Creative Outlets
Man...all this talk about RPGs has got my tendency for obsession going. By that I mean I have a way of getting stuck on something until I purge it from my system...or perpetuate it until it exhausts itself.
I'm not sure what the purpose of this entry is yet. I think I might end up posting some of my online RPing stuff. Sort of "show the hand I've been playing with". Before I do that though...I might just talk about my views on the different kind of RPing activities. Maybe talk about why I do what I do as opposed to other things.
If you’ve heard any of this before in an entry of mine…sorry for repeating myself.
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I've been RPing online for over a decade now (considering I'm only 22 that's pretty nuts). I found it about the same time I had found out about anime (I'm not talking stuff like Transformers and Voltron...I'm talking about stuff that was on Scifi's anime weekend. Shit like Armitage and Tank Police). In searching for stuff about anime on the net I wondered upon WBS chat rooms...and the anime role playing room. The rest just kind of went from there.
I've always done free-form stuff.
That is to say I've never bothered playing in a room that used much in the way of a numerical rule system. No dice rolling, character stat sheets, etc..
If you got into a fight it was up to the people involved as to what was successful and what wasn't. There's usually a "GM" in charge of the room that kept people from being "zippy" (god-moding...whatever you want to call it).
It could lead to problems sure...but the game flowed freely. There's not any stoppage of the action. No: "Alright you roll for attack"; "Ok you roll your save"; "Now add in your dex and multiply by your evasion stat". I guess it's more like telling a story and less like playing a game.
I suppose that's what I'm more interested in anyway. I like being able to act out certain events, emotions, and actions. Probably why I've never done table top or LARPing. Contradictory? In a sense…
On the internet...I find it much easier to do something like RPing. I have time to sit and type something out if I need it. There's no pressure. Some of the things I type on a screen would probably never come out of my mouth anyway. =P Online I can become multiple characters at once without actually "having to be that character".
In a table top game you have to be the character. I don’t know if I could really get past that. Whenever I RP…I always do it in the third person. I’m not my characters. They have a life of their own. I guide their actions but I try to do what they would do. I try to think like they would. But I can do all that in my mind. I don’t have to be them to be them…does that make any sense?
When I think about it…I suppose what I do defeats some of the purpose of “role playing”. Just from the standpoint that I’m not taking the role myself. I speak more from the view of a narrator telling what my character does and why he/she does it.
Maybe I’ll just post a snippet of the first session from the RP I’m doing now with Kelly (slightly edited for typos and OOC comments):
Kyo Kagami CA: Cecil) *he's rather vocal as they slide down the passage...I would imagine there's even a few prayers for help mixed in there. The slide spits them out into a pool that was at least eight feet deep. It was semicircular in shape and took up at least half of the new chamber they found themselves in. Swimming to the edge of the pool with Rashida in tow...Cecil actually finds the strength to pull them both out. What awaits them is a gigantic crystal formation. It is almost perfectly clear...wedged into the floor and ceiling. All of the other crystal formations in the cavern seem to have spawned from this one point...but that's not the shocking part. Inside the crystal is a female figure...frozen in time*
Cyrus) *by the time he gets to the hole in the floor the sprites have vanished. The sound of rushing water begins to mix with what sound like war cries coming from the way he entered. Not taking the time to figure out what was causing them...Cyrus jumps into the hole and begins his journey down the slide after them*
Kikky chan: Rashida) *she's coughing a little as Cecil helps haul her towards shore, cheek resting on the cold ground. Though as her eyes trace along the crystals and to the largest one, she manages to stagger to her feet, the grey coarse clothing clinging to her soddenly and her hair ramrod straight. There's something almost feline about the form despite an absence of any defining features. She looks almost ragged herself, a palm splayed against her prison. Her dark hair is fanning around her, an opaque contrast to the slightly blue-hued crystal and what almost look to be air bubbles cling to her dark eyelashes. The wide Egyptian-styled collar of gold and semiprecious stones only highlights the unearthly beauty of her bone structure, sometimes it seeming as if someone saw fit to paint delicate designs in metal over the backs of her hands and up her forearms. Her clothing is an array of belts on her hip, arm bands, delicate bracelets and earrings. . . all adorned with intricately scripted prayers or religious symbols of Bastet, the Goddess. Allowed to be carved only in her temple because even Her Priestess was barely worthy of wearing but one of them, let alone this large assortment*
