Friday, January 15, 2010

Twilight Role-Playing: A Twitter Nightmare Vs. A Great Distraction

Twitter. Some of us can't go without it. Some of us wish it had never been born. Some of us want to beat the inventor with a bat. Some of us worship the connection we now have to the likes of Peter Facinelli or the 100Monkeys. Some of us tell their followers how to bake a cake. Some of us use it to spread hate. Some of us use it as a direct connection to our FF authors to ask about stories and maybe elicit when they might get the next update.

Some of us have met a bounty of new friends. Some of us cackle evilly at the misfortune of others. And, some of us laugh and ogle at our screens while viewing the enormous amounts of fuckery being passed around in twit-photos and web addresses. All in all, it's become the new 'in' thing. Walking away is never easy, and even I have tried it.

And now, present the last few months, another form of distraction caused by Twitter has come to light. Twitter role-playing. More specifically, Twilight Twitter role-playing. And for some of us, it has taken over our Tweetdecks, our live feeds, and a good portion of our free time. I remember the very first role-player I met over the tweets. His name was MoodManipulator, otherwise known as Jasper Hale-Cullen, aka BetOnAlice's husband and mate. He instantly won my heart, and I was sucked into the lives of the TwiSagaCoven.

How do these RP characters get out there and attract their followers? Why do we love them so? Well, it's simple really. We, the die-hard fans of Twilight, gravitate towards anyone playing our favorite characters. And, we're comforted by the idea of an Edward, a Jasper, an Emmett, or a Carlisle wooing us and flirting with us, or even just chatting with us over a football game or a song blip. It's fun. It gives them their audience. It gives us an escape of sorts from our real lives, or even from our own writing. It's a way to get acquainted with others, or perhaps meet a new friend. It's entertainment, and it should always be perceived as that.


Long story short, I recently made the decision to play a part in that coven after a rather wonderful gal talked me into doing it. She had thought that since I created a rather diverse Peter in my stories that I could play the part. So, I did it. I signed up with TwiSagaCoven and made my way into the role-playing world. My character was Peter, and I was known as CharsFavNomad (My Char and I recently left TwiSagaCoven because...er...we got in trouble one night for not following the PG-13 format. I couldn't help myself. What kind of fucking idiot would deny himself the privilege of having a threesome with two beautiful ladies? Anyways, I left. I definitely don't belong in a group that is strictly PG-13).

Now, I did enjoy a certain amount of anonymity. But, I also had the girls here on the blog informed on the first night I popped my role-playing cherry. Part of the reason we're so intrigued by these characters, though, is because we don't know who is on the other side of that character. But also, the truth is that sometimes it might be beneficial to have something on the outside of the role-playing to help get you out there among the masses, especially if you're running as an independent character not associated with a group or a coven. Anyways, the secret wasn't kept very well, especially by me. I can think of at least four times my tweets went out as IdreamofEddy, when they should have gone out as CFN. Or, sometimes, they went out as both. I have both accounts set up on my Tweetdeck. Big mistake, even if you are paying attention. Tweetdeck fails.

Playing a male character gave me the attention of the ladies. But, I can imagine it's very difficult, especially for the ladies, playing the ladies of Twilight. While it's probably true that the majority of RP contributors are women, playing the part of a man comes easier. And, as women, we rock it. But, do I really want to flirt with Alice or Bella as myself? Er...no. So, the people behind the women have my greatest respect for getting out there and making themselves known.

Role-playing is not easy. It's almost as difficult as writing a story. There are many factors to consider. First of all, unless you have your script mapped out ahead of time, it takes you a moment or two to plug in what you're going to say. With only a 140-character limit for one tweet, you're forced to condense it as much as possible, otherwise you have a neverending string to put out. There are also guidelines that are preset. Actions are generally written between arrows or astericks; out-of-character tweets are set between parentheses; dialogue sits distinct from the rest. If you wing it, tweet-by-tweet, you sometimes have to think fast. For some, it comes naturally.

