Post by Katie on Jul 3, 2020 17:05:25 GMT -5
Basic terms and tips for good RP
1. Most important thing in RP are terms "IC" and "OOC", meaning "In character" and "Out of character". IC means that you talk as your character, not as a player (!). IC is roleplaying, OOC is not.
2. Have fun: Rule number one should always be to have fun. If RP becomes more of a burden than entertainment, then you should consider leaving it (at least temporary). Nothing good will come from the this, since both roleplaying will suffer, as will RL (Real life) attitudes.
3. Character separation: This concept really has two components. The first deals with RL issues. It’s very important to remember to keep RL issues out of your character’s behavior. Don’t let a bad day at work or school effect your roleplaying in your fantasy game world. The second component deals with the same thing, just reversed. Do not take anything that happens in-game as a direct attack toward you (the person). If your character has been “insulted” do not take it personally. It’s all part of roleplaying and only IC. Maturity is a must. What happens IC, stays IC.
4. Metagaming: Keep in mind the difference between what you know as a player in RL and what your character would know in the game. For example, another character’s name and bio may be easy to read but you wouldn’t walk up to a complete stranger on the streets and know their entire history…much less what to call them. Also, if you play alts, what you’ve learned with one character should not necessarily apply to the other, unless an explainable reason exits.
5. Character background: This is one of the most important steps in roleplaying. What lies in your character’s past and present is the drive that makes your character who they are. It’s incredibly important to spend quality time in writing good background. Whether you write it down or keep it in your head, character backgrounds will help guide all that your character says and does during the game.
6. Character Name: You can put a lifetime of work into a character biography and blow it all with an inappropriate name. The character's nickname may sound funny but very few roleplayers will interact with such a character. In a lore-heavy world such as Elder Scrolls is, names can be even more important for roleplaying purposes. Effort and a bit of self-control when selecting a name will greatly enhance your RP experience.
Tips for making and keeping dialog
Proper dialog will make the act of communicating both enjoyable and easy to understand. If done correctly, the feeling of immersion (the ultimate goal of most roleplayers) remains strong and true. Try to remain IC at all times. For OOC messages, use DM or Group OOC chats.
/say Good eve to you m'lord. You look well.
A says: Good eve to you m’lord. You look well.
OOC speech should be minimized, especially in normal and group channels. If it is needed, it is customary to indicate that what you are saying is out of character. There are two common methods. The first is to “prefix” your message with an out of character tag. (OOC)
A says: OOC sorry guys, my computer crashed. I’m ready now though.
The other is to include all out of character chat in double parenthesis ((message))
Arenthas says: I must catch my breath my friends ((phone call…be right back))
OOC and IC dialog in chats and personal tells are usually up to the group or individual player. If you’re unsure of how chat is handled in a certain area, simply ask first.
Language:
It’s is important to use proper grammar and spelling. Few RP blunders will ruin roleplay immersion more quickly than using abbreviations, misspelling every other word, or not using punctuation. You don’t have to be a grammar ***, but please put a bit of effort into your sentences.
Speech:
Nothing scares a new roleplayer as much as proper speech. Unfortunately this fear comes form the belief that you must speak “in tongues”. The fears are unfounded. To be a successful roleplayer, none of the above is expected. Speaking normally is all that is really required. However, to create a more immersive atmosphere, try using some of the tips below.
Avoid using blatantly modern words.
Avoid using slang that is not time period appropriate.
Try using time period appropriate language to colour your posts.
Some extra tips from the Storytellers to improve your RP even further
1. It is always good idea to learn lore of certain races (and religions) of Venice. If you're not into lore of the whole universe, at least try to learn basic lore of the clan you are playing to immerse yourself more into it and make your character more realistic. Every clan has some specific things about it.. most common example would be from the ever popular Skyrim Khajiit during their talks, for example:
"This one ((instead of 'me')) is very grateful.. you are the one who helped this one ((name of the character can be used here as well)) back in Auridon, yes? ((yes is also common ending for questions asked by a Khajiit))"
This is far better for a Khajiit then "I'm very grateful.. are you the one who helped me back in Auridon?"
Noticed the difference?
2. While IC and OOC should not be mixed during RP, some things that happen OOC must be reflected into IC, for example if one of your mates left the coterie or quit the game. If he/she quit FOTA, make a story of how he/she died during something or some other story which would fit your guild's atmosphere. Storytellers will help. Also, if one of your members left your coterie and joined another one, which you might encounter during RP on public events, say that he/she left and joined that other group for reasons you will come up with. Don't pretend like these things didn't happen and just ignore them in your RP.
3. If you are the one leaving a certain coterie or group, make a story of it and leave the coterie or group IC as well. This is best solution for both you as a character (and a player) and the guild you are leaving.
