Tutorials for Beginners
Table of Contents
+ Introduction to RP
- What IS RP?
- The Basics You Should Know
- The Do's and Dont's
+ The Different Kinds of RP's
- The Basics
- In-Depth
+ Creating your Character
- Basics
- In-Depth
+ Character Activity
- Styles of Character RP
- Description
- Bringing a Character In Successfully
+ Character Interaction
- Basic Interaction
- Fighting
+ Following a Plot
- Making a Plot Work
- Warning on Plot Twists
- Breaking the Cliche Code
___
Introduction to RP
What IS RP?
RP or Roleplay is a form of "gaming" to some, and to others it is an outlet. In technical terms, it is playing a character whom you created [or if it were based on something already made, and was allowed, a character previously created].
When playing a character, you are, in a sense, acting. Your reactions are that of the characters. If the roleplay is compelling enough, you'll usually find yourself deeply sucked in.
The Basics You Should Know
When roleplaying, certain assets are expected of you. Otherwise you will lose respect from the other members. The following is a list of things you should do, or practice, before embarking on any type of roleplay:
+ Grammar, and Spelling: At least the grammar. People need to understand what you are posting.
+ Open-Mindedness: This is especially important if you are either a very experienced [why are you reading this is you are?] roleplayer, or a very inexperienced one. It is important to be good to Newbies, and it is also important to let the plot go on as it will. Remember, nobody is in control.
+ Respect: Respecting your fellow roleplayers is very important, because if you don't, there will be much more tension and it will spill into the roleplay itself.
+ Over-Sensitive: Don't be over-sensitive about things that have happened IC. People's characters, and the people themselves, are two different things. If someone insults your character, it does not mean they dislike you, so refrain from starting an OOC argument and making the environment uncomfortable for everyone involved.
+ Pleasant: Well, in general, it's good to be an all-around pleasant person to RP with. If you're unpleasant, guess what? People won't like you. XP.
+ No Jibber-Jabber: OOC is good every now and then, but you know what, there's an entire GUILD outside of this thread! You can post OOC messages that are irrelevant to the current RP in a new thread, specifically for your RP buddies. Having discussions about your cat, or dog, can just be confusing to future readers, or anyone trying to catch up.
+ Quoting: Don't do it. Plain and simple. Quoting is something you use in chats, but not here. Generally, you should be able to weave the direction at which the post is going into the paragraph or whatever of your character's actions. If not, then you can specify OOC. Just don't use quotes. It's gross, and messy, and nobody likes it.
So, any questions? You can always PM me if you think something is missing.
The Do's and Dont's
Bet you thought the last part was enough do's and dont's, right? Nah. XP. Never fear, kids, once you get over the formalities, it's really fun!
Do:
Post regularly!
Encourage new members.
Have fun.
Don't:
Post incredibly long, illegible paragraphs that take up half of the thread's original length.
Insult people OOC for things from IC.
Make your character all-knowing. If someone posts something IC, and you are a million miles away in some other area, but you suddenly get the "magical sense" that something is going on, that's just lame.
Argue about one particular post for pages on end, until everyone forgets what the post was even about, and it is lost in an abyss of people whining.
The Different Kinds of RP's
There are different kinds of RP's out there for everyone! Some are Fanfic[which is the style in which THIS is], some are completely Original, and some are even based in real-life and called "Cosplaying".
As stated before, this is a Fanfic-RP, in other words, it is based on a game.
The Basics:
Fanfic: An RP which is based on a video game, book, TV show, or other. Characters can be original, yet living in the setting of said media, or they can be the characters FROM said media. This is not permitted in our RP.
Original: Anything from real-life to sci-fi can be done here, and it's all unique to those who thought it up! All characters are original.
Cosplaying: Usually this is much like Fanfic, except not online. Sometimes people actually play their own original characters. At any rate, this is not possible for us, here.
In-Depth:
Message Board RP: This is what we are doing. It is usually a longer process, but can be more fulfilling in the long-run. People post their messages whenever possible, and it is up for all to see, automatically archived on the thread.
Chat Room RP: A more free-form style of RP that is done live, and not recorded unless someone decides to copy/paste it into a word document, or somehow save the file. It is more fulfilling in the moment, but can die easier.
