roleplaying purely for the sake of roleplaying, as opposed to doing so because you are 'encouraged' to do so.

 

[mythusmage]

Let me guess, the Captain Crunch box was empty this morning, and little sis got to the TV before you could. Ooooh, such a snit.

And to top it off, I had to be mean to poor Patrick. What could you do besides another iteration of, 'open mouth, insert foot, advertise the event."?

Nice of you to let us all know you are so easily insulted. Now we'll be able to assess your comments properly, and dismiss them for the babblings they are.

 

[El_Gringo]

See? We don't talk about game mechanics all the time. Sometimes we argue with and berate each other.