Motivation: IC Vs Fun
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I was thinking about how we play, and what motivates us; looking at the issues we have had with some players seeming to dive into deeper realms of roleplay. I have also had some people refuse a plot line because "Their Character would not do that", yet other players take up the plot "Because it will be fun, and I can adapt my PC so it's In Character for them." and was wondering where people draw the line, how, and what drives them.
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I think ultimately, any of us can justify most things for our characters, depending on how strict we want to be on ourselves. Some folks develop some hard lines for their characters based on fictional background, motivations, personal goals, etc. that only they know. For some of those folks, they hold to those firmly, refusing to budge off of them unless some very IC things change them fundamentally. For other folks, they are more flexible on those, willing to modify a background that nobody else knows, or perhaps haven't really fleshed out that many details as solid. Other people just don't like change and they'll stay IC with however they imagined was the way the character was before.
Finally, as if it isn't complicated enough, it may be based on how the character has developed recently and if you happen to be in a dry spell for fun.
For my characters, I tried very hard to clearly define key things that were "no gos" for them and made sure that they always held firm to those things unless a long-term series of events fundamentally changed them. Things that were not IC for them when they were new might have been considered, at least, a year after I started playing them.
I don't think I ever got personally involved with a plot that wasn't IC for my character, but I did sometimes share information about plots that may have been OOC for my character, or involve people in plots that may have been OOC for my character. I had plenty of plots to choose from with all of my mains, so giving some away to let other people in on the fun was only fair, even if I had to step a bit outside what my "character" would do.
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I always look for a way to follow the motivation for the Character but still pick up on plot hooks and any other story building for that matter.
More of "It will be fun, I can adabt" BUT thre is normally more than one avenue to follow when you pick up a track. Therefore it is rarely an issue.
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I always played (or tried to play) my characters consistently with their personality and goals, refusing to get plot hooks/loot if they did not fit.
This was when getting to 6th level was an achievement.Now that levels are in the 6-10 range, I find it more fun to have a high level char and go kill something rather than develop my character. Oddly this seems to be the main reason for which:
- I am losing part of the fun I had when CoA was "more difficult" and,
- I am always trying to find out "quest buddies" to get the loot and xp that will allow me to progress my level in order to have more fun
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I like playing the more chaotic types of character for this very reason, can utilise any opportunity that comes along, which makes it much more fun for me - although.
Even if a 'plot' isn't the kind of thing my character might be into, there is always a way it can be utilised. Gaining a load of information about it, and selling it on for favours, avidly following it to get to some powerful NPC who might be able to move stuff the character wants done etc.
When I was playing a druid, there was something that came up that I couldn't really think of a way to utilise. Opportunity to meet with a demon in order to hamper/harm an infernalist. Would have ended up fighting (and dying) against the demon.
But really, I'll jump on almost anything with almost any character if it looks like fun.
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Although my characters aren't very 'narrow' on purpose (to make them less unfun to be around), I would refuse things that went against my idea of the character, or if I did go along on something that might at first glance be out of their character, it would be for their own reasons. As for 'I can adapt': I don't flesh out my entire character at the start, just some key points, so there's usually room to change undecided parts of the background to accomodate for things that happen I.G. (E.g. you meet someone that has overlapping backgrounds). But once something gets filled in, I doubt I would change it again.
The most common thing is that I'll ignore a 'shout' if my character isn't in a position where the things described would be noticable. Also, if my character gets their hands on some item that isn't consistant with them, I'll make sure it goes to a character that it does fit better with. E.g. Items of Faith X while I'm playing a Faith Y character. Again, there could be reasons for keeping such an item, but 'it's a fun item' would usually be the last reason.
P.
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I chase things i have ooc fun with and adjust the way i approach it by how my character can fit in with it. If it's an utter do-gooder plot and i am playing an evil bastard, i oppose it and vice versa.
If i am not having fun with something ooc, then it does not matter how ic it is, i can't even pretend to generate interest in it :/ (for example i can win coa if i gather this number of pain-in-the-ass-to-get-components that spawn randomly and sometimes within the module… i can't do it, i cannot do shopping lists that are random spawns etc).
The "heavy, deep roleplaying2 is something that depends entirely on my character, how i approach it etc, and no less on the characters i am interacting with.
