Well where to start with this. Sawrock and Snake have said the most of what I am thinking, and ham pointed out what I hate about Antags/Storyline events. I guess I try to retell it with my own words, and see if you can find anything of value in my perspective. Everyone has their own comfort zone and what they like/want with such. Ahem.
1.) Genres?
2.) What would I like to see in a Villian/Antag? What do I think is viable?
3.) What would make me play an Antag? What do I like about playing one?
I ended up writing a lot, so digest it as you see fit. It is MY opinion. There are many more ways to play a good villian, or even consider one. I am simply trying to give you input from my perspective especially regarding SL2, and anything of what I said helps you? Cool! if not? feel free to entirely ignore it, I am by no means the guru of RP. I just have experience with more Longterm RPs that have a much bigger focus on Worldbuilding, and miss that with SL2, as many other RPers that I have seen leave the game over the years.
1.) Genres?
I can personally give you the tip, to stick to what you are comfortable with. Are you a big fan of Horror stories and can write it well? Go for it. Are you more for lighthearted comedy? do that! Can you write deep intertwining and crossraoding stories with twist? Rock it.
Rule of thumb from personal experience is, that if you tell a story, you always write it better if its something you enjoy yourself than something you are unfamiliar with and try to push yourself into to fullfill expectations. You probably have better chances to light the fire in people, with something you are passionate about yourself. Just be careful to not get TOO passionate about it, as that can often lead to frustration. It can get espcially bad when you have a bad week in IRL, that you might react in a way you didn't mean to, or overly snappy. I think no one of us, is fully immune to it, so its always a good idea to step back and do something else, till the initial frustration calmed and you can think a bit more rational about something and analyze what went wrong where and where you could have improved/could structure it to give better hints for people (Espically important if you do puzzles, I can tell you...People much rather Unga Bunga stuff here, and their base solution to any riddle is smack it.)
You do yourself a favor by doing scenes you feel comfortable with, and enjoy it.
Rule of thumb from personal experience is, that if you tell a story, you always write it better if its something you enjoy yourself than something you are unfamiliar with and try to push yourself into to fullfill expectations. You probably have better chances to light the fire in people, with something you are passionate about yourself. Just be careful to not get TOO passionate about it, as that can often lead to frustration. It can get espcially bad when you have a bad week in IRL, that you might react in a way you didn't mean to, or overly snappy. I think no one of us, is fully immune to it, so its always a good idea to step back and do something else, till the initial frustration calmed and you can think a bit more rational about something and analyze what went wrong where and where you could have improved/could structure it to give better hints for people (Espically important if you do puzzles, I can tell you...People much rather Unga Bunga stuff here, and their base solution to any riddle is smack it.)
You do yourself a favor by doing scenes you feel comfortable with, and enjoy it.
2.) What would I like to see in a Villian/Antag? What do I think is viable?
I mostly agree with Snake and Sawrock here.
I think there are two Archetypes of Antags that you can play in SL2 most effectively.
Lighthearted Throwaway:
not deeply thought out, but consistent type. Sawrock plays good ones of this type (not saying they lack depth, they are just not Batmans Joker level of depth or try to change the world, they just DO things). SL2 as a whole with its lighthearted nature is more 'receptive' of these as it needs no bigger plotting and can just be winged and people who like it can interact with it while others can entirely ignore it. The downside is that you will never really satisfy desires to reach bigger goals and you more or less set yourself up to lose (which can be fun in itself).
Pros/Cons:
+Always at the ready, able to join a RP.
+Fun and interactive RP that can include basically everyone.
+low stakes, usually. Mostly for the not Antags leading in a bit less frustration when done right and do not just stomp on new players with Overpowered synergy teams.
-+ The lighthearted nature of these opens up comedic relief routes, which are a matter of taste. Nothing is fun when overdone.
-+Easily replaceable. Comes with the sidetaste of feeling less imapctful for it though.
-You basically set yourself up to lose. It can be received very bad as well, if you are not careful around certain players/Do behave in a trolly way that people do not take you serious.
-You will very unlikely create anything lasting on the world, outside of little rumors and people maybe talking about about you, but usually you are brushed off.(demoralizing)
Event Villians:
Villans that have a clear motivation, clear goals, mayhaps rooted with existing characters stories, or otherwise characters that are created to play a specific theme, or enhance one specific Player/groups story a bit. They are technically able to leave some ripples in the world, but they too aren't meant to be fully fleshed out characters. They are a tool for a cause, a narrative device.
Pros/Cons:
+Has bigger impact on personal storylines, and have some room of excuse for existing.
+Usually have an easier time to get Eventmin assistance.
-+Its very difficult to consistently play them, and they can only show up at certain points and their 'Screen time' for such is low, which can cause problems with wirting the character in a believable way, or in a reasonable timeframe before they overstay their welcome.
