|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:37 pm
Welcome to Roleplaying Workshop! If you're ever confused about how to roleplay, or just want a refresher, this is the place to be. I'll be doing my best to cover all the topics that have been brought to my attention. If you've got any questions, or want some clarification, don't hesitate to PM me, or another one of the mentors.
Table of Contents
Meet the Mentors!
Terms and Definitions
Literacy Levels
Common Etiquette
Story Direction
Godmodding
Mary Sues
Profiling
Character Development
Interacting With Others
Fight Scenes!/Mind Reading
Posting Styles
Questions and Answers
Resources
Practice
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:38 pm
The following Gaians are pretty awesome people who typically have loads of awesomeness to say. They're quite enlightening.
Violet the Maestro
Hi! I'm Violet! A seventeen year old professional violinist from upstate New York. I've been roleplaying for two or three years now and this is my second year planning the Annual Ball. I consider myself to be a literate roleplayer. You'll often find me lurking in Harry Potter guilds, or in my own Hunger Games guild, though I do get out into the forums every now and again to pursuit other types of roleplays.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:44 pm
Have you ever wondered what something means when used in the setting of a roleplay? Wonder no further! If you don't immediately see what you want, try using the Ctrl and F buttons on your keyboard to search the list. Let me know if something needs to be added.
Roleplaying
The act of you playing another person. Say in real life you're a boring old human boy, but in a roleplay, you're a buff superhero. It's essential that you have a good imagination in order to do this. Otherwise, hardly anyone will want to interact with you, since they will become bored. Some people abbreviate roleplaying, or roleplay as RP.
Profiles
No, not the page on Gaia that tells all about who you are, or who you want people to believe you are. That's not what this is referring to. A roleplaying profile is a character sheet that gives basic information about your character. Typical information found on a profile would be the character's name, age, gender, personality, species, likes, dislikes, inventory, appearance, and any powers they may have. Profiles may ask for more or less than this.
Out-of-Character/OOC
This is an easy way to let the other users you are roleplaying with know something that you personally want to say. For example. if I were roleplaying with my friend, Knight of Calypso and I wanted to logout for the night, I would do something like [Gonna go to sleep! See ya later!]. OOC is often pointed out by the inclusion of brackets, such as [example] or [[example]], or parenthesis, such as (example) or ((example)).
Godmodding
Never, ever, EVER do this. This is considered to be the rudest thing among most roleplayers. What is this sin you ask? Godmodding is when you take control of another person's character in your post. For example, if I were roleplaying as Harry Potter and I was roleplaying with Luna Lovegood, I would not be able to say "Harry and Luna left the Forbidden Forest."
Puppeteering
This is when a user knows that they are not going to be on for a while, and so they give permission to other users for their characters to be moved. This happens from time to time in the ball. We're all human, and three days is a long time to go without sleep. Sometimes it is necessary to puppet another staff member's character in order to move on with the story.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:45 pm
When people apply to a roleplay, they typically say something like "Oh, I'm semi-literate." Well how do you know if that's a good thing? Read on to find out!
Non-Literate
Personally, I find this to be the most annoying level. These people don't use complete sentences and actions are in asterisks (*). One liners are also common. These people are usually beginners, but you really shouldn't be using this style if you're part of a room's roleplaying staff. You will have guests who are at this level, but DO NOT get angry at them or ignore them. They are guests and they must be treated with the same level of respect as any other guest.
Semi-Literate
These roleplayers are able to write out complete sentences and have at least a paragraph (at least three sentences) to a post. Actions are also written out. Their grammar is also pretty good, but it's still human. They won't flip out on you for improper usage of a semi-colon or anything. This is probably the most common literacy level for guests.
Literate
Most roleplayers will say they're at this level. Posts vary in length from one to three paragraphs and the level of grammar is typically higher, but it does not require perfection.
Advanced Literate
These roleplayers are considered to be some of the best. They have impeccable grammar and type at least 3 or 4 paragraphs. These roleplayers are a bit rare to find, but they exist.
Elite
If you thought the previous level was rare, wait until you hear about this one. Elites could write an entire story in one post. They are extraordinarily rare. Don't feel intimidated if you come across one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:46 pm
If you're new to roleplaying, you should know that there's some basic etiquette that you will be expected to follow. Here's an overview of what you'll need to know:
Cheating: Don't Do It
Believe it or not, people find a way to cheat. There's munching, which is better explained here, since it is quite a long, detailed guide. There's also godmodding, which is highly annoying and will likely make nobody want to roleplay with you.
Be Real!
