Hey guys, #Chance here and as for a new year?s present on another I site I am on. Myself and some of the staff put together this piece awhile ago however have refined it quite a bit. Most of these tips are common to everyone but a refresher never hurts and some people might learn something new. Also as a warning there is a lot to read so please do take time and have a safe New Year everyone.Role-play Tips
Role-play Tip # 01 - Detail
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Live. Make your character real. Don't be a collection of pixels... Bring your character to life. Give them action. Here's an example:
/me looks across the counter, staring at the selection of soft drinks before turning his gaze to the coffee. Sniffing the air as if to judge the taste by its smell, he smiles. "Hey... Can I get a cup of that coffee there? Two cream and a sugar, please." He reaches into his pocket, and pulls out his wallet to pay.
That's a little better than:
/me walks into the cafe. "Can I have a coffee please?"
So, give your character a bit of depth to their actions. It's worth the extra bit of time needed to type out. You don't need to write a novel, of course, but a little bit of work will be well rewarded.
Roleplay Tip # 02 ? God-modding
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A lot of people have this confused with power gaming, which, while related, is something different.
God-Modding
God-modding is where you decide that nothing hurts you, that no action taken against you causes you any kind of setback/pain/whatever. While it's mostly men who are guilty of this (blame action movies, video games, testosterone, whatever), some women are, too. I'll give you some examples:
-The vampire who cannot be hurt by you, whether it be because of supernatural powers, some magic spell that makes him better than the rest, etc.
-The Streetfighter who has so much experience, she can see any move you make before you know what you're thinking, and therefore dodges any attack you make.
-The soldier who has a prototype bullet-proof vest, capable of stopping any calibre of bullet without even so much as bruising him.
There are many other examples of which I have seen in my travels around different forums and such. Look at yourself, atthe way you play, and you might find yourself guilty of something like this. Take a hit now and then, lose a fight ... You might be surprised at how good the outcome can be.
Roleplay Tip # 03 - Power gaming
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Power gaming is when you decide for someone else what they're doing. You're taking away their choices, and making them react how you want them to react.
Power-Gaming
I'll give you a couple of examples:
1 - /me looks at the man and throws a punch at him, hitting him in the head and knocking him out. He walks over to thedowned man, drawing his blade, and stabs him in the heart. He pulls the knife free and wipes it on the dead man's shirt, then walks away.
2 - /me grabs her lover and kisses him deeply. She moans as her man pulls at her shirt, and gasps in fear and pleasure as he rips her bra free. "Oh, Rick! You're so strong!" He looks at her breasts and massages them roughly, using her for his own pleasure.
Now, let's see what went wrong in those two example, and then fix them:
1 - In this example, the person posting not only decided that their punch hit the person, but also that it knocked his victim out, and that he had enough time to kill him. He gave the person no chance to defend himself. Perhaps the person wanted to dodge. Perhaps he was willing to take a hit, but play it as reeling back, not being knocked out. Regardless, theperson attacking took too many liberties. Here's what should have happened:
/me looks at the man and throws a punch at him.
Not very detailed, sure, but it stopped before there was any power gaming. It lets the other person decide what action they're going to take.
2 - In this example, the woman decides that she's writing erotica, and not role-playing. She's writing all that she wants, and doesn't let the man have his say. What if he's not a breast man? What if he's not rough, and wouldn't relieve her of her bra in such a way? Here's what should have happened:
/me grabs at her lover, wanting to kiss him deeply.
Again, not very detailed, but doesn't power game. It gives the man a chance to give his input.
Hope this inspires you to take a look at your own roleplay. If you're guilty of power gaming, then maybe you can adjust your style.
RolePlay Tip # 04 - Profiles
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As a roleplayer, your profile is the best way to sell yourself. Without talking to you, someone will be able to tell a bit about you like by what you put in your profile.
Let's look at my profile for example... Go ahead click here - PROFILE Here's what you'll find:
-Detailed descriptions for everything ranging from eye colour to sexuality. It?s all about making your character desirable to play with.
-Images. Everyone likes to know what the character looks like. Be it for attraction purposes or just so they can makes a comment here or there. Getting yourself a picture is a really good idea. Especially as you can then request a fancy signature or avatar from our Enchanters!
