Post by The Librarian on Sept 29, 2011 20:50:14 GMT -7
These tips are from Stacy at crossroads. The original post can be found here
Stacy if you want this taken down let me know.
In no particular order. I'll add as they come to me. Feel free to suggest some of your own. And most importantly, no offense to anyone. It should come as a reassurance that some of these are learned from people I respect and even my own mistakes.
1.Nobody cares how much your character weighs to the exact pound. We all know that your character is a lean, mean fighting machine. Go ahead and list it if you want, but just know that it’s irrelevant unless you’re playing a fatso (in which case, props to you) or some kind of Avian boned creature (in which case I hope that fits in well with the setting).
2.If you’ve detailed your character’s description in one post, it’s safe to say that we get it – there’s no need to keep bringing up how uber sexy they are over and over ad nauseum. Unless something’s changed, stop it.
3.You may think that you will look stupid if you ask questions about a setting or a person’s character, but the truth is, you’re only going to look stupid if you don’t ask and just ride on assumptions. Questions are goooooooood. Conversely, don't get offended when someone asks you to clarify something.
4.Dollar words diminish in value and make everyone want to vomit unless you use them sparingly. I’m talking once a day here – not once a post. What’s a dollar word? Something that would cause you to raise an eyebrow if heard in everyday conversation. (He got down on one knee and put a ring on my digit! Please hand me that sanguine-hued blanket. I'm going to go ensconce myself in a booth over there while you grab me a Big Mac. Close your pools, it’s a surprise! I really need to brush my tresses.)
5.The best NPCs are ones that are treated with respect. This isn’t an MMO wherein NPCs are puny level 1 trash compared to your super elite level 80 character, for you to run around stomping on to make your character look cool. If you really feel the need to do that, why not just whack off in front of a mirror? When you’re finished, come back and RP with someone your own size.
6.Similar to killing NPCs like they’re trash, stop running scenes that are for the sole purpose of making your own character look like a badass. If you’re really this glorious, other people will take care of it for you.
7.Stop playing characters that are 100 percent self-sufficient. When your character has needs, this leads to interaction. You don’t need to come into an RP looking like a gift from god to the people that already exist there. The BEST way to win the favor of an existing group is to make THEM feel important to YOUR character – not the other way around.
8.If your post has no dialogue in it, or nothing that particularly draws the attention of other characters, or your character is unable to be seen, or your character is pointedly staying away from all others in the scene like in the dark corner of the tavern, or your character is all by himself in a far, far place, away from all the others, and you get the urge to complain about people not interacting with you… Don’t.
9.People make typos and don’t know how to spell things from time to time. You do it too. Don’t correct people in the room unless they ask. It makes you look like an asshole. This isn’t a college paper, it’s RP.
10.Conversely, use a damn spellchecker for God’s sake.
11.Remember: three days is not too long to wait for RP when people are busy in real life. If you disagree, you might want to consider getting some fresh air, sunshine and exercise.
12.Unless you are a plot character, you really should not be the most powerful anything.
13.When coming to a new RP, it’s a good idea to scope out what sort of character is really needed. Maybe you’re thinking of playing some sort of rambunctious noble – but if they already have 4 characters like that, it might be a good idea to play something else. Try asking people who’ve been there a while what is really needed. You will find that if you have a unique niche, you will enjoy your time there even more.
14.Conversely, don’t try to play a character you don’t want to play or know nothing about. It’s just not going to work.
15.The best characters come from the heart. The better you know yourself, the better role-player you will be. But it is not recommended to simply “play yourself.” Instead, think of yourself as a bunch of Lego blocks. These can be aspects about yourself at any point in your life, or people you know very well, or hobbies you have, or things you’ve read in books, etc. There are plenty of things to draw upon. Then smash this whole that makes up your mind into individual pieces. Finally, reassemble a handful of them into something unique… And maybe add a few unfamiliar touches you want to explore (i.e. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to play someone who is very religious even though I am an atheist.”) Trust me, it works a lot better than simply saying "man I think THIS would be BADASS ok let's DO it."
16.There is really no reason to ever brag about what an awesome player you are or what a great character you have or how you are just such a badass fighter. Brag on someone else's behalf. That makes you look better anyway.
17.If you're going to play a character with a ton of knowledge about a topic, you'd better at least know a little about that topic. No one expects you to be an expert alchemist in real life, but you should not be confused when someone starts trying to sell your alchemist character a mortar and pestal or some mandrake or nightshade. Same with fighting type skills - you ought to at least know what parry means and the difference between thrusting and slashing.
