Newsletter RpNation Newsletter: November 2021

Living Connections:
November 2021 Newsletter

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The connections we have in life vary greatly in many ways, from friendships and family, loved one’s and partners. No matter where, who, what, when, why, or how, these connections can mean everything to us - found families, polyamorus relationships, queer platonic relationships, the people who care for us and those we care about.

Be they a mother, a neighbor, or just a kind stranger.

Not every connection is perfect and some are certainly healthy, but there is always someone out there. For every missed connection another opens. Much like a station with trains coming in and out on their own time, some last forever and some just a moment. Hopefully for a good time, not necessarily a long time.

This month we want to celebrate those connections. Our wonderful 1x1 partners, RPN communities, and more. Give thanks, tell someone how much they mean to you. Rekindle old flames.

Connections are everywhere and we can always strive to make them better and stronger through good communication and a willingness to try.

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⚠️ NEW - Rules Update regarding Omegaverse/ABO
After careful consideration, RpN Staff has officially banned Omegaverse/ABO since at its core it is an erotic genre that is not allowed on RpN. Click here to read more regarding this rule.​

🌁 Organization Update
A new Nation Building Section and corresponding Interest Check section have been added to RPNation.​

🦈 Official RpNation Merchandise
The merchandise store offers t-shirts perfect for the warmer weather. There are multiple styles to choose from. Shop now!

🐸 Helper Application Form
RpNation's Helper team is looking for more dedicated people to aid with the creation of site events and the newsletter. Submit your application today!

✏️ Featured Character
Exercise your creative skills with each month's character prompt and submit them to our site-wide showcase here.​

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☆ Featured Writer || The North Shore by Owl Knight Owl Knight

What started off a simple study on an original character comes a fleshed out tidbit of a wondrous universe that features a society on a coastal area with certain traditions and structures. The focus for this short story are two adolescent members of the coastal society sharing an everyday, intimate moment together. Through the simple interaction of these two characters, readers can gather small details of what kind of characters they are and what situations they are in.

Pencil and paper, the foundation of creative projects. This member showcases their traditional format of portraits with the foundations. The effort and care this artist puts in their work truly shows!

Most of us have been there where we hear perhaps a certain song, watched a specific scene, or read a memorable page from a book that gets gears turning in our head for a character that can match the scenario or have an interaction with some established characters. We create characters from many sources or thoughts yet maintain them as characters of our collection. They may never be roleplayed or some choose not to include them in roleplays. Do you have some characters that you've created but never roleplayed with? You're not alone then, see what others have said in this featured discussion!

Featuring some mobile friendly codes, this user shares with the community their creativity with neatly formatted coding. They have coding from creative response templates to organized interest checks. Check out their thread!

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Roleplay of the Month- Gate by The Black Knight



1. What are some of the things that inspired you to create this roleplay?
I was inspired to create this roleplay by the Korean webtoon called Solo-leveling; H.P. Lovecraft; and the whole Isekai genre. Isekais are very popular, but there aren’t too many where the characters aren’t transported into a video game and where instead, their reality is affected by a cosmic being that bestows upon their world video game-like features. I thought that was very cool, and I wanted to take on the challenge of making it into a roleplay others can enjoy.​

2. What has made your roleplay successful?
I think one of the things that makes this roleplay successful is how I manage it. I have never managed a game using this method before. It is very similar to a Dungeon Master, but what I’m trying to give the players is a sense of the unknown. As a GM, I roleplay the mysterious, cosmic entity known as The System. The players have no idea what I intend to do majority of the time, and they get unique interactions from me depending on their characters’ actions in the story. The purpose is to give the writers the same feelings their characters feel. There’s this mysterious, giant portal in the sky that came out of nowhere. They don’t know what is going to happen, and they look forward to seeing what their actions bring about. So a lot of suspense, fear of the unknown, and excitement.​

I think just being the GM without having my own player character in the story is also very effective. It allows me to just focus on everyone else and not my character. I read everyone’s posts and give them all equal attention. I remain unpredictable so they don’t get too bored. Finally, having a good group is one of the major keys to a successful game. While I like to believe that every GM makes a game for everyone not everybody is going to like your game or your style. People will always drop out for their personal reasons, but don’t let that be the end. You have to constantly recycle players in your game until you’re left with a dedicated cast who love the story and want to add to it. The GM, the players, and story are all keys to a successful game.​

