Roleplay Rusty

[a-guitarist]

World of Warcraft has ruined me. I play on an RP server, but still not one damn person roleplays. And now I've made a few chars in FL, played 'em till five or ten, but can't get back into the RP.

I've tried my damndest, but to no avail. So I'm wondering if anyone has forgotten how to RP and then learned to again?

a-g

[Djriacen]

..not really sure how you can forget how to RP.. >.>;

[npc_death]

You don't forget how to RP as much as you can't get into the characters with the depth of the past. I'm going through the same thing.

[The-Stoned-Priest]

All WoW has taught me is 1,1,1,1,1,2,1,1,1,1,2,1,1,1,1,3,1,1,1,1,2,1,1,1,1,3,1,1,1,1,2,vanish,1,1,1,1...oh you get the point

[Raargant]

I don't know about everyone else, but generally speaking, when I RP, I'm not really 'RP'ing'; I'm just sort of exploring certain sides of myself, good or bad, that are 'magnified' in the MUD world for the sake of fun. I'm sure we all have a paladin in us...as well as a dark knight. The instinct to protect and nurture, is as innate to humans as the instinct to destroy and harm.

So instead of 'making a story', try and think of it as 'telling the story of a side of you that is rarely shown', perhaps? Just some advice.

[Merriwren]

Actually something like that happened to me recently. I found it helpful to read the RP guide in the Essays and answer all of the questions in depth with my current character. It helped me develop a history for my character, and I answered the questions in character which helped me develop some of my chars traits as far as speech and attitude.

Hope that helps.

EDIT: Or also ditto what Raar said.

[Icor]

Run around in game and read room descs and stuff. The idea is to detach yourself from our world and replace yourself in the game world.

Like, if you're reading a novel, the one thing that can ruin it is a page with illustration, because you've already locked in your mind what the characters and universe looks like. FL requires the same type of mental attachment, and then, once you've got that feeling, you have to use everything around you as a device to develop your character even further. Don't just lean on a fountain or give gold to a beggar - pretend like everything is "alive". Everyone who walks by the fountains drinks out of them. Maybe your character is an obsessive compulsive.

I have sortof an idea for you, anyway. I hate to use example ideas, because then people will be afraid of using them, but in this case, I'll use one - make a conspiracy theorist, even if it isn't in game. Pretend like everything is plotting against you, even if it's the smallest little bug or something. That will force you to dissect and take EVERY single little detail of the FL world for your RP purposes. ...Plus, it would be fun.

Anyway, all RP requires definition and time. Time becomes patience, and definition becomes fun.

Having fun, by the way, is the most important thing. If you're RPing to get attention or rewards from the immortals, you're RPing for the wrong reason. RP to have fun. Period.

[-red-]

Pfft, who RPs anyway? Everyone knows RP is only for those without any PK skill.

...

...

...what?!

[Icor]

In honor of your brief return, -red-, I have decided to change my avatar. Carli Banks. =D

Umm, anyway...

a-g, the best way to get back into RP is to just... be in the groove, I like to call it. The groove changes depending on the time of day. Most people are most creative at night. Dunno. You'll come up with a super cool idea eventually and you'll want to take it for a ride.

[Iusedtobesomebody]

easiest way is this: write a background for your character. start with where he was born, into what station (poor, rich, whatever). move into him/her growing up, and add any events that may or may not have pushed him into the guild he has joined. why did he join that particular guild? what drove him to strive for it in the first place? once you get a few sentences down, you may get to see where you are going. you may even find a new twist or perk to work into it. a paragraph or two is all you need to get going. Karman's was about 5 paragraphs, and went right up into him joining his guild.

i would also say, your RP doesn't have to be set before you roll either. grow with the game, allow events to mold you. something that happens mid-game can alter how your character feels/reacts to certain things.

just have fun also. good luck.

[a-guitarist]

Thanks for all the responses. I've rolled up a character and am currently doing my best. Thanks, again, for the advice.

a-g

[Pali]

I don't know about everyone else, but generally speaking, when I RP, I'm not really 'RP'ing'; I'm just sort of exploring certain sides of myself, good or bad, that are 'magnified' in the MUD world for the sake of fun. I'm sure we all have a paladin in us...as well as a dark knight. The instinct to protect and nurture, is as innate to humans as the instinct to destroy and harm.

So instead of 'making a story', try and think of it as 'telling the story of a side of you that is rarely shown', perhaps? Just some advice.

Exactly how I play.

[Ex-D&Der]

Heh giving back to the person who taught me to role-play.

