Post by ♫Featherdance♪ on Jun 26, 2009 16:32:44 GMT -5
If you've never RPed before, perhaps you shouldn't be on this site, but we can always learn. 
Or at least, if you haven't RPed much before. Please read this, so we can make our RPing more fun, and a LOT more interesting!
Note: A lot of help making this guide came from the Land of Mystics RP Guide. Thanks!
Last Updated:
07/23/09
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Here's a short intro to this guide that I decided to title The Basics:
--What is RPing?
RPing is short for Role-Playing, and RPG is shorthand for Role-Play Game.
RPing is writing about your character's actions, thoughts, speech, expressions, etc.. In a way it is writing a fragment of a story about your character, and leaving it hanging for someone else to continue. Remember, when you RP, you are writing from your point of view, so it's okay, in fact, you should write thoughts that the other character doesn't know you're thinking.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Making your RPs look good is really important, people tend to want to RP with you more. People also like to make friends (&& be mates with) cats that have nice RPs, and looks are a big part of that. Here are some tips:
--Spelling/Grammar
Pay attention to those little red underlines, and if you don't have them, there is a big white spell-check button waiting to be pressed. But that's just spelling. Use quotations for speech, commas and periods, as well as capitalization. Not only does it make you look a LOT smarter when you spell everything right and your grammar is impeccable, but it makes a good post. (Big words are also good, but not things that no one knows.)
--Use some different colors
Okay, don't overdo this and make your posts rainbow or contrasting brightly with the background, nor so close to the background color that it's hard to read. If you do that, no one will read your post (they just won't bother), and you won't have any responses. But a slight variation from the default color, like a shade lighter or darker, is nice.
--Use different word styles
Again, don't overdo this. But it's nice, and almost necessary to use italics to show what your character is thinking. Bold for speech is optional, but don't use italics for anything other than thoughts, since that's what they are normally used for. You can bold or underline things to emphasize them, and add a little 'black and white color' to your RPs.
--Always use 3rd person
Self-explanatory, always use 3rd person on this site. Only exception is when you're thinking. You can use 1st person, or 2nd person there. (And of course, OOC, but this is a RP guide)
Ex. 1st person: What can I do?! Oh great StarClan, help me!! He's stronger, and will flatten me in a heartbeat!!
2nd person: You idiot, why did you eat when you were supposed to be hunting?! You may have been hungry, but that's no excuse!! You're a warrior!! (Talking to yourself)
3rd person: Examplekit mewled in hunger, tumbling around on the mossy floor in search for his mother. Scenting ExampleExample's scent, the tabby tom crawled over and raised his voice in complaint. "I'm hungry!!" (That's also an example of where to use bold, that could also easily have been an underline.)
--Paragraph breaks
Don't cram all of your RPing into one huge block of jumbled up text. People get tired before they even begin reading. Use paragraph breaks when appropriate, and start a new line when characters speak.
--OOC
Do not include any form of OOC in the middle of your RPs, it breaks readers' attention and just doesn't look good in general. If you have something to say, put it at the beginning or end. I personally prefer the beginning, since afterwards people are in the mood and are [hopefully] preparing to reply. Not a good time to break concentration there, either, but it's a whole lot better than OOC in the middle. (And DON'T use those annoying smiley faces!!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Be sure to 'define' your character well in your RPs, and be consistent with your bio!
--Substitute for names
Don't always use your character's name when referring to them. As explained later, repetition is not good. You can take this opportunity to describe and define your character more fully, so instead of saying, "Examplepaw", go ahead and use, "the orange she-cat", or the "ShadowClan warrior", etc.
--Be creative
Don't make your character that poor little kitty that was abandoned in early kithood and was found by ThunderClan, nor the sad warrior who's family all perished when he was a kit. Those are so common, it gets boring. Think of something new, and people will start flocking to RP with your interesting character.
--Don't go extreme
Special is good, in fact, it's great. That is, up to a point. People hate characters with god-like powers, and will ignore you. In fact, it's against site rules. So think of another way to be creative. (God like powers include being super good at a normal skill, not just being able to walk through trees, etc.)
