So, what I'm about to write didn't necessairly originate from myself. It isn't about how to make plots, etc... It is simply about how to increase your fun with role-playing and with others in general on the server... how to make it less generic with levels and more about the fact of being adventurers and the SOCIAL aspect of this game.
Now, this isn't organize in a very 'concise' or naturally progressing way: I'm simply throwing ideas as they come to me.
First point: [Acting like you are busy walking around town] It is more realistic than just waiting around townhall for something to happen, but it is still pretty much bland. I say find a way to try and interact with anybody you see or cross, start a conversation or anything! Whether it is commenting on their vestment, spitting as they cross you, nodding politely or just dripping saliva as they pass eyeing their sweet and flavorful flesh.
If you are a cleric, preach your fate. A warrior, evaluate their skill and ask them if they would wish to match you in the arena for a spar as you are trying to hone your skills. If you are wizard, ask them if they have spell components to spare or ask them... etc. You get the idea.
It makes the world seem more dynamic - How many people do you see walk around cluelessly and nobody talks to each other, then you start a conversation in a public section and -everyone- on the server is like 'drawn' to you like moths to a flame. That's it! That's because people love to interact with others, but have difficulty starting it in a 'plausible' manner or finding an original way to do it everytime.
If you see other people massing around you while you have a conversation, try to include them... say "You, what do you think about the argument me and this guy are having... etc."
Just emote or say anything really... To "spare a coin for a beer" from "Urgh, that is a most digusting piece of clothing on your shoulders, you should return to live behind the fungus of Lower Sanctuary where you belong."
Everyone should have an opinion of your character.
Second point: [React to the Role-play of other players] I often hear of role-play as a skill, which is somewhat true, but role-play is more of a "social" interaction which requires -everyone- in the group to react to make it interesting. If you emote things on your own which people cant really react to, it is fine and all, it makes it interesting to watch, sure. If you emote things that people can react to, it is much more promising since it makes everyone participate in the act and create a much more lively ambiance. This goes both ways, of course, react to what others say or do, it reinforces what they did. (i.e. more likely that they roleplay or talk in the future) and makes it more pleasant for everyone, really.
It is a self-perpetuating act, one person starts, others respond, it grows.. it grows.. a DM sees that, gets interested in it and tries to have some fun with it.
Nothing more boring than being the only one to talk or emote on a quest... it really shutdowns or disarms roleplay for future events as it makes it feel more as if we are OOC doing the quest and not IC doing the quest, which is -really- important! Makes it more fun, makes it more likely a DM would be interested in interacting with us.
Try also to display your characters' emotions - this is really hard, but a lawful good character could kill someone in a burst of anger... shit happens. or lawful evil character could have some pity for someone... or a chaotic-evil be disgusted by specific murders... emotions are cool, but hard to put in place.
If you are still reading, wow! ;)
Third point, [Scripted quests are cool]. Scripted quests rock, ok? They arent there to give levels or loot (well, that too <_< ), they are there to provide fun adventures and create bonds between characters. So, you're an evil schemer.. and you try to find people to scheme with. Kinda hard to approach someone out of the blue, talk to them about politics and then explain your plan for world domination. That's the use of scripted quests- To develop relations between characters! Much easier to develop bonds by going out in the world and doing death-defying missions with people: you get to know them (again, see point #2 about talking and emoting and reacting to it) and it gives you a passage to evolve that bonding into more meaninful scheming!
Scripted quests are cool, dont deny yourself some fun on them because you think- oh shit If I do too much scripted quests, they are going to think I'm a powergamer or something. Maybe. But really, they are fun and if you take time in them and socialize through them and not rush them. They develop interactions and make you know other characters more deeply.
- Rushing, try also not to rush because your buffs will run out, I know it is a really survivalistic way to do the quests! but it denies valuable role-playing moments, where you might want to stay and emote at some moments during a quest. So, my idea to avoid these kinds of rush, start the quest normally, dont cast your spells as soon as you enter the QA, go through the quest a bit, fight off, and use your spells mid-way or 1/4 of the way if you feel, it gives you a more 'natural' progression and permits you to roleplay without feeling pressured.
- Also I'm not against 'chained' scripted quest, but I say- take a break, like go the pub, tell the stories behind what happen. "Ah, remember when that guy was praising how smart he was then he stepped right on a trap and it froze him solid, funniest stuff" Reminisce how close you survive, the bad moments, things you regret, etc.. Have a beer. Who doesnt do that in real-life, right? After playing an hockey game with your buddies, do you go straight to play some basket ball? Maybe... but more likely you are going to take a break, take a beer, socialize and reminisce the good events of that game.
Fourth point. [Proposing to do a scripted quest] Ok, this is a bit harder since sometimes there are OOC consideration which makes the IC moments.. get a little weird.. such as [Too high level, too low level, already did the quest... etc] - My suggestion here is to never go into the sort-of discussion that sounds like this:
"Well, I heard there were trolls on the low road" "Nah, we took care of them already, there is that temple of Hoar we could help out" "Ok, I guess we should help them out"
Although, it is still IC, it is very borderline OOC. What I suggest is always if a quest suggestion gets shutdown by OOC reasons, break off-
say something like... "Oh yeah, So they took care of that issue already, alright- guess the guy who tipped me off in the Tavern didnt know what he was talking about."
Find someplace to go, "Well, I was itching for some exciting, and you lads seem like decent folks, I'd hate to break off a good group by lack of employment." - "I will go ask a patron in the Last Stand, I think I heard something about raids being conducted near.. a specific area, I will go check."
Think about what you could do. Come back with an idea.
"Yeah, the patron told me that a tribe of Gnolls had been conducting some raids against the walls of Sanctuary, although' the Watch is stretched too thin to reply, and doesnt have the funds to pay adventurers to check them out, we could always head there and pay them back in kind. I'm sure they should have the resources to make it worthwhile for us by pillaging their tribe."
Try to make a sort-of story for the scripted-quest, make it interactive, make it sound like it isnt something repetitive that you do every once a week. It makes it sound more integrative and less as an OOC tool.
If you do a good job at it, people might even ask you if this is a DM quest... :P
Finally, I'd like to introduce a little concept :mrgreen: , I call it the OOC --- IC spectrum, which sounds fancy and all, but really isnt.
It's just that the ambiance in the world can be considered: 100% OOC <---------------------- 50% -----------------------> 100% IC
Any regions inbetween, any events that keeps people motivated IC, emoting, talking with their character is good and puts the spectrum more toward IC. (which we try to always keep near 100% as it is what this game is all about).
Any actions whether it is //talk, [party] chat or tells, makes it slide toward the OOC segment... Although, it is fine to use these 'tools' if you are in jam, they should be used very sparsely. As the more you use them, the more the spectrum falls OOC, the more generic the talks between characters become... less original and everything seems to become more bland.
So - final point is really to keep -any- unrequired OOC chat really sparse... like maybe once every hour is a good rule of thumb. This is important, specially when people die and they start to curse on the [party chat] or ask if they can respawn.. it is preferable to use a tell to only bother one people, preferably the party leader.
Also, tells are fine and all, I have been to servers where tells are monitored at all times, and restricted for One specific reason: If one is bombarded with tells, it takes him a much longer time to reply IC which can be complicated when he is trying to reply to 3-4 people IC as they are waiting for him.
But these advices are really about keeping that IC spectrum to 100% or really close to that for everyone's enjoyment! :mrgreen:
I just took the time to write this and I feel I forgot plenty of stuff. I thought people might like this, so I gave it a shot. If you want to add stuff or correct some points, you are welcomed to. :)