ROLEPLAYING (a repeat point)

[gunner154]

I'm starting this topic because I think I should get more people to hear of this new way of playing Emperor. The goal is not to destroy your opponent, but, in layman's terms, to "make a movie" (I hope you'll understand this).

In my previous post I mentioned this. For convenience's sake, I'll paste it here. Please do not get this confused with an RPG. In an RPG, you have fixed goals and your storyline layout is fixed. In an RP, you create your own goals and you create the storyline.

---If you MUST destroy your opponents whenever you play an Emperor game, PLEASE DO NOT read this, because this is not for you. For those who are willing to listen, cheers :)---

Paste:

I used to play online. But nowadays no more since I changed to a new computer, and have yet to reinstall Emperor since I got hooked on warcraft 3 and diablo 2. But now that I've regained my dune interest, when I get back to Singapore, I'll reinstall it and try to see you guys online.

Somehow, when I went online, the whole thing's EMPTY. Also, an irritating thing is that... sometimes due to bandwidth problems, i get like a 1 second disconnect from WOL, but after that my game locks up a bit, none of the buttons i click work, even the cancel and exit buttons. This even happens when I double-click someone's game to join it. I wait for like 2-3 minutes, unable to do anything, and I finally get game is full or something but when I double-clicked it, it was near empty. Heck.

However, I REALLY enjoy playing co-op campaigns. Don't understand why nobody plays them anymore...

About the roleplay.. I'll do an in-depth guide. Or at least to the best of my ability.

Presently, in warcraft 3, there are maps called RPs (originally began in starcraft though). These maps are wholly detailed, with areas of grass, dirt, snow, blight, everything you need to do your roleplay. it's like a map with versatile roles.

Purpose of a Roleplay

To have fun, damnit! In a roleplay, there is no such thing as a game outcome, because roleplaying isn't a game. There is no such thing as a winner and a loser. What you can do in a roleplay, is to play certain roles.

For example, one player can be a trading town, another can be a hero, another can be the bad guy, etc.

Then you take over the roles of these "things", what they do, how they do things, what they say, etc.

For the case of warcraft 3, you get to make use of commands such as spawn 03 acolyte, etc. You can also kill, remove, change colour, tint, change size/speed, or even give new abilities.

But that is because in warcraft 3, the map editor is omnipotent to the extent that you can program scripts and such. in westwood games, no such thing exists.

However, since resources are unlimited (you won't find a time when there is no spice, right?), theoretically, a roleplay can last forever, but of course, in real life, it only lasts as long as the players stay in the game.

SADLY, Emperor can only support up to four players in a single game (that is if you play WOL. hopefully, someone will come up with a rotorz for emperor... ;)) So roleplays will be restricted to four players. It is best that there is at least one player of each house, and that at least all the five subhouses are in the game. it is also possible to gives units in emperor. As a result, it is possible for all players to have all the house majors and to have all the subhouses.

Is anyone still with me? If nobody is, please say so.

Moving on...

It is better to use a huge map like carthag or fisher's plain, so that the rp session will be as expansive as possible. Turn living world on IN CASE you need sandworms there for reality's sake.

If in the story that the players are acting out, a war is to happen, players can break alliances anytime, but it's advisable to know your limits, because in situations like this, players tend to go sadistic and decide to blow up a player's entire base. Players must thus remember that THIS IS A ROLEPLAY, not a strategy game. If a player gives you permission to blow up a base, you may do so. Otherwise, you will only get on that player's nerves and the roleplay will turn sour.

Fan mapmakers will have lots to do, because they can help build various types of maps, maps that include lots of bridges, cities, etc. It'll be very exciting.

Conclusion

I'm not really good at explaining how things work, but hopefully you get the idea. Remember, roleplaying is about creativity and enjoying what you do. If you always wanted to find a way to BE A FREMEN, roleplaying is your opportunity. If you want to be a Bashar, you can get a sard elite, unally someone and ask him to spare you some units to kill so that you can get him to level 3 (don't worry if he dies, because in emperor there is no hero system. don't try so hard to make your hero units look so different).

Paste Ends.

[veK]

okay I understood what you were writing but there is just no sense in it in a game like emperor.

what are you supposed to do as roleplay in a game that is based on money (spice), sand and warfare.

I just don't get it how a game like emperor should be fun in this way. what are you supposed to do? you can't trade sheep or whatever. you can't walk around all day long with you fellas like in dark age of camelot. you have just this one map with a lot of sand and spice and you have got a lot of firepower. so there are only 2 things you can do: do nothing and everyone is just building even more firepower he won't use (which is as stupid as cold war between russia and usa has been) or you build an alliance (or not) and crush your enemy (or be crushed by him) and that's actually what most of the players do if they decide to come online an play a battle...

[Marcel71]

building even more firepower he won't use (which is as stupid as cold war between russia and usa has been)

So u think it would not have been MORE stupid if usa and russia would have used the firepower?  :O

[veK]

no this would have been as stupid as not using them. in my opinion it's like this: building something what you won't use makes no sense. building things that bring "sorrow" if they are used is for no good either. so they shouldn't build any weapons at all because it was not necessary. and using them would have been much more stupid. it was just a huge waste of money.

so I don't understand how it could be fun in emp just idling all day long on the sand and building artillery and infantry and harvesting spice if you don't do anything with all the stuff...

