Complete RPG Re-Vamp Idea!

[Asilynne]

Here it is, the promised (and hopefully awaited) epic idea Ive been going on about. Warning-this will be long, and it could possibly receive some devils-advocate esque comments saying how it may not work because of x or y. But, bear with me here because for the past few days Ive been mulling this over at work (and I have a LOT of time to just think at work...) and I think Ive covered my bases and worked out and solved any potential flaws. Could there be some flaws I havent thought of? Of course, and thats where you come in. And the last thing I ask of you, the RPers---have an open mind. This idea may be crazy but I hope it will also turn out to be revolutionary, and paving the way to solving some of RPG's problems. Now, onto the idea itself.

RPG has stood for Role Playing Games for as long as its been its seperate forum, spawned from fanfic. But in today's RPGs, there is very little, if any, "gaming" involved. What most of us do is start a signup topic, gather signups, and then start the rpg with the cast, writing each post and advancing the plot as an on-the-fly fanfic with many writers. While this is no surprise considering RPG's orgins, it also poses very little incentive to post in RPGs save for actual plot and character advancement, and almost no incentive to post elsewhere, like in RPG help topics, the news, polls, and other threads.

But what possible incentive could be offered for RPG? Its already been discussed and dismissed as an idea by the council, to have incentives for posting in the form of prizes. After all, what could RPG offer the players as a prize? We arent ASB which can offer pokemon, points, evos, etc. We arent Fanart which could offer custom art as trades, or banners in exchange for other artwork services. The only form of renoun the people of RPG have lie within the RPG awards, and all biases aside, its obvious some of these awards are largly a popularity thing. Most people who vote tend to all be in the same rpg, and have little to no knowledge of those they are not apart of. Most people also neglect to read rpgs they arent apart of, thats just how things are. And so when the council was first born, I asked the question What is it the people of RPG want?

I didnt have an answer then. I didnt have an answer for a long while. But out of the unfortunate drama that occured in the Council Room, an idea sprung like a reborn phoenix from its own ashes. What has caused more drama, more arguing, and more bitching and moaning than anything else in the history of RPG? Titles. Its a known fact that roleplayers are egomaniacs. Come on, you know its true so dont even give me that look lol. This person became a mod, this person is on the council, that person is being called the mods apprentice or helper or what have you. Dissent spreads like wildfire whenever the possibility of someone acquiring a title arises. Everyone wants to feel important. Everyone wants to feel they make a positive contribution to this forum we call home.

So my answer to the problem is this: Why dont we reward members for posting in rpgs, completing rpgs, posting in the news, rpg help topics, voting in polls, mentoring a fellow roleplayer, creating rpg fanart for someone, forming a revolutionary style of roleplay, trying out a different style of roleplay, etc? As for what to reward them with, heres an example. Roleplayer A just voted in a poll. For contributing to RPG's society in a positive way, Roleplayer A receives 5 coins. These 'coins' can be saved up to eventually purchase a title of the roleplayers choice. The coins could also be used to purchase a higher form of money, which I will call 'stars' (Im basing it off of mario if your familiar). Stars can be used to purchase harder to get titles that also come with more pristege.

Let me back up a bit and outline this a bit better. Everything you do on the rpg forum will earn you coins. Coins can be used to buy stars, and minor titles. Stars can only be bought with coins, the exception is that if you complete an rpg you can receive a star that way. In addition to the cost of a title, some titles may also have pre-requisites. For example, Roleplayer A wants the RPG Veteran title. Lets say this Title has a cost of 10 stars, but in addition, Roleplayer A must also have completed 5 RPGs, mentored at least one roleplayer, gave 50 constructive comments in the Yes or No topic, contributed to 6 monthly RPG newsletters, etc. This will give goals which a roleplayer can aspire to, and the possesion of such a title shows other roleplayers that this person has done what it takes to earn it, this being an active and helpful member of RPG. Along with the purchased title, a custom banner showcasing one of the persons characters can be made for them (maybe by Bex, although anyone can apply to be one of these banner makers), giving an additional reason to want to earn a title. Not all the titles have to be hard, there can be lesser titles that even newbies can earn after some time and activity on the forum, and the only limit to how many titles and what kinds are our imaginations.

