Roleplaying Pregnancy

[The Cat In The Hat]

What do you think about roleplaying a pregnancy? Would you ever?

[Edited on 8-25-2004 by The Cat In The Hat]

[StrayRogue]

Its been done well and done terribly before. I'm all for good roleplay but this aspect is very difficult to pull off with any degree of credibility within the rules already provided. Most people just get lazy.

I heard of one person who would roll a dice everytime she suffered an abdomen wound. Roll a 1 and the baby would be lost. Thats pretty cool and realistic. Most people wouldn't give a shit, however.

[DeV]

I remember seeing a maternity gown alter being sold on crystalamulet.com, if I remember correctly. I would find it absolutely absurd to roleplay a pregnancy.
Then again I find it absurd for a giantman and halfling to be together and have a half-elf kid.

[Aaysia]

Really difficult and too easily criticized. Not something I'd try since I don't view my RP to be all that good anyways. Besides, I think ALL my characters are too young to get pregnant.

[Back]

I was forced into a pregnancy situation once. It sucked. The woman got all offended when I roleplayed concern over her going out into battle. I had no choice in the matter. Thats what sucked hard.

Let this be a lesson to you RPing guys. Fool around, you could end up on the wrong end of a bad situation.

[Bobmuhthol]

Two pregnancies I can remember are some dumb chick and Kurapira. The first one wanted to duel me on the boulder, but said not to hit her abdomen because she was pregnant. Fucking dumb.

With Kurapira, my brother and I were talking, and we planned on doing:

(Bobmuhthol stabs his claidhmore into Kurapira's stomach, pulls it out, and eats the fetus.)

[Fallen]

I have never seen it done well, but I certainly dont believe it cannot be done well. Mechanics dont support the roleplay, but I dont think it is OOG to do it.

[Hips]

I've seen it done well, but my character would never EVER get pregnant, so it doesn't apply. :saint:

[KymberlynX]

I think it's like that chick with the sign advertising her shop...how can you roleplay something that isn't there? I can wear maternity clothes all I want...that doesn't make me pregnant.

[The Cat In The Hat]

Jolena's done it really really well in the past, AND she has actual characters playing the children. Of course they aren't always with her or Stun, but that's just not doable if you want to do anything but play parent. She always has a good reason for why they arent wth her or where they are, and she always mentions them like a real mother would.

:clap: Jolena :clap:

[DeV]

Originally posted by Fallen
Mechanics dont support the roleplay, but I dont think it is OOG to do it. That would be my main issue with it. No mechanics to support even the most miniscule of this kind of roleplaying.

If I saw it being done well I would have no problems, but it would be nearly impossible to keep that kind of roleplay up to par at all times.

[Snapp]

Agreed Kym. That's just pushing it a little too far to me. It's not OOG (unlike being a vampire.. wtf), but it's definitely not supported by mechanics.

Just how long to you pretend to be pregnant? What about afterwards? Where's the baby? Shouldnt you be sore after? I mean if you wanted to be all realistic, you shouldn't be hunting for a year at that rate.

[Snapp]

Originally posted by The Cat In The Hat
Jolena's done it really really well in the past, AND she has actual characters playing the children.

I've heard that she did a fantastic job at it before.... but I'm sorry.. I still don't agree with it. AND that brings up the "roleplaying children" debate. Obviously they weren't infants.. did they just magically grow up? Then there's the race issues. (Like previous example of Giant + Halfing=Half-Elf child)

[Bobmuhthol]

You never knew someone who gave birth to a child who was an adult and strong enough to fight, Snapp?!?! You need to get out more.

[The Cat In The Hat]

Originally posted by Snapp

Originally posted by The Cat In The Hat
Jolena's done it really really well in the past, AND she has actual characters playing the children.

