[Falstaff]

As Britain more and more becomes a city that is less appealing for the RP oriented player I feel that both good and evil style players of the RP persuasion should branch out and identify with different cities. Several of us RP Order players have decided that Trinsic will now be the unofficial RP Order city. Between Vanguard having our guild compound within the city limits and with several RP players using the local Inn for lodgings Trinsic is slowly developing into a city that will be a good place for RP'ers to do their banking, shopping, and socializing. With enough traffic we can turn Trinsic into a vibrant RP friendly city.

This brings me to an idea I have that involves RP chaos and order players. Right now there are quite a few RP guilds on the server. But we are a fractured bunch and there are not really any story lines or narratives that connect any of our guilds. There’s no struggle for good and evil. Since the server is around 50-50 non-rp to rp friendly there is the worry for RP guilds that choosing order or chaos means having to deal with leet PK guilds that aren’t much interested in anything but lol-ing and lmao-ing and pownage. This kind of situation can be demoralizing for RP guilds who are interested in more than just the schadenfreude nature of this kind of PvP.

But we must also make joining an RP guild as something that can be fun and not something that is perceived as just some players talking funny and using emoticons . On a previous shard i played on there was a long running war between good and evil RP guilds, each laying claim to certain territories. I think this kind of grand narrative would be good for growing the RP community here and it would bring PvP that is fun and respectful.

So I am proposing a few things.

1.Instead of using Chaos and Order as faction labels for RP guilds we could use words like Virtue and Vice(or other words that can replace order and chaos that we can agree to. ) . I suggest this because it may get confusing using the same order and chaos labels when it fact for logistical reason RP guilds under this plan can avoid officially pledging to a faction, which I will explain below.

2. We set up a RP Association(RPA) where RP guilds register their faction(Virtue or Vice). By doing this the RP guild does not officially have to be order or chaos and can avoid being attacked by non-RP guilds. All guilds that are part of the RP association must declare war status on opposing faction guilds. War status does not necessarily mean you must war, but it means opposing factions will always be orange to you.

2. Virtue and Vice each select a guarded city as their capitol. Trinsic will be the RP city of Virtue. Vice then would select a city. Each city will have a ruler and a city council chosen by the guilds of that faction. A rules of engagement will apply to all RP guilds part of the RPA. For instance when a player belonging to the Vice faction enters Trinsic he will be KoS to all Virtue members. This action entering the enemy capitol by the Vice member is provocative. But if the Vice and Virtue player are to run into each other in the wilderness or a dungeon or another city the rule of engagement is different and players must at the very least must engage in brief RP before attacking the other.

3. Guilds that are members of the RPA must also live up to a code of conduct. This can be narrowed down to four words: Don't be a douche. This includes no griefing, no res killing, no deliberate ruining of other players RP. Players who are in a guild that is part of the RPA must also stay in character. All this means is that they cannot reference IRL.

Consider this a rough draft proposal. I thought I would just throw this out there and see what the RP community here thinks. If anyone sees something they would like to change or add post it here.

Edit: It's probably too confusing the re-label chaos and order. Perhaps RP Chaos & RP Order would be better. But i think the problem does exist for RP guilds if we officially go order or chaos that we get pulled into and become targets of every chaos/order guild.

Edit 2: so we came up with a better word than deceit for rp chaos faction : Vice. So good/evil labels would be Virtue and Vice.

[Kander]

Great idea +10!

[Locke Cole]

I like it! Hopefully The Brotherhood can get some new recruits soon and get some nice RP battles going in the future!

[Falstaff]

I think we can do something like this and it will help grow the RP community.

So for instance it would work like this. I'll create a separate thread called Role Players Association. Guilds that are interested in joining would then post in that thread the following:

Guild Name
Guild Master name
Guild Descriptions
Faction - Virtue or Vice

We'd make the thread sticky and update it when necessary. Once updated all Virtue guilds must set Vice guilds to war status and vice versa. Basically we want all Virtue to be orange to Vice. This doesn't mean you have to be officially at war with an orange guild. That is up to individual guilds.

Locke suggested that members of the RPA put RPA on Character Profile on the paperdoll. This is a good idea. Since we want all RP guilds to be in the RPA we can even have a rule where you can be in the RPA and not part of a faction.

Someone also asked me in private if RP guilds part of the RPA could also be chaos or order. Yes, in fact Vanguard will probably be both Order and Virtue. The reason for creating the Virtue/Vice factions is so RP guilds don't have to declare order/chaos and then be targets of the PK guilds. What we want is RP wars with PvP and storylines and this will incentivize that.

