How To Roleplay Building

[Cjmate 1252]

   How to Build in a Roleplay Setting

  

   Most of the player base, regardless of whether or not they are a rich man or poor man, knows how to build or build out of character. That is silly and is the main cause of the lack of jobs in the game. Because things can be done in a few seconds, no one bothers to role-play it. I can't fix that, but I can try to promote the actual role-play of it.

 

Instructions

1. Prepare your materials. By setting down planks, strapping wood with rails/string/wool, or laying down stone blocks, you can create a nice work environment that tells people construction is going on. You can add things like sawmills, small foot anvils for nails or mending, and marks for houses.
2. When building a house, consider the environment. If you are near a river, you may be subject to flooding, mold, or rot. In order to prevent this rply, consider building the base of your house with stone or building up the ground beforehand.
3. Choose a location that is not likely to detract from the surroundings. For example, if you are building near the main highway in the Fringe, try to pace back a ways so that it is not crumped up too close. Also, try not to block roads or make it difficult to find side paths.
4. Keep in mind who you are building for. Human buildings do not make sense in Elf territory unless Humans live there.
5. When you begin construction, start with the frame. This is simple enough. Simply build wooden supports, perhaps with logs, then construct a frame of what you would like it to look like. This makes rp sense, but it also helps to guide you along oocly when trying to build. It serves as a sort of blueprint.
6. Vary your materials. Repetition of blocks is often boring. Try not to spam too much of one block, and try to build in default when possible. What looks good in a texture pack may not look good in default.
7. Try not to cookie cutter your buildings. If you are building a city, it stands to reason that they may look similar. You can make them look the same, but try to make small changes that get them to stand apart from the others.
8. There are no ooc styles to building, so do not be influenced by other people. I encourage everyone to build in a way that is rp applicable, as well as attempt to roleplay it when possible. Build in a way that suits you, and try to make it good for other people. Anything done well should not be rushed.
9. Try not to use heavy materials, such as stone, on a wooden frame or support. It rply cannot hold it. For example, don't use stone with wood walls. Use a stone roof for a stone house.

Actually RP Building

 

• Consider adding mortar (stone) under supports in order to keep them still.
• MC does not have modern tools, so it is very simple. You can get by with good ol' hammer and saw. When laying bricks, you can rp actually mixing materials together or cutting stone. You can do this with a chisel and a hammer.
• In order to move support beams, you can rp using a wood pick. This is similar to a scythe, but it is smaller and designed to latch onto wood (You know the saw mills in Skryim? Those!).
• Modern day buildings are insulated in order to prevent wood from warping. Keep in mind that buildings in LotC are not nearly as good as modern buildings, so they are subject to deterioration over time. Don't just break a house though. Rp that the wood is rotting, or that stone is cracking. Do this with rp signs.

 

Bonus Tips

 

This is stuff that can be ignored, but I find it useful.

• When building, you can use stairs to simulate holes or depressions in walls or roads. If you build it in two lines, you can simulate a cart traveling down the road.
• Use oak wood default, and use spruce wood in order to rp shadows or moist logs. This also applies for planks.
• If you have a primarily brick house, add cobblestone to show wear in the building. This could be a section that is crumbling or has suffered damage.
• Build fireplaces. Most homes in non-electric homes have a fireplace or some sort.
• Avoid using materials that would not support itself. For example, leaves would make a poor frame.
• Find different rp situations for items. Wool is not wool most of the time in this game. It is used as colored planks or brick in substitute for clay. I actually prefer wool over clay because it has more texture to it. Chests can be rped as barrels or crates, but you may consider adding rp signs to differentiate. Quartz blocks can be used as meat, leaves for bushes or shrubs, and gates for handles. You could construct a makeshift cart using slabs, staircases, and gates.
• Rp signs! Add signs to bolster rp. Got a kettle hanging over the fireplace? Rp sign it! Mc simply does not have every item our heart desires, but you can get around it.
• Try to vary windows. Glass is easy to get on mc, but how do you make it? It's a complicated process of glassblowing, and there has never been a glassblower in lotc. I am not saying do not use it, but trapdoors, gates, and fence posts can be used as substitutes. Gates have the added bonus of being able to open, while the others are stationary.

 

Example Roleplay (Going to Class. I will update this evening with designs and add a agriculture section with trees I have been working on).

 

1. Boris latches onto a fallen tree with his pick, then begins to drag it towards the camp. After getting it into position, he places it with the others and straps them together with a long piece of rope. Lastly, he throws a tarp over it and uses rocks to keep it still.

[cmack1028 548]

Very nice, the tips are helpful for builders of all skill levels in creating more realistic RP buildings.

[Helbolt 129]

You should get with whoever is doing the timings for stone work, wood work, etc. for the plugin for 4.0.  Tweaking that would probably help with this issue (building too fast, not roleplaying it).

 

 

 

/r CJmate8

 

By timings I mean delayed production of goods... as in you can't produce certain things instantly.

[The Fact Core 511]

Nice one! For those who want to roleplay building, it's pretty good.

[Cjmate 1252]

I have not heard of timings.

[Wyvernbane 252]

Pretty good guide! Hopefully people will listen to your tips. :)

[Emp 209]

Nice guide!

You may want to add something about scaffolding; I like to use such to add to the sense of 'UNDER CONSTRUCTION', even when I'm offline.