AEN'S ROLEPLAYING GUIDE 2.0.2
BY THE POWER INVESTED IN ME BY MYSELF, DO NOT SPAM THE RP FORUMS OR SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN TO YOU!! >_>
CONTENTS
1-Intro
2-What is RP?
3-How to RP, and make it look good.
4-How to RP with battles
5-How to communicate while RPing.
6-Sample RPs from other MMO's.
7-How to hold a storyline in a MMO RP.
8-Other cool stuff.
9-Closing, Credits.
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Welcome all adventurers, operatives, and anyone else playing a MMO. If you are reading this, then you must want to know a little more about what people call 'Roleplaying'. Roleplaying, or RP, is the player-created storylines, in an MMO, held within the parameters created by the creators of the MMO, to immerse the people playing into a world like the ones we play in on a daily basis. Everyone can benefit from RP-ing, it cannot kill you to at least try and improve your skills at it. If you have any questions about RP, you can always ask the people you are RP-ing with for some pointers, and they (I'm sure) will be glad to help. Without further adieu, let us move on!
CHAPTER TWO : WHAT IS RP?!
We all are familiar with an idea of RP. We imagine a bunch of pimply guys going on about axes of extreme sharpness +24 1D10 damage, one handed axe, useable only by a Gigorgonelf. In a game like GE, RP is not quite as extreme. RP again is best defined as player created storylines that interact sometimes with the stories/events in the game. The best example is FFXI, when a lost kingdom (Tavnazia) is found to still exist with some remnants, a lot of people suddenly popped up in the RP world who hailed from Tavnazia.
In short, Roleplaying adds the deffinition and justification to many people who sit and play MMO's for hours. It allows us to create a story and relationships that could last a life time. (I still talk with people who I've played Diablo with online, but never actually have seen them.)
The best way to start is like so: Think about who you are in the world that is created. Is your character nice, kind, understanding, dashing, cocky, ETC? The words you say, the actions you do: speak for your Character. If you steal monsters considerably through a mistake(Perhaps just killing for the EXP grind...), you could RP that your character has an affliction for bloodlust, or that a family member was lost to a certain family of monster; and you feel a need to kill any monster similar that you can, however you like to play. So, you explain a character NEED, which is a deffinition of character. You also cleverly escape from being attacked by other PCs, by explaining a character NEED. There are several dimensions of character you can use when RP-ing:
NEED- What does your character need to establish equilibrium/happiness/goals?
WANT-What does your character want wherever he/she is at?
WHY-Why is your character wherever he/she is?
HISTORY- Think of your history. Used in the monster killing excuse, perhaps your dying sister is under a curse by a witch (that could be RP-ed by another character*Cough*) that requires certain things. So due to your HISTORY, you have to do certain things.
These are just four dimensions of about nine that I could write for character development. But I should just continue on. We'll get into the others as we need to.
When you are creating a character, it is important to 'be' the character when you play normally, and when you aren't, please use the proper communication to inform other players that you will not be RP-ing just yet. and you might -still- make an RP buddy! RPing acts also as a way for people to meet/talk in a game that normally wouldn't require it. The Game makers created a whole world, filled with inhabitants, monsters, cities, and treasure. Why play -not- being involved with the surroundings?! It's a beautiful world. And now that we've gone over all of RP in short, let's get dirtier, shall we?
CHAPTER THREE: HOW TO RP, AND MAKE IT LOOK GOOD!
I'm kidding. Anyway, if you start with some of the conventions in the previous chapter, you are getting into the mindset of the character you will be playing. Let's discuss what goes into a three-dimensional character, and what makes them intresting to play, and to play with.
