Writing and Roleplaying: New Podcast!

[Karuka]

Hi everyone. I'm going to be recording a podcast on Tuesday, and depending on interest it might be one episode or it might be a few episodes.

Instead of asking you to ask me questions, I'd like to ask you questions and then discuss your answers on the air. Without further ado:

What is your definition of roleplay?
What is Althanas to you?
How does Althanas differ from any other rp outlets you use?

Come on... tell me about yourselves.

[Logan]

Roleplay - playing the role of a character or persona. This can be done via writing, via speaking, via acting, etc. Actors are roleplayers, as are writers in a sense, at least those who focus on a primary central character.

Althanas is a community, first and foremost. It is a site wherein writers can improve and collaborate or even compete with other writers. It is a site where roleplayers can take on the persona of any character and write about their adventures, and can do so collaboratively with others enjoying the same. It is a site where gamers can adventure into a new realm of gaming, wherein a gamer can take a character from low status and develop them over a long period of time into almost anything they so desire. Althanas, at its core, is about imagination and being able to share whatever your mind or heart can come up with the world.

Althanas was one of my first rp play-by-post sites. I had done some early D&D campaigns, some chat rp, and played on a few text-based games (MUDs). All of those, at the time, paled in comparison to the openness of Althanas, which allowed me to have this singular character I could take from my mind and put out for the world to see and read about his adventures. Althanas is one of a few sites I have seen to ever allow pure openness to creativity, whereby your creativity was truly the only obstacle to whatever your dreams might be. Obviously, the biggest difference, however, was writing out in post format, as opposed to chat rp or campaign-styled rp (similar to chat rp really). It took some getting used to, but it is a ton of fun.

[Medeia]

What is your definition of roleplay?

The best definition of roleplay I can think of is that it is a series of interactions between one or more people that creates a story. There's many different versions of RP, from the old yahoo speed posting that was so common ten years ago, to the newer Tier based systems common these days. Some people exclusively write their roleplay, while others either cosplay or LARP their created characters.

For me personally, it's a creative outlet. As a person who grew up watching D&D, and graduated from that to the tabletop rps, (Die hate me. I won't bother trying to remember how many times I got eaten by a dragon or exploded by a trapped chest. e.e), I found turn-based RP on the old yahoo chats, almost by accident, and have been participating in them since somewhere around 2003 actively. I love writing, and have a very overactive brain that I need to keep occupied. Roleplay helps with that. I'd like to eventually write or co-write a few stories of my own and get them published, and RP helps me figure out what people like reading, and ways to improve my character construction and personal interactions.

What is Althanas to you?

My husband and I found Althanas last year via a link on another chat site. We'd been looking for a new place that wasn't infested with trolls and people with ridiculously under/over-developed characters who weren't interested so much in writing as in impressing others. We tried a few places, Valucre being one that comes to mind here, and finally found this site. We loved the play by post set-up, and were intrigued with the leveling up system that is very unique to this site. We've usually built up our characters from nothing anyway, and a site that insisted on that premise to writing seemed like a perfect fit for what we wanted.

I think I've pestered pretty much anyone who would listen with a volley of questions, and unfailingly, every was nice, responsive, and offered as much help as they could offer. To me, it's our new online home, and we look forward to writing here and adding to the stories for years to come. n.n

How does Althanas differ from any other rp outlets you use?

Like I mentioned before, the leveling system you guys have incorporated here is awesome. It really sets this place apart. Aside from that, the people here are actually interested in writing, like challenges, and the level of cooperation between a lot of you guys in your collaborative writings is impressive. You helped make it fun to write again! I do think that you guys sometimes overload yourselves, (as in moderators), but it's something you all seem to be working to constantly improve as well. Althanas nurtures new writers in a way that a lot of the older and more established sites have forgotten with time, I think, and it's a refreshing thing to see.

[orphans]

What is your definition of roleplay?
When one or more people take to writing from the perspectives of characters that come together to resolve a set of circumstances. Or attempt to resolve.