I've heard that she did a fantastic job at it before.... but I'm sorry.. I still don't agree with it. AND that brings up the "roleplaying children" debate. Obviously they weren't infants.. did they just magically grow up? Then there's the race issues. (Like previous example of Giant + Halfing=Half-Elf child)

Well... To me, game time is shorter than real time, a year in game to me feels like no more than 6 months. Her children act like children, dress like children and to my knowledge do not hunt or practice a profession, they're just there as RP tools for the time being. Maybe Jolena and Stun will pop in and let us know how they do it.

[Bobmuhthol]

To you, you're wrong, and time is time.

[Numbers]

Roleplaying pregnancy is stupid.

When you finally have the kid, where is it? I don't recall ever seeing an alters that were "a bundled baby boy."

Usually when people roleplay a pregnancy, when they have a kid, they have a friend roll up a new character. Except that character will be in their 20's or 30's. And then you go into the whole stupid "we used magic to accelerate his aging!" bullshit.

No. It's stupid. Don't do it.

[KymberlynX]

Now if they were to make a baby item that you could carry around that is scripted to coo, giggle, fart, barf and other such baby stuff that I am all too familiar with myself...then I might see it.

For example:

You see so and so, she is carrying a small elven baby boy/girl with small pointy ears and a cute button nose wearing a small blue/pink doeskin diaper...

HUG BABY...the baby coos happily, smiling up at you with a toothless grin
TOUCH BABY...as you touch the baby, he/she giggles happily and reaches for you finger
KISS BABY...you kiss the baby and reazlize he/she just drooled all over you! EWW!
ROCK BABY...as you rock back and forth, the baby snores sofly, grunting to herself/himself in her sleep
SQUEEZE BABY...you squeeze the baby gently and he/she winds up letting out a huge fart. Phew!
TOSS BABY...you toss the baby playfully up in the air and he/she barfs all over you. Should have waited longer after he/she ate!

Then of course after a few "years" you can make a character or have another persons character as the actual baby now grown up.

If they did that, then I could see it.

[Bobmuhthol]

<<Except that character will be in their 20's or 30's.>>

I think Elves start out at about 80. GS has existed for about 16 years. It doesn't work out too well.

[Wezas]

I'm agreeing with Stray. If there were some penalties for being pregnant, I'd be up for it. I like his idea of the roll every time you're hit in the abdomen. Weight gain should be a factor (encumbrance). Reflexes/Dexterity should be lower. Maybe a slight boost to Charisma for pregnant women (even though I know they're usually raving bitches).

Also, these affects shouldn't just magically dissappear once you've lost or given birth to the baby. They should taper off.

And anyone who chooses to roleplay the baby should have their stats reduced severely for that point in time, as well as any skills they have should be non-existant - in return for a description showing how young they are. Their stats and skills will of course return to normal when they have matured (lets say 6 months). Perhaps even gradually.

[The Cat In The Hat]

Originally posted by 3704558
Roleplaying pregnancy is stupid.

When you finally have the kid, where is it? I don't recall ever seeing an alters that were "a bundled baby boy."


There IS an alter out there that someone had made that was something like "A small pink bundle", and she really RP'd it as a baby, she even had sitters "babysit" it when she would go to hunt or something. She would interact with it like there really was a baby in it. Was pretty neat.

[Numbers]

Originally posted by KymberlynX
You see so and so, she is carrying a small elven baby boy/girl with small pointy ears and a cute button nose wearing a small blue/pink doeskin diaper...


And when the mother wants to go hunting?

"Badroleplayer puts a small elven baby boy in her cloak."

Even better:

Badroleplayer sweetly says, "I wanna go hunting. Let me go put my baby in my locker, then we'll go."

[Bobmuhthol]

<<(lets say 6 months)>>

So after six months, you've aged decades? Huh. I've gone through 28 six month cycles. I'm still as old as I should be.

[The Cat In The Hat]

Originally posted by 3704558

Originally posted by KymberlynX
You see so and so, she is carrying a small elven baby boy/girl with small pointy ears and a cute button nose wearing a small blue/pink doeskin diaper...


And when the mother wants to go hunting?

"Badroleplayer puts a small elven baby boy in her cloak."

