Role-playing: A Beginner's Guide

by Peregrine Fri Jun 25, 2010 1:16 am

Role-playing: A Beginner's Guide

Hey guys! Peregrine here to teach you all the basics on how to role-playing. The hope is that this can get you all started on your way to becoming proper role-players. The general consensus is that TR's role-playing community has a lot of work to do, so I suggest you all read this guide.

What is role-playing?
Role-playing is assuming the role of a character in a story and acting out the story as though you are that character.

So it's like collaborative fiction?
NO!

In collaborative fiction, you are writing a portion of the story. YOU DO NOT WRITE THE STORY IN A ROLE-PLAY.

Allow me to elaborate. In a role-play, the only character you control is yourself. Furthermore, you are not the one making up the plot. Therefore, you can not make any other characters aside from your own do anything, and you cannot progress the story by yourself. The only person who can use other characters and/or progress the story is the game master, who is the person running the role-play.

Rules and Etiquette

Role-playing is supposed to be fun. However, like any game there are a few basic ground rules we need to follow. These are the do nots of role-playing. The things you aren't supposed to do. Doing them puts you at risk of the person running the role-play killing your character instantly.

Do not act for other characters. Like I said earlier, role-playing and collaborative fiction are two different things. This is role-playing, and in role-playing, you may not use any other characters other than your own unless given explicit permission to do so.

Example #1:
Peregrine says:
"Hey Xusha," says Peregrine.
"Oh. Hello Peregrine," replies Xusha.

THIS IS BAD.

Peregrine greeted Xusha, but he then replies for Xusha. I should not have used Xusha's character.

Example #2:
Peregrine says:
"Hey Xusha," says Peregrine.
Xusha says:
"Oh. Hello Peregrine," replies Xusha.

THIS IS GOOD.

Peregrine greeted Xusha, then waited for a reply from Xusha herself using her own character. This is how a role-play is supposed to work.

Do not make an overpowered character. A character that can block any attack with ease, has super powers, or anything unreasonable like that is unfair to the other players and can severely damage the role-play. For the sake of fairness, do not make an overpowered character.

Example #1:
Peregrine says:
Peregrine destroys the entire world and goes to a new one.

THIS IS BAD.

Destroying an entire world? I don't think so, Tim.

Example #2:
Peregrine says:
Peregrine waggles his fingers. Some sparks fly out.

THIS IS GOOD.

Peregrine didn't do anything God-like. Therefore, this post is fine.

Do not assume any attack you make is successful. This one sort of ties in with the last two as well. Assuming attacks you make are successful is unfair to those you're attacking and makes you overpowered. Don't do it.

Example #1:
Peregrine says:
I slash with my katana. Xusha's head is lopped off, killing her instantly.

THIS IS BAD.

I just killed another character in one post. What I should have done is announced my attack, and then waited for Xusha to reply.

Example #2:
Peregrine says:
I slash with my katana.
Xusha says:
I block with my shield.

THIS IS GOOD.

I attacked Xusha, and then waited for her to reply. This is how a role-play is supposed to run.

Don't make tiny posts without detail. This is inconsiderate to the next person who has to post because they wont have anything to base their post off. The end result of tiny little posts will be the role-play dissolving into a bunch of tiny little posts without any depth. Don't make tiny little posts!

Don't use your signature. This is common etiquette in role-playing forums. Using your signature distracts from the role-play and looks bad to someone reading through the thread. It's not a huge thing, but it's polite if you don't do it.

Proof read your posts and use proper English. A massive chunk of role-playing on forums revolves around writing. If your writing is poorly checked or doesn't make sense, it holds up the role-play. Therefore, it's very important that you use English to the best of your abilities. You don't need to have flawless spelling and grammar, because no one's perfect. Just make an effort to make legible posts.

Example #1:
Peregrine says:
o hai xush fance metin u her
Xusha says:
i no rite

THIS IS BAD.

I have no idea what either of these two were trying to say. And I'm the one who made that example!

Example #2:
Peregrine says:
"Oh hey Xusha," greets Peregrine. "Fancy meeting you here."
Xusha says:
"Quite so," replies Xusha.

THIS IS GOOD.

Those two posts made perfect sense. This is how a role-play is supposed to work.

Glossary of Role-Playing Terminology

Character: This is a role being filled by a role-player.

Game Master: This is the term used to refer to the person running the role-play.

Gary Sue and Mary Sue: This is a term used for someone's character that is perfect in every way. And no, I don't mean a perfect character in the sense that they are perfectly balanced, I mean one without any flaws.

God Modding and Power Playing: These two terms mean the same thing. God Modding or Power Playing is when your character is overpowered and/or you assume your attacks are successful.

One-Liners and Mini-Posts: These are posts that are one or two lines long. They usually contain one action, and perhaps some dialogue.

Out of Character or OOC: This is when you act like your real life self instead of as your character. Usually, there is a thread for each role-play known as an OOC thread where role-players may do this. However, if you absolutely must make an OOC note in a role-playing thread, then please use double brackets, ((like this)).

by Xusha Fri Jun 25, 2010 1:27 am

Since this should be seen rather quickly for those who need it, I'll sticky this.

Role-playing: A Beginner's Guide

Role-playing: A Beginner's Guide

Re: Role-playing: A Beginner's Guide