Kyo Kagami CA: Cecil) *he's completely dumbstruck...the sight before him is more than his fragile mind can handle at this point. His thoughts are flooded by questions...ironically he seems to know the answer to all of them. His instincts tell him that this*... is the Goddess. *Without thinking about it he falls to his face (already being on his knees) prostrating himself before her. Although she may be locked away…her presence fills the air of the chamber to the point where it is almost palpable*
Kikky chan: Rashida) *she's almost going to her own knees before she's stopped, the deity's aura feeling almost like it wraps itself chokingly around her, tugging, chiding, begging. And yes, Rashida's sense of curiosity strikes again, the girl reaching out to the crystal, placing her palm on it over Hers. It's so cold that it feels like her flesh instantly bonds to it, but it rapidly begins warming, the delicate metallic accents on Bastet's forearm glowing faintly and the closed eyes managing to open just enough to lock onto Rashida's while the thick lashes keep them secret from the rest of the world. It jars the girl into trying to pull away when the chamber fills softly with her 'voice,' no more than a weak mixture of images and emotions that fill her mind and and Cecil's. "I have waited a long time for you." The sense of time is hugely immense and all communication is centered on Rashida from that point onward, the crystal clearing of the dour blue influence and clearing however briefly. There's no movement but the air begins to circulate and warm, its central point now Cecil's friend*
Kyo Kagami CA: Cecil) *he's so frightened now that his body is racked with fits of shaking...he doesn't dare pick up his head...although he is aware that Rashida moved forward to approach the crystal. He can't imagine how she's moving at all. There is a pressure in the room that makes him feel like he'll fade to nothingness if he moves the slightest bit. The voice of the Goddess has a more calming affect on his mind. The warmth of her being relaxes Cecil somewhat but he is unable to focus on the assault of mental images thrust upon him*
Cyrus) *Moments after she touches the crystal Cyrus falls off the edge of the slide and splashes into the water. He might as well have been a pebble dropping in the midst of a hurricane because even the sound of the echoing splash isn't enough to draw the attention of the other occupants. He feels like he hit a warm pocket of air upon entering the room but the cold water of the pool shocks him back to reality. He surfaces and makes his way to the edge*
Kikky chan: *And when he looks up to see what the hell is going on, parts of Rashida's clothing are either tearing itself apart or being scorched, Bastet's own sacred symbols flickering on her. The least of which is the single one that the Goddess's priestess can wear on her clothing. . . all being written on Rashida's own flesh in various spots, sometimes eerily mimicking those on their Goddess, standing out in sharp relief on the pale skin before fading out of sight, her hair now dry, looking more the part of a backlight statue instead of a person*
Kyo Kagami CA: Cyrus) *he stumbles to his feet and gets to Cecil* Cecil...you're alright! Thank the...*with that he finally looks up to see the sight his younger brother is humbled before. He's not sure which is more shocking...the frozen being in the crystal or the form of Rashida being inscribed upon by an invisible flame* Rashida...*when the markings fade he leaves his petrified bother for the moment and approaches the girl…removing his shirt to cover her form*
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So there you go. Admittedly this scene highlights Kel’s creative ability more than mine. I’m running the story of this RP but I gave her creative control over the goddess. O_o That was from July 6th of last year. Our sessions have been erratic due to our school schedules (among other things). Here’s a big intro I made from a session we did in January:
Kyo Kagami CA (2:49:35 PM): *we take a step back now. How can you go forward if you still don't know what's happened in the past? Shortly after Rashida and Cyrus plunged into the ocean Ata selflessly called upon the remnants of the fleet to fire on their position in the throne room. Rhett was not amused...as he was forced to create a wall of earth to intercept the large shells (simultaneously cutting off his pursuit). Ata knew better than to try to take him on alone with the cadre of fire mages still by his side. She retreated into the shadows for the time being...watching angrily as the Katarans loaded the comatose Mojir and sealed Sio into their drop ship. It may not have been the best decision but she boarded the craft in secret before it could retreat from Sussa's blitz.
