Four Steps to Rebuild the RP Community

[Valestrion]

As we all know, it's a bit quiet in the RP community on DB these days. At least, it is on the Alliance side and I presume it's the same for the Horde. Many people and guilds have moved to other servers, but there are some of us left who don't want to follow them. It's not going to be easy rebuilding, and it may not even be possible, but we have nothing to lose by trying. Here are a few suggestions from, therefore, that might help.

1. Focus on the community. If you are in a small guild, which I think probably means nearly all guilds these days, keeping your focus within your guild isn't going be enough. While I, for one, don't want to abandon my guild, we all need to pull together as a community if we are going to rebuild. In particular, we need to get together for casual RP. Events are important, but it's the casual RP that really makes the community.

2. I am going to start joining a chat channel called DefiasRP, assuming it hasn't been grabbed and password protected, of course. Let's all join that channel and start talking to each other, greeting each and arranging activities together as we have in the past with our own guilds. Of course, there have been plenty of chat channels in the past, but they don't work if people just join and say nothing. We need to make it an active channel.

3. If possible, if you are arranging an event, don't do it alone. Make sure you have someone working on it with you so that if, for some unavoidable reason, you can't make the event you have been working on, there is someone else who can keep running with the event. When RP is scarce, it's even more disappointing if an event gets cancelled.

4. If things are getting back on track with your faction, consider playing on an alt with the other faction. Unless we rebuild both the Alliance and Horde communities, we won't be able to run the RP-PvP events that are important to RP-PvP servers.

[Skarain]

1. Focus on the community. If you are in a small guild, which I think probably means nearly all guilds these days, keeping your focus within your guild isn't going be enough. While I, for one, don't want to abandon my guild, we all need to pull together as a community if we are going to rebuild. In particular, we need to get together for casual RP. Events are important, but it's the casual RP that really makes the community.

I do agree with this suggestion and i am going to respond to it with a question.

What locations are neutral enough for people to meet for casual RP?

The Shady Lady have generally been a place for criminal activity. Likewise the Cathedral is a natural place for Light-believers to gather around. Dwarves do prefer to their Mountain and the Night elves like it in the great tree of Teldrassil.

What locations and gathering places are there that individuals of every race, organisation and groups can find themselves comfortable at and with a reason to visit?

Goldshire? Cathedral Square?

2. I am going to start joining a chat channel called DefiasRP, assuming it hasn't been grabbed and password protected, of course. Let's all join that channel and start talking to each other, greeting each and arranging activities together as we have in the past with our own guilds. Of course, there have been plenty of chat channels in the past, but they don't work if people just join and say nothing. We need to make it an active channel.

I do have a question.

Is there a reason why we can not make use of LFRP channel for this same purpose, but need to create a new one?

Said channel (LFRP) already have people on it, and in my opinion it is not used to "Looking for Roleplaying" as often as it should. I also believe it is a rather "global" channel which people who already know of Roleplaying on other servers are potential to check out and judge the activity of the RP scene by that. I would find it more beneficial to guide said channel (LFRP) back into it purpose, to look for and create roleplaying, rather than create a new channel from scratch that nobody knows about.

Or is the intention with the new channel to create a platform to primary discuss cross-guild events?

3. If possible, if you are arranging an event, don't do it alone. Make sure you have someone working on it with you so that if, for some unavoidable reason, you can't make the event you have been working on, there is someone else who can keep running with the event. When RP is scarce, it's even more disappointing if an event gets cancelled.

I agree with this suggestion.

I will be looking into if i can get The Organisation (criminal RP guild) and possibly Clans of Khaz Modan to lend a hand in keeping [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] going. I should normally have no problems in making it in time, but a helping hand to ensure the show will run is certainly a good thing to look into.

(If anyone reading these forums is interested in giving me a hand in ensuring that [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] keeps on coming every second friday, do give me a shout on any of my characters that are visible in my signature)

4. If things are getting back on track with your faction, consider playing on an alt with the other faction. Unless we rebuild both the Alliance and Horde communities, we won't be able to run the RP-PvP events that are important to RP-PvP servers.

Nothing real to comment about this. Personally i am bad with alts and dividing my time on multiple characters, but if one finds all being good in their own faction, it might not be a bad idea to lend the other faction a helping hand, aye.

-----

I would also add a few suggestions of my own, if i may?

Spoiler:

[Guest]

I support Skarain in this - but actually I choose a new path. RP will survive ONLY if we forsake this forum. I am cancelling my account here. It is only 20 peeps max - many no longer on Defias, And no new people come here. Take it to realm forums or suffocate in an evershrinking pool. Your choice.

