How could we lure more people to try out Roleplaying?

My guild is mainly in westfall, with occasional trips to Duskwood

I spoke with this with a friend, and he gave one idea that I thought was inspiring.

Putting more weight behind out-of-guild RP groups.

For example, the Band of the Brave has a variety of characters. Priests, mages, craftsmen etc. Some of them could be considered to take part in several of these professions. What if instead of being confined to just the guilds we have joined, we create a few open groups, that organise events for themselves on a weekly or biweekly basis. Stuff like the Black Market is a great example of this, but it could be extended to a variety of other archetypes, such as racial traditions, professions, religions, hobbies. It would be a shame if these things were contained in just the structure of guilds as they are.

I can imagine a situation where some mages take an hiatus from the Band’s event for the night because they have their biweekly summit on the state of the arcane, sharing this with people from across guild and server. Or perhaps the kaldorei have to go back home to have their monthly splashing about in a moonpool.

Organising these events can have some more lighthearted cross guild polination, sharing social circles and things that they might not get in their own guild. They don’t need to be super active, with weekly events, like a guild usually has, or something you ‘hang around with’ constantly. But having someone take a day or two out of their month to create and go to these might be worthwhile.

Of course it’s nothing new, but taking this approach and putting some more weight about making that stuff happen could introduce new people (by being open), take us out of Stormwind to a variety of other places, and cultivate cross-guild RP.

Here are just some ideas of community-like circles that could be made. I am seeing it in the form of channels in game, but these could easily be supported on the forums as well.

The Holy Day; All priests, paladins etc. come to the Cathedral of the Light to join in song and prayer to the Light. Afterwards, they share in eating low-carb cookies and speaking of theology.

The New Tome Collection; Mages and scholars of all sorts are summoned to the Library in Stormwind Keep to check out new research, and discuss developments with the arcane. Some people might have to pay up for late books.

The Market; A tax-free market is held once a month in the trade district to inspire more commerce. Many merchants and craftsmen flock to the city to sell their goods at this opportune moment.

The Full Moon's Cleansing The elves join together under the light of the full moon to bathe in Elune's glory, and have some casual conversation coupled with massages. Soap in the moonpool is considered bad taste.

Just brainstorming! I could step away from the Band to create an event  for all the sailor, naval-enthusiasts out there, if this sort of idea catches on.

It is a shame so many are moving to AD and unless they have moved servers before, I think they will find it a bit of a struggle to integrate into existing server lore and guilds.  We certainly did when we moved here and as a result of some downright hostility OOC, still don't feel like it's the server for us.  I'd like to move us to AD for the immersion, just so much random rp going on, but I'm not so naive this time and understand that it will be like starting again.  

The wpvp guilds, conversely, have made Defias a harder place for us to be an rp/PvP guild in.  The rp Horde side is too guildcentric for a group of assassins that really need external interactions to thrive rp-wise.  No Draenor campaigns for us, just doesn't fit our purpose.  

To get more people into rp there needs to be more random rp around, people being ic. Also be aware that if you are an rper in a wpvp guild you are likely to be laughed at publically as well as within the guild.  That makes it harder for us to get new rpers from the existing server population.  New people see the wpvp guilds being dicks to each other on the forum and it doesn't exactly make us look a friendly server.  

I do think AD will be the rp hub for EU, my hope is that some rp/PvP can be grown there but I need my officers to get over their fear of bad rp on AD.  It may be bad in places, but at least there is rp.

A bit of a disjointed addition to the debate but I'm using my tablet in my lunch break and it's crap for trying to structure a response!

Tl;Dr I think we fight a losing battle trying to keep rp afloat here, especially rp/PvP, but I'd love to be proven wrong.

The way Defias has gotten over the years with such a low population, it's not very viable for constant Roleplay these days (along with the same faces). Lately we've managed to keep some interest in the game by jumping between RP and RP-PvP.

