Hey, Alliance: are you a roleplayer or a fighter?

[MaxIrons]

I really shouldn't have voted, because if there was a weekend which was all RP, no fighting, I'd leave. It's why I don't do Camarilla LARP anymore. If it was all fighting, no RP, I'd leave. It's why I don't do Amtguard anymore. However, if Cam and Amt were the only games in town, and I absolutely had to scratch the LARP itch, I'd go with Cam for the RP. I'd eventually go bored-nuts and pull a Spoony (better game ending through explosives!) though, as there's only so much navel gazing RP I can take.

 

[Alavatar]

so. much. over-thinking.

This deserves a reference to the Oglaf comic. But, I can't do that at the moment because it is NSFW.

 

[Toddo]

Picked RP because if I were going to an event that only offered one or the other I'd pick RP. When I play I come to entertain and be entertained. I'm much more effective at this in the RP arena. I do love to swing pipe of an evening, but if forced to choose only one I'd pick deep immersive RP in a heartbeat.

 

[Talen]

Roleplay.

If it was about the combat, I'd be in Amtgard. Also, if you're not RPing in combat, you're Doing It Wrong.

 

[Durnic]

RP is the venue through which I get to my fighting.

 

[Poalo]

Hey guys,

I would like to contribute some thoughts to get this idea back on track.

This question feels like it is the beginning of a chain of other, more complicated, questions. However answering this question one way or another does not lock in your feelings or responses to further thoughts and questions that come down the road.

There are a lot of biases that show up in these types of questions that will influence a person's response. A good chunk of "the over thinking" that is happening is because we are also trying to answer the meta-question of "Which answer is more popular/most socially acceptable/best for the game as a whole". That question is a lot more complicated and nuanced than the one presented, and probably one that cannot be answered easily in an open forum.

Back to Kelsey's original question: I consider myself a role player. I love combat. I could fight for an entire weekend. When combat starts having problems, from small hiccups to major glitches, I can always fall back on solid role play to enjoy the rest of my weekend.

On the other hand, if there is no depth of role play, combat could be executed flawlessly but there would be no continuity between combat encounters.

That is how I envisioned the question: Not from a personal sense of an ideal choice between the perfect rp mod and the perfect combat mod, but from a larger game sense of problems with combat vs. problems with rp.

As an extension to Kelsey's original question: What method of playing the game allows you to best entertain yourself and other people? Even thought I enjoy combat, my most memorable experiences with other people involve stellar rp. And, to be honest, it is my experiences shared with other people that count the most.

Cheers,

Mike D. / Paolo Oscarot

 

[Simon]

I picked combat because i expect it to be provided. i create my RP. I Bring it with me, i expect to be given some combat opportunities. Without the combat it is not as live action.

 

[stonegolem]

I picked roleplay because even when I fight in this game, I make the effort to do so in character. Those who have played with me know that I put myself deeply into what I'm doing, even on the field - as an NPC, I will talk and taunt and monologue during combat, and I put as much realism as I can into dying without putting myself or others in danger or risking breaking the roleplay ("Dude, are you ok?" "Yeah, I'm roleplaying...").

I could see myself having an excellent time coming to an Alliance game and not swinging a sword one time. I do not think I would enjoy an Alliance game that was nothing but fighting without roleplay attached.

 

[Jevedor]

so. much. over-thinking.

this

 

[Kasuni]

I think that it's really interesting the Roleplay has been in the lead over Combat, almost since this poll opened up! ( Thus the benefit of not having a "both" option... everyone would have picked both! )

 

[DiodaGoat]

I'm new to this and have only NPC'd, but I'd still say that if I only had to pick one, it would be the roleplay.

I agree people are not just overthinking this but making the question more intense than it actually is. Sure, if we were ONLY here for combat, why wouldn't we be at a gym sparring? And if we didn't like combat, there are RP-only larps available. 90%+ of us are here for both.

It's easier for me to say definitively though because as an NPC I've been given the choice of going out and just crunching, and taking part in a mod that may or may not end in combat. It was a no-brainer, I chose the mod.

 

[markusdark]

I think that it's really interesting the Roleplay has been in the lead over Combat, almost since this poll opened up! ( Thus the benefit of not having a "both" option... everyone would have picked both! )

I think that many people believe putting on a costume and responding to a different name constitutes roleplaying enough for them to choose it. I think that a more concise definition of roleplaying is needed. For example, would you attend (and pay for) a weekend long Alliance event that offered no combat? If you truly would, then I'd say you're more into it for the roleplay than the combat.

