Guide to RP
From Chronicles
Roleplay itself is a matter of make believe. Pretending to be the character you play, pretending to react in the manner they would, feel what they would, and behave as they would. It is often compared with writing a story with other people. Your character is not you. She or he feels differently, behaves differently, brings a different history and problems to the story. This is known as IC/OOC separation. (See the slang page for explanation of terms)
Over time, you develop your own style of roleplay - let noone tell you that it is wrong, or bad, unless your style is impacting on other people's pleasure at the story telling. Terms such as meta-gaming and powerposing are used to describe those type of problems.
On Chronicles of Kingsdale, we tend towards turn based, descriptive roleplay, using either consensual methods or rolls for fighting/tests of skill and ability.
Do/Don't
One Line Poses
One line poses tend not to move the story along, nor give the other player information to respond to. RP is reactive, and needs to be fed. Describe how your character is moving, what they are doing, give them flavour and give the other person something they can respond to.
Example 1:
Caliopa looks at her, then settles herself on the floor, ignoring the other woman.
Example 2:
Furious, for a moment, Caliopa stares at the other woman, her brown eyes snapping with temper. Then she turns, settling herself on the floor, crosslegged, her back to the other woman. The movement is deliberate, ignoring her, her back rigid and straight. Her face is turned away, to hide the set jawline, the tension around her eyes and mouth.
Power Posing
The other player's character is not in your power to control. If you tell them how they respond, or even that they don't respond, that is power posing and is a definite no.
Example 1:
Richard swings, hitting Jamie on the jaw, knocking him to the floor.
Example 2:
Richard swings at Jamie, aiming the blow for his jaw, enough temper and power behind it to knock him to the floor should it hit.
Godmodding
Your character is not so powerful that it has no weaknesses! Every character has a weakness, and new ones start at a lower level to established characters on the game. On Chronicles, we are a low powered game, especially for Rifts, and you may find during CharGen that you are refused X piece of equipment or skill because of Balance.
Metaposing
Unless you are roleplaying with a powerful psionic user, your character's thoughts do not show on their face, nor on the little scrolling screen above their head (/sarcasm) and if you pose them, it not only give the other player little to go on, but also makes them choose between responding to ooc information that their char may not have, or ignoring parts of your pose.
Example 1:
Aimee turns from Desmond, thinking that the man needs to be less possessive of her, thinking that perhaps she should return to her old lover.
Example 2:
Aimee turns from Desmond, her face reflecting the concern she feels, the movement rejecting the man's advances.
Joining Scenes
This is just a reminder:
Even in public rooms, joining scenes is not a -right-.
Ask before you enter a scene in progress.
Guides
Advanced Guide To Roleplaying - By cosmo@socketis.net
The Joy of TP - By wbricel@cms.cc.wayne.edu
