Audience Participation Double Header!
By falconesse | June 21, 2010
Don’t worry, cats ‘n’ kittens, I haven’t forgotten about the next post in the “running an RP event” series. However, since I’m running behind today, I sent out the HALP I NEED A TOPIC signal, and got two very good questions:
From that Fellsabucket:
“How do you balance out personal like/dislike for a character between IC and OOC reactions?”
Most of us have been there before — there’s a character that bumps into yours on occasion, and your character simply can’t get along with him or her. Maybe Lord Mason”s looked down his nose at your character because he comes from money and she was a farmhand. Or perhaps Trixie”s all too willing to twirl her daggers and brag about her recent crime spree to your law-abiding paladin.
On the flipside, you and your character think roses grow in Elsa’s footsteps and she could never do any wrong.
So how do you handle those situations in and out of character? It boils down, as always, to communication.
If another character’s doing something that will spark a negative reaction from your character, drop the player an OOC whisper to give them a heads-up. Sometimes, the conflict will be welcome. (<3 Arrens!) Other times, the two of you might want to step back for a few minutes and talk about ways to diffuse the situation, especially if a shouting match might mean one character or the other stalks off, thus taking them out of any larger RP gatherings that are happening at the time.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, for Elsa, who can do no wrong, a little bit of brainstorming with the other player might be productive. What sorts of things might she do that would show your character she has flaws of her own, that might flesh her out for both of you?
Those are scenarios that are easier to work through. What happens if you simply, OOCly, don’t care for the character concept? Your friend Joe really, truly thinks he can pull off a character that’s half-dragon. You’re not so keen on the premise. It’s your right to say “I think I’m going to bow out of Joestrasza’s quest to discover his true heritage.” But when your character’s around Joe’s in a casual setting, can they coexist civilly?
Sometimes, your characters will simply never get along. That’s okay! However, make sure the lines of communication are open with the other player. If the conflict stops being fun OOC, it’s time to take another look and make some changes.
—
From Itanya Blade:
“Talk about how to RP losing.”
This is an excellent question, and you guys are welcome to jump on in with examples from your own RP experiences — I know I won’t think of all the angles, because there are just so many.
What fun is it if you win all the time? Failure can be a great vehicle for character development.
First of all, consider what’s at stake — if your character doesn’t win the fight, or doesn’t make it to the destination on time, what kind of loss does he or she suffer? Losing a few gold in a card game probably won’t have the same impact as losing a sword that’s been in the family for generations. However, if your character’s the best card shark this side of the Maelstrom, losing the game means is reputation takes a hit. Billy the Undefeated becomes Billy the Guy I Saw Lose That One Time. The loss can be a physical one, too: someone else gets the upper hand in a brawl, and your character’s left spitting out teeth outside the pub.
If your character is losing to another PC, discuss it with the other player. This is actually an RP opportunity for both parties. What if your character’s great-great-great-great grandfather actually stole the sword from his rival? And that’s who’s come to take it back? What if Sally the Sly is the best card shark from the other side of the Maelstrom? Maybe it kicks off a long-standing rivalry between the two.
But always make sure you’re talking it out with one another OOC. If one character’s beating the hell out of the other, know when to say when. Even if you’re making up the fight as you go along, keep the lines of communication open. I remember witnessing the OOC chatter one night when Bricu, Tarquin and Ceil were fighting — “There’s a set of stairs here. Someone’s getting knocked down them.” // “YES!” — they were orchestrating the fight as they went along and having fun with it. At the same time, they kept the fight fairly even. No one really had the upper hand (in this fight, everyone lost.)
It’s also possible that the opponents aren’t evenly matched, which leads to a loss. The cocky young paladin, fresh from the Abbey, challenges a knight of the Argent Crusade and suffers a humiliating defeat. The goblins sold your elf some enchanted dice, and they’ve always worked… until the mage she challenges counterspells the effect.
Once the loss has happened, what are the consequences? What happens if your mage goes back to her master without his grimoire? Will your character’s family disown him when they find out the sword is gone? Can Billy-the-Recently-Defeated show his face at any card tables in town without people laughing?
How does your character face those consequences (or do they face them at all?) Do they suck it up and tell other people about their defeat? Do they try to cover it up? Pretend it never happened? Run as far away as they can get?
How does losing change the character, or, what has he/she learned? Your character doesn’t have to do a big, huge, personality 180 after losing, but it’s good to see the loss have some effect on character development. Maybe she’s more wary of goblin dice, or gambling with mages. Maybe he starts carrying brass knuckles in his pocket to be ready for his next barroom brawl. Seeing her mother’s reaction to the loss of the heirloom sword makes her appreciate the legacy, or makes her question everything she knew.
Finally, what comes next? The losing doesn’t have to be the end of the story, and can, in fact, launch the next part of the arc. Does the character seek redemption? Does he organize a poker tournament to regain his title? Does she find another way to come out on top? How does it affect her relationship with the person she lost to?
Have at it, cats ‘n’ kittens. Tell us about a time your character lost, and what the fallout was.
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