Tara’s Challenge

Posted by Eve on May 13th, 2008 filed in rant, roleplaying

In her email to me, Tara Rynieyn addressed the very thorny issue of Dragon’s Mark roleplayers spending too much time OOC in The Lobby instead of roleplaying in IC rooms. She touched on the problems with multi-character syndrome. More importantly, she expressed her concerns about closed-off cliques, insular storylines, and roleplaying in a cocoon.

These are all concerns that have been voiced by many disheartened roleplayers lately. Unfortunately, the response to these concerns has often been, “I don’t see the problem.” I’ve ranted about these issues before, and I do see the problems, but the solutions escape me.

In the interest of finding a possible solution, Tara has posed a challenge:

For one week I would like you to actively log your play sessions. After you are done for the day, night, I want you to look over the logs and answer these questions.

During the session how many new or unfamiliar to your character-characters did yours seek out or interact with?

During the session how many times did you have your character acknowledge someone that was attempting to engage you in play?

During the session how many times did you have your character react to what was going on around them. (i.e. jump at a bottle breaking)?

During the session how much time did you spend playing as opposed to chatting OOC in the Lobby?

During the session how many times did your character make reference to another you were not playing with?

We have to be a little avant gard, flexible, and willing to open ourselves up to new experiences. If after reading your logs you find you are not this way, why not try something different?

I’ll be posting my results to Tara’s Challenge. I want to see yours, too. I’d also like to see discussion on this!

Have you seen any of the problems Tara mentioned?
Do any of those problems affect you and your roleplaying?
What do you think happened?
How insular are you in your roleplaying?
How actively are you seeking out new characters to roleplay with?

Please share your thoughts with comments either on this blog, on your own blog, or via email or IM to me. Alternatively, Tara welcomes your comments at tararynieyn@aol.com.

Love to all.

6 Responses to “Tara’s Challenge”

Eve Says:
May 13th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Red Dragon Inn Sunday 05/11/08
(1 hour 20 minutes)
1. Attempts to interact with new/unfamiliar characters: 3
2. Acknowledged attempts to engage in play: 13
3. Reactions to what was going on: 8
4. Amount of time playing vs. Amount of time chatting OOC: No time OOC
5. References to others not directly playing with: 16
elf_fu Says:
May 13th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Ahh, I posted the log on my own live journal but didn’t count everything. I DO know for certain I spent exactly…under one minute in the lobby I think.

I am not entirely comfortable with the Lobby at the RDI, and generally only use it as a place to put an SN on extended afk when finding myself really busy.
elf_fu Says:
May 15th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Suppose it would have helped had I linked to the log, hmm? Can’t edit a post though :p

http://elf-fu.livejournal.com/311811.html
Eve Says:
May 21st, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Red Dragon Inn Monday 05/19/08
(31 minutes)
1. Attempts to interact with new/unfamiliar characters: 5
2. Acknowledged attempts to engage in play: 2
3. Reactions to what was going on: 7
4. Amount of time playing vs. Amount of time chatting OOC: No time OOC in room
5. References to others not directly playing with: 3

As Alysia Skye is out of play for the moment, I dusted off a new-ish character and brought her into the Red Dragon Inn Monday night. Every attempt to engage others in play - except for the host - was completely ignored. And the host was so attentive that he thought the character was a Sir, rather than a Ma’am. :: palm face ::
Eve Says:
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:32 am
Red Dragon Inn Wednesday 05/21/08
(33 minutes)
1. Attempts to interact with new/unfamiliar characters: 2
2. Acknowledged attempts to engage in play: 0
3. Reactions to what was going on: 4
4. Amount of time playing vs. Amount of time chatting OOC: No time OOC
5. References to others not directly playing with: 1

Brought another new-ish character to the Red Dragon Inn. Mostly used as an NPC, this one is definitely an introvert and, of course, was almost universally ignored. There was one attempt which I later realized was an attempt to engage my character, but that person was so delicate and subtle about it totally went over my head until I’d decided to give up for the night!
elf_fu Says:
July 22nd, 2008 at 4:36 pm
1. During the session how many new or unfamiliar to your character-characters did yours seek out or interact with? 7

2. During the session how many times did you have your character acknowledge someone that was attempting to engage you in play? I think…4 times. One for Poppy, one for Kyla, and two more for random acknowledgments. In all honesty, I think I spent more time trying to keep up acknowledging the room at large….Wow I realize how that sounds like bragging but srsly it isn’t.

3. During the session how many times did you have your character react to what was going on around them. (i.e. jump at a bottle breaking)? I lost count after 20 for people entering, carrying things, snippets of conversation, leaving and what not.

4. During the session how much time did you spend playing as opposed to chatting OOC in the Lobby? Entire time playing.

5. During the session how many times did your character make reference to another you were not playing with? 3.

I brought out Ran again today. My human non-stabbity non-drow. I played in a room full of people I had never met/didn’t recognize names. Turned out pretty good.