The large airship that waited just beyond the horizon was Rhett's personal cruiser. While the ship that Cassandra whisked the Goddess away on was the size of an aircraft carrier...this ship came in at around the size of a battleship. Outfitted with a dozen drop ships and a crew of close to 150 men it was a force in and of itself. Unlike the drop ships (which were most likely created from stolen technology) the airship had been constructed purely of magical means. More than 90% of the ship was composed of stone, rocks, and earth...held together by unimaginable arcane energies.
Deep within the bowels of the ship was Rhett's personal prison...although it was more of a dungeon. It was here that he kept his captives, his toys...his most precious possessions. Mojir and Sio were being held in separate cells. Mojir was currently strapped to a table being kept in a drug induced coma...to keep his powers of invulnerability at bay. Next door Sio was being kept in a virtually empty room. In the center was a circle of rune stones...they came from one of the Goddess’ temples and held back the powers of the elementals. Sio would find the field it created impossible to penetrate with his body and the energies they gave off would make it difficult for him to hold a form.
Before long the ship was on its way. Several hours later the door to Sio's cell would open so that the ship's owner could inspect his prize. In the darkness of the corridor a short distance away...a stowaway was listening in*
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I know that these chunks seem pretty big…but most of our sessions occupy many pages of text. It amazes me sometimes when I go back and read them.
I know most people don’t think of me as a very creative person…and maybe I’m not. Though I like to think that some of the stuff my brain spews out is entertaining at least.
As you can see from the first session…I like to play out human interaction and emotion. That’s something I would find next to impossible in person. If only because I would find it too embarrassing…or awkward…or I just wouldn’t be able to take it seriously. =P
I love trying to relate the imagery in my head to others. People tell me I should read more…and I probably should. I suppose I just find my stories and the stories of my friends more entertaining to play out than just reading someone else’s. There’s just something about having a part in it. Being able to shape the outcome.
I think that’s what most people like about RPing.
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Having said all this…I sat in on Jess’ Traveler table top game the other day.
I enjoyed the mood. It was very relaxed with a good bit of OOC jabbering (just like any good RPing chat room =P). Maybe there was a little too much of people getting out of character for Jess. I know how it can be when people lose sight of the game and fool around too much.
There is something I need to say about it as an RPG though. The spirit of the whole thing was much more a Game than it was Role Playing.
For reasons I stated above though (embarrassment, awkwardness, etc) I can understand that. Jess plays every NPC and it’s probably not the easiest thing to keep the communication realistic and entertaining at the same time. He was doing a pretty good job of it though. Having something like a table top game must be annoying simply because the characters can do something unexpected and you have to react to it (even if there’s nothing written down for it). Not only that but you have to try and guide it in a predefined direction.
It probably also has to do with each person’s style of play as well. Andy plays through it like a game (despite his attempts to get into his role). He has his moments though. Toast didn’t seem in the mood. Becca and D got into their characters on several occasions. Despite the fact they might irritate each other sometimes…they had a pretty good synergy going. *lol*
Then there are the character stats and dice rolls…the essence of what makes it a “game”.
The flow of the game is very “choose your own adventure”. It’s like: “Would you like to talk to A or B?” or “Would you like to go to A or B?”. Again…understandable. I’m sure it’s hard enough coming up with that many options for every point in the session.
I can feel what Jess does as a storyteller though. He’s put a lot of thought into the locations and general atmospheres of those places.
I mentioned in a comment on his journal I think it would be fun to join them (if not for the Traveler campaign then something else). I really do rely on my “veil of the internet” when it comes to RPing though. I’m not sure how comfortable I’d be doing these types of things in person.
But…I’m open to try most new things at least once. ^_^;
I’m not a part of any major RPing chat room anymore. I really enjoy it…but I can only RP with Kelly when we’re both free for several hours. Always looking for something new and entertaining.