Now, here's the negative. I don't know about the rest of you, but I recently had to make some adjustments to my tweetboard. I couldn't see who I wanted to see anymore because my board was flooded with role-playing. I realized that I was following three Edwards, three Jaspers, two Emmetts, four Alice's, etc., etc. I could go on and on. The list was neverending. The truth is, if you follow one particular group or pair, the others out there who are trying to increase their 'follow count' WILL find you. Then one day you're saying to yourself, 'what the hell?'.

There's another negative, too. While you might like a certain character, your twitter buddies perhaps might not. Let's take Jasper, for instance. Some might think that one particular Jasper is too...pussy-whipped because he hangs with Alice. Some might think that another Jasper is too cocky and runs his mouth too much when he's out and about. Some might thing that another Jasper is just a complete whore.

This could lead to a debate and hurt feelings among your RP followers. Is it worth it? You also have to consider the person on the other side of the character. They might think they know what their followers like, but they might be completely wrong as well. The solution? Listen to your followers. Correct your mistakes. And, for you followers, even if you don't agree or 'like' a certain character, it's a simple fix. It's a click of the mouse, really. It'll give the RP'ers something to think about when their 'follow count' decreases, instead of going up.

I think the most important thing, however, is that it's like giving or getting a review on a story. Most of us prefer to be treated with respect, I believe. Constructional criticism is helpful, but I would suggest doing it in a private setting, such as a DM. Telling the world and your friends that you're unfollowing a particular character because you don't like the way he/she plays him/her is, and can be, hurtful. It's also up to the RP'er to listen with an open mind and consider every viewpoint.

I like to read a little of everything when it comes to Twilight Roleplay. There is some great twitter sex you can watch unfold, or even partake in, but it's just an outlet for having a good laugh, and er...maybe testing your skills to tweet out a fuck in a 140-character limit. But, it's not just about sexy times, either. Some thought and heavy planning go into some RPs, and it requires the parties involved getting together to map out their strategy, their plot, etc. Maybe even their lines. While some of the individuals behind some of the characters just wing it and have a good time with it, even with mistakes, some take this to the next level and put some effort in delivering a quality role-play. Those are the ones that don't seem to be eliciting attention or gaining the praise they deserve.

I've recently been following a storyline that grabbed my attention with the introduction of a little girl named baby_angelique. Before her introduction, I followed this couple and their hot times. And, boy, are they hawt! This couple was Peter_Whitlock and Char_Whitlock, and they recently left the Volturi Guard Roleplay group to strike out on their own with a couple others. The fact is, in some of these groups you have those who are participating all the time, but you have those who meander in maybe once a week, if you're lucky. Striking out on their own, they have developed a very well-rounded RP that deserves a little recognition.

I had to elicit the help of Char _Whitlock to fill in some gaps for me. It first grabbed my attention while I was at work, and I had missed a great deal. But here's the plot that has already been revealed:

Peter and Charlotte are in Idaho, and when Peter runs into town one day for supplies, he stumbles upon a little human girl who looks to be around the age of two. Now, Peter, who tends to be a fucker, is sucked in by this little girl who is abandoned, and he takes her home to Charlotte. Charlotte, of course, falls for the little girl, and by taking her in, they discover there's something awfully wrong with her - the baby has been abused. Long story short, they discover, however, that it's through her dreams where her injuries are occuring, and they soon discover the vampire behind it all. This vampire dies rather violently by the hands of Peter.

The story line will now have a time-jump into the future - six years, to be exact. Angelique, or Angel, is their daughter and she is enrolled in school. They've just laid the foundation for the jump, and Angelique will no longer be a baby. But, wow, the person behind the RP for Angelique plays her wonderfully.

If you're not following this couple, you should. It's very interesting to watch while you're playing around on twitter, or if you find yourself just staring endlessly at the screen because you have an addiction.

I hope you enjoyed this little post.

32 comments:

  1. Wow, what a post, yeah? Now for a response. *grins*

    This will take a LOT of comments to post it, so bear with me…

    Let me preface with the fact that I am a Gamer Girl and have been for a LONG time. You’ve hit on a subject that is very dear to me and one of my favorite pastimes ever, so I have a lot to say on it.

