Giving Your RP "Sparkle"

Part IV -- Finding RP, Think Outside The Box

 

Nothing, and I mean nothing, is more annoying to a MU* admin than a player who parks his character in their own private room and then starts complaining that there is no RP to be found.  To them I say, "Get real."

 

If there are ten people logged on to the game then chances are at least 8 of them are there looking for RP.  2 of them might be there checking mail or chit chatting, but all ten of them at least like to RP and are not going to take it amiss if you page them looking for some.  They might turn you down, but they're not going to bite your head off unless you are a jerk about your request.

 

Further, you can go park yourself in a public area with a scene set ready to go if anyone should walk into it wanting to play.  Why should everyone else do all the work for you?

 

I've heard a variety of silly reasons for why people don't RP.  In this section, I'll address a few of them -- and teach you how to overcome each situation with Sparkle!

 

Everyone Is At The Zoo. My Character Would Not Be At The Zoo.

 

My character wouldn't be at the zoo.  (Or the park, the bar, the church, the library, the police station...).  I have heard this so often, and it's so old and so tired.  My answer to it is: "Are you sure?"

 

Use your imagination.  Think outside the box.   Unless your character is laid up at the hospital or in jail, he can probably physically get to the location, unless it's in an entirely different city and he has no quick way such as an airplane or magical transport to make it there. 

 

But my character doesn't like the zoo! He hates animals! He's said so in RP a dozen times!!

 

Fine.  Here are three possibilities for introducing your zoo-hater into the zoo scene without compromising your character.  (We're back to the entry pose again.  That's because the entry pose really is vital). I'll use both narrative and actor's style, long and short, just to demonstrate yet again how truly unimportant the debate is to enjoyable RP.

 

Caveat:  In some situations "everyone" might be at a place it is illegal, dangerous, or impossible for your character to get to.  If you are playing a high school student and everyone is RPing over at the Pentagon, then you are right, you can't get to where everyone is RPing and should not try.  The only solution here is to wait for someone to log on who is not at the Pentagon, or perhaps to apply for a character who could be over there next time.

 

In these examples, where Sue and Steve are used, assume Sue to be another RP'er in the scene. Julie is an NPC. 

 

Example 1:     The man in the black hat takes the envelope from Joe.  Joe heaves a big sigh, a little color returning to his cheeks.  The man in the black hat walks away, trench coat flapping in the wind.  A monkey howls nearby and Joe jumps.  He crosses his arms and begins to walk away, fast, right toward Sue and Steve.

 

Example 2:     Julie knows damn well that Joe hates the zoo.  He hates the smell of the zoo, he hates the sounds of the zoo.  He hates animals.  He doesn't even own a fish.  Julie was always big on animals, but Joe thinks that she probably chose this spot just to annoy him.  Fresh from their breakup, he storms down the walk.  Which way was the exit again?  He's approaching Sue and Steve, though he doesn't even really register who they are.

 

Example 3:     Joe comes racing through the crowds at breakneck speed.  "That man stole my wallet!" he howls.  Ahead, a punk kid, also running, ducks into the building with the snakes.

 

Be polite, of course.  The nature of the scene you're about to join should determine what you do to enter, and of course its usually nice to check in with the Zoo people to see if its okay if you join.  And you don't have to indicate why you're there in the pose!  If you are well known to hate the zoo, you can let the others ask what the heck you're doing there, and can be ready with the answer (or lie).  "Julie decided this was a great place to break up with me," said in a sour tone, can be just as effective.  Think about the NPCs in your character's life, make up a reason, and go to the dang zoo.

 

I Don't Know Anyone.

 

Ok, so none of your regular RP group is on right now.  So?  You didn't know any of them when you started playing either.  RPing with new people keeps you fresh.  It provides you with a steady supply of people to RP with if your current group dries up.  It happens.  Sometimes everyone in a group quits playing, often within months of one another, leaving only a single RP'er stranded.

 

Take a moment to play with a newbie.  It will probably be annoying, but newbies turn into real live players sooner or later.  Will it kill you to spend 20 minutes on them?  You can always beg off when you've had your fill of bad poses.  If you can't find good RPer's, raise one.

 

Nothing's Going On.

 

These people like to hang around until staff hands them a plot or event on a platter.  I must admit I sometimes do this when I'm new to a game, because it gives me a chance to get to know my character and ease them in without feeling pressured to put on a good performance, one on one, with a perfect stranger.  Nevertheless, there is such a thing as being pro-active.  Coming up with a one-session RP event is pretty easy if you think a few things through.  Try a few of these on for size, and see if you can come up with your own.  I'm going to act as if you don't know a single soul on the game, and as if anything more bloodthirsty than a snowball fight has to be run by staff, two common MU* complaints.

 

1.         Page three players who aren't in scenes and say, "My character's roof is all messed up.  Would you care to say our characters knew one another?  Then we can RP a roof repair scene."  Exchange a few background notes and you're ready to go. 

 

2.         "My character's new to the neighborhood and hosting a block party. Wanna come?" 

 

3.         Arrange a traffic accident with another player.  This will in turn get other RP'ers involved (hospital people, cop people, reporter people). 

 

A MU* is a collective imagination exercise.  If you aren't using yours, but are waiting for others to entertain you, you might as well go watch a movie, play video games, or read a book for your entertainment instead.

 

Next Article: Good MU* Writing Style