Why do you roleplay?

[Freiflug]

"If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." --Toni Morrison

In my eleventh year of high school, I saw this wonderful quote on the wall of my English class. It was printed in plain black text on a simple white square, taped to the wall over the computers. This will never leave my mind, and is something I will often refer back to. I hadn't known of this when I first started role playing, which I was a very young when I started, but upon finding this I found the answer to your question.

Simply, I love to write, to create stories and characters. It brings me peace of mind, joy, and I am a fool who thinks you really can find friendship over the internet. Just ask my friend David; we've known each other for a near six to seven years now, having met on a .hack fan website.

So why reject something that makes you happy? I have always been a reader, even as a child I was hunched over 'The Hobit', always asking my father for help when I couldn't make things out (but boy it was so fun). Role playing is a great way for creative fun and sometimes making new friends!

 

[Exact Besides Uneven]

When I find my life, in general, lacks anything to really captivate me, I find role playing helps curb my disappointment in life.

That hardly makes sense though, I suppose?  

[xl Sweet L i e s xl]

:3 Hello all ^^

The reason why I RP is what others have already stated. To me, RPing is more interesing and you honestly have to think about it. It is a outlet for me and I do write my own stories, but it isnt as interesting as it is when someone RP's with me.  

[Katetastic XD]

I love this question. =] And so many great answers... I agree with many of you.

I first started because my friend got me into it wayy back. I've always been an artistic person - I love to draw, write, read, create. So I got completely hooked.

I love the fact that I'm not me. I love that I can go places and do things and be something that I could never really be. I love getting out of my body, my life, but still being connected, in that my decisions are still influenced by whatever little part of me is in the character.

Making characters is my favorite part. I could spend days coming up with a perfect name, their exact looks, their whole life history, and every personality quirk they have. And whether I mean to or not, there's always some little piece of me in there, so when I play, I really know what I'm thinking, what I'm feeling.

I would love to write a book one day, but when I try, I find my plots are disjointed, and the story sounds lackluster in comparison to a role play. I like how it keeps me guessing as to what direction I'm headed in next.  

[Ryuu_Myoto]

Like everyone else has stated, I agree with all of you. How, allow me to tell my story.

Being the nerd that I am I was introduced to D&D back in my late elementary and early middle school years. Sense then I have begun a different type of Role-play in which I soon grew to love. It allowed me to be someone different and go places in which only my dreams could produce. Usually, I would be my ideal character as most everyone does. To be someone I wish I could be rather then be a regular human.

Being in my early twenties I still play pretend with my friends and still play D&D in which I am constantly Role-playing. So from there, I was introduced to Gaia I think around 2001 or 2003. Anyways it was I am sure when it was first created.

It was from then forward that I have been role-playing and greatly enjoy it.  

[Calinthe]

I believe that pretty much everything has been said by this point. I love writing, it's an escape from reality, and because it's an ever-changing story that I don't have complete control over. ^^  

[Raven Lux]

Wow, I have so much to say on this subject. Most of which is already here.

I can add, however, that I like to role play because I'm a writer. It gives me the opportunity to use the characters from my stories in a sort of "real life" situation. I love to have them interact with other players as opposed to other characters in my stories. It gives it all a real twist that's exciting and intriguing. Not to mention that it gives more depth to my characters.

Most of all, role playing is just down right fun. I never even knew that it existed in this form before my friend turned me onto Gaia. I got involved with an excellent story that, unfortunately died when the leader was hacked. If anyone knows of a good one here that involves supernatural creatures (witches, vampires, lycans, etc.) please let me know smile  

[KaiTenSatsuma]

helps me whet my literary blade, its hard to find good books in borders sometimes, you get slammed by the large variety, I've been thinking of trying to find the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a new copy of Shogun (Mine is falling apart unfortunately, I got it at a spring cleaning sale at my local library) Good Earth and some of the Discworld series, but until work pays, I'm here with you guys biggrin

Also my typing skills have prodigiously improved over the many years of Everquest, forums, chat and RPs, so go figure.  

[Our Sextape]

I roleplay for a lot of different reasons. ^^

-I've got nothing else to do.
-I enjoy writing/reading what other people like.
-If the roleplay is related to a series, I'm usually not content with the way it ended/the way its going and want to make my own end/plot twist with other fans.
-It has helped my typing / grammar! {'i started out typing like this i had terrible spelling too but i have spell check now wheee~' and now I type like... this? Huge difference, yes?}
-I've met some pretty interesting people though roleplaying, so there's another reason why I continue to rp.
-Its fun~
-Once again: I've got nothing else to do.

 

[PixelMuse]

Why do I role play?

