Roleplaying Bonus Idea: Special RP Characters

So, it's already been made clear that Simutronics will be continuing their longstanding tradition of rewarding roleplaying in game and punishing blatant out of character activity, but I've long thought that there would be better rewards to give a roleplayer than a mere attribute or experience boost. Thus, I've been mulling over a somewhat unorthodox idea which would, admittedly, take a not insignificant amount of effort to pull off, but which could be one of the coolest features of an RP-centric game to date if done right.

- Specialized Roleplaying Characters -

First, some quick background. My prior history with DragonRealms is where I first came to admire specialized characters in the hands of skilled roleplayers. Grishnak the Goblin comes to mind, as do a number of the nobility and rulers of Elanthia brought to life by skilled GMs. I always thought, "Dang, I wish one day I might be able to prove myself and become a GM so I could get one of those parts!"

So over the years I would occasionally think, well why should it be limited only to GMs? Couldn't GMs make judgement calls and give similar powers to trusted players? Obviously concerns include liability, quality control, etc, and these are all quite viable concerns and impediments. But still I kept thinking, "Man, I wish I could play a specialized character of some sort." So now I've been recently pondering the matter once more, and I've decided I'd quite like to see discussed and analyzed. Allow me to lay it out.

- Example Scenario -

Steve plays HJ, and he roleplays an interesting and eccentric gnome wizard. Caught in the act of good roleplay, he is later rewarded by a GM with an experience bonus or some such. He continues his habits of good roleplay, and perhaps significantly later earns another bonus as well. At last, after some time let's say, he earns a third bonus for his consistantly excellent roleplay and is granted a special token for his account.

This token allows him special access to the RP Specialized Character Creator. Not just an ordinary character creator, this menu allows you to choose new and unusual character types that are specialized for roleplay over gameplay.

What kind of characters could be made with this system? Well, specialized characters that would otherwise not be possible. Perhaps you could create an undead character, a zombie or vampire or lich or some such. Special playing conditions might be placed upon such characters, such as hostility from certain NPCs, daylight weakness for vampires, or unusual undead powers and weaknesses.

Perhaps you could access races normally untenable from a gameplay point of view. A centaur, or a giant, or other humanoids that are of nature inappropriate for a normal MMO character. Perhaps you could play as an intelligent beast, a wolf, a tiger, a sea turtle, a drake, a squirrel, a fox, or many others. Perhaps your beast character could talk, perhaps not. Perhaps it could climb trees and unusual nooks and crannies. Perhaps if small it could alight on the shoulders or arms of other players' characters.

Perhaps you could make a very noticably old normal character, or one that is just a child. Perhaps you could have a crippled character, or a soldier of the watch. Perhaps you could play an elemental, or a mystical tree, or a possessed scarecrow, or a murder of crows.

- How To Make It Work? -

Clearly if a player used such a system to make a special character that existed as an alteration of a normal character, it would probably not only be unbalanced, but also technically problematic. How then could it be possible to allow someone to play a giant or a fire drake?

Clearly severe limits would have to be put in play. These specialized characters couldn't be allowed to progress through the game as normal characters might. They'd need special rulesets and likely large restrictions would have be put on powers and interactions.

So why have such characters then, if they have to be severely tied down? Well really, they're only supposed to exist for purposes of roleplay. It wouldn't matter if your centaur character couldn't wear armor or talk to quest NPCs, because the entire purpose of playing such a character would be to enhance player to player interactions and roleplaying.

- What Would Be Gained From This? -

I suppose to some this might seem like an interesting, but not very applicable, idea. I can certainly understand the wish to reserve manpower for game projects which would benefit larger numbers of players instead of putting so much effort into making a system that many people might never access and which has significant hurdles to be leapt before it could work well.

Still, I have had experiences in both DragonRealms and other games wherein unusual characters, ones outside the normal range of playable characters, brought to life by skilled roleplayers (both GM and non-GM), made quite lasting memories and so greatly impacted my gameplay and enjoyment that I still think quite fondly of those experiences, years later. I have posted before of a certain experience I shared with just such a character in DragonRealms, and based on this encounter and other, I feel that there is a potential for a new evolution in modern gaming that deserves consideration, if not active development attempts just yet.

So tell me what you think! I'm curious to hear your opinions.

~Dune~
 
It's a good idea. There's a lot of technical issues that would be a constraint to such a system though. Without going into a lot of detail, there would be some uphill complexities to overcome for, admittedly, a smaller portion of players.

