Post by Aubry The Odd O.o on Nov 7, 2005 22:05:11 GMT -5
FAQ- What is roleplaying?
This is a rather nice defenition of roleplaying, I acually love it! So umm well.....this is it so enjoy. Ohyeah, I didnt write this, and I will add more FAQ once I think up some more...lol
Ever been so fed up with life that you wished with all your heart that you could be someone else? Most of us have at various times in our lives wondered what it would be like to experience a life beyond our own, to fly through the air on a winged horse, to slay dragons with a mighty sword, to travel through dangerous territory, to find a castle in the sky. This is exactly what is at the heart of every role-playing game. A chance to take those fantasies, those daydreams and grant them for just a short time, more substance than ever before.
When we were children, make believe was a natural part of our lives. We played house, cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians. These were games that involved fun and laughter. They were free form with rules that existed only to keep the basic framework. Of course each group we played with added a few "special" rules of their own, like no going beyond the house at the end of the block, those boundaries that we had to follow in real life that crossed over to affect our game playing.
Sometimes too our make believe games had rules that were developed for special situations or because the group we were with had special backgrounds or beliefs. For example, if you were a Native American the cowboys would not be the good guys. Dragons didn’t always breath fire, sometimes they were lifelong friends and companions.
As we "grew up," these make believe games weren’t acceptable any longer and became "childish," but still there was a need for escape, a need to have a dream, to hope. To accommodate this daydreams took on a new meaning. Whether it was hitting the winning run at the last game of the world series, or staring in a movie opposite your latest crush, those daydreams could be so real that every element within them could be described using all six senses. Some could probably tell you exactly what those ball park franks tasted like.
Daydreams were nothing more than a continuation of the make believe world of our childhood, a more complex attempt to find escape and rest from the day to day reality of our existence. So it is with modern role playing games. These games are nothing more than the next level of our imagination seeking refuge for a time. They are more complex than our day dreams, but build naturally on the very things we do within our private thoughts, on the experiences of our childhood make believe games.
When you are involved in any role-playing game, it can be compared to acting. For a short time you assume the identity of someone else. You control this person's actions, words, and very deeds. As this new individual, you take them from adventure to adventure in a world different from your own. The nicest part of a role-playing game is that while you are acting out a part, there really is no script. While there is an outline or idea behind what is going on, you quite literally decide the outcome.
Remember back to those make believe games? Just like those didn’t always end the way you wanted them to, so it is with role playing games. Particularly when you play with a large group. Each and every one of you has your own individual ideas of what should happen next within the story. As those ideas interact with one another the story changes and develops in new and interesting ways. It becomes not so much the creation of one person, but rather the imagination of the whole group, a synergy if you will of what is going on behind every mind participating. Each and every time it is something new and unique.
As you begin to venture into the arena of role playing its important that you remember it is first and foremost, a GAME. This means that just like any other game there can be winners and losers, there can be cheaters, poor sports, good sports, and those that take the game a little too seriously. Can’t you just remember the child down the street who would pick up their toys and go home because things didn’t turn out their way? Guess what? They didn’t change a whole lot when they grew up, and are still going home when they don’t get their own way.
Since any game will have a variety of these kinds of individuals, it is critical to remember that this is just a GAME and that today's loss may turn into tomorrow's win. The beauty of role-playing is that you can always reinvent yourself better than before and try again. If one game doesn’t work for your imagination there are lots of others to try, and if one group of individuals you play with isn’t right for you, there are many other groups to get involved with and to try your hand until you find a group you fit in with.
Think back to your days in elementary school, there were certainly groups of children you enjoyed being with more than others and some that you probably avoided completely. As you learned how they would react in certain situations you would begin to select when to be with them based on those situations. For example, a really tough competitor might not be someone you wanted to play against, but you would seek out to be on your side if you could. The world of role playing games is just the same. There are individuals you will want to work with at some times, and others you will seek to avoid at all costs.
