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Roleplay Guide/Tips!
This roleplay guide will help with information if you're new to roleplaying, or may want to refresh your memory if you haven't roleplayed in awhile. It's just something to reference if you're ever unsure of something. If something isn't covered here that you're curious about, don't hesitate to post it up!
I will be demonstrating some examples, and examples marked in green are encouraged, expected and welcomed. Examples marked in red are discouraged/not allowed.
What is roleplaying?
Roleplaying is when multiple members create multiple characters, and work together to create a story. It is essentially just like writing a story but instead of one person determining the outcome, several people will. Working with several members makes it interesting, because you may have to solve and work through problems you may not have encountered otherwise. On the flip side, other characters may help you in getting what you need/want.
How do I post in a roleplay?
A few good sentences to a paragraph per post is a good way to go if you can, if you can write more that's fine too. Try to find a level you and your roleplay partners are comfortable with. I don't mind short posts as long as they further the story. A lot of people have a minimum of 1000 words and a lot of it becomes extra fluff that isn't necessary and it makes it a chore to read/write. Sometimes, less is more. When posting, you will be posting in third person and mostly in past tense. Please use correct spelling and proper grammar, for example using quotation marks around speech, etc.
Examples:
Sarah ran towards the small shop and grabbed the handle of the door, forcing it open and then she whirled around to slam it shut again. She eagerly looked around for something that could stop the door from opening but all she could find was an umbrella. After grabbing up a few she pushed them through the door handles, and prayed they would hold.
I run towards the shop and grab the handle, forced it open and turned around to slam it shut again. I look around for something that could stop the door, but all I could find was an umbrella. I grab a few and I push it through the door handles, and pray they would hold.
What is powerplaying and godmodding?
Powerplaying is when you control another members character (or group of characters) without their permission. This can be via actions, speech or emotion and it will not be allowed unless you have permission from the roleplayer. In some instances for example, your roleplay partner might suddenly have to leave and they could grant you permission to follow through with a certain action like going into a building and going to sleep.
Examples: Member A has Sarah and Member B has John.
John crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall, looking between his fellow survivors that sat in the room with him. Several were sitting on their own and they were relatively quiet, but the one person that caught his eye was Sarah. She looked... sad, and he wondered what had happened to her before all of this.
John crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall, looking between his fellow survivors that sat in the room with him. Several were sitting on their own and they were relatively quiet, but the one person that caught his eye was Sarah. He watched as she looked up towards him and a small smile broke out across her face which immediately gave him a boost of confidence. She turned towards him and mouthed something to him, only prompting him to come closer.
In the above example, Member B has taken control of Member A's character by writing actions in italic.
Godmodding is when characters are essentially playing God. They know all, see all, hear all and above all else they cannot be harmed or touched and nothing bad ever happens to them. No one is perfect and we don't want any of these characters to be either.
Examples: Member A has Sarah, Member B has John, Member C has Rick.
John slowly circled his enemy, Rick - who had Sarah in his grasp. The gun Rick had was pointed at John, so he kept his distance while he thought of a plan to get Sarah back. His eyes darted across Rick's body until he remembered Rick mentioning before that he had bad vision in his left eye, so John decided to stick to that side. When the time was right, he lunged forward to attack.
John slowly circled his enemy, Rick - who had Sarah in his grasp. The gun Rick had was pointed at John but he just smiled, knowing he'd be able to take down Rick whenever he wanted but he was just toying with him. He lunged forward, dodging anything Rick sent his way before delivering a devastating blow to his stomach, sending the gun and Sarah flying.
In the above example Member B doesn't give Member C a chance to react, and jumps ahead with an attack. If you're in a 'fight' or interacting with another character, always give them a chance to respond.
Do not know more than you should:
Remember you are posting through the eyes and ears of your character, not you. Just because you read that Sarah was depressed because her father died, does not mean your character knows that information.
Example: Member A has Sarah and Member B has John.
Member A: Sarah walked over to the fire the group had prepared and sat on one of the logs that was placed around it. She gazed deep into the fire, remembering when her and her father used to go camping. She closed her eyes, feeling sad, depressed and useless. When she heard someone approaching behind her she immediately put a smile on, not wanting anyone to be concerned about her.
Member B: John approached Sarah from behind and took a seat next to her. He held his hands up close to the fire for warmth as he looked over to her. She had a big smile on her face which made him chuckle, "So how are you doing?" he asked, not knowing much about her.
Member B: John approached Sarah from behind and took a seat next to her, wrapping his one arm around her. "It's okay to feel sad... you know we've all lost someone and we're all going through it. If you need anyone to talk to, I'm your man!"
Common Courtesy's:
When roleplaying there are a couple common courtesy's to keep in mind when you're roleplaying with a partner or several more people. One major one is already mentioned which is power playing - it's very discouraging to other users when you go ahead and start playing their characters, and possibly do or say things their character wouldn't have done.
