Roleplaying: A Guide

[MamaBearJade 2088]

Alright I think its time to add another guide to my list of guides~

This guide is going to be about roleplaying in Lord of the Craft. It will cover basic commands, how to set up good emotes, and proper roleplay etiquette. Below I will list everything you need to know to help you become a great roleplayer.

What is Roleplay and Other Terms

Roleplay, in all its fundamental purposes, is playing a role. But what does this truly mean? Well, think of it this way. Its acting. Just cause Johnny Depp can take the role of Captain Jack Sparrow, does not make him TRULY Captain Jack Sparrow. It means he takes the role and makes it his own. If someone else tried to play his role, would it be a different character? George Clooney and Christian Bale play batman does not make them any better than the other. They play a role and make it theirs. However, this is what it means to roleplay.

To take a character, and make it your own.When you were little, you played make believe. I for one loved pretending to be a superhero. Yes odd for a girl, but I loved it. I made that character /my/ character. She acted far different than I do. Why? Because when you pretend or make believe that you are something or someone else, it gives you more freedom. Playing my hero, I could save damsels in distress when in reality, I couldn’t even jump off my bed without being scared.

But what does it mean to RolePlay? Well with Roleplay there are different things you need to know.

Metagaming ~ What is Metagaming? Well, its to use the information you learned outside of your fantasy world and use it inside. So say, my hero knew exactly where my villian was hiding. Well, how? Just cause I cheated and saw them run behind a bush does not make it okay. Same in Lord of the Craft. You can be chasing someone and watch as their nameplate moves somewhere, and then follow it. But that makes it metagaming. Same with knowing a plot to raid from a skype conversation and using it to have a large army ready to defend your home. Heck even sending tells can be metagaming if used improperly.

Powergaming ~ What is Powergaming? Well, coming from someone who roleplays on forums, its best known as GOD MODING. This means several things. It can mean your character is overpowered. Able to dodge ALL attacks, able to kill with one slash. It also means not allowing your opponent to react. Having beefed up skills beyond what your character is truly capable of will get you called a powergamer. Slashing someone across the neck with a sword in a single emote before they can even emote trying to dodge. This is all powergaming. Avoid this if you want to keep having fun.

Roleplay ~ Roleplay as I explained is taking on a role and making it yours. Here we are in medieval times with magic. You pretend to be an elf, a human, a dwarf, or even an orc. You take on this role and try to either make the world a better place or make it worse. You get the freedom to be whoever you want, do whatever you want, and say what you want. However, be warned. Such in the real world, you do something evil or make enemies, prepare for the consequences.

Roleplay Etiquette

What does it mean to have Roleplay Etiquette? Well its a code many GOOD roleplayers follow. It is something I personally abide by. Each person has a code they adhere to whether its their own or anothers. I will post the Etiquette I abide by and the code I follow and what it means.

1. You are and you are not your character.

2. Use OOC like spices.

3. Winning isn’t everything.

4. Losing can be fun.

5. Villain and Victim should be honored

6. Knowledge is to be shared.

7. Roleplayers are people too.

8. Go with the flow, not against the current.

9. That character there is that roleplayer’s baby.

10. Be proud but modest.

Ten simple codes I remember. But what do all of these things mean. Well let me break it all down for you.

1. You are and you are not your character.

Wait? Isn’t that a contradiction? Yes, it is. But let me explain. You created this character. The character is technically a part of you. No matter how much you deny it, it IS a part of you. The character lives in a fantasy world and does everything you wish you could do. Its good to laugh at the shenanigans your character gets into. Its good to even cry when that character dies or loses someone close. Why? Because it helps get out emotions that are hidden away. However, in the same aspect, you have to remember those emotions aren’t fully real either. You should never let yourself get so attached that you ruin real friendships just because Billy cheated on Jane in game.

Yes things get frustrating. Spend 10 hours building that fort? Oh, well beautiful- Oh hear comes the dwarves to destroy it, again. Yes, frustration. But know something? I will spend HOURS building something, a castle, a town. All for one purpose. To watch it blow up. Why? Because there is always something you can do to change things. Spent 10 hours building a castle for it to get burned and destroyed by Dwarves? Well, now make it into a haunted ruin and roleplay as the ghost of a knight trapped. Don’t let something hurt you so much you end up raging at those you care about.

2. Use OOC like spices.

Nothing gives people more of a headache than going through a lot of OOC. Heck in forums, we had RULES stating that OOC had to either go in a separate thread or be used IN conjunction with a post. Why? Because OOC can ruin a good rp or post. So why do I say use OOC as spices? Too much can over power and kill a dish. Some dishes do wonderfully without any spices. The only time I see a /need/ for OOC is when there is something that needs to be clarified to MANY OTHERS. If its a one versus one fight and others are RPing nearby, take the OOC to tells or skype. There is no reason to interrupt RP with OOC.

