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The Daily Grind: Do you play on a roleplay server as a non-roleplayer?

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Roleplaying, Miscellaneous

Most every new MMO has a roleplay server set up specifically for roleplayers to do their thing. Presumably, this RP server would be kinder and gentler than your average PvP or PvE server.

This is the reason many players -- including myself -- seek out these RP servers on day one, even if we're not roleplayers ourselves. I tend to not interrupt in-character chat and generally respect the atmosphere of roleplaying while not actually participating.

So for you non-roleplayers out there, we're curious to know if this is something you've done. For roleplayers, does it irritate you to see non-roleplayers using your server? We want to know!

[Image: Lotrogeek]

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: Do you play on a roleplay server as a non-roleplayer? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-Aliased: Don't make roleplaying servers if you can't handle it pt. 2

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Culture, MMO Industry, Opinion, Anti-Aliased

...and totally doesn't want to enforce the rules.

The roleplayers are roleplaying in the streets, until a naked guy runs by and starts dancing suggestively in front of the guild's princess, singing the latest song by Kanye West. The guild begins to furiously slam the GM button, still trying to go on with their improvisational acting scene, but finding it extremely difficult to do so when something is so obviously breaking the scene into 10,000,000 pieces.

The GM comes down on his magical wings, looks at the situation and says, "Sorry, he's not saying anything that's covered in our harassment section. He's not saying anything that is considered offensive. He can dance naked all he wants," and then leaves with fair wishes to all while the roleplaying guild stands there, slack jawed and completely confused as to what just happened, while Kanye West is sung loudly in the background.

Yet the solution isn't hard, and ultimately benefits you, the developer, in the end

Roleplayers get frustrated by this seemingly simple stuff. It makes us wonder why you even bother to make these servers, when they are completely the same as the normal servers.

We get it, your support team doesn't want to ban anyone because that's "bad business." That guy who's griefing everyone is still paying the 15 dollars that you want, so you'd rather keep your mitts off of the paying customer.

"But no one wants to hear that. No one wants to push the ban button. Yet the solution isn't some magical means, and it's something that would work wonderfully when implemented -- localized bans."

Here's a loud wake up call guys -- MMOs are a service, not a one-time purchase. We keep saying that, yet somehow no one seems to realize it on a business level. By letting this guy go, you're angering about 20 other customers, and potentially losing more money in the process. You let this one guy go, you lose 5 other subscriptions. What's better, 1 person being forcibly asked to leave, or 5 people leaving of their own accord and spreading a unsatisfied opinion to their friends?

But no one wants to hear that. No one wants to push the ban button. Yet the solution isn't some magical means, and it's something that would work wonderfully when implemented -- localized bans.

If you have a guy who is seriously griefing a roleplaying server and violating the rules of that world, then ban him from just that server. If he complains, tell him he's got 20+ servers to choose from. If he complains that he lost his character, then transfer his character to a new server. Your roleplayers don't have to deal with him, they stay happy in their own little world, the griefer gets to keep his stuff, you get to keep your money, and literally everybody wins.

If that's the way things swung, roleplaying worlds would probably much more tolerable. Support people will probably feel that pulling a ban on someone being a jerk is more justified, as they're not removing them from the system entirely. All of the people interested in roleplaying now have an environment to do so, and they start spreading word to their friends that finally, a support staff has stood up for roleplaying. Maybe roleplaying wouldn't be waning if the players who did it felt supported in their endeavors?

Now if only I could do something about people who roleplay vampires...

Colin Brennan is the weekly writer of Anti-Aliased who does "teh arpeez." When he's not writing here for Massively, he's rambling on his personal blog, The Experience Curve. If you want to message him, send him an e-mail at colin.brennan AT weblogsinc DOT com. You can also follow him on Twitter through Massively, or through his personal feed.

Anti-Aliased: Don't make roleplaying servers if you can't handle it pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Anti-Aliased: Don't make roleplaying servers if you can't handle it

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Culture, MMO Industry, Opinion, Anti-Aliased

For those of you who don't know, I'm super in to roleplaying. No, I'm not a Shakespearean nutjob who spouts "I shall put my sword betwixt thine evil heart!" No, nothing like that. I'm just a guy who likes getting into the setting of game. When you go into Naxxramas and see Anub'Rekhan, you see a boss where I see a commander of Anub'arak, the traitor king.

It's because I know the lore so well that I like to play around with it, involve my character in it, and really keep the fantasy of the world intact around me. But I've learned something over my course of 12 years of MMOs. It's something that happens in every single game that I've played and a problem that I've found insurmountable when it comes to roleplaying.

It's really hard to roleplay when a thirteen-year-old is thrusting his virtual crotch in my face, screaming "LULZ GUYS! LULZ! Lolololololol!!!!11oneeleven"

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: Don't make roleplaying servers if you can't handle it

Anti-Aliased: Don't make roleplaying servers if you can't handle it originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Do you roleplay?

William Dobson — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, The Daily Grind, Roleplaying

Plenty of MMOs have servers that are supposed to be for roleplaying, but when you log on, you find that a lot of people just act as they would on a normal server. However, you will run into those that embrace the roleplaying aspect of the game, and things are significantly different for them. A run-of-the-mill instance clearing ending with a boss kill can become an epic adventure, culminating in the slaying of a legendary beast and the discovery of rare and valued treasure. Their avatar isn't merely another Night Elf Rogue -- they might have a back-story, a fleshed out history of how they arrived at their current situation, and may rarely ever break from character.

Do you enjoy the immersion of roleplaying, or do you tend to just play the game for what it is and leave RPing to the folks that are into it? Is it something that you will occasionally slip into, or are you dedicated to your in-game persona? Something we're interested to know is, if you roleplay now in MMOs, did you do it before you started playing video games, or did you pick it up since entering a virtual world?

The Daily Grind: Do you roleplay? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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