-Background history. If you?re a 2000 year old elven mage with enough destructive force to break the planet in two, then although you?re going to be told to tone it down a bit, the scolding won?t be as bad if you at LEAST have a detailed history describing why you?re so awesome. The history of a character really makes them. It?s all-well being super awesome right now, but if you have a lame history it really retracts from your characters appeal.
Some of you want to appear to be 'normal', and keep your more extreme roleplay notes about yourself out of your profile. Others might want their whole profile to be advertisements for future Final Fantasy setups. That's fine, but it does nothing to identify you as someone who is worth role-playing with, so you may need to adapt. If that's how you want to identify yourself, while still wanting roleplay, perhaps have a few words about contacting you for roleplay details.
Roleplay Tip # 05 ? Entering Pre-Existing Scenes
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Roleplay Etiquette. There are many, many things that fall under that topic, one of them being pre-existing scenes.
Say you notice a particularly interesting storyline, whether it be Dark Alley, Force Park 1, LoveLife Isle of Lust, Ravage Buggery Factory, or whatever, and you encounter someone having a sex scene. You might want to watch, or even join in. However, it's wrong to just barge into it without an invitation. You could find yourself muted at best, or ejected and banned from the storyline at worst. Here?s how to handle:
IM one or both players, and ask if you can join in. Give them a moment or two to discuss it between themselves, and see what happens.
They'll let you know. If you are accepted, go ahead and enjoy. However, if even one of them says no, no matter if theother really wants you in, walk away. Trying to intrude where you're not wanted equals harassment, and you can find yourself in some deep trouble with moderators.
Roleplay Tip # 06 ? Meta-gaming
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Meta-gaming is when you're in an immersive, character-driven roleplay, and you use information that you, the player know, but your character wouldn't. I'll give you some examples in the following paragraphs.
The most common bit of meta-gaming people make during roleplay is when they first meet someone. What do they do? They call that total stranger by their name. Unless you're a gifted psychic, you shouldn't know the stranger's name, or that he's a stalker/undercover officer/hired thug/etc. Just as with most people you'd meet for the first time in real life, your character wouldn't know the other's name or employment history.
Another example of meta-gaming is when you read that person's profile, and use something against them. Let's say it says in their profile that the character has a dark past, say having accidentally set a fire that got someone hurt or killed. You shouldn't approach them and mention it. That's something to be found out during roleplay, and earning that character's trust.
Some players have their avatars wear titler?s that provide some info so that you don't have to read their profile. Sometimes it's overt, such as the character having obvious trembling, a wound or two, that they cough a lot, or something to those effects. Others have covert information on their titler?s, with things like they have a concealed weapon, that they're in disguise, and so on. To use their covert info against them is a no-no. You ought not to approach them and mention thegun you know is in the back of their belt. That titler is just meant to show you that should you engage that person in a fight, they're not just saying from out of nowhere that they have a weapon.
Go forth; learn about other characters through roleplay. Just as you may want to let your character have an air of mystery about them, let other characters have their secrets until they are revealed to you.
Roleplay Tip # 07 ? Avatar Appearance
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Unfortunately, since people on some fourms [not saying this one] is somewhat visual, some people will refuse play unless your avatar looks top notch. I, myself, have encountered vain folk who refuse to play unless it looks like you've spent thousands on your avatar. Sometimes, even the best of paragraph players are unwilling to give you a chance unless you look good (what a cartoon has to do with roleplay ability, I'll never know).
There are many places you can go, if you're patient and persistent.. Try deviantart, photobucket and perhaps some of thechan sites too. Some people argue that image props should be given to certify that the art belongs to another artist; this is entirely up to you. I myself don?t much care about where your picture came from or who drew it, all I want is to see it so I have a mental idea of what I?m interacting with.
Roleplay Tip # 08 ? Sexual Play
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A lot of you engage in sexual roleplay. Whilst exploring an erotic scenario, it's common to get sexually aroused, but you should also learn to control yourself. You're playing with someone else, and not just yourself. That person is there for roleplay... They're showing you respect enough to spend time role-playing with you. Show them the same respect in return.
Don?t make obscene comments towards those you play with and don?t add outside pressure for unwanted events to occur IC. Remember, not everyone cares that you have a member the size of a barge pole or breasts that make the Titanic envious. Remember, the Titanic sunk.
