ID:1807832
 
Lately I've been interested in trying my hand at RP systems for gaming. What I mean is something that simplifies the process for people who aren't so good at RP- as well as something that speeds up the amount of time it takes to do decent RPing- for instance, pre-writing a custom emote dialog then playing it on que whenever interacting.
I have many other ideas as well but I'm curious what the bare minimum expected is from a game that is RP related.

What bases do I need to cover- so to speak? And also what makes an RP - game great, and what makes it terrible?

Basically any helpful input.
This thread interests me! I'm a roleplayer, I've been a GM/DM/whatever of a handful of servers for a number of games, and I've played a number of games where roleplaying existed (sometimes prominently and sometimes as a small niche).

I think that the biggest thing for many roleplayers is having an environment that is engaging and also clearly defined. I used to staff a popular World of Warcraft free server. Our server was dedicated to roleplaying, which is something that Blizzard itself doesn't meet; their staff tends to follow the idea that the community defines roleplay standards and then policies it themselves. This meant that, for many people, this was the first environment where they weren't mocked, where they were able to roleplay without being interrupted, and that they were able to find many like-minded people.

The other appeal, of course, is that World of Warcraft is a fairly realized universe. There is a history that spans millennia, notable historical figures, religions, various cultural idiosyncrasies between races (and sometimes even within the same race), and rules governing how things work. Mind, it's fraught with contradictions and frequent retcons, but there's enough there to engage players and allow them to craft characters that are fully realized within the universe.

From a gameplay standpoint, my research has found that roleplayers tend to like:
  • The ability to set custom player surnames and titles;
  • Visible indicators that let other players know when a character is in character (IC), looking for roleplay (LFRP), or out of character (OOC);
  • The ability to emote, including custom emotes (example: I may want something more complicated than /laugh, because my character may brush back her hair or cover her mouth while laughing);
  • Chat bubbles (personally, I loathe them myself, but my UX investigations have revealed that roleplayers strongly prefer chat bubbles);
  • The ability to create organizations (groups, clans, guilds, businesses, whatever) that help like-minded people get together and roleplay;
  • Being able to create multiple characters on a server in order to explore different aspects of the universe;
  • Character customization;
  • The ability to wear any or all pieces of clothing/weapons available in the game without class restriction (alternatively, having non-stat versions that exist specifically for roleplaying available);
  • A way to easily locate people interested in roleplaying across the entire server;
  • A way to roleplay in a location without interference from the environment (for example, low level characters may want to roleplay in an area where high level mobs are found, but can't because they'll immediately be attacked and killed); and
  • Server events (frequently organized by staff).

I could probably come up with many more, but these are the big ones.
This is insanely helpful - thanks so much.
I've considered a few of these and some not so much, but all very insightful and I can implement just about anything on this list. If anything else comes to mind, by all means feel free to share.
Absolutely!

I'm not sure if you're borrowing concepts from an existing IP, but I can tell you that having a fully fleshed universe is incredibly helpful. Many roleplayers love a lot of detail, because it allows them to draw inspiration and incorporate them into their character concepts. Plus it'll help minimize arguments regarding lore between players (they'll still happen, but it'll help!).

I've been working on a concept for quite some time now, but finding BYOND has given me the tools to (hopefully) realize it. I'm balancing world-building with learning DM, which has been fun. I just wish that I had more bandwidth to spend on the project; work is getting increasingly hectic following our technical preview and the eventual release.
That sounds awesome, hope to hear more about it in the near future.
After reading your suggestions I think I'm going to spend some time piecing together the lore of the world. I have a story, but doing so will help solidify the world's feel.

I would also like to incorporate a way that players can contribute to the history / lore of a world themselves at a certain point.
In response to Avidanimefan
Avidanimefan wrote:
I would also like to incorporate a way that players can contribute to the history / lore of a world themselves at a certain point.

Definitely considering something like this myself!

The World of Warcraft server that I helped staff (and with whom I still interact sociably) has a wiki. On this wiki, they not only list major lore events as defined by Blizzard but also the important server events that have occurred. Additionally, players are encouraged to submit character profiles for approval that eventually get added to the wiki as well. It's a way of codifying their characters' existences into the server history.

One of the bigger problems that the server encounters, however, is its dependence on Blizzard for lore. They try not to deviate too much from what Blizzard has outlined, for two reasons: it allows all players to have a common starting ground when joining the server and minimizes the amount of server-specific lore that they need to learn, and Blizzard could substantially affect custom lore when additional expansions are released.

A new, entirely unique IP adroitly avoids these issues, but it also means that you have to exert a lot of effort in order to make sure that everything is fleshed out enough to enable roleplay and not hinder it.

I'd really recommend using a wiki. It gives you a wonderful way of logging all of the information that you want available to the community, while also helping keep everything organized for your benefit (I maintain one for each of my major projects). Additionally, you can use that as a way to engage the community; I've seen a lot of people get really excited by the idea of leaving a indelible mark in a universe just by maintaining a character profile article and keeping it up to date. It's also a great showcase for player art, which -- with permission -- you can use to help promote your game.
I see never thought of that angle, I've tried to use a wiki and failed miserably, mainly because I couldn't figure out it's most basic features - for one- how to add the links to the main page ha ha.