I've generally found success with starting with one basic idea, a thesis. This character is a simple average hobbit who always tries to do what's right. This character is an ogre slave who killed his former master for a bounty and ran to the forest, and now is a ranger and wants to be a bounty hunter. This character is fat and ugly human who now wants to kill people by manipulating their brains. Then you just react to events as your character would. In some cases things ended up very differently. But you go with it and let events shape your character.

The other way is to have some high concept, although often acquired later in life and shaped by events. Something you want to see happen in the MUD. But that's a ton of work. It can work out for you if you really want it to, but you get really invested in the character and if things don't go your way it can be depressing IRL.

One final thing that I've found works. You have to accept your role. If your life is a tragedy, you have to role play it out. If you are one of the fallen, or one of the weaker denizens of Aabahran, it's kind of a test of your RP mettle.

Another way is to think up a race/class combination that you think will go well with a certain cabal skill. Then develop an RP that will go along with it. Your RP will then be less of a strain, since you're gunning for that PK power.

[Deykari]

The hard part for me when it comes to roleplaying is not coming up with an idea or a theme, but the actual execution of it. When I come up with an elaborate idea, with a backstory and all that jazz, it feels too scripted and artificial for my liking, and it's not really that fun for me to get into. I prefer to come up with some personality traits for my character, a bit of knowledge about how the react to the world around them, and that's it. I improvise the rest when I'm roleplaying. Unless I have a specific goal for a character in mind of course, that calls for some form of background to back it up and flesh it out a little.

It may not be the best way of roleplaying, but it's challenging, and a lot more fun for me. Maybe something to think about.

Dey

[MeleeCrazy]

When I roll something up, I always have an idea of what and how I want to play, but most everything from there on in is wingin it. I'm actually working on my Rp skills at the moment as well. I've always had it just has never been to solid or good for that matter. plus haven't mastered the use of smotes, emotes, and pmotes. but Rp can be done without it. It's all about listening and responding the way you think your character should. everything doesn't have to be perfect, just stick with it and you'll find your groove.

[Warpnow]

I usually play the char til rank 20ish/30ish, and develop my full rp while training. I've had time to "feel" the character so he's natural, now what made him who he is?

[angelbelow]

I was addicted a mud for 3 years and often given credit for being one of the best/most active members RP-wise. I haven't actually logged into a mud in 5 years (up until about a week ago when i made a character for FL) and while I haven't completely forgotten how to RP, its simply a bit foreign now. While none of this advice was directed at me, it helped a considerably and I wanted to thank all of the advice-givers, so thanks.

[Deykari]

You know what I really want to see? A 'true' silent killer. He kills, he loots, and he never says a word. Do you know why?

Because he's a mime.

Mime gets a weapon from Bob's corpse.

Mime pretends to open what appears to be a non-existant bag, and drops the sword into it.

The sword drops to the floor next to Mime's feet.

Mime sacrifices sword in the name of Street Performers.

Mime appears to be looking for a way out of some form of non-existant box. He opens a door facing northwards.

Mime walks north.

Dey

[Warpnow]

I've seen some mute chars before.

[Icor]

I think dialogue drives a character, though, almost 100%.

[Warpnow]

Depends on the character...

If you use emotes amazingly well, you could have a well driven character whose a mime/mute but it wouldn't be easy.

[Deykari]

Depends on the character...

If you use emotes amazingly well, you could have a well driven character whose a mime/mute but it wouldn't be easy.

Don't take it to heart. I brought mimes up for novelty/comedy factor more than anything else.

Dey

[MeleeCrazy]

I actually ran into just that Rp the other night on my new project. I pretty much knew that was what the character was trying to portray, kinda made it a little more challenging for me, but I think I did rather well, and this obviously "new to FL" person did very very well. You could actually tell what they were trying to get across without them ever saying a word. Great use of emote, and though I've seen the Rp before, never have I seen it done so well. Hope whoever it was decides to stick around....

[Merriwren]

I think dialogue drives a character' date=' though, almost 100%.[/quote']

I'm actually a huge fan of non-verbal RP. You don't have to be a mute to get alot across with your emotes. Plus you can show the way you said something.

[Icor]

I actually got that idea from Despy', because he told me to read On Writing by Stephen King. Both Despy and Stephen King have the same philosophy on the matter.

If you remember, Martin' didn't emote that much, and when he did, they were short and concise strings. Emotes should be there to build off of what is said, but not to replace what can be said. You'll reach a point where you don't have to use adverbs anymore; people will understand how your character says something simply by the content. To hell with 'slowly', 'slightly', 'gently', and 'sharply'.