| Apr 19 - 01:31:42 |
|
Help
3 Watchers
| Locked Thread | Post new topic | Page: 1 |
| The RPE Rules of Roleplay Engagement | Started by: LittleEvey on Oct 21, '07 18:01 |
|
Contrary to popular belief, there are no rules for role-playing, but there are generally accepted guidelines to ensure the smooth juxtaposition of story lines from multiple parties. These guidelines fall into several categories to include point of view, tenses, setting the scene, and general tips. Let's start with point of view. POINT OF VIEW The point of view that a role-player will write in is dependent on what the author is intending to do. Before going into the settings, let's explain the different points of view. In literature, storytelling, and for these purposes, role-play, what is described are the experiences of the narrator, not the author. There are three classifications of POV: first, second, and third person narrative. First-person narrative is a literary technique in which the story is narrated by one or more of the characters, who explicitly refers to him or herself in the first person, that is, "I." For example: *I exited the bar and was met with the cold, crisp kiss of a wintry gust.* Second person narrative is a literary technique in which the narrator is supposedly the reader, and refers to itself with the second person pronoun, 'You.' This is the rarest of the points of view because, though theoretically possible, it does not work very well. For example: *You exit the bar and are met with the cold, crisp kiss of a wintry gust.* This point of view is seen most commonly in bar threads especially in the first post where the scene is set. Why doesn't this point of view work well for role-play? Because you're committing the cardinal RP sin of directly impeding the story-telling freedom of other participants. I have seen on many occasions (and admittedly committed myself) the following: *You enter the bar and see the nice white napkins on the round tables.* Now, while it may be true that your bar has nice white napkins and round tables, consider this possibility: *The nice white napkins lay waiting on the cozy round tables, big enough for two.* As the bar owner you've still set the scene, and described what your patrons will see, while making a much nicer setting, and having the description flow like a well-written story. Some people may call this a petty nitpick, but small changes like this can affect the quality of patrons your thread will have. Think about it in a realistic light. If a thread starts with *You walk in and your jaw drops at the beautiful polished bar.* Basically this is telling another character what to do, and impedes on that character's free will. Maybe another character wouldn't be so awed by a polished bar. Maybe they would. Let them decide. Many an experienced role-player looks for small details before choosing a thread to participate in. Third person narrative is a literary technique with two sub-classifications; omniscient and limited. Third person narrative is similar to the first person narrative, except for the notable use of the third person pronouns, he, she, and it. In third person OMNISCIENT, the narrator expresses the feelings, thoughts, and memories of all characters involved, regardless of which character is the protagonist. In third person LIMITED, the narrator expresses the feelings, thoughts, and memories of only one person, the protagonist, and it is around this character that the story evolves. Most experienced role-players opt for the third person limited narrative style to establish their character, ESPECIALLY when involved in settings with other independent characters. When everyone writes in first person ( *I this, and I that*) it makes the role-play seem odd and staged. The end result of the role-play is to have a good flowing story that seems to be written by one author. All contributions should flow together seamlessly. It is dangerous for a role-player to use third person omniscient for the reason that it is not YOUR place to determine the feelings and thoughts of other characters. The other players reserve that right to develop their own character's inner workings. When done correctly, the final role-play will seem like it's written by one author, in the third person omniscient narrative. TENSE When it comes to role-play, tense can be a fickle mistress. Future tense is rarely ever used, and I can't think of a situation where it would even be feasibly acceptable unless when used in a character's SPEECH, but not in setting the scene. The most commonly used tenses are past and present. By no means do I want to offend anyone's intelligence, but to be as thorough as possible, let's review the tenses. Past tense is a verb tense expressing action, activity, state or being in the past. For simplification, we won't bother with the sub-classifications of past tense. An example of past tense when setting the scene is as follows: *He stared down the barrel of the shotgun as a cold bead of sweat trickled down his temple.* Note the use of starED and tricklED. Both verbs are used to indicate what happenED, not what is happening. Present tense is a verb tense expressing action, activity, state or being in the present. For example: *He stares down the barrel of the shotgun, as a cold bead of sweat trickles down his temple.