PART ONE: CHARACTER PAST IN THE WORLD
The first part is easy, if you are familiar with the geography/history of the world. This part of the character is to determine where your character fits into the world. Were they born of high decent? Low decent? Middle? From the inlands, outlands, ETC? When you determine the birthplace, you can determine everything else. Siblings, what they are doing, where the family is, what the family is like, what the life was like prior to the character when you play them. You see, most MMO characters are played when they are in their 20's+. They had a whole past behind them to get them there. This part is the essence of that 'backstory'. They obviously have one, since they are being played by you in this time period. You can hide them from other PC's, but you should know as a person this character's past even if they don't. (Amnesia, or something.) When you have their past figured out, or as much as you can at least, move on to part two:
PART TWO: CHARACTER IN THE PRESENT
This is the fun part. This is how you determine how the past shows through your character just standing around in the world. Are you energetic, are you scared? Do you talk with an accent? Do you know any tongues? Do you smell bad? Are you married? Do you WANT to be married? Whenever you make a character for RP, think of these things:
PHYSICAL-(We can see this as other RP-ers, but if they have injuries we can't see that make them walk instead of run, or what-have-you, this is where you list it for yourself.) Explain how they stand, why they stand. A soldier is a lot more of a physical Archetype of a strict disciplined person. they stand straight, look into people's eyes dead-on, ETC. A Bum would not do the same thing. Define for yourself how they act, and adjust your character's physicality as you can.
MENTAL-Simple. How are they mentally? However creative you are, and your abilities are, you can make this intresting. (While playing FFXI, I RP-ed with a Dual-Personality Mithra. It made for some INTRESTING times...Especially since one personality wanted to fight a monster and the other didn't. So every time she would switch, she'd either engage the monsters or not fight at all. It dang near killed all of us, but it was the BEST RP-ing in a game I've seen.) This also determines outlook on the world, optimisticness, Pessimisticness, ETC. Don't be afraid to break any boundaries here.
PERSONALITY-A subsidiary of the Mental division, PERSONALITY is how you play your character for other characters to see. Someone who is a spy, or of that type would be fake to people he would need to be fake to, whereas a soldier might not have that discipline, and would be straight-foreward in everything. Again, this is however deep you need it to be to understand how to play the character.
With all of that said, moving along.
PART THREE: CHARACTER HABITS
Habits can be defined as more than just a physical dependancy on drugs, or on the need to shake a leg while sitting bored, or something of that calibur. HABITS are also in combat, and in communications. Let's say that a male is attracted (A La Brock from Pokemon) to any female. That's a HABIT. Let's say that you only like to use one type of stance/weapon. A bit more extreme, but can be played with some rewarding results.
With all three combined, your character should be surfacing. You should have their needs, wants, history, past, habits, mental outlook, personality, physicallity, and socially. You should be able to RP without a problem with these things, but let's jump into a smaller, but nessicary part:
CHAPTER FOUR: BATTLE! TO BE OR NOT TO BE?
In this chapter, which is short, we will discuss battle-related things. Let's take a character I played in FFXI. I played a Hume Monk. A Monk in FFXI is a hand-to-hand combatant. They are most effective in combat up close. So, thusly, I used a staff a couple times, (Monks could use a couple other weapons than knuckle weapons.) and explained when asked why I was using the staff. I told them that I needed to work on my staff skill, due to the fact that a friend challenged me to a duel, and we agreed that staff would be the weapon. ((Out of character I used the excuse that I needed a skill level to get a weaponskill. >_>;;; )) If you would like to use a certain weapon more than not, just explain in character why you do. Most of everything in RP, if you can explain why you do something, then you will be fine. If people you are grouping with care, then it might just be best to move to another group who will be understanding.
CHAPTER FIVE: HOW TO COMMUNICATE
This chapter is devoted to showing you how to communicate to other RPers in the world as to not disturb, or to make clear to others that you are RP-ing. First a key for communication.
(( )) - Out Of Character chat. For whenever you need to communicate freely to the other players. I.E:
((I have to go to the bathroom, please hold.))
/emote - Usually the command to 'free' emote, or put in whatever you want. Best when explaining a motion that is needed, or adds to the RP. I.E-
/emote looks excited, but reserved.
How it appears on the screen:
Johnson looks excited, but reserved.
" " -Speaking. Some games don't add Quotation marks to their normal chat logs. So, it would be best if that is the case, add Quotes to define when your character speaks. Best used for Emote RP-ing.
"Hrm. So the Gaia crystal needs to be saved..." so-and-so mused.