When I started to think about it I started to wonder when did I first started to role play? I couldn't remember but I have a strong suspicion that it either started in a chat room or in the Zelda Forums I frequented a lot at one point.

Every time I loved watching as the story unfolds, not because of just my posts but other people influencing it which in turn created the story line. I've saved so many RPs from when I RPed through IMs and to this day I still enjoy reading what happened.

Granted I do admit, and to those that have been RPing with me already may have notice, I really have 2 main characters and sometimes a third. I RP an elven warrior named Trinity, she was originally created for a friend's fan fiction which inspired me. I was flattered when he wanted to include her in his story. Kerana was created in Gaia flat out. I wanted to have a character that was curious and perky and some what the polar opposite of Trinity to balance things out sort of. The third one, I have not brought here but I've RPed him a lot and perhaps the majority of you may have heard of him, Link from the Legend of Zelda games (my all time favorite series, favorite game, Ocarina of Time).

Even though I have a limited characters I like to play I still tweak them to fit the environment better.

I guess the bottom line is I just like the story that unfolds as multiple people contribute.  

[Metal-Ridley]

Ryuu_Myoto

Like everyone else has stated, I agree with all of you. How, allow me to tell my story.

Being the nerd that I am I was introduced to D&D back in my late elementary and early middle school years. Sense then I have begun a different type of Role-play in which I soon grew to love. It allowed me to be someone different and go places in which only my dreams could produce. Usually, I would be my ideal character as most everyone does. To be someone I wish I could be rather then be a regular human.

Being in my early twenties I still play pretend with my friends and still play D&D in which I am constantly Role-playing. So from there, I was introduced to Gaia I think around 2001 or 2003. Anyways it was I am sure when it was first created.

It was from then forward that I have been role-playing and greatly enjoy it.

After reading this, I honestly feel like I don't have anything to add. It's... almost exactly what I wanted to post in here. o_o;;

I'll just summarize: I RP basically to escape reality and go into fantastic worlds, "live" intense adventures and because seeing a story you contributed to unfolding's just that fun. Also, when RPing someone that's not entirely myself, it's just fun to "see" things and "live" things with someone else's eyes. To me, a lazy winter snow falling from the sky at night is really beautiful, but for a character of mine it could be the worst thing in the world.

Roleplaying's just great. It lets you do whatever you want and be whoever you want without staying in your little bubble on your own. You can still interact with other people and create an exciting story. =)  

[Natsa]

Why do I roleplay... Well I've been roleplaying since I was 12 and on Neopets... So I could call it a hobby, I'm not a very social person when it comes to real life, and growing up let's just say I wasn't the most pleasant person in the house-hold. So I started roleplaying to let out my stress and to vent to a sense, I've also enjoyed writing what I call "doodle stories," though none have been finished.

In the end my characters usually resemble a part of myself that I feel is overbearing and unnecessary.  

[Dessert Devour]

Oh wow... loaded question I guess >rubs back of neck awkwardly< Well I suppose I could start from the beginning, but I don't think you all want to hear all about my family dramas, a bipolar wack-job of a sister and the year I had no idea who I was... so................................. Let's go with this.VV

Alright, so I enjoy writing, and I'm an actress by trade. Roleplaying helps me de-stress and practicing getting into a character's state of mind. By running in several roleplays at once, I can practice switching character emotions at the drop of a hat, which is rather handy and what not. I also use it as a way to communicate with others without actually staying "Hi there, how you doin?" I feel that you can have a lot of chemistry with people through writing, and roleplaying allows us to feel the warmth inside some another. (Not creepy in any way... just saying...)  

[Heartless901]

It's an interesting question.

I roleplay for many reasons. Escapism, mostly. It helps ease the reality I live in. Because, in all honesty, I feel that the characters we create are a more truthful extension of our normal personae. The creations that we have, the characters we put ourselves into, are the people who we want to be. Especially around the people where I live.

Emotional displays are scarce, and more than ever I see that the youth and my peers are becoming mere carbon copies of one another. It's sickening, and I feel some of that taint trying to take hold each and every day. And it scares me, more than the fact that I know kids who emulate Twilight and Jersey Shore. How horrifying.

Other than that, I enjoy testing my abilities against people who also roleplay on a higher level than chatspeak. It's a constant weaving and evolution of stories that only imaginations can allow.  

[RavenCut]

Honestly, I have no idea... neutral
It's something fun to do, and it keeps me occupied. I like to make RP more though. It's alot of fun, and it's fun to see others who like your ideas and write out a whole story about a history you made.
True.. I only made one so far... neutral But I'm full of ideas, and I would personally like others in the RP rather than myself. :/
Yeah, I'm rather strange. haha