* Without going into much more detail, note the differences in the two examples, and you've got the basic idea. For the most part, tense is only a concern when describing the scene. For example: *He stared down the barrel of the shotgun as a cold bead of sweat trickled down his temple. He decided to spend his last moments talking to his attacker.* You know, I'm not afraid of guns. I've been shot before, Sonny. The scene was set in past tense, but speech is generally written in the present tense, regardless of the scene tense. Selecting a tense is tricky, because role-players find their comfort zones in different tenses. Let your conscience be your guide. If you are joining in another individuals role-play, it is courteous to continue in the tense that they have already set. However, no matter what tense you select for setting the scene, STICK WITH THAT TENSE. SETTING THE SCENE We've touched briefly on setting the scene in our previous examples, so let's go into more detail now. To break down role-play in its most basic forms, there are two parts: description (scene setting) and speech. It is important when typing, to differentiate between the two. In literature, speech is generally separated by the use of quotations (i.e. Jane thought for a moment before she said next Monday works for me). When role-playing, the scene is usually separated from the speech by characters, most commonly the asterisk (*), or by using italics. You are not restricted from using any characters you want, as long as your scene is separated from your speech and the characters you use do not detract attention from what you're trying to express, so don't use anything difficult like (*&^#@#*&$: He walked into the street. :$&*#@#^&*) As for actually setting the scene, you want to give the reader (and potential guests to your thread) an idea of the story you're trying to tell. If you want people to join in don't tell the entire plot. Let them join in. One of the most rewarding experiences of role-play is the unique perspective and plot twists guests can bring to your story. For example: Role-player 1 Writes: *John flipped up the collar on his coat before he walked out of the door into the brisk evening.* I suppose the boss won't be too happy to learn we lost the entire take at the races today. Role-player 2 Writes: I suppose not. *Inwardly, Peter thought it absurd to think that any future would befall them not including a bullet to the head.* Twenty five thousand dollars *Peter sighed and tried to steady his shaking hand; the hand of a man destined to live life six feet under from now on. Concentrating on his own problems, he failed to see the tall lady standing in the shadowy alleyway.* (NOTICE: Role-player 2 opened the door for a third player to join in the mix, but he did not specifically direct any player to take up the role. He has created the option to a plot twist, without impeding on the free will of another character.) Role-player 3 Writes: *She steps out of the alleyway right in front of the two gentlemen casually strolling down the sidewalk.* You'd suppose correctly. The boss is not happy at all. Each character has their own ideas and personal agendas just like people would in real life. The magic of role-play is how all these ideas come together in a wonderful brew that leads in a direction that most likely, neither of the three expected when starting out. All three described bits about their characters and the scene. We know that it is cold out, that its evening, that John and Peter have just left from the races and are worried because they've lost their bosses money. This tells us quite a bit and starts to paint a picture, but leave open the option for other characters to describe more. Is the street well lit? We know the alley way is shadowy. Are there cars on the road? Any other person who joins your role-play can help describe the scene, all because you thoughtfully did not describe it all. Just use the appetizer approach: enough to give them a taste, but not enough to fill them up. GENERAL ROLEPLAY TIPS Spelling and grammar: Many people will argue that spelling and grammar are important and will nit pick novices who try to get started in the role-play world. Spelling and grammar ARE important, but not critical to the success of a role-play. AVOID n00b SPEAK AT ALL COSTS, and don't do 1337 speak either. As long as you type in English, and show a good effort at spelling, punctuation, capitalization and grammar, you'll be welcomed into the world with open arms. Keep your scene setting script written with the best grammar you can muster. Leniency is granted to typing speech. Not everyone speaks with perfect grammar, so type how your character would generally talk. This said, no one speaks like "n e 1 want 2 go r0b da bank?" Staying In Character: ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS stay in character. Its the most important thing about role-playing. If you're not in character, you're not playing a role. To misquote Shakespeare: All the world's a page, and we are but its pen. Your pen must always reflect that character. Have Fun: Good role-plays emerge when the participants are all willing and are having fun. Forced role-plays are obvious, and are often difficult for others to interact in. Role-play when you're in the right mindset, and when you have the time to do so. So in conclusion, while there are no rules for role-playing, there are generally accepted guidelines to help make role-playing a fun and rewarding experience for all participants. Roll up your sleeves, engage the creative mind, and get typing! |
