Prince

Let's B!tch. I feel it's a healthy release for our roleplay annoyances 2.0

I dislike collabing or the idea of using titanpad or otherwise within a small group as opposed to just getting on with the IC posting itself. All it takes is for one person to slow things down within a collab and it hinders and slows down the rest too (not to mention the difficulties involved with seperate timezones and the like), whereas if you've got the IC actually continually moving it makes it easier for every other player to respond to.

I would combat that simply with the fact you can get a whole lot more done in terms of plot and 'moving forward' in a collab session than you can via IC posting in the same amount of time. I would even say that among good roleplayers, a 2 hour collab session could easily be worth 2 days of inconsistent IC posting. Essentially, if someone is going to stop posting or not be active, it's going to hurt you and the roleplay regardless of what posting style you're using. I would even disagree with the thought that any form of IC posting makes it easier for 'every other player to respond to' when there are only four or five roleplayers. If one has just wrote, there are three or four. If one is inactive, two or three. That means, in any case, there are two or three roleplayers on standby that can post. If one person is inactive, they're going to be equally detrimental to a collab or an IC, but in a collab you can just edit and insert whatever information you need to bypass them without utterly disregarding them, which gives their character a sense of presence when they're actually not and gives the roleplayer an equal opportunity to respond. It also makes it easy to assess just how big of a detriment a roleplayer can be in terms of progress.

The entire dynamic of collabing is far more effective than single posting. It comes at the cost of writing being a shared event. Writing a post suddenly becomes a 'session' over a 'set of time' instead of a little scenario when you're done. You suddenly have to engage with other people actively. The downfall of it is solely that people and their schedules don't often align correctly. Although easy for some, a lot of people aren't active at the same time as others, so creating a 'session' isn't nearly as easy so the benefits aren't fully reaped. Once the actual benefits and dynamic of collabing is established, it is - in my opinion - the single healthiest, most effective and most productive method of text-based roleplay.

However, I will admit that ideally you won't collab 'all the time'. In many cases, character interaction or plot events won't allow it. So, really, knowing when and how to use tools such as collaboration posts is the skill to develop. Every situation in a constantly changing dynamic such as a text-based adventure and/or story calls for a different medium to address it by. Just because a method is more effective in several ways doesn't make it the best suited for the given situation.

Let's B!tch. I feel it's a healthy release for our roleplay annoyances 2.0

In small roleplay, I find the idea of separate posting to be more detrimental than slow posters or speed posters. If you have five or less people, just use titanpad and you'll increase interaction tenfold, increase quality, refine the end results and encourage every being together or being part of something instead of individual posting. Not saying to do this all the time or to require the entire group, but it is just exponentially more effective.

In larger groups, it's beneficial to actually find a method to separate out the different kinds of posters until they need to interact. If you have 6+ roleplayers, you're gonna kill a roleplay by forcing them to all be together all the time, so it's just a feat of social and literary engineering to get them segregating in efficient little groups.

Let's B!tch. I feel it's a healthy release for our roleplay annoyances 2.0

It does, actually, but in a way it also doesn't. I could go into roleplay theory for hours; I've spent ample time studying papers published by the Meilahti and Turku schools as well as became well-versed with GNS theory as well as basically all theories derived from the threefold model. I followed Ron Edwards for a long time after I immersed myself in tabletop-style roleplay, as well as simulations thereof (such as Baldur's Gate, Vampires: The Masquerade, etc.).

I would boldly say immediately that because this is purely text-based roleplay, it must be addressed with such an outlook. GNS theory would logically say that pure-text based gameplay focuses on the narrative, but the facts are there are still gamist and simulationist aspects, as well as several other factors. In short, when applying any of those theories, it must be done intelligently and with careful, careful forethought.

This is just the way I think. I use pre-existing structure and guidelines to understand things, including stories, books and literary technique. I believe at one time I even questioned debate technique. It's because there is, in fact, a formal way these things are done and observed for the sake of maximum effectiveness and understanding in an objective view.

