As a player, I know that staff-sponsored or directed RP events are usually intimidating to new players, and I have usually generated what roleplay I could with those I met. I guess I don't have the mindset for the kind of roleplay required to chase a bear around and remove a splinter... I usually prefer more political rp, focused on one or several clans or guilds.
As a one-time staff member of a rp mud (who isn't?), I can say that a balance had to be struck between the two types. Staff-directed rp was too often directed at 'favorite' players. Player-generated rp sometimes created cliques in the mud, players who roleplayed with each other (and loudly, posting many, many long notes about it), but rarely interacted outside their own group. And always stuck up for each other IC, even if they should have been mortal enemies (due to race, alignment, creed, etc.).
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