I haven't used one since then.


Added in those Bubble Dialogs. I had to do some work to get them to move around with the player but once I did, I sort of grew attached.

Only time will tell if the feature is going to make me hate it though. LoL.
How would you create an RP game that isn't asymmetrical? I know it sounds impractical, but there must be some way. I want a system that isn't dependent on a GM. However, I don't want a standard RPG. You know, a system that plagues a PC with monotonous NPC quests. It would be great if players could create their own quests, interactive environments, or brain-teasing riddles.

How do you make an RP system that isn't flat?

Maybe a systems where players pay in-game currency to create quests? After a player completes it, both players receive some type of compensation (like experience or rare crafting materials).

What do you guys think?
In response to GoldenArk
To my understanding he has already added in something like that
In response to GoldenArk
^ what he said. minus the riddles I have all of that.
I think you misunderstood me. (Maybe I should have made a new topic). I asked for ideas.

Ergo, my question: How do you make an RP system that isn't flat?
In response to GoldenArk

The answer is simple though, build the ability for players to create their own situations, instances or circumstances for their world.
In response to GoldenArk
GoldenArk wrote:
Ergo, my question: How do you make an RP system that isn't flat?

You could make a sandbox game. Maybe something with the bare bones of a story but with the option for player-led quests.

If you're interested in roleplay, a lot of players in various games enjoy creating campaigns for other roleplayers. There usually aren't in-game benefits for it, but it can be fun. Giving players access to phasing or the ability to customize an environment would facilitate these actions, since then they'd be able to customize the environment and subsequent encounters.

Some games also include the tools to make custom quests and campaigns. Star Trek Online comes to mind. It has something called the Foundry, which allows you to create and save projects that can be shared with other players. The missions can be linear, you get to customize text and interactions, and it's fairly engaging. If I remember correctly, the community can vote on/review the player-created missions.

If you're concerned about experience inflation (assuming that your game has experience and/or levels) or people abusing any player-driven option, you could assign an experience cap per mission and then restrict gains to N number of missions per day/week (I personally prefer weekly caps, since they don't require daily participation and helps people who may only be able to play on select days).

Alternatively, if you're uncomfortable with players have too much control over the game, you could create roles that have those permissions and then gather staff to lead player-driven events. You don't even need to provide experience; perhaps attendance garners tokens which can be redeemed for specific cosmetic items or are rewarded with event-related items.

Just some thoughts.
In response to PixelScientist
PixelScientist wrote:

From a gameplay standpoint, my research has found that roleplayers tend to like:
  • The ability to set custom player surnames and titles;


  • Yes, this adds to the immerse lore of a game. I like knowing not that I am X, but I am X The Mighty Blacksmith of the Shire.
  • Visible indicators that let other players know when a character is in character (IC), looking for roleplay (LFRP), or out of character (OOC);


  • I've never played a game like this. Only thing close is when you're playing a game and they make non-PvP players ghost-like.
  • The ability to emote, including custom emotes (example: I may want something more complicated than /laugh, because my character may brush back her hair or cover her mouth while laughing);


  • Being able to communicate quickly without doing anything except pushing a button.
  • Chat bubbles (personally, I loathe them myself, but my UX investigations have revealed that roleplayers strongly prefer chat bubbles);


  • It's much easier to see who is talking, instead of looking at a chat box, remembering the name like xXx2Cool4UxXx and then have to find them on the screen.
  • The ability to create organizations (groups, clans, guilds, businesses, whatever) that help like-minded people get together and roleplay;


  • Multiplayer, yum.
  • Being able to create multiple characters on a server in order to explore different aspects of the universe;


  • I personally prefer the Elder Scrolls approach where you can make your character everything and not limited to "You can only be one of the following and cannot do anything, even the simplest stuff like sew a shirt because you chose to be a Lumberjack instead."
  • Character customization;


  • I like playing games where I can choose who I want to be. I don't prefer playing games where I HAVE to choose a certain pre-made character.
  • The ability to wear any or all pieces of clothing/weapons available in the game without class restriction (alternatively, having non-stat versions that exist specifically for roleplaying available);


  • Absolutely. I know for profit and marketing purposes having restricted items are super fantastic (ex: see every single MMORPG in history that's ever lasted more than 2 years).
  • A way to easily locate people interested in roleplaying across the entire server;


  • Multiplayer, yum.
  • A way to roleplay in a location without interference from the environment (for example, low level characters may want to roleplay in an area where high level mobs are found, but can't because they'll immediately be attacked and killed); and


  • Multiplayer, yum.
  • Server events (frequently organized by staff).


  • Depends. I've seen games crumble because the 'staff' that organized the events would side to favoritism, or the events themselves are copy+pasted from previous events but change one little thing. I know for a long time ago I used to try events in Wildblood's Harvest Moon from Snowball Fight, to Scavenger Hunt, to Horse Racing, etc. And then on the other hand I've seen events where it's pretty much "I've hidden gold all over, you'll need to find as much gold as you can in 5 minutes. And then an hour later the same event but replace gold with x."