Overall i chase things that i have FUN rather than overthinking what my character would do.
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i have (ignored/not acted on) info that has come to me if i thought it would be something that was of no interest to my character,though i usually either post it in faction forum or pass it on by word of mouth ic.
That said i think that that applies more if you are disillusioned with your character currently. For example when Fyananamoac was ready to retire i did very little beyond the odd quest whilst i began planning possible future characters.
Fun is what has always motivated me on this server, and over time my idea of fun has changed but at its's heart is the interaction with other players be they dms or pcs.
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If you ask me, unless your a paladin or druid (Because those two have to be strict with their oaths, vows, staying good, ect), you should be able to adapt to whatever the plot is with ease - and I don't see why it shouldn't be fun. Even if your not interested in the plot, its good to know about it so you could spread it to someone who would be interested in it - which is roleplay. It would really vary depending on what it is, but the only time I've ever refused a plot was on Eliphas, simply because of his oaths - and theres nothing I could about that.
I find every plot fun, whether to know about, or pursue it - because you can always use it one way or another.
Sell the information
Pursue it
Use it to your advantage
Hand it over to subordinates/othersAnd so on.
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What I failed to mention earlier is that by playing a character that is firmly on one side of a major divide (good or evil) and chaotic or neutral in your demeanor, you can always get involved with a plot on either the protagonist or the antagonist side. If you're character is just arbitrarily difficult with others, he can choose to get involved as a fly in the ointment with pretty much no real work.
As mentioned, if you're a Paladin or a Druid, it might take more "justification" if there is no "good" or "balance" to be preserved and your character couldn't really be assed to care about the problem/plot.
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Admittedly, I will intentionally avoid a plot if I don't feel like it will be fun and my character has a legitimate reason to skip out on it. For example, though it could have made sense for my wizard to get involved with researching the Rift, I avoided it like the plague because I've already had a character involved with it and felt dissatisfied with the amount of progress made. Consequently, Luciano had every opportunity in the world to pursue bloodstone trading, but I slid away from that because I didn't feel like I would enjoy it.
If a plot DOES seem interesting and fun, though, I will try to get involved as either a protagonist or antagonist. I don't like being a middleman - I'd rather be in the middle of action and there when the final event happens. I usually get pretty irritated when the final event happens for a plot I helped out happens without me, but that could just be me.
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Generally, I try and stick to what is IC for my character. That said, since I try and find a way to involve my character in anything (DM or player instigated) fun that is going on by giving my character a certain attitude towards it - a purpose for attending - then it just boils down to "I take part in what sounds fun".
If it's IC for my character to attend, then generally I will.
If the event really does not sound fun for me - for whatever reason, maybe I'm just not in the mood for a long quest/talk/walk or had a bad experience lately, or am tired of the focus of the event - then IC or not, I'll end up finding a reason not to go.
Of course, sometimes, I really just don't have the time. Also, maybe a poll would be useful to keep track of opinions?
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i have a base set of parameters for both my characters, but i break character as soon as i smell any hint of a new player and try my best to show them around. i make up my own plots and have fun with those, i sometimes will follow others plots but most of the time now i prefer not to interrupt, i have a habit of doing and saying the wrong thing at the best of times and have in the past ruined others plots, so i will try to avoid doing that now
sometimes i wish more players would try to be more aware when they see a obviously new player, when they see for example a overly dark elf who just arrived in the game, instead of immediately sticking to character and calling the guards and giving them a hard time we need to break ic and do what we can to help the person.. …afterall we were all new once a long time ago, in the past it may not have mattered, but now it matters.
on a positive note last night when i did run into a new one i ran into players and a dm who lent a hand, tell tale signs of a new player should make us drop what we are doing, or send someone else to aid them
if i happen to be on and have time and you are busy but see a obviously new player shoot me a tell i will make a excuse to help them (once caveat: if it is a obvious griever leave me out of it, those still are around)
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…. Things that were not IC for them when they were new might have been considered, at least, a year after I started playing them.
