OngoingWorlds blog

News & articles about play-by-post games, for roleplayers & writers

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Sitcoms and Roleplaying Games

Big Bang Theory cast w logoIn today’s entertainment world, it seems we are flooded with a plethora of shows that seem to just run into each other via plots or ideas. These shows tend to be very unsuccessful and usually end within the pilot or the first or second season if they’re lucky. But then, there are those shows that seem to triumph over the rest, the ones that stick out, the ones you might have thought you would hate but would come to love. Situation Comedies or “Sitcoms” go best with this pattern, in a way, roleplaying games can follow suit, since there are games like the baccarat online which is really popular these days. How does it relate? How do you make roleplaying games like sitcoms? Well there’s only one way to find out.  Read More

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Want to rp a character with Aspergers Syndrome?

Article written by Accalia Baronets.

aspergers

So you want to play a character that has Asperger Syndrome/High Function Autism eh?

Well then this article is for you. Read More

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Down with the term ‘Mary Sue’!

This article was written for us by Marian Brock Andersen.

dawn with the name mary sue

So it’s a pet peeve of mine, the whole Mary Sue / Gary Stue classifications that people throw around like its some horrible disease.

“Did you see the game.. yeah… totally they got the Mary Sue.”

We see it all the time, no “Mary Sue / Gary Stue” allowed, splashed all over everything, but what does it really mean to the Moderator or the other players? Read More

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12 villain archetypes to choose from

hannibal

Creating a believable villain can be difficult. A villain needs a sensible cause (click here for an article about that), and they need to be credible (click here for tips about that too). You might find you need a bit of inspiration for creating a good villain, so here’s a list of 12 villains Read More

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Hidden secrets about your character

Sexy Admiral Ackbar

Some of the best characters are not be who they appear to be. I found these writing tips about characters, and character’s secret backgrounds by Karen Lazinger (see the original here). Read More

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Angel Summoner & BMX Bandit – unbalanced characters

The above video is a sketch from a comedy show which perfectly sums up a problem in many roleplaying games. Read More

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13 articles about creating a brilliant, flawed & interesting character

 I always feel that when I'm making a character, it's the flaws they have that really makes them who they are.

On this blog we’ve posted many articles about creating characters, but over time they’ve been pushed back in the archive, so here’s some handy links to ones that you might be interested in reading if you’re creating a new character, or to show to one of your newer members who’s struggling creating a new character. Read More

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5 ways to make your audience empathise with your character

Data from TNG crying

Everyone wants to read about a character they can empathize with. Here’s a few tips written by Sal Taybrim from Starbase 118 from the article Compelling Characterization (read it in full here).  Read More

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Limitation & Penalty vs Complication and Consequence

This post was written by Alexander Williams (@squidlord).

truth

An Exchange of Tweets

Last week this question was floated on Twitter.

Pentagram

David Onion Ball (@ongoingworlds)

If you allow characters in your RP to cast magic, do you always make sure there’s a penalty for using it? – Mar 18

To put it mildly, “a conversation ensued.” You can go to the linked Twitter procession if you want to read it in full, but the core conflict is that David espouses a position in which the actions of a character have a “price,” and I believe if you charge a character – or their player – for engaging with the story, you get what you reward: less engagement with the story.

I think that’s bad. Your opinion may differ.
Read More

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11 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Character’s History

I found this great article on Jesse Cohoon’s blog, & thought it would be really useful for you guys.

make the most of your character's history

 

Player backgrounds are important. They tell where characters have been, what their goals are, and who their friends and enemies are. Read More