-Because of that, they are basically not interactable and everyone who isn't catered to, is basically forced to watch or feel useless even if they try.
-These Storylines have fake Stakes. Everyone pretends that they do, sometimes players decide to throw in a character death willingly to have some impact, but in reality, they are gone against till they are defeated, Heros WILL win in the end.
-Character Deaths that are thrown out in these events too often, become not important at some point cause of how low effort most of those characters are to be replaced, or they are only thrown away in the first place because the person got bored of them, giving these events a weird side effect. Thats an SL2 problem though, caused by the Alt-mentality.
-Because such events take more effort to set up, and most of such has to happen out of sight for players a disconnect can happen, making the plotline feel not thought out or the villian halfassed, because he lacked the proper chance to develop along normal character.
-SL2 Community generally treats Villians bad, unless they are played by their friends for them.
Both of these types are commonly played Antags. I see why they exist, and a balance between them is probably more desirable, with the lighthearted nature being far easier executed. If you start as Antag? I suggest starting with that type. It helps you get a feel for the community as well, from an Antag perspective, which is vastly different than from a normal char perspective. Unfortunately, I do not see real player Antags be able to be reasonably played. Our playerbase is a bit too small for that, or too clique/open to treat such fairly. Maybe also just to competitive and spotlight hugging too, that such stories are hard to develop. Its also hard to relay the whole proper story/motivation of your character, without looking like a clown of an Antag that is basically just an openly Vampire character, but with openly villian...Which no good Antag would be. Otherwise, you risk sending yourself to a timeout box with no RP, since all RP is centered around Sigrogana.
Here is also where I disagree with Snake, because more realistically? If you start being a villain in another place, chances are much higher that you are just entirely ignored rather than spread the RP around. People will NOT leave their comfort zone that easily. SL2 handholding created a very comfortable safety bubble, and you are usually better off planning with smaller groups of like-minded. I do not like this, but I think its the unfortunate reality.
I think there are two Archetypes of Antags that you can play in SL2 most effectively.
Lighthearted Throwaway:
not deeply thought out, but consistent type. Sawrock plays good ones of this type (not saying they lack depth, they are just not Batmans Joker level of depth or try to change the world, they just DO things). SL2 as a whole with its lighthearted nature is more 'receptive' of these as it needs no bigger plotting and can just be winged and people who like it can interact with it while others can entirely ignore it. The downside is that you will never really satisfy desires to reach bigger goals and you more or less set yourself up to lose (which can be fun in itself).
Pros/Cons:
+Always at the ready, able to join a RP.
+Fun and interactive RP that can include basically everyone.
+low stakes, usually. Mostly for the not Antags leading in a bit less frustration when done right and do not just stomp on new players with Overpowered synergy teams.
-+ The lighthearted nature of these opens up comedic relief routes, which are a matter of taste. Nothing is fun when overdone.
-+Easily replaceable. Comes with the sidetaste of feeling less imapctful for it though.
-You basically set yourself up to lose. It can be received very bad as well, if you are not careful around certain players/Do behave in a trolly way that people do not take you serious.
-You will very unlikely create anything lasting on the world, outside of little rumors and people maybe talking about about you, but usually you are brushed off.(demoralizing)
Event Villians:
Villans that have a clear motivation, clear goals, mayhaps rooted with existing characters stories, or otherwise characters that are created to play a specific theme, or enhance one specific Player/groups story a bit. They are technically able to leave some ripples in the world, but they too aren't meant to be fully fleshed out characters. They are a tool for a cause, a narrative device.
Pros/Cons:
+Has bigger impact on personal storylines, and have some room of excuse for existing.
+Usually have an easier time to get Eventmin assistance.
-+Its very difficult to consistently play them, and they can only show up at certain points and their 'Screen time' for such is low, which can cause problems with wirting the character in a believable way, or in a reasonable timeframe before they overstay their welcome.
-Because of that, they are basically not interactable and everyone who isn't catered to, is basically forced to watch or feel useless even if they try.
-These Storylines have fake Stakes. Everyone pretends that they do, sometimes players decide to throw in a character death willingly to have some impact, but in reality, they are gone against till they are defeated, Heros WILL win in the end.
-Character Deaths that are thrown out in these events too often, become not important at some point cause of how low effort most of those characters are to be replaced, or they are only thrown away in the first place because the person got bored of them, giving these events a weird side effect. Thats an SL2 problem though, caused by the Alt-mentality.
-Because such events take more effort to set up, and most of such has to happen out of sight for players a disconnect can happen, making the plotline feel not thought out or the villian halfassed, because he lacked the proper chance to develop along normal character.
