Roleplay

[NoahKirchner]

Roleplay, in Colonial Marines, is a bit of an interesting topic in my opinion. I was wondering what the community thinks of a few things involving CM's level of roleplay.

If you had to define it, what "category" of RP would it be?: (Low, Medium, High, somewhere inbetween)

Is there anything currently impeding roleplaying, or making it impossible in the first place?

Do you see roleplay a lot or is it sort of a minor thing that people don't really too often do?

Do you like the current level of roleplay?

I only ask out of curiosity and to see generally what the playerbase thinks and what the community thinks on how the server ranks in terms of arr pee. I'll give my answers first as maybe a talking point. Also, I like to spark discussion and talk with people and I feel like asking questions like this, which a lot of people have their own opinions on, is a good way to do that. Talking can't possibly hurt.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I'd define Colonial Marines as solid low RP. (In my mind, Servers like yog and hippie and no-very little RP, Paradise is very little to low, CM is low, and I haven't really been able to find a proper medium RP server. Generally the listed HRP servers are HRP)

I think a big problem with the ability to roleplay in CM is the fact that you're living the same day, over and over and over again. Every time you play you know exactly what to expect, but have to *pretend* that you don't know what an ayylmao is. Over time, though, this becomes more difficult and metas form etc, making roleplay much more difficult.

Roleplay seems to be put on the backburner in a lot of cases in favor of winning or getting lotsa kills. Occasionally you'll have some CL paperwork to do, or have a talk with somebody in the Rasputin about your backstory, but all in all I very rarely if ever see RP.

Not particularly, no, but I feel like it's an inevitable consequence of having a competitive game like this. Whereas in normal SS13 the end goal is to just do your job, and nothing you can do in your department is really particularly powergamey because it's your job to be doing it, in CM you're always working towards an end goal, and if you find an advantage over the enemy (like an FOB position or good gun), you're gonna keep using it.

(Few notes: Please don't turn this into a drama thread. Kthx)

[Karmac]

I play as a Low RP character, simply playing to enjoy the gameplay, mainly focusing on FOB defences, areas and strategies.

But I see people who play Medium RP, and they make me happy.

[Jalleo]

it depends for me but for me it normally ends up just being that guy shouting for some reason.

[LordLoko]

I'd say with we are a medium roleplay because of this: http://cm-ss13.com/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=5093

It would be low if we could powergame and metagame at will, but we NEED to pretend we don't know about ayys and some other small rergulations, we mostly act "In character" (remeber that even "hippie tier" server or still are at character) pretending we are in a military organization (albeit loosely, we don't do some hardcore military RP, remeber how many times you saluted your officer? Here's a TVtroeps page: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/M ... lyMilitary).

And remeber that RP is not talking about your backstory, it's about playing and pretending you are someone else, like theater. That pen and paper RPGs, when you play D&D you don't discuss the backstory with your fellow PCs as a method of roleplay, but you do interacting with the enviroment and the GM. When you are in the start menu and you press "marien standard" you are entering the game to play in character as a PFC part of the USCM, you pretend that you are not yourself real life but a different person in another universe and you pretend you are a soldier going to participate in a military operation.

What limits the RP is the action, you don't have that much time to write dialogue sometimes because you are busy shooting, but that doesn't mean you aren't roleplay, roleplaying ISN'T just writing dialogue, but again, interacting with the enviroment.

Concluding, CM is medium RP because you are expected to act as character, part of the military, and act somewhat serious and in character, however you don't need to be 100% realistic and act like this is a realistic ARMA round against aliens.

[coroneljones]

Depends on what definition of RP we are using
Tabletop definition? Well, we stay in character, so thats...high or medium depending if no RP is counted in the list, and the exact choice definitions for each level, if you count medium as stayin in character, or a mix of IC and OOC
SS13 wise? Medium I would say

[enkas]

I usually try to RP with quite when I am not busy getting ripped apart by aliuns.

