Roleplayer Mentors

[Andromeda]

Well I've thought about it from time to time and I'm pretty certain that it's come up in conversation more than once. A conversation I had with someone just made me think about it again and I decided to stop thinking and just act. It's probably a good policy for TFF at times. ^^; Even if it does freak people out.

Anyway, the concept is pretty much like the New Member Adoption thing Meier does except that is geared towards RPs and RPBs. The idea is that this can hopefully bring in new interest that are uneasy about joining and introduce new threads as well.

The premise would be pretty simple. You sign up to be a mentor or someone that needs mentoring. We'll have a list here to keep track of who is helping who out so people don't get overloaded. And when a mentor received or picks someone to help they'll work one-on-one with the member in a small environment that does not have to be worried about keeping up or being overwhelmed.

The mentor will start out by creating the RP or RPB threads that will just be for the two of them to write in. The mentor will provide constructive feedback that will help the member improve until it is felt they've reached a point that they are ready or comfortable with RP/RPB with everyone else.

In the end it'll be up to the mentors to decide how they want to do their lessons and I'm not going to tell you how to do it. So long as you're courteous to the member. And naturally if there are problems on either side bring them up to me and I'll handle it.

So who's up for it? Any suggestions to add to this that would help out or improve things?

I'll be a mentor as well.

Mentor List
Andromeda
Dragonheart
Hyzenthlay
Magi of Worlds

Pupil
Squall Dissidia (Hyzenthlay)
JillXWesker (Andromeda)
Lusana

[DragonHeart]

Kind of like bringing back the RP Academy. XD It's a good idea in theory, making it work in practice is another matter entirely. If I remember right, the main problem we ran into the first time was elitism. I attribute that mostly to the point system we were running, far too easy to abuse. Well, that and lack of interest. The eternal curse of TFF, heh.

If we can make it work though, that would be great. And if nothing else, it reminds me that I was going to revamp the guide awhile ago and never did. I'll add it to my to-do list.

~DragonHeart~

[Hyzenthlay]

I'm in if it does take off. I'll mentor anybody. Keeps the rust off me and gives me somebody to RP with. Good for both ends, I think.

Anyway, yeah. Like DH, I like the idea. It is a lot like Academy and Demonia. I think having 1 on 1's will be a better way to do things than a club. Sometimes members conflicting ideals got in the way. At least we can avoid that, or try to. It's a great idea Andro.

I agree with DH, no standing point system ever worked. It's like you said: 'In the end it'll be up to the mentors to decide how they want to do their lessons' that should take away the stress of a admin based, structured point system.

Hyz.

[Robbo]

I would like to be mentored but there is really no rush seeing as it is in early stages and i dont know if everything is actually prepared yet.

[Andromeda]

I'm glad to see some responses. Yeah, Dragonheart and Hyzenthlay I don't really think a point system will be necessary. Writing is more a subjective effort anyway and we're interested in helping creating interest, keeping young interested members involved and feeling like they can be apart of the forum. Hopefully ego can be put aside and things will be done to simply extend helping hands to people that are earnest about wanting to learn and be a part of the fun.

And Squall Dissidia I'll put you on the list.

I'm thinking that those interested in being mentored will want to provide a short a little piece about what part of RP/RPB they are interested in and what they wish to learn. So that we can better match people up. If someone wants to learn about RPB I'm not the person to do it, but if someone wants to learn about SRP I certainly can and IRP. Or if they just want help with character building or writing posts. If there's something specific you want to get out of the mentoring saying so will help out a lot.

I'll try to leave things pretty open where mentors can come pick up someone to mentor when they see someone that matches with their style. Though if someone goes too long waiting for someone I'll probably start PMing if I'm unable to do it.

I had forgotten about the Academy and previous attempts at this. So please provide past experiences so we can improve the situation. I do think a 1 on 1 environment will be more helpful for learning.

[JillXWesker]

I would like to be mentored! Plus, I think i'm the one who gave Andromeda the idea xD
Do I need any information? Like my interest, or anything?

[Andromeda]

Most of the information needed will be where you want to learn and grow in. It'll also probably help to know what genre or setting you're more comfortable with doing. So that the sessions can be tailored to each individual.

[JillXWesker]

I wanted to learn how to RP basically xD. I've never Role Played before, and I wanted to learn. I'd be comfortable in... Anything, really =/. Heh... Not much information... Sorry. Just want to learn about RPing. i still need to read the rules, and all that good stuff before posting.

Love JillXWesker

[DragonHeart]

Andro: The RP Academy's original thread still exists and as you can see, there was far too much emphasis on, well, everything except RPing. Too much into the mechanics of it, I think. And the Academy eventually became Terran Fas Fafner, which was a great but poorly implemented setting. You know the rest from there, I'm sure.

