Is there a beginner's guide to roleplaying?

[CommanderKane]

I hope you can forgive my naivety, but I am a new player to Everlasting and would love to roleplay, just to gibe the game a different element for me. At the same time, though, it all feels a little overwhelming. On Everlasting, I feel a bit like I am playing someone else's game in someone else's house and I don't want to do anything that will annoy anyone, as I imagine there is little more irritating than people appearing to be not roleplaying seriously on this server. After all, if people don't want to roleplay they have four other servers, right? 

 

So I was just wondering if there was a beginner's guide as such for new roleplayers to shorten that leap? All I really know is the out of character (()) stuff, and walking is preferred when hanging out etc. I have seen the sticky about code of conduct but was hoping for a few casual pointers more than anything else. 

[TemporalVileTerror]

Oyllo there, and there's no need for forgiveness!  We all started out as new at some point.
While there isn't one universal beginner's guide, here are some links which may help you.   I've put them in roughly the order where I think the first few links should be the most helpful.
If you have any pointed or particular questions thereafter, I'm certain the community will be happy to help!  Please, never be afraid to ask questions.  There are a lot of folks in the community who are happy to help, no matter what.

 

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/6464-tipsamptricks-for-roleplayers/

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/9999-new-to-rping/

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/6611-what-kind-of-rp-you-want/

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/19633-role-playing-questions/

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/10642-is-there-a-site-for-hosting-various-homecoming-rp-based-stuff

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/7179-question-regarding-character-traitsbio-vs-gameplay-reality/

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/13321-help-my-character-did-something-uncharacteristic/

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/20878-community-project-the-roleplay-scale/

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/9312-what-are-your-thoughts-on-long-form-story-arcs/

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/1433-the-big-question-of-continuity/

https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/4788-how-does-rp-affect-your-character-build/

 

I hope this is helpful, and look forward to seeing you around the cities!

[rookery.]

I feel the same way all the time. 

 

So I go with a couple of things. Wheaton's Law is number one. Don't be a dick. If people don't like your character, they'll let you know in OOC usually.  Caveat, you CAN play a dick IF everyone around you agrees yes, you character is like that and they are ok with it but be consciencious.

 

Number two. Don't godmod someone. You are Anvil Man and you drop anvils on peoples heads from an alternate dimension. Don't say, "I dropped an anvil on your head and now you are dead or in pain!" You are taking agency away from the other player.  Example. I have a char, Nixie, I used to move behind other players and emote I was tugging their capes. No warning. I felt that was not giving players any agency on how to react ahead of time, NOW I emote that I am sneaking behind said character before I tug their capes. It gives them the chance to react or not.

 

Although its hard sometimes, separate IC feelings over OOC feelings. There may be some hard In character things going on, someone died, lost a loved one, saw their civilization destroyed, or betrayed your character...your character can feel outraged, devastated, hoorified and you can too to a certain extent but its a story. A collaborative story. So at the end of it, everyone should take off their masks and hug and smiles cause you had fun. 

 

Uhm....Have fun. If you aren't or you feel like the RP is going somewhere you don't want to go. Say something, Step away. "Folks. I'm not comfortable with this RP so I'm gonna bow out. " Don't force them to stop though, if someone wants to RP being someone who self harms and you don't want to participate, move on. 

 

Start small. Just do small things in a mission. Yell taunts at the bad guys. Always fluff your hair. People will pick up on it. Make comments about how on YOUR planet, the Council took over and ran the show for 100 years before being devoured in the belly of the ancient Slorr. If others are RPing they will ask, Where is your planet? When did you come to Earth.....and off you go!

 

Those are my takes. Hope they help. They are also subject to someone saying I am dead wrong but I feel they encompass what I try to do Rp wise.

 

[Arctique]

I think one of the most important starting points is just to establish in your head first, just who your character is. What's their personality like? How does the backstory you've come up with for them inform the way they act and think? Do they have any unique quirks that might come out in conversation or while punching Council goons in the face? What kind of values and morals do they hold? In any given situation, how would they react and what choices would they make?

 

A lot of roleplay is heavily driven by character interactions. So a massively important thing is keeping that character consistent.

 

That's mostly just going from my own experience and how I grew as a roleplayer, at least. When I first started out, I was completely making up everything as I went along, having my character act in just whatever way I thought would just make them seem "cool" and that lead to a personality for them that was all over the place. One day I'd RP them as the wise-cracking goofball of the team, then the next without rhyme or reason they were the team's brooding antihero. The only consistent aspect of the character was their appearance and powersets. Because of that, the interactions they had with other characters and the stories told through them usually ended up just a nonsensical mess.

 

Even if it's just a simple set of traits like "This character is a hero that always abides by justice and wants to help people", as long as you keep those traits in mind when RPing them, things should just start to flow naturally. Of course as you RP them, those traits can still end up changing due to the events that play out. That simple idealistic hero could get shellshocked by the death of a comrade and develop into a more brooding anti-hero and completely change how he approaches a situation. Their personality dictates their choices, their choices influences the story, and the story can cause shifts in their personality, which will influence the choices they make later, and so on.

