Beginning at RPs

[Jeram]

I'm basically a beginner at online RPGs - the most I've ever done is participate in collaborative story writing with RPG elements.

What I'm trying to do is improve my skill as a player, and as such I would need to join a game either meant for beginnners, or one where I wouldn't be penalized as much for beginner mistakes, as I am still learning.

I've looked through the Testing Grounds board, and it seems that most new RPGs coming up are too advanced for me, so I'm wondering if anyone knows of any other place I could find ORPGs to practive and improve?

For now, I will try to improve by reading other people as they RP.

[Merc]

Well, I say go ahead and try getting into those new RPGs anyway.

Best way to learn, IMO, is to get thrown into the deep end of the pool once you have a basic idea of what to do, and not drown. Using what Drac told you in the saviors ooc thread is a pretty good start.

Don't be discouraged because you didn't get into the Wilhelm Estate one. That one gets terminated on someone using OOC knowledge, so obviously that would be a bad place to start, considering that's one of the habits you're trying to rein in.

However, some of those other RPGs in the testing grounds will probably be willing to forgive it (to some degree anyway), and help you get a better of handle on being a better player.

Yes, they may be somewhat "advanced" as well, but they're not situations where a beginner mistake would lead to the game abruptly ending for the other players in addition to you, and that means the GM is much more likely to be forgiving.

[thepanda]

I have to agree with Nagi here. The best practice is leaping right in and learning to swim.

My own career ORPG-wise started during tomb. To date I've been in three different versions of the game and so far I've had a character struck down for not posting quickly enough and another sent straight to hell because of a chancy decision on my part. I'm still learning, but this high difficulty, low survival campaign is what toughed my up for more advanced play. Some say tomb shouldn't be run by newbies, but I must disagree. It's one of the few where it demands that you use that thing resting on your neck or pay the price. It's as simple as that. OOC knowledge is scarce as well, while the player builds confidence from passing traps successfully. It's the perfect training run, in my opinion.

Heck, I can feel the difference in how I play the one surviving tomb character now compared to the less than stellar way it began. She's lost that 'evil bitch' personality I started with. I can take pride in that. See those two Karma points hanging over my avatar? War trophies. ^_^

Anyway, my advice to you would be practice, jump in as many campaigns as you know you can faithfully post to. Don't let fear of failure stay you hand. After all, it's only failure if you refuse to learn from mistakes.

[Figment]

Throwing in my two cents...

I'll have to agree with Panda-boy here, before I jumped into Tomb 2 midway, I'd never played an ORPG.  What I learned in that game, along with the things I've picked up in Tomb 3 and Tomb Omake, have definately helped me to become a better roleplayer.

Although I must say I've still got a long way to go.

[Merc]

Negi! not Nagi! =p

I do agree on the tomb being a great place to learn quickly though. While I've played RPGs before tomb, they were all the friendly sort, and that meant I learned fast, and sometimes the hard way, some rules of playing just from reading tomb 2 and playing through 3 and delphi.

Although considering that the only tomb currently looking like it's available for play is the Manly Tomb... well that's probably not the best of places to start with ^_^;

[thepanda]

My bad, 'Negi'. ~_^

And what's wrong with manly tomb?

[Merc]

Do you really think getting anally probed upon making mistakes is the best way to lea...

*pause*

Actually, that's probably a great incentive to not make mistakes, now that I think about it. Manly tomb probably wouldn't just kill your character, just anally and orally exhaust you until you die from the exhaustion itself. Lots of chances at mistakes, lots of places to wince at.

[thepanda]

Shhhhh

You'll scare him away.

>_>

<_<

Nothing to see here! Just keep on walking!

[Dracos]

Sorry, I prolly won't end up running that one, simply as I'm going to be focusing on building the wilhelm game for now, and it truthfully doesn't interest me that much.  Maybe Corwin will want to try his hand at running one in that style, but I'm right now working on getting my maps drawn and sketched ^_^;

Fearless Leader

[Jeram]

Well, I say go ahead and try getting into those new RPGs anyway.

Well, I plan to - to the extent that I can.

Best way to learn, IMO, is to get thrown into the deep end of the pool once you have a basic idea of what to do, and not drown. Using what Drac told you in the saviors ooc thread is a pretty good start.

Yeah, that was good advice, true - now all I need to do is try to apply it.

Don't be discouraged because you didn't get into the Wilhelm Estate one. That one gets terminated on someone using OOC knowledge, so obviously that would be a bad place to start, considering that's one of the habits you're trying to rein in.

You've got a good point.  Once I realized the specific nature of the ORPG, I knew that it was too advanced for me.

However, some of those other RPGs in the testing grounds will probably be willing to forgive it (to some degree anyway), and help you get a better of handle on being a better player.

Well, I certainly hope so!

Yes, they may be somewhat "advanced" as well, but they're not situations where a beginner mistake would lead to the game abruptly ending for the other players in addition to you, and that means the GM is much more likely to be forgiving.

All right, I see what you're saying.  That hadn't been something I considered before now.

Anyway, my advice to you would be practice, jump in as many campaigns as you know you can faithfully post to. Don't let fear of failure stay you hand. After all, it's only failure if you refuse to learn from mistakes.

Fair enough.


Oh, and as for the "Manly Tomb"?
...

Thanks for everyone's comments, I really appreciate your help.

[Merc]

Drac: heh, but first he'd need to get a decent amount of players for that.

I do admit I was thinking of signing up with Kamui (from Flame of Recca, not X), but if Cor were to become GM, that would leave me as the sole player at the moment, so meh on that. =/

[Kwokinator]

Drac: heh, but first he'd need to get a decent amount of players for that.

I do admit I was thinking of signing up with Kamui (from Flame of Recca, not X), but if Cor were to become GM, that would leave me as the sole player at the moment, so meh on that. =/

Unless I and more people play ^_^

[kpjam]

A couple of the things no one has mention(I might have missed it, but I don't think anyone has) is the palyers and GM you're playing with.  Some might agree, there are some objective points to playing any game that is as open as a decent RP game is, but the people you end up determiner a shit-load.  I'm thinking mostly of the 'gaming for blood 'or the 'gaming for fun' thread.  Determine the type of game you want to be in.

I, personally don't have a ton of experience, especially not in more years than I care to mention, but I think to a degree the style and things I look for mesh with those I've played with.

Know the players you're playing with and especially the GM.  Read Drac's many voluminous posts concerning gaming(if you find the leisure) if you're going to be in a campaign with him, or under him.  You may determine that you don't want to be in his games or that they are exactly the type of gaming experience you want.  The same goes for Chi or anyone else that posts an upcoming game.  

The most important thing is to find the type of game you want to join.  If it is the more serious type, then read and play.  Everyone fails.   I play to win.  I accept failure as part of playing.  I don't like it.  That's the type of game I like.  If the possibility of failure didn't exist, would it be any fun?