Post Orders:
When roleplaying with several people, try to develop a posting order so it keeps things clean and organized (this usually happens fairly naturally). If you're roleplaying with another two people have someone go first, second and third and wait your turn. You don't want to jump the gun and post a page worth between two people, then that third person will have to read them all and try to catch up in one post which really isn't fair.
In some instances you may change the order or subtract a person from the order. For example; Members A, B and C are roleplaying together but Member C has to go. The characters are in a safe place so he decided to take a 'nap', this will allow the other characters to continue but when Member C returns and his character awakens, his character should not have any knowledge of what went on. In some instances there could be 5 people roleplaying, but two characters are interacting and the other three are interacting. You can create a posting order between your rp partners, not everyone in the thread as they'll have their own posting order.
Leaving:
You should let your roleplay partners know if you're leaving, you can make a quick OOC: note in your post or post in the general RP thread to let them know. Sometimes it does happen where you just don't have a chance and it's understandable - but try your best! I know there's been times where I've been a roleplay and took a minute to lay down and ended up falling asleep! It just helps so they're not constantly waiting or expecting you to post. If you're leaving, let them know if they can continue on. If you're in the middle of a super important part and your character is essential, I'm sure they're fine with waiting - but if you're character is able to come and go, give them the chance to continue. If you're going on vacation and won't be able to participate in the roleplay, make arrangements with your character and let us know!
Hate the character but respect the player:
There will be some instances where your character hates another character, but remember this is just story telling and do not hold it against the roleplayer. Their character could be extremely obnoxious, egotistical and a jerk - but that doesn't mean the roleplayer is so do not take any of it personally.
Spelling/Grammar/Etc:
It's always easier to roleplay when you're not trying to decipher broken sentences and trying to figure out what someone means, or trying to figure out a certain word because it's misspelled. It happens, of course - but please make sure you read through your post and make sure it's understandable and the spelling is good. If needed, even use a spell check!
Be Patient:
Life can get in the way, so if someone hasn't posted in a day or two maybe check up with them but be respectful. Things happen that could put a roleplay on hold but try to talk it out and see what can be done about it.
Always be kind and considerate to all players:
Try to involve people when they're left out, encourage them to participate, give them ideas and suggestions, etc. If you see someone breaking the rules please do not call them out in the middle of the roleplay - just let a staff member know and we'll discuss it with them. You can help or make suggestions if you see someone struggling, just be nice about it! Everyone makes mistakes!
Jumping In:
Jumping into a roleplay between a couple other people is okay, but try to ask them first. They may have something already planned and you could be the game changer that they weren't really expecting. It's always more respectful just to ask!
(source)
This roleplay guide will help with information if you're new to roleplaying, or may want to refresh your memory if you haven't roleplayed in awhile. It's just something to reference if you're ever unsure of something. If something isn't covered here that you're curious about, don't hesitate to post it up!
I will be demonstrating some examples, and examples marked in green are encouraged, expected and welcomed. Examples marked in red are discouraged/not allowed.
What is roleplaying?
Roleplaying is when multiple members create multiple characters, and work together to create a story. It is essentially just like writing a story but instead of one person determining the outcome, several people will. Working with several members makes it interesting, because you may have to solve and work through problems you may not have encountered otherwise. On the flip side, other characters may help you in getting what you need/want.
How do I post in a roleplay?
A few good sentences to a paragraph per post is a good way to go if you can, if you can write more that's fine too. Try to find a level you and your roleplay partners are comfortable with. I don't mind short posts as long as they further the story. A lot of people have a minimum of 1000 words and a lot of it becomes extra fluff that isn't necessary and it makes it a chore to read/write. Sometimes, less is more. When posting, you will be posting in third person and mostly in past tense. Please use correct spelling and proper grammar, for example using quotation marks around speech, etc.
Examples:
Sarah ran towards the small shop and grabbed the handle of the door, forcing it open and then she whirled around to slam it shut again. She eagerly looked around for something that could stop the door from opening but all she could find was an umbrella. After grabbing up a few she pushed them through the door handles, and prayed they would hold.
I run towards the shop and grab the handle, forced it open and turned around to slam it shut again. I look around for something that could stop the door, but all I could find was an umbrella. I grab a few and I push it through the door handles, and pray they would hold.
What is powerplaying and godmodding?
Powerplaying is when you control another members character (or group of characters) without their permission. This can be via actions, speech or emotion and it will not be allowed unless you have permission from the roleplayer. In some instances for example, your roleplay partner might suddenly have to leave and they could grant you permission to follow through with a certain action like going into a building and going to sleep.
Examples: Member A has Sarah and Member B has John.
John crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall, looking between his fellow survivors that sat in the room with him. Several were sitting on their own and they were relatively quiet, but the one person that caught his eye was Sarah. She looked... sad, and he wondered what had happened to her before all of this.
John crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall, looking between his fellow survivors that sat in the room with him. Several were sitting on their own and they were relatively quiet, but the one person that caught his eye was Sarah. He watched as she looked up towards him and a small smile broke out across her face which immediately gave him a boost of confidence. She turned towards him and mouthed something to him, only prompting him to come closer.
