Roleplay Vocabulary
Terms and abbreviations that will help you understand the world of Roleplaying.
RP - Short for "roleplay." Can be used as a verb ("I want to RP.") or as a noun. ("You should join this RP!") An RPer is someone who RPs.
OOC - Short for "out of character." Used to refer to any talk/conversations that are made separate from the actual RP. Many RP rules will ask you to separate your OOC talk with parentheses or something like that. Here's an example:
Quote:
Charlie rushes into the kitchen, looking for the thief.
(Oh man! That reminds me! I left the oven on! brb)
The person(s) that created/run the the RP. Hosting an RP means you created it.
[O/A], [C/NA], etc... - Used to indicate the status of the RP. "O" means open and the RP is currently moving along. "C" means closed, no one is RPing, and that you shouldn't post there either. "A" means accepting, and you can submit you profile and potentially join. "NA" means not accepting, and that you won't be able to join. It's important to use the slash in between the letters.
OC - Short for original character, or a character who someone has made up themselves.
Literacy Level - Essentially
how you're expected to RP. The levels are generally called Illit, Semi-Lit, Lit, and Adv Lit.
Illit - "Illiterate." Means anything goes, and you can post anything you want, even just an emote.
Semi-Lit - You're expected to respond to characters and contribute to the story, but you don't have to spell correctly, use proper grammar, and can usually use asterisks to denote actions. An example of what you can see in a Semi-Lit RP:
Quote:
*Charlie walks in to t he kichen*
HEY! Wheres the theif?
*looks around* I kno ur in here!!!
You're expected to use correct grammar, spelling, and full sentences. Some Lit RP rules have a minimum sentences you can post, to ensure that the RP doesn't come to a screeching halt. Also, many people will try to be more descriptive. Here's an example of a Lit RP:
Quote:
Charlie creeped to the kitchen door, and slowly opened it. Peeking inside, he looked around for evidence of the thief passing through. Finally moving inside, he called out, "I know you're in here!"
"Advanced Literate." These RPs will generally ask you to pretty much spell everything right and use correct grammar all the time, no excuses. Also, they'll likely expect lots of flowery language, and at least one paragraph (8+ sentences) per post. Too lazy to make an example. XD
God-Modding - A BIG no-no in RPs. There are sort of two definitions for what constitutes God-modding. First one is making a character overpowered, which can mean either too many powers, or being so strong as to be invincible. The other is when you make a character
act invincible, or start controlling the actions of others. This can include your character to suddenly overcome a weakness in a dire situation, discovers a new power, or suddenly just "knows" something that they normally wouldn't. Some examples of God-Modding:
Quote:
Character Name: Charlie
Powers: Super strong, can beat anyone in one hit, really fast reflexes so he can block any attack, and is a cyborg so he can never die.
Quote:
While everyone was trying to figure how the thief was able to steal the diamond without anyone seeing, Charlie ran straight to the kitchen. Figuring it was the best place for a thief to hide, Charlie opened the cupboard, and found him.
In this example, assume the thief is another RPer, and is confronting Charlie.
Quote:
Charlie saw the thief trying to run away, and knew exactly where he would go. He took a single shot, and it hit the thief's leg, crippling him and preventing him from escaping.
A character that is perfect in every way, and this makes them boring and intensely annoying in an RP. Usually this is the creator projecting their wishes onto a character. Mary Sue can refer to a character of any sex, but Gary Stu is specifically a super-masculine male version of a Mary Sue. Concerned that your character is a Mary Sue? Check the first post for the link to the Mary Sue Litmus Test, which is a rough indicator of how much work your character may need.
DNP - Short for "do not post." Not used in just RP threads, but in others as well. Generally if an RP is closed, it's assumed that you should not post.
