Disclaimer:
Expectations v. Reality
or why nobody cares about you or your dumb character
Foreword
My goal in writing this short post is simple. I hope to not only rant about some things I've seen from my first few days on the server but also maybe share a lesson that I've learned not only from MCRP but from TTRPGs in general. I'm probably just preaching to the choir but, hey, hopefully someone somewhere can take something useful from this. Here goes nothing.
Expectations
I think when many people join this server they already have a few expectations brewing in their mind. It's hard not to have any. I personally believe that new players expect one of two things when they first check out the website. Either A) some sort of high fantasy literary adventure like Eragon, Assassin's Apprentice, Septimus Heap. Stuff like that. Or B) an RPG game à la Skyrim but with a heavy sandbox focus.
While not entirely wrong, these expectations can cause more harm then good. One, in particular, can kill interest like nothing else. This expectation stems from the idea that something big will happen to your character. They'll come across an Elder Dragon running rampant within a fallen city. They'll then be charged with finding Ash's Bane, the last Khoros Blade forged from the heart of an ancient abyssal lord. Forced to reforge the blade, they'll have to travel to the warped peak of Mount Kruz'nash to rekindle the essence of the blade. All the while escaping the clutches of the great... You get my point.
I recognize how much of a blanket statement I've made. Not everyone comes in with that type of mindset. But I also believe it covers a pretty common line of thought from newer players like myself. The issue that I take with these preconceived notions comes not from how 'wrong' they are but how limiting they can be when referring to the Lord of the Craft or even TTRPGs. It's a similar issue in games like DnD. Many view the game as nothing more than a medium for rolling dice, killing monsters, and getting filthy, mindbogglingly rich. And that's one thousand percent fine. People are allowed to and should enjoy games in whichever style that they want. But in a massive collaborative scene, I can't help but hate how detrimental that line of thinking can and will eventually become.
I'm pretty bad at translating my weird thoughts into words so I recommend that you watch the video 'Why Minecraft Roleplay Is The Best Thing You've Never Heard Of'. It was what got me interested in this server in the first place and it was also a wonderful primer. In summary, the idea of LOTC as a 'collective story' [really a bunch of smaller stories that crisscross and branch into each other and make a weird malformed human centipede of a story] is the best way to come at it without having your expectations crushed. And trust me, they will be. That's because...
Reality There isn't an antagonistic Elder Dragon. There isn't a lost Khoros Blade that only your character is capable of wielding. Nothing. That story doesn't exist because your character doesn't matter and, more importantly, nobody cares about you. And... That's okay.
It's important to remember that the onus is on you. You're the one that has to go out there and create fun, interesting, meaningful RP. There won't be an antagonistic Elder Dragon until you make or find or however the hell that stuff works on this server happens. Same goes for the Khorkoa Blade. But, at the end of the day, the effort must come from you. Nothing will fall in your lap, no quest marker will appear, nothin' like that. And that's one of the major strengths of this server. You have to distance yourself from expectations to realize the stupid amount of freedom that it comes with.
At the end of the day, bunk expectations. Go out there and do **** WITHOUT bothering people. Breathe, take it easy, and have fun.
or do what you want i dunno im new here dont hurt me