Real-Life: As said before, 'cosplay' is the real-life version of these. It's probably more physical, but it usually costs money, and involves much more work.
Creating your Character
Creating a character can be a long process, or a short one, depending on how you go about doing things. It really depends on you. Your character IS a manditory part of roleplay, though!
The Basics
Basically, a profile is a good thing to have posted, or just for you. It's good reference, and it helps organize things, but remember to let your creativity flow! The profile is only help, you shouldn't live off of it.
Basic Physical Info
Name: An obviously important part of your character.
Age: Similarly important, though you can leave this *mysterious* if you really want to.
Gender: Sometimes it's unclear, so what can I say? XP.
Species: There can be a number of species' you could choose from, but keep in mind that THIS is a KH roleplay.
Height: Optional, but it is appreciated.
Weight: Also optional, and also appreciated.
Hair Color/Eye Color: Just another tidbit of info which people enjoy knowing.
Clothing/Dress: In case you don't have a picture, people do like to know what your character looks like. It helps the imagination.
Equipment/Weaponry: Helps during battle, or otherwise, and gives good reference.
The In-Depth
- These are ALL optional, and it is up to you. I recommend keeping them for later, when you are used to your character. -
Background: Sometimes it is nice to keep this private, and have the character verbally tell it, but if you feel the need to write one, you can put it here.
Family: If your character has any present family, they can also be listed. This is especially helpful in the instance of a "family member" being in the RP. [By family, I mean the character's, not yours].
Allignment: This is more for DND styled RP's, but if you really want to put your allignment, then you'll know what it's for. Mostly it would be like, 'neutral', 'evil', 'good', 'chaotic neutral', etc.
Abilities: A list of abilities is another nice reference, but remember to let your creativity go out on this one. I recommend developing your character BEFORE you list abilities. Choosing things like "Fire Casting, Healing, Dark Energy Balls", etc, can be kind of cliche. Unless your character is the type that would HONESTLY have some affinity with them, try to stray away from that kind of stuff until you've adjusted to playing the character.
Personality: Your character's quirks, traits, etc. This should be a major motivation for you to play them, so be someone you'd like to be, not someone who bugs you. Furthermore, you should think this up FIRST, and then post about it at a later time.
Your character should be thought up before you make a profile like this, though. Remember, a character should come from the heart, or else playing it will not be as fun.
Character Activity
Your character needs to be active, and this is certain. There are different ways you can play a character.
Styles of Character RP
The common styles of RP are as follows:
Third Person: This would be the style in which you would use words such as; 'he, she, they' to describe your character.
Past:
Diane was alone, again. She heaved a sigh, looking through the glass window at the party outside. They always had more fun than her.
Present:
Diane finds herself alone, again. She heaves a sigh, looking through the glass window at the party outside. They always have more fun than her.
Future:
Diane will find herself alone, again. She would heave a sigh, looking through the glass window at the party outside. They will always have more fun than her.
- I don't recommend the latter, for it is CONFUSING! -
Some also choose not to be omniscient, as in they don't know what their character's thoughts are. Example:
Diane was alone. She looked out at the party longingly, and sighed.
First Person: This would be the style in which you would use words such as; 'I, me'.
Past:
I found myself alone, again, and heaved a sigh. I looked out the window, watching the party. They always had more fun than I did.
Present:
I find myself alone, again, and heave a sigh. I look out the window at the party. They always have more fun than I do.
Future:
I will find myself alone, again, and heave a sigh. I would look out the window at the party. They will always have more fun than I will.
Descriptions
When writing a post, I recommend not using anything to signify your actions. Simply write it as you would a paragraph from a short story. If you MUST use '*', or otherwise to signify your actions, then here are some options.
* Diane looked out the window, heaving a sigh and watching the party. They always had more fun than she did. *
- Diane looked out the window, heaving a sigh and watching the party. They always had more fun than she did. -
You can also add things such as making actions in italics, or bold. It's up to you.
Bringing a Character In Successfully
A character's entrance can be key to how people will regard your character throughout the RP.
