A Beginner's Guide to Roleplaying
In other words: Roleplaying for Dummies.
Not that you're a dummy, of course. Maybe you just haven't done it before, but you've done things like tabletop RPGs, such as D&D, Serenity, Deathwatch, etc. Perhaps you love storytelling. Or maybe you just want to try something new. That's perfectly fine! Come on in and take a look. Now, this isn't a total and complete holy book of roleplaying, but it gives the basics on a few key things you need to know. I've included links to a few roleplaying community sites that I have found extremely useful as I have progressed through those games and roleplaying communities in them.
Some common misconceptions
Oftentimes people avoid roleplaying because they think it's "weird." They think it's "socially unacceptable." Well, I hate to break it to them, but roleplaying is simply acting and reacting. Any actor, of any sort, is playing a role. Weird, huh? Doesn't matter if they're in a movie, on the stage, or just a couple of kids playing in a box that they're pretending is their fort. It's all make believe. The key thing that matches up is it's telling a story, as if you were someone else.
Another thing: When you play an RPG (Thats three letters in the acronym of our chosen game genre MMORPG) you're playing out a character in a roleplaying game. You're playing a role. You're simply not taking it to the immersion level that a roleplayer does. You are your character. Without you as the soul of the character, the pixels stand and die. Or just stand if you're in a safe zone. That being said, it's not too terribly strange to take that to the next step and be the character.
Common Misconceptions dispelled, where do I start?
I'm glad you asked that. I would say start with your character.
Uh, 'scuse me, Ragmar, what about my character? I already have my level 80 thief, what more do I need?
Here is a fantastic place to start (courtesy http://www.guildwars2roleplayers.com/ and the link provided by our very own Viktor, as well as question sheet linked by Izzy. Third option is linked by Twilah. You can do all three, or just one.)
Fill this out. This helps you begin to get an idea of what you want your character to be. You can see some examples from some family members who are interested Right Here
Once you have that, you've got a good place to start. Play around with your character a bit, about how they'll react, what they'll do to other things, what their likes and dislikes are, etc. Try creating a new person from your head. One thing I have discovered is that a character that you can truly act out well is a character that has a portion of yourself in it. That way the character is like an extension of you, instead of trying to redevelop your mind. It's very difficult to create a brand new person that you pull out of your head for entertainment purposes. Might give you a headache if you try too hard.
Okay, great. Got my character in the works. What's next?
Let's teach you a few key terms that you're gonna need to know.
IC: In-character. This means your actions are what your character is doing. Usually done through emotes, /say, /yell, or actually in-game character actions.
OOC: Out-of-character. This means that your character did not actually just jump, because you accidentally pushed the space bar. These are things YOU do, not your character does. Like if a mob spawns where you're roleplaying, and you kill it. Or you push the spacebar.
God-modding: This is taking control of another persons character, creating their responses, etc. GODMODDING IS A NO-NO. You must not do this. Because the point of roleplaying is immersing yourself in a new world to act as if you're someone else for a little while, if you couldn't actually take control of someone's mind and make him give you his sword, you can't do it in game.
Mary-sue/special snowflake: A character that is just way out there and is ridiculous. For example: A char that is on his own Wyld Hunt because the Pale Tree spoke to him, but Rytlock Brimstone gave him his fiery sword. Oh, did I mention that the char also soloed Zhaitan? *Annoying Buzzer Sound* Wrong. There are two things wrong with this. Can you see them? One, he is too powerful. No one can solo Zhaitan. Two-
Lorebending: This is changing the pre-written lore to suit your needs. This is also a no-no. Just don't do it. When in doubt, try and avoid it. Do some research, it'll help you in the long run.
Wow, lot's of don'ts. Is there anything you're not telling me?
Don't be intimidated by those things. They're pretty easy rules to follow. And please remember, these are not hard-and-fast laws. They're just general, unwritten rules that roleplayers follow. Because half the fun is adding more depth to the virtual reality you're already playing, part of it is taking what's given. That's what these rules are intending.
Also, it's etiquette. If you don't show people the same respect they would to you, most people won't roleplay with you. Sad, but true fact.
A couple more etiquette points. If you see some people roleplaying, and you would like to join them, just send one of them a quick /w and see if it's alright. Most often, people are willing. But sometimes it wouldn't make sense to their story for you to be there. Don't be offended if they say no. And no one can stop you if you'd like to watch, just don't spam up their chatbox with emotes/says/etc.
Lot's of stuff so far, Ragmar. Anything else?
My friend, there is loads more, but I don't know it all. This is pretty much a bare-bones guide to get started. It's got as much as I can think of off the top of my head. As you become more experienced in roleplaying, there are huge levels of intricacies that you can make up. It's an art form. Like all people, you start out scribbling. But with practice, practice and more practice, you can create a masterpiece that you can be proud of.
Roleplaying Resources:
These resources come from various games and roleplaying communities I have been a part of. Some of the information in them pertains to only that game. However, there is plenty in there that applies to Roleplaying in general. I have listed the particular game names and communities if you're interested in learning more.
World of Warcraft
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2016793577
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/7415795418
Runescape: Combination Free-to-play and Pay-to-play Guides on the official Forums
http://services.runescape.com/m=forum/forums.ws?237,238,871,63555294
http://services.runescape.com/m=forum/forums.ws?237,238,675,64037832
Guild Wars 2 Official RP Site and Gaiscioch
http://www.gaiscioch.com/tavern/guildwars_roleplay/post_35783.html
Star Wars: The Old Republic Official RP Site
http://www.swtor-rp.com/forum/m/1639455/viewthread/1430214-roleplay-resources
http://www.swtor-rp.com/forum/m/1639455/viewthread/1826940-rp-character-creation-tips
Gaiscioch Roleplaying Etiquette Compendium By Elza
Posted by Daenera
Part 1: http://www.gaiscioch.com/tavern/guildwars_roleplay/post_47747.html
Part 2: http://www.gaiscioch.com/tavern/guildwars_roleplay/post_47748.html
Part 3: http://www.gaiscioch.com/tavern/guildwars_roleplay/post_47749.html
Part 4: http://www.gaiscioch.com/tavern/guildwars_roleplay/post_47750.html
GW2 Lore Videos
Posted by Vampiresbane
http://www.gaiscioch.com/tavern/guildwars_roleplay/post_35765.html
» Edited on: 2013-07-23 20:15:14
» Edited on: 2013-07-24 18:55:24
» Edited on: 2013-07-24 19:12:37