Open RP Events
| To add commentary / suggestions, please contact Alvina. |
Introduction
Do you miss the simple days of loitering in the tavern, waiting for some brazen villain or breath taking hero to start a fire fight? Do you miss random conversations and opportunities to meet new players? The unpredictability of having a group of people with no ulterior motive or goal in mind co-creating a scene? Well if the lengthy and complex arc events are giving you the blues, never fear! Open RP Events is here to fill that nostalgic void in your heart.
What is it?
"But Alvina, what IS an Open RP Event?"
Glad you asked!! An Open RP Event is the best of both worlds. A hybrid between the scheduled shenanigans of the present (to accommodate our work-life schedules) and the random conflux of no-strings-attached story telling of the past! No lengthy planning or previous event hosting experience required. It follows a very simple formula that lies in the hands of each individual player. The Formula™ is as follows;
- Check the Date/Time/Location
- Show up
- (Optional) Event Coordinator can post an opening 'prompt' to set the scene *
- Chaos and good times ensue!
And just in case I didn't mention it before, anyone can schedule these events. That's right, you heard me. ANYONE. All you have to do is send an hmail to the admin team with your suggested date, time, and location! Try to stick to common areas, like Taverns or Arenas, since these are public events (it also makes it easier for both new and old players to navigate. Please don't make me pull up maps every rp to find random Frostmaw wilderness tile #7. Have Mercy.)
*(as the event coordinator, this is your time to shine and throw curve balls at your friends and foes! Remember, this is all in good fun and not a requirement to host the event)
How To Get Involved
"Okay, I'm with you so far but what do I actually -do-?"
First, keep your eyes peeled for the Official Hollow discord server's push notifications about ALL Hollow related events. This special brand of collective rp will also be advertised on the welcome screen. After that, there's only one other thing to do: SHOW UP! No pre-registration or catch up reading required! There will be start times but feel free to join at ANY time. An event is starting at 6 pm EST but you can't get there until 7? No big deal. It's all free form, baby.
What / When / Where
"I'm at the place at the time on the day! What now?"
Now the magic happens. Your event coordinators (unless that's you, which you'll hopefully know ahead of time) will post a quick announcement on the OOC letting everyone know that the OPEN RP is going down.
The coordinator will also let you know whether or not they're posting an opening prompt - think of it like a writing prompt. Again, this step is optional. The Coordinator may turn the scene over to anyone who wishes to start the rp without a prompt.
Example of prompts: A group of thieves could sneak onto the tavern scene and stealthy start sneaking valuables out of the patron's pockets or a group of thugs appear to sell scented hand soaps and everyone leaves smelling like lavender and honeysuckle! After the scene is set, it's up to the group of players (ya-huh, that's you guys) to decide how it goes from there. BE the bad guys or the good guys. Be the neutral party jealously watching all your favorite soaps sell out before you get a chance to buy some. Rob the robbers! It's all fair game (within the Rules of behaviour , don't try to go too HAM.)
Remember, this has nothing to do with any arc, so don't feel the need to catch up on any wiki reading. It's a random scene.
The How To's
"How will I know when to post? Is there an order? What if I can't be there on time? Can I still come?"
Was Rome built in a day? Absolutely not! The beauty of these events is in their chaos. Chaos posting is the name of the game! React to each other and the situation presented, but keep in mind it's up to other players how they react to everything too! You want to catch one of those aforementioned thieves? Get on it! Someone else caught one of them? Neato! Maybe you guys team up, maybe you fight to see who gets to bring these ne'er-do-well's to justice!
"If it's so random, how will I know when it's over?"
Your part is over when YOU say it's over. Need to call it quits after an hour to get that good sleep time in? No judgement, get those zzzz's. There's no obligation to stay until the event's conclusion. Heck, who knows what could happen in another hour or so. Are you sure you want to miss out, hmm?
Becoming An Event Coordinator
"I have an idea for an event but I've never done anything like this before. Do I send it to you or just randomly try to snag people on the OOC?"
Remember that little tidbit about ANYONE being able to run this? Absolutely still true, even down here a couple paragraphs later. All you have to do is set it up! You are encouraged but not required to get the creative juices of your co-writers flowing with prompts. To schedule, send off an hmail to the lovely admin team so they can advertise your time / date! I'll never discourage snagging random people on the OOC but the more the merrier, ya dig?
More Questions?
"This all sounds rad but I still have questions! What do?"
Hey, I'm here for you. Send me a message and I'll be happy to help fill in the blanks if I've missed anything in the overview. This is still in the experimentation phase but it's all player based so WE have the ability to decide how it grows and takes shape along the way. That's the beauty of free form spontaneity. And if you -still- have question, give the following rules and guidelines a quick read.
Rules and Guidelines
All attending players:
Please respect the prompt of the event coordinator and reply accordingly after the scene is set (unless the coordinator specifically announces a free for all). You're more than welcome to post an entry prior to establish yourself in the location.
Event Coordinators:
You're responsible for starting the shindig! Prompts are not required but it's up to you to direct the initial 'flow'. Points for quirky and interesting ideas that will make your attendees flex those creative writing muscles. You aren't obligated to stay and 'control' the scene but you ARE encouraged to stick around and join in the fun as an attendee.
''No time limits, no 'end game', no problem."
There is no minimum requirement for time spent in the event as well as no strict time that you have to arrive by to be part of the action. Stumble into the madness!
OOC Conduct
I hate to sound like a broken record but these events are RANDOM and for the sake of FUN. Follow all of Hollow's Rules of behaviour (including no God Moding or other rude behavior) so it stays FUN for all involved. The success of these events is in YOUR hands. The more you invest, the more you get out of it. And if you aren't sure if something is crossing a line, feel free to ask. Communication makes everything better.