Is Roleplaying cringeworthy?

Lenikus

No

It depends on the type of RP involved... really.
It can be any funny story or an argonian un-birthing a dunmer.
really.

we need more context here to make a cringe or no-cringe judgement

Feynn

No

I am glad to see so many positive reactions to roleplaying and roleplayers in this thread. Roleplay means a lot of different things to different people, and I wonder what it means for the OP, and what it is that the OP finds cringeworthy, if anything.

Most players engage in some forms of light roleplay. As @TheUrbanWizard said, when you adjust the sliders in character creation, you are possibly already beginning to roleplay. You are starting to think of your "toon" as a "character". When you decide that you want to play a Khajiit before even looking at racial passives, because Khajiits are cool... that's roleplay. When you think "my toon is a Bosmer stamblade using bow as primary weapon, so I'm definitely going to buy that jaqspur hat when it comes out on the Crown Store"... that's roleplay. This is part of what most refer to as "light" RP.

Then there's heavy RP. That's when you create a character with a backstory that fits the lore of the game and you engage with other similar characters to create interactions and stories of your own, beyond what the developers imagined. That's where you see a bunch of characters spending hours chatting with each other in a tavern, or going into a delve and playing out stories with their collective imagination, using text in emote and say channels, sometimes using dice rolls to add an element of random chance to their adventures. Heavy RP could be described more or less as "collaborative story-telling", and it's just as cringeworthy (or not) as writing fan-fiction.

BlueViolet wrote: »

I'd love to roleplay more in ESO, but I rarely to never see anyone doing it. And from the amounts of threads I've seen about people complaining about randoms trying to join into their scenarios, I've never bothered contributing to the RP I have seen.

@BlueViolet , on which server and faction do you play? Sometimes it can be hard to find roleplayers due to the phased nature of the game, so most RPers tend to join RP community guilds or hub guilds, just to be sure they are able to find each other. It's also very useful to look for roleplay forums, a good place to start is www.teso-rp.com. If you happen to be on the EU megaserver, I'd be happy to give you more detailed information. Most roleplayers are happy to see new people take interest and join up, but sadly we are all too afraid of trolls, so it's important to gain people's trust first. Send them a whisper and ask if you could join. Or maybe join them when they are having a casual a chat in the local tavern first, rather than when they are planning a super secret heist on a noble's mansion.

NativeJoe wrote: »

Do what you want, on your time, with your people.

Just not when you join my dungeon group, ask for my help, or role play at the most ridicules times. x.x

@NativeJoe , as a heavy RPer I certainly agree with the content of your post, if not with the tone. I have never encountered people who would insist on roleplaying their character while running a veteran dungeon. I roleplay a pure mage, but when I'm doing a dungeon my Sorcerer has no trouble equipping his dual wielding swords to maximize spell power, even though I'd never do that in roleplay. You wouldn't use a PvP build when you go PvEing, would you? The same goes for RP. My RP build is very different from my PvE or PvP builds, and in my experience most RPers (at least heavy RPers) are perfectly able to keep things separate.

Runs wrote: »

The people who RP and report someone for being a drunken Nord and dancing on a table because it breaks their immersion... IS cringe worthy.

@Runs , it's perfectly fine to roleplay a drunken Nord dancing on a table and no one should be reported for it, as long as the way it's done is not meant to simply harass roleplayers and ruin their immersion. The occasional drunken Nord dancing on a table in a rowdy tavern could be perfectly immersive, but the same drunken Nord dancing on a table in the Mages Guild...? Not so much. Also, is that Nord going to say or emote something, or is he just going /dancedrunk? And think of it from a story-telling point of view: if you are going to roleplay a drunken Nord dancing on a table, how long will it take before the innkeeper comes to pull you down and kick you out on the street for harassing his other customers? That's what makes the difference between someone roleplaying a drunken Nord, and someone who is just trying to troll and harass roleplayers.

jircris11

No

Runs wrote: »

While I selected ^^^ it highly depends on the situation. Standard talking in character and and immersing yourself into the story is fine and I would not consider that cringe worthy. This is what I would consider role playing.