    I never got much into Twitter before. I’ve had my account like 2 years or so, but only just started really using it the last few months. I forget why, but I was on one night and chatting with IdreamofEddy. Now I’ve been a longtime fan of her work, reviewed every chapter, etc. She remembered me from the reviews and we started chatting. Then I chatted with some others, and so on and so on. I was on Twitter more, but not a whole lot. I couldn’t follow every tweet that was flooding my screen. I finally realized I just had to accept that. *laughs*

    With talking to Kay more, she eventually asked me to join her blog and become a Lamb. I had offered a while ago on a forum to help if she needed it, but I was still floored by the honor.

    But what REALLY got me into Twitter is something that I have been in love with for the last 20 years, and no, that’s not a typo.

    I’ve played most types of roleplaying games (RPGs). The pen/paper (PnP) like Dungeons and Dragons, though Vampire the Masquerade is my favorite. You can even play a version of the pen/paper type online via chats like IRC with programs that keep your stats and roll die for you, etc. The single player computer games on consoles and PC’s like Baldur’s Gate, though I didn’t like them as much, so didn’t play a lot. The massively multiplayer online ones (MMOs) like World of Warcraft, thought Star Wars Galaxies was my favorite before they ruined it. And now, I’ve delved into RP on Twitter.

    Every RP platform is different. In PnP RPGs, you are face to face with the people you interact with. All you can do is react to them. You rarely get to sit down and think about what you want to do or say, you just react. It’s different, but at the same time exhilarating. It’s still my favorite way to play even if it can be harder to do, because of that. You really have to almost think like and be your character so you can do it properly.

    The different with the chat based and MMO type RP is that you have more time to compose your reactions and responses most times. You can also go a little more behind the scenes and direct your RP with others the way you want, which you don’t get in PnP RPGs because the Game Master is the one who does that.

    Twitter is…odd to RP in. There is really no basis for it. With the other types, you have a character sheet, stats, etc. When you fight, you roll die or you use the game you’re playing and punch various keys, etc. The ‘winner’ isn’t generally preset. In Twitter, fight scenes are crazy. I can twist my words in anyway to either win or lose. I.e. *Grabs your neck, bites deeply while my hand reaches under your chin to pull hard, severing your head from your body. Quickly, I dismember the remaining body and toss them into a pire, lighting it and watching the blue flames circle into the night sky.* Yeah, it will take a couple tweets to write out, but there you go, I win. In Twitter, you have to depend on the integrity of the person you are playing against that they will take ONE action and let you react to it, then react to yours, and so on, until a winner is determined. You almost have to decide beforehand who is going to win to make it really play out well. I give MAJOR props to Tish for this, because she’s my first and only RP fight to date – I don’t count the fun playing crap.

    (continued in next comment)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Now, let’s consider the other kind of RP – either individual RP (describing what you are doing when on your own) or interacting with others when not fighting. This is where we get into the real meat of Twitter RP.

    There are some people who RP on Twitter like they are chatting to their friends on IM. I.e. Alice, u want 2 shop with me 2day? Ugh, I hate this kind. It takes me completely out of the RP mindset. I can understand abbreviating some words and trying to fit the character limit but not every tweet. I’m a wordy bitch and often have to continue my tweets. It’s not hard to do and it makes the scene so much better when you add that little bit extra, believe me. It’s what I prefer to read as well. Talk like a 12-year old on gchat and I’m not likely to follow you. That’s just my opinion, though.

    You also get people who try, but aren’t very descriptive. But they try and I love that. They usually are able to get enough in there to set your scene for you, though, so it works. These are also the people who will either watch the good ones and try to emulate them, or will ask the good ones for pointers.

    And then you have the really good ones, which I think come mainly in two types: People who write and people who have RP’d before. I am both. I’m still not entirely clear on the difference, though. In some people it’s very clear to me, others not really. I think that most of the people who write have some really great descriptions/detail and aren’t afraid to go over the character limit and continue a tweet.

