The myth of consensual RP, isn't there an admin you forgot to ask?

[Destrok]

It's high time you people gave up on RPing in CM. The administrative and development teams want completely opposite things for the game, wherein the admins want to keep up the facade of MRP and trying to consider "unga" as LRP, and the devs want to turn it into an objective based TDM game. There is genuinely no room for RP anymore as the legacy aspects of SS13 are being slowly purged from CM and it turns more and more into a simple objective based TDM, especially since you can't just RP in your own way, you have to abide by all the rules and take into consideration every single moderator's interpretation of what is and isn't acceptable in RP, and also you gotta watch out for the invisible landmines that are the hidden rules.

Stop trying to RP here, you're only wasting your time. I'm saying this in the most amicable way possible because I loved trying to RP here and there in CM as well, as evidenced by the fact that I have more hours as MT than squad specialist and similar, only really beaten out by PFC recently since I've made this realization. But why bother anymore? As the scope of the gameplay itself focuses more on the ground, but the staff team keeps trying to enforce their own vision of RP upon the entire server, you start running out of options. Just enjoy the game for what it is, a TDM, which is pretty bad at the moment but it'll get better with moba xenos.

[Just L]

It's high time you people gave up on RPing in CM. The administrative and development teams want completely opposite things for the game, wherein the admins want to keep up the facade of MRP and trying to consider "unga" as LRP, and the devs want to turn it into an objective based TDM game. There is genuinely no room for RP anymore as the legacy aspects of SS13 are being slowly purged from CM and it turns more and more into a simple objective based TDM, especially since you can't just RP in your own way, you have to abide by all the rules and take into consideration every single moderator's interpretation of what is and isn't acceptable in RP, and also you gotta watch out for the invisible landmines that are the hidden rules.

Stop trying to RP here, you're only wasting your time. I'm saying this in the most amicable way possible because I loved trying to RP here and there in CM as well, as evidenced by the fact that I have more hours as MT than squad specialist and similar, only really beaten out by PFC recently since I've made this realization. But why bother anymore? As the scope of the gameplay itself focuses more on the ground, but the staff team keeps trying to enforce their own vision of RP upon the entire server, you start running out of options. Just enjoy the game for what it is, a TDM, which is pretty bad at the moment but it'll get better with moba xenos.

That's what I already do, but I can still try to breathe some life into the RP on the server by trying to have fun and encouraging people to do the same. I think CM could benefit greatly from RP being a big part of it again, I used to be a charlie squad regular, back when Charlie Breakfast was a regular thing. I know how good roleplay on here COULD be, but it is so far and away from how it currently is now.

[Destrok]

That's what I already do, but I can still try to breathe some life into the RP on the server by trying to have fun and encouraging people to do the same. I think CM could benefit greatly from RP being a big part of it again, I used to be a charlie squad regular, back when Charlie Breakfast was a regular thing. I know how good roleplay on here COULD be, but it is so far and away from how it currently is now.

Pretty much. RP is a pretty enjoyable thing when it does happen, but it's just so hard to prompt it nowadays in CM with the playerbase's disposition being so bad, the administrative rulings and the slow stripping of legacy SS13 from CM, that it's just not worth the effort anymore. In theory, I think if rulings were more consistent and the playerbase was split among 2 servers, as well as devs improving shipside instead of stripping legacy SS13 functions, RP *could* be a thing. But realistically that's not happening so it's better to just full force TDM and try to get rid of all the bad shit plaguing the XVH gameplay.

[Just L]

/tg/ actually made a new server somewhat recently called Manuel, which is their 'MRP' server. It's actually quite good from what people have told me. So it's entirely possible to have people who want to roleplay even on big, action-focused servers like CM or TG.

[Moosetasm]

It really does come down to requiring a definition for LRP, MRP, & HRP. And then flowcharts for whoever is enforcing. I know it sounds stupid and corporate. But, you want consistency in your message? Flowchart that shit.

So, since no one asked for it, here’s my opinions on/examples of the different Levels of RP:

HRP: Yes sir, no sir. You used every last available character to fill your personal description, medical history, & job history to bursting. You have an established character personality and you don’t deviate from it. EVER. You treat the in game universe the way a person would treat the real one. Don’t litter for no fucking reason. Don’t do stupid shit, like randomly breaking the law. You need a good in character reason to do so. Show genuine confusion or outright ignore if someone memes.

HRP TLDR: Basically, you take the game as seriously as possible. Everyone is doing HRP because they want to. As long as everyone is staying in character, everyone has a general idea of what to expect, and everyone gets to enjoy themselves being not themselves.