The greatest difference in role playing and other games is that the only limit is your own imagination, your own ability to bring the character to life, to make believe as it were just like in childhood. Back then anything and everything was possible, and in today’s role playing environment that becomes true again. Even the best designed computer game can only give you limited choices to make. It is just not possible for them to program in an infinite number of choices and possibilities. In role playing, choices become limitless. As long as you can think creatively, the envelope of boundaries is kept at bay. Imagination becomes the key.
To begin role playing, you need to create a character. You will find all that you will need to help create this new "you" for Mystic Shadows within these pages. As you continue, you will discover much about the world and suggestions that will help you build your character. One word of caution here however, please remember this is strictly a game piece, and as such, while you may become attached to it, it is still strictly a part of the game and since you may lose the game, you may lose that game piece. In other words, your character might just die within the context of the game. Never lose sight of that part of this game.
If you are unsure of what character to play, there are some simple suggestions for easy characters to play. There are even a series of questions that if you answer them will lead you to a character selection that will give your beginning character a feel that will help you comfortably play the game.
Character selection is a critical part of any role-playing game, for this is your first real interaction with the game rules. While your imagination might be limitless, the rules will give structure and boundaries to that imagination. You must make your selections from those acceptable choices for a particular game. For example, this is a fantasy adventure game, therefore you would not want to come in and role-play Darth Vader as it would not fit. However, if Darth Vader is something you want to model your character after, within the rules you might develop a scourge mage who cloaks himself in mystery and mind powers. In other words, keep the essence of what Darth Vader is but use the rules to help you create it.
[Within the concept of this role playing game, there will be Game Masters, those that serve to move the action forward in a particular story line within the game. This is the individual who will be literally creating the situations that you as your character will have to face and solve. The Game Master has in advance planned out certain obstacles to be overcome, or quests to be undertaken setting each up in such a way as to still allow for the creativity of the players.] <--This does not apply to our Mystic Shadows, but I left it here so that you all will see that every site is different.
[Think of it as creating an outline. The Game Master knows that they want the group of players known as a "party" to run into a wild dragon. They don’t know what’s going to happen when the party gets there, but the Game Master already knows that this particular dragon is grouchy, and will eat anyone that makes him angry. The Game Master also knows that if the party were to offer the dragon a bit of treasure he would then allow the party to pass unharmed, and give them a special clue to the next level of the adventure.]<--saame thing...we don't have or need Game masters.
[Unfortunately, the Game Master must also be prepared for all possibilities, including the one that the party might decide to kill the dragon, and actually succeed. In that case, a quick thinking Game Master will be sure to drop a cryptic map or journal entry that can be found within the near environments that will point that way to the next step in the adventure. Being able to think fast on your feet and to change at a moment’s notice are two of the most important qualities good Game Masters need.]<-- yep...no GM's...
[Within this role playing world, there are adventures in which you will be forced to use brains, skills, and fighting abilities to accomplish some task set by the Game Master. There will be puzzles to solve, monsters to fight, innocents to rescue, and goals to accomplish. The Game Master will lead you through the adventure and through battles using special rules to simulate combat. After all, you need some way to determine who won the fight. This is always the most dangerous time for any role playing game, and for this one in particular. While you are relatively safe in the Inn or in well-guarded towns, the dangerous world of Pria may claim the life of your character in these adventures, forcing you to create a new one.]<-- MS doesn't need Gms...we're not Dungeons and Dragons... puzzles and senarios are created by the players themselves.
While the imagination is your limit, there are some rules that must be followed to maintain game balance, insuring that all outcomes are as fair as possible. These rules can be found in the section marked, oddly enough, Rules. Be sure to read through these, as you will save time in the gaming arena for play rather than discussion.
Lastly, always observe the goings on of others around you. Remember everyone and anything that you happen upon could be a clue to your adventure. Don't be afraid to try something new, after all even if you were to "die" you could always create a new and better character. So, you're ready, start up the creative juices as you read about Pria [or MS] and prepare to enter the World of...
