Post by Warrender on Nov 27, 2015 12:10:13 GMT
Roleplaying - What's it all about? (inc Nation Games at bottom)
Hello and welcome to Darkstorm. Although this guide is written with new people in mind, it can be useful for those already familiar with roleplaying as well. The layout of this guide should be intuitive and flow in a logical order. Where possible the first section will describe things in brief understandable parts with more in-depth explanations further down. Also at the end of this guide is a list of terminology frequently used in roleplays and their meanings. Throughout this guide, any word imposed in brackets (like this) can be found in the terminology Section.
What is Roleplaying all about?
A roleplay
Ok, so you've arrived at the forum after being told about us or whilst wandering the internet. So your first question will likely be "What is Roleplaying all about?"
The easiest explanation I can give to start with is that Roleplaying is an interactive story where you and a collection of other people are writing a story from the viewpoint of the character or characters you are controlling. A Games Master or (GM), will create a background for a story for a game about anything and everything they want and keep posting new information every so often to keep the story moving along, these are often referred to as "Events". This could be fictional story set in the future, a spinoff of a popular TV series or a recreation of history. Players (That's you) will join a game if it interests them and become a character in that story (99% of the time you can create your own custom character with unique styles, personalities and looks either freely or using a pre-determined set of criteria set by the GM - more on that later, don't fret) Players then use the description posted by the GM of what has or is happening to write a section of story from the players point of view.
Example
After posting something like the above another player will then post a section of story from their own characters perspective and either use what you wrote to add more detail to their own post or do their own thing. Either way, post by post a story starts to come together where you follow the journey of multiple people.
What do I need to know before I start
The first thing you need to know is don't worry if you don't know what you're doing yet, we all start somewhere. This is a friendly forum and people will always be willing to help. So, first thing you need to do is find a game you like the look of and start posting to join it. Let us know if your unsure of what to do as we can help talk you through what you need to do. Often it's a good idea to read other stories beforehand that are already in progress as this will let you see how a game went from being planned to starting as well as seeing the kinds of things people are posting. Everyone thinks it's easy to write until it comes to doing it for the first time where people are watching what you post, trust me, you're not the only one and will get the hang of it.
Another important thing you will need to know is how the games work. This might sound complicated at first but it really isn't and makes a lot of sense when you get into it. From start to finish there are three threads for each game. The first is what's known as a planning thread which goes into the planning section of the forum. This is where the GM will first outline their story and over a short or long period of time it will be developed until it is ready to be played. Sometimes it will be ready to go almost immediately and skips this step. Either way, the following happens...
When the game is ready to play the GM will close the planning thread(if there was one) and create two new threads known as a IC and a OOC. The IC thread, known as "In Character" and (IC) for short, is where all the story writing, events and any other important information go. Discussion is not allowed in this thread for good reason as explained later. The OOC thread, known as Out Of Character or (OOC) for short is where you may talk more freely about the game, discuss things and ask questions such as what everyone is planning to do and anything else related to this game. For example, in the example scenario I gave above I described how my character was grabbed by someone, a player may ask a question asking you if it's ok for it to be their character who grabbed you. For the sake of argument I'm going to say that I might reply to his/her question that I am planning on having that person shot in the head during my next post as I was going somewhere with the scene between the two. Other questions might be directed towards the (GM) asking if it's ok to do certain things like trying to drive a jeep. The GM might respond back saying only one jeep is operational but badly damaged. This is essentially why we use a OOC thread, it stops the IC thread being cluttered and makes it far more quicker and enjoyable to read than by having to keep skipping conversation between posts.
How to get started
Ok, so you should hopefully have a gist of how things work, but I find a good example of how it should work is best, so below is a step by step guide to how things work in a perfect world and I will use an appropriate example.
1. Look through the Planning Section and/or the Active roleplay section for games you are interested in joining.
2. Read through the information provided to familiarise yourself with how the game is going to work.
3. Leave a message in the planning thread or OOC thread of that game if it's already started to ask if you can join the game.
4. Wait for the GM to post a message saying it is ok. Sometimes they'll say that the game is full, sadly this happens sometimes.
6. Create a character using the information provided by the GM (usually on the first few pages if not the first) and post up your character, also known as a (char sheet)
7. Once the GM approves your char you need only wait for the game to start to begin posting. If the game has already started then the GM will post an introduction to ease you into the game.
8. Read the introduction event for your char or game and post something appropriate like a greeting to other characters (more on this later). For help, just post in the OOC.
It's honestly as simple as that. But once again, if you have trouble or are unsure you can always ask.
