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[Synthia]

Embrace Failure.

Sometimes, I feel that many players are afraid of "failing" in some way with their RP. That somehow, if their character does not succeed with something, then that is always a Bad Thing.

I can appreciate the frustrations that come when a player is unable to play the character they would like, due to player limitations on skill, wit, imagination etc. If a character is supposed to be a good pilot, but the player is clumsy, then yeah, it gets frustrating.

Anyway, I think many people would agree that members of CTCS, and possibly Synthia in particular, do not seem afraid of looking like a, well, a bit of a berk, on the IGS or "the summit".

Leaping to the wrong conclusion, grabbing the wrong end of the stick, grasping at straws and such.

However, I think that failure is valuable RP in its own right, as it gives opportunity to reflect on things. And in science RP, it can be useful in avoiding any issues of "god moding" - "We found No Significant Correlation" is possibly more useful to collaborative RP than finding Something.

Maybe e-peen waving gets in the way?

Would RP be more enjoyable if more characters did not seem to be afraid of looking like a fool once in a while ?

[Lyn Farel]

The problem stems from the nature of Eve in itself. It is frightening to fail not because of the failure, it is scaring to fail due to the ensuing loss of all credibility or just ending like the laughting stock of the cluster. Most of the time, characters that fail, not in combat, but just manage to look silly in one way or another (the most lethal death ever in Eve RP), have the risk to end definitely wasted.

However, the best solution is to persist. Best examples of universally hated and laughed at characters like DK, Valerie, etc, eventually won their places because they continued to stand firmly.

[Odelya]

I agree with Synthia. Without failures, weaknesses and making mistakes (by choice, not accident) rp will become a dull show of egos—and I don't need to play a game for that.

[Andreus Ixiris]

Anyway, I think many people would agree that members of CTCS, and possibly Synthia in particular, do not seem afraid of looking like a, well, a bit of a berk, on the IGS or "the summit".

That's fortunate.

[Gottii]

What kinds of failures would you like to see more of? 

Just curious.

[Esna Pitoojee]

I am, to some degree a cautious pilot/FC/player in general. This has certainly leaked over in some capacity to my RP - after all, it'd be kind of dumb of me to play a smoke-snorting, chomping-at-the-bit character if I can't as a player perform those actions - but to another degree I deliberately wrote Esna as a cautious, cover-all-the-bases personality.

My reasoning was that as a Holder - where politics are known to be cutthroat and even a small misstep could be seized on by rivals - it would make sense for him to not want an opening to be given. This was later added on to Esna being someone who learns from his mistakes, so past things weren't likely to be repeated.

Thoughts? Reasonable, good / no good?

[Reyd Karris]

In general people don't enjoy failure or being wrong. It's human nature. When confronted with a failure, many people react in one of two ways. The first is by digging in deeper, defending their efforts. Usually they'll find an "out" that will allow them to accept the failure and saving their own perceived self worth. The other is to flee from the conflict, ignoring the issue or taking it as a personal defeat. They won't usually acknowledge the failure.

What happens when someone continues on a path that is inherently against their nature?

That's reactive though; why don't people take proactive actions that place them in those kind of situations? Again, human nature. Why would you invest effort in a project doomed to failure from the start?

I feel RP along the lines of the IGS accurately reflect the interplay of these aspects of human psychology perfectly. When someone tries to change that very organic interaction into a forced simulation of interaction, notably entering into endeavors that are obviously doomed, I lose interest.

Would RP be more enjoyable if more characters did not seem to be afraid of looking like a fool once in a while ?

Everyone I know has looked like a fool occasionally. Whether they acknowledge it or those they are close to acknowledge it? That's a different story. Artificially creating those "Oh geez, I'm an idiot!" moments usually just don't work for me. It's obvious, it's painful, and uncomfortable.

Here's the thing though: The bullies and cool kids don't usually get told they look like idiots in their "I'm going as myself" costumes on Halloween, or when their shoelaces are untied and they trip down the stairs. People just laugh behind their backs because they're afraid of bringing attention to the situation.

It happens in RP as well. Not only that, but when people make "mistakes" in-character those mistakes often are seen as failures of the person behind the character. Sometimes people can get downright cruel.

Just something to get everyone thinking. 

[Pieter Tuulinen]

Phew! An area of 'doingitbad' that Pieter and myself are OBVIOUSLY not guilty of!

[Ember Vykos]

Embrace Failure.

It embraces me enough already. I don't need to embrace it too. 

[Lithium Flower]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXW02XmBGQw

[Anslol]

If you don't care about your failures, why should others bother to point them out? Just my approach to it.

(i.e. whateva whateva i do wha' I wan'!)

[Samira Kernher]

Failure is great and often more interesting than victory. Samira's had quite a few personal failures over the last few months, and while in some areas it's been disappointing, it would be poor RP to ignore it! It's best to learn to roll with things.

[Lithium Flower]

Tbh, I think I have too much failures lately already
- failure at dinner
- failure at suicide
- failure at execution
- failure at interrogation
- failure at sex
- failure at hand to hand combat (twice!)
- failure at sword combat
- failure at bragging
- failure at science
- failure at hiding emotions
- failure at keeping mouth shut
- failure at drinking
- failure at lying
- failure at killing

Well, I think I need now some successes... For example, make a huge scientific experiment that...
will end in huge failure/disaster, since possibility for success is not provided by lore and/or game mechanics

[Arista Shahni]

I've personally alllowed aeista to fall into a few "failures" in her time that are known of.

But, there's failures and then there's histrionic flailing of "LOOK AT MY FUCK UP!" .. which simply doesn't fit the character model of Ari to show off.

People know what she has done wrong. vOv

[Jandice Ymladris]

You bring up good points, and it's probably a reason why so many RP is mainly chatter or 'static'. A good way around this is (in my humble opinion) to not only plan for succes, but also plan for failiure. What route would you go if you would actually fail/lose or otherwise not gotten what you preferred? This can also lead into very interesting RP (much more then 'I always win/ Am victorious' imo)
My char had it's successes, but also it's downfalls & failiures over time, she's far from being a perfect Podpilot.