Even better:

Badroleplayer sweetly says, "I wanna go hunting. Let me go put my baby in my locker, then we'll go."

Well, not just that, that can be fixed with not allowing the item to ever be put away, that they can do. But a child doesnt act like that for 5 years, 3 years from now, it wouldn't be doing half those actions anymore. They could concievably alter the kittens they have now into children, and remove the put away feature, unless they made one of those things, what are they called, that indian women used to carry them on their backs.

[KymberlynX]

Originally posted by 3704558
And when the mother wants to go hunting?

"Badroleplayer puts a small elven baby boy in her cloak."

Even better:

Badroleplayer sweetly says, "I wanna go hunting. Let me go put my baby in my locker, then we'll go."

Bad roleplayers shouldn't roleplay having a baby. Actually...bad roleplayers shouldn't be playing AT ALL.

The good roleplayers wouldn't hunt unless their significant other is taking care of the baby or they find a babysitter so they could go hunt.

The baby doesn't go in the locker until it "grows up" and they find a real character to replace it. :lol:

[Bobmuhthol]

And when the mother dies, the baby fights off her opponents? No. The baby dies. So the mother goes out and buys another one?

Great concept of life, death, and families.

[Jonty]

Originally posted by KymberlynX
The baby doesn't go in the locker until it "grows up" and they find a real character to replace it. :lol:

That will take more years than GS has even been around.

[KymberlynX]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
And when the mother dies, the baby fights off her opponents? No. The baby dies. So the mother goes out and buys another one?

Great concept of life, death, and families.

A good son/daughter would avenge it's mothers death. :P

[Edited on 8-25-2004 by KymberlynX]

[The Cat In The Hat]

I never said carried it to hunt, Bob, thats just stupid. I meant as far as making it something that could be put away to have your hands free since you couldnt "lay the baby down".

IF someone carried it to hunt they should be killed

[Bobmuhthol]

<<I never said carried it to hunt, Bob, thats just stupid.>>

Neither did I. You don't have to hunt to die.

[DeV]

Too complicated and slightly ridiculous. Should not be done until mechanics allow, if ever.

[The Cat In The Hat]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
<<I never said carried it to hunt, Bob, thats just stupid.>>

Neither did I. You don't have to hunt to die.

That's true, but if someones in a situation where they COULD die, it would be their responsability to give the baby to someone else.

Not like it would ever happen, anyway. People are just dumb.

[Bobmuhthol]

If someone casts meteor swarm in town, do you say, "I'm in a position where I could die, I guess I should give my child to someone else?"

[KymberlynX]

So why couldn't a baby be resurrected like the mother/father??

It would have to be roleplayed yes, but it should be feasible (sp?).

[StrayRogue]

What annoys me the most of all the RP'd pregnancies is not the actual acts and such that they used, but when they had the baby, a new character would be rolled AND THEN USED as their child. My friend has done this, but much more tastefully. Their character was rolled specifically to get the name saved. Its the idiots who immediately start playing their "baby" character who ruins it. Their clarion call of "they magically aged" just makes my eyes roll.

Again though, like most things in Gemstone that sort of bend mechanics, like multiple personality disorder, madness, possession, accents, all of them can be pulled off magnificently. However, the moment some tool comes along and tries to do it in a lazy fashion, it instantly makes the rest look bad.

[Stunseed]

Well, since asked....

Jolena stayed pregnant 6 1/2 months the first time, and the stress of the war in Solhaven caused her to go into early labor. Auraline was born weakened, and Aetheri's life-force infused her with the magic, causing her role in life to be magical < Wizard >.

The second instance lasted....7 1/2 months? My timeline might be slightly off on that one. She gave birth to twins, one of which was severly weakened by the gore of a Wooly Mammoth. The stronger one took directly to his father's physical ways < Warrior >, while the weaker one was much more difficult for the birthing. His cord wrapped around his neck, causing slight brain damage, the end result damaging his sight. His path is a direct magical influence to survive, since his physical body is weak and unreliable. Taking from Jolena the ability of Minor Elemental, and Stunseed Minor Spirit, his pain from birth tainted his being < Sorceror >.