~DragonHeart~

[Andromeda]

We do tend to get bogged down by systems when trying to do more than just roleplay. Since all we're trying to do a teach and help people a system really isn't necessary. So that should help us out a lot. Just getting in the time and doing some roleplaying is what's important.

I'm figuring that it might be good to just mark threads in the RP/RPB/OoC that are being used for mentoring purposes as such so I'm aware as the moderator and others know that it's just a one on one deal.

If no one minds I think I'll take Jill under my wing and if either of you two are up to it. You can take Squall otherwise I could, but I would prefer not to have more than one person assigned to a mentor at this point.

[Robbo]

Im in the same situation as Jill really other than i know basic Rp from being in private forums made by my friends using forumotion there were a few completely original ideas and a FFVII one a KH one a Final Fantasy United one i made (all FF chars) a Harry Potter one and a few Naruto ones but im incredibly amateur and id be lucky and havent really improved at all over any on the ones i mentioned (mainly because same people in each rp)

[Hyzenthlay]

I'll take Squall. You're right. Having a mentor with more than one at this time would be detrimental to the whole idea. So, Squall; Could you give me an example of something you've done for yourself? That way I know where to start with you. It would be best if you PM'd me this. =]

Hyz.

[Magi of Worlds]

Hey, I'll sign up for this. I wouldnt mind using my years of experience to help train fellow Rpers in my image! Mwahaha!!! But seriously, I'll do it! I will be a mentor.

[Andromeda]

Alright, I'll add you to the list Magi. I'm glad that we are finding people that are willing to help. Hopefully, there will be more people interesting in learning about RP/RPBing so that everyone will have their opportunity.

I'll probably start advertising it in my signature.

[Lunasa]

Well, I've RPed for at least 5 years and even adminned an RP forum before, but as of late, I hit a gigantic RP rut. Here's what I've done before:

On this forum:
http://thefinalfantasy.net/forums/st...stis-ball.html
http://thefinalfantasy.net/forums/rp...y-viii-rp.html


Off this forum:
The posts were deleted for whatever reason... But I ran a forum called "The Other Side of Erised"... The new Admin's my best friend, so I have NO idea why my accounts were deleted... GRRR....

Well, at any rate, the criticism would be useful because my style also seems to conflict with the styles used around here. So a mentoring session would be nice.

[Andromeda]

I don't mind adding you, but would you be able to clarify what in your style conflicts or conflicted with people here? I'm not certain of what the problem happened to be, but knowing that will help whomever assists you to know what to be looking for.

[Lunasa]

Well, where I roleplayed, you had control of one character and controlled their actions. It seems like, from what I've had experience with, people seem to roleplay "other's actions" such as conversation or reaction.

Or better yet, I want to understand the "moving on ahead" sort of roleplaying when you do years at a time(or months or whatever). For me, roleplay was sensitive to the last word action, because we roleplayed things such as classes and only several hours at a time(It was a Harry Potter board). I feel like it is overdescriptive for the folks around here, because I attempted to actually address certain parts of a "SeeD" exam in the RP above like questions, but people found that that approach was too slow for them and they wanted to get "into" things without that particular character development. I want to be able to better understand a faster style, rather than the descriptive one that I'm so used to.

[Andromeda]

Reading what you said, it might be good to check out the Bleach RP and potentially the OoC thread as well. Because the same things occurred there that you were talking about. I am/was part of it so I can speak from some experience to what was going on there.

Doing something as you describe going through the hours of a day or whatever, can be fine so longer as it is not a repetitive or mundane task. If it is an uninteresting task people are going to get bored of it and what to push on. And you'll have to be more objective when looking at it, because it can certainly seem like an interesting and exciting task from your point of view while others will be bored by it. That is a fine line in figuring things out as a leader of the RP.

The issue in the Bleach RP was that Xeim wanted to run a daily thing of what happens in a school type setting. Problem is that typically a daily setting in a school ends up being very mundane after the first day, but nothing new will happen and nothing interesting or exciting that ends up being meaningful to the character. You can squeeze in some amount of character development, but the same amount could be done spanning weeks or months as well. People tend not to make huge developments to their character in a single day and they tend not to do all of their quirks at once. You need the right triggers to happen to explore a different side of them.

As for the other point of our control being a little more opened. This varies quite a bit from person to person. But it is usually done for the sake of not holding up the RP for weeks at a time in a single conversation or character interaction. So we tend to give over control to the others so that conversations can be handled quickly and we can proceed through events in larger chunks. I've been in a single scene with characters for six months before because we were holding back on how much control we had. And that sort of thing can also be very taxing to people because it won't feel like progress it being made.

So we give up some freedoms for the sake of progressing the story. But that is why we have the rule that you're allowed to control people's characters up to the point that you're making decisions for them. If all it is what food they eat, no big deal (though being specifically vague is usually best), but saying that they're going with you on a trip or fighting someone. Those are actions only the person who's character is can actually make. If someone steps that far then they are exceeding their privilege and it is considered God Moding at that point.