3. How did you start roleplaying?
I have been roleplaying since middle school, and I didn’t even start on a roleplay site. I started on an online board game (Chess, Checkers, etc) site called Playsite, and this is like the 90s before cable or Fios was even a thing. I was a big fiction writer—still am—and I did a roleplay in the chatroom on that site using a character from a series I was writing. I then migrated to MSN chats, Yahoo chats (Eden), Oasiz, and then I eventually got into forum RP. I’ve since stuck with forum RP. I like it better than chatroom.​

4. How did you discover RpNation?
I discovered RPN I think on Google. I tend to roleplay on more than one RP site. Every RP site has a different type of audience and atmosphere. Some roleplay ideas work better on one site versus another, so I keep my options open. RPN is my favorite for testing out fandoms and practically any fantasy idea I come up with because the players here see an idea, and it could be absolutely crazy, and their attitude majority of the time is “Why not?” I love that about this place. There are just so many people willing to try out your game whether it succeeds or fails miserably. I wish more RP sites could have more writers like that.​

5. What is the most unique roleplay you ever participated in? What stood out most?
The most unique roleplay that I’ve ever participated in was one about Cats, and it wasn’t a Warrior RP. It was a RP that answered the question: “Where do cats really go?” Specifically, whenever owners take their eyes off their cats, or their cats go wandering off somewhere. The cats entered secret gateways that led to a hidden dimension where it is revealed that they are the guardians of humanity. In their own dimension, they take on human form like gods. Each continent had a champion who guarded a Cat Eye jewel that maintained balance in the universe. One of the cat guardians was mysteriously murdered, and the story goes from there. You are playing this cat who is trying to find the killer, while trying to protect your master and your home. You could never be away too long or your master will start sending out Lost Kitty posters or become depressed. It was a fun game.​

6. What is your fondest memory of roleplaying?
My fondest memory roleplaying was a RP that I had been involved in for ten years. The only reason it stopped was because the site I was roleplaying it on crashed. Even though it backed up onto a new site, it was too much of a hassle for my partners and I to repost 10 years’ worth of RP. We also didn’t feel like continuing where we left off. The new site didn’t feel like home, so we parted ways.​

7. Tell me a little bit about your roleplay. What's your favorite part from it so far?
I put pressure on people sometimes. Their characters make an action, and then it triggers an interaction with The System (the mysterious entity). The System tends to only tell them they either leveled up, acquired skills or spells, received a quest, or there's a decision they have to make immediately. During the decision scenarios, I think my players feel a lot of anxiety because they don't know what is right or wrong? Or, what is the best answer? They can only find out what happens after they make a decision. Seeing the decisions characters make or their actions to complete a quest are my favorite parts. It is just interesting to see what solutions people come up with when under pressure, and I think more of their characters' personalities are revealed in these System interactions. I also like giving them special gear and drops. Designing equipment, summons, etc. is very fun, and they tend to really like what they receive.​

8. Now, I want to look more on an imaginative side. If you had the choice to adapt your roleplay into a different medium which would it be; comic book, novel series, TV show, movie, or video game? And why?
If I could adapt my roleplay into a different medium, then I would choose a video game because it already has those aspects in the story. Characters can talk to NPCs and get actual responses or trigger random instances. There’s the multiplayer aspect where you can party with others to complete a dungeon. A video game would be perfect.​

9. What do you think makes a "good" roleplay? As it goes, there's no right or wrong here, simply your answer and thoughts.
I think a good roleplay has a plot that gives a clear presentation to the players and tells them what the story is about. When I read the opening post of a role play, I should have answers to these questions: what is the plot; why does this matter to my character; and what are your requirements. I have seen a few roleplays being posted in the Interest section where the GM doesn’t know what they want to do, and they want the players to figure it out with them. Or, the GM doesn’t know completely what they want to do and are just taking a chance to see if something forms during the roleplay. As I have mentioned previously, RPN is good for testing ideas, but I always recommend a GM know at least the beginning, middle, and end of their story even if the roleplay never reaches those milestones. Making an effort to present your idea with attractive imagery and straight-to-the-point introductions can help show prospective roleplayers that you know where your idea is going and you're serious about it.​

A good GM can make a good roleplay. If the GM doesn’t know what they’re doing, then usually players will abandon the game or a hijacker will take it over. If the GM roleplays with their best bud only, and it seems like a 1x1 RP rather than a group game, then that roleplay will fail miserably. A GM sometimes needs to not let everyone join their game. Some people join a RP and try to hijack the plot with what “they want” out of it. It could be contrary to what the GM intended. Rather than let roleplayers hijack the plot, the GM needs to stand their ground and say “this is my story” and “that is what you are choosing to join.” When a GM tries to please every single person, they wind up getting the bad eggs or exasperating their good and dedicated roleplayers. A GM should constantly be open to recycling roleplayers who drop out of their game because eventually they will be left with the dedicated who stick around. I don’t know any roleplay that has never had a single roleplayer drop, but a GM shouldn't let that discourage them.​

