Post by Luna on Dec 3, 2011 12:57:45 GMT -5
Introduction:
This guide is not mine. Over the years I've been on the internet I’ve gathered lots of guides about Roleplay. This is just a compilation post from all the guides I found useful when starting out with Roleplay. If it helped me, then I’m sure it will also help other people who want to start Roleplaying.
What Is Role Playing?
You are playing in the role of your character in the world that you’re playing in. Roleplaying means that you’re staying in character; responding and behaving the way your character would when interacting with other characters.
It’s up to your imagination to come up with the pre-story or background story of the animal that you are about to control. Besides their appearance, you will also decide what their childhood was like, do they enjoy live prey or dead ones, do they have a favourite season?. You do not have to have a hugely in depth character background, but it is good to have some idea what your character is like and what they have been through when you begin play.
Once you are in the roleplay you can let events/people make your character ‘grow’ over time and build their story up.
3. How to start; Background stories and motives for your character
Creating a character's background, something that usually comes without any trouble at all to an experienced role-player is often an impossible obstacle for a beginner. ‘A life story for my character? Why is that? I have no idea what to do.’
You can get inspiration from so many things: Characters are, along with settings and plots, integral to fiction. The world of fiction is indebted to the champions of books, poems, films, and games who populate worlds and drive plots. They’re the agents of conflict, romance, drama and humour, and many have left great impressions on our minds.
Think about your favourite characters and ‘borrow’ some of their characteristics or background stories for your own character. Mixing is also a good idea.
When first creating a character for RP, I’d say this: try and imagine them being the main protagonist of a novel. And by that I don’t mean that they’ll take centre-stage with their world-saving actions and god-like portfolio of achievements (definitely not), but what I mean is try and give them the motives, behaviour, and inner dialogue of someone who can carry a book or plot along. Because they are the main character of their own personal story, and there shouldn’t be a stigma attached to that.
Above all, be sure to give your character a full pallet of opinions, emotions, and goals. Perhaps they have a central quirk that serves as the impetus, but they also need other traits orbiting around that.
Still lost? What about the following ideas?:
Amnesia
You aren't quite sure who you are or why you happen to be here, but you are pretty sure that somebody does. After all, they wouldn't be trying to kill you if they didn't, right? Amnesia doesn't limit any of your abilities, but it does prevent you from remembering anything from your past. All the people you left behind are still out there, waiting for you to return... someday.
Consider the dangers that linger in that smoky past of yours, waiting for you to let your guard down so they can put a claw through that cloudy brain of yours.
Assassin
You've been a nuisance and an assassin has been dispatched to kill you. It's nothing personal – you simply are a threat to someone and must be eliminated.
Consider how skilled the assassin is and whether or not another will be hired if the first one fails.
Dead to the World
For one reason or another, you have faked your own death. You are forbidden ever to have anything to do with your old life. Breaking that rule would mean death for you and those you made aware of your continued survival.
Consider how emotionally attached were you to the animals in your old life and how hard it is for you to continue to let them believe you're dead. Keep in mind this Background applies only to those characters who have left loved ones behind.
Defeated
At some point in your past you were defeated. You were defeated decisively and ignominiously and you have lived with the shame ever since. Now you long to excel beyond that haunting memory, honing your skill and hoping you will prevail the next time. Of course, this might put you into dangerous situations in which you must also fight history and your inner demons.
Consider the level of the on-going challenge and your need to see it outlived.
Exiled
There was this place you used to call home. But something happened and you were forbidden to return there, on pain of death. If you're ever caught in that pack's lands by someone who recognises and doesn't like you – you're in trouble.
Consider how well-know the character's offence is and how hard it will be to get the sentence lifted.
Fear
Deep down where you live and breather, you are terrified of something – the dark, open spaces, people, pain. Whatever the cause is, the result is always the same – you either become paralysed and unable to act or panic and try to run away as fast as possible.
Hunted
Someone wants you. Maybe you're an outlaw on the run or perhaps you betrayed your pack. You're running from something which wouldn't be so bad... if only they weren't so damn obsessed about finding you and bringing you back.
Consider how diligently they are hunting you and how much resources they are willing to put forward to that cause.
Hunting
You've lost something. Something important. Perhaps it's a keepsake, passed down through generations that you've let slip through your hands.
Consider how important it is for you to reach your objective or just how dangerous (or determined) the person or thing you're hunting may be.
Lost Relative
Years ago, one of your close relatives disappeared or was kidnapped. Up till then you had a very close relationship with them and the event was so traumatic that you dedicated your life to finding them once again. Consider how hard it will be to find your lost relative and how strongly they will react (positively or negatively) when you finally succeed.