18.Do not tell us how smart, strong, or beautiful (etc) your character is. These terms are very relative. "He was very strong." Yeah? Compared to what? Who cares? "He was able to lift a blacksmith's anvil without strain." Now that's strong. (And yes, that's also Data from that one episode of Next Generation, ahaha, I am such a nerd.) In the writing world, this is called SHOWING vs. TELLING. Don't tell us, show us.
19.Nobles and royalty from other countries would not logically expect to get the same treatment that they do in their homeland in a foreign country. Imagine a world where nobody knew who the hell President Obama was because there's no TV or newspapers, and he goes to say, China, on vacation. Nobody's gonna care that he's a president! They're just gonna care that he's black and rich and tall! Unless they're in the foreign place on political invitation, I'm just sayin'... Don't expect government officials to kneel down and lick your boots.
20.Realistic dialogue is quick and snappy. Ask yourself: does three paragraphs sound quick and snappy to you? Also, when was the last time someone asked you more than three questions in rapid succession without letting you answer first, in real life?
21.In combat, the number one thing you need to do is make sure the other player understands what you're doing. Be as specific as you can. If you need to put aside your normally flowery, inner-monologue laden, vague and cryptic style of posting in order to accomplish this, do it.
22.Conversely, you should not use too much super technical terminology in combat. Or any other time, really. I should not have to whip out a dictionary or encyclopedia in order to RP with you. If you think there is a chance that your opponent will not understand a term, but feel the need to use it anyway, then define it in your post. Example: "...but despite his effort to parry, the oncoming blade was caught upon the foible, the weakest part there at the end of his sword, and was unable to deflect the blow."
23.I cannot stress enough how important it is to get comfortable asking questions, so I'm going to say it again: questions are good. Combat is a prime example of where this is so important. If you didn't understand a person's post, do not hesitate to ask them to repeat the post to you as if they are speaking to a first grader. If they cannot do this, or if they make you feel like you're stupid for doing this, then you are playing with a **** and you should just find someone else.
24.We need to be able to connect with your character. What they do and how they look may be described, but these senses can never be truly felt through words, no matter how adept you are at writing. Emotion is the one thing that can genuinely be transferred to the reader. Even if you write very well, your posts will be wooden and boring if you are unable to inject emotion into the words. Even characters that are cold and “emotionless” have thoughts and motivations. If your writing conveys no emotion, be it through what your character feels, or how they make others feel, all you have is a pile of meaningless words.
25.Arranging for your character to get horribly injured or otherwise hurt may sound really cool and badass at the time, until you can hardly play the character for like two months after because they're so horribly mangled and traumatized. Live and learn huh?
26.The sooner you embrace chaos, the happier you will be. You cannot predict, and most of all, cannot control RP.
27.Narrative is not a place to respond to other people's narrative with passive aggressive telepathic arguments. Narrative is a place for description, clarification, and details that are important or at least entertaining.
28.You should have an alt (or alternate character). If you do not have an alt, no one else is responsible for your not getting enough RP but you.
29.Do not name your character after yourself. The point of role-playing is to separate reality from fiction. By naming your character after yourself, you have already become way too attached to your character.
30.Writing is not better for being misunderstood, any more than a building is better for having no door. Snobbery only leads to terrible, pretentious writing.
31.People should never be made to feel bad about what they are role-playing or how they are role-playing. People who feel bad about their own role-playing will stop role-playing, and if fewer people are role-playing, it's worse for us all in the long run. If people are role-playing poorly, advice and constructive criticism is the way to go, not shunning and mocking. All of us had to come into our own somehow.
32.A post consisted of one sentence, or a simpler, starker vocabulary choice, can often be MORE effective than a paragraph or a flowery "big" word, where appropriate. Being clear to the point often brings a sense of urgency and energy, while padding and decorating a post can make things clumsy, slow, misunderstood, and even boring at times. Simple does not mean stupid, and short does not mean lazy.
33.If the moderation of an RP wishes to preserve the setting and feels that your character would not fit in, that does not make that RP a bunch of elitist snobs. It means they're trying to ensure the setting keeps the "feel" they're going for, and there's nothing wrong with that. So you found out that you're not going to get to play your white haired, purple-eyed fourteen-year-old who can wield a gigantic weapon with one hand like an expert at that medieval fantasy RP you had your eye on? Like as not, they wanted grittier, more believable feel rather than an anime, whimsical feel. There's nothing wrong with either of those, but they don't mix well. Change, or get over it; bitching and talking down about the RP isn't going to make anyone happier.