As a part of HSN, Simu released Triton Daycare School in Solhaven, a place where one might take their children for learning. That is where all the children are, when not directly with Jolena, Stunseed, or the DM.

Jolena was weakened from carrying children, to say the least. Many instances Stunseed lead her, at one point carried her when needed to be mobile. Jo's player made many ACT's and used the smile verb to make the childbearing process real, in my opinion. Stunseed's been vomited on, urinated on by children, just about anything you could honestly think about for it has been done.

Jolena and I both have agreed that the timeline is far too skewed to be possible to truly hunt/interact with children. However, this is fantasy, where boxes fit into cloaks and claidhmores fit into thigh sheaths. All 3 of the children Jolena and Stunseed have are played by different people, although occasionally I do enjoy playing a darker soul < Sorceror >. So that in a nutshell, is it.

[CrystalTears]

Touche' Stray! :clap:

I just hate this...

FUCK I WZ PREGNT A WKEEK AGO BUT NOW I HVE A KID!!111

- Arkans

[crazymage]

for the ladies who voted only if i impregnate them, u2u me for my address!

[StrayRogue]

I remember Jolena being pregnant. While I don't agree with her babies being played by anyone (unless they are being played as babies), she did do it pretty well. I recall once, during her "nibbles" phase I considered putting a knife in her belly when she rummaged through my pack. She did play it well.

[Chelle]

Originally posted by KymberlynX
Now if they were to make a baby item that you could carry around that is scripted to coo, giggle, fart, barf and other such baby stuff that I am all too familiar with myself...then I might see it.

For example:

You see so and so, she is carrying a small elven baby boy/girl with small pointy ears and a cute button nose wearing a small blue/pink doeskin diaper...

HUG BABY...the baby coos happily, smiling up at you with a toothless grin
TOUCH BABY...as you touch the baby, he/she giggles happily and reaches for you finger
KISS BABY...you kiss the baby and reazlize he/she just drooled all over you! EWW!
ROCK BABY...as you rock back and forth, the baby snores sofly, grunting to herself/himself in her sleep
SQUEEZE BABY...you squeeze the baby gently and he/she winds up letting out a huge fart. Phew!
TOSS BABY...you toss the baby playfully up in the air and he/she barfs all over you. Should have waited longer after he/she ate!

Then of course after a few "years" you can make a character or have another persons character as the actual baby now grown up.

If they did that, then I could see it.

That would be cute. But then I am seeing horrific visions of EVERY female in gs having a baby. The place would be flooded. Ohh and I can see a baby alterer coming and everyone standing in line to get a scripted baby.


oh god make it stop!

:lol2:

[The Cat In The Hat]

HAAHAA, yeah... That would be pretty horrific.

[Jolena]

Actually the children are played as babies and in all reality they are not being 'played' they are being worked on for mechanics/profession later on when we will bring them out into society as toddlers. Our oldest child Auraline is now out in society but not very often as she's still very young and is in the Triton Dayschool quite a bit and at night with us or with her hired nanny. The players of said children know that we won't want them played as teenagers, adults etc. We want them played as babies, toddlers, and so on.

As Stunseed said, YES the timeline is skewed for their age. However there is nothing I can do about that due to time in Gemstone being the same as time in RL. But again, as he said this is a fantasy world where folks get resurrected from death, a longsword fits in a thighsheath and five boxes fit in a container on your back without causing you to fall over. We dont' force our RP on anyone however and everyone who has interacted with us and our children have been pretty happy about how it's done as far as I know.

[Miss X]

Personally, I am not a big fan of RPing pregnancy. I tend to ignore it when I see people acting pregnant etc in game. I've seen it roleplayed well once, by Merjinia. She was subtle with it and it was impressive and her roleplay since the "birth" has been great too. I would never roleplay it myself though. :)

[Bobmuhthol]

Bobmuhthol is pregnant. He's getting a little fat, too.