-SL2 Community generally treats Villians bad, unless they are played by their friends for them.
Both of these types are commonly played Antags. I see why they exist, and a balance between them is probably more desirable, with the lighthearted nature being far easier executed. If you start as Antag? I suggest starting with that type. It helps you get a feel for the community as well, from an Antag perspective, which is vastly different than from a normal char perspective. Unfortunately, I do not see real player Antags be able to be reasonably played. Our playerbase is a bit too small for that, or too clique/open to treat such fairly. Maybe also just to competitive and spotlight hugging too, that such stories are hard to develop. Its also hard to relay the whole proper story/motivation of your character, without looking like a clown of an Antag that is basically just an openly Vampire character, but with openly villian...Which no good Antag would be. Otherwise, you risk sending yourself to a timeout box with no RP, since all RP is centered around Sigrogana.
Here is also where I disagree with Snake, because more realistically? If you start being a villain in another place, chances are much higher that you are just entirely ignored rather than spread the RP around. People will NOT leave their comfort zone that easily. SL2 handholding created a very comfortable safety bubble, and you are usually better off planning with smaller groups of like-minded. I do not like this, but I think its the unfortunate reality.
3.) What would make me play an Antag? What do I like about playing one?
Lets start with what I like. To me the idea of conflict, based on a moral opposition is interesting. Putting yourself into a shoes of another perspective and Argue from that, and see how it collides with others.
What I like and find likable in Antagonistic inclined characters is...That they are real characters, maybe with flawed Believes, morally grey view? Maybe just extreme in their thoughts but feeling like they actually do the better.
Thats how I try to write Shiva atleast. She is meant to openly confront people, question them, challenge them in their beliefs. She is not meant to make friends, but she has very firm, deeply rooted believes that have formed from her upbringing and the characters she interacted with shapeing her into.
Generally? Like any other character, characters with FLAWS are super interesting. They do not have to be evil for the sake of it, they could very much be Heroic, or Anti-heroes. Willing to make sacrifices. The most interesting Villians for me have always been those that once they are faced, and confronted with their reasoning make me think. "Well...He actually has a point, he might actually be right!". And I hate it if Videogames do not give me the choice to actually stop it and see THEIR ending >=O
Sometimes the mere concept of Hero and Antag, completely vanishes. Its just Characters that firmly believe in things and clash based on that, with none of them truly in the right or wrong, yet passionate about it and invested, and for them high stakes. It doesn't have to be the fate of the world, the fate of princess or whatever...Sometimes the well portrayed pride and determination is the best. It makes them relatable. And they stick in memory not because they were overly strong, or disney villiany. But just because somewhere in the back of your head you think, that they might be in the right, even if you disagreed with the methods used. These are things I try to keep in mind when I write an Character thats meant to clash with others. Its important to make them believeable, have a logic code they use, and to not overly make them edgy for the sake of it. Sasuke Uchiha style is lame as fuck.
Now, what would make me want to play one?
Most importantly? Fairness. If I work out a real character, if I bet their life and put it on the line, then I expect to have a realistic chance to acheive what they want to acheive. No railroading and automatically losing at some point. Risks and rewards. The chances do not have to be in your favor, but if your planning is good, the plot decent and you don't simply want to storm the capital by force, then I expect that there is a chance greater than 0.000001%.
Usually what prevents that is the gank mentallity and the desire to "win" the plot, even and stop it before it really rolls out. Sometimes allowing people to wind up a bit and engage them in a less deal sealing manner, can be great RP and meaningful development for both sides.
I'd like to know that there is a chance for my character to win, they are just as much a character as anyone else. Of course I am fine with lighthearted throwaway characters to be railroaded into defeat/death, but not if I use actual real characters. The game doesn't really distinguish between such,which I blame alt mentallity/broken character progression for. So if the game doesn't give that by default? I would like it if progression could be earned in ways like this, cause we all know your usual battle set up will be 1 versus 12, even if you have a team.
Outside of that? obviously, having actual realistic chances to RP at all. The moment you are not on perfect terms with Sirgogana ICly, you can basically kiss all RP that isn't in discord bye bye. You will be starved for it and are at peoples mercy. And I have honestly no idea how to change this aspect. We are simply a too small community/too selective or afraid or unwilling to leave safety zones. I am no different from that too. I too rather sit in my discords and RP with people there, rather than having to deal with the overly broken PVP and people try harding it or griefing.
In the end I am playing mainly an "Antag" character, not becasue they are Evil, but because I like the philosophy between people and have always alot of fun when I see other characters with unique perspectives (even if rarely) over the usual overly good inclinded characters, that are often unrealistically so, and more often than not ignore the lore of the very continent they frequent on. The EMPORER, rules an empire. An empire is most commonly created by conquest and with the history of Sirgogana and Onigan war we can assume that Sigrogana is no different.