One thing I've picked up from speaking to a few people I speak with is that guilds with a wide recruitment angle ((aka invites any class and race)) can easily swell in numbers. While a nice big guild is always great, buzzing with life and active, it can cause issues with other guilds trying to start out. Perhaps placing more restrictions on class/races recruited it might generate a few more guilds to interact with. When it comes to situations of doing things like Rp-PvP and PvE raids, guilds with class restrictions would have a bigger incentive to interact with other guilds. For example, back in MoP the Disciples did some raiding, but due to a heavy concentration of Paladins, Priest and warriors, we found doing joint raids with the freelancers helped us in areas we were lacking. In a sense this is transferable in RP situations aswell. Guilds that area Jack of All trades or accept anything and anybody, tend to have a wide variety of ways to deal with things. If we all worked together and made more role focused guilds, it might open up recruitment to us all.

In the past we did not really demand members of the Disciples follow the light, but recently we've found ensuring recruits follow the light is vital, else we will not accept them, which in turn has caused them to go to other guilds.

I'm just sort of rambling on here. But I think making guilds more role focused and having certain restrictions on class/race might help


I also have another point to raise on the matter of attracting more RP to the server. It came to my attention a few nights ago that someone role-playing a minister became very hostile OOCly towards another role-player, simply because they would not do as they say Icly. The conversation escalated into OOC and the role-players (who were minding their own business) were told that to not follow the Guidelines and Rules set by the forums here would mean they are ignored Server wide by the RP community. Personally I found this claim outrageous. Luckily the people on the receiving end of this "threat" were long time role-players on the server and did not take it seriously. However my concern is, what if this was a new role-player on the server? This sort of attitude could easily drive people away. However I believe this is an isolated incident, but still, this sort of attitude worries me.

@Beladon: I know that similar things to what you mentioned last has indeed happened to new people who came here when the servers were connected. It's definitely something that should not be done.

Also I do wonder what guidelines they are talking about. I've never seen them!

Beladon wrote:
I also have another point to raise on the matter of attracting more RP to the server. It came to my attention a few nights ago that someone role-playing a minister became very hostile OOCly towards another role-player, simply because they would not do as they say Icly. The conversation escalated into OOC and the role-players (who were minding their own business) were told that to not follow the Guidelines and Rules set by the forums here would mean they are ignored Server wide by the RP community. Personally I found this claim outrageous. Luckily the people on the receiving end of this "threat" were long time role-players on the server and did not take it seriously. However my concern is, what if this was a new role-player on the server? This sort of attitude could easily drive people away. However I believe this is an isolated incident, but still, this sort of attitude worries me.

                                                                                       
                                                                                         Time to get the torches and the pitchforks M'lord?
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The irony being that DefiasRP has always been the main place to find anti-council opinions, lmfao

Seriously though, why do we still have a council at this point? Do they actually ever do anything except meetings on tuesdays?

The guidelines of, my ego needs to inflate more, do my bidding or be ousted by mah buddies most likely.

Since I posted snark I'll try counter it with something positive *cough*

Rp in the middle of big ooc crowds! get in the way and get out and about, when I rp'd I also avoided masses of ooc'ers and tried not to draw attention, looking at it from the perspective of someone that rarely rp's now... Big mistake, got to deal with the griefers that might be among em to pull the interest of those more inclined to join in when a bit of nonsense is thrown infront of em.

Also server rules? Hah get fu- no wait, probably a ban waiting to happen that..
Better wording, less time trying to enforce, more time trying to include.. Yadda yadda.

Not really. Pretty sure like half of them are only online on tuesdays.

Ixirar/Kavalis wrote:The irony being that DefiasRP has always been the main place to find anti-council opinions, lmfao

Seriously though, why do we still have a council at this point? Do they actually ever do anything except meetings on tuesdays?

Where else would you find them? Only place the rp'ers that even use sites, dare to post..

As in, a councilman/woman trying to enforce their authority by citing the hivemind of the most anti-council cluster of people on the server (as far as I've been able to tell)

Oooh, my mistake.

I wont post he evidence as it might violate naming and shaming policies, but if anyone wants to see the proof for themselves, then they can request via PM on these forums.

Beladon wrote:I wont post he evidence as it might violate naming and shaming policies, but if anyone wants to see the proof for themselves, then they can request via PM on these forums.