[Jolena]

Oh also, I read a few posts by folks saying that pregnant women should roleplay out their negative effects ie, weight, hunting, soreness after the baby is born, where the child is etc.

When Jolena had the twins, she was in her house for 2 full weeks due to empath orders. The birth was rough on her physically and she was not allowed to leave her home until the last 3 days and even then it was only for short walks around town. Stunseed hunted and provided the family with food etc. during hte day and was there at night to help Jolena tend to the children. All of it was roleplayed out.

As far as during the pregnancy, Jolena's actions were severely restricted during her pregnancies at the end and even during the middle.She ate quite a bit, got sick, had severe fatigue, did not hunt during the first one at all and during the second one hunted sparingly until she could not anymore. I think that we did quite a bit to make it realistic in every way we possibly could with the exception of the way the children age. Yes they are aging faster then what we age in RL, but they are not out in society right now and are being RP'd as being in dayschoo, with nannies, relatives etc. And yes, we have relatives who actually RP it out with us as well as a 'hired nanny' who will confirm her employment by us as well.

[Back]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
Bobmuhthol is pregnant. He's getting a little fat, too.

Would you go “natural” or “cesarean”?

[Bobmuhthol]

Natural, baby. F you and your c-section.

[Axhinde]

Sergey, all the way.

[DCSL]

Originally posted by StrayRogue
I remember Jolena being pregnant. While I don't agree with her babies being played by anyone (unless they are being played as babies), she did do it pretty well. I recall once, during her "nibbles" phase I considered putting a knife in her belly when she rummaged through my pack. She did play it well.

Ugh, that was HORRIBLE. Play it well? She sat down in the middle of a 30+ person crowd and did an ACT that had her looking through everyone's containers for food and taking anything they had. I think she had another ACT that was like that too, only slightly less so.. still in the same vein, though.

But, as far as RPing pregnancy those were her only faux pas that I was witness to. And I heard she stopped those, thankfully. Otherwise, it was pretty good. I liked the way she had a hard time standing up and sitting down.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Originally posted by Jolena
Oh also, I read a few posts by folks saying that pregnant women should roleplay out their negative effects ie, weight, hunting, soreness after the baby is born, where the child is etc.

When Jolena had the twins, she was in her house for 2 full weeks due to empath orders. The birth was rough on her physically and she was not allowed to leave her home until the last 3 days and even then it was only for short walks around town. Stunseed hunted and provided the family with food etc. during hte day and was there at night to help Jolena tend to the children. All of it was roleplayed out.

As far as during the pregnancy, Jolena's actions were severely restricted during her pregnancies at the end and even during the middle.She ate quite a bit, got sick, had severe fatigue, did not hunt during the first one at all and during the second one hunted sparingly until she could not anymore. I think that we did quite a bit to make it realistic in every way we possibly could with the exception of the way the children age. Yes they are aging faster then what we age in RL, but they are not out in society right now and are being RP'd as being in dayschoo, with nannies, relatives etc. And yes, we have relatives who actually RP it out with us as well as a 'hired nanny' who will confirm her employment by us as well.

This whole post makes me want to go outside and enjoy the real world. I know it's to each their own, but to me, that's just crazy talk!

[CrystalTears]

I tried the pregnancy thing, and mostly it was to go along with an interaction I had with Songie. However I roleplayed that she lost the baby because, well, she's half-elf and well... she shouldn't be breeding!

I didn't enjoy it. Roleplaying a pregnancy is hard and the real version is a royal pain in the ass. I don't enjoy the thought so it's not my idea of fun. I don't want to be stressed and think THAT much about the roleplay. I like roleplaying as much as the next guy, been doing it for years, but I draw the line there. It's just TOO much realism for me.

[KymberlynX]

Originally posted by Chelle
That would be cute. But then I am seeing horrific visions of EVERY female in gs having a baby. The place would be flooded. Ohh and I can see a baby alterer coming and everyone standing in line to get a scripted baby.


oh god make it stop!

