Sir Valerian's Guide to relatively succesful roleplaying (SVGRSR)

[VAL 0]

Hi.

 

My nickname is Sir Valerian. I have been playing MMORPBs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Boards - a mock-up I have taken a tendency to use) for a fair share of three years now. I started out with ninja-themed roleplays such as Enter the Ninja (groups.msn.com/enter_the_ninja - now disbanded) and Cave Canem (a furry'esque rpb - don't ask). Then, after a year or so, I moved to some more serious roleplays, such as our beloved SEED RPG and Yoda's Yarns (didn't last too long there). However, now I am taking a hiatus in rp'ing but I will provide you with this pretty little Guide.

 

Please do enjoy.

 

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[align=right]Part One: Genres & Types[/align]

 

There are multiple genres and types when it comes to roleplaying - variant in many ways just as movies or books are. The following will be a listing of roleplays I myself have personally stumbled upon:

 

• Science Fiction. So you have just finished watching an episode of Battlestar Galactica and you think the characters are immensly cool. What do you do? You Google 'Battlestar Galactica', and unless the statistics have changed, there are a handful of well-operated RPBs out there, waiting for new players. The Science Fiction -genre includes often either a single conflict for players to participate in, a long storyline where new players can 'hop in' mid-way through, or a galaxy-wide conflict of warring sides. It is a all up to you to decide on how to shape and evolve your character. All in a futuristic-utopistic environment.
  
• Anime. This is the section where Advent Destiny belongs, want it or not. Ofcourse there are also many subcategories to this one, Inuyasha or Bleach for example. There are also these 'custom' roleplays, perhaps a high-school story someone wanted to write but did not have the time to do, so he or she made this one to get some people to give some ideas. Also the nefarious furry-RPGs are found here, though you shouldn't be afraid, most of them are 'clean'.
  
• Racing. There have been some discussions whether Initial D should be considered a racing-show or an anime-show. I personally place it under the racing-category, but you may feel to do otherwise and who would I be to stop you? You get a set of wheels, you get a new life, you get some doe in your front-pocket and you race 'till your heart stops beating. Can you handle the adrenaline in these ones?

 

These are ofcourse only a few examples of categories, you might find such as "Fantasy" or "High-School" when googling, listing all of them would indeed be a pain.

 

 

Then onward to the types of roleplay. So you've got the basic idea and storyline set up for your brand-spanking new roleplay, what should you do next? Perhaps think out some ground rules, perhaps a battle system if there is to be one, and some basic rules for travelling across that landscape YOU have made for the players. Here are some options to consider:

 

Ground Rules

You've got the world, you've got the types. What next? If you don't want the roleplay to totally swing off your hands you will have to either get some good, understandable rules or get ready for a ban-fest. You might want to include such as "No godmoding allowed", "Don't harass other members" and other funky rules.

Battle Rules

Dices? Those are the past! The thing today is random number generators incase you would wish to have a completely organised, moderated battle system. Then there's the freeform-style, used by our dear Advent Destiny, that allows nearly free roleplaying, and relies much on the players' own sense of judgement.

Travelling

You've got this fancy little thing going on in this one area, then this one foo' decides to end his RP in an utterly different area and appears where you are! That is ofcourse unacceptable, but do keep your judgement clean, you wouldn't want it to be too strict, no?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also to come: Part 2, guideline to proper roleplay; Part 3, your very own character, dos and don'ts; Part 4, keeping it real.

 

Stay tuned!

-Sir.Valerian

Edited April 4, 2007 by Guest

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[align=right]Part Two: Guidelines to Proper Roleplay[/align]

 

Now you've got a proper character and all that jazz, and you're itching to tstart weaving a story around your character. Maybe you're in the basic starting zone for newcomers or maybe you're in a place totally other, but one thing is clear: be original. read up on other poeople's posts and stories and try to get inspiration from them. Direct copying is although an absolute no-no.

 

 

Humble beginnings.

So let's say you find yourself in a small cargo-bay, cuffe/tied up and you have no idea where the hell you are. Start by describing your surroundings, describing what the character feels and try to be as plentyful in choosing your words as possible. Something along the lines of...

Jack awoke with an aching pain in his wrists, he tried to bring then to his face but they wouldn't move. he couldn't move. Panic crept across him but he strove to keep his head cool. He thought about the mountain rivers back home and about the critters that might have inhabited the plains near his home aeons ago. Jack opened his eyes. First all he saw was darkness, nothing but black walls all around. He then fixated his eyes on a certain point in the wall, a hole in it, and the light streaming from it seemed to start filling the room. Jack felt as if he would gasp of amazement as the room indeed grew brighter. "Good morning, Jack," said a voice behind him.

 

Weaving the past.

I myself love flashbacks. There is no other proper way of storytelling then implementing flashbacks of a better, lost life in the midst of a combat situation, with the characting appearing to 'zone out' into his past and awake strengthened anew. This is not limited to battle situations however, you for instance bump into someone on the street and the face of your old sweet-heart pop into your mind. That's a real sway way of storytelling aswell, first letting the audience hear the character whisper the name and then left interested what that name brings in it's background. Here's yet another example:

Kevin had been babbling about his new bike the whole time they had sat at the coffee house, and he still wouldn't shut up even as they were headed back to the railway-station. Jack was beginning to get a head-acho from all the constant chatter about how 'the sleekness of the bike really came through in a clear summer day' or how Kev had outrun a pair of cops the other day. Jack was so lost in his agony that he knocked his shoulder to a bypasser, spinning around like a ballerina and looking down on an absolutely gorgeous woman who had been knocked down on her knees by the impact. The woman rose up, gave a ferocious glance at Jack and proceeded on. Kev pointed out the red spot of blood her knee had left in the asphalt but Jack didn't really care. "Natasha..." he whispered.

 

Lost in storyline.

You are unique. Thus your writing and story should be unique aswell.

 

 

 

 

More of this goodness to come.

Edited April 6, 2007 by Guest

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[Valiant 96]

Good to see you back in action, Falko. I've always enjoyed reading your guides. Can't wait to see this one.