In the above example, Member B has taken control of Member A's character by writing actions in italic.
Godmodding is when characters are essentially playing God. They know all, see all, hear all and above all else they cannot be harmed or touched and nothing bad ever happens to them. No one is perfect and we don't want any of these characters to be either.
Examples: Member A has Sarah, Member B has John, Member C has Rick.
John slowly circled his enemy, Rick - who had Sarah in his grasp. The gun Rick had was pointed at John, so he kept his distance while he thought of a plan to get Sarah back. His eyes darted across Rick's body until he remembered Rick mentioning before that he had bad vision in his left eye, so John decided to stick to that side. When the time was right, he lunged forward to attack.
John slowly circled his enemy, Rick - who had Sarah in his grasp. The gun Rick had was pointed at John but he just smiled, knowing he'd be able to take down Rick whenever he wanted but he was just toying with him. He lunged forward, dodging anything Rick sent his way before delivering a devastating blow to his stomach, sending the gun and Sarah flying.
In the above example Member B doesn't give Member C a chance to react, and jumps ahead with an attack. If you're in a 'fight' or interacting with another character, always give them a chance to respond.
Do not know more than you should:
Remember you are posting through the eyes and ears of your character, not you. Just because you read that Sarah was depressed because her father died, does not mean your character knows that information.
Example: Member A has Sarah and Member B has John.
Member A: Sarah walked over to the fire the group had prepared and sat on one of the logs that was placed around it. She gazed deep into the fire, remembering when her and her father used to go camping. She closed her eyes, feeling sad, depressed and useless. When she heard someone approaching behind her she immediately put a smile on, not wanting anyone to be concerned about her.
Member B: John approached Sarah from behind and took a seat next to her. He held his hands up close to the fire for warmth as he looked over to her. She had a big smile on her face which made him chuckle, "So how are you doing?" he asked, not knowing much about her.
Member B: John approached Sarah from behind and took a seat next to her, wrapping his one arm around her. "It's okay to feel sad... you know we've all lost someone and we're all going through it. If you need anyone to talk to, I'm your man!"
Common Courtesy's:
When roleplaying there are a couple common courtesy's to keep in mind when you're roleplaying with a partner or several more people. One major one is already mentioned which is power playing - it's very discouraging to other users when you go ahead and start playing their characters, and possibly do or say things their character wouldn't have done.
Post Orders:
When roleplaying with several people, try to develop a posting order so it keeps things clean and organized (this usually happens fairly naturally). If you're roleplaying with another two people have someone go first, second and third and wait your turn. You don't want to jump the gun and post a page worth between two people, then that third person will have to read them all and try to catch up in one post which really isn't fair.
In some instances you may change the order or subtract a person from the order. For example; Members A, B and C are roleplaying together but Member C has to go. The characters are in a safe place so he decided to take a 'nap', this will allow the other characters to continue but when Member C returns and his character awakens, his character should not have any knowledge of what went on. In some instances there could be 5 people roleplaying, but two characters are interacting and the other three are interacting. You can create a posting order between your rp partners, not everyone in the thread as they'll have their own posting order.
Leaving:
You should let your roleplay partners know if you're leaving, you can make a quick OOC: note in your post or post in the general RP thread to let them know. Sometimes it does happen where you just don't have a chance and it's understandable - but try your best! I know there's been times where I've been a roleplay and took a minute to lay down and ended up falling asleep! It just helps so they're not constantly waiting or expecting you to post. If you're leaving, let them know if they can continue on. If you're in the middle of a super important part and your character is essential, I'm sure they're fine with waiting - but if you're character is able to come and go, give them the chance to continue. If you're going on vacation and won't be able to participate in the roleplay, make arrangements with your character and let us know!
Hate the character but respect the player:
There will be some instances where your character hates another character, but remember this is just story telling and do not hold it against the roleplayer. Their character could be extremely obnoxious, egotistical and a jerk - but that doesn't mean the roleplayer is so do not take any of it personally.
Spelling/Grammar/Etc:
It's always easier to roleplay when you're not trying to decipher broken sentences and trying to figure out what someone means, or trying to figure out a certain word because it's misspelled. It happens, of course - but please make sure you read through your post and make sure it's understandable and the spelling is good. If needed, even use a spell check!
Be Patient:
Life can get in the way, so if someone hasn't posted in a day or two maybe check up with them but be respectful. Things happen that could put a roleplay on hold but try to talk it out and see what can be done about it.
Always be kind and considerate to all players:
Try to involve people when they're left out, encourage them to participate, give them ideas and suggestions, etc. If you see someone breaking the rules please do not call them out in the middle of the roleplay - just let a staff member know and we'll discuss it with them. You can help or make suggestions if you see someone struggling, just be nice about it! Everyone makes mistakes!
Jumping In:
Jumping into a roleplay between a couple other people is okay, but try to ask them first. They may have something already planned and you could be the game changer that they weren't really expecting. It's always more respectful just to ask!
(source)
