New? Looking to Roleplay? Learn About Our Unique Features!

[Mooncalf]

First thing's first, welcome and all that. I'm sure you're feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment, not least of all due to all of the newbie threads and wiki pages and tutorials. But this thread isn't about all of that. This thread is to show you how you can jump right in with the RP, and how you can get the most out of Path of the Vampire's pretty unique forum and chat RP systems.

If you haven't clicked on the "game" link yet, here's a word of advice before you do: don't get overwhelmed. It's all optional! You don't even have to move around on the 'grid' at all if you don't really want to. If you're 100% only into forum and chat roleplay, then you can jump straight into that, and you can level up purely via RP posts. More about that later!

Canon
Path does have a fairly flexible RP canon, and you're encouraged to try to stay within it. The reason is to create a cohesive world and mythos, where stories can flourish without making things nonsensical and riddling the plot full of holes. However, don't be put off, because the only canon info you really need to start roleplaying is here. It's very simple, bullet-pointed, and fairly brief. There's more to the story than that, and you can read more on the wiki whenever you're ready. Don't panic, if you're new and you get something massively wrong, nobody is going to tell you off, we'll just help you understand how things work.

Gittin' Gud
One of Path's key features for roleplayers is that if you want to roleplay as a god, you have to become a god. You will gain powers and levels over time and the more you roleplay. (You can also move around on the 'grid', which is like a simple browser game you can use to grind your character levels. However RP in Path is usually the fastest way of levelling up.) Want to post a roleplay story about how you smashed down the door to a jail cell? You shouldn't probably level up a few times and get that strength stat up. Want to roleplay that your character can walk on water? There's a power for that, so you should work towards getting it. It won't take too long before your character is an absolute badass, and in the meantime vampires (and classed humans) aren't exactly weaklings even at level 1!

RPP
RPP (role play points) are how your character gets stronger by you--the writer--posting roleplay on the forum. Each post will give you 1 RPP per word. RPP can be exchanged on this page for experience points (to increase your levels and your stats) or for in game currency, which will let you buy new weapons and such (just in case you get into a fight with another character).

Loot!
Posting roleplay on the forum will also net you loot! This can be anything from a lost ring to an AK47, or even super rare relics. You can equip this loot, use it to craft stuff, or sell it via the grid (the "game"), or you can just hold onto it if you don't plan on moving around on grid.

Dice roller
The forum dice roller isn't mandatory, but it's fun. Do you want your character to jump a large gap, but want to prove they can do it? Well you can, and the forum will take your character's stats into consideration. Simply go to make a new RP post (click the "full editor button") and under the text field you'll see "Roleplay Action:". You can use this form to select which kind of action and how hard it is, and when you post your RP the system will automatically reply to your post saying whether or not you succeeded. You can also use the same dice roller against other characters, and the system will compare both sets of stats of the respective competitors.

ARES
If you post (or join a thread) with "[ARES]" in the subject line, you'll have roughly a 1 in 20 chance per post of triggering the ARES system. This stands for Automated Roleplay Events System. It's kinda like an auto GM curveball. "A wild zombie appeared!" kind of thing, and then the writers involved in the thread have to respond to the curveball as best they can. The random events that can be pulled from the database are quite open ended, so feel free to get as creative as you like! ARES threads will net you 50% extra RPP per post!

Can Anybody Find Meeeeeee ... Somebody to RP With?
If you're new and don't know anyone, chances are you want somebody to RP with, but you might feel a little hesitant at joining an existing thread or starting your own. Well, you have a few options. Usually a safe bet would be joining the OOC chat, as there are usually friendly RPers hanging out in there who want to encourage newbies to stick around (seriously, they can't get enough of them newbs!). Alternatively, give your character's sire a poke, if you have one. If they aren't available to RP, they'll know somebody who is. Your third choice is...

The Matchmaking System
On any of the main RP boards, you'll see the "Roleplay Matchmaking" box. You can use this to join a RP thread with random people, or start your own randomly generated plot line by clicking "get started". It's all very exciting. Give it a try; nobody will shout at you if you mess it up. Match-made threads also give 50% extra RPP.

Roleplay Battles
So you're in a RP thread and things are getting heated between your character and somebody else's character. Maybe you want to stab them in the face, juuuust a little. Well you can, and you can even wound or kill them (not permanently, don't worry). Aside from the dice roller, the way to fight people is to go to any thread in which you've already replied and click on the "attack" button under their avatar. This will pull both of your characters into a grid battle, where you'll more or less take turns attacking one another, or using powers on one another. The person who flees first, or dies first, loses. Shocking, I know. This same system can be used for group fights.

One thing to be aware of before clicking "attack": you might need to be a little familiar with the 'grid' gameplay mechanics first. Things such as equipping your character with a decent weapon and ammo, or how to use powers on people. It's quite a simple system, but if you're a pure roleplayer you might not even know how to move around on the grid, so give the tutorial a try first.

Hardcore RP Board
Do you enjoy the dynamic nature of open threads? Threads where anything can happen? Stories which are open ended, and player VS player combat can break out at any moment? Then the Hardcore RP board is absolutely for you. This board is where all of Path's unique roleplaying features are used most often. Be sure to check out this thread for more details. Posts made on this board give 50% extra RPP.

Locational Live RP
Do you prefer live chat RPs to play-by-post forum RP? No problemo. On the grid, simply walk to any area / building, and click the speech bubble, then click "Roleplay Here". The number after this link indicates the number of people currently RPing live in this location. If you can't find anywhere with people live RPing, a good idea is to post in the RP Planning Board asking people if they want to schedule a time for some live RP at some point. I promise you, if you're a newbie you'll get people jumping at the chance.

Bonus RPP Days
Keep on the lookout for grid notifications saying that a bonus EXP day is currently happening, as this also applies to RPP conversion rates. These bonus days can be anything from x2 RPP, to x6 RPP.

And Finally, The Chapters
Probably Path's most unique feature is that you, the players, decide the outcome of each chapter, and thus the direction that the overall story takes.

Chapters are pivotal moments of the overall story wherein each character's actions are treated much like a 'vote' towards some outcome or another. For example, a chapter might arise where characters can decide either to fight for the end of the world, or against it (an exaggeration, but you get the point). When this happens, two new BBcode tags will appear on the 'new post' screen on the forum. Using either one of these tags will cause your RP to be counted either "[for the end of the world]" or "[against the end of the world]". The more you RP during the chapter, the more likely it is that your actions have tipped the balance one way or the other.

Chapter progress can always be seen on this page. The slider on this page informs the players how much the overall player base has acted for or against each chapter issue at hand.

At the end of the chapter time period (usually 2-3 months), the result is decided based entirely upon player actions, and the story (and grid) is updated to reflect this.


We hope you enjoy RPing in the world of Path of the Vampire. Please feel free to ask any moderator or people in chat further questions, or simply reply to this thread if you don't understand everything. Thank you for playing!

- David AKA Mooncalf
(Developer and creator)