3. Winning isn’t everything.

Lets face it. We all LOVE to win. I don’t know a single person out there who doesn’t like the feeling of winning at least once. But at what cost are you willing to pay for your winning? If your winning means the absolute frustration or pain of others, is it worth it? I am not saying you shouldn’t win, but winning should be something you enjoy and have others enjoy. If you wish to make it so say, you have an expert assassin who has a knack for being extremely silent, use this to your advantage, but don’t make it so the others don’t enjoy. Take Laila, an assassin darkie I play. She managed to get past all of Toveh’s guards quickly and effectively. Sure they teased saying “powergame” but they had fun with her being speedy and light. Just cause she was winning, she made the situation fun for others around her, even if she was caught later, which goes hand in hand with the next one.

4. Losing can be fun.

But wait? Didn’t I say winning feels great? Well so can losing, if both parties take into account fun. I for one do not mind and actually have fun with, LOSING. Why? What do I get out of it? A warrior losing a battle usually means death right? No. A human raid takes out a small group of elven warriors, many of which are badly injured. Well, what kind of fun rolepla can come out of this? Much. One of the uninjured can take this chance to try and save everyone or go get help. A cleric can spot them and save them. Or in the case where one person was left barely clinging to life, manages to crawl to a tavern and get medical aid where he is treated by the owner. So many possibilities can happen when losing. Torture, slaving, romance, comedy, or even a beautiful perma death. Do not fear losing, not everyone is item hungry.

5. Villain and Victim should be honored.

This one is two in one. Why? Because this creates a connection. Let’s take Aislinn and Kaila for example. Aislinn, whom would be tortured and mistreated by Laila many times over, finally turns his attention and aggression towards the kind hearted healer Kaila. Now, as a villain, it is YOUR job to make things fun. ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS ask before committing, whether or not your victim is okay with torture and to let them know they can speak up at ANY TIME to have it stopped or changed. Why? Because we want to promote FUN on the server. This is a big peeve of mine. Now wait, what about the victim? Shouldn’t they be providing fun too? Well yes. When a villain tortures you or leaves you injured, it is YOUR job to react how a victim would. Many torture victims who are told to stay silent, will do so out of fear of the torture returning. If you are not comfortable with a certain torture, speak up. Do not stay silent about it. If you stay silent then suddenly, after it’s all over, you complain, nothing will be accomplished. Remember, we want everyone to have fun. Remember, your villain will remember you and so will the victim, if they haven’t died.

6. Knowledge is to be shared.

What does this mean? Well, it means if you know something that can be beneficial to roleplay as a whole, should it not be shared? Of course. Take new players under your wing and show them how to roleplay. Do not shun them. If a player is unaware of rules or their meanings, you share that with them to prevent bans and reports on new players. Think you have ideas to help other players? Post it. See a bug that can cause issues to others? Report it. Knowing about something that can ultimately help others with their roleplay or even help with the server, share it.

7. Roleplayers are people too.

Here is one EVERYONE seems to forget. I am no exception at times. Just because I play a shy, introverted young girl, does not mean I am truly like that outside the server. I can play the most obnoxious and loud mouthed girl but that does not necessarily mean I will be the same outside. Judging people by their character is the person outside. Saying that “Jadekadoa plays an edgy darkie and thus needs to be banned” makes you sound idiotic. Treat EVERYONE nicely OOCly because it’s the right thing to do. Because that is not how YOU would treat your parents or an officer of the law.

8. Go with the flow, not against the current.

This means a lot to me. You make more friends and find yourself better off if you remember, roleplay is roleplay, and just go with the flow. Fighting someone every step of the way leaves both sides unhappy and feeling frustrated. Learning to go with the flow usually ends with you finding something new. Flays used to raid Salvus daily. Did I complain? Nah, even when I was robbed. At the end of it, I was even thanked by the flays and even reimbursed for what was stolen. I stayed calm, they were kind enough to not take what I asked, and at the end of it, I found interesting tibits in roleplay. If you go with the flow, you are more likely to find yourself having fun.

9. That character there is that roleplayer’s baby.

When you look at someone’s character, you are looking at the extension of that roleplayer, whether it be a psychotic killer or a timid child. Calling out someone’s character is not only very insulting, but also shows lack of caring. That person put time and effort into their character. Just because the character is a total jerk, does not mean saying “oh he is playing that character wrong” is acceptable.