Mistaken Identity
No matter how many times you tell them, they just don't listen. They're convinced you're the man they want and you don't know how to convince them they're wrong. They think you know things you don't Or maybe they want something and won't tell you what it is. Maybe they'll only be convinced once they've tortured you to death.
Moment of Awe
Once you saw something so beautiful, so moving, that you've spent your entire life trying to go back and see it again. Perhaps it was a beautiful woman on an uncharted island or a dark and handsome stranger who breezed through your life one evening. Maybe it was a golden city sparkling in the distance or corpses littering the landscape to the very horizon after a glorious battle. Whatever it was, the everyday has held less allure for you ever since. Consider how hard it will be to recreate the moment and how much an impact (positive or negative) it will have on your character once you finally succeed.
Nemesis
There's someone out there with a little list. And he's got a name on top that little list. And that name is yours. You've crossed someone and he's made a point of thwarting you and meddling in your affairs ever since. Killing you isn't his objective; he only wants your life to become a lamentable mess. Of course, maintaining his life takes precedence over screwing with yours but whenever he has an opportunity, he'll make sure you're squirming at the end of a hook. Consider how often your enemy shows his hand and how much power he's willing to devote to your discomfort.
Obligation
You owe someone something. Perhaps he saved your life or helped you out in the past. Now you must repay the favour. Or maybe you blurted out devotion to his cause in a moment of drunken weakness. Regardless, you must fulfil your Obligation to him lest he becomes your Nemesis. Consider how difficult it will be to fulfil and how powerful or influential the person trying to collect is.
Orphaned
You were separated from your family. You don't know where they are now or even if they are still alive, but their faces are still in your dreams and you'll never be happy until you find out what happened to them. Consider how difficult it will be to find your family and how scattered they've become.
4. How to hold a conversation with other players
When you meet someone new, never expect them to know who you are. Sometimes, you'll encounter someone who knows very little of everything; their character might be an illiterate, uneducated son of a tramp who lived in the jungle for most of her life, or the player might simply be new to the server. Introduce yourself or ask them to introduce themselves; just do it naturally as you would during any day in the real world.
There is one golden rule that is important to follow here: Always try to be polite, to a moderate extent (as much as your character lets you, that is; everyone's different). If you boast about your merits or act all superior on them, they will be largely discouraged to talk. And that's no way to make conversation at all!
Also don’t expect people to always talk to you. They don't always have to come to you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t roleplay. Go out there, take initiative and have fun!
When talking to someone, new acquaintance or an old friend, there will always be something that makes them different from the last person you met. Maybe their eyes are unnaturally contrasting to their fur color, or maybe they carry something that wouldn't normally be carried by them? Focus on the details! Express interest and tell them about similarities in your own character if there are any.
Additionally, perhaps there is something in the surrounding area that might catch your attention. Is it raining heavily? Thundering? What makes this person be outside in weather like this, or what makes this person stay inside when the weather is nice and sunny? What is a person doing in this pouring rain?
Some of these observations might come off as rude, of course. That's where common sense comes into the picture. If you think hard enough, it's easy to guess what's appropriate and what isn't.
Listening
Your character is not the main role or protagonist of your roleplay. It can never be that way, unless you have arranged with everyone involved that your character is the primary center of attention - but that will never happen. Each character is as important as the other. It doesn't matter if the difference between them is their rank in the pack or fifty years of age - all characters involved in roleplay are of equal importance.
This is why listening is important. You won't get anywhere in a conversation if you don't listen - and listening isn't only looking attentive. Remember what the other character says, and make conversation based on that. That way, you might find very curious quirks in the other character that your character might feel startled, disturbed, encouraged or even excited by! There are lots of sides to a personality, and know that no matter how hard you try, it's nearly impossible to see them all.
Be an active listener. Make eye contact, voice your opinions and offer advice if advice is what's needed.
Depending on how your character reacts to what the other part of the conversation is saying, there is always a way to further enhance the chit-chat through responding; if someone tells a story, don't just sit there like a speechless cow and remain silent even after the story, and if someone says something that interests your character, react on it and you could potentially create an entirely new branch of talking on that sole piece of interest!
Questions
Questions are actually far more important than many people think. They're not too creepy, most of the time, unless they are very personal, and they will in fact often lead to the better path of the conversation. I have always played very inquisitive characters myself, but that's majorly because I'm a genuinely curious girl. Some people might not be of the same curiosity, but questions are of great importance and practicing interest is never a bad thing.