That, and I'd only do things if the character would, base don their personality. Doesnt matter about Goals, people get side tracked in RL all the time…
Although, while it might certainly seem it would be very OOC for a highly good charcater to get involved in evil, greedy ways.... if properly presented, then it might happen. For instance, someone took the months to very masterfully seduce melanie bresk towards the darker side of greed and self-deserving by working on her self-esteem issues compared to her sister. -
Other then occasionally avoiding plots from a prior character OOCly, i tend to look at whatevers on the table.That said, as Eliphas pointed out, any plot worth its salt is probably at least of marginal interest or use to any character (Even paladins and druids find their place in opposing or mitigating things).
If its the machinations of a tribe of orcs that my character could obliterate by himself, or some task the character is terribly unsuited for, it may simply be information turned over to a potential ally to win favor, but theres still a level of involvement.
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I like plots were I'll get my hands dirty and have a high possibility of getting killed. Polaris' 2day Underdark trip of hell was the best example of what I expect of a DM qwest now and days.
Other plots like city take over or politics…ugh...I usually let people like golw (R.I.P) and Olouth do the paper work. They point I punch.
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I think I may very well be guilty of being rather rigid with my characters, but it depends. When I create a character, it's with a certain theme/image/idea in mind. I view the character in a certain light as to their role within a party and the world at large. I tend to stick with this image, because if the way I view the character changes it often times makes the character not as fun.
I think some flexibility and randomness is important, though. One thing I do is when there is a situation where I am unsure how my character would react, or seeing a strange reaction may be comical or serve the story, I'll flip a coin to make a descision. I also make up excuses and adapt my characters so they can continue to be of use to the game (And avoid instant PvP without developement, or show a new player the ropes. All sorts of reasons to be flexible). Also the story line can shape the character pending on what happens to them. But ultimately the deviation is usually never enough to violate the characters beliefs and values (Unless part of the concept is that they can be manipulated or there was alot of IC reason to change).
I think lawful or lawful leaning characters, at least for me, may be a bit less flexible, but to me that's part of their alignment and who they are. That's part of the "image" or how I view the character. How I view the character affects how fun they are for me. So to me, being IC should not be preventing you from having fun. Being IC -IS- fun.
Edit PS: One thing I thought of. Isn't behaving a certain way IC to nab a plot hook which doesn't make sense an OOC motivation? Isn't it then metagaming?
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When I make a character it has a set guide line to how it acts like devout hero or honest thief,then using that base ideal I have to find characters to work with.
Of course this then limits my choices I could break character and just do it likes others have said but for me that isn't role playing,if im forced to do something that is against there core ideal in order to have fun I quickly stop playing them.
So im quite fixed in how my character grows that said if something profound happens to them then they change but they don't change just so I can go on DM plot "X". -
Similar in nature to whether or not you pick up plots that might not be IC would also be whether or not you do things somewhat OOCly for good reasons. A great instance is taking time out for the obvious new guy. When I played a high-ranking guard faction character, it was completely IC for me to ignore a new guy bothering me with questions unless he was a criminal or a victim. As a player, however, I realized that there was no long term good in that, so I made it a point to make time, not exactly ICly, to help those guys get pointed in the right direction and if ICly it got to be too much of a stretch, I'd give them some hints over tells and answer their OOC questions that way. Every once in awhile, one of those guys would make something of themselves on the server and you could just feel a little better that you were the guy that helped Pyatt Pree when he was a noob and now he's making you look like a third rate actor on the second stage of the renaissance faire.
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Similar in nature to whether or not you pick up plots that might not be IC would also be whether or not you do things somewhat OOCly for good reasons. A great instance is taking time out for the obvious new guy. When I played a high-ranking guard faction character, it was completely IC for me to ignore a new guy bothering me with questions unless he was a criminal or a victim. As a player, however, I realized that there was no long term good in that, so I made it a point to make time, not exactly ICly, to help those guys get pointed in the right direction and if ICly it got to be too much of a stretch, I'd give them some hints over tells and answer their OOC questions that way. Every once in awhile, one of those guys would make something of themselves on the server and you could just feel a little better that you were the guy that helped Pyatt Pree when he was a noob and now he's making you look like a third rate actor on the second stage of the renaissance faire.
I feel a kinship with this person.
I've done many things like this. finding ways to get random new character involved in some kind of cult activity is always a fun one. I'd happily change an entire scene to accommodate this, and often have.