Do you role-play in MP games and why or why not?
 

Also, if you do role-play your pretender/nation, what is your style?

Another fun poll of the week. Credit goes to Sheap for phrases borrowed from his MP tips post. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Do you role-play in MP games and why or why no
 

It really depends what you mean by role-play. I would pretty much never make a tactical or strategic decision for role-play reasons, but as far as diplomacy goes I generally try to weave what's going on into as sensible of a role-play perspective as possible.

Re: Do you role-play in MP games and why or why no
 

Well, yeah by role-playing, I basically mean whether you send a message like "The Lord of Oceania sends these blood slaves in hopes of continued goodwill between our nations", instead of "Here's some gems and gold, please don't attack me, kthx."

Making a strategic decision for thematic reasons though, that's crazy! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/stupid.gif

Re: Do you role-play in MP games and why or why no
 

I almost always take a small "role" that doesn't actually affect the game, in the form of naming my pretender something outrageous.

Devourer of Apples the Manticore, or a death god named Hakkarainen after a sleep-walking goat appearing in Finnish children's books, or a Tien Chi pretender named Lord of the Seven Teas (I drank insane amount of tea during that game to keep warm and awake).

Re: Do you role-play in MP games and why or why no
 

Always some role playing, especially on the diplomacy side. Tactical and strategic decisions are never affected by the role playing, though. My gods don't hire incompetents so the commanders are left to figure out the conquest on their own. As in, "Thus it was ordered and so it was done!" type of field leadership and the choice of methods whatever was most efficiently at hand.

Re: Do you role-play in MP games and why or why no
 

About the second question, of course : clear distinction. Even when acting lawfully, I'm still acting.

Re: Do you role-play in MP games and why or why no
 

Well backstabbing is backstabbing and anyone doing so will hear so too... I remember a vivid discussion in my first MP game about it. I said someone was a backstabber and then the host insisted I shouldn't do that but I had to call "the god of ... " a backstabber.. same difference to me. Of course that made me call the god of whatever a bit more than a backstabber. (Hey what can I say, my god is just like me and dislikes backstabbing unless he's doing it himself.. and my god just has numerous ways to let his displeasure be known http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

And about RP in MP games in general.. no.. I just want to win a game for once http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif... I to tend to send a few message and post in the threads "in character" but usually noone follows my lead so I forget about it.

--> though I said never I think both examples above show that I do talk a bit RP but it affects nothing in game really

Re: Do you role-play in MP games and why or why no
 

I always try and throw a little role play into the mix. Usually in the form of (attempted humorous?) explanations to explain my strategic decisions.

Really quiet games are never as fun or as meaningful as ones with lots of great posts.

I have been impressed as well with the quality and eloquence of many players posts - clearly some budding fantasy writers play Dom.

Re: Do you role-play in MP games and why or why no
 

I would love to write a fantasy book, but my job (which I love) doesn't allow it.

Re: Do you role-play in MP games and why or why no
 

Those are some rarely heard words - congratulations.