 

I probably rambled a bit and over-complicated my explanation, but basically: Establish who your character is and how they think/act, and everything else should start to grow naturally from there.

[Moka]

Make character.

 

Have fun.

 

Be respectful.

[twozerofoxtrot]

20 hours ago, CommanderKane said:

I imagine there is little more irritating than people appearing to be not roleplaying seriously on this server. After all, if people don't want to roleplay they have four other servers, right? 

 

While this is a very logical, sensible conclusion to come to naturally, it's actually not the case! A huge chunk of the population doesn't roleplay at all, and even many who do have characters that they don't actively roleplay with (myself included).

 

So if I can add to the good advice you've already been provided above this post, I'd say that you shouldn't feel shy about easing yourself into roleplay, and it's totally okay to have a character where you're not roleplaying at all in one moment, and then suddenly you feel like doing it (either in a team or out in the world somewhere). Just flip that little /roleplaying tag on and give it a whirl!

 

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by twozerofoxtrot
what even is English?

[Starforge]

You might also want to check out the City of Roleplay server on Discord. It's become a sort of unofficial roleplay Discord for Everlasting players. Plenty of people there to help assist with character ideas, stories, etc.

https://discord.gg/87db2AHe

[stealthnight]

Learning to be a master role-player is easy. Be your character and if all else fails say 

"I put on my robe and wizard hat."

...and wait for the magic to start.

 

[Coyotedancer]

For the record, like twozero said, not everyone on Everlasting roleplays. And even those who do may not be all that Serious Business about it... So don't feel pressured to be all-in all-the-time.  It's perfectly fine to be a casual.

 

(I only do very casual RP mission teams anymore, myself, and avoid "BarP" and ALL THE DRAMUS like the proverbial plague. 😆 The other members of my family who play on Ev aren't in-game roleplayers at all. Nor are most of the former Liberty badge-collectors who have set up on the server.) 

 

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by Coyotedancer
I spel gud. <_<

[rookery.]

8 hours ago, stealthnight said:

Learning to be a master role-player is easy. Be your character and if all else fails say 

"I put on my robe and wizard hat."

...and wait for the magic to start.

 

You just know Circle of Thorns just hate when that happens.

 

"What? Why do people always laugh when I tell them morning dressing routine. I mean THEY asked."

[Coyotedancer]

4 hours ago, rookery. said:

You just know Circle of Thorns just hate when that happens.

 

"What? Why do people always laugh when I tell them morning dressing routine. I mean THEY asked."

 

*A bunch of disgruntled Energy, Life and Force Mages grumble something about "NOT ALL WIZARDS" and "mortal biases" and "stupid hats"*

[Greycat]

14 hours ago, twozerofoxtrot said:

 

While this is a very logical, sensible conclusion to come to naturally, it's actually not the case! A huge chunk of the population doesn't roleplay at all, and even many who do have characters that they don't actively roleplay with (myself included).

 

 

Absolutely want to second this. Most teams I'm on are either not RPing or are RP-light. Teams that want RP will generally mention (for instance) "RP team running missions in Steel" or "Forming Yin, prepare to RP" so you know ahead of time. The rest of the time, it's mostly normal teaming - or someone might just stay in character, but not expect others to join in necessarily.

 

As far as tips for a new RPer?  Hmmm.

- Don't be afraid to ask questions. That's both in and out of character - and trying to get someone to clarify which whatever action  you're asking about was.

 

- Remember the character is not the person. (most of the time. Some people play characters that are really helpful because that's how they are. Some people play characters who are jerks because that's who they are. And some people play catgirls or fox people because they are.)

 

- Respect each other. Even if a character needs a little stabbing, consent's important. And it goes both ways. If someone tries to force something on you you *really* don't want to deal with or have happen, tell them - but start politely. (/em puts a hat with a siren on your head! (/t person, "this character *really* hates having stuff on their head, could you not do that? Thanks.") )

 

- Get to know your character. You don't need a fleshed out, 500 page bio right at character creation. Heck, some of the characters who became my favourite RP characters didn't really *have* a bio, only vague ideas (name, age, city of birth) and the rest developed later... but they developed consistently. For me, there's often an "Aha!" spark that just *clicks* with a character. For instance, my first 50 and first RP character, Therra, kind of got going from (a) playing with someone else consistently (in the same SG, then making our own, early days on live) which kind of started her personality off of their interplay, and (b) going in to Dark Astoria (the echo,) seeing the ghosts of people, seeing what was being done to them, and reacting to it. Then figuring out "why," which suddenly fleshed out a lot of family history and backstory.

 

- An RP supergroup doesn't hurt. Even if it's one you form either with friends or around an interesting theme. Just for the sake of consistency, versus "baRP" (going to the bar, typically the D) and its sometimes freewheeling, sometimes dead, smetimes just odd nature. Even if you don't want a supergroup, just a steady group you meet up with and play with can help be a nice touchstone for steady character development.

[CommanderKane]

Many thanks to all for your great advice. Still pretty much easing my way into it, but enjoying it. Next step for me is to find a good SG I think :-)