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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 17, 2018 13:07:32 GMT -5
Beginner's GuideRoleplaying, sometimes abbreviated to "RPing", is cooperative writing carried out by multiple authors in a dynamic, unscripted environment. Roleplaying can take on many forms and take place via a wide variety of mediums, such as video games, tabletop games, and forums. There are no special skills required to roleplay - all you need is a strong imagination and a willingness to work with other authors. This topic is intended to help newcomers learn the basics of some writing concepts and some of the various elements of roleplaying etiquette. Suggestions for alterations and additions to its contents are welcome and appreciated, even if they're not used. Quick Links- Roleplaying Basics- Roleplaying Etiquette- Terminology
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 17, 2018 13:09:41 GMT -5
Roleplaying Basics
Roleplaying can take place with many different rules and expectations, but this guide will focus primarily on a conventional sandbox roleplay, where each player controls only one or a handful of characters in a loosely-established setting. This guide will cover joining the roleplay, the character creation process, and several basic interactions.
- Signing Up
Joining a roleplay is usually a simple process of asking its game master or one of its members if they're looking for new players. Joining without asking is impolite, depending on context, and may result in your immediate removal. Most players are usually happy to have more along for the ride, so you shouldn't have to worry about negotiating for your right to participate.
- Understanding the Setting
Some roleplays take place in fictional universes with specific stylistic guidelines and historical elements. Players in these roleplays are expected to understand the setting, either by consulting with other players or reading its source material. Under most circumstances, failure to understand and adhere to the setting will end with your dismissal, so be sure to take the time to talk with others before getting involved.
Many games do not have an established setting, but other players may expect eachother to stick to a certain style or behave a certain way. Always be sure to review the rules and know what's expected of you before you start getting ideas on how to participate.
As an example for this guide, the setting takes place in the Institute of Hilariously Unreliable Teleporter Experiments, a research laboratory in the town of Nowhere. The institute is a lavish building staffed by a ratio of five janitors to every one scientist.
- Creating a Character
The very first creative work you'll do in any roleplay is the character creation process. A character is a person or thing that can interact with its environment, like an actor in a movie. Characters are your primary means of interacting with other players and can, depending on the setting, be anything from a small bird to a self-aware space ship.
When creating your characters, be aware of the roleplay's setting and the other players' expectations. Avoid making a character that's too powerful or able to solve problems too easily compared to the other players. Try to find a stylistic niche that you enjoy, blends with the styles of other players' characters, and fits with the setting. Balance the character between something you enjoy, something you can play well, and something that's interesting to explore and interact with.
In many cases, it can be a good idea to develop your character openly. Consult with other players on what would be appropriate for the setting and interesting to the others. Try to find a way to get your character involved by shaping their skills and background to better fit with other players' characters. Talk with others on the best way to introduce your character. At the same time, try to balance out how much you reveal about your character to keep them interesting by the time they enter the story.
In some situations, you may already have a character developed that fits the setting or story. Talk it out with other players on whether or not it's appropriate to have them get involved. Just because a character worked last time doesn't mean they'll work this time, so always make sure before going ahead.
For example purposes, it will be assumed that you've made a character named "Joe Boberts" for this guide who works as a janitor in the Institute of Hilariously Unreliable Teleportation Experiments. Joe is a short man with a thick, grey moustache and a bitter rivalry with Terry Stevens, the much-hated custodian of the institute's second floor offices.
- Introducing Your Character
In some cases, it may be necessary to introduce your character before interacting with them. This can be as simple as them approaching an already-introduced character and starting dialogue or it can be as complex as a multi-part introductory storyline.
It may be wise to consult with other players to determine how it would be appropriate to introduce your character. Excessively long introductions may result in your character being left behind in favor of continuing the central plot. Excessively short introductions may result in your character being insufficiently explained or given little attention.