At the same time, I also huddle into fetal position whenever I see cringe-worthy flavour text, *scream spams and impractical hairstyles, especially when combined with neon colors

[Eenkogneeto]

Roleplay, in Colonial Marines, is a bit of an interesting topic in my opinion. I was wondering what the community thinks of a few things involving CM's level of roleplay.

If you had to define it, what "category" of RP would it be?: (Low, Medium, High, somewhere inbetween)
Between Low and Medium, I find it laughable to call it 'Medium' RP personally. But I have played a lot of high RP in my time so I may be biased.

Is there anything currently impeding roleplaying, or making it impossible in the first place?
The biggest issue I feel impeding roleplaying is the fact that nowhere on the sulaco but the CL office and firing range is particularly usable for RP without being in the way. I would love a few fluff rooms like a gym or something.
Second biggest issue is probably the most obvious, You cant really RP when any second an ayy can jump out and double hugger you, So you tend to be sparse with that sort of stuff once you're in combat.

Do you see roleplay a lot or is it sort of a minor thing that people don't really too often do?
I see it a decent amount, Some people do it without realizing they are roleplaying. I especially like the marines talking shit before deployment, always my favorite part of the round.

Do you like the current level of roleplay?
I feel like it would be hard to change it without messing up what most people enjoy in CM, I would however, like to see some changes mapping wise to encourage it. When you look at the Sulaco, really look at it, its kind of...weird how its laid out. I get that the crew spend most of the time in cryosleep, but I don't imagine you could stay combat-fit going cryo-op-cryo forever. Not to mention they presumably have shore leave sometime so they won't be cryo'd up then.

[Dreviore]

It depends on the situation for me.

I'll roleplay at an FOB while setting it up, even during a round start you'll see Terrance Tau trying to stir up a conversation with his squad mates and sometimes other marines.

But if you expect me to roleplay when there's a runner attempting to KO me, hell naw.

[Sneakyr]

I play SL and medic a lot, so there's really not an opportunity while you're yelling at the jarheads. I do like to talk shit and RP when I can before deployment, but that's the most I can do on the average round. Often, I the most I can do is the same things my character would in certain situations (like running away or helping someone, for example).

[Winter]

I try to engage people, but I know Winter's blue hair bothers people.

Being a researcher is sorta isolated, though.

[nerocavalier]

If you had to define it, what "category" of RP would it be?: (Low, Medium, High, somewhere inbetween)

Somewhere between Low and Medium.

Is there anything currently impeding roleplaying, or making it impossible in the first place?

As said earlier, the fact that this is primarily a combat-based server unlike the station environment of the other servers. Where roundstarts in other servers would have people getting department up and running amidst salutations and greetings, ColMar has everyone scrambling to get geared up so they can kill stuff. This isn't that bad, really.

When was the last time you saw two marines in underpants talking to each other instead of rushing RO at round start?

Do you see roleplay a lot or is it sort of a minor thing that people don't really too often do?

Not a lot but there are roleplayers around here that you can run into every so often.

Do you like the current level of roleplay?

Yeah, it's fine. I didn't come here for the RP and I don't think elevating it would sit well with the playerbase.

I do enjoy it whenever I see someone emoting or making small talk with other people planetside.

[Desolane900]

The best topic of all. Arpee. I'd say CM falls into MRP because MRP is one of those tiers you can still dick around hippie style and still have to act like it's ghetto Aurora with less catbeast and more guns.

MRP is the main reason people are "allowed" to meme at all. It's the reason you don't need to salute or fill out RO paperwork but can still call officers sir and be correct in it. I thoroughly enjoy MRP because the RP guidelines are only set in "don't break the rules" and on a server where monotony has a vice grip on your rounds, it fits CM nicely.

I can still act like the ultimate badasses while a xeno literally dances on my grave.

[CrimsonAerospace]

The best topic of all. Arpee. I'd say CM falls into MRP because MRP is one of those tiers you can still dick around hippie style and still have to act like it's ghetto Aurora with less catbeast and more guns.

