Tips on roleplaying?

edited April 2013 in The Scarlattan Theatre
I am not good at roleplaying at all so if anyone could give me some pointers on how to create it, that would be awesome.


Comments

  • Thank you @Nizaris for the help, I will learn from this.
  • I really like @Nizaris' point about 'sprinkling in' TMOTEs as you interact - that is what you can also do with other aspects of your character to give him more realism within the world he inhabits.

    Who is Zael? What are his ambitions and motivations? Why? What is his personality like? Once you start to answer these sorts of questions about your character, you can then bounce off the situations you encounter from there. This ties in with Nizaris' point about evolving your story, each time you're met with a choice and make a decision, it is a way to impact your character.

    It's the little things too, like quirks and preferences. For instance, Sybilla is left-handed. Now that doesn't mean she goes on a tirade about right-bound journals, scabbards and quills, you'd probably not even realise she was in fact, but when she goes to wield something she'll pick the left first. She prefers fish to red meat. She thinks Tsol'aa are better at writing than other races (calligraphy-wise at least). She has a soft-spot for atavians which hasn't always been a good thing for her...

    There's a myriad of ways you can flesh it out, and that's how it helps to develop it. If you were a person in the world/canon of Achaea, who would you be? Zael is Ashtani and in the Ashura (I think?), why is that? Start from the bigger points that define him and work down from there.

    Also, check out the DATE, TIME and FORECAST, it's good for when you're stuck and can just gripe about the weather at this time of year...
  • Griping about the weather is an excellent icebreaker. I went to Cyrene and gripped about the weather, and left as a member of Scarlatti's lay Order. Was good.
  • ShirszaeShirszae Santo Domingo
    Cyrene's weather being totally crazy makes it doubly so. .  :P

    And you won't understand the cause of your grief...


    ...But you'll always follow the voices beneath.

  • Building on @Sybilla's post, I used these when I created Adet.  I think they were on the old forums - but I can't remember who posted them (possibly @Cinya).  I answered them at the time, and occasionally look back at my answers to see how they've changed and what's stayed the same (and what I had in mind for RP opportunities, but never actually did).  I have a "cheat sheet" of sorts, which contains the answers to these questions, my posted background, and important things I've shared about Adet - so even if I go dormant for a while, I can look at that and (hopefully) not contradict myself when I come back.

    1) What kind of character do I want to play? What is going to provide me with enjoyment?

    2) What type of personality is my character going to have?

    3) What kind of beliefs will my character have?

    4) Does my character already have a family in the form of other players?

    5) In what ways does my character's race affect his or her personality/beliefs/appearance/history/background/etc? HELP <character's race> will be helpful here.

    6) What are my character's attitudes toward other Houses, races, organizations, cities, etc?

    7) In what ways does my character's choice of House affect his or her personality/beliefs/appearance/history/background/etc? Has my character already been in other Houses? How can I explain this in his or her background? How do previous House choices affect my character's personality and beliefs (particularly in relation to those previous Houses)? Is my character's current House the right one for him or her to be in? HELP HOUSE <house name> will be helpful in considering such questions.

    8) Where should my character be from originally? HELP GEOGRAPHY lists the various areas of the world. You should pick some place that exists (don't make up some whimsical place that no other players will know about).

    As @Nizaris said, adding some TMOTEs can be effective.  I've replaced some of the standard emotes with my own, as well - just because I don't want to nod my head emphatically, or wander around raising a hand in greeting and saying "hi" to people.  That kind of thing isn't so much "roleplaying" as "building a persona" - but I find that one leads to the other relatively easily.
  • I recommend challenging people to darts.

    Perhaps even putting a wager on it.

    (Note: This may not work for non-Mhaldorians, as most non-Mhaldorians frown upon 'speak in nothing but Apocrypha quotes')

  • To be a good roleplayer, or even an ok one, you first must.. Hmm..rather I meant -as- a roleplayer you should always.. ok, im not a 100% but isnt a roleplayer a really old iPod from the 70's?
    I -am- the Cataclysm Switchblade.
  • I miss you @Adet. :(
    Mathonwy said:
    dactylic hexameter is
    way more interesting than the inside of anyone's vagina.
  • VayneVayne Rhode Island
    Cinya said:
    I miss you @Adet. :(
    Come to the Dark side.
    image
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