Someone once told me Free Form Rp is Role-playing which has no rules, no imposed guidelines. So one could simple walk their character in and kill mine off just by stating so? Or a mature and experienced Rper could post a rather graphic sexual scene in plain view of other players? Mind you they may be 13 years old or 73 years old. Does free Form really mean free from rules? Or does it mean 'Free' from something else?
Does this sound right? Do you Rp without regard for others? Where would be the fun in that? Without some sort of etiquette or impartial peers to bounce your actions off I fear we would be so upset by the actions of other characters there would be no FUN in what many of us seek out as a fulfilling hobby.
I remember reading somewhere....
Quote:
Some like to think of FFRP as no-rules roleplay, but this is hardly the case. If you are not a courteous rper you will find your character sitting there talking to himself as everyone else who is there to enjoy themselves ignores the hell out of you.
Wow I can count how many times I have heard this complaint from players. "I get no interaction." Ever wonder why?
The following I thought was a good article on Free Form Defined. Found here can be the article in its entirety. www.heimsnet.is/thestone/rp/freeform.htm
Please share what FFRPG is to you....
What is "role-playing"?
Many people have tried to define this, and you can read the various explanations in the introduction of most role-playing game books... I find the easiest way to describe it is:
Role-playing is when someone (player) makes a character on a piece of paper, which has numbers showing the character's abilities which shows how good or bad the character is at doing various things. The numbers then allow the character to interact with a fantastic world from the imagination of the Game Master (GM).*(See footnote for further explanations)
Freeform does away with the numbers but relies on descriptions instead. Like people, the character is good at some things, and not so good at other things... and some things s/he knows nothing about.
"Like our bodies are the tool by which we interact with the real world,
characters are the tool by which players interact with imaginary worlds."
©%%WORD275% 00
So, What is "Freeform" then?
"Freeform" does away with some (or all) of the numbers and depends on people explaining, rather than rolling dice, to do anything. The emphasis is on having FUN rather than search through volumes of books that try to forsee every possibility... and generate a suitable die roll for it.
Freeform is not for "power players" or "rule lawyers" - Where they try to manipulate flaws in the system to make absurdly exaggerated characters, who can do anything. Where's the fun in that? Even God likes a challenge!
Our version of "Freeform" is a system where the players describe their characters, making long memorable stories about the character's history... Then plays the character in a group with like minded friends, who want to have a good time.
It is very important, when using Freeform to have an impartial GM (Game Master... although some of our GMs have actually turned out to be Gay Masters *ahem* but that's another story!). For Freeform to work, you need a GM you can trust - and away you go adventuring as your newly fleshed out character!
Another logical direction our campaigns took was that EVERYONE was a GM... and players followed the plot of whoever had the most interesting one. This meant everyone was feverishly creative. Which was nice. The main idea is to have FUN. If people have fun, they always come back for more. Why do you think fairgrounds have always been so popular! People even pay good money to go on the rides! That means they must be doing something right.
How did Freeform evolve? Where is it in the roleplaying scale?
Ok, first we had novels. One beginning, one end. No choice.
Then we had novels with multiple endings. Not really much choice.
Then we had the pick-a-path books, where you are sent all over the book as you made plot choices.
Then we had computer games in which you had to attain a certain objective.
Then we had computer games, where you could wander about as much as you want with numerous objectives. Always the realism was getting more graphic... BUT you are dealing with a computer game which is only as versatile as those who programmed it. For example, it doesn't let you hide under a desk or behind a door if an enemy enters a room.
Enter roleplaying! - Controlled by a living, breathing person, who allows your character to do anything that is reasonable. Much more flexible than a computer, more intuitive and intelligent. Anything reasonable goes!
... but most roleplaying games have RULEBOOKS and endless tables that slow the game down. Which was the downside.. Computers think fast, but limit what you can do... Humans allow you to be creative... but are slowed down by volumes of data...
Enter Freeform!