What is Althanas to you?
Althanas is a community and a place of learning, to me. It's wonderful to see different people progress through the years and it's always sad to see people leave due to outside circumstances. We may not always get along, but I'd like to think that we pull through together in the end.


How does Althanas differ from any other rp outlets you use?
Character building focus. Characters have much more to tell at the beginning of their journey rather than at the end, yes?

[Storm Veritas]

Roleplaying is simply taking on another character or assuming another identity in multiple forms, including video games, writing, or live action play.

Althanas is a gathering point, which comes with a set of structures, boundaries, and rules that are used to allow a universe of writing-based roleplaying to take place. Althanas was originally described to me as something as a "writers workshop", however there game which arose from the results of rules being upheld offers a new, interesting tweak for deeper immersion into the Althanas universe.

Althanas tends to attract passionate, committed writers as there is both a long learning curve and satisfying reward for diving in. Althanas isn't easy to start writing at. It isn't a place that can quickly add new users in large waves. It does, however, offer a more tightly knit community and enjoyable writing experience than other sites.

[Shinsou Vaan Osiris]

Hi everyone. I'm going to be recording a podcast on Tuesday, and depending on interest it might be one episode or it might be a few episodes.

Instead of asking you to ask me questions, I'd like to ask you questions and then discuss your answers on the air. Without further ado:

What is your definition of roleplay?
What is Althanas to you?
How does Althanas differ from any other rp outlets you use?

Come on... tell me about yourselves.


What is your definition of roleplay?

When I first started roleplaying it was all about "how cool and powerful can I make my character?". Now, I look at roleplaying as creation of a digital avatar to live a second life and be amongst people who are likeminded. Yes, most people would look upon that, point a finger and say "wow, how sad must your life be to need a second life?". But that's not it at all. My current life rocks anyway. Roleplaying is playing the role of a fictional character. But to me, it's much more than that. This is the chance to vent my creative build ups, to make something intangible as real as possible with people who care. For me, that matters more than anything.

What is Althanas to you?

Althanas is no longer just a roleplaying website. It is an institution, a bastion of creativity and ideas from every corner of the world. Here, provided you respect the rules and each other, you can flourish and it doesn't matter whether you are the Monet of literary genius or just here to pick up as you go along. There is always a place for someone at Althanas. The community here is nigh unbreakable. It is a fantastic, wonderful place where the time you invest is paid back to you in dividends of respect, friendship and pride in your writing. I have been here or hereabouts since 2002, been involved with roleplaying since 2000 and there simply isn't another place like this in the world. The members of this website are the kinds of people you want on your "zombie apocalypse" team, people who, no matter how much of a hurricane of piss your day is, cheer you up and somehow make you feel you belong. I see oldbies like Storm Veritas, Cyrus, Dirks, ISOS (Visla), Sage and Gnarl and Root and company who have been around since the dawn of Althanas and it makes me fucking happy. I see more recent guys like redford, Rayleigh, Philomel, Logan, Tobias (sexy kid that Tobias) K-Zu, BABE, Fez, and if course Karuka / Mongrel and god knows how many others (sorry for namedropping) and I can see the future of this site is only getting stronger even after 14 years!

How does Althanas differ from any other rp outlets you use?

There are other RP outlets? Fuck 'em.

[Flames of Hyperion]

What is your definition of roleplay?

I tend to think of roleplaying (whether it be acting, writing, or gaming) as a specialised form of storytelling that focuses on investing oneself into a particular character. Its advantages are the ability to explore said character to its depths, to focus on the essential core of characters in conflict, and to collaborate with other such characters to resolve story plots. Its disadvantages to me can include less emphasis on the broader strokes of storytelling: setting in general and world-building in particular, as well as novel-arching plotlines (in the absence of specialist factors such as GMs).


What is Althanas to you?

On a superficial level, Althanas is a place to publish my stories, develop my characters, and hone my writing skills. A place to contribute to the stories of others, whether that be directly via collaboration or indirectly via feedback.