When bringing a character in, there are some helpful factors:
Chance Meetings: Your character can meet another person's merely by chance, and get to know the other's this way.
Villain Meetings: This can happen in two ways; a) You ARE the villain, and obviously sought them out, or bumped into them, depending b) You are being bothered by the villain, as are the others, and meet them there. [There should be a minimum of two villains with separate causes, so don't decide to be the bad guy if the position's are filled up].
Old-Friend Meetings: Your character "recognizes" another person's, and begins talking to them. This should only be done if the OTHER person agrees with it, OOC.
No Meetings: If you don't want your character to be involved with anyone, you can merely post them walking around.
Pre-Meetings: This would be if you and another person had agreed to already know eachother in the RP. In this case, you are simply introducing your character in actions, while being around someone else.
Good Ways to Introduce Your Physical
When typing an introductory paragraph, you can add things such as the hair color, eye color, name, height, and basically all physical status.
Example:
Lianna smiled at the young man, brushing a blond strand from her eyes, which glowed a misty green, and extended a hand.
"My name is Lianna," She said confidently.
Her grip was strong, and her gauntlets would make it almost a little painful to hold her hand for too long.
Something like that gives you some basic information. We'll get to the speaking thing next, though, so don't worry.
Character Interaction
Basic Interaction
Interaction between characters would be functioning with them, talking, etc.
Ways you can interact successfully:
Talking: I recommend using " " when you are speaking. In fact, it SHOULD be a requirement, because it looks a lot better and is less confusing.
Physical Actions: Kissing someone's cheek if they're nice, patting them on the back for a job well done, play-fighting, and the like, are all ways you could physically interact while sending a message non-verbally.
Letters/Messages: Writing a note, letter, or leaving a message can also be effective.
Fighting
This is really complicated. Fighting in RP can be very tedious, but I will brief you on it.
Free-Style: Not gonna be allowed in this RP, you are basically just typing up hits whenever you want, ETC.
Example:
He stabbed her with his dagger, yanking it free of her wretched body and storming off.
- See, it's pretty lame, no? -
TB: Turn based, in which you type up an ATTEMPT at hitting someone, and wait for their reaction. This takes a LONG time, and I don't recommend it.
Example:
He reached into his pocket, revealing a small dagger which glinted in the light of the busy street. With a few movements, he was upon he, aiming to bring the dagger up into her gut.
- Better, but still sort of blaw, ne? -
Para: It's kind of a mix of TB and free-style, this is what we should use. You can hit SOMETIMES, but you can't automatically kill, and you'll have to attempt to do some things.
Example:
He reached into his pocket, drawing a dagger which glinted in the lights of the busy street. With a quick, gently movement, he brought his fist to meet squarely with her jaw, and aimed the dagger up into her gut.
- See, it's much easier, and it goes faster. -
That's the basics on fighting, but don't expect too much of that, I'll try to keep it minimal.
Following a Plot
Plots are important to an RP. Without them, things die quickly. Sometimes a plot can be basic, like, a family living in a mansion. Sometimes they are much more complex. It just depends. This one will be part-way between both.
Making a Plot Work
For a plot to work, everyone has to be in accord with it. If you aren't agreeing with how things are going, you're just not going to have fun. Talk to someone about it, instead of sabotaging the entire thing.
Warning on Plot Twists
A plot-twist can be great, but it can also suck if it is typical or cliche. If you are going to twist the plot [I'll be moderating this RP, so technically it's my job to], make sure it's well thought out and developed.
Breaking the Cliche Code
Cliche's are annoying, needless to say. Typical things you find in a plot twist/other are:
Good Guy Gone Bad: If your character was good, and got along, and then he suddenly turns bad, well, it's just a little too typical. This CAN work, but you shouldn't play a character with no reference to their true identity.
Bad Guy Gone Good: If your character was bad, and suddenly decided to join you, that would be typical.
Dying Heroicly: Well, this CAN work, but only if it's properly done. If your character's death seems sudden and rushed, it will reflect as you just trying to get out of the RP. It's pretty typical.
And that's all!
Good luck, folks!
This was taken from "The Official Kingdom Hearts Guild" with permission!
DO NOT GIVE ME CREDIT THIS IS ALL [- Goose -]s!!