:lol2:

I was thinking more along the lines of something that isn't very easy to obtain. Like you wouldn't be able to go to the general store to buy a scripted baby boy. It would cost millions to buy so only those seriously considering the "having a baby" thing would think about buying one...much like the "God" weddings only you don't have to use real money.

[Bobmuhthol]

That's retarded. People who can't roleplay still have money, and people that can often don't.

[Wezas]

I think anyone who wants to be pregnant in game should pay Simu a fee, just like weddings.

That'll get rid of most of the dumbasses and keep the ones who really want it and might actually pull it off.

[KymberlynX]

Originally posted by Bobmuhthol
That's retarded. People who can't roleplay still have money, and people that can often don't.

This is true...but then you just get to kill them for being retarded right? :P

[Chadj]

Only if it's Sergey's love child

[Betheny]

Oh god not another one of these threads.

[The Cat In The Hat]

I wasn't aware there was one. And I was curious, aparently it's a topic not everyone says "oh god to".

[Betheny]

I just hate everyone that RP's pregnancy.

Hate hate hate hate hate.

[SpunGirl]

I've seen it done well and not well. There are fine points to it.

-K

[Back]

Originally posted by SpunGirl
I've seen it done well and not well. There are fine points to it.

-K

Wow, thats really insightful. Thanks.

[Betheny]

If people can RP pregnancy, I really need to get a twisted coathanger alter.

[DeV]

Originally posted by Maimara
If people can RP pregnancy, I really need to get a twisted coathanger alter. Don't forget to make it rusty.

[Amaron]

You can agree or disagree but I have had some great experiences in game with this.


I had my gal roleplay pregnant...

She is elven, the father half elven... we had a 10 month pregnancy...

She did morning sickness.. had a healer check her out and tell her what was up when she didn't know why she was sick.

She did not hunt... And when she got hit traveling once we did a roll to see if the baby was lost.

The baby was delivered in game...

She did not leave bed for over a week.

The father's player made me this:

a colorful braided cotton bassinet carrying a pink baby blanket and its precious cargo (a container)

In the bassinet I keep this:

a fluffy yellow flannel blanket embroidered along the edges with tiny white ducks

And since we dont have babies I lift the blanket out and role it holds the baby...

And the baby's toy: a sleeping blue velvet toy bunny


I have a character nanny on a second account I can pass the baby off to.

The baby NEVER goes in her cloak or locker....


You do not have to agree with it but I did everything I could to make it real...

Including excusing myself to feed the baby and change it.


The baby will never be a real character unless for some reason I am playing this game 13 or so years from now.


Not sure I will ever play this out again but it was fun, I had some fun experiences.

When this is not done well it is a bad thing I do agree....


Anyway take it or leave it I have fun with it.

[Jolena]

To the person who said I made some mistakes with ACT and containers yes I did make the mistake once and it was pointed out rather quickly on these boards. I then corrected it and never did it again. There was no other second action that was similar so I'm not sure about that. So yeah, I did make a mistake but I think everyone is allowed one once in a while as long as they learn from it, which I did.

As far as all the rest of it..to each their own. Don't like the rping of pregnancy that's fine. However, if you do base that opinion off of the fact that it's not realistic I think that's probably the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Mainly because a LOT of Gemstone is completely unrealistic and if that's your reason..well then most of GS should not be done. *shrugs*

I guess I just feel that if someone wishes to rp kids, pregnancy, whatever as long as it's not forcing anything on anyone else, then it should be fine. I mean..just cause my character is waddling, eating a lot and friends/family say she's pregnant doesn't mean you HAVE to believe it. As a matter of fact, it's as simple as NOT responding to it at all. Just don't interact with it I spose. Just my two cents.

[Hulkein]

Can I roleplay a guy who steals babies and sells them on the black market?

I need coins.

[StrayRogue]

5 coins for a fair-haired elven child.