How do you get past level locks?

[Molalzsath]

How do you get past level locks? I hear that bards get an ability to do it, and I assume they can bring a party through, but are there any other ways?

Like, if the party leader isn't locked, but one of the party members are, will they be able to get through?

Me not know things, me just Uruk. - Molalzsath

[Catrina]

No, once you're locked out, only a bard can get you in

[Molalzsath]

Yup, that's what I thought. Now, how to move the IRP past "See, I can walk through it, why can't you?" in a way that's satisfying to every-one involved...

[Carnely]

You can pay your way through with PE Bypass. -> help bypass
If you can figure out a way to make that IC somehow - blood offering? - rawk on, Mr Uruk

[Ezeiric]

Or, you know, completely ignore this whole finaggled 'In Game Mechanics' crap and just take the world as is and yadda. Cuz, you know, no limitations on the imagination. Not that I expect Uruks having much of one. *smirks*

[Catrina]

*Shakes the funny human's hand*

Been nice knowing you

[Molalzsath]

I think it's more interesting and a challenge to try and play as if the retroverse was a different universe, with different rules to its reality. But, I guess this once, considering the other involved players, I can waive that.

Especially since sticking to it isn't getting us anywhere!

[Ezeiric]

How so considerate of you.

I Had wrote quite an essay as to why in game mechanics were a detraction from roleplay in a free form forum, but I decided I should reserve my works - for now.

Simply put, if I wished to roleplay a character that could magically point his finger at someone and knew basically all there was to know about them at a glance, if I wished to roleplay someone who knew why and just How powerful he was, why... I'd be in Retromud itself!

But you see, I don't think people want to come here to read what they can see every day within the retromud game proper. I think that they want to read a more flowing universe free of the terms like 'levels', 'gifted ones', and 'telepathic communications' (if said person is not a psi.)

I believe they came here to read a story. A flowing, pretty story full of fleshed out villians and valiant heroes that aren't puppets with strings that tie them to a universe of strict laws of conduct and codes - like a game. I'm sure they want to read about indepth duels with the emotions and stresses that go with. I'm sure they want to read about vast lands being traveled instead of being told that a character did light damage and then fled two rooms away and sat regenning before giving up on a mob and traversing 48 squares to the nearest town.

They want to view wounds of all types inflicted with their inner eye, they want a sense of time, a sense of motion, intrigue, delight, horror, romance, betrayal, and most of all - dazzling images that captures their attention and mires their imagination in a believable universe that is not numbers, levels, and locks!

Yet, what do I know? I'm just a silly Fallen simply trucking about trying to free the Nameless One. I doubt I could handle a challenge like filling in the world around me with more than shallow thoughts and a different reality where all of us wear a number designating some sort of rank of our inner power for all to see. Shoot, maybe we should get fancy about it and ask the alchemists to build us some eye pieces that let us see just how high those power levels are! Just a thought.

*smiles with a slight mocking bow*

(Lil ooc note: A roleplay set in motion with number crunching tends to stay in motion with number crunching. I have seen forums where the whole thing de-evolved into a whole DBZ episode. Thus why I disregard levels and such as well as most ingame things in favor of flavorful text and like descriptions that are more mundane in nature like observation and such.)

[Dinadan]

I'm mostly with Ezeiric on this one. I kinda like the idea of Gifted Ones thematically, and I've obviously used the 'no permanent death' aspect of that in my posts (which has pushed my story in some interesting directions, as simple mortal peril isn't as much of a threat as it could be). I also use spell chants from the game, and think (in a general way) about what Din as a bard is capable of (like using remedy on himself late in the last post). But I always try to take the flavor and apply it rather than the numbers. It's always vulna levis sana, not cure light wounds.

Among the things I steadfastly avoid are any references to level. I've read too many novels (mostly from the early days of TSR's novel publishing) where the game classes/mechanics and such obviously underlie the plot and action. I think that's too much. Like the ways in which some of the books changed when D&D went to third edition... *shudder* The story's gotta come first.

The easiest way around things like level locks in your posts? Don't reference level. and fill in your own corners of the Retroverse. Those are the posts I like best, the ones that fit in with the world overlaying the code without being slave to it.

[Molalzsath]

I agree that Ezeiric raises a lot of good points, and I've given consideration to my stance because of them. I agree that numbers, as pure quanties, shouldn't be used. I too, have seen role-plays descend into number games, especially when people don't agree on the numbers each are using!

I guess choosing to use a level lock as my beginning concept was a poor one. It was what was on my mind at the time, as the event described really did happen, more or less.

[Catrina]

I also agree with most of what's being said, but we have to remember that these are Retro IRP's, so we will have to mention Retro things at times. We just have to find ways of making them sound like they are naturally part of the landscape

[Mall]

Roleplaying is up to the interpretation of the roleplayer. If one roleplays well that means they roleplay well to their accepted audience. However if one roleplays poorly that means their definition of roleplaying does not fit the mood or style of their audience.

Moving past things you already know. Roleplaying and mechanics may seem polar facits of the same game, but they can be meshe.

Though I wonder why some people equate roleplaying with speaking in Medieval tongues.

[Pinky]

Actually, someone could just suck at roleplaying, period. If someone is only speaking in leet and can't do anything more than describing trying to cyber with someone, that's usually a good sign.

On the flip side, role playing can be intimidating for some newbies. Worry about not being able to write coherently or if they are doing it "right" can hold some people back. The truth is, there isn't any real "wrong" way to RP. Everyone has their own style (technically, the l33t h@xxxor example could be considered a "style" but good luck convincing me of that). Not everyone is going to like your style. But people who have been doing it for a while will at least give you the credit you deserve and/or offer suggestions of how to improve if your receptive.

[Mireille]

I think it's up to the owner of the thread as well. Mall and Molalzsath have started all the threads I see so far. Once a regular member starts one, they will have the title and permissions of an IRP Board Owner for their specific board(s). That means others who participate play by their rules or can be asked to leave. My reasoning for this was to eliminate spam or purposely rude and misleading posts, and to give IRP board owners the ability to maintain and arrange their own threads, including stickies and the power to remove unwanted posts. This also takes some weight off the admin. If you want an nice IRP board, then keep it that way. As you can see by all the unanswered questions, we haven't had time to get all the FAQs and ideas posted yet.

Mir

Also, there are non-Retro IRP boards, for those who want to RP outside of a RetroMUD atmosphere. You can let your imaginations run free and do anything from sci-fi to a fictional mafia.

[Pinky]

admin said:

Also, there are non-Retro IRP boards, for those who want to RP outside of a RetroMUD atmosphere. You can let your imaginations run free and do anything from sci-fi to a fictional mafia.

Funny...I thought that's what some people say the Sent guild is for...