I do think there WILL be a good deal of possibilities in HJ as it stands for RP like this. For example, the clothing/item system is very robust, so it might be possible to get a certain type of costume, say, and create a new character with the name you want and then perform that RP at your leisure. That's probably about 90% as effective as you're asking for, but you remain a player without GM powers.

The thing that sets GMs and players aside are the things they can get away with and perform. The storylines in GS are impossible without GM powers... since most of it revolves around careful planning and scripting. Destroying buildings, adding new NPCs, spawning gobs of monsters, raining meteors from the sky... Etc, etc.

Not saying a player isn't capable of those things at all, but for that level of control... they would have to be a GM. And being a GM is a treat and privilege for us, and a result of our dedication and hard work.

Also keep in mind rarity. If everyday there was some character somewhere starting a new storyline, but unable to follow through due to limitations of power in the game world, it wouldn't be all that exciting. What makes it all so exciting is it rarely happens, and when it does, it's a pretty big deal. GMs are a small population with semi-regular hours, so again, we fill that role nicely.

I'm sorry Dune, I'm not trying to rain on your parade. I do like the idea, but I do think that there will be plenty of possibilities with HJ for roleplaying player-based storylines... without having to delve into special character slots and not-quite-a-player but not-quite-a-gm abilities.

Of course, I don't know 100% of things planned by the designers... so don't take this as omen, or anything :smiley:
 
Good points, one and all.

Personally, I think one big influence of this idea for me was rarity. I played WoW for a while (hamngs head) and one of my favorite things to do was read up on all the rumors of artifact items and stuff.

Ashbringer, for example, used to have a cult following of searchers who believed it was hidden somewhere in game. Unfortunately it wasn't, and when it was put it, it was kind of a gimmick. But that's not the point. It was the hope that one of us shmoes with nothing to do might through sheer perserverance receive a special mark of our dedication.

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A better example would be all the rumored hidden hero classes. One of my favorites was an obvious fake, but the idea was wonderful. You find a rogue water elemental in the biggest desert in Azeroth. You think, "Huh, that's unusual" and try to follow it, but as you run toward it, it constantly moves away at the same pace, stopping whenever you stop. You can never catch it and apparantly only you can see it. Then you turn around and approach it walking backwards, like in Legend of Zelda or Super Mario, and viola! It gets close enough that you can speak to it!

Now the elemental tells you to follow it, and it disables your chat functions so you cannot possibly tell anyone else what is going on. It leads you to the ocean where it casts a spell on you allowing you to swim beyond the normal borders of the ocean and to breathe water. It then leads you down to an underwater city or outpost where you can start the quests to be indoctrinated into the order of Wave Guardians or some such (can't recall) and viola, if you finish them all you get the hero class.

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Yet another thing that interested me was I found a series of in-game books detailing ancient troll legends and I followed the information in them in search of a great artifact which would command the wielder the ability to control water elementals. Unbeknowst to me, playing Horde, these books were accessories to an Alliance only quest, and my search was in vain, but I spent a good two days speculating where to look and swimming far out into the ocean with my magical staff of water breathing.

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It wasn't so much that I wanted to get the best things or even great things for my character, but that I wanted things which would be unique and interesting, things I could roleplay about and with.

Yes, there are techical limitations, and yes, I think only GMs should have access to GM powers, but I really didn't intend in my initial post that these specialized characters would ever be able to do large scripts and stuff, but rather that you could have a model change at the cost of fighting and playing ability so that you could perhaps take a faun with pan pipes into some small town to simply dance, play your pipes, and enjoy the reactions of other players.

I completely agree that it should be rare, and I think the matter of rarity could be handled by GM control of who gets such a bonus being strict. They would not be handed out lightly, and those who abuse the ability would be harshly punished.

And yup, lots of resources for a small potential player base. But what if the system was built by eager GMs in their off-time? Would Simu say no?

*grins*

I'm curious for other responses, even if they're just ideas for what kind of specialized character you yourself might like to play!

~Dune~
 
I like this Idea, and I don't even think that a System like this would necessarily take a lot of Developmentressources... You need no Characterdevelopment for those Figures - since they're thought for Roleplay, it's perfectly fine if they don't get XP and just come with basic Statistics and a few Abilities, that which would also be expected from a Mob of that Type (and therefore are already mostly there). You also can do without a special Charactercreator, since that's something the GM offering the Reward could do - just talk with the Player in Question, then drop the new Character into the Players List.

