Order Server and Lack of Roleplayers

[Nambroth]

I just wanted to post a positive note; the last week or two I have enjoyed quite a bit of really nice RolePlaying with folks I had not met prior (be it new players or just those that I had not previously interacted with) and I have found myself enjoying RP ( outside of the folks I know real well, which I always enjoy RPing with! <3 ) a great deal for the first time in many, many months. I am really happy to see the positive attitudes. Thank you all.

[Galdethriel]

That used to be true, but though they were a bit harsh I find a kick in the behind can really improve someone's RP, provided they're going to have some guts and use it.

It depends of the manner, I think.

That's true.

And @ Nambroth

Great to hear

[Frith-Rae]

Oh yes, every day I login I have great RP and positive attitudes and everything..

Even with characters that shouldn't exist, they're RP is great.

Which is why I..have my dilemma...I love great RP..but I just...have this problem heh.

[neva]

Yes it does seem that since it got brought up and now to the current start of things, the Roleplay on Order has come back to life again!
Seems to actually be growing as well back to the numbers I remember it being a long time ago, which makes me really glad.

As for your problem Frith.. I hear yah.
I don't mind some creativity, like-- even a few of my characters are a bit tad on the odd site, but they are still scaled dragons and they still follow the looks of the Istarian dragon.

I have trouble accepting furred dragons or dragons with feathers, even the vampiric bug me.

I can put up with Blight Dragons, when they are done well, because well-- we do have blight-- so its kinda like a, "Ok fine.. I'll bend it."
But that is about all I accept, is things that bend the rules, not out right break.

However, they are good roleplayers and most of the time when you do ask, they can actually give a pretty good ooc reason behind it, so I've just learned to grit my teeth and bare it.
After all, rp is rp, even if it is a bit wild. o_o

[Starstilanxs]

I have to admit, I have just recently started playing Istaria again from a long hiatus three months ago. I truely did not know what to expect when I came back to the community.

Now that I have been around, met the players, gotten to know the communy I have to say its the most addicting MMO I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy.

I have never played an MMO and gotten a character past the 30's in level, generally falling out of interest with the game because I just get horribly bored with it. Istaria.. I have not gotten bored even slightly with the community. The primary attraction to the game is the RP and Community. You all are absolutely fantastic.

When I started Istaria again I did not know what to expect, being more reclusive and withdrawn generally from most things because I didn't know how the roleplay was set into motion in the game, though after about two hours I got extremely addicted because I finally found a community where I can RP freely and have fun which I literally have been searching and yearning for, for many years with many MMO communities.

Istaria has the single best RP in my opinion in any MMO that I have played (and I have played a LOT) the Order RP server is my home and the community makes it that way for me.

Now about the subject of the oddball dragons or creatures
I will say there are quite a few lorebending and breaking dragons or creatures in the game world, though I have to say I find it hard to just push them aside, especailly if they RP it out well, it makes it fun, it makes it unique. That is what RP is about, its an expression of creativity and I am willing to accept it for that sole perpous.
Granted I won't speak for any one when I say this, but if its done well, I will accept it and continue along with my RP with them.

There are many players that I personally love to RP with that actually have characters that shouldn't be in the world and every single one of them I have wonderful fun with. Taysia, Sori, Cenorae, DharSii, Selarth, are a few of them that I have extremely great times RPing with. They all are unique, they all play there characters exquisitly and a lot of them don't fit into the world but they truly have developed my character more then I could even express.

In any case, I thank you all for the wonderful fun you have given me and plan on sticking with the RP in the Order server for as long as I possibly can. : )

[Dhalin]

Kinda curious, Frith...

What sort of characters are you saying "can't" or "shouldn't" exist in Istaria?

I'm wondering if my own character fits that bill, as I had certain ideas (never really had the chance to RP em out yet..) for my own dragon, but I dun wanna shy people away by playing something some peeps deem as "shouldn't be" or "can't be" ....

[LungTien Temeraire]

She was talking about giant winged hamsters and space dragons who can fly at 2,000 km/h, I think

[Frith-Rae]

Yea, stuff like that - lol.

