Solo roleplay

[Anthalas]

Hmm, over the years, I had gotten used to solo role play whilst mudding, partly because of the characters that I've played and partly because of my independent nature.

I've noticed though that everything is conducive to playing with others. This is fine from time to time, but it gets tiring for me.

Are there any other solo roleplayers out there? What have you done to overcome this obstacle, especially when it comes to character advancement?

Thanks!

[Aldren]

I personally play FK for the interactions with other characters (players). If I wanted to play an RPG solo, I would play Skyrim. Which I have. And it destroyed my soul.

[Gwain]

Solo rp is possible in a limited capacity but it limits the areas you can visit and quest that can be done successfully. If you just want to rp it can work, but its lonely. Just keep looking around for like minded indivials, forge ties and rp the loner when you are not training or questing.

[Anthalas]

Please don't get me wrong, I'm all for the social interaction as well but I'm not about going out of my way to seek it. It is more fun when you bump into other players randomly outside of where they usually congregate.

It's a bit of an oxymoron really.

I like to explore solo or with maybe one other person. (because I tend to do my mapping at this time, yes, I make maps for myself that I sometimes share and coming along with me on this can be extremely boring as you wait for me to update my documents in another window)

I've been looking for an adventuring group that will head out and get into an honest-to-goodness adventure, kind of like a "Hey, there's someone asking me for help from this village but I can't do it alone..." Kind of thing to help me learn a bit more about the areas of the game but I'm finding that most of the players I run into are quite advanced and I feel like I would be burdening them if I took up their time on a low-level adventure solely for me or be a pain in the butt if I come with them on a high level adventure that will require them to protect my character more than get things done. (I've been getting a lot of help and I really feel guilty about taking up their time)

It's probably just growing pains, please ignore me if I don't make sense.

[Nearraba]

Hi, Anthalas!

Welcome to the Fk family. There are tons of us out there that love to adventure and find new places, too. Even if some are more experienced, new areas and quests are continually being brought into the game, so it's fun for them to travel around, as well! Don't look at is as burdening someone though or even feeling guilty. If it is in your character's role-play to want to find a buddy and do that sort of thing, then just ask around. 'Greetings Bob, I heard that this village this being attacked by huge ugly monsters! Would you have time to help me aid this poor village?// 'I'm feeling adventurous today! Does anyone know of anyone needing help with anything? Even asking someone you've just met can turn into a wonderful role play opportunity!

If another character is interested they will agree and if they aren't, the worst they will tell you is that they are busy or to contact them some other time. Some characters go out of their way to help the less experienced and it is a part of their roleplay, by playing the 'protector.' Basically, just remember to have fun and don't feel bad about asking for help!

As for the solo roleplay, as said before, it can be fun, but only in small quantities. I usually only do such when I cannot find anyone or if it is one of those odd hours in on the game. (Which even at odd hours we've been having an awesome player base!) It is much more rewarding to seek others out by walking around or waiting in those normally traveled areas, in which you can solo roleplay until you stumble across others! This is strictly my opinion, by finding others to roleplay also helps your character grow in many different ways, some that you didn't even know could! Hope you continue to enjoy everything, and just remember to have fun!

[Selveem]

Hey again, Anthalas!

You have a rather interesting post that I think I can relate pretty damned well to; seems like my personal experience, also. You've got a few questions and comments I feel like I'm pretty well versed in to be able to respond.

Please take my personal views with a grain of salt as they encompass my experiences here on FK.

Hmm, over the years, I had gotten used to solo role play whilst mudding, partly because of the characters that I've played and partly because of my independent nature.

I've been looking for an adventuring group that will head out and get into an honest-to-goodness adventure, kind of like a "Hey, there's someone asking me for help from this village but I can't do it alone..." Kind of thing to help me learn a bit more about the areas of the game [...]

It's natural to feel like a burden when you want to do some solo work but might need some help. Gwain is right in his suggestion of finding like-minded people who compliment your style of play. I'd offer my assistance, but I haven't really been able to play FK since I started this damnable job.. To me, adventuring group dungeon delving is the real gem of FK. To me, that's the closest part of FK to actual D&D. I like relying on my teammates and making sure I'm up to snuff and reliable enough for them (barring that one time where I'd just returned from a long break and I managed to cone of cold a "friendly ghost" who then insta-killed half our group.. *cough*).

I've noticed though that everything is conducive to playing with others. This is fine from time to time, but it gets tiring for me.

First off, I want to be blunt with you: Solo play isn't easy (much less, encouraged) on FK. There're a lot of machinations to ensure a soloist's failure. There's a large push to make FK a group-based game where reliance on others is a factor for progression. This becomes more apparent with some classes and/or at some levels. It's unfortunate for people such as myself, but true.

