Tips for the Newer RPers
Greetings to all you interested in RPing, and as well to those looking to improve your skills. The following page holds some tips from the best RPers out there, giving suggestions and personal experiances to aid those who'd like to further their RP ability, as well as a short section describing chat slang.
Chat Slang
There are many terms used throughout chat and RP. We'll try an cover as much as possible.
- LOL - Laugh out Loud
- ROTFL - Role on the Floor Laughing
- RP - Role Play
- LMAO - Laugh my ass off
- BRB - Be Right Back
- BBL - Be Back Later
- G2G - Got To Go
- IRL - In Real Life
- RL - Real Life
- DotF - Defenders of the Force (a role play)
- SWTA - Star Wars: The Aftermath (a role play)
- SWFL - Star Wars: Forgotten Legends (a role play)
- EotF - Expansion of the Force (a role play)
- GE - Galactic Embassy (a role play)
- Char(s) - Characters (refering to role played characters)
- Plots - Plots refer mainly to different situations of scenerios going on in role play
- Sim - Simulation (another term to describe a Role Play, or an organized RP.
- WEG - West End games.
- IC - In character
- OOC - Out of character
- NPC - None player character
- Auto - Making an action and declaring the result of your action when others would have a chance to alter it's outcome.
- TPM - The Phantom Menace
- ANH - A New Hope
- ESB - Empire Strikes Back
- ROTJ - Return of the Jedi
Tips and Methods from the Best...
As mentioned before, the following text has been provided by RPers, for RPers. These are tips, suggestions, and person experiances given out by the veterian RPers, in hopes to aid those trying to learn. I personally advise all RPers, both new and veterian, to read over these thoughts. Never know, you might just learn something...
Travis Says:
Well...tips on roleplaying. Im one of the youngest roleplatyers still out there.
So maybe i cant tell you the hints that i have been using in my roleplaying career.
1) This is probaly the bigest factor you must have the will to learn to new things.
If you come into rp thinking your the best and you dont need any help your gonna steped on.
Remeber the humble man is the far better rper.
2) Study what you can on your own. If you dont get the pleasure from learning from a teacher or older rper,
try to study as much as you can from websites articles you can dig up. And even
if you get to work with a teacher (master in some cases) icly, be sure also to take some time and research.
3) NEVER GET AN EGO please dont we have to many around here already.
4) Grammer and spelling: For some people like me english has never been your strong subject in school do re-read your post before you post them.
and if you have no idea how to spell a word after you write the word place this behind it . Thats lets the other person know you did make a mistake,
and often they will tell you the correction.
5) OOC and IC our two vary diffrent things try not to get you real life to wound up with your ic one often it will lead you away from rp and to a permant oocness state.
6) Have a good attuide oocly when you go into this no one like an A-- Hole. Now when you go ic if you play a bounty hunter or sith/dark force user i quess you can have bad attuitude and be mean all around,
but remeber if your still new to rp and you starting getting mean ic your likely to be dropped on your butt.
7) When joining a sim read all the rules plot lines leading up to the rp so you have an idea going on. It wouldnt be wise to go in making a certian type of the char then to find out that speices race or relgion our being wiped out.
8) When making an ic post be desciptive to a point, tell them what they need to know...this doesnt mean a 150 line explaning on what pair of socks you wore today. Just give a general overview of your character and breif desciption of attire and weapon or item.
and as it goes on you can give more detail to what your character has or doesnt has.
9) A little force lesson: When attacking with the force remeber it takes great concentration and preping to do so. a good example is ep1 when Obi-Wan was knocked down that hole and hung for his life, it took time and concentration for him to get Qui-Gons saber.
10) And finally: Have Fun...because that is what rp is all about the fun.
Shaun Says:
There are two aspects to role playing... The first, and most important, is your IC involvement. I will touch on this in a few moments, however, because the second aspect is OOC involvement, and i belive one should understand the OOC before they can ever truely be an RPer.
When you join a sim, wether it be Star Wars, or general fanasty, you will encounter others in an OOC nature. Some of my best times in RP were actually the times i wasn't RPing... I've met many people in my RP career, and i've formed many friendships - as well as made my share of foes. The people you RP with are your internet family, so to speak. You will grow to love them, or hate them - there is rarely middle ground. And, because of that, you must look at it as a family, or your enjoyment of the game coudl very well be doomed.
Everyone has faults. I have them. You have them. It's a fact of life. But, you can't let someones faults rune your RP. There are members of my IRL family i don't particulary like. Does this mean i never associate with them? Do i avoid family events just because i don't like some of them? No... I find ways to live with their faults, as they do mine. Your RP family should be no different. When RPing, try to work with others. Don't get mad if they do something you don't like. Don't yell and scream and have a fit.. Just take a deep breath and remember that persons human, and makes mistakes, just like you.