4. This one is for coterie "leaders" and others of importance - don't get afraid if your coterie etc. is going through a rough period. Betrayals, fights and/or lack of inspiration for good stories and events can happen to anyone. One simple thing we practice in FOTA, and which could help any game there is: "Everything could be used to make a good story. You just have to adapt to the circumstances."
5. Find a coterie of where you are needed. Good coteries work well together because the members all have different strengths and weaknesses.
6. Don't powerplay or make your character too overpowered (OP). Powerplaying is simple: it's making your character seem unafraid or even dominant in situations where your character should be scared or submissive. OP is a little more difficult. OP-ness can start due to things happening that makes your character a little more powerfull, but results in too much power later on. You are not and Elder with infinite blood and power.
7. Killing other PC characters is and always should be possible BUT ONLY with that character's owner permission. Don't kill of other people's characters without their permission. This is pretty straightforward. Nobody likes to lose a character they worked hard on. And with a FOTA character this is just so much more than that since it would mean a loss of story, lost friendships IC, losing of relationships etc. In case someone does try to kill you IC or torture without your consent ignore it, leave the place and try to spread the word of the player and/or guild that attempted to do that. If you find yourself in a fight that may go further, please let an ST know so appropriate rolls can be used.
8. Be respectful towards each other, and if you have a problem with something someone did talk it out nicely. Look for a solution. This one is more of a personal matter. As said in the start of the post, RP should always be fun, so try to solve the problem smoothly, and if you don't know how, remember the saying "Everything could be used for a good story.". Try to use everything for your advantage.
9. Please, try to avoid clichés in your character's backstories. For example, try to avoid being an Malkavian emo-boy. Malkavians are diverse. What makes this Clan so wonderful, is that virtually anyone can be a Malkavian. Their Embraces may seem random yet Sires, willingly or not, contribute to the Clan's hive mind consciousness when introducing a new Fledgling.
These are just a few basics that could help someone new to roleplay chats. If you need further help, you can always message a staff member with your concerns and questions.
Another way to make your roleplaying look spicy via discord:
MARKDOWN TEXT 101
Want to inject some flavor into your everyday text chat? You're in luck! Discord uses Markdown, a simple plain text formatting system that'll help you make your sentences stand out. Here's how to do it! Just add a few characters before & after your desired text to change your text! I'll show you some examples...
1. Most important thing in RP are terms "IC" and "OOC", meaning "In character" and "Out of character". IC means that you talk as your character, not as a player (!). IC is roleplaying, OOC is not.
2. Have fun: Rule number one should always be to have fun. If RP becomes more of a burden than entertainment, then you should consider leaving it (at least temporary). Nothing good will come from the this, since both roleplaying will suffer, as will RL (Real life) attitudes.
3. Character separation: This concept really has two components. The first deals with RL issues. It’s very important to remember to keep RL issues out of your character’s behavior. Don’t let a bad day at work or school effect your roleplaying in your fantasy game world. The second component deals with the same thing, just reversed. Do not take anything that happens in-game as a direct attack toward you (the person). If your character has been “insulted” do not take it personally. It’s all part of roleplaying and only IC. Maturity is a must. What happens IC, stays IC.
4. Metagaming: Keep in mind the difference between what you know as a player in RL and what your character would know in the game. For example, another character’s name and bio may be easy to read but you wouldn’t walk up to a complete stranger on the streets and know their entire history…much less what to call them. Also, if you play alts, what you’ve learned with one character should not necessarily apply to the other, unless an explainable reason exits.
5. Character background: This is one of the most important steps in roleplaying. What lies in your character’s past and present is the drive that makes your character who they are. It’s incredibly important to spend quality time in writing good background. Whether you write it down or keep it in your head, character backgrounds will help guide all that your character says and does during the game.
6. Character Name: You can put a lifetime of work into a character biography and blow it all with an inappropriate name. The character's nickname may sound funny but very few roleplayers will interact with such a character. In a lore-heavy world such as Elder Scrolls is, names can be even more important for roleplaying purposes. Effort and a bit of self-control when selecting a name will greatly enhance your RP experience.
Tips for making and keeping dialog
Proper dialog will make the act of communicating both enjoyable and easy to understand. If done correctly, the feeling of immersion (the ultimate goal of most roleplayers) remains strong and true. Try to remain IC at all times. For OOC messages, use DM or Group OOC chats.
/say Good eve to you m'lord. You look well.
A says: Good eve to you m’lord. You look well.
OOC speech should be minimized, especially in normal and group channels. If it is needed, it is customary to indicate that what you are saying is out of character. There are two common methods. The first is to “prefix” your message with an out of character tag. (OOC)
A says: OOC sorry guys, my computer crashed. I’m ready now though.