You can always find something to ask about. For introductions, we have:
What's your name?
What are you doing here?
Are you from around these parts?
What do you like to do?
What do you do?
They are simple, short, and often don't require a lot of effort to answer, but they can be magnificent icebreakers. There's not much more to this section; people who have already met once, twice or more often find it easy to keep talking and the questions come automatically.
Interests
This was mentioned above, but I will bring it up again here because of its importance. The very foundation of this section is the interests of your own character; things that you should never ever miss when creating a character. If he/she has no interests or hobbies, then people will quickly find him uninteresting and bland. This is what often creates silence; lack of interest.
Everyone has interests. I will make a little list of things to fill out here before creating your character - things that will help you loads in social role-play:
Your character...
Likes:
Dislikes:
Loves:
Hates:
It's very simple, takes next to no time to fill in if you know your character right, and will make things far more clear to you in the future. A unique character isn't unique through his/her unnaturally green eyes or heritage; characters are made unique through the art of individual interests and the way with which they wield them in a conversation - and practice, of course.
Other people
You, the reader of this guide, might be that other person across the room holding a conversation with a friend or a stranger. It's your responsibility as a role-player to include others, so why not invite the silent guy/girl to join the conversation? Ask him/her of his name, what he's/she's doing where you are and if he/she likes [something]. Again, these are just examples. As much as people are different from character to character, remember that role-play is all about giving and taking in equal amounts. You're there to entertain as much as others are there to entertain you.
If the person is one of those moody stereotypes who refuse to even say their name, it's not even worth the effort, in my personal opinion. These characters are usually the ones to start an argument where an argument isn't needed, and might break the mood rather than lightening it.
The bottom line is that if there is someone in the same room as you are who doesn't seem to do much, it might prove both entertaining and beneficial for you and others to invite them over to talk with you.
We, the role-players, are automatically a community just by playing with each other on the same shard. Everyone is in the same boat, so make them feel welcome. You don't help anyone or make anyone's roleplaying experience better by shutting people out just because you haven't seen them before. Welcoming and invitation. Those are two very important words.
Terminology
OOC/Out of Character: A way to describe what you're doing. Out of character means you're not playing a role currently.
example: OOC:I'm really bored.
IC/In Character: The opposite of the above, being in character means you are currently playing your role.
example: IC: Haven sniffed the air nervously.
This guide is not mine. Over the years I've been on the internet I’ve gathered lots of guides about Roleplay. This is just a compilation post from all the guides I found useful when starting out with Roleplay. If it helped me, then I’m sure it will also help other people who want to start Roleplaying.
What Is Role Playing?
You are playing in the role of your character in the world that you’re playing in. Roleplaying means that you’re staying in character; responding and behaving the way your character would when interacting with other characters.
It’s up to your imagination to come up with the pre-story or background story of the animal that you are about to control. Besides their appearance, you will also decide what their childhood was like, do they enjoy live prey or dead ones, do they have a favourite season?. You do not have to have a hugely in depth character background, but it is good to have some idea what your character is like and what they have been through when you begin play.
Once you are in the roleplay you can let events/people make your character ‘grow’ over time and build their story up.
3. How to start; Background stories and motives for your character
Creating a character's background, something that usually comes without any trouble at all to an experienced role-player is often an impossible obstacle for a beginner. ‘A life story for my character? Why is that? I have no idea what to do.’
You can get inspiration from so many things: Characters are, along with settings and plots, integral to fiction. The world of fiction is indebted to the champions of books, poems, films, and games who populate worlds and drive plots. They’re the agents of conflict, romance, drama and humour, and many have left great impressions on our minds.
Think about your favourite characters and ‘borrow’ some of their characteristics or background stories for your own character. Mixing is also a good idea.
When first creating a character for RP, I’d say this: try and imagine them being the main protagonist of a novel. And by that I don’t mean that they’ll take centre-stage with their world-saving actions and god-like portfolio of achievements (definitely not), but what I mean is try and give them the motives, behaviour, and inner dialogue of someone who can carry a book or plot along. Because they are the main character of their own personal story, and there shouldn’t be a stigma attached to that.
Above all, be sure to give your character a full pallet of opinions, emotions, and goals. Perhaps they have a central quirk that serves as the impetus, but they also need other traits orbiting around that.
Still lost? What about the following ideas?:
Amnesia
You aren't quite sure who you are or why you happen to be here, but you are pretty sure that somebody does. After all, they wouldn't be trying to kill you if they didn't, right? Amnesia doesn't limit any of your abilities, but it does prevent you from remembering anything from your past. All the people you left behind are still out there, waiting for you to return... someday.