    Essentially though, everyone is unique and so their characters and their RP will be to some degree. And don’t forget that no matter how good you are, you WILL put some of yourself into your character. How much generally depends on how good or bad you are as a RPer and how much of your own traits are/should be in the character you’re playing. (This is why I always suggest when people first delve into RP to play someone very like themselves. It’s easiest to get into and branch out of when they get the hang of things.)

    My brother is the best RPer I know, hands down. I have seen him play every type of character – race, class, gender, everything. He is amazing. But even when he’s playing a whiny ass little girl – oh wait, bad example. He is a whiny ass little girl, pfft. Seriously though, no matter what he plays, I see his traits there.

    So if you worry about being too you in your RP, try not to. Just think on if what you’re doing is something the character would be. If not, try to correct it going forward. And if you aren’t sure, find someone who’s RP you admire and ask for advice. Most will be glad to help.

    For myself, I have played almost every type of female character out there. (I can’t do males.) Mother, sister, daughter, slut, princess, virginal, badass, religious, evil, good, neutral, etc. My two online names – Zaytyll and Maelyn – were actually some of my first RP characters.

    Zaytyll was a human ranger who went on an epic adventure for the gods and ended up falling in love with Cyric, the God of Death. It was very tragic, as she couldn’t act on it. To do so would be to change who she was, and that is the person he loved. So yeah, it was tricky.

    Maelyn, well, she was…ah…interesting. A thief and a consummate seductress. Also the most selfish character I’ve played, which in many ways made her one of the most evil. She’s now a lesser Goddess, but still... Put it this way, you do NOT want to ever meet the original Maelyn. *evil grin*

    (continued in next comment)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have a couple of characters on Twitter, but I’ll only mention a few. First however, I will mention my ‘style’ for RPing on Twitter.

    I have a personal account. When I wanna fuck off and be goofy and shit, I do so on her. She is me, in all my manic forms. She’s the Queen of the Sock Puppets FFS LOL.

    When I decide on a character to play, I like to have as much info as possible on her before I play. So I research, I come up with background if I need to, I debate on her personality traits, how she would act, walk, speak, would she have an accent, any quirk that makes her unique, how would she react to different people or situations, etc. This is probably the best thing ANY RPer can do to help them play their character.

    But don’t get upset if what you imagine them to be like isn’t who they end up being. There is always something that changes as you start to actually RP the character, either adjusted for story flow or something you didn’t think of that would add more to the character, or even just something that changes while adapting to the scene or other characters while playing. Go with what feels natural for the character and occasionally check your characters actions/reactions versus what you think she should be. It’s the best advise I can give you.

    On my RP accounts, you will find I am almost always in character (IC) and rarely go out of character (OOC). If I do go OOC, I will use the appropriate symbols () so that people know this. Otherwise, I use DM, IM or my personal account to speak with people or cause fuckery. *giggles*

    It’s the roleplayer in me that says that account is a character I am to play and I should react as she would, etc. Even most of my DMs are storyline or RP related. I also think this is why only ONE person ever guessed I was Sarky before it became well known, that is. Even the people I am really close with didn’t guess and I thought they would know immediately. I still chuckle at that.

    Anyway, on to my Twitter characters…

    SarkyBella (and Sarky_Bella for when my account gets locked up) – Mate of GodOfWarJasper. Everyone knows how hard I love on Kay for Colliding Meteors. So when GOW showed up with his cocky attitude, I gave it back. It was fun. Then we talked in private and I ended up making Sarky. We really had no plan. We were just fucking around. In hindsight, we wish we would have thought it out a bit more. We were in the midst of doing that when things went wonky. So Sarky and GOW are retired and will stay that way for now.

    Sera_B – Anyone who has read my fic knows who this is. Seraphine Bonvillain at your service, chere. *winks* I pitched an idea to a couple of covens. While some really liked the idea, they decided against implementing it. When I pitched it to BenLuvsTia at Dawn Has Broken, he loved the idea. I then spoke to Pia_Volturi and Alec_V_, both of whom also loved it. Her storyline is in play as we speak. Please check her out. I’m really, really enjoying it and hope others do as well. I’m also able to play with some amazing RPers there.