If you're playing in a setting that's like real life, don't have people sprouting wings and flying off to go battle the fire breathing dragon with their magical sword. Also, if you're playing in a realm where the physics of the setting are created, make sure you stay within the limits. For example, if you were roleplaying in a Harry Potter like roleplay, don't have sparkly vampires.
Stick to your Story
It's pretty annoying to roleplay with people who say in one post that they grew up in a large family on a farm where they were quite poor, and then in the next say they were an only child whose parents died and left a large fortune for them. Pick your story and stay there.
Self-Control
Only control your character. You can interact with another character, just don't take control of someone else's character. Don't assume how the character will react.
Leave Offline Users Alone!
If someone says they're going offline, leave them be. Don't draw on their face. Don't kill them. Just let them be.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:47 pm
Now for the ball, we only have three days, that's THREE DAYS to fully play out not only the over-all plot for the entire ball, but also each of the plots in the rooms. In order to do this, there's some guidelines you should follow.
Don't Get Caught up in Side-Plots
This happens. Somebody will get a great idea for a side-plot, a host or co-host will fall in love with it and abandon the original plot for the new one. It's alright to have side-plots, why in the School Dream, we had one where the guests decided to try composing a new song, which my fellow roommates and I enjoyed, but we still got on with finishing the main plot of reverting Katya and the school back to normal. Just don't get caught up in them and spend forever on them!
Always Remember the Solution
Everyone will have all the main plots figured out at least a month before the ball is actually set to begin. This means that you'll know not only how it ends, but the major steps along the way. Be adaptable! Expect the unexpected! You may have to change some things along the way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:49 pm
Personally, I find this to be the most annoying fault among roleplayers. I'm not saying I haven't done it. I have, but I was new, I made mistakes.
Definition
Roleplaying in-character but ignoring all rules of roleplay, dictating what happens to other roleplayers' characters, making their own character a super-being who can't die. Generally used to describe a character being roleplayed in battle situations (e.g. every attack they perform hits, they dodge every attack directed at them, they are unfairly powerful compared to other characters).
Should you think you're doing this:
Just ask someone. Apologize if necessary. Manners are important.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:53 pm
Another thing that annoys me. Most roleplay mods will tell you if your character is a Mary Sue or any of her lovely counterparts.
Who is Mary Sue?
Mary Sue is an ideal character. Strong, attractive, popular, and cool, Mary Sue (Gary Stu for male characters) is a huge pitfall. Everyone wants to play one, but no one ever should. These characters are, bluntly, stupid.
The characters often have a great number of skills. They don't have to be masters, but they have a lot, and they are great at most of them. In simple terms, the character is a Jack of All trades, but is as good as someone who specializes in that sole trade.
Mary Sue is also highly beautiful (in more than one aspect). They appear to be heavenly, and are often exquisite in many different types of clothing. Their soul tends to be 'beautiful' (to the creator, which means it may not be innocent). That can make for a wicked personality.
Mary Sue is a huge part of any story or Role Play. They suck up the other character's roles, hogging the plot to them. The Role Play dies because of it, and Mary Sue brought everyone down with her.
How do I know if I'm Playing Mary Sue?
Simple. Take this test, but be careful to follow all the instructions.
Who Are Her Friends?
Mary Sue has many friends, some of them are:
Black Hole Sue — Everything is about me!
Purity Sue — Love me!
God Mode Sue — Power overwhelming!
Mary Tzu — I knew you would do that. In fact, I knew you would do that before I even met you, cuz I'm JUST THAT GOOD!
Jerk Sue — I'm a complete and utter b*tch and I have constant PMS...love me!
Possession Sue — My favourite character is an even better version of me!
Copy Cat Sue — I'm just like my favorite character, but even kewler!
Relationship Sue — You're my boyfriend now!
Sympathetic Sue — Feel sorry for me!
Anti Sue — I'm genuinely useless, but everybody still loves me!
Villain Sue — I have you now, my beautiful slaves! Ahahahahahahaha!
Fixer Sue — No, that's not how it's supposed to go!
Parody Sue — Why don't they fall for my buxom charms?
Thirty Sue Pileup — We are Legion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:05 pm
You need to know just about everything about your character. Especially in something like the ball where you only have a weekend for the bulk of the roleplaying. I'm going to go over some common elements, and include a list of elements that aren't always included.
Straightforward Elements
The following elements are self-explanatory:
Full name, nickname, gender, age, native language, and relationship status.
Detailed Elements
These elements need some explaining:
Personality ~ It's often not enough to just state personality traits and hope that everyone gets what you mean. Go into detail. What makes your character that way? What has pushed them to be that way? You don't have to know much about psychology to fill this out. Think about your character's history. At times our past determines who we are.
