Role Playing Stories in the Hero6 Chatroom!

[Pwincess]

Greetings and welcome to another exciting year at the Hero6 visitors forums!

From Saturday the 8th of January (Australia Saturday Noon Brisbane Time/Singapore Saturday 10am/Canada Friday 9pm Ontario Time), we are going to being hosting Role-playing Story (a.k.a RPS) sessions in the Hero6 chatroom!  These sessions will take place every Saturday at the same time, so why not join in the fun *grin*

The RPS usually takes place in the QFG world (post-Dragonfire era), and you get to have a say in the story's setting, scenario and outcome.  It's usually done in freestyle mode, so you are free to add in an unexpected visitor, villain or even throw in a new situation along the way. The goal of this RPS is simply to tell a good story together and to have fun. There stories allow you to experience the QFG world from a variety of scenarios, where you can take the role of your favourite characters!  Or if you want to, you can simply sit and watch the fun ;-)

Don't worry if you have not used a chat room before, since they are very simple to use.  Here are a few basic commands you may want to use:
   
/me task: shows what the character is doing (adjectives, etc)

/nick my_name: to change your nickname

Anything in brackets is not related to the story

Normal text: the character?s voice

For instructions on entering the chat room, read this.

From everybody at Hero6, have a happy new year and we hope to see you in the chat room on the 8th of January!

[Louisiana Night]

Even if I just spectate, I plan to be there.  

[Jafar]

I'll be there!  

[Swift]

Here's the FAQ. More will be added later. If you have any questions that aren't covered here, don't hesitate to ask.

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What is RPS?

RPS, which stands for Role-playing Story, is where a group of two or more people role-plays a story in the chatroom. The stories are usually created on the spot and everyone is given an opportunity to have a say in what happens next.


What's the setting for this RPS?

It's mainly set in the Quest for Glory world, post-Dragonfire era, but places from other fantasy worlds will be added from time to time so that players are not limited to the few places available in QFG (eg. Daventry, Neverwinter, Tristram, etc). If you haven't played QFG and have little idea what a fantasy world's like, then think 'Lord of the Rings' type of setting, rather than a 'Harry Potter' setting. Which also means no flying cars or anything that's modern.


I am not too familiar with the Quest for Glory games. How do I take part?

It's not necessary to have intimate knowledge of the QFG world in order to RP. You can create a character that's from a foreign land (eg. Durotar  from World of Warcraft) and visiting the Quest for Glory locations for the first time.


Can I create a character that uses spells/abilities from another fantasy world instead of Quest for Glory?

Yes, you are allowed to do that. For instance, Swift uses a combination of WarCraft as well as QFG spells, while Pwincess uses Neverwinter Nights spells.


Are there any restrictions as to what character I can play as?

Yes, there are. God-moders are not allowed to take part.


What do PC, NPC and DM stand for? What are they?

PC stands for Player Characters. These are characters that are created and controlled by players.

NPC stands for Non-Player Characters. These are characters that were created by the Original writers of the fantasy worlds. Characters like Erasmus the Mage, or Baba Yaga are counted as NPCs. Devon Aidendale is counted as an NPC in this RPS. Anyone can control an NPC if the story calls for it.

DM stands for Dungeon Mistress/Master. The DM determines whether an action performed is successful and describes anything that players should take note of.


Can I play as Gandalf/Frodo/Legolas/Merlin/Conan/any famous fantasy character?

You may, but you are strongly encouraged not to. These characters are considered as NPCs, and playing them would require a great deal of experience to handle them well. You might be under pressure to portray them accurately, so it's advisable to control a PC if you're not familiar with role-playing.


Can I post my character details?

Yes, you may post them at this topic.


Can I multiclass?

Yes, you are allowed to do so, but bear in mind that multiclass characters cannot enjoy all the benefits from each of the classes you pick for you character, or the characters will become overpowered. For instance, a Wizard/Thief character may have some skills from both classes, but he cannot be a master of both classes, or it becomes unfair to the other players.

Another thing to remember is that the more classes you merge together, the weaker the classes are separately, so the maximum number of classes you can multiclass to is three.

Also, the class combinations have to make sense. For instance, a character who has both Paladin as well as anti-Paladin abilities is not allowed because the two classes obviously clash.

[Random_Nameshift]

or anything that?s modern.

what, no toasters, tvs, fans, or exitprises?

[Pwincess]

No tanks, flying hovercrafts, helicopters or James Bond nicknacks either  

[Jigen]

Those will come later

[Jafar]

or anything that?s modern.

what, no toasters, tvs, fans, or exitprises?

Since when is the exitprise modern?  

[Pwincess]

What's an exitprise?    

[Swift]

(More FAQs)

How do I role-play?

The first thing you need to do is to create a character. Pick your character's race, character class, gender, and where s/he comes from. You don't have to create your character's history, though it could help make it easier for you to role-play.

The next thing you need to decide is your character?s personality. Is s/he law-abiding? Honourable? Greedy? Evil? First timers are advised to role-play as good humans from any fantasy location they're familiar with.