In this example, Joe is introduced by accidentally setting a teleporter to the "expel angry mutants" setting. Other characters are immediately alerted to his presence and mildly displeased with him. In this introduction, Joe is established as an important character and others are compelled to interact with him or deal with the consequences of his actions.
- Interacting with Other Characters
Character dialogue and interaction are some of the most critical components to any roleplay. They allow players to delve into character backgrounds, put their characters' behavior into functional examples, and push forward the story. Without some form of character-to-character interaction, most roleplays will stagnate or die out.
When interacting with other characters, be sure to put on a convincing demonstration of who your character is. Think about how they talk, how they feel about other characters, and how effective they are at any given task - including conversation. Remember to stay consistent with what your character knows and what their current environment is like.
Always be sure to follow proper etiquette with other players. Your characters are the best demonstrations of your capabilities as both a writer and a roleplayer. Demonstrating proper respect and consideration for others is key to success in any given roleplay.
In an example of character interaction, Terry Stevens asks Joe to turn off the teleporter. Unfortunately, Joe doesn't know how to. As a result, Terry is mauled by a hideous mutant from another dimension. In the process of losing his face, Terry begs for assistance. Due to the fact that Joe lost his employee-of-the-month award to Terry, Joe refuses to help him. In this exchange, another character interacts with Joe, who is prompted to admit a character flaw and reveal information about himself. Afterwards, Joe demonstrates his moral compass and significantly impacts another character through logical behavior.
- Conclusion
Bear in mind that even the most effective roleplayer will not always see success. Some roleplays will lose out to external pressures, such as interference from work or family. Some roleplays will suffer from simple old age, either because of a lack of interest or because of stagnation, and sputter to a halt before they can finish. Disagreements between players can kill a strong roleplay in a hurry.
With all that in mind, persistence will always be your most valuable ally. By sticking to it and dedicating yourself to your work, you'll improve yourself. By improving yourself, you also improve the experience for anyone you plan on roleplaying with. Keep trying and keep getting better!
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 17, 2018 13:10:45 GMT -5
Roleplaying Etiquette
Roleplaying is built on interacting with other people. If you don't know how to behave around others, they won't want you around and your roleplays may fail before they even start. Bad etiquette might even lead to other players shunning you from their games. The following is a list of general guidelines on how to be polite in a roleplay.
- Be nice!
Interacting with other people is always much easier when you're respectful and courteous to them. This applies to roleplaying under any circumstance. If you're rude or ignore others, they won't want to play with you and no one will come away for the better. Be nice to people and they'll be nice to you!
- Make friends!
Roleplaying is a niche that not many people are interested in. Fewer still are actually able to perform competently. If you find someone you enjoy playing with, try to keep them around for future roleplays. A large network of friends can help you speed up the process of forming a roleplay. More people you can count on also means more people to discuss ideas with, which can greatly improve your abilities as a writer and roleplayer. Friends make everything better!
- Learn to type!
Poor or sloppy typing skills reflect badly on you as an author. In many ways, they are the first impression by which most will judge you. Proper grammar and correct spelling suggest that you're competent and have roleplayed before. Misspelled words, poor grammar, smilies, and internet slang ("lol", "omg", "wtf", "idgaf") can be difficult to read. They suggest, in no uncertain terms, that you're not intelligent. People will want you around more if you behave like a professional!
- Keep your hands to yourself!
Barring the exception of game masters, never assume anything of another player's character. You control only the characters, objects, and other elements that you have inserted into the story. Performing actions for another player's character or assuming that something has happened before the author has a chance to respond is incredibly rude. More people will like you if you don't rush to conclusions!
As an example, you control Joe Boberts, while another player controls Terry Stevens. If you were to say that Terry ran away screaming, you would be assuming involuntary control of the other player's character and they would most likely object immediately. If you were to have Joe attempt to mop Terry's shoes off, assuming that Joe was successful before Terry's player could respond would also cause problems.
- Beware the curse of Mary Sue!
