Hardcore Modded Roleplay Server Brainstorming

[PallasAthena]

Hello!!

I'm attempting to set up a dedicated RP server.  The server itself is already configured, minus the mod list.

I'm looking for people to help brainstorm mods to add to the server, lore ideas and names, and general suggestions on how to improve RP.  I'm planning to hold a sort of test-season before I officially open the server and advertise it properly.

I enjoy roleplaying within survival games, and the vibes that Vintage Story gives off even in vanilla are just too good not to try and RP.  I've added a set of mods according to my own preferences, and I'm adding more as time goes on.

Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Pz2qzfhu7N

Edited June 26, 2025 by PallasAthena
Forgot to add a discord link so that people could join if they were interested.

[Enjen]

1 hour ago, PallasAthena said:

Hello!!

I'm attempting to set up a dedicated RP server.  The server itself is already configured, minus the mod list.

I'm looking for people to help brainstorm mods to add to the server, lore ideas and names, and general suggestions on how to improve RP.  I'm planning to hold a sort of test-season before I officially open the server and advertise it properly.

I enjoy roleplaying within survival games, and the vibes that Vintage Story gives off even in vanilla are just too good not to try and RP.  I've added a set of mods according to my own preferences, and I'm adding more as time goes on.

Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Pz2qzfhu7N

Hey what a great idea! Sounds fun

[PallasAthena]

I know you didn't just piggyback on my server post with your own ad.  uncool.

1 hour ago, Enjen said:

Hey what a great idea! Sounds fun

 

[Enjen]

18 minutes ago, PallasAthena said:

I know you didn't just piggyback on my server post with your own ad.  uncool.

 

I'm confused? I didn't even make a post? I would never "piggyback". I was showing you support in your idea, bumping it naturally so others would see your post...

Edited June 26, 2025 by Enjen

[PallasAthena]

I apologize, I was under the impression your signature was purposefully added to advertise your own server.  Is The World of Vitalismos a roleplay server as well?

[LadyWYT]

5 hours ago, PallasAthena said:

general suggestions on how to improve RP.

My suggestion here is to figure out what style of RP you're looking for, draft a set of rules and expectations, and then curate the experience around that. Not all roleplayers play nicely together, and if the experience you advertise yourself to be isn't consistent with what actually transpires in gameplay, your players will lose interest.

The two main RP types, I would say, are as follows:

Casual Roleplay

Casual roleplaying experiences tend not to cover serious topics, require serious characters, or require frequent active participation from the players. That's not to say it can't be high-quality or serious at times, however, the main goal is just to have fun goofing around with friends rather than exploring stories and characters in-depth. This style of roleplay is best suited for those who don't like to take things too seriously, and will most likely be a turn-off for players seeking a more consistent, serious experience.

Serious Roleplay

Serious roleplaying experiences tend to put a lot more effort into story and character quality, as well as place higher expectations upon participating players. Like casual RP, the main goal is to have fun, however, there is much greater emphasis placed upon exploring stories and characters in-depth. As a result, rules tend to be a bit stricter in order to ensure higher quality experiences, which will most likely be a turn-off for those just wanting to goof around.

Communication

It's a good idea to have separate channels for in-character(IC) and out-of-character(OOC) chatter. Keeping communication well-organized will result in much less confusion and frustration, as well as yield a more pleasant experience. How players communicate OOC isn't a big deal, but you will probably want to set rules for what kind of communication channels are allowed for IC chatter. That is, you need to decide if IC voice chat is allowed/expected and whether there is space for play-by-posts outside of the game(via Discord or similar platform). 

Regarding voice chat, I would recommend deciding up front whether you want the roleplaying to take place via voice chat, or in text, as it's somewhat difficult to mix the two(in my opinion). Personally, I would recommend sticking to text for RP and leave voice chat as an optional OOC communication channel. Not everyone likes to speak in voice, not everyone has a quality mic or quiet background, and text leaves evidence of events that's easy to review in case an incident occurs.

As play-by-post opportunities outside of the game, that's up to you on whether you wish to allow it. Curating an official space for it is a bit more work, but allows the more chatty players a place to further develop their characters outside of in-game events. 

Enforce the Rules

It kind of goes without saying, but once you set the rules, you need to make sure that you enforce them in order to make sure you're curating the kind of experience you're advertising. Otherwise, you're going to end up driving away the kind of players you want to attract, and attracting the kind of players you didn't intend to deal with. If you aren't getting the kind of players you wish to have, you may want to review what kind of rules you have in place and how you're enforcing them, as there's something that needs improving.

On Non-Roleplaying Players

It's fine to allow non-roleplayers to join a roleplaying server, though the choice is up to you. If allowed to join, it needs to be clear that the primary focus is roleplaying, and those who disrupt roleplaying events need to be dealt with. I would caution against letting too many non-RPers join, however, since if they outnumber RPers the server can start to feel less like a roleplaying server and more like a standard gameplay server with a few RP elements as set dressing.