Example
Understanding what the GM has posted in the planning thread
For this we're going to assume you've looked at a game being planned that interests you but are finding it difficult to understand what is going on, sometimes there can be pages and pages of information.
However, some of the more adaptive GM's help out a fellow man by keeping the first post on page 1 up to date with any new information, so as new information gets included or changed on pages 9 or 13 for example, the GM will display those changes on page 1 for easier reading. For those GM's that don't do this, I'm sorry but you might need to wade through all the pages.
What the GM posts however, can be split into several easy pieces to help make it easier to understand what you are seeing. Somewhere in the muddle and not always in this order will be 3 essential parts.
1. The background - Thee most important start to any game is the background of where it's set in. The background will likely contain pictures and an explanation of the world(s) the game is set in and how things work. By default this background will often make it obvious what will or will not be allowed. For example, if describing a alternative timeline of the hobbit story then you'd not really be finding Lightsabres.
2. Important information - This usually takes the form of important characters that have an essential part in the storyline. Often it will be an explanation of the storyline itself, not necessarily what will happen but the primary goal of the story such as seeking and finding a gem of hidden power for example.
3. Character creation - This is what lets you actually join the game. Sometimes the creation can be a lengthy process with lots of options for you to pick and choose and all having an impact on the story such as spending points on guns but not grenades and really wishing you had a grenade to take out a large creature. Other times the creation process can be far more lax, such as being able to choose any race that exists in a fantasy themed world like Elves or Orcs. Either way the GM will leave an explanation of what to do and how it will look when complete.
How to make a good post
This is not going to be as easy as you might think because there is not a specific criteria you must meet in order for a post to be classed as "Good". True you could write tombs and tombs of text but what if no one can understand what you've written? Then there's the personal viewpoint of each person who's reading it to consider, the sheer quantity of different writing styles throughout the world is proof that there is no such thing as a perfect post.
However, there are general guidelines you can follow to help make your posts more readable and more informative thereby making them into better posts that the majority of people would agree is a good post. This takes time and practice to achieve as not many of us are natural born novelists, therefore you should not worry about this at first and you'll naturally improve the more you keep posting and learn your own unique style.
The first thing to consider is how long or short to make your posts. When I first started to write posts they were short and not incredibly descriptive, add to that the disappointment of pounding the keyboard only to see your seemingly hours’ worth of work condensed into a small paragraph and it's easy for me to see why other writers would feel equally despondent. But I stuck with it and found that over time my ability to describe the world and length of posts naturally increased as will yours.
There are a few golden rules I am aware of that help with writing your posts and these help not only bulk out each post you make but also make them more readable, more engaging and pleasurable to read.
1. Don't describe everything. Describing the world around you is important so that the reader can visualise the world you are creating in your post, but how much is too much. Yes you need to describe important information but does the reader really need to know that the door frame is made of oak wood? Or did you really need to spend an entire paragraph describing an object that will never be seen again? Or do you really need to describe the kettle? We all know what a kettle looks like. The golden rule here is that if it's not important, give it a mention at the most.
2. Being vague. You can get away with being vague in such a way that the reader can easy visualise the scene without you having to describe every detail. For example, if a scene takes place in the kitchen then you do not need to tell the reader what every square inch looks like, by describing the general size and colour and mentioning it is a typical household kitchen the reader will automatically be able to see your creation without you spending several paragraphs describing it. The reader will make their own mind up as to what a typical kitchen looks like and as the contents will not play a part in the story why waste time explaining it.
3. Attention to detail. At other times you need to spend time describing something that is important. For example if the scene takes place on something fictional like a spaceship then you may wish to spend a few paragraphs describing its appearance. Some writers on the forum for ease will use real life examples to aid them or even pictures to save time. These are perfectly acceptable and helpful but sometimes people just want to create something novel.
4. People are reading this. One golden rule after you have written your work of art is to stop, go back to the top and read what you have written. But the key thing you should do here is try to read it from another persons perspective, can you visualise the object you described from what you've written, does it make logical sense? This is quite hard to do as everyone is naturally bias towards their own work but it's important to try.
What should I put for my first post in a game
This is something that is subjective depending on the first event given by the GM, so I will answer this question under the assumption that the first event is all the characters coming together in one place to meet before beginning their mission or quest.
As an more experienced roleplay writer I have noticed that at this point there tends to be two approaches to an entry post. The first is the passive introduction which is perfect for those unsure of what to do at first, the second is a more aggressive introduction that is more favoured by those who know what they are doing and do not have characters that are naturally passive. For example, someone playing the role of a Space Marine from the Warhammer 40K world may post a passive post despite being confident because the persona of a Space Marine is that they stand aloof and therefore naturally appear passive despite evidence that it is not the case.