MRP: Play your character like a character. They’re not real. They can do things you have never and will never be able to do. Treat them like an 80s or 90s action hero, in a world of exaggerated reality. Your guy is a cigar chain-smoking, motherfucking, larger than life hero? Cool. Kill an alien with a throwing knife, stand on its sizzling corpse and say “do you think it got the point? Maybe, but not always, have some quirky details in your character description, but don’t go overboard. Be the CL that informs the CIC that the Company will be upset if the marines destroy the facilities on LV-426, the planet where the Company manufactures the MREs that everyone leaves on the squad prep floor. Bring attention to the fact that no one eats the damn things while you’re in your squad, being murdered by acid-blooded dinosaurs. Don’t randomly attack people. You would need a legitimately good reason first, and then, try to make sure that the other person is playing along first. And do not allow it to devolve into murder without admin approval. If they draw a gun, put up your hands, don’t pull out a bigger gun & robust them. Tell the SL that you’re only 3 days from retirement before suicide charging into the boiler gas gauntlet. Even if you hate that Deltard because he punched you at breakfast, and you take every available opportunity to voice how much you hate him, you will still run in to save his ass and haul him out of the combat zone, because you’d enjoy the round more if you were in the same position and someone hauled you out. Then when they regain consciousness, tell them you only saved their life so that you could be the one to kill them personally... at a later time, of course. When your mortar blows up your own guys, “damn... that guy owed me money.”

MRP TLDR: Zany things happen, but do not allow things to devolve into complete insanity. Main emphasis is on everyone enjoying themselves, partly as their character, and partly as themselves.

LRP: lulz git gud scrub. Fuck yo couch! Disrespect all, then complain loudly and threaten to kill everyone when the MPs arrest you. Memes are your life. RP is for looserz, dude. Using the phrase CBT and not meaning Chokepoint Boiler Torture. Cut off someone’s limbs and replace them with prosthetics even though you were just supposed to fix their heart damage. Run up to random people and inject them with chemicals for the lulz.

LRP TLDR: You reject the server’s reality and substitute your own, regardless of how you might ruin others’ experiences. Essentially, you’re only in it for *you* to have fun.

I’m more a fan of MRP. If I’m the CL and the MPs see me giving out ultrazine to the marines, I’d better get arrested. I won’t resist, but I’ll tell them how the Company is going to revoke their pensions and reassign them to garbage barge detail. On a similar note though, as the same CL, I might be able to talk the XO into arming a PMC survivor because of Section V, article 3, subsection GG, paragraph—and they just give the PMC a gun to shut me up. Then share a laugh with the PMC about how the manual only goes to subsection FF. There’s a fine line somewhere, but I think most people know when they’ve crossed it.

HRP... I only find HRP fun if everyone is doing HRP. Hence I very, very rarely do HRP.

LRP... Not a fan of it, or people who practice it.

Important note: If you just play to play, aren't disruptive to others who are playing, and don’t say a single word during the round, I do not consider you LRP. It’s only when you start interfering with the gaming experience of others that you can fall into LRP territory. And I do not mean accidental FF, either. FF happens. Thankfully, I very rarely see true LRP on the server.

Anyways... that is a lot of text. And it’s close to stream of consciousness. So, make of it what you will.

[Ausrine]

For my limited 2 cents: The game is non-defined wannabe MRP, but actually inconsistent LRP. It also varies by side and role. Expect more RP from those roles with more rules and responsibilities, such as queen or any marine officers, and expect basically nothing worthwhile from 90% of marines and 99.9% of all aliens.

I strongly believe in codifying rules, intentions and rationale behind things. This should include what this game hopes to deliver, such as an "MRP experience". The fact this is lacking, and that there are so many rules with unclearly codified or not-at-all codified elements, makes it practically impossible for anyone to try adhering to it as a player. We can only search out intentions, vaguely, and hope we're roughly right. Not ideal.

[Just L]

Queen literally cannot roleplay, since you get ahelped for doing anything outside of just giving directions and healing people.

[Ausrine]

Right, which is exactly the responsibilities and rules I was pointing to... and it's a sad state of affairs that queens cannot really roleplay beyond directions, healing and greeting the odd new larva.

Note however that this is still more RP than "ree" and "we need more nests".

[ladwhy]

Playing as SL is a pain nowadays. When I go bravo SL, there are always people who just ignore my orders and run STRAIGHT to the frontline when Alamo touches down. There's marine who escort IOs and whatnot and that's okay, you do something almost no one wants to do. Marines should be under RP rules too, you're in the army/navy and your squad leader tells you to do something, you do it. I don't know about other SLs, but I try to make the experience unique, so if you see me as bravo SL stay in FOB

[AcuteCircle]

Queen literally cannot roleplay, since you get ahelped for doing anything outside of just giving directions and healing people.

Queen's roleplay is based on being a hive leader, the smartest of the hivemind, so yeah, their roleplay evolves around this. It is roleplay if you do Queen's job.