/emote "somethingsomething DARK SIDE" said the one called Palpatine.- Emote RPing. Basically, the best for defining. It makes the action/diologue one. Allows you to use them both on the fly other than typing:
something something DARK SIDE
/emote said the one called Palpatine.
It makes it easier for some, others can't stand it. So figure out which is best for you, and use it.
Wow. I covered everything with just a key. Day-um I'm good. Sometimes.
CHAPTER SIX: OTHER RPS.
This log is taken from FFXI, and is an example of battle RP, (This is the one about the dual-personality mithra I told you about.)
Deep within Vana'diel's crust, a group of fifteen adventurers sat in, attempting to get to the Sacarium.
(I'm cutting all non-useful diologue, keep in mind, the other twelve adventurers went ahead of us, so it's just us three.)
Kiera:So why are we doing this again?
Aen:Simple. We're trying to figure out why Promathia has come back.
Joii:Yeah. So let's get to the helping, and less of the talking.
Kiera: Ugh. Alright
*A battle commenses, two links, but the group holds strong, durring the last monster*
Kiera: Uoooppppuuugg..
Aen:What the hell?
Joii: Great.
*Kiera sheathes her weapon and runs. Aen and Joii finish the monster, and run after her.*
Aen:Kiera! What's wrong? We have to hurry and catch up!
Kiera:Monsters! AHHHHH!!! They're everywhere! I can't get away! Help me!
*Kiera runs back to Aen and Joii, resting.*
Aen: Kiera...Are you allright?..
Kiera:Who's Kiera?
Joii:...
Aen:...Um..You are?
Kiera: My name's AB.
Aen: AB, where's Kiera?
Joii: Can you stand and walk with us? We have to meet up with people.
Kiera: Um...Are there monsters? I can't stand...Ughhhhuoooooo
Aen: Again?
*Kiera stands.*
Joii: AB?
Kiera: Kiera. Sorry. Forgot to tell you. This place just does stuff to me. I got near here once and blacked out, waking up jumping on a table in Jeuno.
Aen: I see. Someone said they were AB within you.
Kiera: AB? Hm. That's intresting.
Joii:...Let's get moving.
CHAPTER SEVEN: HOW TO HAVE A RP SESSION/CAMPAIGN IN AN MMO:
In most MMO's, storylines following expansions, or people usually follow in a quest-style format. You go to person A, tells you to get Item B, then bring it back. Quest is done. Rinse, repeat. To use quests to enhance your RPing with other PCs, you can hide the story that the game gives you, unless it fits into your story to help this NPC out, but you can get creative and say the person is in dire need of whatever, and go and get it, even if it's something simple like killing 10 things and bringing back an item. It allows you to define character, as well as add a little ######e if you have a campaign going on.
A RP campaign is a continuing story broken into smaller adventures. It allows you to develop a great story, as well as get to know your character better. I highly suggest a Campaign with a potential GEM (Or GE Master, who doesn't actively participate in the RP, but acts more as a guide, making sure everyone is enjoying the time, adding bits of information when needed, and helping save the PCs if they find themselves trapped.) Who organizes the story and keeps everyone on-story, much like the traditional DM's, except they do not have ultimate power. So finding someone who can create adventures for you and friends and a story behind it might be all of the RP you need. And if you're enjoying yourself, what is the point of caring at that point?
You can have any number of stories, characters, and things to happen. You just have to find someone who is willing to write a story to run you through, to string quests from NPC's together, or have another person ready to do in-game story.
Keep in mind, the MMO story can be played within the parameters of your characters as well. I'm trying to give another reason to play RP whenever the situation doesn't quite allow it. It also takes the edge off of leveling for hours with no fun but shooting.
I think that I need to clarify a tad here. As explained (Sorta in the above section..) there are several ways you can have a campaign in an MMO. I will offer some easy suggestions.
-Stringing together quests, in character, with some master goal in mind (I.E, what happens when you complete all of the quests?) Or however the quests fit into the campaign.
-Just going to a dungeon, setting a goal in and out of character, and do your best in-character to complete the goal. Playing like this is the easiest way to start a campaign, and is possibly the most fun. Remember to RP durring/after battles, if you can. Do you need to rest to regain HP before moving on? You could pretend that the last monster hit you a little too hard.