1. Passive approach. Generally all characters gather in a single location at the start of the roleplay game and is the perfect time for characters to interact, introduce each other or even accidently step on someone’s else’s toes (sometimes purposefully) to help create interesting interactions later down the line. Characters who choose this approach generally post their introduction as being one of walking into the room and describing what and who they see before walking into a corner. This is suitable to allow new players to involve themselves in a story and allow other players to interact with them as some players don't wish to force interaction on others until they are more confident in what they are doing.
2. Aggressive approach. This is usually the complete opposite of the passive approach and can even be an extreme difference ranging from a player introducing their character to the room and interacting with other player(s) all the way to picking a fight or causing an argument. The beauty of this approach is that it gives other players something additional to write about in their posts later in the story such as describing internal monologue of their opinions of said character and setting up interaction further down the line which makes the story far more interesting than everyone getting along. A balance between both these approaches works well in most cases with aggressive posters helping the more passive ones to contribute and fell more involved. I've had many good RP relations formed this way.
what makes a good character?
This is again a subjective thing as there is no real way of predicting whether your choice of character is something that others will consider, good. There are however some guidelines you can follow that will help your choice of character stand out from everyone else and it can be surprising at how some of the more subtle differences can be more effective than the huge obvious ones.
1. Be different. It's not often that you come across a game where everyone desperately wants to be the Paladin for example, more times than not you'll get a good mix of different characters. But sometimes, depending on the game you may find that everyone is picking characters that are virtually the same such as a modern day RP where everyone has to be a human soldier. In these cases it can be good form to choose something different to play than everyone else, if they have all picked Rifleman you could choose a medic for example. I often find that being different is much better as it gives me something I can do that no one else can, but at the end of the day the choice is ultimately yours.
2. Don't go overboard/Quirks. Another thing that can help make your character stand out a little is by giving them something quirky that makes them more believable as people and help stand them apart from other players who have characters similar to yours. For example, in one game I played myself and another player both chose Space Marines from the Warhammer 40K world, despite being the exact same type of character I had gone with the persona of my character only being there because he had been ordered to and therefore disliked all the other characters bar his fellow Space Marine. The other Space Marine player however had gone with a mental condition which caused him to have internal conflicts to control his rage. Both approaches allowed us to play the same character whilst being unique in their own right.
3. Stay in character. If you choose a character that is renown for having specific quirks or viewpoints then stick to them unless you are really skilled. For example if you have chosen a frontline infantryman don't go around during surgery on wounded soldiers, that role is a medic’s role! Likewise Elves are often renown for being slightly arrogant and aloof from other races so it is not advisable to act humble unless you really know what you are doing. A Space Marines handing out flowers, let's not even go there!
What is Godmodding?
Godmodding is a term used to describe an action where a player either purposefully or unknowingly tries to take control of a game away from the GM. This can be done in one of two ways which are obvious when you think about it and is greatly! frowned upon.
One way Godmodding occurs is by players taking liberties in posting, quite often a GM will let players have loose reigns over what they post for purposes of a more exciting story such as letting players decide how many enemies they take down and the manner in which they do it. However on occasion a player will take it unintentionally too far and start posting actions that are just too unrealistic to be believable like describing their character taking out 1000 fully trained soldiers in hand to hand one after another, unless you're a space marine this is highly unlikely.
Another way godmodding occurs and is rare, is when a player alters the story to suit their purposes and thereby takes control away from the GM. An example of this would be a character on foot with his platoon writing how they suddenly come across an alien lasergun and kill everything in sight. Yes this is an extreme example but it's similar to something that has occurred in the past and completely undermines the story the GM has tried to tell. This also includes altering the environment like making a roof randomly collapse onto an approaching enemy and completely undermining the event the GM has described.
Generally this is never done on purpose and the culprit is not fully aware of what they have done so the only result is a verbal telling off and/or advisory followed by the affected posts being edited to remove actions of godmodding so that the game can continue as normal. As a rule of thumb, if in doubt, ask, that way you will never go wrong.
Taboo's of Roleplay
There are few things which would be classed as Taboo when involved in a roleplay but generally the two main ones known to all is Godmodding as described above and taking control of other peoples characters. Please note that the following does not apply to the GM, they have full control over what happens in the story and therefore it is the players responsibility to adapt to anything dictated by the GM such as characters being injured or events coming out of nowhere.