Another thing on the OOC matter is friendship...
My best IRL friend brought me into the game. I have known him almost half my life, and he has become like a brother to me. IRL, i would do almost anything for him. BUT, ICly... That's another story. See, when RPing, you need to put aside ALL OOC feelings, in regards to other IRL people. Just because you like the person, doesn't mean your character must. And, in the same, if your IRL friend tries to kill your character for IC reasons, don't get mad. Just like you, your friend is only trying to RP his character realistically.
The most important OOC factor to remember is never - and i mean, NEVER - take OOC into your RP. Just because you don't like someone OOC doesn't mean your character automatically hates them too. If you get in a fight with a internet friend, don't take out your frustration on his characters. More than likely, you both will make up eventually, and all you'll have to show is one dead character, who died merely because of bad RP ethics.
Once you have taken grasp of your OOC surroundings, then you can focus on the fun part: RP.
If you're just starting out, my best advise to you is to do what you love. If you're a fun loving person, make an adventure character. If you love to be witty or seductive, make a character that is witty or seductive. Then, after you decide what it is you love, you can work on what you want to be.
My first character was a reflection of both who i am IRL, and my views on an "ideal" me. I took bits and pieces of my own personality, threw in the physical characteristics i felt looked "cool", and finished it off with dreams and scenerious i've pondered in my own mind. As a result, i ended up with a character i absolutly loved to role play. And that's what it's all about: loving to RP. Then, after i was comfortable with RPing, i ventured off into new characters, that weren't as much like me.
Style. Everyone has it, and many are different. As you RP more and more, you'll probably notice a style of your own. Some people keep things short and sweet. Soem love to go into detail. For some, their style is merely in small actions, such as smirks, head tilts, and that certain way of gazing around a room. Don't be afraid to develop your own style. Remember that just because a veterian RPer does it one way, doesn't mean you have to as well. They got to be a 'veterian' in a way they felt comfortable with; you should too.
Characters die. It's a fact of RPing. Don't be afraid to hurt, maim, injure, or even kill your own character for the good of a certain plot. I look at RP as one would a Soap Opera. In a soap opera, emotions are heightened beyond that of real life. RP is the same. If your character dies, BOOM, a whole new opening for a plot enters the picture. A sibling now could want vengence for your death. A lover could fall into a pit of despair. The killer could become well-known. If the death was accidental, whoever caused it now would have to live with it for the rest of his or her IC life. Belive me when i say, when it comes to RP plots, virtually ANYTHING is possible.
I do belive i am done rambling now. *smiles* If you've taken the time to read this, a commend you; Not because i'm glad you read my little essay, but because you are taking the time to try and develope your own skills, and are willing to listen to advise from people who have been there.
There is one final thought i leave you with. I say it now, at the end, because i feel it to be the most important; something i want you do remember most of all.
Enjoy yourself...
That's what it's all about... There's no use playing if you don't have fun doing it.
Thank you, and farewell...
~ Shaun/Jedi Master Damien Firestone
April Says:
"1. Leave the really bad attitudes and other negative stuff from real life when you log on in yahoo or when your gonna make contact with others when rp comes into mind.
2. Keep ooc and ic seperate unless its for the good of rp. ie. when using rl experiance for the development of the characters background/attitude towards life.
3. Dont go ballistic at people if they make a mistake in anything. Correct them politely in their error, auto or god-moding. If the person gets pissy and what not warn them about ignoring them and if they dont stop click. But if someone is correcting you look for that mistake and correct it if possible. If they are wrong show them proof when you correct them. Basically dont act like a bratty 4 year old when something is wrong.
4. Before you type your character's entrance, watch the people's characters in the room. Dont what to enter a tavern when its on fire or about to blow up or enter a brawl.
5. Read the rules for that sim at least once a month so that if rules change or not you would be able to correct someone or help a situation be carried out or help get your character out of a bad situation during a fight.
6. When people are role playing in a chat room, please please take ALL of the ooc chat to a pm or make a room and chat there. It distracts and quickly ends an rp session in a matter of minutes if its continued. Politily tell someone to take ooc chatter somewhere else. The only time that ooc could be used is if its questioning or correcting someone/thing that happened in that rp session.
7. Count to 10, 20 or 30 or anything else when you get mad/fustrated/etc. Be patient and friendly. If not people are possibly gonna rp with you less or talk to ya less and it leads to a lonely life. Take in mind that the only way to get rid of a newbie or god-moder is to teach them. If you keep ignoring/kill/etc. them they are gonna keep coming back with more id's and it will just be too damn annoying.
~ April/Dark_Sith_Nomi_Sunrider ~
Julian Says:
As a veteran chat roleplayer, nearly 4-5 years now, I have gathered a considerable ammount of knowledge on what it takes to become an experienced roleplayer. A narrow mind is not one that you will want to have in this hobby... because roleplaying is always about expanding the horizons. There should never be an end, always something new to persue.