Plus, I disagree with the Argument that all this Work is for "only a few Players". After all, the System doesn't benefit just those that get to actually play a Freak, but everyone who sees the Freak played - or even hears about the Occurance. It also provides a very tangible and unique kind of Reward for Roleplay, therefore encouraging many, even though only a select few will ever get their Hands on it.
 
And yup, lots of resources for a small potential player base. But what if the system was built by eager GMs in their off-time? Would Simu say no?

~Dune~

I agree with Dez with this after much thought on it..Yes, it sounds really neat to talk about, but it actually does bring up a lot of difficulties. It would in any system. There's paper work involved with such things, and who's to judge that one person is just that much better than another?

Besides that, you are taking away what so many other gms just plain love to do. If there were these special things going on too often, people wouldn't rally and cheer for the GM because they wouldn't even know if it was one behind that. It shouldn't matter, but performers like to perform and some even like the fact that they get an audience. If it becomes "Yeah, I've seen it all before.." Then where is the excitement for the performer?

There doesn't need to be a tangible, unique reward for roleplay. It was meant to encourage roleplaying, not necessarily punish those that don't with limited capabilities. Giving something this large is something I'd consider unfair anyhow. They would like to know why roleplayers get so much special treatment. Normally, I'm all for no non-rpers in my game play, but I don't really want them to feel THAT left out.
 
I dunno, I see both sides.

While I understand that one of the main roles of GMs are the events as it should be any game changing event needs to be handled by simu staff. But, I don't see any problem with non-event type things being handled by the everyday player.

For example couple of roles that would be great if done by regular players would be Fippy Darkpaw in EQ or the beggar in crossings in DR.

Those type roles just add color to the game without any huge drawbacks. They are also roles that I would hope would not take up the time of the GMs (unless thats what they want to do on thier playtime), so that they can work on the big cool stuff.

I also don't see any issue with rewarding folks that RP often and well. That reward can be handled in many tangible ways. For example for someone RPing the "beggar" it could be just a simple name change from Bob to Bob the
Beggar or to a special piece of clothing (torn rags) or a special spell effect (AoE stink)

I just don't see it as any different as those folks that spend hour after hour getting that glowing sword of uberness.

Myself, I'm a "RP-lite" person and have no desire to spend my day in the towns, but I would love to see others get those perks if that is what they enjoy.
 
My sentiments exactly!

In DR, the Crossings Beggar was a robot, plain and simple. He was kinda neat to stumble across for a moment or two, but then every time afterwards you thought "Man, stupid beggar, he always does the same thing."

There was an old crotchety soldier in Riverhaven who was the same way, interesting for a moment or two, then you realize he doesn't do all that much and just kinda wanders. It becomes rather bland.

That's the kind of stuff I'd really hope to be replaced with actual people roleplaying them.

~Dune~
 
My sentiments exactly!

In DR, the Crossings Beggar was a robot, plain and simple. He was kinda neat to stumble across for a moment or two, but then every time afterwards you thought "Man, stupid beggar, he always does the same thing."

There was an old crotchety soldier in Riverhaven who was the same way, interesting for a moment or two, then you realize he doesn't do all that much and just kinda wanders. It becomes rather bland.

That's the kind of stuff I'd really hope to be replaced with actual people roleplaying them.

~Dune~

I just don't see why you couldn't roll up another character, name them, and dress them for the part...
 
How, exactly, can I dress up a character like a centaur? Or like a wolf? Or like any other minor character that just happens to not fit the normal races?

~Dune~
 
How, exactly, can I dress up a character like a centaur? Or like a wolf? Or like any other minor character that just happens to not fit the normal races?

~Dune~

Aw, we've been over this. That's a GM thing.

I was speaking in terms of what's available to the player base, character-wise. You were talking about interesting people, interesting transients, etc. That's all for the players to make up and do what they like.

Now on creatures, monsters, other kinds of things you're treading on lore designed and created by not myself or you. The designers and producers of the title get to dictate that, and as GMs, we get to expand on their vision on that level.

I hate to say it's broken out level-wise, but it's sort of the case. But of course, they could put this feature in, I have no idea. I'm just saying.... don't hold your breath. It's just a wee-bit ambitious.
 
Well in Gemstone and Dragon Realms this was somewhat common already. I could certainly see maybe giving consistently good RPers a chance at being a lesser Game Master.

Something like a Game Host - but not just customer service... but for making interesting instances, raids, or generally progressing a story line. Maybe if they're good they can make their own story lines.

