Question Criminal RP: What interests you?

[A'ti]

Hello!

Over the years the interest Criminal RP has come and gone, like most themes, though even during the events of Underworld it was difficult to keep some of the Criminal Majors moving (Hutt Space Consortium more recently, Black Sun before it). I'd like to have a candid discussion on the topic. I'd love to find a remedy, if there is one, to encourage these stories and grow the number of interested writers.

I have included a lengthy poll in this thread with unlimited vote options to help narrow down the root causes (For or Against) Criminal RP.

What is Criminal RP?
I broadly define Criminal RP, in the scope of Star Wars, to be any generally illegal activity that forms the main identity of a story such as: smuggling, slaving, drug dealing, ship-jacking, unscrupulous mercenary or bounty hunting work, slicing, extortion, racketeering, hosting illegal sporting events such as Podracing (in some areas). I'm only one person so I'm sure others would add or subtract from the list of 'Criminal RP'. Feel free to do so in your reply!

Thank you for your participation!

 

[Kitter Bitters]

I think criminal stuff is fun. The issue is always just the characters are so broad and diverse and individual so it’s hard to have a group identity.

 

[Inanna Harth]

I made a few tentative attempts at getting into crime RP (specifically with a member of The Family faction) but the threads got abandoned by the other writer(s), which I found discouraging. But that's not necessarily a reflection of those factions as a whole.

One thing I will say I disliked about past crime factions was that the major PCs in them weren't particularly evil or villainous. This is a recurring debate in every "bad guy" faction, and I don't want to trot out that old argument. But crime RP is much smaller than a Sith faction here, so having even one or two active characters who are basically good people yet are being labeled "criminals" due to affiliation tends to stand out more.

For example, there was a PC in the Family who was literally a social justice activist. I couldn't tell if they were supposed to be an undercover double agent or if they were just a regular member of this crime family, but their whole storyline and motivation revolved around trying to free slaves. I like the writer of this character and I'm certainly not going to tell them what they can and can't write, but it shouldn't be so prevalent in a crime RP faction. I came here to write a criminal; I want slavery, theft, murder, extortion, money laundering, etc. to be what our faction is doing, not fighting against.

I have satisfied my desire to write evil criminals by using them as NPC antagonists. This has worked out well for me, as people tend to prefer writing cops to robbers. I debated turning a few of these NPCs into PCs and roleplaying as them, but I am afraid that it will become more annoying than fun. If I am playing a robber in a game of Cops and Robbers, having the guy who is supposed to be on my team stop to moralize about how robbery is bad tends to kill the fun, y'know?

Just let them be bad!

 

[Suerse Leli]

It can be tough to write truly bad people or bad guys, and I think thats why a lot of criminal elements get stuck, especially on chaos. You have to allow yourself to sacrifice what the public perception of your character is going to be. And that's not for everyone. I think Inanna Harth made that point very well in her post.

The other big thing is that usually the story just isn't there. I wouldn't call Suerse necessarily a bad person, but I do plan on her doing bad things with Code Zero. Being anarchist cyberpunks is legitimately very fun on the surface, but when you combine it with the amazing story that Das begun to craft with them, it makes me want to write that sort of thing.

Takeaways, allowing yourself to write bad, awful, harsh things with the understanding that it is just roleplay, alongside having an ace story or people to write with, that is what it takes in my opinion.

 

[Vazela]

I have always enjoyed Criminal roleplay. Playing a Sith hiding their identity, in the underworld, looking to barter, coerce and exchange items, information or currency for schemes are some of my favourite interactions.

I would thoroughly enjoy participating in a faction that has criminal elements.

 

[Scour]

It can be tough to write truly bad people or bad guys, and I think thats why a lot of criminal elements get stuck, especially on chaos. You have to allow yourself to sacrifice what the public perception of your character is going to be.

Takeaways, allowing yourself to write bad, awful, harsh things with the understanding that it is just roleplay, alongside having an ace story or people to write with, that is what it takes in my opinion.

Regarding public perception, It feels like a excuse or cop out. I don't doubt people try controlling this public narrative too. Ime, No one can control how anyone else see them. As a writer i can attempt to influence but ultimately its out of my hands as a writer. That is a good thing too. I cant imagine trying to manage public view and personal things all at once. Sounds exhausting to me.

That is just as true in OOC and IC.

I do agree with you, though, A solid group of friends or writers makes a great start for any idea or faction. You can accomplish a lot just by letting go and having fun, its contagious too and others eventually hop on the train. Example: The Lightsworn.

I would personally invest my time to be apart of and write more Criminal Elements. Its something Chaos is lacking atm and I believe that there is a need for it.

 

[A'ti]

Thanks for the replies. The poll will be open for another few days!

 

[Enki Rak]

W takes out of Inanna Harth and Scour per usual.

Just had a brief thought on the matter -- I feel like a lot of criminal RP is based around the fantasy of freedom (more so than a lot of other RP root fantasies); either from the law or any other material constraints, i.e. being a smuggler and being able to go anywhere in the galaxy on a whim. This doesn't really lend itself well to being part of a faction, and thus to some extent being limited by needing to associate with certain people or fit into an established narrative or system. I don't think most people dropping in to write a scummy spacer really have it in mind to be part of an ecosystem of other such folks.