Lastly, dedicated roleplayers. A GM won’t always get them from the get-go. They will discover them overtime. These are players who stick around no matter what. They get around to responding when they find time in their day-to-day. They contribute to the story and make it interesting for everyone. A story will naturally attract these types of writers, but it first needs what I discussed in paragraph 1, and what I discussed in paragraph 2.​

10. How do you maintain stability and comfort between roleplayers that have been in the roleplay since the beginning and new roleplayers that just joined the group? Is there ever a time that someone feels left out? If so, how do you handle it?
I encourage roleplayers who have been in my story the longest to have confidence to answer the questions of new roleplayers. It not only helps me by ensuring a new roleplayer gets the answers they need in a timely manner, but the fact that a peer goes out of their way to help another peer, shows teamwork and camaraderie. I don’t think anyone feels left out when their peers help them get settled. I also will pause a scenario to allow new players to read up on the situations that have recently happened, and I give them a chance to join the present scenario. This may not always happen for dungeon events already taking place, but no matter what, I find a way to entertain them. As The System, I interact with roleplayers in and out of dungeons. The System is an omnipotent force that can be everywhere at once. I also use Discord, and if some people in my game didn't use Discord, then I usually make a PM group. I like Discord or a PM group versus an OOC thread because I know for certain everyone receives each other's messages in those types of medium. Discord allows for an immediate response to new roleplayers' questions. There are always roleplayers on it. We're all from different parts of the world, so there's always someone available 24/7.​

11. Do you have any roleplaying pet peeves? What are they?
My roleplay pet peeves are when I spend hours building an introduction for new roleplayers, and they don’t read it. Every GM builds an introduction to their games so that new roleplayers are well-informed about what they are about to join. When roleplayers choose not to read it and throw a character sheet blind at a game, it is like a slap in the face. I don’t accept people who don’t read my game. If roleplayers can’t read a game introduction, then they won’t read the posts of others; and I mean thoroughly read them.​

12. What is your favorite animal, and why?
My favorite animals are dogs. I know it seems cliché, but it is the only animal that I realistically have had multiple interactions with. I could say bears or hawks or something, but I’ve never had any experiences with such creatures, so I don’t find those claims to be realistic. Dogs are innocence with fur. They are always happy to see you after a crummy day at work, and they will always love you no matter what mood you're in. They can also make for some reliable protectors and alarms. I volunteer and rescue them as a side job. The injustice they face is absolutely unbelievable.​

13. Do you have something in mind for your next roleplay? Can we get a few hints?
A video game crossover RP. I have done this crossover game before on another site, and it lasted for two years. I may plan to bring that here and see how it works. I'll more than likely use the same stat system I use for Gate in that RP. I say this, but I have planned to do something before and wound up doing something entirely different at the last minute.​

And we would like to include a shout-out to the members Gate!
@Bob

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Member of the Month - AlexneushoornTheGreat AlexneushoornTheGreat




1. When did you start roleplaying? Was it anything like what you do now?
I started roleplaying back in like 2012 or so. Back then, I wasn't as logical with my roleplays as I am now. I would regularly throw random enemies in the path of the protagonists, with some of these enemies ranging from real life people to fictional characters from other franchises than the one I was roleplaying about. But overtime, I've grown to become more mature and logical with my roleplaying.​

2. How did you discover RpNation?
I discovered RPNation through a friend on Discord. I was looking for new places to roleplay, and my friend directed me to this site.​

3. What are your favorite genres/settings to roleplay in?
My favorite genres of roleplay include Action, Adventure, Crime, Zombie Apocalypse, History, Romance and Fantasy.​

4. What are some other hobbies you have besides roleplaying?
Some of my other hobbies besides roleplaying include writing, cycling, playing video games and fantasizing.​

5. Are you excited about any upcoming shows or movies?
I don't watch much tv or movies, so I can't say I'm really excited for any upcoming shows or movies.​

6. What is your favorite celestial body? (Planets/Stars/etc)
My favorite celestial body would have to be Saturn. I just like the name of the planet, and it's also the only planet to have a ring around it​

7.What are your favorite games? (Videogame/Cardgame/Playground Game/Boardgame etc.)
My favorite video game would have to be Grand Theft Auto V. My favorite card game is Go Fish. My favorite board game is Monopoly.​

