Hey, I need an honest opinion on Roleplay on the server

[Serpentis]

Hey hey!

Is there a place for a pure roleplayer?

Short answer: Yes with caveats.

Long answer: The portions of the game are not easily segregated. If you come looking for only powertrading, you're going to get hit in the face with pirates. How you respond to this situation is up to you, and is one of the measuring sticks for health of the community, and the health of those parts of the game. With a pure PvPer, you're going to be met with people who run and dock and log off. With a pure RPer, you're going to be met with people who simply refuse to chat. Each of these are also measuring sticks for health of the community.

Yes, I do agree that they are indeed measuring sticks for a Roleplay community.
But it's also a measuring stick for the people that are part of that community, not just the community as a whole.
Let me explain.

Adaptability.
Let's say a faction wants to RP cool and fun Pirates and they need to have some sort of response by traders.
The first thing I would think is: "Do we need the credits?"
Then just ask for a piece of the cargo and then just -try- to rolplay with the trader. Ask it for like rumors and shit, whatever! Just get the conversation started and so that the direct reaction from the trader isn't: "Urgh, now I lose my profits this run again." and instead is: "Heh, pretty entertaining."
Now, the pirates might get sick of it eventually when all they face are powertraders.
But, at least give it a chance, maybe more and more traders will just enjoy to get pirated, once again.
Roleplay can make even the most annoying encounter fun.

Not as an accusation, but more as a warning for your own public perception, the description of "pure roleplayer" generally gives people the vibe of "sits 50-100K above plane with their group of friends roleplaying, and refuses to roleplay with anyone that doesn't assimilate to their friend group". Not because this is something you do, I doubt that it is, but because that is what the most infamous "pure roleplayers" did, and grudges don't fade easily.

Eeeh... Is that really how it is viewed to call yourself a "Pure Roleplayer"? To situate yourself from everyone else? Yeah, no, that's not roleplay. Might as well roleplay on Discord then.
And I really don't care about my own public perception, everyone can call me what ever they want
I am hardly here to gain popularity points, and nor am I getting that many friends, since I have had a few lovely messages on Discord xD

But, if "Pure Roleplayers" gave that perception, then they aren't really any better than a lot of the other "bad" parts of the community.
RP should always at least have the chance to include others. Well, at least to me.

As for those measuring sticks:
Most powertraders refuse to roleplay and take very underhanded methods to not be pirated or even interrupted.
PvPers are caught in a cycle of raidlogs, where they respond to someone's "please help" ping en masse, or attend an organized event. They tend to not play outside of raidlogs.
RPers are mostly on the forums as the stigma of "PvP is always anti-RP" has taken a horribly unfortunate chokehold, prompting them to not log in the game to "not give PvPers the satisfaction"
PoBoids are mostly in the same boat as powertraders, except that they do roleplay, but only with base suppliers and customers.
People who do all or select at least two or more of the main gameplay loops are doing quite alright, from what I can see. Everyone thinks they're part of the other group, though, and hates them accordingly.

Yikes, that is quite sad.
Which, unfortunately, I have no idea of what one could do to change that.
It has always been similar in the past too. But, by the love of everything, I can't really remember most of the encounters I had that were.. Silent or without some sort of Roleplay.
Then again, I was never one for making credits unless it had some RP in some parts of it.

While a pure roleplayer is a noble goal, I do recommend taking up at least a PvP side-gig, just to wade on the other side of the pond. Everyone's actions make sense to themselves, so walking in others' shoes is an important aspect of not getting in frankly stupid arguments and spawning legendary animosity. Or do, if you feel like it. I, personally, love drama and fights.

As I said previously, I won't be avoiding PvP when it comes to it, but I would never want that to be something I want to do.
That's why I won't be playing NPC factions whose part of them are meant to be in a fight.
Now, let's say I do end up playing my semi-legal freelancer smuggler character, I get that I will be pirated or even attacked by some. And I will accept that and of course put up a fight and make it fun for both me and them.
But, if you for example want to me to attempt to play a Merc or something, maybe even some sort of military, if nothing else just to involve myself into the PvP that exists in the game? Well, I won't. I don't want my entertainment to be measured by my skills in combat. Which are basically at minus levels right now xD
And yeah, you might say: "Eh, just go out and have fun and shoot some, even if you lose, it's fine, right?"
And yes, in some ways. But, the more you lose the less you want to do it. Like, I am only human, I have some sort of self worth. And participating eagerly in something I know I am not good at and being reminded of that, possibly each session I log? Yeah, I rather not cause myself any negativity, that I could've avoided.

So, yeah, there's a place for pure roleplayers. Purity, though, requires rejecting people and accepting others. Discrimination, if you will. Segregation, even. And every action has its equal and opposite reaction. There are people who will go looking to fight you simply for the action of rejecting them. Such is the fate of pure roleplayers.

No, that I do not believe in.
And I think I have made it clear that I am not going to avoid the PvP that will come eventually, it is an RPPvP server. It is a natural part of that server.
But, I will not go out of my way to go into PvP focused play.
And that is also being backed by what I have been seeing from the community regarding toxicity from it's members.

But, I do not believe I will never have to reject any part of the community.
Facing a silent powertrader while I am flying trading too? We are on the same route for a while. Well, I'll still try to RP with him, if nothing else to entertain myself. But I won't be disregarding him. Maybe it will get the person to want to try something new?

I won't be just staying a silent powertrader either. I don't really need the credits. I already have a few ships that I want to fly. So, the only think I would want to do will be based on Roleplay. Getting hands on new technologies and equipping my ship with new stuff. But through Roleplay.
So, if I get pirated I'll play along and would try to get the pirates roleplaying too. If nothing else for the encounter NOT be another silent powertrader.

I do not see the community as dour as I think some are right now.
Look in this thread at what some have done to have fun Roleplay.

Nah, it's a good community, just needs some reasons to try a little harder.

Also, thanks for your response and answer, Godslayer, appreciate it!

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