The reason to this is obvious, as you as the creator of your character have a firm idea of how your character thinks and why he/she does what they do, so to have another player dictate your characters actions is understandably annoying and rude. However, and this is tricky to explain, but there is an art form to controlling someone’s without taking full control and this is necessary as without this ability no one would be able to write long posts without them sounded like they are all just saying "me me me me" so it might be worth defining what controlling a character is and where it can be acceptable
Controlling a character is where another player dictates your actions, forcing your player to say things or act in a certain way for the purpose of giving the poster an ability to do a specific action. An example of this is a player describing your character going first into a room and getting hit by a grenade because they wanted to do a post where they give medical attention. This will obviously anger the controlling player who had no say in this action because not only has another character purposely wounded theirs but the controlling player might have been portraying him being a coward and therefore going first is completely out of character for his/her personality. Things like this should ALWAYS be checked with the controlling player first. As noted however, a GM may choose to control your character as part of an event, so if something does occur which is out of character then simply inform the GM who may be able to make it more believable to suit the characters involved.
How to leave a game
No one wants players to leave a game once it has started but sometimes it can't be helped because of our real lives interfering. If such occurrences happen it is good form and a sign of respect to inform the players and GM in the OOC thread that you are no longer able to continue. This allows for your character to be written out of the story gracefully or even become part of an event which allows that character to disappear so that if you are able to return to the game at a later stage your character can be re-introduced into the story at a later date. This is far preferable to having the story delayed whilst waiting for you to post because no one knows you are no longer playing. We all understand that Real life takes priority so don't be afraid to let the GM and players know.
Terminology
GM - Games Master - The person who guides the story and controls what can, will and does happen in a story.
Roleplay - A story written post by post by a team of players each contributing segments from their characters own perspective.
Game - Another term for the Roleplay.
IC - In Character - A term to describe writing segments of story as though you are that person
OOC - Out of Character - A term to describing normal conversation when discussing game matters
Char sheet - A post that details all the information about the character you have chosen for that game including descriptions, bio, backgrounds, age, etc.
Player – That’s either you or another person playing a Roleplay
UNDER CONSTRUCTION Nations (NPS's and what are they and how do I use them?) UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Hello and welcome to Darkstorm. Although this guide is written with new people in mind, it can be useful for those already familiar with roleplaying as well. The layout of this guide should be intuitive and flow in a logical order. Where possible the first section will describe things in brief understandable parts with more in-depth explanations further down. Also at the end of this guide is a list of terminology frequently used in roleplays and their meanings. Throughout this guide, any word imposed in brackets (like this) can be found in the terminology Section.
What is Roleplaying all about?
A roleplay
Ok, so you've arrived at the forum after being told about us or whilst wandering the internet. So your first question will likely be "What is Roleplaying all about?"
The easiest explanation I can give to start with is that Roleplaying is an interactive story where you and a collection of other people are writing a story from the viewpoint of the character or characters you are controlling. A Games Master or (GM), will create a background for a story for a game about anything and everything they want and keep posting new information every so often to keep the story moving along, these are often referred to as "Events". This could be fictional story set in the future, a spinoff of a popular TV series or a recreation of history. Players (That's you) will join a game if it interests them and become a character in that story (99% of the time you can create your own custom character with unique styles, personalities and looks either freely or using a pre-determined set of criteria set by the GM - more on that later, don't fret) Players then use the description posted by the GM of what has or is happening to write a section of story from the players point of view.
Example
The GM decides to create a fictional story based around a real World War II event and the players are all part of a platoon trying to make it back to friendly lines. Players have all chosen soldiers from the list of types available that the GM allowed but you decided to be a medic. You're right at the start of the story and the GM has describe how your convoy has been attacked and destroyed, leaving just you and 6 other players alive. You could post your first story a little like this .... (oh, and this is just a short example of how I would write it if it were me in this game, yours can be as short or as long as you feel comfortable with and however you want it to be within reason - more on this later)
All I could hear was a sharp ringing in my ear, that, and pain, horrible pain across my body. Slowly I rolled over onto my front feeling my medic satchel squished under me and quickly my back started to feel as hot as my front did, something was on fire and I was probably right next to it. I opened my eyes slowly to a scene of destruction, fire was everywhere, people were shouting and grabbing wounded away from the transports that were now nothing but blazing wrecks. At least I think they are shouting, I couldn't hear them over the ringing in my ears from the blast that sent me down to the dirt moments before. Just as I was starting to stand I felt a hand grab the strap of my backpack, hauling me to my feet. "Come on! We're gotta get outta here fast!" I barely heard him shout as he yanked me towards the others retreating backward. This was not the withdraw I had envisaged when I got up today.