But....

It seems like an increasing number of people mistake the words role play as having to be about sexual fetishes. Living out sexual desires in game I do consider cringe worthy. Looking in zone chat for a "RP/ERP partner" because you want to have cyber sex with some random kid person, is cringe worthy.

The people who RP and report someone for being a drunken Nord and dancing on a table because it breaks their immersion... IS cringe worthy.

i am a RPer, have been since ultima online and i will agree. I have noticed that that story driven RP i use to love is being replaced with one offs and erp crazed events. I still find normal RP and story RP but it is hard to find one that is not sexual or god modish.

dtm_samuraib16_ESO

jircris11 wrote: »

i am a RPer, have been since ultima online and i will agree. I have noticed that that story driven RP i use to love is being replaced with one offs and erp crazed events. I still find normal RP and story RP but it is hard to find one that is not sexual or god modish.

Well, Godmode'ish: people want to feel for once something different than they are in life, I guess?
And this is ACTUAL TRUTH!
In Second Life it is considered to be 'insulting' if you play a cripple, for instance.
No, I do not, nor ever played SL, a friend did, and happened to have a cripple character.
I for one enjoy flaws in a character.

I had, in a Warhammer RP, this Field Medic... which was beyond anything: a coward extra-ordinaire.
This was so hilarious at times, that we had to suspend our game session, because no one could stop laughing, or being serious anymore.
Awesome times.

As for eRP... well... sex is part of life, I guess.
It's not my thing, but hey, if it pleases them, and their 'partner', who am I to stop them?
In the end: think the population would be as is in Tamriel, if there was no "Lusty Argonian"? XD

dsalter

Yes

only when they take it as far as to... be "intimate", play acting is fine, but when it crosses the line to be something... more, then it goes into the creepy zone. saw a lot of this in WoW

rotaugen454

No

It's just like people who flirt. There's lighthearted casual flirting, then there's CREEPY flirting.

NovaMarx

No

dtm_samuraib16_ESO wrote: »

NovaMarx wrote: »

and am member of several RP guilds (even have my own)

EU?
If so, care for a crazy Vamp? :P

Yep. PC EU AD. You are welcome to contact me in-game, and I can tell you more about the different guilds

Necrelios

Some roleplaying is cringe worthy, just like some acting is cringe worthy on stage. Good role players are a bit more rare but it's always nice to stumble on some organized event and watch the show. Some of them are really good writers and spend a lot of time preparing and getting everything set up. A game like ESO provides a lot of great tools for them to work with and it's always fun to see what they can do with them.

Sogreth

No

Not cringeworthy at all. And someone who actually thinks it is...well, let's not get into that, I can already taste the salt from them.

I personally don't do it, I tried it out a bit on WoW. I had lots of fun. It was short lived though. It mainly depends on the environment. If you find a good guild that suits you well, you can have loads of fun with it.

Now, if we're talking ERP. For one, to each their own. I'm not going to judge you for wanting to ERP. I'm gay, apparently I'm a sin and I'm going to Hell. So I can't really judge lol. I find ERP kind of "cringeworthy". But no one is forcing you, or me, to stick around and listen/read it. So although I might find it cringeworthy, it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I just don't indulge in that type of play.

But I think my main point is. If you don't like RPers. Just don't involve yourself in them. If it bothers you that much, ignore them so you don't see it in chat. You don't see them dashing through your questing area killing everything before you have a chance to. So no reason to jump into their world, trying to mess them up just because you might think it's an "inconvenience" to you.

Divinius

No

Callous2208 wrote: »

Divinius wrote: »

Normal RP? No, not generally. Can even be entertaining to watch sometimes.

ERPing in private group chat? Fine by me, as long as I don't have to see it.

Explicit ERPing in public channels? Very much yes, and IMO it shouldn't be allowed.