10. Be proud but modest.

It is great to be proud of your character. Really it is. But keep the pride to a modest level. Just because your character can beat 90% of the server, doesn’t mean you can’t be proud, it means you do not rub it in everyone’s faces. Blundermore does not walk around telling everyone he is the most powerful wizard. We know he is by the way he carries himself and by the spread of word. We rather know through experience, not through your boasting. Sorry, but when you boast, it makes you sound like an egotistical jerk. So be kind and just let us find out in roleplay.

Basic Roleplay Commands

Alright now the easy stuff! Roleplay commands and what they mean. I am just going to do this as a list.

/roleplay customcolors ~ Allows you to see the custom colors on the server

/createcard <name> ~ Creates a character card under that name

/setcolor <color> ~ Sets your character card color

/setname <name> ~ Sets your character name (remember trolly names are a bannable offense)

/setage <age> ~ Sets your character’s age (can’t go less than 3)

/setrace <race> ~ Sets your character’s race

/setgender <male/female> ~ Sets the gender of the character

/setinfo <info> ~ Allows you to input info on your character. Links do work in cards

/addinfo <info> ~ Allows you to add more info to your character card

/roleplay emotecolor <color> ~ Changes your emote color to the one specified

/roleplay chatstyle ~ Changes between requiring quotes for speech.

* ~ Turns your typing into emotes

(( ~ Allows you to talk in L-OOC

/join <channel> ~ Allows you to join channels such as help, wandering soul, and global OOC

/leave <channel> ~ Allows you to leave channels

/rp ~ Puts you in the Roleplay chat

/h ~ Allows you to talk in the help chat

/ws ~ Allows you to talk in wandering soul

/looc ~ Can be used as (( to talk in local OOC

/ooc ~ Allows you to talk in global OOC

/s ~ Allows you to “shout” up to 64 blocks

/w ~ Allows you to “whisper” up to 4 blocks

/walk ~ Makes you walk slower

How to Set Up an Emote

This is where I help you decide what should go into an emote. Now, when I say “should” I am not saying “has to”. To making a successful roleplay (when not in a rush with a fight) you take the time to make emotes. This can be short or long. Now, first things first, let’s find out the situations commonly found for emotes. Romance, Fight, Injury, Casual, Investigation, and Fine Details. What makes each of these different? Well it’s all in the emotes.

Romance

Let’s start with Romance. Now first a fair warning. Cybering is not allowed on Lord of the Craft. Now what is cybering? Cybering is the act of intercourse through the internet. Now when emoting Romance, several things can be done WITHOUT falling victim to the rule. Caressing is fine. Hugging, kissing, and tender touches. All these are fine as LONG as you follow a basic rule. Women cannot be touched on the chest or crotch, men cannot be touched on the crotch. Or as easily stated “Nothing below the collar bone.” Here are some “intimate” emotes perfectly safe for Lord of the Craft.

Susan sighs softly as she nuzzles into the soft fabric of James’s shirt.

James lets out a contented huff as he draws his hand down her back, caressing her gently as they cuddle.

Setting up emotes for these are simple. Take into account what your partner is, and emote something sweet. I don’t mind small emotes but writing out something longer shows your character is in love with the other. Here is another example.

Susan smiles as she cuddles James.

James huffs as he holds Susan.

Hmmm….short emotes meaning the same thing, but they lack. One shows love and tenderness, the other shows less love and more, coldness.

Fighting

Okay, not everyone is a major fighter. You can do so much with so little. Setting up a good emote can either win you the fight, or make the fight much more enjoyable. However do remember, powergaming is frowned upon and can lead to a ban. Here is an example of a good small fight without resorting to PVP.

Billy draws his blade, pointing it to the young couple. A smirk across his masked lips. “Mina’s or die.”

James stands and reaches for his blade, preparing to defend his love.

Billy’s eyes falls to James’s hand as he starts to draw his blade. Out of instinct, he lunges, slashing his blade towards James, aiming to take his arm.

James lets out a pained gasp as he is cut deep. His sword clattering to the ground as he stumbles back.

Susan digs into her pouch and throws the mina at the man, hoping he would leave without killing them.

Now what happened here? No powergaming, time was taken into consideration. Some people can draw swords faster than others. Some can’t. Always keep in mind what YOUR character is capable of. Let’s revisit this with what short emotes can lead to.

Billy draws his sword. “Minas or die.”

James draws his blade.

Billy attacks James, a stab aimed for his arm.

James blocks the attack.

[L-OOC]Billy: That attack was while you were drawing.

[L-OOC]James: No, you emoted trying to stab me, I drew before you attacked.