And I will agree with Stars sentiments, this is hands down the best RP to be had in ANY online community I've ever seen - in and outside an MMO. Its consistent for the most part (i.e. most days you can at least findsomeone to bite in a public channel even if its nothing special heh) and people are welcoming and friendly for the most part. The community continues to be second to none, even when we have "drama" its never what it is everywhere else .

My issue is with again, dragons that biologically don't exist to such an extent as it blows anything CLOSE to lore out of the water. Its why I don't really care if your dragon has fur, or feathers - yea that's a bit bendy but you still for the most part have the basic istarian dragon. I mean I'd rather you ddin't, but that Frith can wrap her mind around.

And it isn't that these are Bad RPers, not at all. They could be the best RPer on the planet but to me, the fact that they choose not to operate within the game's given parameters for creatures just...doesn't impress me. If you're that good you can be good within the game's creature table and you don't need to be a cannibal, a soul sucker, a blood drinker, a double-limbed anything (2 heads, 2 wings, 2 tails, whatever..), a rift creature - whatever.

The things I just listed above - are all dragons I've run into in three weeks. Some of those were open to RPing their character out of the corner they saw themselves approaching - some of those were just dragon creations that wandered into dragon chat and posted a description that had me literally going "WTH?".

Dhalin what I would say to you is if a regular Istarian dragon walked up to your character, would they wonder what sort of mutated freak had been corrupted and needed to be killed. Would their jaw drop and their eyes bug out because never in all the history of Istaria had such a creature EVER existed?

Or is it something that maybe is just a different color, or texture, but for the most part adheres to what we know to be a dragon and behavior we understand to be "normal".

I mean "feral hatchlings" are all well and good, but when you're an ancient sorry I don't buy it anymore. The sheer anti-logic that has to be used to justify ANY sentient creature existing who is a cannibal/vampire/whatever doesn't work for me - in or out of game. Not in any permament manner (now if you're possessed or taken over or magically controlled that's different).

If the creature IC doesn't even comprehend your character's existance because it is so different from anything they've ever experienced - you've gone too far .

I'm goign to start giving this example in game whenever someone tries to say "but I've RPed this for two years and I've a good story"...I'm going to see if they want to believe that Frith is a demi-god, she's half-sister to Drulkar and so she's immortal and unkillable. She lives off of all the souls of the dragons who aren't gifted, dying every day - so that's right your family members who all died who weren't gifted - I ate them. And you've got to accept that I'm a good dragon anyway. I've got a "since day one" RP story that establishes all of this. So bow down to me for I am the last living vestige of Drulkar's mortal family.

Really? Does that justify any of that existing? Cuz it shouldn't. But using the logic of "good RP" or "I've been around a year" or "well its creative" - means I should be able to do just that and expect everyone to be OK with it.

Sorry, that got a bit more ranty sounded than I wanted it...lol.

[LOVWYRM]

thy for your posts Frith- I agree

[neva]

Honestly, I don't mind the 'fur' dragons, if they can explain it by means, and the only means that I can think of that 'could' work is that of..

My mother/father was a Saris.

Then I can see how a dragon may get some fur, though I imagine that..
1) Breeding between the two may be difficult, because I don't think the Khutit and the Saris are compatible(I could be wrong though).

2) You still have some Istarian Dragon looks, just with a bit of fur tuffed somewhere along those scales.

However, most people don't do this..

and I think the only outlandish concept I have, though I went over it with some other roleplayers, was that of my Gem Dragon.
Who came from a floating island(those do exist), and the dragon eggs looks more like large crystals/gems. They themselves look like Istarian dragons expect for one minor difference, which is there scales tend to be a tad harder and they have a bit of a glisten to them.
That is like-- it!

So, I guess that is why I can't be to harsh.

But yeah-- sometimes a few ideas do cause me to go. O-o

However, I am just repeating myself, so I'll shut up now.

[Shian]

Hmm... When you put it that way, I believe it's easier to swallow an explanation that they're the offspring of a Star dragon or grandchild of one.

[Dhalin]

I have always been fond of the Extra-Planar travel.

Anyone who has done D&D knows what I mean; it is the concept that there are an infinite number of "Prime Material Planes" out there (think: worlds that are more or less like ours IRL -- grassy plains, deserts, mountains, etc) and that one can travel between these worlds either by stumbling upon a portal, or opening a portal yourself.