No rules, no dice, just interactivity. You can play it sitting at home in your dungeon... or by a campfire. The GM "interviews" the character, asking all it's details, which you have to answer... No need for dice or paper, for that matter, if the players can play in character.
Does this sound right? Do you Rp without regard for others? Where would be the fun in that? Without some sort of etiquette or impartial peers to bounce your actions off I fear we would be so upset by the actions of other characters there would be no FUN in what many of us seek out as a fulfilling hobby.
I remember reading somewhere....
Quote:
Some like to think of FFRP as no-rules roleplay, but this is hardly the case. If you are not a courteous rper you will find your character sitting there talking to himself as everyone else who is there to enjoy themselves ignores the hell out of you.
Wow I can count how many times I have heard this complaint from players. "I get no interaction." Ever wonder why?
The following I thought was a good article on Free Form Defined. Found here can be the article in its entirety. www.heimsnet.is/thestone/rp/freeform.htm
Please share what FFRPG is to you....
What is "role-playing"?
Many people have tried to define this, and you can read the various explanations in the introduction of most role-playing game books... I find the easiest way to describe it is:
Role-playing is when someone (player) makes a character on a piece of paper, which has numbers showing the character's abilities which shows how good or bad the character is at doing various things. The numbers then allow the character to interact with a fantastic world from the imagination of the Game Master (GM).*(See footnote for further explanations)
Freeform does away with the numbers but relies on descriptions instead. Like people, the character is good at some things, and not so good at other things... and some things s/he knows nothing about.
"Like our bodies are the tool by which we interact with the real world,
characters are the tool by which players interact with imaginary worlds."
©%%WORD275% 00
So, What is "Freeform" then?
"Freeform" does away with some (or all) of the numbers and depends on people explaining, rather than rolling dice, to do anything. The emphasis is on having FUN rather than search through volumes of books that try to forsee every possibility... and generate a suitable die roll for it.
Freeform is not for "power players" or "rule lawyers" - Where they try to manipulate flaws in the system to make absurdly exaggerated characters, who can do anything. Where's the fun in that? Even God likes a challenge!
Our version of "Freeform" is a system where the players describe their characters, making long memorable stories about the character's history... Then plays the character in a group with like minded friends, who want to have a good time.
It is very important, when using Freeform to have an impartial GM (Game Master... although some of our GMs have actually turned out to be Gay Masters *ahem* but that's another story!). For Freeform to work, you need a GM you can trust - and away you go adventuring as your newly fleshed out character!
Another logical direction our campaigns took was that EVERYONE was a GM... and players followed the plot of whoever had the most interesting one. This meant everyone was feverishly creative. Which was nice. The main idea is to have FUN. If people have fun, they always come back for more. Why do you think fairgrounds have always been so popular! People even pay good money to go on the rides! That means they must be doing something right.
How did Freeform evolve? Where is it in the roleplaying scale?
Ok, first we had novels. One beginning, one end. No choice.
Then we had novels with multiple endings. Not really much choice.
Then we had the pick-a-path books, where you are sent all over the book as you made plot choices.
Then we had computer games in which you had to attain a certain objective.
Then we had computer games, where you could wander about as much as you want with numerous objectives. Always the realism was getting more graphic... BUT you are dealing with a computer game which is only as versatile as those who programmed it. For example, it doesn't let you hide under a desk or behind a door if an enemy enters a room.
Enter roleplaying! - Controlled by a living, breathing person, who allows your character to do anything that is reasonable. Much more flexible than a computer, more intuitive and intelligent. Anything reasonable goes!
... but most roleplaying games have RULEBOOKS and endless tables that slow the game down. Which was the downside.. Computers think fast, but limit what you can do... Humans allow you to be creative... but are slowed down by volumes of data...
Enter Freeform!
No rules, no dice, just interactivity. You can play it sitting at home in your dungeon... or by a campfire. The GM "interviews" the character, asking all it's details, which you have to answer... No need for dice or paper, for that matter, if the players can play in character.