[siegmund]

Got to agree that actually posting on Realm forums is good, most people already do it, but more people should if they don't yet. Some links:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Friendly RP server topic

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Someone wants to join a RP guild.

[Valestrion]

2. I am going to start joining a chat channel called DefiasRP, assuming it hasn't been grabbed and password protected, of course. Let's all join that channel and start talking to each other, greeting each and arranging activities together as we have in the past with our own guilds. Of course, there have been plenty of chat channels in the past, but they don't work if people just join and say nothing. We need to make it an active channel.

I do have a question.

Is there a reason why we can not make use of LFRP channel for this same purpose, but need to create a new one?

Said channel (LFRP) already have people on it, and in my opinion it is not used to "Looking for Roleplaying" as often as it should. I also believe it is a rather "global" channel which people who already know of Roleplaying on other servers are potential to check out and judge the activity of the RP scene by that. I would find it more beneficial to guide said channel (LFRP) back into it purpose, to look for and create roleplaying, rather than create a new channel from scratch that nobody knows about.

Or is the intention with the new channel to create a platform to primary discuss cross-guild events?

Fair enough. For some reason LFRP had passed me by. I think I had heard of it some time ago, but didn't know anyone used it, and had forgotten about it by the time I was writing my post yesterday. Let's go with LFRP instead.

[Skarain]

1. Focus on the community. If you are in a small guild, which I think probably means nearly all guilds these days, keeping your focus within your guild isn't going be enough. While I, for one, don't want to abandon my guild, we all need to pull together as a community if we are going to rebuild. In particular, we need to get together for casual RP. Events are important, but it's the casual RP that really makes the community.

I do agree with this suggestion and i am going to respond to it with a question.

What locations are neutral enough for people to meet for casual RP?

The Shady Lady have generally been a place for criminal activity. Likewise the Cathedral is a natural place for Light-believers to gather around. Dwarves do prefer to their Mountain and the Night elves like it in the great tree of Teldrassil.

What locations and gathering places are there that individuals of every race, organisation and groups can find themselves comfortable at and with a reason to visit?

Goldshire? Cathedral Square?

As proven by last night by Clans of Khaz Modan, setting up a recruitment camp next to AH in Trade & Dwarven Districts is one great idea. Sure, might not be a spot for the most serious of Roleplay, but is great for recruitment and generally spreading awareness that RP still happens.

Forgot to take a screenshot though.

[Skaraa]

1. Focus on the community. If you are in a small guild, which I think probably means nearly all guilds these days, keeping your focus within your guild isn't going be enough. While I, for one, don't want to abandon my guild, we all need to pull together as a community if we are going to rebuild. In particular, we need to get together for casual RP. Events are important, but it's the casual RP that really makes the community.

I do agree with this suggestion and i am going to respond to it with a question.

What locations are neutral enough for people to meet for casual RP?

The Shady Lady have generally been a place for criminal activity. Likewise the Cathedral is a natural place for Light-believers to gather around. Dwarves do prefer to their Mountain and the Night elves like it in the great tree of Teldrassil.

What locations and gathering places are there that individuals of every race, organisation and groups can find themselves comfortable at and with a reason to visit?

Goldshire? Cathedral Square?

As proven by last night by Clans of Khaz Modan, setting up a recruitment camp next to AH in Trade & Dwarven Districts is one great idea. Sure, might not be a spot for the most serious of Roleplay, but is great for recruitment and generally spreading awareness that RP still happens.

Forgot to take a screenshot though.

That sounds like a really fun idea, I may have to do something like that.

[Guest]

challenge everyone in LFRP if theyb actually LFRP or stalking us

[Skarain]

If they stalk, does that not mean that they find what we do interesting, even if interesting only to laugh at? Yet if they are not bored by it, there is always hope in luring them into roleplaying the moment that they are bored and find nothin better to do.

[Valestrion]

As proven by last night by Clans of Khaz Modan, setting up a recruitment camp next to AH in Trade & Dwarven Districts is one great idea. Sure, might not be a spot for the most serious of Roleplay, but is great for recruitment and generally spreading awareness that RP still happens.

