Some websites are geared towards only certain types of roleplays, while others allow a broader spectrum. For example, you may find a site that focuses only on vampire-themed roleplays. You can play with people you already know, or play with people you don’t know. Roleplayers often become best friends! Wherever you choose to roleplay, be sure to read the rules and respect them. Breaking these rules can result in suspension or even banning.
RP stands for roleplay. You will often see this in search threads. OC and Canon: “OC” stands for “original character,” while “canon” refers to a character from an existing book, game, or movie, such as Harry Potter, Cloud Strife, or Tony Stark. Pairing: this refers to two characters in an rp; they interact with each other the most, and often end up in a relationship. OOC stands for “Out of Character. " It is usually followed by a colon to signify the writer him/herself speaking. People use these for comments and questions about the rp. Literate, Semi-literate, and Advanced-literate refer the amount of writing expected per post. These terms are arbitrary, as every one has different ideas of what means what. In general, “semi-lit” refers to posts that are less than a paragraph, and “advanced-lit” refers to posts that are several paragraphs long.
Fandom an RP based on an existing universe from a book or movie, such as Harry Potter or The Avengers. It can contain both canon and original characters. AU stands for “Alternate Universe. " It is a sub-category of “Fandom,” and usually contains some changes, such as reversed genders or the characters are all cats. Cross-Over: a sub-category of “Fandom. " It is a combination of two or more fandoms. For example: Harry Potter and Hunger Games. Original: an RP based on a completely original setting that the roleplayers make up. It can be anything: fantasy, historical, real-life, etc. Group: an RP between a group of three or more people. They can be fast-paced. One-on-One: an RP between two people. It is often written as 1x1, and may contain 1 to 2 pairings.
AU stands for “Alternate Universe. " It is a sub-category of “Fandom,” and usually contains some changes, such as reversed genders or the characters are all cats. Cross-Over: a sub-category of “Fandom. " It is a combination of two or more fandoms. For example: Harry Potter and Hunger Games.
Physical appearance: Describe your character’s hair, eye, skin color, and whatever else is most important to you. This will help other writers to visualize your character. You can also use an image instead, if permitted. Personality: What is your character like, and how do they act around other characters? You should also think about your character’s goals, motives, and desires. Likes and dislikes: What sorts of things does your character like and dislike/fear? It could be as simple as a love for chocolate and a fear of spiders. It could be as complex as having a hobby (ie: painting) and having a fear (ie: being abandoned). Skills and talents: Everyone is good at something, and your character should too! It might be a good idea to include something your character is bad at in order to make them more believable. Backstory: This will root your character in the fictional world. You will need to consider your character’s history, family life, occupation, and so forth.
Add a fun quirk or two! Characters that have unusual approaches to solving problems, odd habits, or strange mannerisms can make your character compelling and interesting to others. If you are creating a character for a fandom rp, try to blend them into the fandom’s world as much as possible. Don’t make them too similar to an existing character, however!
Use the five senses: sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste. Describe the setting: weather, temperature, location, and important surrounding objects. Use gestures: what are your characters doing/thinking? How do they walk, talk, and position themselves?
Rps where two people are contributing to the plot are more interesting than rps where one person is doing all the work.
Post as soon as you can. If you are unable to post in a timely manner, let your roleplay partner or the group leader know. Do not pester people for replies. This can be seen as annoying. Wait a week before asking for a reply; sometimes people forget or get busy. Don’t ditch a roleplay without a word. This can be seen as very rude in the roleplay community. If you get tired of the roleplay and don’t want to do it anymore, be upfront about it. Politely tell the person you are roleplaying with that you are no longer interested.
Story-based live-action roleplays are also called “theater-style” or “freeform. " Some live-action meet regularly in a public area, while others meet seldom (ie: once a month or once a year) in a staged area, such as a campground or hotel.
LARP stands for “live-action roleplay. " Boffer a foam padded weapon, commonly used in action-based LARPs. Game master the person in charge of leading the LARP’s story. He or she will be in charge of bringing in new characters, dilemmas, etc. They may also be called a “Storyteller,” and are common in story-based LARPs. NPC stands for “non-player character. " They are unavailable to the other players, and are usually played by the game master. PC stands for “player character. " This is the character that you, the LARPer, plays. Crew also called “stagehands. " They help the game master setup the event. Some may also play NPCs.
Many LARPs require you to be in character. You have to indicate when you are not in character. How you do this may vary from group to group.
Some LARPs require costumes. When creating a character, you might want to keep this in mind, especially if you plan on making the costume yourself.
Many action-based LARPs only require costumes for the actual game or battles. They do not require costumes during training sessions.
If you’re having trouble staying in-character, try to think about your character’s motivations. Consider what your character would be thinking in that moment and let that guide your actions. [1] X Expert Source Lesly Kahn, MFAActing Teacher & Coach Expert Interview. 12 May 2020.
Some LARPs take place at anime, comic book, or science fiction and fantasy conventions. Check the schedule to see if there is one planned. Most cons will post their schedules ahead of time on their website.
A costume and prop repair kit would be highly recommended for any weekend-long LARP session. Even the sturdiest costumes and props break, and not every place will have a repair station.
If this is a combat-based LARP, have your boffer ready, because people might start charging at you. There is not much chatting or “acting” in combat-based LARPs once a battle starts. There is no real winner or loser in a story-based LARP, but the last one standing is the winner in a combat-based LARP. Play hard!
One of the most popular tabletop roleplay games is Dungeons and Dragons.
There are lots of different settings and genres, ranging from fantasy, to science-fiction, to historical, to horror. Some may have other themes too, such as steampunk or western. There are lots of game guides and rule books available online, in bookstores, and at libraries. You can always pick one of these up, and start a game with your friends.
If you are just starting out, a lighthearted, easy-going play style might be the best for you. If you are very busy with work and/or school, a group that meets weekly night be too much for you, but a group that meets monthly might be perfect.
Game-oriented roleplays focus on leveling characters via challenges. The battles and monsters become more complex as the characters gain more power. Simulation-oriented roleplays focus on exploring the setting, genre, or theme. Combat tends to be dangerous in these games. Narrative-oriented games focus on how a character’s decision affects the story. These games tend to give players more control over setting and story.
Game master: the in charge of the roleplay. They are the narrator, and lead the story. “Game master” may also be written as “GM” or “Gamemaster. " Game mechanics: the rules of the roleplay. Adventure: the game, but limited to a single story or plot set by the GM. Campaign: a series of adventures. It typically follows or continues the story and includes the same characters from previous sessions.
Depending on the game you play, you may have to use the 20-sided die to determine your character’s stats.