I realise that if coins are given for every active thing done in RPG there may be the risk of SPAM, solely to earn such things. So a certain level of common sense is needed. If you do a post for an rpg and its a short paragraph and the RPG doesnt specifically say thats ok, it wont earn you a single coin. If someone asks for feedback on an rpg idea and you are rude or an asshole, you wont earn anything. The idea isnt to sacrifice quality for activity, so keep up the quality when you post in anything.

One more thing as Im running out of time before work and I want to be able to go eat beforehand ^-^() Should this be implemented and people begin earning titles, if you dont want to participate in gaining coins or earning the titles, you dont have to. It CAN be optional, its just a little something to give people incentive to become active. However participating in the title format is obviously the only way to earn these titles. I do have more worked out about this idea and more of the layout designed but I will open the floor for now, and maybe some of your questions I can fill in the answers for that way.

I await your thoughts, people of RPG.

[Heald]

This would be massively easier to read if it was aligned left than centre. Massive paragraphs are a pain to read like this.

EDIT Okay, I've read it now, and although it is well thought out, in practice I doubt it will make any difference. People post in RPGs because they're fun, not because they're getting any kind of reward out of it.

Also, this whole thing might become incredibly bureaucratic and require a lot of legwork to get working, even if people did start chasing coins and stars. I'll see if anyone would participate in such a scheme before I officially throw my support behind it. If a lot of members do participate in it, it could work out very well. If only a minority participate, I can't see it working out.

[Mystic_clown]

This is indeed a pretty interesting idea. It would be nice to give everyone more incentive to post and keep roleplaying, without just simply nagging them to do so.

[Asilynne]

There, now you wont hurt yourself ;D lol

[Heald]

Thanks. I'm using a widescreen monitor so it was becoming quite difficult to read. I edited my original post with my professional opinion.

[Blademaster]

This sounds... needlessly complex and superfluous.

I don't want a title. I want change. If this encourages that, then I might support it. But until then, I'm voting nay. Or at least 'ehhhh...'.

[Roy Karrde]

You know it really is a interesting idea, and I know I would have to talk with some of the higher ups about getting personal titles, but I do like it. And I truly wouldn't mind doing the bureaucracy. Hell if I can try to do ASBRPG this will be a piece of cake.

[Asilynne]

Also, this whole thing might become incredibly bureaucratic and require a lot of legwork to get working, even if people did start chasing coins and stars.

It would require no more beaucracy than ASB does. Its sort of a similar format to asb, but the prizes and purpose for the prizes is slightly different. And the way its designed, it doesnt take away from a roleplayers experience roleplaying if they declined to take part. It would just be a fun incentive for those who did.

I don't want a title.

I don't want a title >: I just want to roleplay.

Well then this is what this topic is for ^-^() lol And perhaps I shouldnt have used the word title, when really the idea I have for it is more like achievements. You work towards a certain RPG achievement, sort of like the trophys in SSB and the xbox360 achievements. WoW also has achievements you can earn and these things are the way I imagined the 'titles' would be. I was hoping it would be a new little fun thing to add to the "RPG seeker", and would be a nice change from the usual awards, since this puts the ability to gain these achievements in the hands of everyone, rather than hope to get a vote.

But I see this only increase shoulder chips.

It would be like "Veteran roleplayers only" instead of putting Private on the door.

:/ Did this need a separate thread? It would fit nicely in the consul topic.

I just want to roleplay. If this increases the want in others to roleplay, then by all means do it.