The Trade District spot is one that the Disciples have used many times in the past, in a very similar style to how the Clans did it. Usually, we'll set up banners and I'll stand on top of a crate shouting out our headline message, while other Disciples talk to people showing an interest. It shows the importance of roleplaying within the sight of non-roleplayers. It's an effective way to attract new roleplayers. It's not just recruitment that helps, but anything where you are seen. For instance, the Holy Brigade is going to be heading out on a mounted patrol of Elwynn Forest soon, and a large part of the reason for it is so that we can be seen heading out in formation from the Cathedral through the city.

[Tantzui]

For people that are silly enough to not stalk realm forums:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Horde side working to lure some new RPeeps!

[Thawon]

I have been visiting Wyverns tail several times recently, both IC and just to pop my head in a minute before log out to check the pulse. I have yet to find it without RP, and I highly recommend horde players looking for casual RP head over to Valley of Honor and check it out. Any new roleplayers reading this, its a great place to meet and interact with good RP guilds like the Blood Wolf Clan and Painted Skulls.

[Baji]

I don't understand why people dislike this forum so much, there's nothing wrong with using this and the Realm Forums. The only difference is here is less likely to be trolled by OOCers... and if you spend time writing a RP story it will remain here forever, but it drops off the face of the earth within 2 weeks on the realm forums due to "LF PVP GUILD" and "LOL FU VM/Mak Gora" thread spam.

As Skarain said, the vast majority of Horde guild masters decided to use LFRP channel because that is what most roleplayers will automatically join when they are looking for roleplay. Trying to get people to join one channel is bother enough, I don't see why we need 1-4 different channels for the same thing. (HordeRP, LFRP, DefiasRP...)

I'm personally not particularly interested in tavern roleplay but I pop in now and again. I find it quite limiting and tedious... it gets quite clique-y as well. I'd much rather people roleplay training, roleplay Orgrimmar guards or just selling stuff in the street.

[Guest]

Add your story to the RP sticky and it will stay there

[Morgaan]

Pfff, you know what might draw more rpers here, if you post a thing or two on the "Role-playing" section of the official forums.
Not to say that I will post anything since I'm a traitor, but I just can't find anything from DB on 'em! D:

[Lyniath]

Yeah, I kinda went on a little peep over the battle.net forums, defias is just... barely even active for people NOT RPing. I know this is another whiny post on top of others but honestly I've just been levelling an alt on AD and seriously considering moving my main - if I'm paying like £9 a month and spending most of the day at work, I want my free gaming time to be more interesting than queuing BGs and waiting for more than 1-2 people to be online.

[Skarain]

Random RP can be scarce, true. The game to is quiet with people waiting for 6.2. One is free to try out another servers to find their enjoyment, but please respect the work others still make for the good of the roleplaying scene on Defias Brotherhood and do not post about your possible intentions to server-hop in threads as these.

And since we're on the subject of roleplaying, see [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] , a list of Public Roleplaying Events on the Alliance. Additional appearance on Realm Forums never hurts in rebuilding the RP Community.

I will try to keep that list of Public events updated and bumped just like the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] on Realm Forums. I also aim to include Public events that i know about (that are already posted in here, posted in realm forums or recruits only through Ingame) to the list, providing that i get a permission from the event host to list it up in there.

[Tobias Redeye]

Yeah, I kinda went on a little peep over the battle.net forums, defias is just... barely even active for people NOT RPing. I know this is another whiny post on top of others but honestly I've just been levelling an alt on AD and seriously considering moving my main - if I'm paying like £9 a month and spending most of the day at work, I want my free gaming time to be more interesting than queuing BGs and waiting for more than 1-2 people to be online.

If you're dropping by on AD be sure to say hi! I mainly RP there now though with completely different characters. Bloody horn started and ended on DB. -But yeah if you're looking for some fellow ex DBers, feel free to hit me up

[Maelmoor]

Random RP can be scarce, true. The game to is quiet with people waiting for 6.2. One is free to try out another servers to find their enjoyment, but please respect the work others still make for the good of the roleplaying scene on Defias Brotherhood and do not post about your possible intentions to server-hop in threads as these.

And since we're on the subject of roleplaying, see [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] , a list of Public Roleplaying Events on the Alliance. Additional appearance on Realm Forums never hurts in rebuilding the RP Community.

I will try to keep that list of Public events updated and bumped just like the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] on Realm Forums. I also aim to include Public events that i know about (that are already posted in here, posted in realm forums or recruits only through Ingame) to the list, providing that i get a permission from the event host to list it up in there.

Great work Skarain!

..and I totally agree, if you are are on another server or moving, fair enough, that is up to each one to decide about but there is no need to pos there about it in a thread like this.

[Sponsored content]