Staying In Character:

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS stay in character. Its the most important thing about role-playing. If you're not in character, you're not playing a role. To misquote Shakespeare: All the world's a page, and we are but its pen. Your pen must always reflect that character.

I thought it may be beneficial to bump this thread and highlight roleplaying of posting IC. I’m not a proponent of this character perspective method as it detracts from its intended purpose. Also, the fact a characters perspective doesn’t take into account or address nuances associated with 1950s lifestyle or criminal history contextual. My two cents.

Cheers,

*SOURCE: https://mafiareturns.com/comm/thread/3908#5746816

I've read this a couple of times and I'm not sure what you're driving at. Can you elaborate?

Can you clarify what you'd like me to elaborate?

The topic is related to the following communication from Jen:

Sent as AdminTeam by Jen.
If I were to delete any post that did not contain RP in the form of actions, 90% of the streets would need to be deleted. Even just having a conversation from the perspective of your character and keeping the context to the time era, and character is not OOC. 

This is set in the 1930's not the 1950's. Beyond that, I have no idea what your problem is. Your "source" link is perfectly written. Everything is explained. 

right, im trying to figure out that fine line. where does it not become character perspective? I mean I thought streets was 100% RP but employing "perspective" isn't roleplaying in my book so I don't know how to know the limit as the lines are muddled. 

i guess my issue is more related specifically to the streets and whether to you have to RP as your character versus your character's perspective. I hope that helps clear any confusion.

and i thought there was some announcement previously about advancing the time era to 1950s at some point, no?

At a high-level,but we cant talk about the game in the streets. yet we can reference previous character experiences. it just comes across convoluted. 

Talking about the game as in proposing ideas or highlighting misses.

My response here is more for the benefit of the thread as I think many people are confused.

It is an important question for everyone especially those who are new to this community. I have issues sometime conveying my thoughts but here it goes my understanding and answer of what he is asking.

When you are in the streets roleplaying you can not go out of character perspective.  Here are two things Bacon and I covered in our conversation.

when you are rping your character that is from your characters perspective.  If you have something you want to add from  a previous character' knowledge you say something like when "I read my family journals" 

our characters perspective comes from what you see the character as. Alice for example Dagda is correct when he said she sees the world through rose colored glasses. Despite the trauma of her witnessing her father kill her uncle and the treatment at the asylum she received she is an optimistic character who wants to see the best  in everyone and everything.

You can talk about the game. instead of saying game say "in this thing of ours...", or "our community..." 

Personally I think all discussions should be held in OOC or in the outside thread this helps keep the flow of the actual topic instead of forcing people to speak around certain words such as the word  game in the streets.

The advance to the 1950s was announced some time ago, but I'm not totally sure when it is slated to happen, or if it has already. Curiously, the toolip drop down for the streets forum states:

100% 1930's Role Play (AKA Streets)

While the header of the actual streets page states:

This Forum Is For 100% 1950's Role Play (AKA Streets)

I expect the change was intended to go through, and the toolip was not switched along with the header by accident. Perhaps squishy can clarify.

I think what you are asking is where do we draw the line between roleplaying actions in italics or similar and RPing using only your character's voice?

I, personally, despise roleplaying and always have. I do it from time to time of course, but huge blocks of details and settings tend to limit my interest. But there are times where it is absolutely necessary to use such details and actions. I prefer to use my character's voice to get my message across and supplement it with actions and thoughts. I think most people are probably this way - true hardcore roleplayers are not as prevalent as they once were.

So long as the character's voice is used in a way that doesn't blatantly break the "fourth wall," I have no issue with people speaking in the streets this way. I don't think a line needs to be drawn, or that the character perspective method should be discouraged or limited. I think doing so would detract from the streets as a whole and make even fewer folks willing to venture there.

true hardcore roleplayers are not as prevalent as they once were.

 They are still here some not putting as much effort as they once did.

Many left the roleplaying aspect of this game, still playing the game but not roleplaying.

Some left the game altogether, some returning not to roleplay even though they have a love for it, but to help friends because that  is who the friend trusts.