Roleplay, whether it is an art or not, is no different. In any art class, you learn that there is a different between looking at art and seeing it. You can look at anything; you can even look at things subconsciously. But, seeing something involves the applications of memories, feelings and logic as you perceive it and that is the definite difference here. In this situation, I look at these aspects and these interactions using my memories (what I've learned through study) and logic to understand better what is happening, although I must admit as anyone should that I do have personal feelings and biases to some things. Just a fact.

When looking at 1x1's, I stop labeling them. It's important to understand what makes a 1x1 different, what the category is, instead of just titling it and moving on. A 1x1 is, most commonly, a roleplay without a formal moderator and with only two roleplayers. This is important because, as you just showed, you only looked at the number of people in it, not their relationship to the roleplay. It's true that I did the same, but that was because I was addressing the point of why I believe 1x1's get stale.

If you add a third person, you add in a whole new element. Once there are three, what if one person would prefer making plots, NPC's, etc. instead of a single PC? Does each person need to focus on a single PC? I've seen 1x1's, as I've just described them, that have the roleplayers against each other as often as they team up. What if it becomes 2v1 in IC, is it 2v1 OOC? If not, how are situations determined? If one person creates the main conflict, are they not an informal moderator in the sense they're mostly influencing the plot and setting?

In short, a 1x1 exists as it is because it is incredibly simple to create a roleplay, setting and plot that in general focus on two characters. The addition of a third changes the dynamic in the sense that it limits a few possibilities due to the complexity of their nature. I said before that a 1x1 limits interaction, and this is essentially what I mean. With the elimination of a large chunk of interaction and plot dynamics, you simplify an incredible amount of the roleplay and eliminate many of the leading needs for Moderation.

But, let's go back to why you are in fact on track in my opinion. With three roleplayers, you increase interaction, but you also create the need for more structure. All you have to do is create that structure and answer the questions that arise. If done cooperatively, you eliminate the need for further moderation and you can address the plot, setting and roleplay itself as it matures, and even reassess how things need to be ran or how the structure should be. Now, what did we add here? Was it just another player? No.

We added structure. We created something like an access point to a roleplay where a third person can come in and be part of it, and that's a huge task as well as a huge observation to take note of. It is neither an easy task or a common one, but it is possible and as a matter of fact it's the reason that most of the time roleplayers seek out the structure from the very beginning. A 1x1 rarely becomes a 1x1x1, yet a large roleplay can be dissolved easily into 1x1's and often times you could have multiple 1x1's existing within the same plot and setting but never actually interacting on an personal level - that's a hugely advanced roleplay concept most often called non-linear networking.

But I do digress and pose the interesting query: if you added a bit of structure to add a third person, what do you do for a fourth? Logically, you do the same. At what point does the structure become too complex, time-consuming or just--plain tedious for the group to do? At what point is there a need for an actual Moderator? A GM? That is a personal question related to personal preference; something I talk about a lot. If you stop looking at 1x1's as a different genre, it's a lot easier to see a relationship like this. Overall, compatibility, patience, attitude, creative outlets and personal preference all play huge roles in this. I know plenty of people in 1x1's that don't like the idea of only roleplaynig with one person as much as they just dislike the idea of a Moderation, whether they're polite or overbearing.

A whole different topic is one called a "Shared World", which is an incredible tool and roleplaynig concept, but it is rarely effective. If used, it has the potential to create large, interesting roleplaying scenarios, all bound together with a single context. A prime example would be Mizahar or any Final Fantasy and/or Naruto themed roleplay forum. They're a-dime-a-dozen, but they all have these immense amounts of characters and plot sharing the same setting. A 1x1 scenario here on RPGuild has nothing in comparison to the immensity, and that is because social engineering here is definitely meant for the small scale. I pose the thought that the social status here doesn't at all mean it is the best or most effective, merely serves a purpose. Some of the points I made here should easily highlight that.

Welcome! Welcome to De' Seil Carnival!

Slice of Life, as you call them, were one of the roleplay styles my mentors trained us with. The goal was to create a thrilling story for the reader and/or audience while using the driest possible plot and some strict rules. I always hated them, but then again, that's because I was always forced to 'not' do things that I personally did IRL because they seemed too unrealistic. I was voted most dramatic in my school, for any insight to that. Anyway, they tend to be tough, dull and only rewarding if you have the correct group of roleplayers, however, I will admit, that you get a huge sense of self-satisfaction seeing what is basically nothing but your writing skills and innovative creativity create an interesting, enthralling story.