|
| Report Post | Tips: 6 / Total: $120,000 Tip |
| The purpose of this thread was to help those people who want to roleplay but are very self conscious about doing so. This serves as a guide to help them feel more confident in their own postings. It is by no means the one and only TRUE way to RP, but it has been made available and helped many people over the years. | |
| Reply by: VendettaJames at Jul 09, '08 23:07 | |
| Report Post | Tips: 1 / Total: $20,000 Tip |
| I finally got around to reading this, and I must say it is right helpful to have everything well laid out. Beautifully written a true gem. | |
| Reply by: DrFeelgood at Jul 15, '08 22:50 | |
| Report Post | Tips: 2 / Total: $40,000 Tip |
| Wow. I'm not new to writing in the role-playing flavor, but, this sure helped me. Now the macabre has better ways of portraying himself within the mafioso community. | |
| Reply by: LovelyMacabre at Jul 18, '08 12:35 | |
| Report Post | Tips: 2 / Total: $40,000 Tip |
|
I tried starting some role play writing in "New Orelans Bar" (see "The Big Easy Tea Rooms" and "New Orleans in the Dark") but there hasn't been significant participation. Indeed, most of the writing I see here is just single lines — hardly the stuff of great prose. Perhaps part of the difficulty is that the action outside the role-playing doesn't reflect what I wrote in those threads. To put it another way: I have a lot to learn. |
|
| Reply by: timoteo_boccatorta at Sep 07, '08 23:46 | |
| Report Post | Tips: 4 / Total: $80,000 Tip |
|
timoteo_boccatorta, You're doing it wrong. If you don't see great prose up to your standard, then go make it happen yourself. I assure you that there are capable writers here. If you want regular participation, then make a few friends and plan something. You may be pleasantly surprised. I don't know you. To be honest, I don't really want to. You seem like someone who is so caught up with the details of form that you're blind to substance. Did you try to be a writer once and fail? So now you show up on a site like this and go out of your way to judge others? Perhaps you've lost the soul of writing: that exhilarating rush of words lighting a fire within a person's mind and heart. Are you only left with the cold, rigid rules of form? If so, I do pity you. But perhaps you never knew it to begin with. In which case, my pity is all the greater, though there may still be hope for you. When is the last time writing made you happy? When is the last time you looked beneath the cold exterior of form and saw the beating, imperfect human heart beneath every masterpiece? Now why don't you try it again, except this time take the thesaurus out of your ass and try to have fun? |
|
| Reply by: Rorschach at Sep 08, '08 22:41 | |
| Report Post | Tip |
|
Okay, Rorshach, I've taken your advice and posted "in character" in one of our family's threads. Thank you for the free psychoanalysis. In return, I'll say the following. You might consider re-reading your post one day. Ask yourself how the average person would respond to "help" worded in that manner. You won't need an ink blot for this test. |
|
| Reply by: timoteo_boccatorta at Sep 09, '08 15:13 | |
| Report Post | Tips: 2 / Total: $40,000 Tip |
|
timoteo_boccatorta I apologize if you were disproportionately insulted, and I of course make no claim to know about your psyche or anything else about you, other than what you've demonstrated in public forums. I took, and still take, exception to the substance, presentation, and tone of some of your comments. That being said, it was unfair of me to extrapolate your entire self from a few isolated incidents. I do apologize for the overly harsh tone, considering the forum that this took place in. I'll be mailing this to you as well, but since my initial diatribe was in a public forum, it thought it appropriate that this also find the same place. Please let me know where you would be interested in RPing, and I would be happy to speak with you and do so. |
|
| Reply by: Rorschach at Sep 09, '08 15:44 | |
| Report Post | Tip |
|
Rorschach: > Please let me know where you would be interested > in RPing, and I would be happy to speak with you > and do so. I did a form of RPing some years ago, on a pre-internet system called GEnie. In that case we had free rein to use each another's nicknames in the story, since the forum revolved around discussions, not action. So nothing we had ourselves (or each other) do in the story could contradict the action in the outer world of the online environment. (Needless to say, people attempted to have each person act in character; story additions that did not were simply ignored.) Here, though, I find the situation more challenging. First of all, there's the possibility that I could contradict the outer facts of the system, such as talking to somebody who has been wacked the previous day. (I suppose I could set the tale in the past, but that seems to defeat the role-playing aspect somewhat.) The second problem I see is that I am reluctant to impose actions or words upon other participants. On the GEnie system the worst that could happen was that you'd get a miffed "Hey!" Here, though, the consequences could be more dire. How do you deal with these two issues? |