All I could hear was a sharp ringing in my ear, that, and pain, horrible pain across my body. Slowly I rolled over onto my front feeling my medic satchel squished under me and quickly my back started to feel as hot as my front did, something was on fire and I was probably right next to it. I opened my eyes slowly to a scene of destruction, fire was everywhere, people were shouting and grabbing wounded away from the transports that were now nothing but blazing wrecks. At least I think they are shouting, I couldn't hear them over the ringing in my ears from the blast that sent me down to the dirt moments before. Just as I was starting to stand I felt a hand grab the strap of my backpack, hauling me to my feet. "Come on! We're gotta get outta here fast!" I barely heard him shout as he yanked me towards the others retreating backward. This was not the withdraw I had envisaged when I got up today.
After posting something like the above another player will then post a section of story from their own characters perspective and either use what you wrote to add more detail to their own post or do their own thing. Either way, post by post a story starts to come together where you follow the journey of multiple people.
What do I need to know before I start
The first thing you need to know is don't worry if you don't know what you're doing yet, we all start somewhere. This is a friendly forum and people will always be willing to help. So, first thing you need to do is find a game you like the look of and start posting to join it. Let us know if your unsure of what to do as we can help talk you through what you need to do. Often it's a good idea to read other stories beforehand that are already in progress as this will let you see how a game went from being planned to starting as well as seeing the kinds of things people are posting. Everyone thinks it's easy to write until it comes to doing it for the first time where people are watching what you post, trust me, you're not the only one and will get the hang of it.
Another important thing you will need to know is how the games work. This might sound complicated at first but it really isn't and makes a lot of sense when you get into it. From start to finish there are three threads for each game. The first is what's known as a planning thread which goes into the planning section of the forum. This is where the GM will first outline their story and over a short or long period of time it will be developed until it is ready to be played. Sometimes it will be ready to go almost immediately and skips this step. Either way, the following happens...
When the game is ready to play the GM will close the planning thread(if there was one) and create two new threads known as a IC and a OOC. The IC thread, known as "In Character" and (IC) for short, is where all the story writing, events and any other important information go. Discussion is not allowed in this thread for good reason as explained later. The OOC thread, known as Out Of Character or (OOC) for short is where you may talk more freely about the game, discuss things and ask questions such as what everyone is planning to do and anything else related to this game. For example, in the example scenario I gave above I described how my character was grabbed by someone, a player may ask a question asking you if it's ok for it to be their character who grabbed you. For the sake of argument I'm going to say that I might reply to his/her question that I am planning on having that person shot in the head during my next post as I was going somewhere with the scene between the two. Other questions might be directed towards the (GM) asking if it's ok to do certain things like trying to drive a jeep. The GM might respond back saying only one jeep is operational but badly damaged. This is essentially why we use a OOC thread, it stops the IC thread being cluttered and makes it far more quicker and enjoyable to read than by having to keep skipping conversation between posts.
How to get started
Ok, so you should hopefully have a gist of how things work, but I find a good example of how it should work is best, so below is a step by step guide to how things work in a perfect world and I will use an appropriate example.
1. Look through the Planning Section and/or the Active roleplay section for games you are interested in joining.
2. Read through the information provided to familiarise yourself with how the game is going to work.
3. Leave a message in the planning thread or OOC thread of that game if it's already started to ask if you can join the game.
4. Wait for the GM to post a message saying it is ok. Sometimes they'll say that the game is full, sadly this happens sometimes.
6. Create a character using the information provided by the GM (usually on the first few pages if not the first) and post up your character, also known as a (char sheet)
7. Once the GM approves your char you need only wait for the game to start to begin posting. If the game has already started then the GM will post an introduction to ease you into the game.
8. Read the introduction event for your char or game and post something appropriate like a greeting to other characters (more on this later). For help, just post in the OOC.
It's honestly as simple as that. But once again, if you have trouble or are unsure you can always ask.
Example
You are looking through the forum and notice two games you like the look of, both of which happen to be a fantasy themed game. One is still in the planning stages and the other is in the Active Games which means it is currently being played. After reading up on the information you post a message in the planning thread (because a OOC thread doesn't yet exist for it) and post a message in the OOC thread for the game currently running asking if you may join.
I'm going to assume that the GM for the game in the planning area gets back to you and says that sadly the game is full and you cannot join. However, the GM of the game which is currently running tells you that there is a free spot and you are more than welcome to join. Therefore all you need do is read the OOC thread and find what we call a Character Creation post. This is usually a long or short list of information that tells you (the player) who and what you can choose and how to choose it.