Mystic Shadows Inn [or MS]
This is a rather nice defenition of roleplaying, I acually love it! So umm well.....this is it so enjoy. Ohyeah, I didnt write this, and I will add more FAQ once I think up some more...lol
Ever been so fed up with life that you wished with all your heart that you could be someone else? Most of us have at various times in our lives wondered what it would be like to experience a life beyond our own, to fly through the air on a winged horse, to slay dragons with a mighty sword, to travel through dangerous territory, to find a castle in the sky. This is exactly what is at the heart of every role-playing game. A chance to take those fantasies, those daydreams and grant them for just a short time, more substance than ever before.
When we were children, make believe was a natural part of our lives. We played house, cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians. These were games that involved fun and laughter. They were free form with rules that existed only to keep the basic framework. Of course each group we played with added a few "special" rules of their own, like no going beyond the house at the end of the block, those boundaries that we had to follow in real life that crossed over to affect our game playing.
Sometimes too our make believe games had rules that were developed for special situations or because the group we were with had special backgrounds or beliefs. For example, if you were a Native American the cowboys would not be the good guys. Dragons didn’t always breath fire, sometimes they were lifelong friends and companions.
As we "grew up," these make believe games weren’t acceptable any longer and became "childish," but still there was a need for escape, a need to have a dream, to hope. To accommodate this daydreams took on a new meaning. Whether it was hitting the winning run at the last game of the world series, or staring in a movie opposite your latest crush, those daydreams could be so real that every element within them could be described using all six senses. Some could probably tell you exactly what those ball park franks tasted like.
Daydreams were nothing more than a continuation of the make believe world of our childhood, a more complex attempt to find escape and rest from the day to day reality of our existence. So it is with modern role playing games. These games are nothing more than the next level of our imagination seeking refuge for a time. They are more complex than our day dreams, but build naturally on the very things we do within our private thoughts, on the experiences of our childhood make believe games.
When you are involved in any role-playing game, it can be compared to acting. For a short time you assume the identity of someone else. You control this person's actions, words, and very deeds. As this new individual, you take them from adventure to adventure in a world different from your own. The nicest part of a role-playing game is that while you are acting out a part, there really is no script. While there is an outline or idea behind what is going on, you quite literally decide the outcome.
Remember back to those make believe games? Just like those didn’t always end the way you wanted them to, so it is with role playing games. Particularly when you play with a large group. Each and every one of you has your own individual ideas of what should happen next within the story. As those ideas interact with one another the story changes and develops in new and interesting ways. It becomes not so much the creation of one person, but rather the imagination of the whole group, a synergy if you will of what is going on behind every mind participating. Each and every time it is something new and unique.
As you begin to venture into the arena of role playing its important that you remember it is first and foremost, a GAME. This means that just like any other game there can be winners and losers, there can be cheaters, poor sports, good sports, and those that take the game a little too seriously. Can’t you just remember the child down the street who would pick up their toys and go home because things didn’t turn out their way? Guess what? They didn’t change a whole lot when they grew up, and are still going home when they don’t get their own way.
Since any game will have a variety of these kinds of individuals, it is critical to remember that this is just a GAME and that today's loss may turn into tomorrow's win. The beauty of role-playing is that you can always reinvent yourself better than before and try again. If one game doesn’t work for your imagination there are lots of others to try, and if one group of individuals you play with isn’t right for you, there are many other groups to get involved with and to try your hand until you find a group you fit in with.
Think back to your days in elementary school, there were certainly groups of children you enjoyed being with more than others and some that you probably avoided completely. As you learned how they would react in certain situations you would begin to select when to be with them based on those situations. For example, a really tough competitor might not be someone you wanted to play against, but you would seek out to be on your side if you could. The world of role playing games is just the same. There are individuals you will want to work with at some times, and others you will seek to avoid at all costs.
