RP vs. the in-game story

[Kabjat]

I just want to start off by saying that I totally support RP in SWTOR and I really REALLY hope that a thriving RP community accumulates as the months go by. I used to RP heavily but decided not to in this game. I have a question that has bounced around in my head ever since the game came out.

 

How will healthy RP come about in this game if the game itself basically turns each of us into a special snowflake that is the best bounty hunter, sith warrior, Jedi knight that ever lived? I mean, think about it. We create our character, he/she is immediately handpicked for a dangerous mission with the fate of the republic/empire on their shoulders, only to defeat impossible odds, thereby proving to all that he/she is the best of the best. Our character very quickly and quite astonishingly rises in power. We have a full retinue of companions that do whatever we tell them to. And in the end, we always get the pretty girl/handsome guy to fall in love with us.

 

Add to that the story aspect of it. You are given missions constantly by individuals who either fear you, worship you, or fall all over themselves complimenting you for the endless list of valorous acts saving them all from certain doom. You nod sagely or bark at the worm impatiently demanding your recompense. Whatever character you play, villian or hero for the people, or hired gun out for yourself.

 

Whatever your role, You. Are. Just. That. Awesome.

 

And I LOVE it! It's been a total blast leveling and immersing myself in this amazing world and story.

 

Here's where I scratch my head, befuddled...especially when I wonder how in the world one would go from the above AMAZING perfect godmoding character to one that would not be a MISERY to RP with.

 

This is a textbook Mary Sue.

 

Now I totally understand why this is done from a SINGLE player aspect. Hell, it's a fantasy, and I drive my own story. But when you bring OTHER players into it, how do you present this character? Obviously, any seasoned roleplayer knows that claiming your character did everything the way the story unfolded during gameplay would be a big no-no. Or perhaps the rules in SWTOR have changed?

 

I am GENUINELY curious and would love to know how RP guilds deal with this and what guidelines are set for RP. Do you just simply disregard the in-game story and create something new and fresh from scratch?

 

trolling responses will be ignored and flagged. I am seriously interested and think this is a valid question. I would have searched to see if it's been asked before but, alas, I couldn't.

[Jenovan]

I think someone brought this up a few days ago (alas, poor Search Function...); I didn't catch the replies there, but in our guild at least, we've got a loose backstory for the guild and why we're together. The game story seems pretty much ignored, because yes, we can't all be avatars of awesome. We also keep the companions out of it, since they'd cause issues of uniqueness (or a lack thereof).

 

On a different front entirely, I'm running through leveling with a friend, and since we're different classes (BH and IA), we can play up the game's story aspect all we like. Not that we have, heavily; our RP moments are not frequent and tend to be more about the interplay between our characters (classic Chaotic vs. Lawful ) than the movements of the world at large. But it's not a huge issue at a small scale between two different classes, I think.

Edited January 13, 2012 by Jenovan

[Kabjat]

I think someone brought this up a few days ago (alas, poor Search Function...); I didn't catch the replies there, but in our guild at least, we've got a loose backstory for the guild and why we're together. The game story seems pretty much ignored, because yes, we can't all be avatars of awesome. We also keep the companions out of it, since they'd cause issues of uniqueness (or a lack thereof).

 

On a different front entirely, I'm running through leveling with a friend, and since we're different classes (BH and IA), we can play up the game's story aspect all we like. Not that we have, heavily; our RP moments are not frequent and tend to be more about the interplay between our characters (classic Chaotic vs. Lawful ) than the movements of the world at large. But it's not a huge issue at a small scale between two different classes, I think.

 

That's exactly the type of answer I was looking for. And I figured that with experienced RPers that what you explained would be the case. I have had way too much experience with god moding guildies and nightmarish encounters with mary sues in wow...so much so that I just got disgusted with even trying to RP anymore. >.< And with this game being set up the way it is, story driven and such, it just got me wondering if that would inhibit good solid roleplay.

[DarkestDaemon]

There will, of course, be a bit of a mismatch on both sides as well. It's -hard- not to be powerful as a Sith or Jedi... and, unless the person is RPing a Jedi Padawan, there shouldn't be much of the 'happy-go-lucky, bumbling' type character for either one. Hell, that type of character, which I began to detest in WoW, can't exist in this universe if it's being played to the archetypes.

 

You'll wind up dead playing that, and the story tends to reinforce it.

 

Anyways, I have my own plans on how I'm going to be RPing some of my characters. My Sith Warrior is one I'm on the fence about. I like the idea of him being a member of the Dark Council, but at the same time I figure it'd be best if he were just your average Darth.

 

Personally, I'm hoping for the day they introduce the ability to use add-ons with the game. Then the day the first RP add-on comes out of it. I already have my character's backstory worked out for the most part... the issues in game he has barely dealt with. His entire history amongst the Empire was more about being a commando type of Sith who went out to hunt Jedi.

 

Twenty sabers from all the Jedi he's killed so far