Maybe later I’ll put up more of the background for the RP I posted snippets from. Just to explain what the hell is going on…
I'm not sure what the purpose of this entry is yet. I think I might end up posting some of my online RPing stuff. Sort of "show the hand I've been playing with". Before I do that though...I might just talk about my views on the different kind of RPing activities. Maybe talk about why I do what I do as opposed to other things.
If you’ve heard any of this before in an entry of mine…sorry for repeating myself.
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I've been RPing online for over a decade now (considering I'm only 22 that's pretty nuts). I found it about the same time I had found out about anime (I'm not talking stuff like Transformers and Voltron...I'm talking about stuff that was on Scifi's anime weekend. Shit like Armitage and Tank Police). In searching for stuff about anime on the net I wondered upon WBS chat rooms...and the anime role playing room. The rest just kind of went from there.
I've always done free-form stuff.
That is to say I've never bothered playing in a room that used much in the way of a numerical rule system. No dice rolling, character stat sheets, etc..
If you got into a fight it was up to the people involved as to what was successful and what wasn't. There's usually a "GM" in charge of the room that kept people from being "zippy" (god-moding...whatever you want to call it).
It could lead to problems sure...but the game flowed freely. There's not any stoppage of the action. No: "Alright you roll for attack"; "Ok you roll your save"; "Now add in your dex and multiply by your evasion stat". I guess it's more like telling a story and less like playing a game.
I suppose that's what I'm more interested in anyway. I like being able to act out certain events, emotions, and actions. Probably why I've never done table top or LARPing. Contradictory? In a sense…
On the internet...I find it much easier to do something like RPing. I have time to sit and type something out if I need it. There's no pressure. Some of the things I type on a screen would probably never come out of my mouth anyway. =P Online I can become multiple characters at once without actually "having to be that character".
In a table top game you have to be the character. I don’t know if I could really get past that. Whenever I RP…I always do it in the third person. I’m not my characters. They have a life of their own. I guide their actions but I try to do what they would do. I try to think like they would. But I can do all that in my mind. I don’t have to be them to be them…does that make any sense?
When I think about it…I suppose what I do defeats some of the purpose of “role playing”. Just from the standpoint that I’m not taking the role myself. I speak more from the view of a narrator telling what my character does and why he/she does it.
Maybe I’ll just post a snippet of the first session from the RP I’m doing now with Kelly (slightly edited for typos and OOC comments):
Kyo Kagami CA: Cecil) *he's rather vocal as they slide down the passage...I would imagine there's even a few prayers for help mixed in there. The slide spits them out into a pool that was at least eight feet deep. It was semicircular in shape and took up at least half of the new chamber they found themselves in. Swimming to the edge of the pool with Rashida in tow...Cecil actually finds the strength to pull them both out. What awaits them is a gigantic crystal formation. It is almost perfectly clear...wedged into the floor and ceiling. All of the other crystal formations in the cavern seem to have spawned from this one point...but that's not the shocking part. Inside the crystal is a female figure...frozen in time*
Cyrus) *by the time he gets to the hole in the floor the sprites have vanished. The sound of rushing water begins to mix with what sound like war cries coming from the way he entered. Not taking the time to figure out what was causing them...Cyrus jumps into the hole and begins his journey down the slide after them*
Kikky chan: Rashida) *she's coughing a little as Cecil helps haul her towards shore, cheek resting on the cold ground. Though as her eyes trace along the crystals and to the largest one, she manages to stagger to her feet, the grey coarse clothing clinging to her soddenly and her hair ramrod straight. There's something almost feline about the form despite an absence of any defining features. She looks almost ragged herself, a palm splayed against her prison. Her dark hair is fanning around her, an opaque contrast to the slightly blue-hued crystal and what almost look to be air bubbles cling to her dark eyelashes. The wide Egyptian-styled collar of gold and semiprecious stones only highlights the unearthly beauty of her bone structure, sometimes it seeming as if someone saw fit to paint delicate designs in metal over the backs of her hands and up her forearms. Her clothing is an array of belts on her hip, arm bands, delicate bracelets and earrings. . . all adorned with intricately scripted prayers or religious symbols of Bastet, the Goddess. Allowed to be carved only in her temple because even Her Priestess was barely worthy of wearing but one of them, let alone this large assortment*