I can even remember what my old mentor referred to them as. He said, "Amb, have you ever watched the LMN channel? ... No? Well, you're about to become a screen writer for it." Long story short, I hate LMN.

Edit: From what I've seen recently, it's more like Teen Mom meets teenage, sexual frustration, but whatever.

Edit #2:

SweetCinderella said Keep her distance
Rosalina shall
Quite far indeed

Also…. Wesker… is pretty much God…

Chances are, she'd probably know the name "Aurelianus Anterioris" and "Percurssor Sanctorum"; as a matter of fact, I intended for him to have a distinct amount of notoriety, even to someone like Mr. Seil. Malignitas is, I'd imagine, a hugely vied for item/ability. Imagine Mr. Seil with complete immunity to all that is pure? A demon dubbed the Angelslayer... well, I guess you get where I'm going.

However, I'd also doubt that Mr. Seil would just introduce him as the Angelslayer. He could just be Antoine for a while, until someone (if someone) uncovers his actual past. I have no idea how old some of these characters are, but Antoine is in fact the oldest 'stated' character. He spent more time soul searching after his break down than over half of these characters posted have been alive. Basically, his names: The Angelslayer, Percurssor Sanctorum, Aurelianus could all be so old and so mythic that people thought of them as legend, and similarly his power - or I should say near-invulnerability.

Sidenote: Wesker is, in fact, our resident, evil deity.

Let's B!tch. I feel it's a healthy release for our roleplay annoyances 2.0

I generally dislike 1x1's. Even with the best of partners, you begin to understand characters so intimately you can predict almost every single thing that will happen. At a point, to me, it feels like you lose the element... of interaction. Even if you have a second person brainstorming ideas and plotlines, fact is, at some point your characters will be fleshed out to the point that other person might as well be an extension of yourself and vice versa.

I staunchly believe that the fundamental and guiding principle of roleplay is interaction. If you can start predicting the outcomes of interaction with even just a 75% accuracy, it defeats the purpose of giving control to someone else, especially when you get up to the points where you're working on these literary tapestries instead of just weaving a few things together and hoping it doesn't fall apart.

Adding a third person changes the dynamic greatly. It only goes exponentially further from there. Increasing interaction within a roleplay strengthens it down to its very infrastructure. It's true that weak interaction can be detrimental, but so can an abrupt lack of it. This definitely relates to the point being made about forced romances, or just their likeliness. It's a strong plot element and really it's an aspect of human nature, too. They appear to be convenient, strong interaction between characters when they an easily be the exact opposite.

However, this does revert back to a previous point. Why 1x1's tend to bring forth some of the best roleplays between people, and the answer to that is simple. With just two people, if they're compatible writers, it's really easy to create a thriving roleplay and work off the low levels of interaction by manipulating the world around them for the characters. The plots can be so character-centric, the events full of character development and bonding. Essentially, it's easier to engage in more difficult aspects of roleplay because there are fewer factors. It is this relationship, this ratio, that makes it easy to respond to interaction in a healthy manner because there truly is less of it. At the same time, it's harder to keep a plot from running stale or a dynamic from getting old if there is such limited levels of interaction and factors being incorporated into a plot and/or setting.

Let's B!tch. I feel it's a healthy release for our roleplay annoyances 2.0

With this post, this thread has officially outlived its predecessor. Just an observation.

Edit: I really feel it important to point out Elitism itself isn't a problem. It has this terribly negative connotation to it, but Elitism itself merely refers to the choice or best of anything collective in such a case of people or merely the people of highest class. That has a huge scope of possibilities because the status of 'best' or 'being choice' is utterly subjective. The highest class could exist because of a meritocratic system just as much as it could an monarchical or traditional system. An Elitist that is a problem is one that believes in some higher 'tier' solely to place themselves within it, thus have a sense of self-entitlement based on unprecedented claims. Considering that the entire system presented here on RPGuild is based on a GM that essentially has dictatorial authority, social stratification itself isn't uncommon. There is an obvious division line. It exists and performs a function. Elitism, such as that of a meritocratic system, could as well. I really think a far better term here would be 'narcissist' or - my personal favorite - 'asshole'. It really irks me that a potentially positive function of society is used so distastefully because of a negative connotation of the word.

