Role Play Discussion.

[Niomo]

I just wanted to throw my two cents out here about a topic that has always annoyed me in RP to no end. And as a preface, I mean no disrespect to players who fall into this category, as I have done the same.

It annoys me to no end when players sign up for an RP and then vanish with no heads up, or who go inactive for a week+ at a time. I understand that real life can rear it's ugly head and take someone away from the internet or even just away from the site. But at the same time, they abandon the other players to be left talking with themselves and NPCs that they write for. Very boring!

Now, I understand that there are RP stories which a player finds boring, or a player signs up in a department that they do not wish to play. But that is why topics like this can clear the air and make everyone understand the point of RP. Fun.

So now comes the point of this post: Kheren's recent take-over of a few PC characters whom have been inactive for some time. This is a bold move, to be sure, but one that MUST happen to keep the story going. I for one applaud Kheren for doing so and I hope that it becomes the standard for inactive players. If it had happened on other stories, I would never have left RP a year and a half ago during the Azimuth Horizon event.

[Kheren]

Thank you Niomo

I totally agree with you; what you bring up here is probably THE most annoying and detrimental problem in text RP. My GM-Takeover-Of-Inactive-PCs is an experiment I tried with the current Horizon story, of which I warned all participants prior to starting it.

Seems to be working, as players often hit with RL like Snowfire (to name one) do keep contact with the GM (in this case, me, through Skype, an excellent tool for that purpose). Such players warn him of temporary absence as much as leave guidelines to how to RP one's character during said absence, or to discuss story points and ideas, all of this for the sake of the story and the other players.

It takes only a few minutes to PM a leave of absence and a moment to understand and accept that your character may have to be moved along or aside during your absence (choice is yours). Except for some sudden disconnection (like the one I experienced) this should be the least someone should do when not able to play; and in ALL cases, accept that the character they play will be used (or discarded) by the GM solely for the sake of the story and their comrades-in-game.

This (Snowfire's example) is the kind of involvement and respect we hope to instill in all current and future players. At worse, it will make sure the story/play moves on and that the active players will not get bored and also leave because of a story draging behind unmotivated/absent/careless/uncooperative/slow moving players. This is something i want to make official and generalized in our future RP.

Any other suggestions are welcomed.