8. What is your favorite thing about Rpnation?
My favorite thing about RPNation is the fact that you don't have to roleplay to be part of this site. You can also be part of this site simply for casually hanging out and chatting with other people. While I don't roleplay very often on this site, I do check this site daily, and I am able to provide the people of this site with a lot of fun discussion with my Random question of the day thread, and some people have even thanked me for the daily questions that I bring them, so that's what I like so much about RPNation.​

9. When you get onto RPN on any given day, what do you generally like to do?
I generally like to check for replies to my Random question of the day thread, respond to any roleplays I have going on if I have the inspiration to write and if I haven't posted a daily question in my Random question of the day thread yet, I go and do that.​

10. Do you have any favorite memes? One that never fails to make you laugh
Hard to say, since there are so many memes that get a laugh or a chuckle out of me.​

11. If you could become instantly good at any one skill what would it be? On the conditions that it's something others might not care about
Playing and beating difficult video games.​

12. If you were granted 3 wishes under the conditions that one of them had to be a selfless wish, what would they be?
My first wish would be that I could make all my imagination come true with the snap of my fingers. My second wish would be that I could see my deceased grandma one more time. My third wish would be that the world would be fully rid of any conflict, whether said conflict is political or any other conflict​

13. Where in the world would you want to be like to be reborn in if you had to choose and why?
I'd like to be reborn in the United States, because even though the United States are terribly flawed, I'd like to live there just for the fact that the United States has so many interesting things to do and see.​

14. Do you have a favorite bizarre wacky historical event? If not what's your favorite normal historical event?
My favorite wacky historical event (At least I consider it wacky because of how impressive it is) was when Theodore Roosevelt survived getting shot in the chest by John Schrank in 1912 and proceeded to give an 84 minute speech after the failed assassination.​

15. Oh no, you accidentally fell out of reality, luckily for you the RPN Shark has given you a chance to live in another albeit fictional world, where would you choose to go?
Animal Crossing. It would be the safest world to live in, albeit a bit mundane. In a close second, the Pre-Super Genesis Wave continuity of the Sonic the Hedgehog Archie Comics. I just like all the lore behind the world and I'd love to experience that world with my own eyes.​

16. If you could only listen to one genre of music for the rest of your life, what genre would it be and why?
Country. Mainly old country music from before it became twangy pop music.​

17. If you had to make a character based on your favorite music genre, what kind of character would you make?
: Well, since country is one of my favorite genres of music, I would create a Southern American character who comes from a poor family but manages to get by thanks to the support of his family and friends, and also works part time at a bar in his hometown where he performs as a musician every Saturday night.​

18. Would you rather go in a submarine to the bottom of the Marianas Trench, the deepest part of the ocean or go to the International Space Station? What are the pros and cons of your choice?
I'd take a submarine to the bottom of the Marianas Trench. The pros of my choice would be that I'd get to be underwater, and explore the depths of the oceans. The cons would be that it'd probably get really dark and cold down there, and I couldn't go outside for fresh air if I wanted to do so.​

19. Got any RpNation projects that you would like to share?
I don't have any RPNation projects worth mentioning as of now.​

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Let’s show off some of your musical tastes in the newsletter next month! You can also see what has been recommended in the past. Submit your music here!





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November Donation Badge by @Onmyoji
 
Congratulations on the features, lovelies! You all deserve it so much!
Owl Knight Owl Knight , Raymond_of_Clubs Raymond_of_Clubs , Mel_Mel_Stan Mel_Mel_Stan , kaninchen kaninchen , The Black Knight The Black Knight , AlexneushoornTheGreat AlexneushoornTheGreat !

October has been a really hard month for me overall. But knowing that Life. Life. and TerrorKitty TerrorKitty has my back and we can work together to provide content in our Newsletter for RpN is something I'm thankful for! I'm so honored to be working alongside them and I appreciate them so much. While we're connected as a Newsletter team, I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to get to know and connect with them! That's not all, a huge shoutout to Chordling Chordling because without her immense support and backing, I wouldn't have the pleasure of being able to meet new partners in crime hehe.

For those interested in helping around the site, I highly recommend applying for a Helpers position! It's truly rewarding and extremely flexible! It's been a pleasure being with all of my fellow Helpers and Staff!

Also, don't be afraid to share your music and characters with us in our showcase threads! All the love and support! Happy November, RpNator!
 
Oh wow, I take a few days away and get a lovely shout out. Thank you so much! Posting that story was so spur of the moment!
 

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