34.Conversely, moderation at RPs in general really need to learn to gently - and I do mean gently - explain to people exactly why they aren't going to get accepted into their particular RP. Simply telling someone "no" is going to make you look like an asshole (because you're being an asshole) and it will be bad for your RP in the long run. Some people are actually capable of taking constructive criticism believe it or not, and you may win yourself another valuable player to your core group with some patience!
35.Man those one-liner folks sure seem to be happy all the time. Maybe they're onto something. Maybe we should just let them have fun without being dicks about it.
36.When it comes to running a plot, if the only thing you are capable of is DMing a story that is about your character, starring your character, you might as well be jacking off in front of a mirror. Nobody wants to see that.
37.Y'know, when these words come out of someone's mouth (or fingers, as it were) - "Why, I've been playing this character for X whole years!" - here's what you're essentially telling me: This character of yours has had X whole years to become a stagnate, boring badass who's seen everything and done everything. It's been X whole years since you've reevaluated what it is to construct a good character from scratch. And you were X whole years less mature and intelligent than you are now when you came up with this character to begin with. ... Not saying a character can't be maintained well over the years, but bragging about how long you've had a character doesn't impress me in the slightest. It makes me skeptical. I'd much rather hear about an interesting, well thought-out NEW character and see you play THAT one consistently, rather than clinging to this one idea you had X whole years ago.
38.When creating a character for an RP, the first question you ask yourself should not be, "What would make a cool character?" It should be "What would be a plausible character for this setting?" Don't try to corkscrew whatever character you want to try out into the setting just because that's the character you want to play. The setting and the other characters in it must be taken into consideration first and foremost. Otherwise it'd be like having Loki be a character on Friends, or Optimus Prime be a character on Avatar: The Last Airbender. The idea might sound amusing in your head but it'd make a horrible RP that wouldn't be taken seriously by anyone.
5, 6 & 18 suggested by Karin
3 amended thanks to Dev
17 amended thanks to Karin
Stacy if you want this taken down let me know.
In no particular order. I'll add as they come to me. Feel free to suggest some of your own. And most importantly, no offense to anyone. It should come as a reassurance that some of these are learned from people I respect and even my own mistakes.
1.Nobody cares how much your character weighs to the exact pound. We all know that your character is a lean, mean fighting machine. Go ahead and list it if you want, but just know that it’s irrelevant unless you’re playing a fatso (in which case, props to you) or some kind of Avian boned creature (in which case I hope that fits in well with the setting).
2.If you’ve detailed your character’s description in one post, it’s safe to say that we get it – there’s no need to keep bringing up how uber sexy they are over and over ad nauseum. Unless something’s changed, stop it.
3.You may think that you will look stupid if you ask questions about a setting or a person’s character, but the truth is, you’re only going to look stupid if you don’t ask and just ride on assumptions. Questions are goooooooood. Conversely, don't get offended when someone asks you to clarify something.
4.Dollar words diminish in value and make everyone want to vomit unless you use them sparingly. I’m talking once a day here – not once a post. What’s a dollar word? Something that would cause you to raise an eyebrow if heard in everyday conversation. (He got down on one knee and put a ring on my digit! Please hand me that sanguine-hued blanket. I'm going to go ensconce myself in a booth over there while you grab me a Big Mac. Close your pools, it’s a surprise! I really need to brush my tresses.)
5.The best NPCs are ones that are treated with respect. This isn’t an MMO wherein NPCs are puny level 1 trash compared to your super elite level 80 character, for you to run around stomping on to make your character look cool. If you really feel the need to do that, why not just whack off in front of a mirror? When you’re finished, come back and RP with someone your own size.
6.Similar to killing NPCs like they’re trash, stop running scenes that are for the sole purpose of making your own character look like a badass. If you’re really this glorious, other people will take care of it for you.
7.Stop playing characters that are 100 percent self-sufficient. When your character has needs, this leads to interaction. You don’t need to come into an RP looking like a gift from god to the people that already exist there. The BEST way to win the favor of an existing group is to make THEM feel important to YOUR character – not the other way around.