In my experience the last thing you mentioned is usually done by non-roleplayers, just trolling the masses. Explicit public erp is not something you tend to see in legitimate rp circles.

Oh, completely agreed, and I didn't even mean to suggest that legit RPers do stuff like that. But it does happen, and it's ugly when it does, even if it is just trolls doing it.

dtm_samuraib16_ESO

Why do you think trolls are red, in the first place? XD

CherryCake

No

TheDarkShadow wrote: »

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

once I saw a video of a vegan that pretended to be a cow and another vegan was milking her

Dafug I just read?

I sent you a PM, they wouldnt allow that video on the thread.

nordsavage

Yes

Yes but they can play how they want. But the ones that blast it all over faction hubs and well populated areas deserve the interference they provoke. Take it to a group chat.

dtm_samuraib16_ESO

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

TheDarkShadow wrote: »

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

once I saw a video of a vegan that pretended to be a cow and another vegan was milking her

Dafug I just read?

I sent you a PM, they wouldnt allow that video on the thread.

Dewd, send me that vid as well, I just want to have a good laugh. XD

CherryCake

No

dtm_samuraib16_ESO wrote: »

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

TheDarkShadow wrote: »

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

once I saw a video of a vegan that pretended to be a cow and another vegan was milking her

Dafug I just read?

I sent you a PM, they wouldnt allow that video on the thread.

Dewd, send me that vid as well, I just want to have a good laugh. XD

Sent it bro xDDDDDDDDDDD

dtm_samuraib16_ESO

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

dtm_samuraib16_ESO wrote: »

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

TheDarkShadow wrote: »

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

once I saw a video of a vegan that pretended to be a cow and another vegan was milking her

Dafug I just read?

I sent you a PM, they wouldnt allow that video on the thread.

Dewd, send me that vid as well, I just want to have a good laugh. XD

Sent it bro xDDDDDDDDDDD

heheh, you did...

I once said to a vegetarian, that I eat vegetarian as well...
I was eating a burger.
He looked at me and said: how can you say this, eating... THAT...
I told him, shoving the burger under his nose: These are Vegetarians...

Eocosa

No

I do not find anything wrong with role play and, in fact, I find "l337 sp34k" MUCH more cringeworthy so given the choice is take RPers ANY day! Truth be told in my experience RPers are generally very kind and even if they keep more to themselves they are less likely to do anything impolite such as t bagging corpses in Cyrodiil.

I also have experience in RP guilds and the like from other MMOs (really hard to RP on console without a chat box), and I always found it quite humerus/satisfying how many people seem to assume RPers only sit around in taverns and such and then proceed to get utterly steam rolled by a RP/PvP guild who not only butchers the nay sayers, but they do it "in character".

***I will say this though, I can not really get ERP and while I try to adopt a live and let live policy with people's interest I avoid places that this happens at like the plague!***

dtm_samuraib16_ESO

Me and RP...
Love this shirt. XD

AnnieBeGood

Hmm. We are all roleplaying...... right now I am a wood elf archer (I am not in real life I can assure you) so I tend to do wood elf things. Like kill squirrels for lunch. Cause she would ......
Some people like to go further and make up stories and play it out between them. Well thats fine, play how you want.
I have some doubts about large bearded Nords in wedding dresses tho.

kevlarto_ESO

No

It is what it is, there are players that enjoy it very much, and good for them, I take part form time to time, it is fun for me in short sessions, and sometimes fun to watch.

dtm_samuraib16_ESO

AnnieBeGood wrote: »

Hmm. We are all roleplaying...... right now I am a wood elf archer (I am not in real life I can assure you) so I tend to do wood elf things. Like kill squirrels for lunch. Cause she would ...

Pictures or... XD

Bookwyrm

No

Roleplaying itself (in general) is not cringeworthy.

Roleplayers, and some stories, can definitely be cringeworthy--but it does depend on the individual.

Taisynn

No

Bookwyrm wrote: »

Roleplaying itself (in general) is not cringeworthy.