Sort've like Communists, Socialists... or Libertarians. Although, that also depends highly on culture and geographic placement. I've got some friends on the West Coast that think Libertarians are utterly perfect while just about everyone else I know think they're too idealistic to take seriously.

Welcome! Welcome to De' Seil Carnival!

Antoine

Theme


We are one...

"No... these people... I have no desire to cause such pain. To be so―"

―Cruelty is in our nature. The blood of our ancestors is that of infernal taint.

"We are not the same, and for a reason: I have no desire to be like our ansce―

―You are wrong; our desires manifest in me.

"You have a name. A mind. I can hear the echoes of your dark thoughts in my very soul, Malignitas."

You are ignorant to believe that those voices originate from me alone.

"You are arrogant to think―

―The seeds of those thoughts are sewn into us as a whole; inside me, they flourish, and that is the only difference.

"No! I do not want to hurt any―"

―No amount of ignorance shall forestall our sin! The proof of our nature will be the euphoria of their death.
Demonic Appearance

---

Biography & How You Came to be a Member of The Carnival?

Borne to the infernal,
Flesh of sin and flame

Borne an abomination,
A soul without a name

Among the devils and the imps,
He shone with sheer of blade.

Alive after his companions,
His shine refused to fade

He slashed their wings,
He slit their throats.

He crushed their halos,
He changed their notes.

No angel sung a hymn of valor,
Instead they prayed for a savior.

For they would need one,
From the angelslayer.

Appearance

Antoine was born in the pits of Hell (Urbaniel) as a meager foot soldier to fight and die in the demonic legions that attempted to swarm Azure, paralleling the Holy Crusades of E-arth. Hundreds upon hundreds of his kind were born and bred for the sole sake of fighting and dying in an attempt to kill whatever enemy they faced; be it trolls that barred their way, fae that pestered their pride or angels whose purity posed a threat. Antoine was born with dozens of brothers and sisters in a batch, his entire breed of demon called Anterioria, meaning "of the front"―specifically, the front line.

Unlike his brothers and sisters (whom have all perished at this point, presumably), Antoine was gifted with a remarkable trait that ultimately made him outlast any of his kind, normally considered grunts that never even learned to use magic. Antoine created and poured his entire demonic nature and even part of his soul into a weapon merged with his own flesh. This separation of his demonic nature and his demonic granted him immunity from all of the normal weaknesses of a demon while preserving their strengths. Essentially invulnerable, Antoine outlasted any of his kind, and made himself known in the Holy Wars of Azure.

Among his demonic brothers, he was called Aurelianus, meaning he who is of Gold. This was due to the sheer worth of a soldier that could single-handedly slaughter angels, the bane of his klnd. Among the cherubs and archangels alike, he was known as something far more deviant: Percussor Sanctorum, meaning killer of the Holy. Something was lost in translation, as what it truly meant was angelslayer. Unparalleled in bladeplay and controlling fire magic so powerful it was said he could conjure and control an ocean of flame to consume an army, Aurelianus or Percussor Sanctorum pending on preference was feared by angels and revered by his brethren.

Centuries of half-thoughtless slaughter led to a development that could only be explained by his mutant nature. A low-ranking, relatively weak demon that should have died on the front lines alongside his other batchlings developed morality. Guilt. Remorse. Antoine had eventually attained a deeper understanding of what he was doing and why. What he accepted, however, is what made him stand out. Antoine broke down, realizing just how wrong he was. Seeing and still feeling his nature, Antoine was disgusted with himself all while consumed by unbelievable guilt.

Antoine left the Holy Wars and more over left a large gap in the strength of the demonic legions, albeit not one great enough to turn the tides of the ever-going war. Venturing the world in search of a way to rid himself of Malignitas, the sword that manifested his demonic nature, he found the De' Seil Carnival, but was far from desperate enough to undergo a contract immediately. It took three more centuries of fighting off (and losing to) his demonic nature and horrific impulses before he ultimately gave in and signed a contract with Reciful Siel. Under the alias Antoine and with great reluctance (and an even greater debt on his contract), Antoine became the newest addition to the De' Seil Carnival.