Roleplay Tip # 09 ? Detail Revisited
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Paragraph roleplay takes time. We know this. It's why a lot of people hate it, as they want something fast rather than have it detailed. However in most fourms we strive on detail. Give your fellow players something to use, to run with, even if it?s just a reaction. Of course we don?t expect a block of text either; in fact a block of text wouldn?t necessarily be a good thing. With such a long post, you run the risk of power-gaming by not letting them react.
When making your post, you don't have to add every thought your character is thinking. Instead of telling us how you're thinking about how handsome someone is, how you wish the other person would put down their knife, how this situation reminds you of something twenty years ago and how that similar experience has left you ready to face this. Simply imply, perhaps, that your character is lost in though. Inner monologue works well in books, but in roleplay, the other person cannot read your mind, and therefore you don't have to waste your time in posting it in mass.
I could go on about how too much detail can ruin your roleplay, but then that would be too ironic.
Roleplay Tip # 10 - Typos
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With paragraph roleplay, we're all aware that we're eating time when writing our posts. You might get impatient as you wait for the other person/people to post, and when it's your turn, you're determined to get yours out as soon as possible. However, when doing so, please be aware of how good your spelling is. Many times, in my own experience, I've had to ask someone to write their post out again because in their hurry to post, they've written something unintelligible. It's odd, but a lot of people for whom English is a second language don't have this problem because they actually put effort into watching what they write, but I digress...
Even for those people without Microsoft Word to check their spelling, there are plenty of online pads you can paste your work into to have it check your spelling. For those that use Google Chrome as a browser, I?m told that checks your spelling anyway. Might not be a bad thing to have even if it?s just acting as a spell-check.
Roleplay Tip # 11 ? Post-Jumping
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One of the key elements to paragraph roleplay is patience. When you're playing with someone, you like for them to wait for your posts; it goes both ways. Are they taking longer than you to post, so long that it irritates you? Don't play with them. However, if you are spending time with them, give them the courtesy of waiting for them. It's beyond irritating to almost have what you want written down, only to have to delete what you had in order to accommodate what was said by someone else.
Some of you may find yourselves in situations where you're dealing with more than one person. Whether it's a crowded tavern, a busy street corner, or a sex scene with multiple partners, you're going to have to be patient. For some (like myself), one-on-one interactions are far preferred to group scenes, but if you find yourself with more than one person, try shortening your posts if possible. Sure, detail is great, but as we learned a couple of lessons ago, it can also take away from the flow of a scene. Experiment, and see if you can find the right balance. Also, once an order is established, keep it constant. If you want to opt out for a turn, simply ask (out of character) for someone else to go before you.
in BleachGotei posting order is often always organised and skipping someone due to them taking a rather large amount of time simply does not work. It messes up the posting order and leaves a person idle. Try not to do it. Ever. If you have a problem with a person not posting, you can politely request that they exit the storyline as soon as possible and then you can avoid playing with them in the future.
Roleplay Tip # 12 ? Character Background
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As you travel around Bleach Gotei, you'll see all profiles containing character roleplay backgrounds. You'll see many with things like this:
- I was a highborn princess who'd been out riding one day, and was kidnapped by slavers. Sold to an abusive master, she's spent the last few months plotting her escape. The problem with this one is that yet again, a princess has been stolen away. How many kingdoms are there out there where the king doesn't care enough about his daughter being kidnapped to stop at nothing to see her returned? It's just not original.
- After three tours of duty in Rukongai, my character retired from the military and joined the Soul Society Special Services After serving with distinction, he retired from the S.S.S.S. to come and (insert story why he is where he is now.)
The problem with this background is that if someone were so amazing, why is he hanging around in whatever dump he's in? What's the motivation to go from serving his country and government to move to a backwater burg to do whatever it is he's doing? Not to mention the hundreds of other former military, badass arms dealers, Olympic-calibre athletes, etc. that live there as well.
Basically, there's nothing at all wrong with just being an average person. Instead of a princess, why not be the daughter of a simple and humble farmer? Instead of a super agent, why not be the son of a manual labourer and a stay-at-home mom? There's no need for some outlandish background for your character. Don't let any RL ego, or lack of one, make your character out to be "the best".
