Introduction to RolePlay

Hello there, I see you've come looking to Roleplay with us here! If you've never RP'd before or you are just starting, I want to say welcome aboard! The art of modern RolePlaying started in 1977 with D&D(Dungeons & Dragons) and eventually made the move to the internet world. I started with online RP in 1984, which was just around when internet was becoming avaiilable to the public.

What does it take to RP? All you need is your imagination and the ability to let your words flow out. Essentially, RP is simply writing a story but with more than one author.. only each author controls the actions of their character in the story. If you are strong with your writing skills, you are already half way there. Below are basic exercises and ways to begin to develop your RP skills:

1. Observational Writing. Walk into a room with a notepad, check out the room around you. What's in that room.. are there objects and belongings, anything on your walls or the ceiling? Write them down in the detail that you see it! Example, if you are looking at the wall directly in front of you and it has a small crack in it, write down something like "Across from (You), there was a wall facing me. It had a small crack in it.". If there's a possession of yours in the room, describe where you see it. "There was a television in the upper left corner of the room. There's a closet to the far right of the room." Another great way to practice observational writing is by looking in a mirror and describing yourself! Not only do details about your RP character help get you noticed in a room but it also paints a picture for the others.. sometimes words speak louder than pictures if you use your words! Describe your hair, body or anything you'd like. What are you wearing, do you have any distinguishing marks, the color of your eyes? Write down the details you see, for example.. "(You) had on a blue shirt with red basketball shorts. The hair on top of (Your) head was a light brown, with blue eyes and a small nose to fill out his face. He has a scar below his left eye and is fairly skinny." See? That wasn't so hard, you've just described a character without a physical photograph so the other RPers can visualize it in their minds! Practice makes perfect!

2. Using Your Imagination. The best way to make an interesting character and a splash within your RP community is to let your imagination run wild! Make your character stand out, give him an ability that goes above and beyond the standard personality traits. Not only can you use your imagination with just personality and abilities, you can also go with your imagination on the looks, appearances, hair color, eye color, height, weight and much more. Just remember, standard characters generally go un-noticed in a crowd, a character that has a unique talent or a special appearance to him can really stand out! This part takes a lot of practice, it may take a few characters to get it down.. just keep working with it and never hold back your imagination. That is a large part of having fun and making an impression in a RP group or thread!

3. Don't Be Afraid. It may sound silly, but being afraid can hold people back from bringing out as much as they want from their character! Just remember that everyone makes mistakes, from someone who is a beginner all the way up to the more seasoned veterans! Spelling mistakes, missing details and lack of detail description happens to all of us.. don't be afraid of making mistakes and just learn from the ones you make! That is how we all improve and gain experience as a RolePlayer, by learning new things and ideas and discarding the ones that don't quite work! And never be afraid to ask questions with the people in the community around you.. they may be able to give you great advice, some that even goes beyond the basics covered in this topic. If you ask nicely and show them respect, you will get that same kindness and respect back.. and who knows? They may even ask you questions and want to learn some of the things you know too!

Most importantly, just have fun! That is what RolePlay is all about, escaping into another world and just rolling with it.. the only person who can limit you from having the most fun out of a RP is the person inside you! The next topics will cover more advanced forms and the creation of character sheets!

Enjoy, much love ~~