Consider the dangers that linger in that smoky past of yours, waiting for you to let your guard down so they can put a claw through that cloudy brain of yours.
Assassin
You've been a nuisance and an assassin has been dispatched to kill you. It's nothing personal – you simply are a threat to someone and must be eliminated.
Consider how skilled the assassin is and whether or not another will be hired if the first one fails.
Dead to the World
For one reason or another, you have faked your own death. You are forbidden ever to have anything to do with your old life. Breaking that rule would mean death for you and those you made aware of your continued survival.
Consider how emotionally attached were you to the animals in your old life and how hard it is for you to continue to let them believe you're dead. Keep in mind this Background applies only to those characters who have left loved ones behind.
Defeated
At some point in your past you were defeated. You were defeated decisively and ignominiously and you have lived with the shame ever since. Now you long to excel beyond that haunting memory, honing your skill and hoping you will prevail the next time. Of course, this might put you into dangerous situations in which you must also fight history and your inner demons.
Consider the level of the on-going challenge and your need to see it outlived.
Exiled
There was this place you used to call home. But something happened and you were forbidden to return there, on pain of death. If you're ever caught in that pack's lands by someone who recognises and doesn't like you – you're in trouble.
Consider how well-know the character's offence is and how hard it will be to get the sentence lifted.
Fear
Deep down where you live and breather, you are terrified of something – the dark, open spaces, people, pain. Whatever the cause is, the result is always the same – you either become paralysed and unable to act or panic and try to run away as fast as possible.
Hunted
Someone wants you. Maybe you're an outlaw on the run or perhaps you betrayed your pack. You're running from something which wouldn't be so bad... if only they weren't so damn obsessed about finding you and bringing you back.
Consider how diligently they are hunting you and how much resources they are willing to put forward to that cause.
Hunting
You've lost something. Something important. Perhaps it's a keepsake, passed down through generations that you've let slip through your hands.
Consider how important it is for you to reach your objective or just how dangerous (or determined) the person or thing you're hunting may be.
Lost Relative
Years ago, one of your close relatives disappeared or was kidnapped. Up till then you had a very close relationship with them and the event was so traumatic that you dedicated your life to finding them once again. Consider how hard it will be to find your lost relative and how strongly they will react (positively or negatively) when you finally succeed.
Mistaken Identity
No matter how many times you tell them, they just don't listen. They're convinced you're the man they want and you don't know how to convince them they're wrong. They think you know things you don't Or maybe they want something and won't tell you what it is. Maybe they'll only be convinced once they've tortured you to death.
Moment of Awe
Once you saw something so beautiful, so moving, that you've spent your entire life trying to go back and see it again. Perhaps it was a beautiful woman on an uncharted island or a dark and handsome stranger who breezed through your life one evening. Maybe it was a golden city sparkling in the distance or corpses littering the landscape to the very horizon after a glorious battle. Whatever it was, the everyday has held less allure for you ever since. Consider how hard it will be to recreate the moment and how much an impact (positive or negative) it will have on your character once you finally succeed.
Nemesis
There's someone out there with a little list. And he's got a name on top that little list. And that name is yours. You've crossed someone and he's made a point of thwarting you and meddling in your affairs ever since. Killing you isn't his objective; he only wants your life to become a lamentable mess. Of course, maintaining his life takes precedence over screwing with yours but whenever he has an opportunity, he'll make sure you're squirming at the end of a hook. Consider how often your enemy shows his hand and how much power he's willing to devote to your discomfort.
Obligation
You owe someone something. Perhaps he saved your life or helped you out in the past. Now you must repay the favour. Or maybe you blurted out devotion to his cause in a moment of drunken weakness. Regardless, you must fulfil your Obligation to him lest he becomes your Nemesis. Consider how difficult it will be to fulfil and how powerful or influential the person trying to collect is.
Orphaned
You were separated from your family. You don't know where they are now or even if they are still alive, but their faces are still in your dreams and you'll never be happy until you find out what happened to them. Consider how difficult it will be to find your family and how scattered they've become.
4. How to hold a conversation with other players
When you meet someone new, never expect them to know who you are. Sometimes, you'll encounter someone who knows very little of everything; their character might be an illiterate, uneducated son of a tramp who lived in the jungle for most of her life, or the player might simply be new to the server. Introduce yourself or ask them to introduce themselves; just do it naturally as you would during any day in the real world.
There is one golden rule that is important to follow here: Always try to be polite, to a moderate extent (as much as your character lets you, that is; everyone's different). If you boast about your merits or act all superior on them, they will be largely discouraged to talk. And that's no way to make conversation at all!