Full Name.

Aurelianus "Antoine" Anterioris

Age:

1793

Gender:

Male

Species:

Demon (Mutant)

Fallen Angel or Pure Demon:

Pure Demon

Weapon of Choice.

Malignitas

Job Title & Description.

Fire Tamer

Number of Souls You Have to Collect.

5, 000, 000

Number of Years You Have to Collect Souls.

2, 500

What Was Your Wish?

To forfeit his demonic lineage to subsequently forfeit Malignitas, thus lose his cruel nature.

How Many Souls Have You Collected?

4

How Long Have You Been at the Carnival?

About 3 days.

Significant/Special Belongings.

Malignitas, a semi-sentient, organic sword that can be regurgitated at will.


Most Used Power:

Malignitas, the blade of Aurelianus, is a literal manifestation of his cruelty, spite, rage and darkness. It has a burning passion for causing death, pain and destruction equalled only by its unquenchable thirst for blood. As it is a literal part of Aurelianus, it has a will of its own and that will is what grants Aurelianus his unique nature. This power is called the Will of Malice and it is all-but immune to purity. Its darkness can consume the light and it can meet the Ironswords of crusaders and the purity angels alike with no qualms. If disarmed, this blade will return through fire and flames to Aurelianus. The blade itself has been called more of a shield than a sword as it grants Aurelianus no other significant power than the ability to combat the purest of souls on the holiest of grounds. Although hardly combat applicable, Malignitas can cause a taint to anything around it, literally and passively corrupting all around it.

In his lifetime, Aurelianus has only mastered one of the four elements: fire. His mastery of it, in his prime, granted him a green flame that burned hotter than any mortal one, dubbed Hellfire. Aside from this, Aurelianus was able to walk through flames and use their intense heat as barriers and at times secondary weapons. His control over fire, in his demonic state, was considered so grand that he could control an ocean of flames that only the greatest of magics could quell. His strengths in other magics is minuscule, arguably mere parlor tricks. Among historians and veteran magicians, Hellfire itself is considered one of the purest forms of demonic magic, as it is believed to be fire tainted by evil itself. Regardless of its fables, Hellfire is normally recognized as a powerful magic.

Fighting Skills/Techniques.

Aurelianus is far from unbeatable in battle. He has been beaten and barely escaped werewolves, trolls and vampires alike in his lifetime. His true strength is in the slaughter of angels. Fighting with fire that can melt iron and blade essentially makes him impervious to one of the natural weaknesses of demons, Fighting with no adverse effects from purity or anything that is Holy essentially makes him impervious to both of the natural weaknesses of demons. Aurelianus is the bane of any holy or pure being. His 'oceans' of fire is a great hyperbole that is only applicable if there is in fact that much flame present, as creating it himself would be impossible for his limitations. His Hellfire is his greatest offense to any other being, and at times that has proven to even fall short.

Personality.

In a word: conflicted. Aurelianus, most commonly referred to as Antoine, has developed a complete and utter disdain for his demonic nature. Nearly thirteen hundred years of his life were spent in the battlefield fighting wars that paralleled the Holy Crusades of E-arth. His time in the conflicts and in war, killing countless and condemning their souls, had an adverse effect on his demonic nature. His mutation - a genetic one as he was borne of demonic lineage - made his instincts manifest in a piece of flesh that fell from his body and hardened as the blade known as Malignitas. Subsequently, the years of wielding his sword were spent with his physical body not completely in tune with his demonic nature, thus giving him what few demons have: a conscience. In his case, an incredibly hefty one. Although he is at times consumed by his demonic nature (and goes on killing rampages accordingly), he feels intense sadness and grief for doing so. So much that roughly four hundred years of his life were spent in solitude, attempting to understand himself and fight off his homicidal tendencies.

How the Collection of Souls has Affected Your Character?

Not a lot yet, but it will cause internal conflict as his wish is to forfeit the cruelty that he deals.