History ~ Don't just talk about your family. Talk about what you liked doing at certain points in your life. Talk about your accomplishments, your first love, your first heartbreak, the moment you realized the world was cruel.
Likes/Dislikes/Fears/Loves ~ Nothing gets more boring than the same old likes and dislikes. As a profile checker in a Hogwarts guild, it gets annoying when people put that they don't like mudbloods in all of their characters. Be original, but don't pick something that has nothing to do with your character. If your character has had a traumatic experience involving a dog, they aren't going to like dogs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:06 pm
Tired of characters that are all peaceful and love everyone one minute and then turn all angsty and anti-social the next? Well, that's why character development is such a big deal.
Personality
Don't just write the word optimistic. Write out how they're optimistic. Are they a naturally bubbly person who has a wonderful outlook on life? Or maybe they seem to be a withdrawn self-absorbed jerk who has an optimistic view of everything deep below the layers that they hide behind? Be creative. Characters who have a deep personality that only leaves a few questions asked are typically well-received by your fellow roleplayers. Try to avoid using fillers like "In certain situations." If you must use something like that, specify in what kind of situation you're talking about. For example:
"Aravis is typically a very sweet, caring girl, but when she witnesses someone being bullied, she immediately becomes enraged, causing many people to be afraid of her."
Prompts
Sometimes you just can't think of how to expand upon your character. Well, have no fear! Use some of these amazing prompts! The key is to answer them as your character would.
A.Being physically trapped
B.Being emotionally trapped
C.Being injured or threatened
D.Having loved ones injured or threatened
E.Reaction to a stereotype (Hero/Knight in shining armor, Defenseless maiden in distress, Super-bad guy,Super bad guy's frightened minion)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:07 pm
As an official ball roleplayer you will have to interact with others. It's not always as easy as it seems. If you're trying to get someone's attention, there are a few ways to do so:
Leave them a Message
This is usually only done when you already have a relationship with the other person, as it involves either leaving a comment on their user profile or sending them a PM. Make sure you don't demand them to post.
@You There
This is something that's put at the bottom of roleplaying posts, typically in the OOC. If I was roleplaying to a character of Knight of Calypso's, I'd put something along the lines of @Calypso: Your turn.
Quoting
I prefer not to quote, since this takes up space, and sometimes it creates quote towers (whole pages of quote). If you do choose to do this, quote the other user, but erase everything that they said so it appears as if you quoted a blank post of theirs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:08 pm
Fight Scenes
Fights don't always happen in the ball, but in rooms that are Adventure themed, it happens. However, a common complaint with these things is godmodding. Often times, users will say something like Katya hit Olivia. That's fine, except Katya has not allowed Olivia time to reply to the hit. What Katya should write is something like Katya swung her arm at Olivia in an attempt to hit the science teacher. This way, Olivia has time to react.
Mind Reading
Mind reading is fine if your character is a psychic, but if not, it's actually pretty annoying and rude. Most users when thinking will put their character's thoughts in italics and follow it up with some form of the verb "to think". However, this does not inhibit you from asking questions. Say the following situation occurs:
Katya sat in her office looking out the door, watching as the students passed by. She was aware that a student was waiting for the proper moment to come in and say hi, but she was far too busy thinking about her chess board. 'I wonder if I'll ever be able to beat that darn thing,' she thought to herself.
The student upon coming in would then be able to ask what Katya is doing or even if they could help her with a game. A student would not be able to encourage Katya to beat it, since they don't know what she's thinking.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:08 pm
In the event that you do have to make your own posting styles, here's some advice to follow.
Stay Simple
You don't need to have everything but the kitchen sink in your layout. This makes everything cluttered and difficult to follow. An image of your character, their name, a quote, and a place for text is really all you need.
Symbols
Don't pick symbols that make no sense for your character. If your character is evil and wants to start a war, they aren't going to have a peace sign in their layout.
Colors
Try not to pick bright colors, or anything too light. Those colors are really too hard on the eyes. Try softer colors, or greys. Something that's more soothing.
Bolding and Italicizing
Most people use bold letters when they're talking, and italics for thoughts. This is easier on the eyes.
OOC Sayings
Some people get creative with their OOC posts. For example, instead of putting OOC, they will put something like Out of Cookies, Old Orange Coconut, Out of Chaos, etc. These will still follow the usual rules of OOC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:09 pm
If you have a question, feel free to ask either here in the thread, or send me a PM. I'll add it here. If you send a PM, you will remain anonymous.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:10 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
