What do you like more?

[Acacia Sgt]

I've always found that sort of gameplay as interesting. With enough people, I think it could be pulled off.

[roymbrog]

I remember when you had that on gfaqs. Eternal Wars or something IIRC (I just found a file I had from it).

[Snowy_One]

Yea. That was co-developed between myself and a RL friend. Something like that could easily be done, more if help was offered by other people.

[Acacia Sgt]

Yea. That was co-developed between myself and a RL friend. Something like that could easily be done, more if help was offered by other people.

Sounds tempting... if this whole thing ever gets off, I could lend a hand, heh...

[Westcoat]

I am far more into story writing based RPs. I don't MIND stat based RPs, but I appreciate character development and detail orientated RPs over everything else.

[Rapier]

I like writting far more than using stats and some sort of system like D&D. The latter is very restraining, at least imo. If you need some sort of system so the roleplayers can apply common sense and not hurr durr powergame, then you know something is wrong with your player base and you should just kick the powergamers away anyway for killing the purpose of RP.

If it's not stat based, there are the twin issues of godmodding (your character exhibits too much power and wins easily, decreasing enjoyment for other players) or as roy said, battles that last forever that nobody wins because no one wants to godmod. Stat battles allow conflicts to resolve in a more objective manner. Additionally, stat battles add a tactical element to RPs that some players may enjoy.

They should sort if out when both parties battle. If it's a plot important one, the GM should obviously have some voice on it. Both should discuss the situation in some discussion topic of sorts and sort it out.

If they aren't capable of contributing to the RP just so their character remains as an overpowered Mary Sue, then he shouldn't even be in a RP. Anti-godmodding and anti-sueism exists in Text Only RPs for a reason.

Edited May 22, 2013 by Rapier

[-Cynthia-]

I am far more into story writing based RPs. I don't MIND stat based RPs, but I appreciate character development and detail orientated RPs over everything else.

I think this is a bit of a false dichotomy here. What about having a stat system makes an RP not story or writing based, or infringes on character development?

Stats aren't just there to stop 'powergamers', they also serve as a way to efficiently resolve conflicts. If left up to RPers, they often 'dance' around actually resolving a fight (often due to not wanting to powergame), which leads to the fight taking longer than it needs to and the RP stalling overall. I will say that whether to use stats or not should depend on the style of RP being run.

[roymbrog]

The first part of what Cyn said, man. Both LoAF and RotE on this board are stat based RPs and they each have over ten chapters. The vast, vaaast majority of posts are the kind you would find in any RP, stats just come up in battles and occasional training sessions characters choose to engage in. It's kinda like saying an RPG is less plot driven than a book by virtue of there being numbers involved.

Anyway, I have no personal preference for either RP type, but the RPs that I've been in that tend to last the longest have been stat based. Make of that what you will (though in this case it probably has more to do with the GMs than anything else.)

[Westcoat]

I don't have any real gripe against the stat-based RPs - just more of bad personal experiences. I was part of two stat based RPs just over two years ago and they started out fantastic. Then about a month or two months into it, the roleplayers got lazy and the ending posts of the dying RP were pathetic one liners fighting with dice rolls.

I was part of a Harvest Moon RP for a long time so I just grew favorable to story based RPs.

Also, Cyn - nice Serra Angel throwback.

[Vestige]

I've never actually dealt with stats before which is why I'm asking this in the first place, but they just looks like such a drag to do/calculate. ._.

[roymbrog]

Not really. It's usually just a question of hit vs evade (usually with a die roll added to hit), and then if they hit, attack (plus die) vs def. It really depends on the system but most of them (that I have used) are just simple subtraction and addition, usually about 2nd grade level math. It takes less than ten seconds.

[Vestige]

Ohh, haha. Alright. Guess numbers just phase me for no apparent reason. :p

[Leki]

Being from several RP forums (I don't consider Serenes to be an RP forum) I have to say that your sentiment towards stats is echoed quite frequently. I've taken a look at the two successful RP's 'Lord of the Azure Flame' and 'Return of the Emblem.' And to be honest, I've got no idea why they've been so successful. I guess a commited player base and a diligent GM is what's made it succeed, seeing as I'm certain it would have failed on the other forums I've seen. (The stats and all are enough to scare most hardcore forum RP'ers away IMO).

Stat system seems pretty simple, but people just have an aversion to stats. xD

Watching Snowy_One's thread at the moment to see if it goes anywhere, personally I prefer a more story oriented experience, but it's the only thing getting launched right now, and I'm against the idea of joining something which has already well and truly started.

[Vestige]

Haha, that last bit of your post is pretty much what I'm doing as well. I don't want to join something that's already underway (and been ongoing for so long) but there's hardly anything opening up. ;_;

[roymbrog]

Totally not trying to advertise here (totally) but there's going to be a side chapter in Return of the Emblem opening up soon where a new player party is forming. Also, there's no need for new RPers/characters to know all that's going on, as they tend to get that information once they've joined the party, and all new characters get the average points (experience) gained over the course of the RP, so they're not left behind (they actually have an advantage, in some respects).

I know it's a stat RP but we usually only have battles once every three or four months, and I don't think anyone would object to a non-statted PC that doesn't participate in combat. It's perfectly fine if you'd rather not look into it, but I just thought I'd put this out there. Most new RPs on this board don't last very long or don't start at all (or are stat based anyway) so just a warning that you might be waiting a while for one.