From my first chat roleplaying character, Lt.Commander_Wuher, I learned much from veteran roleplayers. I learned that listening a little, and watching goes a long way. Of course, like all "green" roleplayers.. I started in the local Mos Eisley Cantina. I loved the idea of being a bartender, so I stood behind the bar and served drinks. It helped me learn how to communicate to people. Communication, and comprehension of your ideas is what every fellow roleplayer looks for.
Be sure you space out your thoughts, and weed out any unneccesary words. Be short, but descriptive. People tend to keep a higher attention span.
When you take on a character, be sure you fully immerse yourself in that character. If you are a playing a droid, don't be afraid to stumble over a cup on the cantina floor and knock over a table. If you're playing a bartender, don't be afraid to sneer... or over charge someone for a drink. If you're a gambler, don't be afraid to cower when some bounty hunter shoves you on the floor with a blaster in your face. If it keeps the roleplaying interesting and fun, then it works. People like different environments... There are countless bounty hunter and Jedi, why don't you become that lone protocol droid, or that drunken man in the corner? Have variety. Turn on some inspiring music if you can, something that will set the mood and get you involved with the RP more. In some run down tavern? Turn on some medieval guitar and flute music. That local cantina occupying your time? Turn on the Cantina theme. It helps immensly with the RP experience.
Having a good vocabulary also helps... Heck, open a thesaurus if you have to. I did sometimes when I needed some other word for "smirks" or "cowers". Don't be afraid, no ones looking. Heh.
Also, be sure you re-read what you wrote once or twice before sending it... I know there have been events where I look back at what I just sent and said "What the hell was I thinking?", especially in roleplaying fights. Proofreading is your friend.
Turn on some inspiring music if you can, something that will set the mood and get you involved with the RP more. In some run down tavern? Turn on some medieval guitar and flute music. That local cantina occupying your time? Turn on the Cantina theme. It helps immensly with the RP experience.
Lastly, and reiterating my first comment, listen and pay attention to those who are better roleplayers than you. Look at their techniques. If nothing else, after they destroy you in a fight, take away some RP experience from them. There is no knowledge that is not power.
I hope this helps further your RP experiences, and broadens your horizons. Force be with you, and guide you through this realm of possibilities!
-Julian / Jedi Master Blane Vast
EotF Writes:
RP Hints -- As
originally posted by Liz, with additions by Bo.
Before I start on this, I would just
like to say one little thing:
No-one is the perfect role-player. We all have
different talents, whether it be using big words, fighting, whatever. Therefore,
when I give out all these little hints, they are only collective things that I
have either heard people talk about, comment on, etc, and a few little things I
have noticed myself.
Hint One : Relating to Babies and
the Birth Of.
Birth, so I have seen on various
movies, TV shows, etc, is not something that one bounces back from. Birth, so I
have seen in RPG, is something that you do to pass the time, have a child, and
then walk around showing it off. Really, in the realistic side of things, it
would be a good idea to have your character put to sleepy time, i.e. not played,
for just a little while. Even if it’s an hour or so. The same applies to the
baby. The IRL baby would be spending most of it’s time wailing, being fed, and
generally being looked after as much as possible. The RPG baby seems to be at a
3 month old status 5 minutes after the birth. I think we all know where the rest
of that point is headed.
(Bo) As the father of a couple
children ICly myself, I know that often you want to play them right out of the
box. Now, time compression can be done, but at least try to come up with an
explanation for it, no matter how farfetched. If it's something that bends the
rules, or shatters them to pieces, remember the cardinal rule: HAVE FUN. Now,
just to be careful, make sure that your solution doesn't cramp other people's
fun. Such as: "Jimmy jumped into the positron accelerator, and was suddenly
turned into a twenty year old man with the ability to crush heads like ripe
grapes." Keep it in check, people. If you're not sure, ask a GM.
Hint Two : Relating to Characters
from books, etc.
From what I have gathered, and seen
little bits of when I dropped in ages ago, when Teen was still semi-alive,
Ayenee was originally based on a WoT kinda scheme of things. That’s fine when
you know all the people you are RP'ing with know all the character information.
But now, due to lotsa migration, there are a few things you have to think about
first. Unless everyone that is now in Ayenee, from all different
realm-nationalities, has read the book your character comes from, there will be
a lot of pointless squabbling. It’s a good idea to have the powers, etc, written
down SOMEWHERE that the general RP public can easily access, otherwise you have
the same problem as all those Tanar’ri thingies that a lot of people don’t fully
understand, etc.
Hint Three : Relating to Names,
and the knowing of.