8.If your post has no dialogue in it, or nothing that particularly draws the attention of other characters, or your character is unable to be seen, or your character is pointedly staying away from all others in the scene like in the dark corner of the tavern, or your character is all by himself in a far, far place, away from all the others, and you get the urge to complain about people not interacting with you… Don’t.
9.People make typos and don’t know how to spell things from time to time. You do it too. Don’t correct people in the room unless they ask. It makes you look like an asshole. This isn’t a college paper, it’s RP.
10.Conversely, use a damn spellchecker for God’s sake.
11.Remember: three days is not too long to wait for RP when people are busy in real life. If you disagree, you might want to consider getting some fresh air, sunshine and exercise.
12.Unless you are a plot character, you really should not be the most powerful anything.
13.When coming to a new RP, it’s a good idea to scope out what sort of character is really needed. Maybe you’re thinking of playing some sort of rambunctious noble – but if they already have 4 characters like that, it might be a good idea to play something else. Try asking people who’ve been there a while what is really needed. You will find that if you have a unique niche, you will enjoy your time there even more.
14.Conversely, don’t try to play a character you don’t want to play or know nothing about. It’s just not going to work.
15.The best characters come from the heart. The better you know yourself, the better role-player you will be. But it is not recommended to simply “play yourself.” Instead, think of yourself as a bunch of Lego blocks. These can be aspects about yourself at any point in your life, or people you know very well, or hobbies you have, or things you’ve read in books, etc. There are plenty of things to draw upon. Then smash this whole that makes up your mind into individual pieces. Finally, reassemble a handful of them into something unique… And maybe add a few unfamiliar touches you want to explore (i.e. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to play someone who is very religious even though I am an atheist.”) Trust me, it works a lot better than simply saying "man I think THIS would be BADASS ok let's DO it."
16.There is really no reason to ever brag about what an awesome player you are or what a great character you have or how you are just such a badass fighter. Brag on someone else's behalf. That makes you look better anyway.
17.If you're going to play a character with a ton of knowledge about a topic, you'd better at least know a little about that topic. No one expects you to be an expert alchemist in real life, but you should not be confused when someone starts trying to sell your alchemist character a mortar and pestal or some mandrake or nightshade. Same with fighting type skills - you ought to at least know what parry means and the difference between thrusting and slashing.
18.Do not tell us how smart, strong, or beautiful (etc) your character is. These terms are very relative. "He was very strong." Yeah? Compared to what? Who cares? "He was able to lift a blacksmith's anvil without strain." Now that's strong. (And yes, that's also Data from that one episode of Next Generation, ahaha, I am such a nerd.) In the writing world, this is called SHOWING vs. TELLING. Don't tell us, show us.
19.Nobles and royalty from other countries would not logically expect to get the same treatment that they do in their homeland in a foreign country. Imagine a world where nobody knew who the hell President Obama was because there's no TV or newspapers, and he goes to say, China, on vacation. Nobody's gonna care that he's a president! They're just gonna care that he's black and rich and tall! Unless they're in the foreign place on political invitation, I'm just sayin'... Don't expect government officials to kneel down and lick your boots.
20.Realistic dialogue is quick and snappy. Ask yourself: does three paragraphs sound quick and snappy to you? Also, when was the last time someone asked you more than three questions in rapid succession without letting you answer first, in real life?
21.In combat, the number one thing you need to do is make sure the other player understands what you're doing. Be as specific as you can. If you need to put aside your normally flowery, inner-monologue laden, vague and cryptic style of posting in order to accomplish this, do it.
22.Conversely, you should not use too much super technical terminology in combat. Or any other time, really. I should not have to whip out a dictionary or encyclopedia in order to RP with you. If you think there is a chance that your opponent will not understand a term, but feel the need to use it anyway, then define it in your post. Example: "...but despite his effort to parry, the oncoming blade was caught upon the foible, the weakest part there at the end of his sword, and was unable to deflect the blow."
23.I cannot stress enough how important it is to get comfortable asking questions, so I'm going to say it again: questions are good. Combat is a prime example of where this is so important. If you didn't understand a person's post, do not hesitate to ask them to repeat the post to you as if they are speaking to a first grader. If they cannot do this, or if they make you feel like you're stupid for doing this, then you are playing with a **** and you should just find someone else.