And many, many  others  who left the roleplaying aspect of this game because of the attack on roleplayers in the forums a year ago  maybe almost two years ago.

So they are not gone most of them are sitting in the shadows watching waiting for the day they are treated with respect for what they bring to the table. 

prev·a·lent

/ˈprev(ə)lənt/

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adjective

1. widespread in a particular area or at a particular time.

Indeed, they are still here, but as you reiterated, not as widespread as they used to be.

I've always had respect for roleplayers and still do. I'm not sure why they allegedly feel the need to sit in the shadows waiting for the day they are respected. Those who attacked them are not currently in power and I assure you those of us who are have no qualms with roleplayers or writers of any nature. They may have to deal with a bit of trolling from certain cretins, but that's something we all deal with I'm afraid. 

we really can't talk about the "game" or relevant mechanics or implementations even when the topic is covering gameplay in streets.

makes it frustrating to articulate a point or highlight.

I get what you're saying, but I'd reiterate what Alice said there: say "this thing of ours" or "our thing" something similar to that. It's always been acceptable.

thank you both for the feedback and insight, most appreciated :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Those who attacked them are not currently in power and I assure you those of us who are have no qualms with roleplayers or writers of any nature. 

This may be the truth, nonetheless the damage was done. 

Plus, anyone who has been here long enough knows that those people may come to hold power again. 

So the roleplayers are left in a state of uncertainty.  And when people are in a state of uncertainty they don't act much different than a deer in the headlights blinded monetarily so they have no idea which direction to go in. 

We accept trolls to some degree they are a part of internet life. Sadly these people have no joy in their life so they try to take others.

The attacks on the roleplayers was beyond trolling and lasted month.

Then there is the subject of  off topic posts that ruin a story line not being removed from stories  because " it was well written".  This is a form of god modding which every roleplayer knows is against the rules in the game of roleplaying. 

This is sheer discouragement to role players. 

I pretty much just echoed this (old but relevant) in our previous conversation. Character perspective is still roleplay because you're essentially acting the part. Not everything have to be in third person and gatekeeping otherwise would only result in a losing battle.

The post that was removed just had too much OOC content. You can get around this with a little creativity. I'm sure there's a terminology thread somewhere but things like "Lounge = Coffee shop/IRC Avenue, Admins = Gods, etc..." 

There is a difference between Roleplaying and telling a story, and the attacks were on storytellers, not roleplayers. I play my character, each one slightly different from the other, I was here during those attacks and I was never attacked. It was simply those who post either single user or 2 user or 3 user prewritten stories in the streets that were attacked.

Roleplaying is relatively simple, have an idea of who your character is and portray that. The difficulty comes in seperating your own feelings from your characters. Take kuku for example, he plays a character, sure they are all the same, but they are different from his real life persona, believe it or believe it not. 

To be honest it doesn't particularly matter what character you want to play, as long as you play it. Wanna be al capone? No probs. Wanna play one of Joe Pesci's many characters? Easy. How about a Vampire, Panda, Rat, Gecko or alien superfiend? All easily done. What does annoy me is people who have a decent character idea and don't go anywhere with it. 

But its each to their own. Roleplaying isn't for everyone. The importNt thing to remember about the streets is to keep it character based. Its not admin, its cityhall or gods. Its not your wack stat its your killing prowess. You aren't a guy (gal or other) sitting at home on a PC/Phone/tablet, you are a mafioso, in a crew (or not). The rest has been covered sufficiently above and in other threads.

It doesn't matter that certain roleplaying styles were attacked. Those attacks said we don't appreciate your effort. Not only were those types of roleplays attacked people who tried stretch their creativity and roleplay a mafioso from the perspective of a mythical creature or an animal also were attacked. One group of role players attacked

Why attack people for trying to be creative simply because it is not your cup tea?  Sometimes it gets boring roleplaying a person no matter how eccentric you make the character.

The roleplayers  had their integrity and enjoyment of writing attacked being told the only reason they were posting was not for creativity or  to help their city have durden vision, or simply for the enjoyment of writing, but for  milking the credit system in place for role players.  So their integrity as writers was attacked also. This dropped more role players from the scene.

So all you really have are the hardcore role players left.