    (continued in next comment)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Char_Whitlock – Mate of Peter_Whitlock and ‘Moma’ to baby_angelique. I love playing this character. I based her off Charlotte from Colliding Meteors then added in some brass and sass. She is ballsy and intimidating, but oh so fun. I even got kudos from Kay about how I play her and I can’t say how much that means to me.

    Peter is an amazing RPer. Yeah, his spelling and grammar isn’t always spot on, but he’s descriptive and really helps to set the scene. We also just ‘click’ when playing. We can feed off each other and it makes it so easy to RP with him. I love it. Oh, and the twittersex is HOT! I know, I’m biased. Pfft.

    Lately, however, Peter and Charlotte have had a major change. I’m still not sure how that will change us. With Angel there now, I’m sure we will evolve a little differently, but still be the same at the core. We haven’t sorted all the details, but I hope you will like whatever we come up with. It’s been different the last week with Angel needing so much care. We’ve devoted almost every moment to her health and happiness, falling quickly for the lil baby girl.

    The girl who plays Angel is also amazing. It’s been interesting. Mostly we’ve tried to let her tell us her story via RP, so we learn along with those who are watching, and react appropriately. It all came to a head the other night when Peter got to destroy the vampire who was tormenting her. Char was a lil upset she didn’t get to get a few hits in, but protecting Angel was more important.

    Now that we are time jumping, I’m curious what the future will hold for the new little family… *grins*

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for the post and the advice. I might check it out.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Now Mae, after that, why don't you do a weekly update on Twitter Twilight Roleplay or something? Because damn, I had no idea you went that far into the Roleplaying phenom.

    My brother used to do it too. Crazy about it, I never really did anything close until I did Peter. Jeez honey, I didn't know you were gonna come out like this. I is shocked.

    ReplyDelete
  7. LOL You didn't ask. Pfft. And I'll think about it. I really only watch my own covens if that. I have enough trouble keeping up with my own shit! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  8. Well, I think you should. Seriously, ask the other covens to mail in their storylines to you or something, set up a gadget. If they want the exposure that is. Or even if you want to do it. Just a suggestion is all, I think it would be a nice addition.

    ReplyDelete
  9. SHit, my thing is twitchy. Anyways, I also know were busy little lambs,so I'm just sayin I'd read it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is Mae's brother. I would like to go on record as saying that I AM the best rp'er she knows.. and I deny emphatically that I am a whiny little girl.. though I have played one.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'll consider it. I'd have to figure out how to do it so it doesn't become too crazy. I don't read my updates atm, much less a bunch of wordy emails lol! I'd have to make a word limit or something. :D

    ReplyDelete
  12. *laughs*

    Yeah, that would be my little brother - who really is like a foot bigger than me. LOL

    You want good RP, he's your man, boy, child, person, it... I call him canon fodder, but you know, we all have nicknames.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I would go on record with my current nickname for Mae... but I dislike being slapped in the back of the head.


    .... really, it's sensitive back there... it really stings...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Annon- Dude, I haven't know Mae very long, but she don't lie. You're a man, you all whine.

    Aww Mae you know length is not an issue around here, it's how you use it. *wink*

    ReplyDelete
  15. *laughs again*

    *glares at my bro* You know I'd do it too. Pfft!

    *winks at Kay* Oh, my Peter knows how to use his..length.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I never claimed not to whine... just that i wasn't a combination of a whiney-little-girl. I am not little nor a girl, however I do believe we ALL have conditions in which we will whine. A natural trait. For instance, if I have no JELLO for snack or no Pepsi for RP I get a little Whiney.

    I challenge you then to admit to the conditions with which YOU would be whiney ( besides having to read my barely thought out unwanted post, that is) :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. and a Solid *gross* to Mae's last comment.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Peter: *snorts* I know how to use it and use it well *yes i am sticking ic in my comment*

    ReplyDelete
  19. *cackles with glee*

    Me without Tish or Missy makes me whiny, so there. Pfft. *sticks my tongue out at Johnny*

    Now, you gonna come RP with me? We need some good, quality players, ya know... I think you'd make a great any character, but man would I love to see you as Aro!