My in-game character is like this -- he is a red dragon I have been playing for a long time in other settings, and he is a very accomplished mage. _Very_ accomplished mage. Given I've been playing him for a good 12-ish years now, I figure that he has earned himself something, no?

Anyways, either through accident or on-purpose he has once again found himself on another "Prime Material". To keep with the game's lore, he finds that Magic in Istaria flows differently than it does in other worlds and it may take him some time until he either re-discovers how to open planar portals, or, he stumbles upon one naturally occurring.

Either way, he looks much like an Istarian Dragon -- they look a lot like traditional dragons elsewhere. One who looks at him would easily mistake him for one, but yet he doesn't know the common language of dragons in Istaria (and only knows bits and pieces of their lore/history/customs/religion/etc), and his ideas/behavior/etc might be a touch different. One who speaks with him for any amount of time may pick up on this.

I haven't decided how much of his magic he should retain, if any, knowing just how limited dragons are with magic via the in-game engine. I should go and hunt down some lore and see exactly how much normal dragons/magic is capable of, sometime. But either way, this is kind of a moot point as I've not been able to really get into an RP yet.

[LungTien Temeraire]

My character is an experienced wizard, as he has spent a lot of time (since his was a little hatchling) to intensely study istarian magic, and has even tried to practise a dangerous and deep level. He's got some issues with it, but he is now an acomplished Helian magician ancient dragon...

[Frith-Rae]

FYI - magic-focused dragons to me don't break lore; because we have spells. So even if its not really "with" the game engine for us to be oober in our magic - dragons who RP being oober with their magic is more logical to me in a game sense than creating a creature that just has never existed.

As for Extra-Planal origins; I squirm but depending on how its incorporated I will or won't RP. D&D may have the idea that we have infinite number of planes - but this is not D&D. I can play an orc in WoW -does that mean I should bring WoW orcs and trolls into Istaria cuz hey "WoW has the idea". To my knowledge IStarian only have access to the Rift Plane - and having not been through the AROP I have no idea what lore is there to explain its existance; or the existance of any other planes.

But if its part of a backstory that doesn't really effect how your dragon interacts (for the most part - other than he's learning the language and he's gifted in magic) then hey, that's back story and to me that's far more easier for Frith to wrap her mind around than the invisible-hatchling-with-4-heads-and-three-wings that just walked in front of her.

As for "Making more sense if their the offspring of a Star Dragon" WTH is a star dragon? For Frith that would make no sense; unless I'm forgetting some key past-lore of dragon creation on Istaria (which would be entirely possible..I've forgotten so much heh).

As many Rune-magic-based dragons as I've seen wandering around; I've come to terms with that. I'm not sure how that got started or what its basis is in THIS realm; but fine if you want to use runes for your control of the Primal - long as you don't expect everyone else to work it the same. I've come to grips with it.

I"m just going to have to draw a line at things that aren't physically possible without severe biological mutation and/or insanity in a sentient being. That and I think Frith is going to lay off trying to help dragons convert to something that actually makes logical sense and/or keeps them from self-destruction. Far too many Mary Sue's out there this past month that need saving from themselves and their own ideas - wearing her poor old dragonscaled butt out! She'll just let the less-nice-conversion dragons have their fun maiming and killing them over and over again for their actions and see if they learn better that way. :/

[Dhalin]

But if its part of a backstory that doesn't really effect how your dragon interacts (for the most part - other than he's learning the language and he's gifted in magic) then hey, that's back story and to me that's far more easier for Frith to wrap her mind around than the invisible-hatchling-with-4-heads-and-three-wings that just walked in front of her.

Well, aside from a small bit of arrogance (unlike D&D reds, he is Chaotic Good, not Chaotic Evil) that all D&D reds have, you probably wouldn't even know that he wasn't from Istaria... well, other than him not knowing things he Should know, if he were an Istarian Dragon. He usually makes up excuses though; he doesn't readily give out the info that he is from another plane of existence.

As for his magic-ness... well. He tends not to show he has power unless he must. He's an old, dying breed that likes to allow his foes to underestimate him, by not showing how much power he really has, until he _needs_ it. Some foe might think he's a wimp, but gods help them if they force his hand. He brings out things that they never knew about.

