Post by Thanatos on Nov 21, 2004 16:43:44 GMT -5
Note: This is a copy of the page I wrote on Spare Limited Forums, with a few small modifications. I'm posting this so some might satisfy idle curiosity, and so others might become a tad bit the wiser...
In this post I will cover the most basic aspects of role-playing, allowing individuals who are interested in the concept but have never before had the opportunity to fully explore it a fair chance at judging this unique pastime for themselves.
Firstly, we need to identify precisely what role-playing is. In role-playing, someone takes a role in a story and attempts to act it out to the best of their abilities, making decisions and executing actions based solely on that given character's beliefs, not on the player's beliefs in real life.
Basically, role-playing is nothing more than acting, but on a virtual stage.
We differentiate between a player and their character through the use of two acronyms, IC (In Character) and OOC (Out of Character). It is very, very discourteous to not separate these two entirely different methods of communication. In many cases, it's impolite to even enter a bit of out of character dialogue into the ongoing story. An example:
---
Fred kicks the bandit squarely in the chest, knocking his assailant back even as he draws his gleaming samurai sword.
ooc: I like sausage lol!
---
As you can see, the out of character bit of information in this post is entirely unnecessary, in fact detracting from what has just been read. Unless the out of character comment immediately pertains to the ongoing story, it's best to handle such communication in PM's and anything else that does not intrude in the ongoing tale.
Courtesy is a major element of role-playing. If you're purposefully rude and attempt to insult a player out of character, chances are you're not going to build a particularly savory reputation. There are also a few other major no-no's when it comes to role-playing:
-Do not enter a role-playing thread uninvited unless the thread introduction specifically states that anyone is welcome without request. If that is not stated, then contact the conductor of the thread through a PM and take whatever steps are necessary before posting in the actual story.
-Controlling other player characters in any way, shape, or form is definitely frowned upon. A player has created their character for a reason; to play it. So please, attempt to relate only what your own character is doing--leave another player's actions to that player. As an example:
---
(Assuming the player in question is Fred, and the player they are interacting with is George.)
INCORRECT: Fred draws his sword, stabbing his blade deep into George's chest. George dies.
CORRECT: Fred draws his sword, attempting to stab his blade in the direction of George's chest.
---
-Be realistic. Your character is (most likely) mortal, and as such has mortal weaknesses. It's extremely unlikely that they can dodge a thousand bullets and fell a thousand men in the period of one post. Not only that, but please maintain the mood you set for your character in the initial introduction. Sudden uncharacteristic changes of personality make for a very awkward and convoluted storyline.
INCORRECT: fred jumps in the air and falls down on the grund using his super-super-saiyan attack pwr level #59949949 and pwning all the evil ninjas
CORRECT: ...anything not remotely close to that.
-Show good attention to detail and post length. As a rule of thumb, try to write at least four sentences per post. Also make sure to add adequete detail to your posts. We don't want to know that you killed a man--we want to know how.
-Please, be literate. If you're misspelling every other word and sounding like a complete imbecile, chances are you're not going to be very well receieved. In fact, the general community might want you removed post-haste.
There is one more major area to cover in the fundamentals of role-playing: the initial introduction of a character. Generally, a character sheet is first posted, following something like this formula:
Name-
Age-
Appearance-(Height, Weight, Hair Color, Beauty...whatever strikes your fancy)
Equipment/Weapons-(Whatever it is your character carries--specify as necessary for original inventions)
Bio-(A short [or long] history of your character. Try not to reveal too much, as the best role-plays are those that flesh out a character on the fly.)
---
Let's try a practice character sheet based on the skeleton I just posted:
Name-Fred
Age-23
Appearance-Fred stands an impressive six feet tall and weighs about 160 pounds. His deep brown hair and blazing blue eyes make him a sight to behold.
Equipment/Weapons-Fred's attire usually consists of rumpled blue jeans and a plain black t-shirt, tucked in. He is most often seen sporting a particularly stylish pair of sunglasses, and wearing a sombrero of the finest quality.
