Roleplaying Advice

[Taggerung_of_Redwall]

NOTE: This topic is for advice/suggestions for Roleplayers. If you have questions about roleplaying, there is a topic for that.


This thread is a guide written by players for players.
If you feel you're an experienced RPer, feel free to share your knowledge and advice to all who view here.
Note large amounts of what is posted here is opinion or advice. Some of what is posted is not, such as How to Roleplay posts that have been personally written by members. If the post is advice on what to do, such as the concept stated below in this post, it is up to you to decide whether to use it.
Please consult the "Roleplaying Basics" thread if you have not already.

To start with:
The concept of OOC/Sign-up and actual topic seperation.

The idea behind this is to first post a topic which outlines the RPG, and allow members to sign-up there. Then you would go and create a new topic, which would be the actual place to RP the game. As the game progressed, you would discuss OOC in the start-up topic, thus clearing the RP topic and making it more straight-forward and less-complicated.
Example:
Topics:
Redwall Kitchen Adventures OOC/Sign-up
Redwall Kitchen Adventures

[Gonff]

I have a suggestion, can everyone change the names of their sign-up and their actually RP to match.
So you have something like:
Redwall Kitchen Adventures OOC/Sign-up
Redwall Kitchen Adventures

Because it gets rather confusing when you have names like my RP, new RP, the first RP, etc.

[Taggerung_of_Redwall]

That would undoubtedly make things more simple, though it's of course up to the RP creators to go and change the names or not.

[Nightfire]

Can I request that characters actually punctuate and capitalize their sentences? It gets very hard to read when its just a long running line of words.

[Gonff]

I also think this would make things easier, but, just like the names of the topics, it's up to the people if they want to change it or not.

[James Gryphon]

It'd be preferable if it was done properly to begin with, but if it comes down to it, I suppose someone could make a "novelized" version of the RP after it's done, so that people can actually read it in a way that makes sense.

[Taggerung_of_Redwall]

To new roleplayers, especially gamemasters: Please make sure when starting a roleplay that you include a plot consisting of at least a paragraph of text to guide the roleplay, and merit its existence.
If you don't have a real plot work out yet, then just roleplay in existing threads. When you really have a good, developed, plausible, unique roleplay, then post it.

[RatBane]

OK so your starting out on RPGing or Role Playing.

I was in a Forum Style RPG like this for 4 years 1 game. Role Play is not some thing you will learn over night. It is much like acting. In a forum base one it is much like telling a part of a story.

1. Fine out who the storyteller are so you can interact with them properly do a little research on each and make mental notes or notes to remember them.

2. Read the post and what is going on in the story at the moment before deciding on what your going to be. Getting a feel help you with your story telling as well.

3. Once you have completed step 1 and 2 get you thoughts together and make your person and feel him know him give him a bit of story make him real to you.

4. HAVE FUN! Don't worry if you make a person to play and he dies in like 5 min guess what I have played table top RP and larp rps and I didn't even last the night due to dice and or the game its self.
Just give him/her a good death and make a new one learn from the mistakes and carry on.

[Taggerung_of_Redwall]

Roleplaying is generally done in past tense and third person. i.e. "He went to the camp" and not "I am going to the tent."
A roleplay could be done otherwise, but not regularly, and not with good reason.
Also, I'd recommend making your posts at least two or three sentences long in a roleplay, otherwise you're not really adding a thing to the roleplay

[RatBane]

Taggerung_of_Redwall is very very right. I was on a forum that the rule for RP was minum of 5 lines for any seen.

If you and another player were in a heated battle and you know you could dish out a death blow so to speak. You had better PM your friend there and talk to him and work out a seen that both of you were happy with putting to lines.

Also there will be players that treat you badly and medagame or just do what ever they want with out pming you or caring and there is some people that create the story line that will kill you off for no reason. If that happens first talk to the player or GM. If that gets you know where then let him kill you and don't get upset.

You know why you have many other rps a few topics down that you can just pull your creation there and play. If you feel like it let the gm of that game know in pm that hey that guy dose not play fair in his rp or that players is doing wrong. Someone will see it and then he have to talk to a forum mod.

Remember Death is not a end in the world of RP it is just a door way to make more creations.

[Skipper]

As stated already i think role players should use punctuation, it gets confusing without it, i also think new role players should read the last posts on that topic so they can remember what is going on. Also don't dash into every RP you can find, start with one and gradually go in more RP's.

[BrookSkimmer]

I find it VERY important to read all the posts up until your last post before making a new post. If you don't do this your new post might not make sense or move the plot along. I know it takes a little more time but it will make for a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

[BrookSkimmer]

Here are some ideas to consider when starting a new RP:

I've seen three different styles of sign up threads so far.

One, is the way it was going until recently I think. Where people post a plot and random people sign up until the game master decides there is enough people. Then the game master starts the actual thread.

Two, is to post a plot and write a brief outline of the characters that may be taken. Ex:
Otter 1
Male river otter
Weapons:
Description:
Occupation:
(I think I may have been the one to start this here with my first Reedbind thread but I'm not sure...)
I've modified this by telling people they can PM me if they have another type of character they would like to have join. Then I will edit them into the sign up.

Third, is to post a plot and limit the number of people who can join. Then close the thread to others who might want to join.

Another one I could see happening is a personal invite type of RP. I have done these on other sites I have been a part of. They are usually titled like this: Ex: Who Stole the Cookies (closed)
Then in the first post it would say: "This thread is closed to all except person 1, person 2, and person 3. If you would like to join in please PM person 1 for permission before posting)

In my time of RPing "closing" a thread has never really made me feel left out and has not been a problem. usually if someone wants in bad enough they will PM, ask for permission and so on.

[Skipper]

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT to read the previous posts
example:
Person1:The dormice were tied up and hungry.
Peson2:One of the dormice got up and walked over to comfort the others.
if you are tied up you cannot get up and walk around, it dosn't make sense and it ruins the rp. I like rps to be as realistic as possible and it makes me frustrated when stuff like that happen.
Try to be desciptive and post atleast three lines, it helps the rp flow

[Tiria Wildlough]

Yep. If you can't post three lines, make something happen.