It is perfectly acceptable, and
necessary, to direct your actions towards someone using their name. However, if
you happen to walk in, and you don’t know the person ICly, you don’t know their
name. Most characters don’t walk around with a label saying "HI, MY NAME IS JANE
AND I’M AN ALCOHOLIC." Ask the person’s name. The same thing goes for clans.
Unless you know that person to be a member of the Big Baddies, then you can not
discriminate against them for the clan until your character knows.
Hint Four : Relating to Basic
things we could all possibly improve on.
Try not to be so harsh on everyone.
Spelling mistakes, mistypes, little slipups, etc, HAPPEN. And, letting these
little occasional slipups, typos, etc, by, SHOULD HAPPEN.
Variety is the spice of life. Try to
keep this in mind when you make your 100th character, which so happens to be
exactly the same as the other 100. There’s loads and loads of resources for
different races, species, etc. The only problem with this is the problem of
people not knowing the super-duper-special powers some of these races contain.
Therefore, it’s an awfully good idea to either make this pages known via your
public profile, or link them off this page. And, don’t go beating on people who
haven’t seen the listings of those powers.
Try to keep everything within
reason. Like...not every woman in RP who happens to be pregnant will end up with
triplets, twins, or quints. Not everyone will have a superior something or
other. Plain people do exist.
Instead of saying 'dodges', 'ducks',
and 'nods', try to add a little bit of description. I KNOW that everyone who
does RP has a semi-decent vocabulary, they just don’t use it. And if they do, they get a
sticker and an early-mark to recess! Sorry.. got a little bit carried away.. And
hey, if your vocabulary isn’t so crash hot, talk to Patricko for a few minutes..
that’s more effective than reading a dictionary.
If you’re unsure of something, Ask
someone! Or watch someone who you think will know while they do it!
Hint Five : Relating to
Cliques
Cliques are great. Wonderful.
Fantastic. Providing you have the brains to look outside of it. There are so
many people out that in RP that is does become tempting to simple sit there and
do the same thing with the same people over and over and over. But.
When it
comes to other people who you have inevitably somehow become involved with, it's
nice to have an open enough mind to actually not ignore them and pay heed to
what they are doing.
Sure, it may not be what you want.
But - bad luck.
There will always be other people in the world, and there will always be
other people in RP.
If you want to be little privatised bulls--- artists, go
ahead. But don't do it in public RP rooms.
Make your own "So-and-So's room
of boring closed-minded Rp" rooms, lock them, and never think about anyone else
in your life again.
Hint Six : Relating to OOC
insults.
This is something that most boys
simply cannot help themselves but to partake in.
Many people's ego's don't
allow help. Therefore, when you give a little hint, relating to either the
amount of power their character has, or anything else - ie the name badge
problem, you inevitably get the stroppy people calling you a skank-ass and other
such.
Don't be a dickhead and do all that shit.
It's not going to make
you look like a hero - in fact, it makes you look like the arrogant delusioned
asshole you are. You have no right to assume what someone is, ESPECIALLY in a
place like this! You have never seen what that person looks like, usually, and
so calling them a a transvestite will usually make them cry - FROM LAUGHING!
Hint Seven : Relating to Clans
Clans are not always easily
identified. It would be wonderful if they were. But - they're not. I'm sure
anyone with enough self control will be able to stop and do something else to
find out if someone is a member of this or that clan.
And that would be
PLOT!
Ooh, this little plot thing is so hyped. Everyone abuses it. But now -
with the latest offer from our company - you may make your own plots for as
little as a few minutes of your time each day! But, wait, there's more!
By
participating in this little bit of patience (always a virtue!) and plot, you
will be able to find out what clan so-and-so is in THE PROPER WAY!
Not many
characters have cameras. Therefore, it is always possible NOT to know that Mr
Brown isn't the King of big-baddie Vampire Clan. Even if one of your other
clan-sisters/brothers had a run-in with someone, it doesn't automatically mean
you know what clan the person is from, and that it is time to declare war.
Hint Eight : More General
hints.
DO accept hints from people.
DO accept that your character isn’t perfect, and
that there is bound to be little mistakes. Also know that nobody else's
characters are perfect too, and there are always rough edges.
DO view everyone else as equal. This one is a
toughie, but after practice, I’m sure you will manage.
DON’T abuse people OOC for things IC, or vice
versa.
DO try to find out what the place you are in is
like before you walk in. For instance, while there is certainly a doorframe in
somewhere with a door, there is not in say.. a forest.
DO accept that no-one is perfect and
that we are all bound to make mistakes.
DON’T become one of the crowd. If there’s something
you want to do, and it isn’t necessarily in sync with the latest trends of say,
vampires, do it anyway.
DO use the limits the rules hint at.
DO use the accepted amounts of power. You are
simply setting yourself up to be abused when you make a character that is
invincable.
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