But in reality, like many people have said before me in a far better way, Althanas is a community. Some of us write, some of us play, some of us just hang out or lurk in the background, but all of us are here because we like characters, and stories, and imagination, and sharing and collaborating on these worlds within our minds.


How does Althanas differ from any other RP outlets you use?

I don't currently RP anywhere else, so I don't really have an answer to this. I can say what I like about Althanas, though: the play-by-post format because it allows telling long-form stories in both solo and collaborative fashion; the rules that allow for a focus on sharing such stories rather than competing or gaming, which I personally appreciate more and more as the years go by; an entry curve that weeds out the trolls and rewards commitment, dedication, and hard work. Althanas gives us this collaborative framework to overcome the shortcomings of roleplaying that I mentioned above. Althanas allows us the freedom for our characters to roam this world of ours, to affect it in ways that only we can think up of. It's amazing.

[SerCasimir]

What is your definition of roleplay?
Roleplaying is stepping outside your self to occupy another. Roleplaying at it's heart is theater. It's stepping into experiences outside those available to yourself, and doing it for any number of reasons

What is Althanas to you?
I haven't been here long, but Althanas to me is freedom. It's the ability to work out ideas and concepts I have from all manner of sources. I am a person who constantly comes up with ideas and concepts, and Althanas let's me experiment with them.

How does Althanas differ from any other rp outlets you use?
Althanas has much greater degree of freedom than most. I started RPing as a child before i really knew that I was doing it, inspired largely by video games and books. From there i took up message board roleplay on blackberry creek when i was young and we first had AOL and my parents had us on Kids settings. From there I occasionally found other sites, and spent serious time on a few of them. In recent years, most RP sites I have found have been fandom locked, limiting you largely to the "canon" of the particular setting. Althanas has a much greater amount of freedom, and that really gives me the playground i need to experiment.

[Gnarl & Root]

What is your definition of roleplay?

It is another life, another story, another world. It is endless possibilities with different restrictions and rules. It is a way of telling a beautiful story, or life of someone you could have been in another world. In other ways, it is seeing the world, or another world, from another point of view. Imagination and dreams.


What is Althanas to you?

Althanas is a hub of friendship and fun. It is a peace of mind that I enjoy and can escape in.


How does Althanas differ from any other rp outlets you use?

I don't use any other. Althanas is the only one for me!

[Taische]

Just a reminder to get your answers up!

[Mixed-blood]

I'm just going to answer the third right now, but this is the first site were I've not had to defend myself in chat. I could just be me, you know, and everyone's cool with that. That is what makes this place different.

[Kryos]

What is your definition of roleplay?

Roleplay is being able to explore new ways of thought and different ideas through the life of a character. While I myself, in life, have learned a great deal of things through college, full-time employment, missionary service and the such, there are other aspects and life lessons that may be harder to find. Through the life of others, and through characters, these ideas can be explored and learned from. Similar to learning another language, roleplay allows me to view the world differently.

Plus, it is just super fun.


What is Althanas to you?

Althanas is the origin of my love for writing. It was the first place that I learned that writing could be fun, and that I could become so invested in it. It is the place where I have learned how to write as well as I have; it taught me infinitely more than any English class could. It is a grand world that I can explore and, perhaps one day, make my mark upon.


How does Althanas differ from any other rp outlets you use?
I have been a member of 3 online sites that have RP elements. One of them was more focused on shorter creative writing endeavors, with a ton of feedback, which was helpful, but the RPing was a joke compared to here. The other, The Realm of Domhantir, was created by my best friend who was a member here first. There I was able to help out in the world building aspect of things, but it was small in comparison and things moved incredibly slow, and now is in semi-permanent stasis as no one has the time to keep it up.