[Gang]

I'm not much of RPer myslef, because even when I try really hard I still can refer to RL or even type smiles accidently. Plus, if we speak of "main" characters I always liked to have an oportunity to speak about anything, including RL. But well I try to not spoil the others RP and if anything - I'd say we do something about the chat feature and be more strict to the ones that break someone's RP, rather than seperating the players lke that. I don't mean the staffmembers should be jailing people left and right, as it's not the best solution, but I think some people could stay squelched for a few days just so they next time think what they type. Having a spanish speaking GM(or two) would be helpful as well... Plus it's really necessary to be more strict to the people that get their RP rewards. Because as some people see it now - why even RPing if you can get RP rewards without it? Having an RP coordinator that is active is really necessary.

Not all the PvP guilds are l33t speakers, nor does everyone of them resskill or likes to grief the RPers... Plus, if this idea develops then people that break the RPers fun will still find a way to do so anyhow..

[Camila]

Great idea!

[Falstaff]

once Vice (chaos) gets together and selects a city perhaps we could ask GM's if they could include portals to merc camps in both Trinsic and the Vice city.

Also...maybe we can persuade the GM's that since these two cities will be RP cities that statics within the city limits only be sold to members of the RPA. Any guilds that are currently in these cities that aren't RP can of course stay and be grandfathered in.

[Locke Cole]

I love the idea of having RP cities, one for both - since Brit is becoming an un-friendly place for RP'ers. This will give them a place to RP peacefully and central spots for new players looking for RP to go to get involved. Once guilds start to become part of the RPA maybe we could get a territory map like this one http://www.atlanticcommunityboard.com/wi...rammel_Map -from Atlantic and start claiming land outside or Homebase's allowing guilds to expand there territory through some sort of required story/need or through PvP among other RPA guilds.

[Darken Rahl]

I really like this idea and would love to see it implemented. Yeah, Imagine Nation is definitely in need of something like this to help boost the amount of Role Players - (which in turn would boost player base) and would give 'some' of us the incentive to put our stories to use! In doing something of this fashion it wouldn't only create more intertwining stories, but you would see many more RP'ers PvPing.

I mean, really now.. it gets old seeing the same things day in and day out.. (oooh 'r4nd0mn00b' is sitting at the bridge again waiting for someone to cast walls at!) or (hmm I think I'll hit the slots ! oh nevermind, gangstathugdude is afk macroing the slots again, guess I'll go hunt and get ganked by 15 dudes who are supposed to be 'order')....not only borrrrrrring and frustrating, but it really does make role playing obstacles for some role players.

Seriously, where is the "Imagination" at?

This is an old game and it needs some serious freshening up, and it wouldn't be hard. Don't get me wrong... I love UO like the rest of you, but I really think this will give RP'ers a chance to show you what they're made of as well as bring an interesting twist on player/faction run towns, as long as its regulated the correct way. It would be a nice start at giving Role Playing a purpose on IN (besides just rewards ect). I've seen people claim they are RPing so they could be rewarded with this or that.. when really, they are not actually 'Role Playing'.

Like Falstaff mentioned, the RP community wouldn't have to worry about getting ganked by another guild who is declared Order/Chaos that has no intention of RPing or following they're guild alignment whatsoever. It would make declarations of war downright logical, as well as declarations of peace (at least for RP'ers). Doing something like this wouldn't change how all you 'l337 gankers' play the game, your all still going to fight each other as order vs order and chaos vs chaos no matter what, so why argue with what WE want for once?

If this were to happen, all I ask is that the Guildmasters in the RPA be aware of who your recruiting into your guilds... Something like this could be so easily ruined if you don't take the proper care. Maybe we should bring out the RP rules on the homepage, and make candidates undergo some kind of quiz to be sure they are capable of serious, mature role play.

Please, if you have written a story and have been awarded an item(s) as an RP'er... I would love to hear how YOU have been playing your role, following your story and expanding off it in the last few months. Like others have mentioned, and I will agree with this... there are only very few who are actually 'RPing'.

If I'm not mistaken, this would take the meaning of role play not only to the next level... but to a new world. It's a chance for everyone to enjoy UO/IN the way they want to.

Edit: Also, if this DOES happen to some extent... there should be certain criteria met for new guilds to join the RPA later on after its established. This way a bunch of people who just want the RPA tag cant just get it with no means of serious role play. This should be strictly enforced otherwise it will turn into a big big joke on all of us. ALSO, I don't see any means of Role Playing advertised on the home page? Perhaps I am blind or over looked it...? But in any case, I really believe that could make a difference to IN as a whole if that were apparent.