Kyo Kagami CA: Cecil) *he's completely dumbstruck...the sight before him is more than his fragile mind can handle at this point. His thoughts are flooded by questions...ironically he seems to know the answer to all of them. His instincts tell him that this*... is the Goddess. *Without thinking about it he falls to his face (already being on his knees) prostrating himself before her. Although she may be locked away…her presence fills the air of the chamber to the point where it is almost palpable*
Kikky chan: Rashida) *she's almost going to her own knees before she's stopped, the deity's aura feeling almost like it wraps itself chokingly around her, tugging, chiding, begging. And yes, Rashida's sense of curiosity strikes again, the girl reaching out to the crystal, placing her palm on it over Hers. It's so cold that it feels like her flesh instantly bonds to it, but it rapidly begins warming, the delicate metallic accents on Bastet's forearm glowing faintly and the closed eyes managing to open just enough to lock onto Rashida's while the thick lashes keep them secret from the rest of the world. It jars the girl into trying to pull away when the chamber fills softly with her 'voice,' no more than a weak mixture of images and emotions that fill her mind and and Cecil's. "I have waited a long time for you." The sense of time is hugely immense and all communication is centered on Rashida from that point onward, the crystal clearing of the dour blue influence and clearing however briefly. There's no movement but the air begins to circulate and warm, its central point now Cecil's friend*
Kyo Kagami CA: Cecil) *he's so frightened now that his body is racked with fits of shaking...he doesn't dare pick up his head...although he is aware that Rashida moved forward to approach the crystal. He can't imagine how she's moving at all. There is a pressure in the room that makes him feel like he'll fade to nothingness if he moves the slightest bit. The voice of the Goddess has a more calming affect on his mind. The warmth of her being relaxes Cecil somewhat but he is unable to focus on the assault of mental images thrust upon him*
Cyrus) *Moments after she touches the crystal Cyrus falls off the edge of the slide and splashes into the water. He might as well have been a pebble dropping in the midst of a hurricane because even the sound of the echoing splash isn't enough to draw the attention of the other occupants. He feels like he hit a warm pocket of air upon entering the room but the cold water of the pool shocks him back to reality. He surfaces and makes his way to the edge*
Kikky chan: *And when he looks up to see what the hell is going on, parts of Rashida's clothing are either tearing itself apart or being scorched, Bastet's own sacred symbols flickering on her. The least of which is the single one that the Goddess's priestess can wear on her clothing. . . all being written on Rashida's own flesh in various spots, sometimes eerily mimicking those on their Goddess, standing out in sharp relief on the pale skin before fading out of sight, her hair now dry, looking more the part of a backlight statue instead of a person*
Kyo Kagami CA: Cyrus) *he stumbles to his feet and gets to Cecil* Cecil...you're alright! Thank the...*with that he finally looks up to see the sight his younger brother is humbled before. He's not sure which is more shocking...the frozen being in the crystal or the form of Rashida being inscribed upon by an invisible flame* Rashida...*when the markings fade he leaves his petrified bother for the moment and approaches the girl…removing his shirt to cover her form*
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So there you go. Admittedly this scene highlights Kel’s creative ability more than mine. I’m running the story of this RP but I gave her creative control over the goddess. O_o That was from July 6th of last year. Our sessions have been erratic due to our school schedules (among other things). Here’s a big intro I made from a session we did in January:
Kyo Kagami CA (2:49:35 PM): *we take a step back now. How can you go forward if you still don't know what's happened in the past? Shortly after Rashida and Cyrus plunged into the ocean Ata selflessly called upon the remnants of the fleet to fire on their position in the throne room. Rhett was not amused...as he was forced to create a wall of earth to intercept the large shells (simultaneously cutting off his pursuit). Ata knew better than to try to take him on alone with the cadre of fire mages still by his side. She retreated into the shadows for the time being...watching angrily as the Katarans loaded the comatose Mojir and sealed Sio into their drop ship. It may not have been the best decision but she boarded the craft in secret before it could retreat from Sussa's blitz.