This is sort of true of any faction imo, but they have the advantage of having access to strong aesthetics; the vibe of the Jedi, Sith, Imperials, etc. are well established and fun for a lot of people. The crime folks of Star Wars have had their moments in the various SW medias, but I don't think we could pinpoint a particular aesthetic for them or anything unifying. Other, stronger visions of the look and feel of crime on the site are easier to latch onto -- which is why so many people are on that cyberpunk train, which is dope -- but they're not necessarily super Star Warsy, which is tough. Hutts, maybe, but there aren't that many people gunning to write giant slugs or their green pig bodyguards.

I'd like to see a criminal faction with a strong and particular vision for what it wants to be aesthetically and story-wise. Give it some boundaries -- enough spacer scum, we want hardcore criminals, slavers, other evil folks. Be disruptive to other factions constantly (in character. Better to be nice as hell OOC, of course). Give the faction interesting limitations -- don't have the criminal organization transcend the law completely, have it grapple with entities more powerful than itself, acknowledge the many reasons why people turn to crime and how they're all still subjects of power.

ok enough yapping that's all I would love to see crime rp

Also, adding an extra 'vote' that I've so far been very indifferent to criminals on the site. Don't feel like I've seen any factions that have compelled me a ton, but I also haven't paid too much attention. yippee yahoo.

 

[Inanna Harth]

there aren't that many people gunning to write giant slugs or their green pig bodyguards.

Ur right, I'm only interested in writing the little furry rodent thing that laughs at the heroes' misfortune.

(Oh my god its name is Salacious B. Crumb? That's HIM? He's that guy. Wow.)

 

[Enki Rak]

(Oh my god its name is Salacious B. Crumb? That's HIM? He's that guy. Wow.)

SALACIOUS B. CRUMB THE GOAT

I'D EAT KOWAKIAN MONKEY LIZARD ONG THAT MF DELICIOUS

 

[Tertius C. Nargath]

Heck, one of the things people tend to forget as a useful add on, is that companies could also sort of employ "criminals" for spying, stealing, etc. Crime goes well with corporate backing

 

[Suerse Leli]

Heck, one of the things people tend to forget as a useful add on, is that companies could also sort of employ "criminals" for spying, stealing, etc. Crime goes well with corporate backing

Staring daggers over at Castor Crane ; who is the whole reason that the Zeros exist in the first place.

 

[Olivia Pendleton]

i'm partial to white collar crime (shh don't tell anybody)

 

[Castor Crane]

i'm partial to white collar crime (shh don't tell anybody)

Boy do we have opportunities for you

 

[Olivia Pendleton]

Boy do we have opportunities for you

Consider me intrigued...

 

[Ragos Terrek]

I loved writing crime stories. Ragos is one of my most layered characters and for a couple years here his story as a gangster on the rise trying to make it as the spice king of Coruscant while getting caught up in things that were way bigger than he is was the most fun I’ve had doing RP.

Just a down on his luck street tough who was always trying to get ahead was some really fun stuff to write.

Crime is the coolest. More crime please.

 

[Reggie]

I loved writing crime stories. Ragos is one of my most layered characters and for a couple years here his story as a gangster on the rise trying to make it as the spice king of Coruscant while getting caught up in things that were way bigger than he is was the most fun I’ve had doing RP.

Just a down on his luck street tough who was always trying to get ahead was some really fun stuff to write.

Crime is the coolest. More crime please.

Plenty of room for a new spice king on Etti or Cantonica ~ pop me a DM if you're looking to thread sometime!

 

[Secenva]

I'm so glad this thread exists, as this is the type of thing I want to do with Secenva here. I want to do literal gang based on 1920s-1950s mafia aesthetics. Fine suits, fedora, Tommy guns. Gun running, boot legging! The whole of it.

And I see the arguments. And I agree. A truly good criminal faction needs to lend itself to being bad. Secenva's story is born of tragedy, but she is not sympathetic person. She's learned that only three things matter in this galaxy: Wealth, power, and loyalty. Charity and love are a sucker's game.

 

[Nej Tane]

To me, personally, part of the draw away from criminal factions is that-

Why on Earth would the Galaxy want a giant openly criminal faction as a major player? I think if you're committed to roleplaying, then a minor faction is the better choice for the underworld, with lots of opportunities for small roleplay for the sake of roleplaying, not for the sake of the major faction scramble.

 

[Inanna Harth]

Why on Earth would the Galaxy want a giant openly criminal faction as a major player? I think if you're committed to roleplaying, then a minor faction is the better choice for the underworld, with lots of opportunities for small roleplay for the sake of roleplaying, not for the sake of the major faction scramble.

Yeah, I agree. Only way I can see a criminal major working is if they were posing as a legitimate government. But then an argument can be made that most actual politicians are crooks, so… is the GA a criminal major?