In this example I'm wanting to play as a Dwarf because no one else has picked that and I want to try something new. You might choose the Paladin despite there already being 4 Paladins in the game, it's down to personal preference.
I look at the Character Creation post in the OOC thread and notice the selection is really simple, I just pick a character from the list provided, of which a dwarf is one of them, and equip him with items and weapons from a list in that post. All I need do is write out a background as short or lengthy as I like and post all that information into the OOC thread as a new post.
The GM will then look over the post and either approve it or list what needs to be changed. For this example, in my haste I equipped by Dwarf with a Broadsword, which is a Paladin weapon only. However, the GM is feeling kind today and says I can still use it. However other GM's will usually be more strict on this and force you to change.
In this example the GM is not going to write up an introduction for me, I'm going to have to do my own. After reading what has happened so far I see the players are heading to a Tavern. A simple idea comes to me that I shall simply write a post of my character drinking in that Tavern so that when they arrive we can begin talking and thereby allowing me to join their band of merry men.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is all there is to it.
I'm going to assume that the GM for the game in the planning area gets back to you and says that sadly the game is full and you cannot join. However, the GM of the game which is currently running tells you that there is a free spot and you are more than welcome to join. Therefore all you need do is read the OOC thread and find what we call a Character Creation post. This is usually a long or short list of information that tells you (the player) who and what you can choose and how to choose it.
In this example I'm wanting to play as a Dwarf because no one else has picked that and I want to try something new. You might choose the Paladin despite there already being 4 Paladins in the game, it's down to personal preference.
I look at the Character Creation post in the OOC thread and notice the selection is really simple, I just pick a character from the list provided, of which a dwarf is one of them, and equip him with items and weapons from a list in that post. All I need do is write out a background as short or lengthy as I like and post all that information into the OOC thread as a new post.
The GM will then look over the post and either approve it or list what needs to be changed. For this example, in my haste I equipped by Dwarf with a Broadsword, which is a Paladin weapon only. However, the GM is feeling kind today and says I can still use it. However other GM's will usually be more strict on this and force you to change.
In this example the GM is not going to write up an introduction for me, I'm going to have to do my own. After reading what has happened so far I see the players are heading to a Tavern. A simple idea comes to me that I shall simply write a post of my character drinking in that Tavern so that when they arrive we can begin talking and thereby allowing me to join their band of merry men.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is all there is to it.
Understanding what the GM has posted in the planning thread
For this we're going to assume you've looked at a game being planned that interests you but are finding it difficult to understand what is going on, sometimes there can be pages and pages of information.
However, some of the more adaptive GM's help out a fellow man by keeping the first post on page 1 up to date with any new information, so as new information gets included or changed on pages 9 or 13 for example, the GM will display those changes on page 1 for easier reading. For those GM's that don't do this, I'm sorry but you might need to wade through all the pages.
What the GM posts however, can be split into several easy pieces to help make it easier to understand what you are seeing. Somewhere in the muddle and not always in this order will be 3 essential parts.
1. The background - Thee most important start to any game is the background of where it's set in. The background will likely contain pictures and an explanation of the world(s) the game is set in and how things work. By default this background will often make it obvious what will or will not be allowed. For example, if describing a alternative timeline of the hobbit story then you'd not really be finding Lightsabres.
2. Important information - This usually takes the form of important characters that have an essential part in the storyline. Often it will be an explanation of the storyline itself, not necessarily what will happen but the primary goal of the story such as seeking and finding a gem of hidden power for example.
3. Character creation - This is what lets you actually join the game. Sometimes the creation can be a lengthy process with lots of options for you to pick and choose and all having an impact on the story such as spending points on guns but not grenades and really wishing you had a grenade to take out a large creature. Other times the creation process can be far more lax, such as being able to choose any race that exists in a fantasy themed world like Elves or Orcs. Either way the GM will leave an explanation of what to do and how it will look when complete.
How to make a good post
This is not going to be as easy as you might think because there is not a specific criteria you must meet in order for a post to be classed as "Good". True you could write tombs and tombs of text but what if no one can understand what you've written? Then there's the personal viewpoint of each person who's reading it to consider, the sheer quantity of different writing styles throughout the world is proof that there is no such thing as a perfect post.
However, there are general guidelines you can follow to help make your posts more readable and more informative thereby making them into better posts that the majority of people would agree is a good post. This takes time and practice to achieve as not many of us are natural born novelists, therefore you should not worry about this at first and you'll naturally improve the more you keep posting and learn your own unique style.