Remember, RP is limited by your imagination and however well you can play your character and interact with others.
-Let's say you have to go do something you don't want to do alone, what better way to start a road you don't want to travel alone then to grab a friend and RP your way down the path, or even when exploring. Let's say you would like to explore. Turn it into an RP adventure, with as many people as you want. In GE, or (Grand Expedition, as Dupont pointed out to me...) you could most certainly do your best to see how far you can make it in the world, seeing everything there is to see. Go nuts.
-Remember your character is an extension of you. Do things in the world of GE that you can't Out of character. Enjoy yourself.
CHAPTER EIGHT: COOL STUFFS!
Right now, don't be afraid of suffering for RP. For instance, the character I am playing, doesn't have a team, so he's just going solo instead of having two companions.
Don't be afraid of other RP-ers, if they are RP-ing, ask if you can join in Via the OOC chat.
Lelouch wanted a bit added on the signifigance of clothing/armor to RP. In my theory, there are multiple ways to do this:
Clothing in RP- Clothing can determine several things: Class of your character in the world ( Multiple outfits, you could say would be for a richer character, or someone like that.), what your character hold dear (If your musketeer doesn't wear the uniform because they don't like it's history, or something of that sort), Or that they don't care about things (Oh, there's a lot of dust and blood caked on my jacket? Whatever.) The ultimate choice in how clothing is played in character is up to you. If you are in a clan, you can define eachother by a certain uniform your wear. But you could also choose to wear clothing in a manner to come across to other players as a helper, or as a symbol to stay away. (Wearing a warm, comforting color will instantly catch player's eyes, and you can come across as a helper. Wearing cooler, darker colors, other player's eyes might skip over you.)
Armor in RP- As we all know, in history, families would wear crests on shields, flags, banners to determine who they were fighting for. In PvP, or PvF, wearing a certain armor as uniform can determine your faction, and make them stand out in battle. Nothing, I assure you, is more chilling to a bunch of opponents than a well organized, like-minded enemy unit. You can come off as threatening to your enemies if you manage to give everyone armor in your clan that is similar, based on rank.
Leaving that be, Armor outside of the PvP world is also as instrumental to other characters since, I hope, you would be wearing it in the field. They see it before they speak to you. In RP, you can include armor as anything that adds to your character, like Heirlooms, ETC.
Remember, that clothes will be the extension of your character that other people can see without saying anything to you, so use the clothing to attract people for RP, or to deter them from talking to you.
MORE TO BE ADDED TO COOL STUFFS.
CLOSING,CREDITS
In short, this guide is a short rewritten section of a fuller RP guide. I just put these down as the guidelines to follow, for personal enjoyment and for a SUPER DUPER look into RP. Feel free to ignore the rules and make up your own, but I enjoy a very high standard of RP. I like to know everything. So, you can see that in my OCD-style guide.
I also want to take this time to offer my services as a Sheriff for RP. As 'Sheriff' I will willingly write stories for groups of players, as well as when Beta comes out, organizing adventures in RP for people, as well as act as a refrence for RP questions. This offer stands to everyone, even people who know nothing, or people who know a lot more than I do.
This guide should only be posted on the SWORD OF THE NEW WORLD: GRANDIDO EXPEDITIA OFFICAL MESSAGE BOARDS. Copywright Joshua Kern 2002.
THANKS-Everyone so far on the boards, you guys are a great community, and I hope to be of much more service as a RP Sheriff, and as a helper to the RP community. I have survived several RP communities, both Message board, to CYOA, to MMO's. And if I don't have the awnser, I will get it for you. Thanks goes out to all my FFXI buds, and MxO buddies, as well as PSU pals, and LOTR beta testers. Couldn't have made this without you guys.
Update to 2.0.2-Added clarifyed Campaign ideas, clothing RP-ing (Under Cool stuff) and put a log up from FFXI.
MMO Roleplaying Guide 2.0.1, My MMO RP Guide, updated for your pleasure.
Apr 18 2007, 11:09 PM