--Flaws
Your character must have flaws, that's almost mandatory for a good RP. Flaws lead to conflicts, which lead to interesting adventures and experiences. Don't be afraid to put your character in grave danger, even if you can't see a way out right away. As long as you don't want your character to die, they won't, don't worry!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You need substance in your RPs, and good substance too, not just length. Here's a bit on how to fill your RPs up.
--A list
Here is a list of things to include (always try to use all of your five senses): What you see, what you smell, what you hear, what you touch, general landscape, plantation around you, others aound you, weather, what you are thinking, what emotions you are feeling, why you are where you are, where is your character is in the landscape, what posture is your character in, what are you carrying with you (prey), where were you just before this, who is with you, where are you planning on going and what you are planning on doing after this. There are lots more if you think about it.
--Emotions and Thoughts && Responses to them
Always include your thoughts and emotions about what others say to you, how you're feeling, etc. Use italics to express them. When you read others' thoughts and feelings, DON'T BE PSYCHIC, it's annoying! You can tell somewhat from body language, but don't be a mind-reader.
--Actions
Describe in detail what your character is doing, even if it's just sitting there, is he nervously kneading the ground beneath his paws, which is muddy from a recent storm? Or is he lost in his own world, gazing at swirling clouds and imagining what it would be like to fly? Again, be creative.
--Adjectives
Use adjectives a LOT! Find your nouns and stick one of those buggers in front of them. They help.
--Introduce NPCs
NPCs (Non-Playable Characters) can help, introduce a character that will only be there for one RP, or use one someone else had already created. You can write about your interactions with them, too, if the other RPer is really boring. (Which will definitely not be you, right? Since you read this far?!)
--Leaving off
Pick good places to leave off your RPs for someone else to pick up at, you could ask a question, suggest an action, or just be sitting there invitingly, but don't make it so that you're sneaking off alone, or settling down to sleep, and expect someone to reply.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You always need conversation in your posts, even if your character is mute. They converse with their body language, and you should always write as thoughts what the character would've said in words.
--Substance
Have some substance in your RP conversations, not just "Yes." "No." "Okay." "Let's go." "Hi." etc. And never just post a line of conversation and just leave. Even if you want a reply, you can talk about other things before you ask, etc.
--Tones
Use words such as "..." she argued, or "..." she shrieked, or "..." she sneered, or "..." she muttered, etc. The word 'said' is boring! It's not bad but just not descriptive. An interesting way to talk would be to have your context contradict with your tone, AKA. sarcasm. Doing this makes your talking seem more real, as if the reader can almost hear it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another category for miscellaneous stuff... but just as important!!!
--Repeats
Purposeful alliteration, fine. (Ex. Maybe we could take him in. Maybe he would turn out to be nice. Maybe he could be my friend. Maybe... just maybe...) Repeats, NO!!! It's disgusting! Really, it sounds really bad. (Read that over) (Ex. The she-cat caught a mouse, then ate the mouse.) This sometimes happens when you take too long to write, and forget what you just typed in. Check your work (all of it) when you finish, and use www.thesaurus.com if you need help.
--Take your time
Don't rush. That's it.
--Don't copy
Don't copy from others' work. People can tell.
--Know your own character
Be consistent with previous posts and RPs, and with your bio. Don't have five different mothers, three different best friends, and ten different favorite activities. It sounds stupid, to say the least.
--Check your work!!!
Read your posts over!! Don't make careless mistakes, they're very embarrassing!!
--Play your character
If you're evil, be evil. And be mean to others, they won't take it personally. (And if someone hates you in a RP and says bad things, as long as it's not SUPER SUPER offensive, don't think they mean it to you as a person.)
--Always be IC!!
If you're super mad at this person out of RP, don't scream at them IC! (IC=In Character).
--Stick to yourself
DON'T ever RP someone elsse's character, it's against the rules, not to mention horrible for your RPs and reputation.
--Don't be a super-genius
Yeah, self-explanatory. No one is perfect, so don't be.
--Manage your time
Don't join a bazillion RPs when you know you can only handle two. That causes rushing or abseces, which are both BAD.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And... that's it!! Phew, you're all done!!
Thanks for reading!!