Most of the things we do here are for the sake of progressing the story and an even and interesting pace. Which probably developed out of the problem of RPs dying off before they end. So if you move faster through it you keep people's interest longer and you get deeper in before it collapses. There is also the factor that people here even in the peak didn't post but maybe once a day per RP. So it was very easy that if you took too long in a scene it would go on for weeks or a month before something else.

Hope that answers some of it.

[DragonHeart]

You could also try compromising a little bit. By RPing a part of a normal class day and an exam or whatever in one or two posts, you can establish the routine for your character and reveal some background, relationships with other characters, etc. By only doing part of the day and not an extended period of time, it's fast enough that it won't bog down the plot and the other people RPing. If you use Harry Potter as an example, in the books Rowling doesn't write out an entire day down to the last detail. She writes the parts of classes that are relevant to the story and leaves out all the rest. Writing an entire day out is a good exercise but unless every single part of the day is relevant to the larger plot and not just your character, it simply isn't necessary.

On the other hand, you could always start an RP that focuses exclusively on the day-to-day life of the characters. I know we've had some fairly successful school-based RPs in the past, though I don't know offhand how detailed those got in the classes. It would probably be difficult to pull off in our current RP environment but you never know, maybe it'll turn out to be the breakout RP that becomes hugely popular and brings some activity back in. XD

But, as Andro said, things have moved to a faster pace lately because we just can't keep anyone interested long enough to do any slower RPs. When this forum was a lot more active you could get away with doing slow-moving, detailed RPs. The problem we've run into right now is that we only have a handful of active RPers and even fewer new members interested in it. If even one person loses interest, more often than not the RP dies.

~DragonHeart~

[SOLDIER #819]

?esaelp rotnem a evah I naC

[Andromeda]

You want a mentor S? You used to RP back in the old days though. I know you feel that you aren't up to the level that you think you need to be, but I'm pretty sure you'll be fine. But if you want to insist on having a mentor then I won't debate the point further than this.

I will ask what you want to achieve from being mentored. It is the same question I've asked everyone else so far.

[Magi of Worlds]

I wouldnt mind helping Lunasa out by showing her my style. I think it runs pretty smoothly with what we do here. I put a lot of detail into a small area and run with it for a post or two. Is that a good thing or should I probably be mentored too?

[Andromeda]

Everyone has their own style. So I wouldn't be too worried about that. As for mentoring Lunasa that will be up to her mostly. I know I haven't RP'd with everyone in the RP forum, not even when I was heavily active. So I don't have long histories with everyone to know if one person is suited for mentoring and another is not. I think it will be between the two that are working to decide if it is working out. If someone feels their mentor isn't good enough or there are problems just come talk to me. So until something happens I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[SOLDIER #819]

The people on the mentor list are more experienced from me. I think I could still learn something. Plus I think I just want to be pushed to do something. Slave driving/motivating is half of being a mentor, right? :p

[Andromeda]

Fair enough. You have something specific you want to get out of it though? That way whomever you work with knows what they should be planning for. Though it Magi and Lunasa work out, Dragonheart will be the last one until we get more mentors. So it might not be a matter of whom, but what. Either way, point still stays. Specifics will be helpful.

[SOLDIER #819]

I wouldn't know honestly. I haven't RPed in so long that I don't know my strengths or weaknesses. That in itself is a problem. Let's just go with the flow!

DragonHeart is ALWAYS cool.

[Zardoch]

Just like to throw in as well as I'm entirely looking to be a mentor. In fact, I just PMed Link about adding me to the Adopter list, yet with an additional "will train in RPing and RPB". So in this case, throw me on this list instead and I'll see what I can do.

[Michael Swayne]

I know that this thread hasn't been posted in for ten months, but if this thread is indeed to be like the Adoption Agency Thread, it should probably be Stickied. Anyway...

I am interested in RPing, though I have never done it before. I have read some of the ones here on TFF, and have become fascinated with them. If anyone wants to become a mentor to a budding RPer, please let me know. I like all the RPs I have read, but if I was to be in one, I would want to steer away from an actual Final Fantasy world. Maybe make up an entirely new world.

Note: I feel that my inquiry is valid, and this is the only thread I have seen that offers help to people in my position. But, if I am to get a warning of any kind, I will wear it with pride.

[Secret Weapon]

I am also interested in rping even though I have no clue where to start off to actually learn the curve. I'm also curious in that if there will be enough people online daily to do this kind of stuff. I'd sure hate to learn this and not have anyone else to do it with.

[Melsaphim]

Hi all, I too am interested in Rping I have had lots of experience with D&D and Alternity RP universes for the tabletop as wel as a few months joining in with a LARP club near me but i have never gotten involved with anything forum based or linked to a forum in anyway. I'm reall interested in learning the ropes or being mentored if anyone would be kind enough to take on somebody with an interest and passing knowledge in tabletop RP.