[gunner154]

You're supposed to get involved in whatever role you undertake, say a fremen leader. Ever seen stuff like Dune RPG or Dune roleplay in the Fan Fiction column? It's just applying this in Emperor, and that it is not exactly a game.

Or for one, replay the Dune miniseries...

[Marcel71]

In the role playing i want to be the master of scouts, fremen and engi's...

Then i can come to your base and repair all your buildings :-))

And i can ride worms and then some of your units can ride along with my worm.. Just see it as a public transport in Dune like a Bus. I call worm, ride to your units, an just 'pick' them up :-)

So that would be my role Gunner.. Which role u want to have Gunner?

[gunner154]

.............

You need to go play Emperor if you're going for the style I'm suggesting. It's the messageboard RP but instead of just using words you have stuff to manipulate using your mouse (or using your Emperor game).

And you choose your roles when you start the game or before the start.

[Marcel71]

I know gunner, but i thought i will already tell you the role i wanne play in case it is going to happen..  :)

[gunner154]

When I get back to Singapore in a couple of weeks and reinstall Emperor, we could try it out. Anybody else?

By the way, since WOL is dead... for emp that is, or is it? What other server can I use? What program to install?

[Marcel71]

Everything you need to know about getting online you can find here:

http://www.dune2k.com/forum/index.php?topic=15876.0

Even i could get connected, so it must be really simple ;)

[gunner154]

Thanks! I will check back at this thread when I get back home.

[Dante]

I understand the concept, you'll be pleased to know. It would be rather difficult not to since I used to do it myself... But then I've never been able to play online, and computers don't make very good role-players. It works well enough though.

But you don't really need to modify the game. You don't need to take on roles, or organise it or anything. I mean you can do if you want, but I've never found it necessary. All you need to do when fighting is manage to have a reasonaby long game and make up your own story. When I played Emperor I always used to flesh out the game a bit by adding appropriate bits of fiction. Those units that I grew attached to were named (usually with numbers ;D), and I fitted every action of my own or my opponent into the story. It doesn't matter that the computer never wanted to join in, that was part of the fun.

[cilc01]

Hi guys

[Dante]

Come to think of it, if anyone wants to have Emperor-based roleplay, there is a whole Fanfiction board you know...

[gunner154]

Good to see more action around here!

I'll reinstall Emperor first thing when I get back to Singapore!

Dante/DustScout, I used to do that with EVERY RTS I play. I do it on Tiberian Sun (build really nice bases with wall and gates, place two guards at the gates, and have one commander or something). I do it very often on Red Alert 2 and Emperor too, but normally after destroying the computer (leave them with one non-windtrap building, they don't sell everything like in Dune2000), and then build at their base, replacing them. In Red Alert 2, I play Allies and train Tanya and a Sniper (Britain) till elite and send them on missions that I make up myself. Great fun.

Fan fiction board... Right.

[Dante]

So do I. Though some games have enough story already... but these are rarely real-time. The turn-based Age of Wonders; Shadow Magic, for example. Dungeon Keeper might theoretically benefit from the same kind of story-making, but it's got a lot already...

[gunner154]

Dungeon Keeper? You can't even control the monsters...

[Dante]

So you'd better be pretty good at it.

[Tako]

Although I never play online

(and not ahamed to admit it)

I'd like to give it a try but the thing is: I'm not all that good and when I do go onlie line i'll getkilled, destroyed in minutes (maybe 3)

so that's why I don't go online, but maybe I should try it sometime, this looks like a nice way to try it out...

[cilc01]

Hi Arutha!!! Come tu us now and tri it. It is onli fun and not fight on yours live  ;) When i was started whit this game i was deat in few seconds, but i was hold on and now i hold on few minutes  :D ;D

[Tako]

maybe I'll give it a try in the christmess Holiday whan my girlfriens not here (cus then I got even better things to do ;))

[Madenod]

Hey Arutha. C'mon man. Everyone looses games in the early stages of their lives, so why drop out so quick man, even I was like sadian once, I kept loosing in the space of 1 minute (even less hehe)

Its all about learning and progression. I think right now you just need to build confidence and that will lead to aggression and once you have passed this stage then its speed in which to build your buildings as fast as you can, and then use tactics and strategys to attack and counter attack.

After all practicing all this you will then have a slightly clearer insight into what you may or may not be doing wrong.

Anyone! plz feel free to criticise me, hehe

yea yea the great Madenod sucks. lol 8)

[Tako]

well first I have to insatl emperor again and get the feeling back then to find out how to log in buyt I'll give it a go then

[DelugeD]

I agree , just play dont worry about wins or losses

if that is the case then playing online isnt very fun its playing ppl that is

[cilc01]

Hey Arutha. How to connect you can see in ERJINS topyc http://www.dune2k.com/forum/index.php?topic=15876.0 Here i think