Good luck in your RPs!!
~.:Featherdance:.~
Or at least, if you haven't RPed much before. Please read this, so we can make our RPing more fun, and a LOT more interesting!Note: A lot of help making this guide came from the Land of Mystics RP Guide. Thanks!
Last Updated:
07/23/09
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Basics:
Here's a short intro to this guide that I decided to title The Basics:
--What is RPing?
RPing is short for Role-Playing, and RPG is shorthand for Role-Play Game.
RPing is writing about your character's actions, thoughts, speech, expressions, etc.. In a way it is writing a fragment of a story about your character, and leaving it hanging for someone else to continue. Remember, when you RP, you are writing from your point of view, so it's okay, in fact, you should write thoughts that the other character doesn't know you're thinking.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Look:
Making your RPs look good is really important, people tend to want to RP with you more. People also like to make friends (&& be mates with) cats that have nice RPs, and looks are a big part of that. Here are some tips:
--Spelling/Grammar
Pay attention to those little red underlines, and if you don't have them, there is a big white spell-check button waiting to be pressed. But that's just spelling. Use quotations for speech, commas and periods, as well as capitalization. Not only does it make you look a LOT smarter when you spell everything right and your grammar is impeccable, but it makes a good post. (Big words are also good, but not things that no one knows.)
--Use some different colors
Okay, don't overdo this and make your posts rainbow or contrasting brightly with the background, nor so close to the background color that it's hard to read. If you do that, no one will read your post (they just won't bother), and you won't have any responses. But a slight variation from the default color, like a shade lighter or darker, is nice.
--Use different word styles
Again, don't overdo this. But it's nice, and almost necessary to use italics to show what your character is thinking. Bold for speech is optional, but don't use italics for anything other than thoughts, since that's what they are normally used for. You can bold or underline things to emphasize them, and add a little 'black and white color' to your RPs.
--Always use 3rd person
Self-explanatory, always use 3rd person on this site. Only exception is when you're thinking. You can use 1st person, or 2nd person there. (And of course, OOC, but this is a RP guide)
Ex. 1st person: What can I do?! Oh great StarClan, help me!! He's stronger, and will flatten me in a heartbeat!!
2nd person: You idiot, why did you eat when you were supposed to be hunting?! You may have been hungry, but that's no excuse!! You're a warrior!! (Talking to yourself)
3rd person: Examplekit mewled in hunger, tumbling around on the mossy floor in search for his mother. Scenting ExampleExample's scent, the tabby tom crawled over and raised his voice in complaint. "I'm hungry!!" (That's also an example of where to use bold, that could also easily have been an underline.)
--Paragraph breaks
Don't cram all of your RPing into one huge block of jumbled up text. People get tired before they even begin reading. Use paragraph breaks when appropriate, and start a new line when characters speak.
--OOC
Do not include any form of OOC in the middle of your RPs, it breaks readers' attention and just doesn't look good in general. If you have something to say, put it at the beginning or end. I personally prefer the beginning, since afterwards people are in the mood and are [hopefully] preparing to reply. Not a good time to break concentration there, either, but it's a whole lot better than OOC in the middle. (And DON'T use those annoying smiley faces!!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your Character:
Be sure to 'define' your character well in your RPs, and be consistent with your bio!
--Substitute for names
Don't always use your character's name when referring to them. As explained later, repetition is not good. You can take this opportunity to describe and define your character more fully, so instead of saying, "Examplepaw", go ahead and use, "the orange she-cat", or the "ShadowClan warrior", etc.
--Be creative
Don't make your character that poor little kitty that was abandoned in early kithood and was found by ThunderClan, nor the sad warrior who's family all perished when he was a kit. Those are so common, it gets boring. Think of something new, and people will start flocking to RP with your interesting character.
--Don't go extreme
Special is good, in fact, it's great. That is, up to a point. People hate characters with god-like powers, and will ignore you. In fact, it's against site rules. So think of another way to be creative. (God like powers include being super good at a normal skill, not just being able to walk through trees, etc.)