[Locke Cole]

Here is a IN version of basically the same map from above but with some of the current RP guilds on the server.(The ones i knew where they lived)- This is just an idea to see what people think of this and anything can be changed. I think a project like this and the RPA idea would draw a good amount of RP'ers and players looking for something different. Yes? :O No?:evil:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]214[/ATTACH]
Sorry, if this is small, I will work on the size.

[Falstaff]

Here is a IN version of basically the same map from above but with some of the current RP guilds on the server.(The ones i knew where they lived)- This is just an idea to see what people think of this and anything can be changed. I think a project like this and the RPA idea would draw a good amount of RP'ers and players looking for something different. Yes? :O No?:evil:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]214[/ATTACH]
Sorry, if this is small, I will work on the size.

real cool. I like this.

once Vice gets enough guilds joined up they will have to select their capitol city.

Since some Vice guilds will have members that are red i was thinking that perhaps GM could make a couple buildings in the Vice city that do not have guards. Similar to what britain has with the Goblin market near the bank.

[Falstaff]

I really like this idea and would love to see it implemented. Yeah, Imagine Nation is definitely in need of something like this to help boost the amount of Role Players - (which in turn would boost player base) and would give 'some' of us the incentive to put our stories to use! In doing something of this fashion it wouldn't only create more intertwining stories, but you would see many more RP'ers PvPing.

I mean, really now.. it gets old seeing the same things day in and day out.. (oooh 'r4nd0mn00b' is sitting at the bridge again waiting for someone to cast walls at!) or (hmm I think I'll hit the slots ! oh nevermind, gangstathugdude is afk macroing the slots again, guess I'll go hunt and get ganked by 15 dudes who are supposed to be 'order')....not only borrrrrrring and frustrating, but it really does make role playing obstacles for some role players.

Seriously, where is the "Imagination" at?

This is an old game and it needs some serious freshening up, and it wouldn't be hard. Don't get me wrong... I love UO like the rest of you, but I really think this will give RP'ers a chance to show you what they're made of as well as bring an interesting twist on player/faction run towns, as long as its regulated the correct way. It would be a nice start at giving Role Playing a purpose on IN (besides just rewards ect). I've seen people claim they are RPing so they could be rewarded with this or that.. when really, they are not actually 'Role Playing'.

Like Falstaff mentioned, the RP community wouldn't have to worry about getting ganked by another guild who is declared Order/Chaos that has no intention of RPing or following they're guild alignment whatsoever. It would make declarations of war downright logical, as well as declarations of peace (at least for RP'ers). Doing something like this wouldn't change how all you 'l337 gankers' play the game, your all still going to fight each other as order vs order and chaos vs chaos no matter what, so why argue with what WE want for once?

If this were to happen, all I ask is that the Guildmasters in the RPA be aware of who your recruiting into your guilds... Something like this could be so easily ruined if you don't take the proper care. Maybe we should bring out the RP rules on the homepage, and make candidates undergo some kind of quiz to be sure they are capable of serious, mature role play.

Please, if you have written a story and have been awarded an item(s) as an RP'er... I would love to hear how YOU have been playing your role, following your story and expanding off it in the last few months. Like others have mentioned, and I will agree with this... there are only very few who are actually 'RPing'.

If I'm not mistaken, this would take the meaning of role play not only to the next level... but to a new world. It's a chance for everyone to enjoy UO/IN the way they want to.

Edit: Also, if this DOES happen to some extent... there should be certain criteria met for new guilds to join the RPA later on after its established. This way a bunch of people who just want the RPA tag cant just get it with no means of serious role play. This should be strictly enforced otherwise it will turn into a big big joke on all of us. ALSO, I don't see any means of Role Playing advertised on the home page? Perhaps I am blind or over looked it...? But in any case, I really believe that could make a difference to IN as a whole if that were apparent.

i agree but we also don't want to put barriers in front of legitimate RP guilds that want to join.

we want all RP guilds to join so if an obvious RP guild posts in the RPA thread we should accept them without hesitation. For now we will go with a three member panel to decide on guilds that are either new or guilds that don't have a reputation for RP that wish to join. For full transparency the players on this panel are myself, Locke Cole, and Darken Rahl.

as far as RP goes this is what i tell people in Vanguard. RP is simply giving your character a personality and staying in character. If you want a storyline with your character that is up to you. But all we ask is you do not reference things from real life and you do not use acronyms in your speech.