"Mary Sue", "Gary Stu", or "Marty Stu", they all mean the same thing; a character who is so wildly powerful that they render all other characters useless by comparison. This kind of character is something that you should avoid at all costs when creating a character for a roleplay. If an individual character can solve too many problems by themselves, other players will struggle to involve themselves and the story will be over in a disappointing hurry. Don't be that guy!
As an example, if Joe Boberts was the mortal shell for an ancient deity with the power to control the flow of time, he would be disproportionately powerful compared to Terry Stevens, a simple janitor. If Joe was a master of mop-based swordfighting and had a keen sense for the smell of danger, he would be an appropriate match for Terry.
- You aren't your characters!
Always keep in mind that your characters are not privy to the mystical realm of out-of-character discussion. They do not know what their controlling player knows unless they have logically learned it themselves. The vast majority of characters are not clairvoyants, either, so just because something happened doesn't mean they should know about it. Always consider where your character is and what information they have access to when determining their actions. Don't play God!
For example, Joe Boberts is on the third floor of the Institute of Hilariously Unreliable Teleporter Experiments, while Terry is on the second floor. If Terry mopped a candy bar under a desk, Joe wouldn't see it and therefore wouldn't know it had happened.
- Hold your horses!
Writing and roleplaying are not about being the first to the finish line. Assuming that slow players are waiting for you to do something can be a serious annoyance to slow typers and people working on long replies. There's no shame in checking with others to see if they're busy typing or if they're genuinely waiting for you to do something. Be patient and people will be patient with you!
- Be somebody!
Roleplaying is not about sitting in the background and letting other people assume your character is doing something. Even if your character isn't involved in the current interactions, try to stay involved. Have your character offer commentary or describe how they're observing others. People won't play with you if you let them forget you exist!
- Stick to it!
There will be many failed games. There will be many personality conflicts. There will be many problems. They will never end. That doesn't mean that you should give up. There's always a horizon waiting for you. Always be persistent in finding new games, finding new players, and improving your own skills. You'll get a good one eventually!
- Conclusion
At the end of the day, roleplaying is as much about socializing as it is about writing. You have to be able to treat people with respect to keep a solid base of willing players to hang around with. If you're not pleasant to be around, no one will want you in their roleplays. If you're a great writer with a winning personality, all you've got to do is look. Keep at it and you'll make yourself better, as well as the people around you.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 17, 2018 13:16:42 GMT -5
Terminology
Roleplaying often uses specific terminology that it sometimes borrows from writing in general. Understanding what these terms mean can help you get into the flow of roleplaying much faster. The following is a list of terms in regular usage.
- GM, DM, Game Master
A game master is the host of a roleplay and is often the "world player", or the player who controls generic characters, monsters, and interactions with the world itself. Often times, they are directly involved in defining the core plot and the narrative surrounding it.
- Mary Sue, Gary Stu, Marty Stu
An excessively powerful character that renders most obstacles trivial. This kind of character is widely hated and unwanted in most roleplays.
- Metagaming
The use of knowledge a character would not logically have access to. This is often a result of the player behind the character equating what they know with what their character knows. Metagaming is generally frowned upon and widely regarded as bad etiquette.
- Canon
Canon is any material that is officially recognized as true by the author(s) of a setting, character, or other fictional subject. In example, it is canon that Joe Boberts was at the Institute of Hilariously Unreliable Teleporter Experiments during its mutant outbreak.
- Non-Canon
Non-canon is any material that is not officially recognized as true by the author(s) of a setting, character, or other fictional subject. In example, it is non-canon that Joe Boberts was not present during the mutant outbreak at the Institute of Hilariously Unreliable Teleporter Experiments.
- OOC
An acronym for "out-of-character", meaning player-to-player communication. While this can happen for any reason and across any medium, it is often used to describe chat focused on the roleplay.
- IC
An acronym for "in-character", meaning any actions taken or dialogue spoken by a character inside the roleplay itself.
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