Is this the incident of RP'ers in Royal library and a minister came by asking them to leave saying it was private propertah? And then shit cooked up OOCly aswell. Which just tells me he/she did not follow the guidelines her/himself by claiming a part of the keep to be hes/hers propertah. bdrp I tell you

god fucking damnit

As this is being mentioned, I know of two very good RPers who have been put off of the DB Community since TVC was linked.
They have been RPing Knight-Lieutenants for around 5 years or more, one of them is a pretty good DM having had a long running storyline for many years. When our servers were connectioned they report trying to RP in the community and basically being told they couldn't use their long running RP backstory because they weren't recognised as that rank by any guilds here.

They both now refuse to get involved in this community despite my best efforts to convince them to give it a second chance.

I find it very sad, they are both brilliant RPers and really nice people.

Server lore is all well and good, and I do enjoy the Council political RP. But it shouldn't be quite as all powerful as this person apparently claims it to be. Participation should be voluntary not mandatory.

Skaraa wrote:Server lore is all well and good, and I do enjoy the Council political RP. But it shouldn't be quite as all powerful as this person apparently claims it to be. Participation should be voluntary not mandatory.

It is not that powerful per say, it is more the guards that actually does shit, council just discuss stuff and puts it on the guards to go do it, it is simply people from the council ( I will not mention names but do take it into consideration ) They're getting high on power thinking they're the new kings, NO YOU'RE NOT. You're nothing but ordinary RP'ers that in this case is in a council.

In my view the council is there to promote guild stuff like minister of Justice sending out our troups TOGETHER instead of just 1 guild on a campaign, and to make the community more fun to be in because all had a say in it, just does not seem to be the case anymore, one or more of you has simply taken king rights into his/hers hands, which also is what partly is ruining RP for new comers.

That is my opinion, correct me if wrong.

EDIT: By discuss stuff I don't mean it in a bad way, you make new laws and have the guards make sure people act accordingly to the new law, you discuss campaign aswell props and has guilds spread the words, it is good what you're doing, just.... Needs to change abit I think

Agreed, the most popular councilors were the ones who went out their way to make events for everyone, not the ones choosing to Lord over the city and boss everyone around.

Beladon wrote:Agreed, the most popular councilors were the ones who went out their way to make events for everyone, not the ones choosing to Lord over the city and boss everyone around.

hahaha <3

We should actually just create "citywide" event on our own. Basicly like the stormwind council but
1 ANNOUNCED in both yell and tradechat/general chat so that new RPers and those that are interested might see it

2 that is more diverse and easier to influence or use? (I personally find the council INCREDIBLY boring because it often ends up with me just parking my char there, chatting in guild chat or watching anime at the side)

The SW council isnt much needed anymore anyways. There isn't really much to discuss at all. It's just people looking into the middle of the room while the ministers/guildleaders say: "we dont have much to announce this week."

Council is useless cus of our few numbers if you ask me, But ofcourse there will be the council, because there is always the few that wants some fancy title to flash about

The council exists because the server tolerates it. The second people stop showing up to council it is pointless and powerless.

Indeed, but most new RPers don't even know what the council is. For example, the only reason that I knew about the council is because a friend in a guild asked if I should come to it... Which I replied "what council?" It is just so simple that we should announce such things.

Earlier someone mentioned the idea of a "trading" day... Where RPers would sell stuff ICLY and such. It would be logical for example to have announcements in general chat of posters about the "festival", RPers yelling out offers as they stand in the trade district. Calling out to players that walk by (in say) with example: "HEY, miss. Would you perhaps be interested in these fine dresses? Will make the men awe your precence!" Or: "hey sir! Would you like a taste of a newly brewed ale? Family recipe directly from ironforge". That is a thing that could invite people to RP

We use to do that anyway. There use to be a bi weekly market but the guy that ran that moved to AD.
Skarain also use to run a bi weekly Blackmarket that was on alternate weeks to the other one I just mentioned. Fortunately, our SkaSka will stay forever because he is a stubborn mule (and a good guy), so that will be returning shortly.