RolePlay Tip # 13 ? Pre-Written Posts
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In my travels, I've met many role-players. After getting to know them, some have admitted that they use note-cards to write various responses on. However, instead of clearing the slate, as it were, they save the responses for use in other sessions. This seems like a great idea, yes? Wrong. When you do this, you really are doing nothing more than what an Xcite! Product does... the only difference is that no one is clicking on you. It takes more time, yes, but go ahead and respond on the fly. It's a more honest way to roleplay, and keeps you from being a repetitive device.
Basic Role-Playing Terms
Role-Playing (role-play, RP, RPing):
The concept where one acts out scenes and stories with others around a particular theme by assuming a "role" and taking on the personality of a particular character. It is your character acting out or telling his or her own particular story. Everything that you post is to that end. It refers to a situation of fictional context whereby you portray yourself as someone you are not. It allows you to be whatever you want as though you were playing a part in a large multi-levelled interactive movie.
Out of Character (OOC):
The typist, the person behind the avatar, the RL person behind the keyboard.
OOC: Anything that occurs and/or relates to things out of the game. This means you are speaking with your OWN voice and not the voice of your character.
In Character (IC):
The character in your screen, the avatar and the role/character/personality you have given him/her.
IC: Anything that occurs in and/or relates to what happens in the role-playing game (to/by the characters). If you are talking "IC" it means you are speaking with the voice and words of your character. When making IC posts, you should NEVER use abbreviations (how r u?, lol, rofl, etc.) or emoticons.
IC/OOC Line:
The line between ?in character? and ?out of character.? Players are not their characters and are not necessarily even like their characters, and vice versa. Realize that everything that is happening when IC is just that - a character someone is playing in a game. Do not take IC actions, insults, fights, etc. personally. You may not like another character, but respectthe fact that they are just that, a character.
Creating your character.
Before you can start to role-play, you have to create your character:
This can be a character as complicated or uncomplicated as you choose and are comfortable with.
A few things to think about when creating your character.
- Personality
- Appearance
- Background
- Quirks and/or habits
Before you begin playing your character, here are some questions you could ask yourself:
Who is your character?
What has your character been through in life that made him/her this way?
What is his/her goal in life?
What does he/she believe in?
What is his/her background and upbringing?
Is your character good? Evil? Somewhere in between?
By answering all of these questions, you build up a picture of what your character is like, and it gives information for you to draw upon when you RP. You can go as far as you like with this, even building up a personal profile for yourself with details that others do not need to see, but will find out through interaction with your character.
E.g. what is your character's favourite colour?
Favourite book?
Does he/she have any family?
Is he rowdy?
Quiet?
Charming?
Friendly?
Deceitful?
By building this profile, you are breathing life into your character. A lot of it may never be used but think about real life. You may get into a conversation with other people you meet and even if these questions may not be asked, they do colourthe way you converse. They define who you are, and this is no different for your character.
Once you have done this, you will have a clearer picture, and you might already have ideas about how your character might react in different circumstances.
Acting the Part:
This is the meat and bones of role-playing. In fact, this is what the word actually means - playing a role. In other words, you are just acting the part of your character for the time you are playing the game. This is not as difficult as it might sound. You already have the background information you need. You know who your character is, what his/her aims are, you just need to put that into practice.
Keep it real:
No matter what kind of role you have chosen to play. Try and keep your character and his/her behaviour as realistic as possible.
One of the biggest things to affect the way you play your character is his/her alignment - whether he/she is good, evil, or neutral. A common misconception about alignment is that it is very black and white, but this is not necessarily the case. Just like in the real world, there are many shades of good and evil.
Keep in mind:
When you start role-playing with the character you have created. Your character?s personality will develop through thethings and events that happen to him/her. Other characters he/she meets and has relationships (in whatever form) with will shape your character and his/hers feelings about and/or views on certain things.
You can start out with an incredibly detailed background for your character and have certain ideas of where you see your character going in the future. But... the fun of role-playing is just, that no matter how determined you are to lead your character a certain way, one meeting with a stranger could turn his/her life totally upside down. You are not the only one in control of what happens. Role-playing is interactive.
jayonaboat