On Extreme Role-playing Within XIV

[KizuyaKatogami]

I think a big problem is, at least from personal experience, even just having it in your search info that you rp as a garlean or an ascian is enough for people to harass you.

[Lauront]

It also does require you to unnaturally feel like you and your character are the same to feel offended by it as well. I mean, I have yet to feel offended when a Garlean calls me "EORZEAN SAVAGE!!!1!" during the story, can't see why it would be any different in Roleplay, especially since you can talk back to players.

Then again, I used to roleplay in WoW and let me tell you, almost every nightborne, blood, void and night elves tended to be prettyyyyyy elvish levels of xenophobic.

Indeed, and that sort of RP in WoW was fun and manifested across a number of different races in its own way. It added depth to the RP as you were able to play out the conflicts in the setting on a more individual level.

Personally, I think it's way too far and even tiring to even THINK about this idea of "if you're someone who RPs as hating lalas then you're racist irl" I just. I'm so tired. It's both a joke and insult. Like please do not put a lalafell hater on the same level as someone who would gun me down simply for breathing, do not insult me like that. If you can't comprehend why even insinuating that someone pretending to be racist against made up characters is awful, I don't know what to tell you other than you're apparently extremely sheltered and perhaps are consuming way too much fiction. Please read about reality sometimes too. The two will never compare, it'll never be the same, you will never be the leader of morality that you think you are attempting to pull that self indulgent little trick.

^This.

I mean, duh. If you think "don't roleplay" was the point of my message, man I hope I never get stuck RPing with you.

No, I understood your message - you tried reducing the OP's motives in the sort of RP they're after to little more than wanting to be edgy for its own sake. Had your point been phrased as "it won't land well with everyone, so try finding likeminded people to do it with" I might have agreed. Same with the idea that there are good and bad ways of doing it. With that said, rest assured, there is zero risk of us ever RPing, as Crystal is not exactly my destination of choice.

[Theodric]

Don't be obtuse. All roleplaying is a wish fulfilment. It's right there in the name. Role. Playing.

I want to be a big ol' racist is a choice, sure. But don't expect people to understand it or accept it.

You will find that most ideas in RP, whether they are controversial or not, tend to end up divisive. Maybe start smaller and try your best not to be misunderstood.

You may see role-play as mere wish fulfilment but that isn't the case across the board. Many people enjoy playing complicated characters with deeper issues to overcome. Or they want to play an antagonist/anti-hero because they have genuine stakes at play in the narrative compared to the protagonists who stand to lose very little by comparison.

I think that you are making an awful lot of assumptions. For starters, where did I say that my character is racist? He's perfectly open to working with people who aren't of Garlemald on a case by case basis.

I don't know why I'd need to 'start smaller', either. I've been role-playing for years with no issues across a number of MMO's. FFXIV just happens to have a particularly high number of unhinged role-players who cannot separate the character from the role-player. I'm not going to avoid role-playing something that interests me to appease the overly delicate and often spitefully hypocritical sensibilities of those with a perpetual chip atop their shoulders.

I'd also note, that the game itself has players from all over the world. As such, expecting everyone to have the exact same interests and abide by the exact same opinions/stances is something I find to be rather strange. Each to their own, but if two role-players do not seem like a good fit for one another they do not need to interact and can part ways in a civil manner.

In my experience, however, there's a number of individuals who go out of their way to attack anyone who dares role-play to 'wrong' type of character. Simply role-playing a Garlean, regardless of background or alignment, is enough for some to receive death threats. I know people who play Garlean defectors who have received such unfortunate treatment.

It's just a fun hobby at the end of the day. I also think that it isn't anybody's responsibility to entertain the unreasonable expectations and limitations that some seek to impose upon everybody else.

[Vahlnir]

Such lengthy discussions about this when it's so simple. Nobody wants to be around a dick like that.

And this is where the thread should have ended.

Care to explain? Like around a character that is a dick, or are you saying the person who creates the character is a dick?

Personally, I'm of the opinion that if someone decides to RP as a racist character...it's a little bit of both.

[Bobby66]

And this is where the thread should have ended.



Personally, I'm of the opinion that if someone decides to RP as a racist character...it's a little bit of both.

Do you feel if the character is done poorly the person is a dick or just the general concept makes the person a dick? Just seems weird to judge a person based off a character they have created. I have met many racist characters that were done tastefully and were a joy to RP with, it is all in the evacuation. Though tbh it seems like just the concept alone seems to annoy people and even is used as a metric to judge the creator by,

[Vahlnir]

Do you feel if the character is done poorly the person is a dick or just the general concept makes the person a dick? Just seems weird to judge a person based off a character they have created. I have met many racist characters that were done tastefully and were a joy to RP with, it is all in the evacuation. Though tbh it seems like just the concept alone seems to annoy people and even is used as a metric to judge the creator by,

I don't think my post needs any more explanation. I have nothing more to add.

[Caurcas]

Some of these takes show exactly why 14 is becoming stale, and just not the rp scene. It's dreadfully tame and neatly packaged. There is no exploration on the themes presented, just surface level grazing. To allow and push for certain "extremity" of thoughts and characters makes the game far more diverse. Something that it currently lacks.

[Kikoten]

Some of these takes show exactly why 14 is becoming stale, and just not the rp scene. It's dreadfully tame and neatly packaged. There is no exploration on the themes presented, just surface level grazing. To allow and push for certain "extremity" of thoughts and characters makes the game far more diverse. Something that it currently lacks.

I believe there is plenty of potential in what you mentioned post-6.0. I'm certainly hoping for it, at least. I want to see more stories like the Bloody Banquet, where the line between good and bad becomes blurred and the protagonists are backed against the wall. I've never seen such an emotional response to any other part of the MSQ from the community than the Bloody Banquet.

[MilkieTea]

And this is where the thread should have ended.



Personally, I'm of the opinion that if someone decides to RP as a racist character...it's a little bit of both.

This tbh. If you're roleplaying as a racist character, I don't really want to talk to you - while it might not mean you yourself are racist, I just don't want to deal with that stuff in general.

[Wyssahtyn]

I think a problem with a lot of people's roleplay is that they can't separate themselves from their character. Rather, the character isn't a unique entity, it is them (the player) in the game world. Where they bring their real life ideologies, and feelings, into the game; they tend to take their roleplay personally, which can lead to heated exchanges. Granted, on the other side people can also take extreme role playing too far, and hide behind that as "just roleplay" as well, not going to say that doesn't happen.

This is a better detailed post on the issues of XIV's RP scene.