What would make me play an Antagonistic character? If I could explore these Stories and theories and develope/explore the vague story, with creative plottiwsts or alter the fate of this very stale world a little. That would be worth sacrificing a character for, possibly. And at the same time would give everyone chances to devleope characters outsid eof the well behaved little sheeps that believe every word they are told. Such storylines would be my jam, and it would expand on the world itself. Feeling like I am actually part of the games world.
What I like and find likable in Antagonistic inclined characters is...That they are real characters, maybe with flawed Believes, morally grey view? Maybe just extreme in their thoughts but feeling like they actually do the better.
Thats how I try to write Shiva atleast. She is meant to openly confront people, question them, challenge them in their beliefs. She is not meant to make friends, but she has very firm, deeply rooted believes that have formed from her upbringing and the characters she interacted with shapeing her into.
Generally? Like any other character, characters with FLAWS are super interesting. They do not have to be evil for the sake of it, they could very much be Heroic, or Anti-heroes. Willing to make sacrifices. The most interesting Villians for me have always been those that once they are faced, and confronted with their reasoning make me think. "Well...He actually has a point, he might actually be right!". And I hate it if Videogames do not give me the choice to actually stop it and see THEIR ending >=O
Sometimes the mere concept of Hero and Antag, completely vanishes. Its just Characters that firmly believe in things and clash based on that, with none of them truly in the right or wrong, yet passionate about it and invested, and for them high stakes. It doesn't have to be the fate of the world, the fate of princess or whatever...Sometimes the well portrayed pride and determination is the best. It makes them relatable. And they stick in memory not because they were overly strong, or disney villiany. But just because somewhere in the back of your head you think, that they might be in the right, even if you disagreed with the methods used. These are things I try to keep in mind when I write an Character thats meant to clash with others. Its important to make them believeable, have a logic code they use, and to not overly make them edgy for the sake of it. Sasuke Uchiha style is lame as fuck.
Now, what would make me want to play one?
Most importantly? Fairness. If I work out a real character, if I bet their life and put it on the line, then I expect to have a realistic chance to acheive what they want to acheive. No railroading and automatically losing at some point. Risks and rewards. The chances do not have to be in your favor, but if your planning is good, the plot decent and you don't simply want to storm the capital by force, then I expect that there is a chance greater than 0.000001%.
Usually what prevents that is the gank mentallity and the desire to "win" the plot, even and stop it before it really rolls out. Sometimes allowing people to wind up a bit and engage them in a less deal sealing manner, can be great RP and meaningful development for both sides.
I'd like to know that there is a chance for my character to win, they are just as much a character as anyone else. Of course I am fine with lighthearted throwaway characters to be railroaded into defeat/death, but not if I use actual real characters. The game doesn't really distinguish between such,which I blame alt mentallity/broken character progression for. So if the game doesn't give that by default? I would like it if progression could be earned in ways like this, cause we all know your usual battle set up will be 1 versus 12, even if you have a team.
Outside of that? obviously, having actual realistic chances to RP at all. The moment you are not on perfect terms with Sirgogana ICly, you can basically kiss all RP that isn't in discord bye bye. You will be starved for it and are at peoples mercy. And I have honestly no idea how to change this aspect. We are simply a too small community/too selective or afraid or unwilling to leave safety zones. I am no different from that too. I too rather sit in my discords and RP with people there, rather than having to deal with the overly broken PVP and people try harding it or griefing.
In the end I am playing mainly an "Antag" character, not becasue they are Evil, but because I like the philosophy between people and have always alot of fun when I see other characters with unique perspectives (even if rarely) over the usual overly good inclinded characters, that are often unrealistically so, and more often than not ignore the lore of the very continent they frequent on. The EMPORER, rules an empire. An empire is most commonly created by conquest and with the history of Sirgogana and Onigan war we can assume that Sigrogana is no different.
What would make me play an Antagonistic character? If I could explore these Stories and theories and develope/explore the vague story, with creative plottiwsts or alter the fate of this very stale world a little. That would be worth sacrificing a character for, possibly. And at the same time would give everyone chances to devleope characters outsid eof the well behaved little sheeps that believe every word they are told. Such storylines would be my jam, and it would expand on the world itself. Feeling like I am actually part of the games world.
I ended up writing a lot, so digest it as you see fit. It is MY opinion. There are many more ways to play a good villian, or even consider one. I am simply trying to give you input from my perspective especially regarding SL2, and anything of what I said helps you? Cool! if not? feel free to entirely ignore it, I am by no means the guru of RP. I just have experience with more Longterm RPs that have a much bigger focus on Worldbuilding, and miss that with SL2, as many other RPers that I have seen leave the game over the years.
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