[Leki]

Yeah, I noticed how most RP’s (and by most I mean everything beside RotE and LotAF) seem to die pretty quickly. And from the looks of things it looks like the cause of death is an uncommitted GM (Wow, nothing new there) a needlessly complicated stat system which is unmanageable (With the exception of a dedicated GM) and of course, the typical player dropout.

Strangely enough I’m actually watching to see how a FE RP on another site is going. It’s full up now, (I’m not a part of it) but it’s basically a FE game RP, (GBA map, sprites etc, + Stats and calculations). So basically a manual running of a FE game…… For some reason I get the feeling it’ll crash in the next week or two despite the huge amount of interest it got.

Don’t really know what it is about RotE, but it just doesn’t appeal to me for some reason xD (No offense intended, preference thing). I might check it out the side chapter thing though if I’m notified of it. (Maybe an advertisement thread which I can see in plain sight, or even a link to a post in the OoC/Signup? If thread spamming isn’t allowed here) .

Not really sure what it is about ongoing RP’s. I mean you’ve addressed the key complications with ‘information’ and ‘stats.’ But I guess it’s just overwhelming joining a group of people that already know each other, and being so far behind on ‘knowledge of events’ regardless of whether it matters or not. Stats I’m not too worried about since I don’t really mind being a flimsy grunt unit as long as stat death doesn’t equate to RP death (I know it doesn’t).

But yeah, I guess I’ll keep an eye out for the so called ‘Side Chapter’ and see if it can pique any interest in me. Now’s not a good time for me to be picking up RP’s anyway considering I’ve got a huge assignment due in on Friday which…. I’ll do tomorrow! xD

[Acacia Sgt]

Oh I certainly know that feeling. I don't particularly feel comfortable joining an ongoing RP, or rejoin one I left while we're at it. Which is a shame since very few RP's tend to remain afloat for long like LoAF and RotE have, let alone even a fraction of the ongoing time they currently have. Though considering things, I may have learned that remaining in an RP for long isn't a good thing for me... well, I'm willing to give the benefit of doubt, it may not always be that case...

Edited May 29, 2013 by Acacia Sgt

[ReformBlade]

Can't speak for my last 2 which died horrible deaths, but my newest one I'm 100% looking forward and to and hoping people will give it a chance.

[Vestige]

Totally not trying to advertise here (totally) but there's going to be a side chapter in Return of the Emblem opening up soon where a new player party is forming. Also, there's no need for new RPers/characters to know all that's going on, as they tend to get that information once they've joined the party, and all new characters get the average points (experience) gained over the course of the RP, so they're not left behind (they actually have an advantage, in some respects).

I know it's a stat RP but we usually only have battles once every three or four months, and I don't think anyone would object to a non-statted PC that doesn't participate in combat. It's perfectly fine if you'd rather not look into it, but I just thought I'd put this out there. Most new RPs on this board don't last very long or don't start at all (or are stat based anyway) so just a warning that you might be waiting a while for one.

Advertising is fine. Advertising is great! Kind of like Leki, I'm not really too interested in RotE just because...I dunno, I guess the world isn't my "style"? Not that the RP is bad by any means. But regardless, I suppose I shall keep an eye out for additional details about this side-chapter. Since, as you say, I may be waiting for a while otherwise. Haha. Hopefully it will be of some relevance to me, but I suppose time will tell. Thanks for the tip though. It's better to hear about something than nothing. ._.

Edit: I just read part of the current Paralogue and it was actually pretty interesting. Regardless of the fact that I didn't understand what the freak was happening it was actually pretty good and I kinda want to get in on the action. (I guess it's more so the world that RotE is set in is just so...meh. To me anyway.)

Edited May 31, 2013 by Vestige

[Purg]

I've never particularly been a fan of stats in RPs, though since I do a lot of tabletop gaming lately, I guess I can see the draw of it. Still, multiplayer writing is already confusing enough with each person having their own motivations and schemes brewing, and stats can occasionally inhibit some of the best things I remember reading in RPs from happening, so, in my opinion, it's best to just kinda hang around with mature people who won't try to break the story with bigger, stronger, more magical characters, and working out how the fights are going to end if it looks like a stalemate is incoming.

Also statless RPs usually are easier to sign-up for, so I'm going to count that as a point in their favor.

[Rapier]

The first part of what Cyn said, man. Both LoAF and RotE on this board are stat based RPs and they each have over ten chapters. The vast, vaaast majority of posts are the kind you would find in any RP, stats just come up in battles and occasional training sessions characters choose to engage in. It's kinda like saying an RPG is less plot driven than a book by virtue of there being numbers involved.

I still believe that counting on a stat system kills the narration of the momentum, because your creativity is completely locked to a system and the most you can do is add flavor. Unless the stat system is really good and well developed, like D&D. But then it becomes a pain because of its complexity (or maybe I'm just unused to stat RPs). In either way, I find that the RPs become a bit too automatic when there is a system.

I might check out RotE some time though.

[Vestige]

Someone should try making a non-stat RP and see how that goes. There seems to be a demand for it. Or a willing audience at the least, haha.

[ReformBlade]

I inherited a non stat RP and I made a non stat RP, both failed, but the first one was me not knowing wtf to do, second was due to outside influences.

[Vestige]

Doesn't mean someone else wouldn't be able to pull it off. :p

Though I understand your dilemma. :/

Edited June 8, 2013 by Vestige

[Rapier]

They both work perfectly. It isn't the system that hinders the RPG, it's the GM and/or the players. If you have dedicated players and you dedicate yourself to the RP, it'll live long. Oh, and competency is also included in this mix.

Edited June 9, 2013 by Rapier