Once you've created your character, you're ready to begin role-playing. It's quite easy to role-play, but if you're unsure how to do it, it's best to observe how some of the others handle it first before entering the story. A scenario is usually given near the start of the story. Once you know the scenario, try to find a way to enter in a seamless manner, and react to the story accordingly.


Are there any guidelines that I must follow?

Yes. Please refer to the rules below for the details.


What is God-moding and why isn't it allowed?

God-moding is where a player role-plays as an extremely powerful character. He/she is probably the Chosen One who's invulnerable to many kinds of attacks, and probably has really powerful spells that can wipe out armies in an instant. See where I'm going with this? God-mode characters aren't fun to play with as it kills the challenge. It's ok to play as a flawed or perhaps even a weak character. The fun lies in overcoming your character's limitations in order to solve a problem in the story.


Can I control more than one character?

You can. The maximum number of characters you can control is three. However, the more characters you control, the harder it is to type the right message in the right window, let alone role-play properly. It is best to focus on just one character for now.


Can I play as a villain?

Yes, you may, though it?ll be easier to role-play as a good or neutral character as villains tend to be one of the hardest to handle well.


What is plot hogging?

Plot hogging is where one person dominates the story, and disregards suggestions or actions performed by other players. In plot hogging, the plot hogger's characters are either the main heroes, or overpowered villains who cannot be harmed by anyone else but the plot hogger's main heroes.

Plot hogging will not be tolerated.


Are there any examples of this RPS?

Check out the Transcripts Library to read past RPS transcripts.

"I'm not too interested in role-playing" or "I'm not exactly sure how this Role-play works". Can I just watch?

Yes, you're always welcomed to watch.


"I'm interested but I don't think I have the time to commit to the RP. How?" or "What happens if I have to leave halfway?".

It's not uncommon for people to leave halfway through the story. When you do have to leave, check to see if the others plan to continue role-playing. If everyone agrees to stop, the story will be continued the following week. If the rest still want to continue role-playing, you can always create a nice exit scene for your character and rejoin the story when you're free to do so. Here are two examples.

Example 1:

*Jafar is attacked by an evil mage*
*Evil_Mage casts a sleep spell on Jafar, putting him to sleep*
(Jafar has logged out of the chatroom)

Example 2:

Night: Excuse me for a moment, but I've got to join my buddies at the guild.
*Night heads off to the Thieves' Guild*
(LN has logged out of the chatroom)

You do not need to be present for every single session, although it'll be nice if you could. You're free to join whenever you're able to do so.


Will the stories be carried forward to the following week, or is it a new story every week?

The stories will be carried forward to the following week until the players complete the main quest. Once the story has ended, a new one begins the following week.


How long are the sessions expected to last?

About two hours.


Are the stories going to be epic tales, or just simple ones?

There'll be a mixture of both.


I missed the previous session. Will transcripts be posted in the forum?

It's very likely that someone will post the transcripts in the forum. It will probably be done by either a chatroom moderator or another player who logged the chat.


How is combat handled?

When two or more characters engage in combat, players describe the action their characters take, and get to decide if their character successful receives an oncoming blow from the attacker/s. Here's an example:

*A random monster attacks Swift*
Swift: Oof!
*Pwincess casts grasping fist on random monster, and then heals Swift*
*Random monster cannot move*
Random monster: Grrrrrr!
Swift: Thanks! *grips staff tightly* Now it's payback time!
*Swift casts blizzard on random monster*
Pwincess: No worries!
*Pwincess slashes at the monster*
 *Monster dies*

Note: Please do not dodge every single attack that's aimed at your character. You may avoid some, but avoiding every single attack is counted as cheating.

Sometimes, a "Turn-based Combat" system is used instead, though that's rare. In  "Turned-based Combat", everyone gets to perform an action per round. This method is used if there are too many players in one chatroom or if the DM chooses to use this method.

Can I start my own story for the RPS?

Not yet, but we are open to the idea in the future.

[Swift]

Rules

Break any of these rules and you will be banned.

1.   No flaming. Even if you have to role-play an argument with a fellow player, do not go overboard and be offensive, insulting or rude.  

2.   Do not control another player's character unless he/she gives you consent to do so. This includes writing his/her character's history.

3.   Do not commit heinous crimes against other players, such as murder and rape. This is a family forum.

4.   No plot hogging.

5.   No foul language.


The rules might get updated from time to time, so it's best to check this post frequently for any changes.

[Swift]

Transcripts for the first session can be found here.
http://visitors.hero6.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=72

I'm still editing the rest, so it'll take some time before those get posted as well.

[Random Nameshift]

What's an exitprise?  

keapon laffin's shop in qg2, there's a starship model on the shelf. when you look at it reads:
no, you're wrong, it's the u.s.s exitprise

[Pwincess]

Ahhh, thanks!!!    

[Swift]

Yes!!!!

Finished posting the transcripts!