|
| Reply by: timoteo_boccatorta at Sep 09, '08 16:44 | |
| Report Post | Tip |
|
First, I would agree that the potential of any written story being contradicted by "real" events like wacking is certainly more challenging. To prevent this from happening, a little extra work is required. For example, prior to conversing with someone in the streets or business district, it would be a good idea to click on their name, view their profile, and make sure that they're actually alive. One important point is that, except in relatively rare periods of chaos or war, the game is fairly stable. There is very little random wacking, so when you begin an RP with someone, you're almost always able to finish it. How you handle this issue is a matter of personal preference. Personally, I believe in melding the RP aspect of the site with the actual "game", and letting events like war, promotions, and donations inform my writing. By incorporating these events into roleplay, you can both challenge yourself as a writer and ensure that the potential for a new experience is always possible. While that is one way to potentially deal with this situation, there are other possibilities, especially for longer RPs. For example, say I'm involved in an RP that has played out over an extended period of time. My friends and I are in the middle of a story when war breaks out and I die. Although I personally would lean towards solving this problem by having someone (or myself as a new character) write this death into the story, there is also the opportunity, especially if you're writing with people you, to just pretend in never happened. If I've been writing about a bank heist as Rorschach and my character is wacked right in the middle of things, I could easily make my next character Rorschach-, or -Rorschach-, and just go on like nothing happened. The issue of imposing actions or words upon others is a simpler problem. It is my understanding (though I am far from the Lord of RP) that once someone figuratively puts themselves into play in an RP, then they can do whatever they want. Now reasonable guidelines certainly exist. Certainly you wouldn't roleplay killing someone's character without their knowledge. But as long as you stay within reason, anything is in play. That's part of the fun, as one never really knows what direction the story will take, and both (or all) parties are forced to adapt. Personally, I like to have a brief discussion with someone prior to beginning a roleplay to establish what their character is like in both appearance and attitude. I also prefer to at least come up with a vague outline for the direction the RP will take, although this is certainly a personal preference. I have friends that rend their garments and grind their teeth when I suggest planning, since they enjoy the more spontaneous, unplanned roleplay. One other aspect to consider is whether a roleplay is private or not. Technically, once it's out on the streets or in the business district it's fair game for everyone. But I also like to send a mobmail to the men or women involved to make sure that my entry into the RP would be acceptable to them. If you're against the idea of a more public roleplay, back alley threads can only be seen by you or anyone else that you share the link with. I apologize in advance for how long this reply is. I probably could have been more succinct, but I wanted to answer your questions as fully as possible. |
|
| Reply by: Rorschach at Sep 09, '08 20:03 | |
| Report Post | Tips: 1 / Total: $20,000 Tip |
| Thanks for the answers, Rorshach. I am currently engaged in a family-only RP tale, set in some kind of private coffee house (as befits our group). After I've had a chance to practice there for a while I may break out into a more public venue. | |
| Reply by: timoteo_boccatorta at Sep 09, '08 21:22 | |
| Report Post | Tip |
| Best of luck to you, sir. Feel free to mail me if I can help you in any way. | |
| Reply by: Rorschach at Sep 09, '08 21:51 | |
| Report Post | Tip |
| Thanks! This definetly helps newcomers such as myself. | |
| Reply by: Micahel_DeMatteo at Nov 09, '08 20:05 | |
| Report Post | Tip |
| I just browsed over it. And I find much sense in it. Good day. | |
| Reply by: lord3angle at Nov 27, '08 08:03 | |
| Report Post | Tip |
| I'm not entirely sure why you would have to be "bored" to read this. It's a very good primer for anyone who wants to post, not just people who want to RP. | |
| Reply by: ViolentKilla at Mar 16, '09 11:03 | |
| Report Post | Tip |
|
Fayth reads through for a second time Ah second time lucky. This is good because I'd never know how to write if I hadn't read this. Hopefully I can improve my RPing |
|
| Reply by: Fayth at Apr 29, '09 06:47 | |
| Report Post | Tips: 2 / Total: $40,000 Tip |
| Locked Thread | View All Threads | Page: 1 |
How much do you want to tip for this post?
Minimum $20,000
Minimum $20,000