Never actually made it into the first roleplay, nor did he establish any pre-existing relationships. This reboot shouldn't really hurt him or the whole 'newcomer to the Carnival' aspect I wanted to play him with.

Supreme Team Psi!

"It was so difficult to choose a proper candidate for this one... I'm surprise I even found one," said the mysterious man in the long trench coat. He had cornered Taiyou in one of the offices that were used as tutoring lounges after school. Granted the academic capabilities Taiyou had, he often tutored for bonus points... and mostly time away from his father.

"W-What do you mean candidate... ?" Taiyou had replied in a distinct level of unease. He had no idea who this person was, and he was generally familiar with every member of the staff.

"Haha, my boy! You'll find out in time. But, to boil it down, the gift I give you is possibly the most difficult to control, and easily the most difficult to understand. With it, however, comes some of the most unpredictable abilities and odd applications. In the end, I choose you because... well, because... I suppose the gift I give you is something you lack. It is that void in you that will help you control it. I could not easily trust another with it, you see," the man explained to him all while he pulled out a golden brooch of the classical theatre mask. It made very little sense, in all reality. Taiyou had plenty of trophies, some even gold-plated, but he had no real skill in acting or any performance art. What the man said, how he said it, it made so little sense to Taiyou. There was no logic here; at least, none that he could see.

Just as Taiyou attempted to ask a question, barely mouthing a syllable, the man darted forward and pressed the brooch against Taiyou's chest. In a quick response. Taiyou caught it, but just as quickly as the man had dashed at him to put on the dart, he had disappeared out the door. Taiyou attempted to pursue him, but it was a forlorn effort. He was gone, and Taiyou was left with an odd item that he had never anticipated.

Taiyou allowed his now-green hair to blow in the wind as he watched the battle royale below. The voices in his brooch, which were somewhat always murmuring, were in an uproar recently, and led him to this spot. He activated his brooch, as he had learned to do so after class (despite only having it one day, instead of two like most others) after realizing the possible danger that ensued. For now, he was simply watching out of sight. He watched the battle, the casualties, the killing and more over he watched the others and their abilities. It was somewhat making sense over time. He knew very little about what they could all do, or even what all he could do, but he knew they all could do different things. At this very moment, he was contemplating whether or not he should introduce himself. However, it did seem quite dangerous.

The only voice that had a current opinion was that of Sik, whom took great delight in the destruct and apparent death. The others remained quite. Sill found nothing interesting and Psyche was most likely observing the situation just as much as Taiyou. They were all mere reflections of his personality, but as long as he was the wearer of that brooch, they all might as well have been as real as another person. Taiyou theorized that if another person were to activate that brooch, they might not get Sill, Psyche and Sik. Although, it was just a theory. Taiyou had no idea how the three were even correlated to begin with, let alone what another person might experience. It was just a thought.

Supreme Team Psi!

I added a "Maskless" appearance. It's the core Sentai form he would be in if he had no mask active. I believe that's what you were aiming for? If he used up his masks, that would be his fall back appearance and "form"; he also would not have access to any of his abilities, only his cards.

Supreme Team Psi!

@Prince: Your profile is excellent, and I love how you came up with the abilities. But the only problem I have with your profile is the multiple sentai forms.

I thought that might have been a small problem, and I did try to take steps to combat it. For example, I limited his utility and healing via masks. I also went as far as making the masks (and their forms) an ability. The passive abilities bestowed by them are, by comparison, weaker than most other Sentai abilities; as a matter of fact, none of them do any damage. The passives are all centered around displacement. Levitation, Doppleganger/Switching and Teleporting are support abilities. Also, the conjuration of 'props' is meant to fit the theme of 'genie' or 'silly' for that form.

If you want, I could create a 'Core' Sentai form he takes upon using his badge, but the function here is important because the different masks and forms represent some of the fundamental forms of humor. It's a really, really hard theme to do because humor can be expressed in so many ways. Clownlike laughter, witty jokes and you could even express a maniacal, murderous rampage as a form of humor to the sick and demented. Each form is really just a change in appearance and abilities that all relate to humor, which I thought was a perfect way to address the Sense of Humor itself.