You could have a big bulletin board with events that these 'Game Hosts' (for lack of a better word... maybe Storyline Steward or something) could all sign up for. So at 7pm on Friday the 23rd Paulina will do a 'moderately violent event against a small town with 10 rank 12 item drops and 1 rank 14 item drop'. Paulina gets to think up the event, think up her definition of 'moderately' and pick the town... She can read previous events by other GHs in that town and towns around the area and put in hers and the description.

It's then approved a couple days before by Quality, and Paulina can do her event (or modify it to let it pass Quality). She does it and gets rated. The higher your rating, the sooner you are presented with the dates. If you did one, you wouldn't get the chance to do another until 1/2 the rest of the GHs all got a turn etc.

I dunno, it's a complex system that will never come to be. That's really what GMs are for, but somebody who's primary goal is to play the game would bring a different perspective to events in general. And it might be fun to break up the occasional monotony that plagues MMOs sometimes. Just be able to raise a little hell or be like a table-top GM for a while would be really interesting. If you show the aptitude toward it...
 
The reason I just couldn't even see someone who wasn't a GM get such powers was because when you HAVE that kind of power, or are allowed to "wear the mask of a mob or NPC" it kind of implies you are sanctioned by Simu. Now, GMs have extensive background checks and experience with the company and can be trusted to a certain extent. A random RPer? No way. Even if you're a calm, reasonable, awesome person who's been an asset to the community for ages gone by? Hell, I've seen people snap with that description and randomly just do CRAZY things.

However, the idea to give someone a "special NPC outfit" and allow them to play that character during an RP event, or a minor "bit part" even in a major event... that idea rocks. And it can EASILY be accomplished, I think, with the way the costume system works.

Heck, I'm hoping for other things... like, rare outfits and weapon "looks" from just difficult adventuring or quests... or special "auras" or "glows" or even maybe "disguises." Who knows? :smiley:

However giving a random RPer, no matter how good, the same powers as a GM, or even limited GM-like powers... sadly I don't think that could ever happen.
 
sounds great, would be a beast to code, but nothing short of what the talented staff at Simu is capable of, for sure.

Of course, I'd be a ninja squirrel *chitter*
 
A beast to code? Hardly! I've done more complex things amateurly modding World of Warcraft!

And just to be very, very, perfectly clear, I at no time advocated for actual GM powers to be given to lay people. Do not attribute such ideas to me, please.

That said, here is an example of what I mean.

  • Player 1 gets an RP reward.
  • Player 1 logs out of their current character.
  • Player 1 uses the RP reward in the character creation screen to create a new playable RP character. For this example, the player chooses a basic centaur model and is allowed to do some minor customization functions. When done, this is saved.
  • Player 1 enters the game world with this new character.
  • The new character has no powers, cannot level, cannot do quests, and cannot enter combat. It cannot attack, perform spells, or in any way do anything that a normal character could to progress through the game world. It may have an inventory and the ability to hold money, so that it can interact with objects in game and use these for roleplaying. It can also perform chat and emote functions normally.
  • Player 1 then walks this character into a forest area near a major hub and wanders around.
  • Player 1 comes across wandering adventurers.
  • Player 1 roleplays with these other players as a centaur of the woods.
  • Fin.
Nothing game breaking at all, nothing even remotely hard to code. You just swap the model sets, then disable the normal character variables that control questing, leveling, and etc. This character would be utterly useless for anything other than actual, speech-based roleplaying.

Furthermore, this very basic template can then be made somewhat more interesting without much further coding or technical troubles by giving it certain special "spell" or "attribute" effects. These would be simple game triggers that perform unusual things.

For example, a simple unique "verb" might be an animation command, whereby you click a small hotkey or type a small command to make the character perform an animation: example, /count makes your centaur paw the ground like a horse counting. Perhaps more usefully, a centaur might have an inherent passive speed bonus, which would make sense given the equine legs.

~Dune~
 
While I can fantasize about how cool this idea would be if the players involved were true and honest in their motives and if it didn't effect the normal player base by generating a big rush to get said unusual status or item, I know from experience that both of those "if's" are unlikely.

I have seen people do amazing things ( most of them negative) just to get that "thing" that sets them apart from others.

Find a way to control and balance any system of reward first(good luck with that), then decide what to hand out.
 
It's hard to say what the rewards would be at this point, of course, but I'd imagine it'd be along the lines of things Simu has done in the past with their RP rewards.

Simutronics has a tradition of RP-focused games... I can't imagine HJ being too far off that base. But only time will tell!
 
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