Table of Contents
+ Introduction to RP
- What IS RP?
- The Basics You Should Know
- The Do's and Dont's
+ The Different Kinds of RP's
- The Basics
- In-Depth
+ Creating your Character
- Basics
- In-Depth
+ Character Activity
- Styles of Character RP
- Description
- Bringing a Character In Successfully
+ Character Interaction
- Basic Interaction
- Fighting
+ Following a Plot
- Making a Plot Work
- Warning on Plot Twists
- Breaking the Cliche Code
___
Introduction to RP
What IS RP?
RP or Roleplay is a form of "gaming" to some, and to others it is an outlet. In technical terms, it is playing a character whom you created [or if it were based on something already made, and was allowed, a character previously created].
When playing a character, you are, in a sense, acting. Your reactions are that of the characters. If the roleplay is compelling enough, you'll usually find yourself deeply sucked in.
The Basics You Should Know
When roleplaying, certain assets are expected of you. Otherwise you will lose respect from the other members. The following is a list of things you should do, or practice, before embarking on any type of roleplay:
+ Grammar, and Spelling: At least the grammar. People need to understand what you are posting.
+ Open-Mindedness: This is especially important if you are either a very experienced [why are you reading this is you are?] roleplayer, or a very inexperienced one. It is important to be good to Newbies, and it is also important to let the plot go on as it will. Remember, nobody is in control.
+ Respect: Respecting your fellow roleplayers is very important, because if you don't, there will be much more tension and it will spill into the roleplay itself.
+ Over-Sensitive: Don't be over-sensitive about things that have happened IC. People's characters, and the people themselves, are two different things. If someone insults your character, it does not mean they dislike you, so refrain from starting an OOC argument and making the environment uncomfortable for everyone involved.
+ Pleasant: Well, in general, it's good to be an all-around pleasant person to RP with. If you're unpleasant, guess what? People won't like you. XP.
+ No Jibber-Jabber: OOC is good every now and then, but you know what, there's an entire GUILD outside of this thread! You can post OOC messages that are irrelevant to the current RP in a new thread, specifically for your RP buddies. Having discussions about your cat, or dog, can just be confusing to future readers, or anyone trying to catch up.
+ Quoting: Don't do it. Plain and simple. Quoting is something you use in chats, but not here. Generally, you should be able to weave the direction at which the post is going into the paragraph or whatever of your character's actions. If not, then you can specify OOC. Just don't use quotes. It's gross, and messy, and nobody likes it.
So, any questions? You can always PM me if you think something is missing.
The Do's and Dont's
Bet you thought the last part was enough do's and dont's, right? Nah. XP. Never fear, kids, once you get over the formalities, it's really fun!
Do:
Post regularly!
Encourage new members.
Have fun.
Don't:
Post incredibly long, illegible paragraphs that take up half of the thread's original length.
Insult people OOC for things from IC.
Make your character all-knowing. If someone posts something IC, and you are a million miles away in some other area, but you suddenly get the "magical sense" that something is going on, that's just lame.
Argue about one particular post for pages on end, until everyone forgets what the post was even about, and it is lost in an abyss of people whining.
The Different Kinds of RP's
There are different kinds of RP's out there for everyone! Some are Fanfic[which is the style in which THIS is], some are completely Original, and some are even based in real-life and called "Cosplaying".
As stated before, this is a Fanfic-RP, in other words, it is based on a game.
The Basics:
Fanfic: An RP which is based on a video game, book, TV show, or other. Characters can be original, yet living in the setting of said media, or they can be the characters FROM said media. This is not permitted in our RP.
Original: Anything from real-life to sci-fi can be done here, and it's all unique to those who thought it up! All characters are original.
Cosplaying: Usually this is much like Fanfic, except not online. Sometimes people actually play their own original characters. At any rate, this is not possible for us, here.
In-Depth:
Message Board RP: This is what we are doing. It is usually a longer process, but can be more fulfilling in the long-run. People post their messages whenever possible, and it is up for all to see, automatically archived on the thread.
Chat Room RP: A more free-form style of RP that is done live, and not recorded unless someone decides to copy/paste it into a word document, or somehow save the file. It is more fulfilling in the moment, but can die easier.