The first thing to consider is how long or short to make your posts. When I first started to write posts they were short and not incredibly descriptive, add to that the disappointment of pounding the keyboard only to see your seemingly hours’ worth of work condensed into a small paragraph and it's easy for me to see why other writers would feel equally despondent. But I stuck with it and found that over time my ability to describe the world and length of posts naturally increased as will yours.
There are a few golden rules I am aware of that help with writing your posts and these help not only bulk out each post you make but also make them more readable, more engaging and pleasurable to read.
1. Don't describe everything. Describing the world around you is important so that the reader can visualise the world you are creating in your post, but how much is too much. Yes you need to describe important information but does the reader really need to know that the door frame is made of oak wood? Or did you really need to spend an entire paragraph describing an object that will never be seen again? Or do you really need to describe the kettle? We all know what a kettle looks like. The golden rule here is that if it's not important, give it a mention at the most.
2. Being vague. You can get away with being vague in such a way that the reader can easy visualise the scene without you having to describe every detail. For example, if a scene takes place in the kitchen then you do not need to tell the reader what every square inch looks like, by describing the general size and colour and mentioning it is a typical household kitchen the reader will automatically be able to see your creation without you spending several paragraphs describing it. The reader will make their own mind up as to what a typical kitchen looks like and as the contents will not play a part in the story why waste time explaining it.
3. Attention to detail. At other times you need to spend time describing something that is important. For example if the scene takes place on something fictional like a spaceship then you may wish to spend a few paragraphs describing its appearance. Some writers on the forum for ease will use real life examples to aid them or even pictures to save time. These are perfectly acceptable and helpful but sometimes people just want to create something novel.
4. People are reading this. One golden rule after you have written your work of art is to stop, go back to the top and read what you have written. But the key thing you should do here is try to read it from another persons perspective, can you visualise the object you described from what you've written, does it make logical sense? This is quite hard to do as everyone is naturally bias towards their own work but it's important to try.
What should I put for my first post in a game
This is something that is subjective depending on the first event given by the GM, so I will answer this question under the assumption that the first event is all the characters coming together in one place to meet before beginning their mission or quest.
As an more experienced roleplay writer I have noticed that at this point there tends to be two approaches to an entry post. The first is the passive introduction which is perfect for those unsure of what to do at first, the second is a more aggressive introduction that is more favoured by those who know what they are doing and do not have characters that are naturally passive. For example, someone playing the role of a Space Marine from the Warhammer 40K world may post a passive post despite being confident because the persona of a Space Marine is that they stand aloof and therefore naturally appear passive despite evidence that it is not the case.
1. Passive approach. Generally all characters gather in a single location at the start of the roleplay game and is the perfect time for characters to interact, introduce each other or even accidently step on someone’s else’s toes (sometimes purposefully) to help create interesting interactions later down the line. Characters who choose this approach generally post their introduction as being one of walking into the room and describing what and who they see before walking into a corner. This is suitable to allow new players to involve themselves in a story and allow other players to interact with them as some players don't wish to force interaction on others until they are more confident in what they are doing.
2. Aggressive approach. This is usually the complete opposite of the passive approach and can even be an extreme difference ranging from a player introducing their character to the room and interacting with other player(s) all the way to picking a fight or causing an argument. The beauty of this approach is that it gives other players something additional to write about in their posts later in the story such as describing internal monologue of their opinions of said character and setting up interaction further down the line which makes the story far more interesting than everyone getting along. A balance between both these approaches works well in most cases with aggressive posters helping the more passive ones to contribute and fell more involved. I've had many good RP relations formed this way.
what makes a good character?
This is again a subjective thing as there is no real way of predicting whether your choice of character is something that others will consider, good. There are however some guidelines you can follow that will help your choice of character stand out from everyone else and it can be surprising at how some of the more subtle differences can be more effective than the huge obvious ones.
1. Be different. It's not often that you come across a game where everyone desperately wants to be the Paladin for example, more times than not you'll get a good mix of different characters. But sometimes, depending on the game you may find that everyone is picking characters that are virtually the same such as a modern day RP where everyone has to be a human soldier. In these cases it can be good form to choose something different to play than everyone else, if they have all picked Rifleman you could choose a medic for example. I often find that being different is much better as it gives me something I can do that no one else can, but at the end of the day the choice is ultimately yours.
