Creating a Roleplay Event Guide
So you're looking to take a more active leadership role in some of the storylines going on in Dragonrealms -- that means creating an event that goes on the Official Events Calendar, and writing creative excerpts that go to the Events Team and the Discord.
While it's as simple as writing an e-mail to the DR Events Team at DR-Events@play.net, there are number of guidelines to consider.
Format of the E-mail
Instance of DR where the event will be held
Title of event: Short title of the event
Name of Host[s]: Character(s) hosting
Date and Time: MM/DD/YYYY, xxAM/PM EST (all times are entered in EST)
Location: (Full room name as it appears in game)
Description: Description of the event, what you will do, what you hope to accomplish. This can include Lich and Genie room numbers or directions from a more familiar location. It can also include the name of the person hosting. You may want to add any extra notes about what you're planning, hoping for, etc. Including a full write-up of the event, like a script is helpful for the GMs to know what to expect and how to handle it.
All events MUST be set up with the possibility of no GM interaction or support. If the event REQUIRES GM support, Events Team will let you know this requires additional consideration and work. Events Team does NOT guarantee GM support for all events. You MUST have a backup plan if no GMs show up.
2 week notification is the norm -- although for events pertaining ONLY to the Wild Magic storyline, lead time is only 5 days.
Events Team Didn't Respond to My E-mail. Why Not?
- Don't be discouraged -- the most active roleplayers see a support rate of 20-30%. For every event you see them getting support on, there are 3-4 events that they didn't get approval for. They continue to consistently pitch ideas and publicly organizing events, about every event with a plan -- it's a lot of work. Also, the Events Team cannot respond to every event, nor do they respond to every event in the way that is asked. In a lot of ways, you are taking a shot in the dark with this e-mail; you are planning an event, an idea of something you want to do, a gameplan -- and if the Events Team can support it, they will try. (Note: GM support may wax & wane depending on what plotlines are active. There may be months of events with no GM support -- but events may still be calendared. Also keep in mind the Events Team may be limited by the number of staff they have.)
- Does your e-mail follow these guidelines? -- (1) A good time/day with enough lead time; (2) Follow the prescribed e-mail format; (3) Related to current events; (4) Have a player invested in a specific storyline already in progress; (5) Involves an open group rather than a personal story.
- Your request might not be actionable -- (1) You might be asking for something that's not doable, like trying to summon a demon or turning into a dragon. This will never get Events Team support -- though you are free to roleplay it out on your own. (2) You are asking for something that contradicts the in-game lore -- the GMs are very careful custodians of the lore. (3) If you're e-mailing a letter to an in-game NPC, there's a good chance they will never respond due to the business of their in-game position. This is especially the case if you are reaching out to a Guild Leader, the Temple, or a character that the Event Team is generally not using for the running event plotline. That being said, this does let the Events Team get to know your character better and their motivations, and it can be useful to do this to build up into a related event.
- Events Team spam filter might have eaten your e-mail -- It happens. Koror checks the spam folder once a month or so? You can ask real quick in the Official Discord #roleplay (or #f2p if you're f2p) channel if your e-mail was eaten, or you can send a follow-up e-mail of "Hey did you get this? Just want to make sure spam filter didn't catch me".
Examples of What to Do
- Have an interesting character concept -- unique and fun to interact with. Find things that touch on your character that you're interested in.
- Make sure you have an interested audience/group of players, so the event will have traction.
- Example idea: Urbaj just read about a Negotiant arbitration clause preventing his legal suits from going through. How does he appeal and address grievances?
- Example idea: You want to create a hidden gambling league out of a basement in Arthe Dale where the password is "footbrush" and the secret handshake is a foot too tall for Halflings to reach. [Credit: Elore]
- Example idea: You want to take action on Musparan relations with Velaka -- but this is getting a new plotline started from scratch, which is hardwork. So you calendar low-effort response events like: (1) Go on patrol to kill slavers and explore the desert; (2) Hold a lecture on Sand Elf history and then look for them; (3) Hold a lecture on the Outcast War, then go see what they're up to; (4) Hold a lecture on Muspar'i history, tour the city. You might gain more traction by involving other players and groups, talking about it in related player meetings. [Credit: Saragos]
- It doesn't have to be something serious. Aislynn sat and talked to Srinoja (villainess GMNPC) about food for half an hour. Ayrell invited a GMNPC to a social event that Irenos didn't feel right disrupting, so Irenos had the GMNPC make snarky comments about how people dressed.
- Dealing with rejection when your event doesn't get picked up is the hardest part -- the response rate is low. If your first plan doesn't go thru, try something different -- the second might not get traction either, and then the third plan might get picked up but not in the way you wanted.
- For reference, on the back-end when the Events Team see the gameplan, they do a team huddle to see which parts they can get approval for. What does the P2 GM think (Province 2: Therengia)? What does the Elf GM think? What's the team's consensus on continuity? They take everyone's thoughts and go back to the original suggestion, sketch a plot, run it through QC, and put in a proposal to the team as a whole. Here's where they get the okay/no-go. If the plot passes continuity, it can get supported. Otherwise, Events Team has to step back and hopes your backup plan of no GM involvement is good. Again -- make sure your plan has a good backup plan with no GM involvement.
What About Those Letters People Post on the Official Discord?
You can just write them in #roleplay, no need to run them by the Events Team first. But standard discord rules apply, and the letter might be moderated depending on what's going on.
Also, it's best to focus on roleplay you experience personally, in game. For example, it might not be appropriate to create lore that didn't actually happen in the game space.
What About Writing An In-Game Book?
If you have an idea for a book, you can send it to dr-libraries@play.net. The GMs can’t necessarily guarantee its inclusion in a library, but libraries aren’t the only place where book-like texts may appear.
Example E-mail Template
Instance:
Title:
Host:
Date and Time:
Location:
Description:
Back-up Plan:
See Also
Reference
GMs and Players discuss on Official Discord how to Create a Roleplay Event