The large airship that waited just beyond the horizon was Rhett's personal cruiser. While the ship that Cassandra whisked the Goddess away on was the size of an aircraft carrier...this ship came in at around the size of a battleship. Outfitted with a dozen drop ships and a crew of close to 150 men it was a force in and of itself. Unlike the drop ships (which were most likely created from stolen technology) the airship had been constructed purely of magical means. More than 90% of the ship was composed of stone, rocks, and earth...held together by unimaginable arcane energies.
Deep within the bowels of the ship was Rhett's personal prison...although it was more of a dungeon. It was here that he kept his captives, his toys...his most precious possessions. Mojir and Sio were being held in separate cells. Mojir was currently strapped to a table being kept in a drug induced coma...to keep his powers of invulnerability at bay. Next door Sio was being kept in a virtually empty room. In the center was a circle of rune stones...they came from one of the Goddess’ temples and held back the powers of the elementals. Sio would find the field it created impossible to penetrate with his body and the energies they gave off would make it difficult for him to hold a form.
Before long the ship was on its way. Several hours later the door to Sio's cell would open so that the ship's owner could inspect his prize. In the darkness of the corridor a short distance away...a stowaway was listening in*
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I know that these chunks seem pretty big…but most of our sessions occupy many pages of text. It amazes me sometimes when I go back and read them.
I know most people don’t think of me as a very creative person…and maybe I’m not. Though I like to think that some of the stuff my brain spews out is entertaining at least.
As you can see from the first session…I like to play out human interaction and emotion. That’s something I would find next to impossible in person. If only because I would find it too embarrassing…or awkward…or I just wouldn’t be able to take it seriously. =P
I love trying to relate the imagery in my head to others. People tell me I should read more…and I probably should. I suppose I just find my stories and the stories of my friends more entertaining to play out than just reading someone else’s. There’s just something about having a part in it. Being able to shape the outcome.
I think that’s what most people like about RPing.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Having said all this…I sat in on Jess’ Traveler table top game the other day.
I enjoyed the mood. It was very relaxed with a good bit of OOC jabbering (just like any good RPing chat room =P). Maybe there was a little too much of people getting out of character for Jess. I know how it can be when people lose sight of the game and fool around too much.
There is something I need to say about it as an RPG though. The spirit of the whole thing was much more a Game than it was Role Playing.
For reasons I stated above though (embarrassment, awkwardness, etc) I can understand that. Jess plays every NPC and it’s probably not the easiest thing to keep the communication realistic and entertaining at the same time. He was doing a pretty good job of it though. Having something like a table top game must be annoying simply because the characters can do something unexpected and you have to react to it (even if there’s nothing written down for it). Not only that but you have to try and guide it in a predefined direction.
It probably also has to do with each person’s style of play as well. Andy plays through it like a game (despite his attempts to get into his role). He has his moments though. Toast didn’t seem in the mood. Becca and D got into their characters on several occasions. Despite the fact they might irritate each other sometimes…they had a pretty good synergy going. *lol*
Then there are the character stats and dice rolls…the essence of what makes it a “game”.
The flow of the game is very “choose your own adventure”. It’s like: “Would you like to talk to A or B?” or “Would you like to go to A or B?”. Again…understandable. I’m sure it’s hard enough coming up with that many options for every point in the session.
I can feel what Jess does as a storyteller though. He’s put a lot of thought into the locations and general atmospheres of those places.
I mentioned in a comment on his journal I think it would be fun to join them (if not for the Traveler campaign then something else). I really do rely on my “veil of the internet” when it comes to RPing though. I’m not sure how comfortable I’d be doing these types of things in person.
But…I’m open to try most new things at least once. ^_^;
I’m not a part of any major RPing chat room anymore. I really enjoy it…but I can only RP with Kelly when we’re both free for several hours. Always looking for something new and entertaining.
Maybe later I’ll put up more of the background for the RP I posted snippets from. Just to explain what the hell is going on…