--Flaws
Your character must have flaws, that's almost mandatory for a good RP. Flaws lead to conflicts, which lead to interesting adventures and experiences. Don't be afraid to put your character in grave danger, even if you can't see a way out right away. As long as you don't want your character to die, they won't, don't worry!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adding To It:
You need substance in your RPs, and good substance too, not just length. Here's a bit on how to fill your RPs up.
--A list
Here is a list of things to include (always try to use all of your five senses): What you see, what you smell, what you hear, what you touch, general landscape, plantation around you, others aound you, weather, what you are thinking, what emotions you are feeling, why you are where you are, where is your character is in the landscape, what posture is your character in, what are you carrying with you (prey), where were you just before this, who is with you, where are you planning on going and what you are planning on doing after this. There are lots more if you think about it.
--Emotions and Thoughts && Responses to them
Always include your thoughts and emotions about what others say to you, how you're feeling, etc. Use italics to express them. When you read others' thoughts and feelings, DON'T BE PSYCHIC, it's annoying! You can tell somewhat from body language, but don't be a mind-reader.
--Actions
Describe in detail what your character is doing, even if it's just sitting there, is he nervously kneading the ground beneath his paws, which is muddy from a recent storm? Or is he lost in his own world, gazing at swirling clouds and imagining what it would be like to fly? Again, be creative.
--Adjectives
Use adjectives a LOT! Find your nouns and stick one of those buggers in front of them. They help.
--Introduce NPCs
NPCs (Non-Playable Characters) can help, introduce a character that will only be there for one RP, or use one someone else had already created. You can write about your interactions with them, too, if the other RPer is really boring. (Which will definitely not be you, right? Since you read this far?!)
--Leaving off
Pick good places to leave off your RPs for someone else to pick up at, you could ask a question, suggest an action, or just be sitting there invitingly, but don't make it so that you're sneaking off alone, or settling down to sleep, and expect someone to reply.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conversations:
You always need conversation in your posts, even if your character is mute. They converse with their body language, and you should always write as thoughts what the character would've said in words.
--Substance
Have some substance in your RP conversations, not just "Yes." "No." "Okay." "Let's go." "Hi." etc. And never just post a line of conversation and just leave. Even if you want a reply, you can talk about other things before you ask, etc.
--Tones
Use words such as "..." she argued, or "..." she shrieked, or "..." she sneered, or "..." she muttered, etc. The word 'said' is boring! It's not bad but just not descriptive. An interesting way to talk would be to have your context contradict with your tone, AKA. sarcasm. Doing this makes your talking seem more real, as if the reader can almost hear it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Everything Else:
Another category for miscellaneous stuff... but just as important!!!
--Repeats
Purposeful alliteration, fine. (Ex. Maybe we could take him in. Maybe he would turn out to be nice. Maybe he could be my friend. Maybe... just maybe...) Repeats, NO!!! It's disgusting! Really, it sounds really bad. (Read that over) (Ex. The she-cat caught a mouse, then ate the mouse.) This sometimes happens when you take too long to write, and forget what you just typed in. Check your work (all of it) when you finish, and use www.thesaurus.com if you need help.
--Take your time
Don't rush. That's it.
--Don't copy
Don't copy from others' work. People can tell.
--Know your own character
Be consistent with previous posts and RPs, and with your bio. Don't have five different mothers, three different best friends, and ten different favorite activities. It sounds stupid, to say the least.
--Check your work!!!
Read your posts over!! Don't make careless mistakes, they're very embarrassing!!
--Play your character
If you're evil, be evil. And be mean to others, they won't take it personally. (And if someone hates you in a RP and says bad things, as long as it's not SUPER SUPER offensive, don't think they mean it to you as a person.)
--Always be IC!!
If you're super mad at this person out of RP, don't scream at them IC! (IC=In Character).
--Stick to yourself
DON'T ever RP someone elsse's character, it's against the rules, not to mention horrible for your RPs and reputation.
--Don't be a super-genius
Yeah, self-explanatory. No one is perfect, so don't be.
--Manage your time
Don't join a bazillion RPs when you know you can only handle two. That causes rushing or abseces, which are both BAD.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And... that's it!! Phew, you're all done!!
Thanks for reading!!
Good luck in your RPs!!
~.:Featherdance:.~