24.We need to be able to connect with your character. What they do and how they look may be described, but these senses can never be truly felt through words, no matter how adept you are at writing. Emotion is the one thing that can genuinely be transferred to the reader. Even if you write very well, your posts will be wooden and boring if you are unable to inject emotion into the words. Even characters that are cold and “emotionless” have thoughts and motivations. If your writing conveys no emotion, be it through what your character feels, or how they make others feel, all you have is a pile of meaningless words.
25.Arranging for your character to get horribly injured or otherwise hurt may sound really cool and badass at the time, until you can hardly play the character for like two months after because they're so horribly mangled and traumatized. Live and learn huh?
26.The sooner you embrace chaos, the happier you will be. You cannot predict, and most of all, cannot control RP.
27.Narrative is not a place to respond to other people's narrative with passive aggressive telepathic arguments. Narrative is a place for description, clarification, and details that are important or at least entertaining.
28.You should have an alt (or alternate character). If you do not have an alt, no one else is responsible for your not getting enough RP but you.
29.Do not name your character after yourself. The point of role-playing is to separate reality from fiction. By naming your character after yourself, you have already become way too attached to your character.
30.Writing is not better for being misunderstood, any more than a building is better for having no door. Snobbery only leads to terrible, pretentious writing.
31.People should never be made to feel bad about what they are role-playing or how they are role-playing. People who feel bad about their own role-playing will stop role-playing, and if fewer people are role-playing, it's worse for us all in the long run. If people are role-playing poorly, advice and constructive criticism is the way to go, not shunning and mocking. All of us had to come into our own somehow.
32.A post consisted of one sentence, or a simpler, starker vocabulary choice, can often be MORE effective than a paragraph or a flowery "big" word, where appropriate. Being clear to the point often brings a sense of urgency and energy, while padding and decorating a post can make things clumsy, slow, misunderstood, and even boring at times. Simple does not mean stupid, and short does not mean lazy.
33.If the moderation of an RP wishes to preserve the setting and feels that your character would not fit in, that does not make that RP a bunch of elitist snobs. It means they're trying to ensure the setting keeps the "feel" they're going for, and there's nothing wrong with that. So you found out that you're not going to get to play your white haired, purple-eyed fourteen-year-old who can wield a gigantic weapon with one hand like an expert at that medieval fantasy RP you had your eye on? Like as not, they wanted grittier, more believable feel rather than an anime, whimsical feel. There's nothing wrong with either of those, but they don't mix well. Change, or get over it; bitching and talking down about the RP isn't going to make anyone happier.
34.Conversely, moderation at RPs in general really need to learn to gently - and I do mean gently - explain to people exactly why they aren't going to get accepted into their particular RP. Simply telling someone "no" is going to make you look like an asshole (because you're being an asshole) and it will be bad for your RP in the long run. Some people are actually capable of taking constructive criticism believe it or not, and you may win yourself another valuable player to your core group with some patience!
35.Man those one-liner folks sure seem to be happy all the time. Maybe they're onto something. Maybe we should just let them have fun without being dicks about it.
36.When it comes to running a plot, if the only thing you are capable of is DMing a story that is about your character, starring your character, you might as well be jacking off in front of a mirror. Nobody wants to see that.
37.Y'know, when these words come out of someone's mouth (or fingers, as it were) - "Why, I've been playing this character for X whole years!" - here's what you're essentially telling me: This character of yours has had X whole years to become a stagnate, boring badass who's seen everything and done everything. It's been X whole years since you've reevaluated what it is to construct a good character from scratch. And you were X whole years less mature and intelligent than you are now when you came up with this character to begin with. ... Not saying a character can't be maintained well over the years, but bragging about how long you've had a character doesn't impress me in the slightest. It makes me skeptical. I'd much rather hear about an interesting, well thought-out NEW character and see you play THAT one consistently, rather than clinging to this one idea you had X whole years ago.
38.When creating a character for an RP, the first question you ask yourself should not be, "What would make a cool character?" It should be "What would be a plausible character for this setting?" Don't try to corkscrew whatever character you want to try out into the setting just because that's the character you want to play. The setting and the other characters in it must be taken into consideration first and foremost. Otherwise it'd be like having Loki be a character on Friends, or Optimus Prime be a character on Avatar: The Last Airbender. The idea might sound amusing in your head but it'd make a horrible RP that wouldn't be taken seriously by anyone.
5, 6 & 18 suggested by Karin
3 amended thanks to Dev
17 amended thanks to Karin
Stacy, if you want this taken down let me know and I'll be happy to do it. I just think this is a good resource.