    ReplyDelete
  20. That's my Peter. *winks* We'll see if we can start more 'renovations' later, baby.

    ReplyDelete
  21. *Smirks at Mae* Just as im sure Peter like the lengths at which you do things as well

    ReplyDelete
  22. *laughs at Athena* You mean like 2 hour lengths?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Peter: *smirks* You Kitten are going to love those "renovations"

    ReplyDelete
  24. *rolls eyes* What else would I be talking about, your episode of cuddlecocking *chuckles lightly*

    ReplyDelete
  25. Peter, baby, you know how much I love any time you get your hands on me. And I'm feeling a bit feisty tonight...

    *glances at Athena* Cuddlecocking? I don't think so. I thought you meant the 2 hour blow job. *rolls eyes*

    ReplyDelete
  26. Peter: *snorts* well I aim to please my Kitten so..

    ReplyDelete
  27. *rolls eyes* Deny it as you might i know you cuddlecocked before and I 'was' talking about that 2 hour blowjob *smirks* I could always talk about you two degrading the thrones *snorts* and Aro cleaning it up with his tongue *groans* and dear god the pimpstick *shakes head*

    ReplyDelete
  28. To Peter:

    Baby, you always please, often and repeatedly. *winks*

    To Athena:

    ((Are you sure the cuddlecocking was on Charlotte? I only remember it on Sarky.))

    The thrones were definitely my idea. Peter loved the idea, though. And so did you, if I remember. Weren't you the one who suggested which to do next after Marcus'? *snorts*

    Aro cleaning it with his tongue, well I guess it's the only way he'll ever taste me... *laughs*

    As for the pimp stick, just...no comment. It's too ridiculous to mention further...

    ReplyDelete
  29. To Mae:

    *laughs* I am talking to you my wicked lil pet and all the crazy shit you do. Sarky included. * grins with a wicked gleam in my eyes* Oh you dont want to mention Caius shredding Mae's clothes into a naughty nurse-esque outfit *snorts* Oh crying in your popcorn because of Jasper when Marcus denied your advances *laughs*
    Only you could confuse the Volturi..

    To Peter:

    *smirks* and dont think im not gonna mention
    you, the badass we all know and love *winks* I always knew you were a crazy Motherfucker, and you proved this when wanting to light me on fire when we were both covered in Petroleum Jelly. To think you forgot the fact that we would both go up like a roman candle on the fourth of July *chuckles* Though that Alice skit was Fuckgreat! *snorts*

    I heart you both *winks*

    ReplyDelete
  30. LOL I think Sarky and GOW cuddlecocked for like days one time. I laughed when I thought about it.

    I don't really remember that Caius too much, at least not when I was there as Mae. I remember Aro and freaking our Marcus and your fucked up Jasper.

    Now I'm surprised you didn't mention the visit to the dungeons during my first foray with the Volturi. Sock puppets saved the day! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  31. That RP with Alice and the Petroleum Jelly was some serious funny shit. That one I was lucky to catch all the way through. You three rock it.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hey, this is Jwhitlock1843 and I just wanted to say that I appreciate this whole article. I've not been in RP long and as a newbie I make mistakes. Those mistakes being that I thought I'd give my followers what they wanted. If they wanted to live out a fantasy with Jasper Whitlock then I gave it to them. Some comments about my RP have come to light and I'm no longer doing that. I've got a coven and a blog now as well as a storyline. No one knows who I am or will they ever. You may know me, you may not but when I RP I'm no longer my puppetmaster but Jasper Whitlock. I have a few other RP accounts. Some have families and others don't. I just have fun with them. I have written and that's how I'm not a complete fool when it comes to writing "lemons" or just actions in general.

    I hope to continue to have fun and if you do not like me then it's unfortunate because I really just like to get to know people and have fun. I've made some great friendships in all of this and along with the good comes the bad.

    Thanks,
    JWhitlock1843

    ReplyDelete