The greatest difference in role playing and other games is that the only limit is your own imagination, your own ability to bring the character to life, to make believe as it were just like in childhood. Back then anything and everything was possible, and in today’s role playing environment that becomes true again. Even the best designed computer game can only give you limited choices to make. It is just not possible for them to program in an infinite number of choices and possibilities. In role playing, choices become limitless. As long as you can think creatively, the envelope of boundaries is kept at bay. Imagination becomes the key.
To begin role playing, you need to create a character. You will find all that you will need to help create this new "you" for Mystic Shadows within these pages. As you continue, you will discover much about the world and suggestions that will help you build your character. One word of caution here however, please remember this is strictly a game piece, and as such, while you may become attached to it, it is still strictly a part of the game and since you may lose the game, you may lose that game piece. In other words, your character might just die within the context of the game. Never lose sight of that part of this game.
If you are unsure of what character to play, there are some simple suggestions for easy characters to play. There are even a series of questions that if you answer them will lead you to a character selection that will give your beginning character a feel that will help you comfortably play the game.
Character selection is a critical part of any role-playing game, for this is your first real interaction with the game rules. While your imagination might be limitless, the rules will give structure and boundaries to that imagination. You must make your selections from those acceptable choices for a particular game. For example, this is a fantasy adventure game, therefore you would not want to come in and role-play Darth Vader as it would not fit. However, if Darth Vader is something you want to model your character after, within the rules you might develop a scourge mage who cloaks himself in mystery and mind powers. In other words, keep the essence of what Darth Vader is but use the rules to help you create it.
[Within the concept of this role playing game, there will be Game Masters, those that serve to move the action forward in a particular story line within the game. This is the individual who will be literally creating the situations that you as your character will have to face and solve. The Game Master has in advance planned out certain obstacles to be overcome, or quests to be undertaken setting each up in such a way as to still allow for the creativity of the players.] <--This does not apply to our Mystic Shadows, but I left it here so that you all will see that every site is different.
[Think of it as creating an outline. The Game Master knows that they want the group of players known as a "party" to run into a wild dragon. They don’t know what’s going to happen when the party gets there, but the Game Master already knows that this particular dragon is grouchy, and will eat anyone that makes him angry. The Game Master also knows that if the party were to offer the dragon a bit of treasure he would then allow the party to pass unharmed, and give them a special clue to the next level of the adventure.]<--saame thing...we don't have or need Game masters.
[Unfortunately, the Game Master must also be prepared for all possibilities, including the one that the party might decide to kill the dragon, and actually succeed. In that case, a quick thinking Game Master will be sure to drop a cryptic map or journal entry that can be found within the near environments that will point that way to the next step in the adventure. Being able to think fast on your feet and to change at a moment’s notice are two of the most important qualities good Game Masters need.]<-- yep...no GM's...
[Within this role playing world, there are adventures in which you will be forced to use brains, skills, and fighting abilities to accomplish some task set by the Game Master. There will be puzzles to solve, monsters to fight, innocents to rescue, and goals to accomplish. The Game Master will lead you through the adventure and through battles using special rules to simulate combat. After all, you need some way to determine who won the fight. This is always the most dangerous time for any role playing game, and for this one in particular. While you are relatively safe in the Inn or in well-guarded towns, the dangerous world of Pria may claim the life of your character in these adventures, forcing you to create a new one.]<-- MS doesn't need Gms...we're not Dungeons and Dragons... puzzles and senarios are created by the players themselves.
While the imagination is your limit, there are some rules that must be followed to maintain game balance, insuring that all outcomes are as fair as possible. These rules can be found in the section marked, oddly enough, Rules. Be sure to read through these, as you will save time in the gaming arena for play rather than discussion.
Lastly, always observe the goings on of others around you. Remember everyone and anything that you happen upon could be a clue to your adventure. Don't be afraid to try something new, after all even if you were to "die" you could always create a new and better character. So, you're ready, start up the creative juices as you read about Pria [or MS] and prepare to enter the World of...
Mystic Shadows Inn [or MS]