Roleplayers, and some stories, can definitely be cringeworthy--but it does depend on the individual.

Same thing with movies and books.

Dracula was a classic horror film and the original vampire. Then some uneducated, fanatical mormon- housewife decided to introduce sparkling vampires... One is art, the other is cringeworthy.

dtm_samuraib16_ESO

Taisynn wrote: »

Dracula was a classic horror film and the original vampire. Then some uneducated, fanatical mormon- housewife decided to introduce sparkling vampires... One is art, the other is cringeworthy.

Wooow, you say what I basically said in another thread...
Coincidence.

Lenikus

No

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

dtm_samuraib16_ESO wrote: »

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

TheDarkShadow wrote: »

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

once I saw a video of a vegan that pretended to be a cow and another vegan was milking her

Dafug I just read?

I sent you a PM, they wouldnt allow that video on the thread.

Dewd, send me that vid as well, I just want to have a good laugh. XD

Sent it bro xDDDDDDDDDDD

You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention.

CherryCake

No

Lenikus wrote: »

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

dtm_samuraib16_ESO wrote: »

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

TheDarkShadow wrote: »

EstelioVeleth wrote: »

once I saw a video of a vegan that pretended to be a cow and another vegan was milking her

Dafug I just read?

I sent you a PM, they wouldnt allow that video on the thread.

Dewd, send me that vid as well, I just want to have a good laugh. XD

Sent it bro xDDDDDDDDDDD

You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention.

Sent it as well xD

CherryCake

No

Ok dudes just search for John Sakars on youtube, he has a video where he licks a papaya I cant take it xDDDDDDDDDDDDD (yes its the same creepy guy with the cow)

MornaBaine

No

mzapkeneb18_ESO wrote: »

*sees people doing erp in a local place, turns around and nopes out*

Seriously, screenshot and report. It's breaking TOS and gives the rest of us a bad name. I have no patience for that juvenile crap. Characters flirting and/or being risque? Not an issue. Describing actual sex acts in spatial? Report them. Every time. I do.

dtm_samuraib16_ESO

Not sure how many know pen and paper RP here, but when I GM'ed games, I added always a bit of me in it.
For instance, magic...
Normally, when you play such an RP, you have to roll dice, and if the targetted number is met, or better, the spell works.
So, what I did was: you have to aim at the actual number, and the closer you got, the better the effect.
If, however, you crossed it by far... the results would amplify by the amount that you crossed that line.

So, at a point, this guy, an uber twelved circle mage, wanted to light a a small fire.
Target number was like 7, if i recall well, and he threw a marvelous 30-odd...
The result war terrifying, I can assure you.

But when GM's add these things, a lot of funny things can happen...

And IMHO, just things like these make RP worth the time playing this...

Tapio75

No

No, even reasonable ERP is fine as lomg as it is natural part of characters life but then again i dont know if being married and having intimate life in "Private place" counts as ERP...

But everyone know Goldshire, right? That kind of ERP is something i will run away and frown in an eye blink.

I would also love to see more RP in ESO, but i also would like to see people playing normal people of Tamriel, a roleplayer who was hunter for living (Hunting food) in forests of Elwyn, i alwways longed for people who would be more... Normal.

In Warcraft seting, it seemed there were tens of thousands of generals all in different or same division/legion/whatever or then they were some superhumans, Uther Lightbringers reborn etc or a deathknigh conspiracy theorist/consåpirator or what ever.

I wish people would play less important characters when they do RP, it makes the setting feel awkward to have a whole setting full of superheroes and second setting sof superheroes etc.

For example in Aion, i loved to play tradesman because there was the personal market cart you could set up anywhere, nasically i sold food and that was fun.

Right now this one is just a simple Khajit, minding his own business, venturing about Tamriel. Khajit loves to keep peoples valuables at safe, this one often turns peoples goods to gold to keep them better in safety. Sometimes people seem to drop stuff on a table and forget it, this one takes care that they get to stay safe.. Khajit loves helping other people.