Breakfast Topic: Where the roleplayers at?
by David Bowers 
Oct 27th 2007 at 8:01AM
So today I'd like to ask you, where does the rumor mill tell you to find the best place to roleplay? Does your server rock the house with roleplayers everywhere you look? Have you heard your friend's girlfriend talk about how one time she overheard of her cousin's roommate's elder step-sister's 7-11 store clerk say where the RP really gets immersive? Or do you think it's not a matter of servers at all? Do you have to just team up with the best RP guilds around? If so, how do you find these guilds? Server forums?
I have in mind that I'll go check out some RP servers to research this topic for myself as well. I'm pretty sure my home server (Scarlet Crusade) isn't the best. There, it seems a lot of the old roleplayers went off to do other things, or got involved in other activities and got too busy to roleplay. In any case, with your help and some additional research, perhaps we can come up with practical suggestions for how to track them roleplayers down and actually play the roles!
Filed under: Realm News, Realm Status, Breakfast Topics, RP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
xaospro Aug 9th 2009 3:41PM
Ughhhhhh Blizzard, why do you do this to us??
The problem with RP and RP-PVP servers is that thousands upon thousands of players join them, when they know they wont ever rp, pretend to rp, be civil, or ever be nice to an rper. Blizzard wants US to report all these idiot players and barely "warns" them.
If players dont wanna rp or have a problem with it, JUST JOIN A NORMAL OR PVP realm!!!! There are hundreds! lol, but they continue to join rp realms for some reason, some even on purpose, just to harrass others. Its pathetic.
Blizz needs to enforce - even as simple as having JUST ONE DAMN GM monitoring the public channels!!! They cant even do that its soo ridiculous (that goes for all servers )
If they are just going to abandon RPers for the RAID junkies, then just remove the names RP and rp=pvp and relabel them for what they are! PVP and Normal respectively.
I feel bad for new players that are excited to join an rp based realm, and then soon realize how hated the rpers are, on a realm made just for them!
If blizz continue to listen to the whiny players that want to rush to 80, not read quests, purple junkies - then WOW will be ending soon and losing millions of players. Just because the people that dont respect and that abuse the game are more outspoken, doesnt mean the majority doesnt want to enjoy the stories and speeched (new TOC) and the like. I for one love anything rp, and never was into it until I joined wow.
RP isnt just talking in elaborate speeches. Its about making ur toon seem real, in the world /he/she are in. Walk more, kneel, bow, salute, laugh - sit, run, skip, jump, swim, wave, just simple emotes and actions, with a helllo or two thrown in and if u fight mobs in a way OTHER than staying in one spot mashing buttons, you can be a part of the world without even thinking about it.
Lets put the RP back in the current MMOG :(
Go RP!
Nati Oct 27th 2007 8:20AM
It's pretty much been a rule that a server matures, many roleplayers get involved in raiding or PvP and simply find that they don't have much time for roleplaying anymore. In a way that's a little disheartening, but it seems to be the natural order of things. When that happens, RP gets more specialized - you usually find it in smaller, more tight-knit groups and it IS more difficult for a new character to get involved. Alliance-side the more "open" RP tends to be in Goldshire on many servers, but Goldshire also tends to be a den of depravity and horror, so I'd stay clear of that. I think a good idea is to read your realm's forums and keep an eye out for roleplaying topics there. Memorize the names involved, send whispers in game, ask questions. Most roleplayers would be happy to help out a new player.
Oh, and in before TonyMotorola's mandatory "roleplayers creep me out" - you might want to take a look at his posting history, moderators.
Pook Oct 27th 2007 9:04AM
"Goldshire also tends to be a den of depravity and horror"
Well they didn't mention that in the brochure..
ActiveNick Oct 27th 2007 9:08AM
I try to roleplay but it's even harder on a non-RP server. My main and one of my alts are both gnomes, and I think it's easier to RP a gnome since people have expectations as to what a gnome should be... wacky, unstable, funny accent, unpredictable, full of life... gnomes are basically fun to be around if you have a sense of humor.
Most level 70's take themselves so seriously and try to act all tough and macho, but I'm a wacky level 70 gnome mage who somehow discovered that his hands were enough to make things go boom! And he's having a blast! (pun intended)
But I wish more people roleplayed... they are so hellbent on farming the HH, getting the phat loot, selling their latest finds and such that they forget what the RP stands for in MMORPG.