As far as bringing WoW orcs and such in... *shrug* are there orcs in Istaria? I don't remember seeing any...

[Shian]

Star Dragons are any dragon not born in Istaria. Born in another plane or alternate reality.

As you haven't been through the ROP, the Gate of Embers leads to any or all planes of existence.

[Frith-Rae]

Ahhhh, ok thank you Shian that helps. "Ancient only" knowledge . Does the AROP mention anything about things crossing the Gate to our plane - or "star dragons" or whatever? I just didnt know if this was a "game term" or just a term some RPers made up and now its something that is "assumed" everyone knows.

Kinda like the "dragon language"...some people made it up - but noone ever assumes (or should never) every dragon they come across has any clue what they're saying if they choose to use it. And if they choose not to use it its cool (or it better be!)

As far as bringing WoW orcs and such in... *shrug* are there orcs in Istaria? I don't remember seeing any...

oh no, they're not. That was my point. My counterpoint to "well I have a dragon that follows ABC rules from ABC game". This isn't that game.

But like you mentioned - most wouldn't realize he's not from this world until they really got into his back story. There are many hatchlings that don't know "simple basics" for a variety of reasons; so that doesn't automatically point to "dragon from another place". I can find that far far easier to wrap my dragony brain around than the gryphon-dragon that just walked into the clearing .

(just using that example since there's a thread on it, but honestly at this point it wouldn't surprise me if someone tried to RP their dragon as a gryphon and not a dragon at all...)

Course, since Frith has no clue about the Gate of Embers...then that's a very nice IC reason she wouldn't accept creatures from other plants of existence..hrmmm...*strokes nonexistant beard*

[Shinkuu]

I have to admit, I have just recently started playing Istaria again from a long hiatus three months ago. I truely did not know what to expect when I came back to the community.

Now that I have been around, met the players, gotten to know the communy I have to say its the most addicting MMO I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy.

I have never played an MMO and gotten a character past the 30's in level, generally falling out of interest with the game because I just get horribly bored with it. Istaria.. I have not gotten bored even slightly with the community. The primary attraction to the game is the RP and Community. You all are absolutely fantastic.

When I started Istaria again I did not know what to expect, being more reclusive and withdrawn generally from most things because I didn't know how the roleplay was set into motion in the game, though after about two hours I got extremely addicted because I finally found a community where I can RP freely and have fun which I literally have been searching and yearning for, for many years with many MMO communities.

Istaria has the single best RP in my opinion in any MMO that I have played (and I have played a LOT) the Order RP server is my home and the community makes it that way for me.

Nice to see your post and the thread about the RP learning channel Stars. I have to say I agree with what you said here 200% if that is possible.

[Shinkuu]

Honestly, I don't mind the 'fur' dragons, if they can explain it by means, and the only means that I can think of that 'could' work is that of..

My mother/father was a Saris.

Then I can see how a dragon may get some fur, though I imagine that..
1) Breeding between the two may be difficult, because I don't think the Khutit and the Saris are compatible(I could be wrong though).

2) You still have some Istarian Dragon looks, just with a bit of fur tuffed somewhere along those scales.

However, most people don't do this..

and I think the only outlandish concept I have, though I went over it with some other roleplayers, was that of my Gem Dragon.
Who came from a floating island(those do exist), and the dragon eggs looks more like large crystals/gems. They themselves look like Istarian dragons expect for one minor difference, which is there scales tend to be a tad harder and they have a bit of a glisten to them.
That is like-- it!

So, I guess that is why I can't be to harsh.

But yeah-- sometimes a few ideas do cause me to go. O-o

However, I am just repeating myself, so I'll shut up now.

I for one am iffy on that idea of how they get fur...Biologically speaking Saris should be compatible with Saris and Saris ONLY. Now if they want to argue that maybe through alteration magics during conception they made it possible THEN I will accept it as having happened that way but I require that extra note.

[A'Sasha]

Oh yes, every day I login I have great RP and positive attitudes and everything..

Even with characters that shouldn't exist, they're RP is great.

Which is why I..have my dilemma...I love great RP..but I just...have this problem heh.

Reeeealllly....?

Well given the sudden boom of positive feedback and comments, I think I'll give it yet another try. What is it about this freaking game..../goes to re-activate account.

I place my faith in your hands Frith XD