The only notable bit of equipment Fred possesses is his katana, sheathed visibly at his side. When drawn, it is clearly evident that the blade is of a highly superior make, of something approaching damascus steel.
Bio-Fred led a fairly normal life until the age of 17, when he came home from school to find his family slain by rabid monkey ninjas. Taking up in hand the sword that had been used to slaughter his family, he swore vengeance to the world.
---
Note that character sheets can be modified and expanded upon almost indefinitely. It's entirely left up to the whim of the thread creator as to how much detail he or she wants in this initial introduction.
Now that we have a character sheet complete with suitable backstory, let's try creating an in character starter thread:
---
Fred stood idly on the thickly-wooded hillside overlooking the compound, gazing intently at the structure that confronted him. He was now at the end of his trials and tribulations--whatever awaited him within that building was what he had worked towards the past six years of his life.
He had finally discovered the headquarters of the rabid monkey ninjas.
Even now Fred could hear their crazed hooting, their squealing and hollering as they went about whatever daily affairs a rabid monkey ninja actually did. They would soon be in for quite a surprise.
Placing one hand carefully on the handle of his katana, he smiled the fiery smile of one that has long abandoned all notions of fear and caution. Tilting his fine sombrero to one side, he began to stride downhill, towards his intended target. With each step he was faced with painful memories, with lingering doubts. He did not let this stop him.
Finally, after all of these years. He would avenge his mother, his father, his older brother...even Little Susie, the neighbor's child who was unfortunate enough to have been searching Fred's home for a cup of sugar when the rabid monkey ninjas had struck.
But enough of that. Now was the time for action.
---
That's crazily dramatic, but it gets the point across. The purpose of this thread is obviously to storm the rabid monkey ninja headquarters--there isn't a particularly deep plot to speak of. The players are going to fight and then go home, feeling satisfied. While this thread doesn't give any obvious openings for new players, anyone wanting to join the storyline could simply insert themselves by already being present in the fortress, by approaching from another direction, or even by stalking Fred.
Pretty spiffy, eh?
In this post I will cover the most basic aspects of role-playing, allowing individuals who are interested in the concept but have never before had the opportunity to fully explore it a fair chance at judging this unique pastime for themselves.
Firstly, we need to identify precisely what role-playing is. In role-playing, someone takes a role in a story and attempts to act it out to the best of their abilities, making decisions and executing actions based solely on that given character's beliefs, not on the player's beliefs in real life.
Basically, role-playing is nothing more than acting, but on a virtual stage.
We differentiate between a player and their character through the use of two acronyms, IC (In Character) and OOC (Out of Character). It is very, very discourteous to not separate these two entirely different methods of communication. In many cases, it's impolite to even enter a bit of out of character dialogue into the ongoing story. An example:
---
Fred kicks the bandit squarely in the chest, knocking his assailant back even as he draws his gleaming samurai sword.
ooc: I like sausage lol!
---
As you can see, the out of character bit of information in this post is entirely unnecessary, in fact detracting from what has just been read. Unless the out of character comment immediately pertains to the ongoing story, it's best to handle such communication in PM's and anything else that does not intrude in the ongoing tale.
Courtesy is a major element of role-playing. If you're purposefully rude and attempt to insult a player out of character, chances are you're not going to build a particularly savory reputation. There are also a few other major no-no's when it comes to role-playing:
-Do not enter a role-playing thread uninvited unless the thread introduction specifically states that anyone is welcome without request. If that is not stated, then contact the conductor of the thread through a PM and take whatever steps are necessary before posting in the actual story.
-Controlling other player characters in any way, shape, or form is definitely frowned upon. A player has created their character for a reason; to play it. So please, attempt to relate only what your own character is doing--leave another player's actions to that player. As an example:
---
(Assuming the player in question is Fred, and the player they are interacting with is George.)
INCORRECT: Fred draws his sword, stabbing his blade deep into George's chest. George dies.