Other races can still be roleplayed, but they are not as much fun. The grumpy dwarf gets tired fast, elves are so pedantic, and humans are, well, common. And if you break the stereotype, non-RPers look at you and wonder what's wrong with you. They don't get it.
I guess what I must say is: if you see someone RP, don't crush them down, play with them a little. Even if you're not into RP, just enjoy the show, and don't dismiss their antics by mocking them in 133t speak.
tool03 Oct 27th 2007 9:25AM
If you build it they will come.
Nathan Oct 27th 2007 9:47AM
Best place to roleplay?
City of Heroes, Virtue Server.
I'm not saying it's a better game, but it lends itself to roleplaying far more that Wow, if only because there's not as much else to do. You're not roped into fantasy conventions or lore (though you can be if you want, making an orc or a dwarf is totally possible using the character editor). The community is dedicated, running its own events and storylines dungeon-master style. Without an official "RP" designation, they've managed to blow anything I've seen in WoW out of the water.
Ghen Oct 27th 2007 10:01AM
I was part of a thriving RP community in DAoC. Mainly because the RP rules were enforced -hard-. WoW is the exact opposite where the rules are hardly enforced.
When you can't roleplay in /say anymore for fear of being ridiculed, you know its dead. Sure there will be guilds and groups who dig out a little niche, but thats all it is. Its not a roleplaying server, its a roleplaying guild on a normal server.
TonyMotorola Oct 27th 2007 10:44AM
RP is dead because people have figured out that RPers are really really creepy folks. Often seriously messed up sexual deviants. That's why RP is dead.
Leoren Oct 27th 2007 10:47AM
I've rolled countless servers, always following the rise and fall or servers only to end up on 'ghost servers' as far as RPs ever been concerned. I had almost given hope myself until I found what I can definitively say has been the most unbelievably awesome Role Playing Community I've ever had the pleasure to play.
And it's PvP (Intense Cross Faction RP/Realism Factor). And it's Horde side (You heard me). ( The same server where the RP guild Silvermoon University even got recognition on this site )
Server: Twisting Nether (Horde Side)
I levelled 1-70 not wearing a guild tag and I'm part of a non-RPing End Game raiding guild and I am literally SWAMPED with the RP the moment I log on. It's been so amazing, I really doubt words will do the expierience justice. What I can do for you is give you a direct link to our server dedicated Role Playing forums: An amazing resource which has kept the community thriving since launch day, and it's what really first lured me onto this diamond of a server.
http://wow-tng.org/
Do yourself a favour and check it out for yourself, I promise you won't be disappointed. When you finally give into the addiction that is the Twisting Nether, look the Blood Knight Leoren Evershine up some time ;).
onetrueping Oct 27th 2007 11:42AM
There are many resources for finding the roleplayers on a realm. You can use FlagRSP2 and troll a major city (fishing sense) til someone with an RP flag runs past. You can look at the WoWWiki page and see what RP guilds are listed and get a general sense of the backstory for the realm. Or do what I did... ask in /1, and the RPers will find you, and usually will be helpful folks in getting you started.
onetrueping Oct 27th 2007 11:44AM
Oh, and to TonyMotorola. It's an amusing fact that people tend to attribute to others the aspects of themselves they dislike so they can lash out at them. What does that say of you, hm?
Pike Oct 27th 2007 11:46AM
Now I don't claim to be an expert on this topic and I haven't been around WoW as long as most people... but it seems to me that a lot of times you do have to go looking for RP, but once you find it the community is pretty expansive. On my particular server anyway, there are a lot of guilds that organize roleplaying events, encourage new roleplayers by roleplaying in starting areas, and have active, talkative chat channels dedicated to the RP community.
But if you go in expecting everybody to be in character 24/7, you probably won't get that. (Though I certainly know of many guilds on my server that encourage that.) Even die-hard roleplayers like to level and quest and raid. But on Silver Hand anyway, if you look for the RP community and ask around a bit, you will find it, and it's pretty big. And no, I'm not talking about Goldshire. =P
And that's my two copper.
Siggy Oct 27th 2007 12:27PM
Now, the server I happen to be on (Moon Guard, Alliance side, though Horde is very similar) is AMAZING for RP. Nearly everyone there is in character most of the time, cross-faction events are held regularly, and the lolwutters and 1337s are kept to a minimum outside of the starting areas.