Also don’t expect people to always talk to you. They don't always have to come to you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t roleplay. Go out there, take initiative and have fun!
When talking to someone, new acquaintance or an old friend, there will always be something that makes them different from the last person you met. Maybe their eyes are unnaturally contrasting to their fur color, or maybe they carry something that wouldn't normally be carried by them? Focus on the details! Express interest and tell them about similarities in your own character if there are any.
Additionally, perhaps there is something in the surrounding area that might catch your attention. Is it raining heavily? Thundering? What makes this person be outside in weather like this, or what makes this person stay inside when the weather is nice and sunny? What is a person doing in this pouring rain?
Some of these observations might come off as rude, of course. That's where common sense comes into the picture. If you think hard enough, it's easy to guess what's appropriate and what isn't.
Listening
Your character is not the main role or protagonist of your roleplay. It can never be that way, unless you have arranged with everyone involved that your character is the primary center of attention - but that will never happen. Each character is as important as the other. It doesn't matter if the difference between them is their rank in the pack or fifty years of age - all characters involved in roleplay are of equal importance.
This is why listening is important. You won't get anywhere in a conversation if you don't listen - and listening isn't only looking attentive. Remember what the other character says, and make conversation based on that. That way, you might find very curious quirks in the other character that your character might feel startled, disturbed, encouraged or even excited by! There are lots of sides to a personality, and know that no matter how hard you try, it's nearly impossible to see them all.
Be an active listener. Make eye contact, voice your opinions and offer advice if advice is what's needed.
Depending on how your character reacts to what the other part of the conversation is saying, there is always a way to further enhance the chit-chat through responding; if someone tells a story, don't just sit there like a speechless cow and remain silent even after the story, and if someone says something that interests your character, react on it and you could potentially create an entirely new branch of talking on that sole piece of interest!
Questions
Questions are actually far more important than many people think. They're not too creepy, most of the time, unless they are very personal, and they will in fact often lead to the better path of the conversation. I have always played very inquisitive characters myself, but that's majorly because I'm a genuinely curious girl. Some people might not be of the same curiosity, but questions are of great importance and practicing interest is never a bad thing.
You can always find something to ask about. For introductions, we have:
What's your name?
What are you doing here?
Are you from around these parts?
What do you like to do?
What do you do?
They are simple, short, and often don't require a lot of effort to answer, but they can be magnificent icebreakers. There's not much more to this section; people who have already met once, twice or more often find it easy to keep talking and the questions come automatically.
Interests
This was mentioned above, but I will bring it up again here because of its importance. The very foundation of this section is the interests of your own character; things that you should never ever miss when creating a character. If he/she has no interests or hobbies, then people will quickly find him uninteresting and bland. This is what often creates silence; lack of interest.
Everyone has interests. I will make a little list of things to fill out here before creating your character - things that will help you loads in social role-play:
Your character...
Likes:
Dislikes:
Loves:
Hates:
It's very simple, takes next to no time to fill in if you know your character right, and will make things far more clear to you in the future. A unique character isn't unique through his/her unnaturally green eyes or heritage; characters are made unique through the art of individual interests and the way with which they wield them in a conversation - and practice, of course.
Other people
You, the reader of this guide, might be that other person across the room holding a conversation with a friend or a stranger. It's your responsibility as a role-player to include others, so why not invite the silent guy/girl to join the conversation? Ask him/her of his name, what he's/she's doing where you are and if he/she likes [something]. Again, these are just examples. As much as people are different from character to character, remember that role-play is all about giving and taking in equal amounts. You're there to entertain as much as others are there to entertain you.
If the person is one of those moody stereotypes who refuse to even say their name, it's not even worth the effort, in my personal opinion. These characters are usually the ones to start an argument where an argument isn't needed, and might break the mood rather than lightening it.
The bottom line is that if there is someone in the same room as you are who doesn't seem to do much, it might prove both entertaining and beneficial for you and others to invite them over to talk with you.
We, the role-players, are automatically a community just by playing with each other on the same shard. Everyone is in the same boat, so make them feel welcome. You don't help anyone or make anyone's roleplaying experience better by shutting people out just because you haven't seen them before. Welcoming and invitation. Those are two very important words.
Terminology
OOC/Out of Character: A way to describe what you're doing. Out of character means you're not playing a role currently.
example: OOC:I'm really bored.
IC/In Character: The opposite of the above, being in character means you are currently playing your role.
example: IC: Haven sniffed the air nervously.