MRP is the main reason people are "allowed" to meme at all. It's the reason you don't need to salute or fill out RO paperwork but can still call officers sir and be correct in it. I thoroughly enjoy MRP because the RP guidelines are only set in "don't break the rules" and on a server where monotony has a vice grip on your rounds, it fits CM nicely.

I can still act like the ultimate badasses while a xeno literally dances on my grave.

I don't know why, I'll never know why, but the CM memeing pisses me off so much. It infuriates me seeing marines shouting Reeeee.

It makes me want to murder marines.

It. Is. Cancer.

[Desolane900]

I don't know why, I'll never know why, but the CM memeing pisses me off so much. It infuriates me seeing marines shouting Reeeee.

It makes me want to murder marines.

It. Is. Cancer.

Lighten up a bit. Also, nice siggy dad.

[ReadyReactor]

I don't know why, I'll never know why, but the CM memeing pisses me off so much. It infuriates me seeing marines shouting Reeeee.

It makes me want to murder marines.

It. Is. Cancer.

+1

It's just so obnoxious, like i don't want people to salute every time an officer passes by but jesus "LE EPIC 4CHIN REFERENCE" stuff really gets on my nerves.

[NoahKirchner]

Bump, I wanna hear some new opinions.

[Skycave1]

I try to do a mix between heavy and medium depending on my mood. Some rounds, I'll play a very serious character, with great content, and perfect /Me's

Or I'll Meme, and fuck Xenos up.

There is no inbetween.

[shyshadow]

Ehhhh, I mean this server is in no way High-Tier roleplay considering the constant spam of "Alien begin to dance" cancer shit. Which I think should be removed to be fair, but due to the whole requirement of having to prove your finesse in roleplay for Commander or Predator is heartening. While I do believe it is difficult to get accepted it's good that it exists it just prove it's at least a medium-tier RP server. Though I feel players don't understand exactly what "Role-Play" is, it's not "Pretending" to be a character you are that character. You have to put yourself into every situation, if someone holds you at gun point would you not just stop dead in your tracks or run away?
I've tried to do some antagonizing as a survivor and when I say antagonize I just mean I'm trying to role-play as a selfish individual, or when on Ice-Colony I loved to have the chance to Spawn in as a PMC, I always felt just more interested in being a role that's different. You're suppose to be a legit badass, you are suppose to be Weyland-Yutani's muscle I felt that being able to actually be a threatening role is more enjoyable experience because people will just ignore you because you are no concern to them.
That's why being the Corporate Liason is such an interesting role, it's the constant struggle of trying to keep a positive bond with Weyland-Yutani while at the same time being just another working Joe. While I do like when people do the role correctly, sometimes I don't like it when the CL never says a single word they don't interact they don't try to be a likable person. Though most marines just out-right hate you, well because it's Weyland-Yutani you're suppose to have a bad reputation, and when the CL hasn't done anything wrong when they've been a good boy Weyland-Yutani's Administration should do something if there's something that threatens the Company's influence or interests. That's where the whole Administrator team come to do a thing, I'm gonna be a salty kid for a second.
While I agree that a Distress beacon shouldn't be call for any reason, but I'm gonna say this. If there's a legit reason to call a PMC Squad or a Dutch's Dozen or Mercs or really anyone, they should be. If the CL has payed their dues, done what's asked of them and the staff aboard the sulaco threaten them for no reason? Would Weyland-Yutani not be concerned? Of course they don't care about the CL (that much) but what they do care is what he represents, them. Weyland-Yutani funds the ship so they can be helped out when it's asked, and if they're influence isn't enough they would they not resort to other measures to ensure that their presence aboard the ship is not forgotten?

Anyway, I'm rambling on and on because I'm a salt lord, basically I'm trying to say for the last bit (If someone is encouraging Roleplay and they've done a lot of stuff to contribute they should be rewarded for actually doing their job and being the Roleplayer).