As you can see, roleplay gets halted and OOC begins. The fight can be salvaged and either leave relatively happy, or the OOC can get so bad that both end up angry and James is ban reported for Powergaming. Give each other time to react. And be clear in your emotes.

Injuries

I wont go too detailed into this. There is a guide I made located here that details how to roleplay injuries. One thing you never ever do when roleplaying injuries is tell the healer “Check my character card.”

Susan rushes to James’s side. She frowns as she looks him over for injuries.

James holds his left arm, a deep gash to the upper arm can be seen, blood dripping from it.

This tells Susan how much medical said injury will need as well as how severe the injury is. Where as if you do not emote this, you can end up mistreated and die.

Susan ruses to James’s side. She frowns as she looks him over for injuries.

James holds his arm as he waits for her to treat the injury.

This shows very little on how serious the injury is. Not only that, it shows impatience to being treated. Healers LIKE showing off their knowledge (at least I do) and would like some respect.

Casual

Casual roleplay is really just simple roleplay between two people. “Hi how you doing?” is common or just introducing each other. However this not meant to be lazy.

Susan smiles brightly as she spots James walking out of the medical tent. “James!” she cries running to him, throwing her arms around him in relief.

James lets out a soft “oomph” as she hugs him. A cry of pain escapes him as her arms squeeze his injured arm. He lets out a weak chuckle.

Susan gasps and jumps back. “S-Sorry!” she stammers as she bites her lip.

This shows just some simple roleplay. You can be happy sad or angry. Just having the small pointers shows a variation of emotion.

Susan spots James walking out and glomps him. “James!”

James lets out a cry of pain followed by a small chuckle.

Susan releases him and moves back. “S-sorry.”

Same emotion is meant in both, but you can see the major difference between the two.

Investigation

This is where you have to dig deep and either show what you are looking for or what the other person will see. Simple but specific emotes help a lot here.

James looks over Susan. He seems to be checking for anything that be out of the ordinary for her.

Susan shifts under his gaze. Her normally petit figure has filled out a bit, becoming pudgier in some areas, namely her stomach.

James looks at her for a moment longer before turning away.

This can hint at many different things and leaves roleplay open for much more. She could be gaining weight from various sources or she could finally seem to have been eating more. It leaves a chance of mystery.

James looks over Susan.

Susan smiles at him.

James frowns seeing nothing different.

This doesn’t show any desire to notice any new changes to his lover nor any idea of whether she wanted him to notice something.

Fine Details

Now say something has changed about your character and you want the other person to know or you have nothing much to say and wish to fill the silence. Just describe your character through emotes.

Susan shifts slightly showing slight discomfort due to her weight gain.

James looks over to his wife and tilts his head. “Are you alright?” he asks.

Susan smiles softly, putting a hand to her pudgy stomach. “J-Just fine…” she stammers, blushing brightly, embarrassed.

James’s eyes suddenly light up. “A-Are you?” he asks, his voice filling with glee.

Nothing states for sure whether she is pregnant, but her emotes gives away the signs that she could very well be. It fills the emptiness and gives the other players something to notice and react to.

Susan shifts a bit.

James continues walking with his wife.

Lack of fine details can lead to lack of roleplay. A scar that seems to give off an eerie glow can lead to much more roleplay. A tattoo you got from Khel could bring you roleplay. It shows you have a good idea who your character is, and shows you spent time refining them.

Conclusion

Making emotes is not quantity. It’s all about quality. However, being descriptive and able to emote the finer details opens up doors to roleplay. Never be afraid to ask for help and just go with the flow. You make more friends, less enemies, and enjoy yourself more the more you open up your roleplay. If you have any comments or concerns, feel free to post them. I stress that I am a forum roleplayer, because it made me a better roleplayer. I am not saying make 10 lines of emotes, but don’t be afraid to take more time to write an emote.

Thank you for reading. ^_^

[ACanadianCraft (Nate) 682]

It seems as if the obvious has been clearly stated.
Bravo.

[Cjmate 1252]

I agree with the fighting in that you need to make your emotes clear. People should go to greater lengths to convey what they are trying to do. This is why we got shafted with pvp default.

[Cjmate 1252]

-snip-

[John Ivory 4535]

I like the guide, nice work.

[Draeris 3118]

I highly considered this a useful guide, and I hope that more people would read this before they start the OOC. Could a FM please pin this?

[MamaBearJade 2088]

Thank you all for the kind comments ^^

[Han Solo 35]

This will be useful....

[_pok_ 1759]

Well done Jade!

[MamaBearJade 2088]

thankies pok~

 

forgot to say that