Which brings me to Althanas. The thing I love is how amazing the RP tales can be, with rich detail, excellent character development, and epic adventures. It is so awesome to know that, if I left, Althanas would continue on without me, full steam ahead. Such was the case for the past several years, but it is great to be able to come back and find ways to get incorporated again. The activity level here is not something anyone should scoff at. I absolutely love it.

[Bard]

What is your definition of roleplay?

To assume the attitudes, actions, and discourse of (another), especially in a make-believe situation in an effort to understand a differing point of view or social interaction, or to convey information, or entertain. To me then, it’s simply at its most basic level, when I take on a part that is not my own. When I become, a character that is not me. This could be as a storyteller spinning yarns for an audience of my peers, which was my first taste of roleplay, or when engaged in the more stereotypic dice rolling variety.

What is Althanas to you?

To understand the significance of Althanas to me, one must first understand that the internet is described as the final frontier for the blind and visually impaired, and like the ocean or outer space, it’s not always particularly friendly to those that have such a disability. Indeed, at present I know of only three sites that are readily accessible for screen-reader users, Ayleria, Roleplay Online (AKA RPOL), and here. I’ve encountered several roleplay sites, and after hours or sometimes days, of trying to find code hooks and trying to write command lines I’ve been forced to finally throw up my hands and say it just won’t work; not here though.

Now, one might readily assume that part of Althanas’ value to me is the fact that it is one of the few sites that I can interact with of a RP nature, and that is true, but its value doesn’t end with that fact alone.

With regards to the act of roleplaying, the community that engages in such activities has a profound impact on the character of that activity. A toxic community, or one in which moderators cater to a minority of players over others can kill any chance at roleplay enjoyment. I have not encountered that here.

Having encountered that elsewhere, having such a sour experience with my earliest attempts at roleplaying and writing on a setting that did not involve a roleplay E-Mail process, it was such a relief to find a community, which has been by and large, extremely supportive from day one.

This place has been a joy from day one, and is something I hold in high regards and will, even if forced to go on periods of hiatus, a place that I shall be returning to at every opportunity.

How does Althanas differ from any other rp outlets you use?

First, the process is far more dynamic and flexible than the play by E-Mail I have used in the past, as those sort of systems usually only utilize either a group of well-known acquaintances, or are forced to recruit through the internet in hopes of gaining the required participants, but in either case the system is far more structured to situations where one serves as the overarching storyteller and the rest as participants. The advantages of a system are by and large replicated by the PM system present here, and enhanced in some respects by chat.

That said, the site has a number advantages over said system, and even more so when compared to my brief time on Ayleria, this site is the only one that I have found, and is the only one that I know of where both learning and experimentation are encouraged in equal measure.

Let me touch on the former first, I have encountered personally, and heard of many more stories by others, that most sites have a canon that they cling to with all the fervor of barnacles. Actions must conform to that canon as much as the moderator’s decree fit and there will be hell to pay if said norms are violated.

These are not merely site rules regarding conduct and how quest rewards are to be obtained etc., but literally, in many cases, how roleplay is to be carried out on a regular basis.

This site does not do that.

Canon can be flaunted with literal impunity, with it being merely considered as personal canon independent from overall canon.

While this does at times cause some slight confusion for new individuals to the site, such matters are easily rectified. At least, that has been my experience at least.

Now, let us touch on the other major feature that sets this site most clearly apart from its peers in the roleplay/ writing department. Here, one’s writing, if one so chooses has every chance to improve, through the critiquing process. A powerful motivator for many indeed, I can do something that I enjoy, and learn at the same time. A win, win to be sure. Now, I know the idea of having one’s writing critiqued can be anxiety provoking for some, and those responsible for this site’s development realized that too, since if one doesn’t want to bother with said process, the “no judgement” choice remains an option. They can write and continue to level their characters at their hearts content, without having to worry about criticism.

Before I close, having said a few things that are hardly new for most experienced role-players, the one thing that I find truly remarkable about this site is that one doesn’t have to jump through additional hoops to have extra characters.

I thank you for your time, respectfully,

Bard’s writer.

