The Kingdom of the Emerald Hills

As in the "Lord of the Rings", the day of hobbits, elves, dwarves, wizards, and anything magical was replaced by the day of man. So is the day of the Flurb being replaced in Amtgard by the day of the Stick-Jock. I do not mean for this to sound like a rant or an insult to any players that are stick-jocks, or believe themselves to be thus.
In my heart and soul, I believe that both are needed to keep the game of Amtgard alive and strong. With only one or the other, the game could become stagnant and or boring. With equal amounts of flurb and stick-jock, I think that there could be a larger stockpile of ideas that can be used to make battle-games and quest for both parks and kingdom events.
So if there are any Amtgard players that enjoy making their characters believable, and don't mind going out on a field of combat knowing that they could loose against a stick-jock. I say to you, be proud of being a flurb and take the term not as an insult or a derogatory statement. Instead take it as a compliment or a badge of honor. After all it is just as hard to remain in complete character as it is to hone one's power with the sword.
Join me on the Elven boats heading into the west. Let's not go quietly, but with a roar that could even awaken the great dragon Smog himself. Let those who focus on the riddle of the blade, remember that there are also those who focus on the riddle of the soul. Let the term Flurb live on, if only like an ember on the wind ready to ignite and burn again.

TORGAS "TIGGER" MCGREGGOR

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When the battle is declared, I will be there to flurb and fight.

From a different view, I do not see a dividing line between a stick-jock and a roleplayer (or as some say "flurb"). I know many people who enjoy both. Here is where I see the problem:

The people who enjoy fighting are organized. They have fighter practice, SKBC, tournaments, trench fighting, etc. to keep them going and to motivate them.

What do the role-players have? Where is the organization? Where is the cohesion?

What role play seems to have become is 1 or 2 people posting cryptic stories that don't lend themselves well to outside influence. So other people who want to role play don't see a place where they can add their story to what is going on.

Also, we don't maintain any kind of theme from reign to reign or even week to week in come cases.

If you want "the day of the flurb" to re-emegre, then you need to get people organized. Good role play is easy to work into battle games and quests, it just takes people working together to do it.

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Forest Evergreen

Puppet Master of the EH

"Of course you are Forest. You're like the Mr. Burns of EH." - Finn

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Well said and I couldnt agree more with the fact that there are stick-jocks out there and I dont mind being beaten into a pulp by any of them because I consider it a good way to learn from some of the best.

the problem with organized roleplay is that a few do it, and after a while they get burned out of being the only ones to do it. A perfect example is the RP going on in MWG. Some perfect baits thrown out and only a couple of people bit in on it.

I would like t see more roleplay. However it takes multiple points of view to make it really work. Some of the best RP i've seen was simply a report of the day's battlegame....retold by like 12 different people. (Sir Clu's retelling of the raid at MWG years ago....first appearence of Klingons in Amtgard) It can start off as something this simple, people just have to be onboard.

SO my advice to all those would be RPers.....JUST DO IT. Have fun, and if you catch someone's attention, they'll join in with you making things snowball.

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"Passion overrules Reason" wizard's rule #3 of the Terry Goodkind series "Sword of truth"

If you want to really get a lot of people involved, then you have to work on it. Just like any other aspect of the game, people have to know what is goign on to fully be able to participate. I wouldn't run a battlegame or quest without first expalingin the rules, so why do it with role play?

Send out a general message for people who are interested. Then, send a basic outline to those who respond as to what the general theme/idea is. Then give the 1st post. Now people know what is going on and can add to the story. But behind the scenes you have to keep talking to people.

Why? Imagine 10 people get involved and all 10 want to impact the story. Without some backstage talk, you'd have a storyline going 10 different ways and it would fall apart.

Role play shouldn't be difficult. But it does take organization.

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Forest Evergreen

Puppet Master of the EH

"Of course you are Forest. You're like the Mr. Burns of EH." - Finn

(insert titles and awards here)

HUZZAH!

S

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The general who advances without seeking fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do service for his sovereign, is the jewel of his kingdom. -Sun Wu