CORRECT: Fred draws his sword, attempting to stab his blade in the direction of George's chest.
---
-Be realistic. Your character is (most likely) mortal, and as such has mortal weaknesses. It's extremely unlikely that they can dodge a thousand bullets and fell a thousand men in the period of one post. Not only that, but please maintain the mood you set for your character in the initial introduction. Sudden uncharacteristic changes of personality make for a very awkward and convoluted storyline.
INCORRECT: fred jumps in the air and falls down on the grund using his super-super-saiyan attack pwr level #59949949 and pwning all the evil ninjas
CORRECT: ...anything not remotely close to that.
-Show good attention to detail and post length. As a rule of thumb, try to write at least four sentences per post. Also make sure to add adequete detail to your posts. We don't want to know that you killed a man--we want to know how.
-Please, be literate. If you're misspelling every other word and sounding like a complete imbecile, chances are you're not going to be very well receieved. In fact, the general community might want you removed post-haste.
There is one more major area to cover in the fundamentals of role-playing: the initial introduction of a character. Generally, a character sheet is first posted, following something like this formula:
Name-
Age-
Appearance-(Height, Weight, Hair Color, Beauty...whatever strikes your fancy)
Equipment/Weapons-(Whatever it is your character carries--specify as necessary for original inventions)
Bio-(A short [or long] history of your character. Try not to reveal too much, as the best role-plays are those that flesh out a character on the fly.)
---
Let's try a practice character sheet based on the skeleton I just posted:
Name-Fred
Age-23
Appearance-Fred stands an impressive six feet tall and weighs about 160 pounds. His deep brown hair and blazing blue eyes make him a sight to behold.
Equipment/Weapons-Fred's attire usually consists of rumpled blue jeans and a plain black t-shirt, tucked in. He is most often seen sporting a particularly stylish pair of sunglasses, and wearing a sombrero of the finest quality.
The only notable bit of equipment Fred possesses is his katana, sheathed visibly at his side. When drawn, it is clearly evident that the blade is of a highly superior make, of something approaching damascus steel.
Bio-Fred led a fairly normal life until the age of 17, when he came home from school to find his family slain by rabid monkey ninjas. Taking up in hand the sword that had been used to slaughter his family, he swore vengeance to the world.
---
Note that character sheets can be modified and expanded upon almost indefinitely. It's entirely left up to the whim of the thread creator as to how much detail he or she wants in this initial introduction.
Now that we have a character sheet complete with suitable backstory, let's try creating an in character starter thread:
---
Fred stood idly on the thickly-wooded hillside overlooking the compound, gazing intently at the structure that confronted him. He was now at the end of his trials and tribulations--whatever awaited him within that building was what he had worked towards the past six years of his life.
He had finally discovered the headquarters of the rabid monkey ninjas.
Even now Fred could hear their crazed hooting, their squealing and hollering as they went about whatever daily affairs a rabid monkey ninja actually did. They would soon be in for quite a surprise.
Placing one hand carefully on the handle of his katana, he smiled the fiery smile of one that has long abandoned all notions of fear and caution. Tilting his fine sombrero to one side, he began to stride downhill, towards his intended target. With each step he was faced with painful memories, with lingering doubts. He did not let this stop him.
Finally, after all of these years. He would avenge his mother, his father, his older brother...even Little Susie, the neighbor's child who was unfortunate enough to have been searching Fred's home for a cup of sugar when the rabid monkey ninjas had struck.
But enough of that. Now was the time for action.
---
That's crazily dramatic, but it gets the point across. The purpose of this thread is obviously to storm the rabid monkey ninja headquarters--there isn't a particularly deep plot to speak of. The players are going to fight and then go home, feeling satisfied. While this thread doesn't give any obvious openings for new players, anyone wanting to join the storyline could simply insert themselves by already being present in the fortress, by approaching from another direction, or even by stalking Fred.
Pretty spiffy, eh?