[Rayleigh]

What is your definition of roleplay?
While I know that roleplay takes many forms, roleplaying has always been synonymous with creative writing for me. This idea of constructing something new with someone, and never knowing what it is that they're going to post up next. Even if you've planned every aspect of a story, you'll never be able to predict how the other writer will describe the smell of a coming storm, or what exact words they will use to respond to a situation you've thrown their character into. It is all very exciting in that sense.

What is Althanas to you?
First and foremost, Althanas is a community. I've been a part of dozens of roleplay sites over the past decade or so, and none have had such mature, intelligent, helpful members. I felt welcomed almost immediately, and that was what has ultimately kept me here. Next, Althanas is a creative writing website. I almost hate to use the term "roleplaying" anymore, because in my experience, that has always been short, fast-paced back-and-forths with little attention to the quality of writing. Althanas isn't like that. With that in mind, I always find myself exploring what else I can do on Althanas. The mentor program, the vignettes, the tournaments, etc. This site offers a lot more than just a forum to write in, and I want to take full advantage of that.

How does Althanas differ from any other rp outlets you use?
I touched on this above, but Althanas has a very different atmosphere than anything else I've ever experienced. Here, there is an emphasis on not only how well you write, but how well you tell a good story. I have to be mindful of everything I write now - how is my pacing, is my dialogue appropriate, would Ray really do that, is that event too convenient, does this follow the lore, etc. I rarely, if ever, thought about those things before. Also, to create that top-notch story on Althanas, there is generally a lot of planning. It is an interesting trade-off. While I'll never know exactly what my partner will write, careful planning and constant bunnying removes some of the excitement factor that I used to love about roleplaying. There's no need to stay up all night to see how the other character responds, because we've already written it out in a google doc. That's partially why I hesitate to refer to Althanas as a roleplaying site, because the experience is very different. That's not to say it is bad - I love how much Althanas has improved my writing. It is just different.

[Christoph]

What is your definition of roleplay?
Roleplaying is little more than telling a collaborative story in which you assume the role of a character.

What is Althanas to you?
Althanas is the (nearly) perfect combination of a haven for writers and an MMO with a rich, detailed world. It's a site that encourages members to get invested in their own writing as well as the world we're all playing in.

How does Althanas differ from any other rp outlets you use?
Plenty of RPing sites have well-crafted persistent worlds, and plenty have active writing communities that encourage review and improvement. Althanas has both combined seamlessly. Also, compared to other RPing forums, the percentage of RPs that actually finish is second to none. Every other site I've been on, RPs drag on and fizzle out with no resolution.

Compared to tabletop roleplaying, Althanas encourages a higher caliber of style and a place to hone one's writing skills.

[Fez_The_Kid]

What is your definition of roleplay?

Taking the role of a character, whether real or fictional, in a world that is also affected by reality or pure fiction. A role-player is set in the shoes of the chosen character and thus, becomes immersed in the world where limits are to a certain degree their own imagination.

What is Althanas to you?

Basically the fusion of role-playing and competitive writing, a sanctuary where dwelling are role-players and writers alike; both of whom are essentially the same. It is, more or less, a community of writers preparing to get published, some who already are, and some who are just getting their feet wet in both writing and the imposing, lore-rich setting Althanas is.

How does Althanas differ from any other rp outlets you use?

Though the number of other role-playing/writing forums I've been part of is limited, it is safe to say that Althanas is the best what these kind of forums have to offer. The site is filled with amazingly-written threads, an affable member base, and naturally the one thing that makes Althanas stand out; its feedback system. That alone ought to be enough to prove how this site focuses on the foremost section an RPG forum always comprises: writing. Every one who joins this community improves over the years, in one way or the other.

It's an amazing place here, and one'd hope it stays the way it is now.

[Alydia Ettermire]

Podcast has been recorded and should be up soon! Thank you to everyone who answered questions.

[Shinsou Vaan Osiris]

Can't wait to hear it.