I was planning for the achievements (which is what I will call them now to prevent misunderstandings >.>) to not be retroactive, so at the moment of its birth everyone will be on equal footing. You can choose to want to complete achievements, or if it doesnt matter to you, you dont need to bother. But the main thing I was hoping with it is I hope it can spur activity in things sorely lacking in it. For example how many times have you posted in the Yes or No topic, only to have either no one comment or have a one sentence reply? With this system you would be rewarded for giving thought out and helpful constructive comments on other peoples ideas, in which I hope will encourange people to try out their rpg ideas and also make them successful.
I made it a seperate thread out of my fear that one of the two would happen:
1) it would get minimal or no replies before the topic moved on to something else; or
2) it would get many replies with other ideas getting lost in the shuffle. A mod is of course free to merge this with the council if they think it would be better however correct me if Im wrong but isnt the lounge here for members to post ideas either for a new rpg (as healds original DBZ RPG topic) or new ideas for the forum. That being said Id hope its not just me who is brave enough to suggest potentially crazy ideas in the lounge as well as the council thread. This forum is all of ours and everyone should be able to throw something out there ^-^

You know it really is a interesting idea, and I know I would have to talk with some of the higher ups about getting personal titles, but I do like it. And I truly wouldn't mind doing the bureaucracy. Hell if I can try to do ASBRPG this will be a piece of cake.

As I said before 'title' was probably a bad choice of words. It wouldnt be like the titles in fable where you can only have one and its a part of the actual structure of TPM itself. So no "higher up" action would be necissary. Even though Im glad you like the idea, Id also rather it not be used for a potential ASBRPG, because I believe something like that is ASB's juristiction, and I think an ASBRPG is stealing a bit of ASB's thunder >.> So to be honest and I dont know about anyone else but I wouldnt want to see the return of ASBRPG.



Also, one more thing Id like to get feedback on. If the idea of achievements doesnt strike anyone as a viable reward, do you have any ideas of what would? Keep in mind Im not only trying to get people to post more in actual rpgs, but the little other things RPG does which many people neglect. No one seemed to want to submit to the news, hardly anyone comments on other peoples rpg ideas, a sore spot is also the lack of constructive feedback in the fanart topic for RPG, etc. These are the problems mainly that Im hoping this idea can solve.

[Houndoom_Lover]

I don't want a title >: I just want to roleplay.

The coin idea is cute. It's used in another forum I roam on, but there, they have an overarching plot and a single world (On the edge of a detention, it's really nifty) and every time you post, help, suck up to the guards, whatever, you get five or so, OPS, the currency.

This is useful in that forum, because you need to buy shit so you won't die.


But I see this only increase shoulder chips.

It would be like "Veteran roleplayers only" instead of putting Private on the door.

:/ Did this need a separate thread? It would fit nicely in the consul topic.

I just want to roleplay. If this increases the want in others to roleplay, then by all means do it.

[Drusilla]

I like it. Maybe a few tweaks here and there (which I will have to think about for further input), but overall it's a very interesting idea.

Again, I'll have to mull it over for a little while, but for the time being, I'm for something along these lines.

[Houndoom_Lover]

If it looks like it'll work, then let's do it. I'm really tired of the Yes No topic tanking when I post. If people followed the rules there, maybe it wouldn't. You hafta leave a comment before posting an idea. People tend to just comment on one or none or one that was commented on already and posting their ideas.

Brahaha...I'm still not sure how this would work. For explination, please?

[Roy Karrde]

As I said before 'title' was probably a bad choice of words. It wouldnt be like the titles in fable where you can only have one and its a part of the actual structure of TPM itself. So no "higher up" action would be necissary. Even though Im glad you like the idea, Id also rather it not be used for a potential ASBRPG, because I believe something like that is ASB's juristiction, and I think an ASBRPG is stealing a bit of ASB's thunder >.> So to be honest and I dont know about anyone else but I wouldnt want to see the return of ASBRPG.

No no please dont get me wrong I didn't mean it would be like ASBRPG. I am just saying with all the mod work ASBRPG required to keep everything updated and working, this should be easy! Sorry for the confusion ^_^