Real-Life: As said before, 'cosplay' is the real-life version of these. It's probably more physical, but it usually costs money, and involves much more work.
Creating your Character
Creating a character can be a long process, or a short one, depending on how you go about doing things. It really depends on you. Your character IS a manditory part of roleplay, though!
The Basics
Basically, a profile is a good thing to have posted, or just for you. It's good reference, and it helps organize things, but remember to let your creativity flow! The profile is only help, you shouldn't live off of it.
Basic Physical Info
Name: An obviously important part of your character.
Age: Similarly important, though you can leave this *mysterious* if you really want to.
Gender: Sometimes it's unclear, so what can I say? XP.
Species: There can be a number of species' you could choose from, but keep in mind that THIS is a KH roleplay.
Height: Optional, but it is appreciated.
Weight: Also optional, and also appreciated.
Hair Color/Eye Color: Just another tidbit of info which people enjoy knowing.
Clothing/Dress: In case you don't have a picture, people do like to know what your character looks like. It helps the imagination.
Equipment/Weaponry: Helps during battle, or otherwise, and gives good reference.
The In-Depth
- These are ALL optional, and it is up to you. I recommend keeping them for later, when you are used to your character. -
Background: Sometimes it is nice to keep this private, and have the character verbally tell it, but if you feel the need to write one, you can put it here.
Family: If your character has any present family, they can also be listed. This is especially helpful in the instance of a "family member" being in the RP. [By family, I mean the character's, not yours].
Allignment: This is more for DND styled RP's, but if you really want to put your allignment, then you'll know what it's for. Mostly it would be like, 'neutral', 'evil', 'good', 'chaotic neutral', etc.
Abilities: A list of abilities is another nice reference, but remember to let your creativity go out on this one. I recommend developing your character BEFORE you list abilities. Choosing things like "Fire Casting, Healing, Dark Energy Balls", etc, can be kind of cliche. Unless your character is the type that would HONESTLY have some affinity with them, try to stray away from that kind of stuff until you've adjusted to playing the character.
Personality: Your character's quirks, traits, etc. This should be a major motivation for you to play them, so be someone you'd like to be, not someone who bugs you. Furthermore, you should think this up FIRST, and then post about it at a later time.
Your character should be thought up before you make a profile like this, though. Remember, a character should come from the heart, or else playing it will not be as fun.
Character Activity
Your character needs to be active, and this is certain. There are different ways you can play a character.
Styles of Character RP
The common styles of RP are as follows:
Third Person: This would be the style in which you would use words such as; 'he, she, they' to describe your character.
Past:
Diane was alone, again. She heaved a sigh, looking through the glass window at the party outside. They always had more fun than her.
Present:
Diane finds herself alone, again. She heaves a sigh, looking through the glass window at the party outside. They always have more fun than her.
Future:
Diane will find herself alone, again. She would heave a sigh, looking through the glass window at the party outside. They will always have more fun than her.
- I don't recommend the latter, for it is CONFUSING! -
Some also choose not to be omniscient, as in they don't know what their character's thoughts are. Example:
Diane was alone. She looked out at the party longingly, and sighed.
First Person: This would be the style in which you would use words such as; 'I, me'.
Past:
I found myself alone, again, and heaved a sigh. I looked out the window, watching the party. They always had more fun than I did.
Present:
I find myself alone, again, and heave a sigh. I look out the window at the party. They always have more fun than I do.
Future:
I will find myself alone, again, and heave a sigh. I would look out the window at the party. They will always have more fun than I will.
Descriptions
When writing a post, I recommend not using anything to signify your actions. Simply write it as you would a paragraph from a short story. If you MUST use '*', or otherwise to signify your actions, then here are some options.
* Diane looked out the window, heaving a sigh and watching the party. They always had more fun than she did. *
- Diane looked out the window, heaving a sigh and watching the party. They always had more fun than she did. -
You can also add things such as making actions in italics, or bold. It's up to you.
Bringing a Character In Successfully
A character's entrance can be key to how people will regard your character throughout the RP.
When bringing a character in, there are some helpful factors:
Chance Meetings: Your character can meet another person's merely by chance, and get to know the other's this way.