The other is to include all out of character chat in double parenthesis ((message))
Arenthas says: I must catch my breath my friends ((phone call…be right back))
OOC and IC dialog in chats and personal tells are usually up to the group or individual player. If you’re unsure of how chat is handled in a certain area, simply ask first.
Language:
It’s is important to use proper grammar and spelling. Few RP blunders will ruin roleplay immersion more quickly than using abbreviations, misspelling every other word, or not using punctuation. You don’t have to be a grammar ***, but please put a bit of effort into your sentences.
Speech:
Nothing scares a new roleplayer as much as proper speech. Unfortunately this fear comes form the belief that you must speak “in tongues”. The fears are unfounded. To be a successful roleplayer, none of the above is expected. Speaking normally is all that is really required. However, to create a more immersive atmosphere, try using some of the tips below.
Avoid using blatantly modern words.
Avoid using slang that is not time period appropriate.
Try using time period appropriate language to colour your posts.
Some extra tips from the Storytellers to improve your RP even further
1. It is always good idea to learn lore of certain races (and religions) of Venice. If you're not into lore of the whole universe, at least try to learn basic lore of the clan you are playing to immerse yourself more into it and make your character more realistic. Every clan has some specific things about it.. most common example would be from the ever popular Skyrim Khajiit during their talks, for example:
"This one ((instead of 'me')) is very grateful.. you are the one who helped this one ((name of the character can be used here as well)) back in Auridon, yes? ((yes is also common ending for questions asked by a Khajiit))"
This is far better for a Khajiit then "I'm very grateful.. are you the one who helped me back in Auridon?"
Noticed the difference?
2. While IC and OOC should not be mixed during RP, some things that happen OOC must be reflected into IC, for example if one of your mates left the coterie or quit the game. If he/she quit FOTA, make a story of how he/she died during something or some other story which would fit your guild's atmosphere. Storytellers will help. Also, if one of your members left your coterie and joined another one, which you might encounter during RP on public events, say that he/she left and joined that other group for reasons you will come up with. Don't pretend like these things didn't happen and just ignore them in your RP.
3. If you are the one leaving a certain coterie or group, make a story of it and leave the coterie or group IC as well. This is best solution for both you as a character (and a player) and the guild you are leaving.
4. This one is for coterie "leaders" and others of importance - don't get afraid if your coterie etc. is going through a rough period. Betrayals, fights and/or lack of inspiration for good stories and events can happen to anyone. One simple thing we practice in FOTA, and which could help any game there is: "Everything could be used to make a good story. You just have to adapt to the circumstances."
5. Find a coterie of where you are needed. Good coteries work well together because the members all have different strengths and weaknesses.
6. Don't powerplay or make your character too overpowered (OP). Powerplaying is simple: it's making your character seem unafraid or even dominant in situations where your character should be scared or submissive. OP is a little more difficult. OP-ness can start due to things happening that makes your character a little more powerfull, but results in too much power later on. You are not and Elder with infinite blood and power.
7. Killing other PC characters is and always should be possible BUT ONLY with that character's owner permission. Don't kill of other people's characters without their permission. This is pretty straightforward. Nobody likes to lose a character they worked hard on. And with a FOTA character this is just so much more than that since it would mean a loss of story, lost friendships IC, losing of relationships etc. In case someone does try to kill you IC or torture without your consent ignore it, leave the place and try to spread the word of the player and/or guild that attempted to do that. If you find yourself in a fight that may go further, please let an ST know so appropriate rolls can be used.
8. Be respectful towards each other, and if you have a problem with something someone did talk it out nicely. Look for a solution. This one is more of a personal matter. As said in the start of the post, RP should always be fun, so try to solve the problem smoothly, and if you don't know how, remember the saying "Everything could be used for a good story.". Try to use everything for your advantage.
9. Please, try to avoid clichés in your character's backstories. For example, try to avoid being an Malkavian emo-boy. Malkavians are diverse. What makes this Clan so wonderful, is that virtually anyone can be a Malkavian. Their Embraces may seem random yet Sires, willingly or not, contribute to the Clan's hive mind consciousness when introducing a new Fledgling.
These are just a few basics that could help someone new to roleplay chats. If you need further help, you can always message a staff member with your concerns and questions.
Another way to make your roleplaying look spicy via discord:
MARKDOWN TEXT 101
Want to inject some flavor into your everyday text chat? You're in luck! Discord uses Markdown, a simple plain text formatting system that'll help you make your sentences stand out. Here's how to do it! Just add a few characters before & after your desired text to change your text! I'll show you some examples...