The reason I don't play in most vampire games is that I do not believe conflict should be resolved by rock-paper-scissors, a roll of dice or card. That's what table top games are for (again, IMO, just like the above comment). So, in that instance, I could almost say that I'm into Alliance for combat (as per my definition above), even though I rarely partake in combat.

 

[stonegolem]

As I understand it, the point of this poll is simply to determine who considers themselves more of a "roleplayer" and more of a "stick jock," and nothing else - not the definition of a roleplayer, not the importance of being able to do both. Just what any one individual labels themselves as, given the arbitrary and hypothetical restraint of only being able to choose one.

As such, I disagree entirely that a "definition" of what roleplay is and a concrete idea of what defines a "roleplayer" is necessary; in truth, I think it would be hurtful for the purposes of this poll.

Also, I think painting other people as "not really a pure roleplayer" is a baseless generalization derived from a purely objective perspective and could end up offending people. I know I'd be offended if someone suggested my standard of roleplay is somehow inferior to their own.

 

[Davion]

Yes...?
Most people who are a "fighter" go to games like Dagohear, Amptguard, etc.
Most people who are a "roleplayer" go to vampires games, murder mysteries, or larps that have consideration for role-play written into the build expenditures and rewards.
Alliance tries for the middle ground.

 

[obcidian_bandit]

I disagree entirely that a "definition" of what roleplay is and a concrete idea of what defines a "roleplayer" is necessary; in truth, I think it would be hurtful for the purposes of this poll.

So, I get that someone might get offended by that, but if we're not going to set definitions, then the poll is really arbitrary. There's effectively no data that we're gathering that we can use unless it's actually able to be interpreted in a meaningful way, and "pick what you feel" is hardly a rigorous polling methodology. Sure, you can argue that "Oh we're just polling for funsies," but someone is going to try to use this information in some kind of way at some point.

a purely objective perspective and could end up offending people.

Oh my god, I think I'm going to make this my signature. :thumbsup:

 

[Dan Nickname Beshers]

Yes...?
Most people who are a "fighter" go to games like Dagohear, Amptguard, etc.
Most people who are a "roleplayer" go to vampires games, murder mysteries, or larps that have consideration for role-play written into the build expenditures and rewards.
Alliance tries for the middle ground.

Yes. That has been covered. The intent of the question is: which one do you lean towards.

 

[MaxIrons]

Yes...?
Most people who are a "fighter" go to games like Dagohear, Amptguard, etc.
Most people who are a "roleplayer" go to vampires games, murder mysteries, or larps that have consideration for role-play written into the build expenditures and rewards.
Alliance tries for the middle ground.

Yes. That has been covered. The intent of the question is: which one do you lean towards.

Considering it has been covered, and yet keeps cropping up indicates a fundemental flaw in the polling question, quiaff?

 

[Draven]

...what? I understand not wanting a pure-combat game or a pure-RP game, but if given the opportunity to go on a mod you know will be RP based (with possibility of combat) and a mod that will be mostly combat (with the possibility of RP) which would you generally choose?

My preference is RP, which is why my primary and secondary would take the RP mods. My tertiary is for when I've filled up on RP and need to hit people with fake weapons instead of birdseed.

Neither. My favorite games and mods are the ones where I don't know what will be involved. And that's honestly not me trying to fanatically defend my point. If I was in the hypothetical situation you presented me with, and I had two mods to pick from, I'd go with whichever encounter suited my character's goals. I'd never make a decision based on whether one provided more RP or combat. And, honestly, I hope I'm never presented with that choice, because it would impact how I experienced the mod as a player.

 

[Toddo]

Remember when civil discourse was all you saw on the Alliance forums? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

Going back to what was said a while back about people assuming there's a stigma for coming down on the side of combat, I hope that's not true. I know players who have flat out told me that they don't roleplay, and I'm ok with playing with those people. I come down on the Roleplay side because that's where most of my really intense and satisfying encounters are had. I've also enjoyed fighting on many an occasion, but it's not the thing I find most enjoyable.

End of the day, I think we're all a mix of combat/RP.

 

[MissDragGunn]

What happens when you role play your char to be a trained fighter? My stag is primarily role play but my coyote is all about fighting for her protectorate and protecting her pack. And she role plays that as she performs it.