Post by Morreion on Feb 16, 2010 1:35:58 GMT -5
The Tattered Notebook: Roleplaying advice for veterans and newbies alike (Massively)
This article is written from the perspective of EQ2, but it has good tips for RP in any game:
This article is written from the perspective of EQ2, but it has good tips for RP in any game:
Never say no
..."No" is a word that shuts down a scene before it starts. Roleplaying, especially pickup roleplays, thrive on creating possibility. When you use an action that completely stops another player in their tracks, when you disagree so strongly that it leaves the other player scrambling for any response, you're not only killing the fun for the other person. You're also killing it for yourself. For example, if someone in a scene says, "We should go look at the flowers in the Royal Garden," and you say no without any reason, how quickly does the scene die?
..."No" is a word that shuts down a scene before it starts. Roleplaying, especially pickup roleplays, thrive on creating possibility. When you use an action that completely stops another player in their tracks, when you disagree so strongly that it leaves the other player scrambling for any response, you're not only killing the fun for the other person. You're also killing it for yourself. For example, if someone in a scene says, "We should go look at the flowers in the Royal Garden," and you say no without any reason, how quickly does the scene die?
Weakness is wonderful
Too frequently do roleplayers fall in the "god mode" trap. They'll create characters that are perfectly unstoppable heroes that are never wrong, are perfectly heroic, and will always save the day. That's boring.
Why is it boring? Story is based on conflict, and if you destroy all conflict before it even gets the chance to occur then you've pretty much just stopped the story dead in its tracks. So, instead of being perfect all the time, consider giving your character some disabilities or points of weakness.
Too frequently do roleplayers fall in the "god mode" trap. They'll create characters that are perfectly unstoppable heroes that are never wrong, are perfectly heroic, and will always save the day. That's boring.
Why is it boring? Story is based on conflict, and if you destroy all conflict before it even gets the chance to occur then you've pretty much just stopped the story dead in its tracks. So, instead of being perfect all the time, consider giving your character some disabilities or points of weakness.
Don't hog the scene
Glad you can read between the lines.
I can't emphasize this one enough. If you're obviously not the main character in a plotline, don't hog the space. Instead, be a good supporting character and understand that your role may be to aid another in their personal conflict, not make the whole story suddenly be all about you.
Glad you can read between the lines.
I can't emphasize this one enough. If you're obviously not the main character in a plotline, don't hog the space. Instead, be a good supporting character and understand that your role may be to aid another in their personal conflict, not make the whole story suddenly be all about you.
Know your lore
...This one seems like a given, but you'd be surprised how many roleplayers don't bother with this. Know the lore of your world. If you don't know who Antonia Bayle is or that Freeport's Deathfist Citadel has crashed to the ground, then you need to go do some homework.
...Knowing your lore will give you inspiration for plotlines, inspiration for your character, and things to roleplay about. Maybe you'll find an in-game faction that your character would love to join and support, or maybe you'll find a deity that your character would love to worship.
...This one seems like a given, but you'd be surprised how many roleplayers don't bother with this. Know the lore of your world. If you don't know who Antonia Bayle is or that Freeport's Deathfist Citadel has crashed to the ground, then you need to go do some homework.
...Knowing your lore will give you inspiration for plotlines, inspiration for your character, and things to roleplay about. Maybe you'll find an in-game faction that your character would love to join and support, or maybe you'll find a deity that your character would love to worship.