Villain Meetings: This can happen in two ways; a) You ARE the villain, and obviously sought them out, or bumped into them, depending b) You are being bothered by the villain, as are the others, and meet them there. [There should be a minimum of two villains with separate causes, so don't decide to be the bad guy if the position's are filled up].
Old-Friend Meetings: Your character "recognizes" another person's, and begins talking to them. This should only be done if the OTHER person agrees with it, OOC.
No Meetings: If you don't want your character to be involved with anyone, you can merely post them walking around.
Pre-Meetings: This would be if you and another person had agreed to already know eachother in the RP. In this case, you are simply introducing your character in actions, while being around someone else.
Good Ways to Introduce Your Physical
When typing an introductory paragraph, you can add things such as the hair color, eye color, name, height, and basically all physical status.
Example:
Lianna smiled at the young man, brushing a blond strand from her eyes, which glowed a misty green, and extended a hand.
"My name is Lianna," She said confidently.
Her grip was strong, and her gauntlets would make it almost a little painful to hold her hand for too long.
Something like that gives you some basic information. We'll get to the speaking thing next, though, so don't worry.
Character Interaction
Basic Interaction
Interaction between characters would be functioning with them, talking, etc.
Ways you can interact successfully:
Talking: I recommend using " " when you are speaking. In fact, it SHOULD be a requirement, because it looks a lot better and is less confusing.
Physical Actions: Kissing someone's cheek if they're nice, patting them on the back for a job well done, play-fighting, and the like, are all ways you could physically interact while sending a message non-verbally.
Letters/Messages: Writing a note, letter, or leaving a message can also be effective.
Fighting
This is really complicated. Fighting in RP can be very tedious, but I will brief you on it.
Free-Style: Not gonna be allowed in this RP, you are basically just typing up hits whenever you want, ETC.
Example:
He stabbed her with his dagger, yanking it free of her wretched body and storming off.
- See, it's pretty lame, no? -
TB: Turn based, in which you type up an ATTEMPT at hitting someone, and wait for their reaction. This takes a LONG time, and I don't recommend it.
Example:
He reached into his pocket, revealing a small dagger which glinted in the light of the busy street. With a few movements, he was upon he, aiming to bring the dagger up into her gut.
- Better, but still sort of blaw, ne? -
Para: It's kind of a mix of TB and free-style, this is what we should use. You can hit SOMETIMES, but you can't automatically kill, and you'll have to attempt to do some things.
Example:
He reached into his pocket, drawing a dagger which glinted in the lights of the busy street. With a quick, gently movement, he brought his fist to meet squarely with her jaw, and aimed the dagger up into her gut.
- See, it's much easier, and it goes faster. -
That's the basics on fighting, but don't expect too much of that, I'll try to keep it minimal.
Following a Plot
Plots are important to an RP. Without them, things die quickly. Sometimes a plot can be basic, like, a family living in a mansion. Sometimes they are much more complex. It just depends. This one will be part-way between both.
Making a Plot Work
For a plot to work, everyone has to be in accord with it. If you aren't agreeing with how things are going, you're just not going to have fun. Talk to someone about it, instead of sabotaging the entire thing.
Warning on Plot Twists
A plot-twist can be great, but it can also suck if it is typical or cliche. If you are going to twist the plot [I'll be moderating this RP, so technically it's my job to], make sure it's well thought out and developed.
Breaking the Cliche Code
Cliche's are annoying, needless to say. Typical things you find in a plot twist/other are:
Good Guy Gone Bad: If your character was good, and got along, and then he suddenly turns bad, well, it's just a little too typical. This CAN work, but you shouldn't play a character with no reference to their true identity.
Bad Guy Gone Good: If your character was bad, and suddenly decided to join you, that would be typical.
Dying Heroicly: Well, this CAN work, but only if it's properly done. If your character's death seems sudden and rushed, it will reflect as you just trying to get out of the RP. It's pretty typical.
And that's all!
Good luck, folks!
This was taken from "The Official Kingdom Hearts Guild" with permission!
DO NOT GIVE ME CREDIT THIS IS ALL [- Goose -]s!!