2. Don't go overboard/Quirks. Another thing that can help make your character stand out a little is by giving them something quirky that makes them more believable as people and help stand them apart from other players who have characters similar to yours. For example, in one game I played myself and another player both chose Space Marines from the Warhammer 40K world, despite being the exact same type of character I had gone with the persona of my character only being there because he had been ordered to and therefore disliked all the other characters bar his fellow Space Marine. The other Space Marine player however had gone with a mental condition which caused him to have internal conflicts to control his rage. Both approaches allowed us to play the same character whilst being unique in their own right.
3. Stay in character. If you choose a character that is renown for having specific quirks or viewpoints then stick to them unless you are really skilled. For example if you have chosen a frontline infantryman don't go around during surgery on wounded soldiers, that role is a medic’s role! Likewise Elves are often renown for being slightly arrogant and aloof from other races so it is not advisable to act humble unless you really know what you are doing. A Space Marines handing out flowers, let's not even go there!
What is Godmodding?
Godmodding is a term used to describe an action where a player either purposefully or unknowingly tries to take control of a game away from the GM. This can be done in one of two ways which are obvious when you think about it and is greatly! frowned upon.
One way Godmodding occurs is by players taking liberties in posting, quite often a GM will let players have loose reigns over what they post for purposes of a more exciting story such as letting players decide how many enemies they take down and the manner in which they do it. However on occasion a player will take it unintentionally too far and start posting actions that are just too unrealistic to be believable like describing their character taking out 1000 fully trained soldiers in hand to hand one after another, unless you're a space marine this is highly unlikely.
Another way godmodding occurs and is rare, is when a player alters the story to suit their purposes and thereby takes control away from the GM. An example of this would be a character on foot with his platoon writing how they suddenly come across an alien lasergun and kill everything in sight. Yes this is an extreme example but it's similar to something that has occurred in the past and completely undermines the story the GM has tried to tell. This also includes altering the environment like making a roof randomly collapse onto an approaching enemy and completely undermining the event the GM has described.
Generally this is never done on purpose and the culprit is not fully aware of what they have done so the only result is a verbal telling off and/or advisory followed by the affected posts being edited to remove actions of godmodding so that the game can continue as normal. As a rule of thumb, if in doubt, ask, that way you will never go wrong.
Taboo's of Roleplay
There are few things which would be classed as Taboo when involved in a roleplay but generally the two main ones known to all is Godmodding as described above and taking control of other peoples characters. Please note that the following does not apply to the GM, they have full control over what happens in the story and therefore it is the players responsibility to adapt to anything dictated by the GM such as characters being injured or events coming out of nowhere.
The reason to this is obvious, as you as the creator of your character have a firm idea of how your character thinks and why he/she does what they do, so to have another player dictate your characters actions is understandably annoying and rude. However, and this is tricky to explain, but there is an art form to controlling someone’s without taking full control and this is necessary as without this ability no one would be able to write long posts without them sounded like they are all just saying "me me me me" so it might be worth defining what controlling a character is and where it can be acceptable
Controlling a character is where another player dictates your actions, forcing your player to say things or act in a certain way for the purpose of giving the poster an ability to do a specific action. An example of this is a player describing your character going first into a room and getting hit by a grenade because they wanted to do a post where they give medical attention. This will obviously anger the controlling player who had no say in this action because not only has another character purposely wounded theirs but the controlling player might have been portraying him being a coward and therefore going first is completely out of character for his/her personality. Things like this should ALWAYS be checked with the controlling player first. As noted however, a GM may choose to control your character as part of an event, so if something does occur which is out of character then simply inform the GM who may be able to make it more believable to suit the characters involved.
How to leave a game
No one wants players to leave a game once it has started but sometimes it can't be helped because of our real lives interfering. If such occurrences happen it is good form and a sign of respect to inform the players and GM in the OOC thread that you are no longer able to continue. This allows for your character to be written out of the story gracefully or even become part of an event which allows that character to disappear so that if you are able to return to the game at a later stage your character can be re-introduced into the story at a later date. This is far preferable to having the story delayed whilst waiting for you to post because no one knows you are no longer playing. We all understand that Real life takes priority so don't be afraid to let the GM and players know.
Terminology
GM - Games Master - The person who guides the story and controls what can, will and does happen in a story.
Roleplay - A story written post by post by a team of players each contributing segments from their characters own perspective.
Game - Another term for the Roleplay.
IC - In Character - A term to describe writing segments of story as though you are that person
OOC - Out of Character - A term to describing normal conversation when discussing game matters
Char sheet - A post that details all the information about the character you have chosen for that game including descriptions, bio, backgrounds, age, etc.
Player – That’s either you or another person playing a Roleplay
UNDER CONSTRUCTION Nations (NPS's and what are they and how do I use them?) UNDER CONSTRUCTION