On the other hand, since everyone likes RP so much, raid progression isn't the best. Our top guilds haven't even downed one boss in SSC; but what does that matter when the community is so great?
And, to TonyMotorola:Stop it. You're an idiot. Just scamper back to Stranglethorn Vale on whatever PvP server you inhabit and continue with your regularly scheduled ganking of level 30s (no offense to those who play on PvP servers).
Hooper Oct 27th 2007 12:39PM
Does yelling KAHN alot count as roleplaying?
Mel Oct 27th 2007 1:03PM
@ Hooper: I don't see what the repetitive, yelled proclamation of one's love for a German goalkeeper has to do with roleplaying. If you mean KHAN, though, you might be a devious bloodelf rooting for Dar'Khan. ;)
I play on the German server "Die Aldor" and I must say that we have built a community with teeth. We actively drive away the notorious jerks who come to rp realms to willfully disrupt and ridicule us roleplayer.
Right at the moment we Aldor players have started a little revolution because we are pissed off about Blizzard treating roleplayers like dirt. Go to our server forum and have a look, cheer for us.
Might even be another story for WoW-insider ;)
Everyone who feels like helping us in our homemade little crusade can write letters to game magazines, tv shows or websites that are about computer games and WoW.
Let's make some noise, people!
http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=1381048823&sid=3
http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=1422202418&postId=14220844776&sid=1#0
(English version)
Wynnri Oct 27th 2007 2:02PM
My guild is pretty heavy on RP, Mostly via our /guild channel. Everything in there not surrounded by (( )) is IC.
We also do a lot of IC instance runs. Mostly it is of Azeroth content where we don't have to be as focused and can have more fun RPing.
--Wynnri of Ordo Complector, 51 Dwarf hunter, Sentinels US
Theserene Oct 27th 2007 2:40PM
We are on an non-RP server BUT we do role-play. It is to us a better way of getting more in tune with the lore and backstory than running around shouting about how much you 'pwn' someone.
And TonyMotorala is likely a 25 year old male who has never got laid and therefore is jealous of us 'deviants' :-p
Hooper Oct 27th 2007 2:43PM
KHAN.
You got me. Misspelling ftl.
On a side note, apparently my boss doesn't realize I know what VNC is and how to trick it. If he only knew, how fast Wowinsider would be blocked.
Brian McBride Oct 28th 2007 4:12AM
My take on RPing is that the interface is largely to blame for the lack of good RP. I remember Ultima Online where there was a lot of RP and it seemed to happen naturally, but it seems each game progressively makes it hard to do.
Then I realized that the chat when walking around the world is, well, non-existent. I am under the opinion that all chat - minus a whisper - will bubble above a player's head, but only to those people within "hearing" range. Think of guild chat like talking on a cell phone - everyone hears your side of the conversation. Whispers should only be allowed if your in touching range of the person your whispering to. The new voice system should be similar.
Of course, all this should only be RP server, let the non-RP servers have their towns strangely silent.
The end result does end up with chaotic chat in crowded places, such as banks. But then, if you want privacy and no one to over her your personal stuff, then find a quiet building to talk in. That alone forces a bit of role-play (at least your modifying your behavior).
I guess what I am saying is that RP is mostly born from player-to-player interaction. Even non-RPers get into the action when in a environment where everyone else is RP and they feel safe giving it a try. Having forced open chat lets you walk by a conversation and pop in or make a comment randomly. RPers tend to like wandering around "finding" interactions, so it would allow many individuals to partake in that filling the world with more RP. And it just grows from there.
Duerma Oct 29th 2007 10:37AM
Wow. Holy idiot check. Guess what, most RPers are not interested in sexual RP; everyone I know, even if they do choose to roleplay romance, tends to "fade to black" if anything past PG-13 comes up. In my experience, the only "sexual deviants" are the numbskulls who come from non-RP servers who want to make fun of real RPers.
Back to the subject. The best way to find RP, I've found, is to lurk around on your server's forums. Yes, the official ones. There are a lot of raid recruitment posts and individual shoutouts to wade through, but if you pay attention, you'll find people advertising RP guilds, RP events, maybe even starting some text-based RP on the forums. Whatever the case may be, just go check it out, even if it doesn't sound like your cup of tea. More often than not, you'll end up meeting other RPers and getting connected in that big social network.
By the way, if you play on Feathermoon server, http://www.feathermoon.net is THE roleplaying resource. :)