With all that said, I like such challenges (sometimes at the expense of my characters' equipment, as has been the case in the past). I, too, want to assist my character in reaching their potential and my design for them. I also feel like it is a burden to ask other people to go grind with me; it's boring for them, especially when trying to work on skills. To reach your character's potential, however, that sort of grind is required (and that's not really a group thing).

Are there any other solo roleplayers out there? What have you done to overcome this obstacle, especially when it comes to character advancement?

I don't like a lot of politics. I don't feel comfortable candy-coating things for people - especially not for people who don't seem to need their hand held: the phrase "solo roleplayer" is pretty much a misnomer on FK. Soloists aren't seen as a positive influence on the game. I don't say this is to dissuade you in your endeavor; you're hardly the only one who doesn't prefer to be huddled in a "room" like Market Square jabbering your day away, but just to explain that we're the deviants.

None of this is to say that FK is a bad game for people like us!

All I'm saying is that we have to strive harder to meet our own goals. I look forward to trying to catch you on here one weekend!

[Anthalas]

Thank you Selveem, these are good insights and I've noticed how things are set up to give the soloist a very very hard time. Like how aggro mobiles are stacked up at the entrance to an area, forcing you to enter it with one or two more people or die trying and pulling with a projectile weapon doesn't work.

I also noticed that experience is faster in a group so it's time for me to group up.

[Dapher]

Hey there Anthalas I just have one more thing to put in here. There are groups within the game that are there specifically to aid people. Lets start with one called the Fellowship of the Undermountain. A group started many many years ago of adventurers, players all there to help people going through a nasty area. You have to have a good reason to go in there, but that is all part of the RP. People have volunteered for this group so they CAN help people.

We can go to something that applies to your character. The ranger council. A group put together to help teach and train up coming rangers. One of the best ways to teach and train is to drag them around on adventures, and deep into forests. That is the perfect group to ask for help.

Also, you can look into churches and faiths. Depending on who you want to follow, you often times have a very supportive church. I can tell you from my personal experience, and RP, all the churches I have joined have been very beneficial to my characters. They have created more RP than I can explain, and have aided me in completing more quests than I can count.

As for being a soloist, there is a time for that as well. I have two characters who would much prefer to walk into a horde of orcs alone and either blast them with prayers and a war hammer. Or sneak around the forest of wyrms filling wyverns with arrows. There is always a risk in doing so, but it is nice to be alone at times.

I hope we have given you some good ideas, and given you places to look for assistance. I for one, and I know many others on this game that are MORE than willing and often times very happy to help new characters and new players find their way around the game.

[Raona]

Hey Anthalas, as someone who's only reliable online time is 4am-6am Central time, the game is often a lonely place when I'm about. I've learned a lot about playing solo, even though I am a group player at heart. It is certainly not a fruitless exercise, but there are a lot of things you can not do, or at least you have to wait on until you are well past the level at which you could do it with a group. It can still be fun! Like you, I'm a mapper and appreciate the chance to take it slow and get all the details down. You just have to do so in relatively safe/low-level places when you are solo. One of the nice things about FK is that if you really explore places like that, there are often surprises/gems to be found that not many people know about. Another is that a good many fellow PCs will happily wait while you map, doubly so if you share the fruits of your labor with them.

The other point I wish to touch on is "bothering" more seasoned players, and I want to underscore what others have said on that point, amplify it, even. I've been playing here for...holy cow!...six years now. The ONE thing I wish for most in new players is that they interact with my veteran PC. She's one of those helper-types, and lives for the chance. This is true of many other PCs out there, even amongst the evils. Even someone not in that camp will generally prefer it if a player not known to them stops and says hello rather than motoring past. I know that's the norm on many other MUDs, but the fact we actually prefer the opposite here is one of my favourite things about FK. So don't be shy! Interact with PCs you run into, even if you are level 5 and they are 50. (Just try to make it a little more than "I need this, can you help me get it?"...I mean it is fine if that's the end result, but put it into RP context if you can.) You'll find FK even more rewarding if you do.

Welcome!

[Selveem]

Like how aggro mobiles are stacked up at the entrance to an area, forcing you to enter it with one or two more people or die trying and pulling with a projectile weapon doesn't work.

Hey brotha. I just wanted to comment on this. I'm not sure which area you're talking about, but there's a lot like this. Most of the time, this effect is unintentional. It's more an effect of many wandering mobs in a small-ish area. The reason you can't pull them is a code compromise to avoid big baddies from entering an area that's supposed to be relatively safe.

For instance, if I shoot an arrow at a Dragon and then run into Waterdeep's Market Square and it chases me the entire way.. weeeeell, that's not good for other players (and is against the rules [or at least it used to be, I'm not sure it's in the official rules]). Originally you used to be able to shoot them and they just wouldn't come after you, but that's pretty unrealistic, so the compromise is the best we have come up with.