What is Role Play?


So just what is Role Play? WEll Role Play very simply implies you, or someone else tkaes it upon themselves to assume a role, a character, and play through that character in what ways they would live and act. IF you've ever played an "RPG" this should come fairly naturally to you. Final Fantasy, Pokemon, Chrono Trigger, all are Role Playing Games by definition because you play a character.

But today, we are going to discuss "Online Text Based Role Play," which as it sounds refers to playing online, and using mostly strictly text through email, bulletin boards, or in the case of ODA, forums. Though you do not have a visual world in most cased with this style of RP, one is usually written out for you the way a world within a book would be formed. As are the characters.

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Basic of Text Based RP

So how does it all work? Simple, by players posting. In the end, that is the essential main ingredient for a text based RP. The host, or GM(Game Master) of the RP is allowed to make or bend whatever rules they like when setting up their world. So assuming a GM states there are no rules anyone who wishes to join can simply write whatever they wish their character to do, and once written given those guidelines it will happen. Now normally there will be rules. Limits on speed, strength, etc but so long as you follow the prerequisites its as simple as posting. Once a post is made, it progresses the Role Play, and the more posts the longer it continues.

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Script vs Story

Now generally there are two accepted ways of role playing using text based RP. With script, players simply write what their character says, adding little to no extra information.

Example:

Vent: Why hello there Kai!
Kai: Oi! How ya been mate?
Vent: Rather well, and yourself?
Kai: Fine! Just helping your prove this point.
Vent: Thanks, mission accomplished I'd say. ^.^

This is normally faster, and easier for newer players, or vets with little time. Though some people simply prefer it. As opposed to the other style, story based RP.

With story based RP, each participant makes more elaborate posts. Including what their charter looks like, what they make be thinking, wearing, and doing. And even their location. With story based RP, post length between each person can vary from a sentence or two, to a paragraph, or even onward to multiple paragraphs. The latter often being referred to as "Novella."

Example:

Kaishi stood atop a lonely mountain top. flakes of snow pelted his tough tanned face as the blizzard raged one, each tiny flake more like a dagger than a wonder of nature. Though even without the storm, the land was blanketed in white as it always was. Kumogaure was known for its harsh, mountainous terrain and here, among conditions that would threaten to claim any normal man's life this shinobi found peace. As the cold wrapped around him, caressing him in her embrace he welcomed it, a comfort rather than a displeasure. His mind wandered, raced, panicked as he wondered where he'd gone wrong. Because though he, the Raikage, a large 6'7'' broad shouldered man had such power to defy nature. One thing he could not defy was death. They had taken her, Emily, from him. Ripped away such a precocious gem from this world and it made no sense. His body tightened, the muscles spamming for a moment before his body quickly ignited in flame, his Katon nature showing through due blind anger. Though Fire was not the only thing that formed around him as an aura, but wind, and lighting as well, quickly melting the surrounding snow as Kai let out a fierce roar, asking more to mother nature, than to anyone else a single question. "Why!?"...he cried out in a fit of rage.

In this example notice how very little was actually said or done. I merely described the characters mind, and gave a short glimpse to the reader as to what had happened. When Role playing remember to stay IN CHARACTER! Don't let the course of the RP effect you, the man or woman behind the screen. Let it effect Kai, not Vent. (In this case.) The more capable you are of staying in character, the better you will be at Role Playing.

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So Why Should I Role Play?

Well there are a ton of reasons you should try RP! First of all it can be VERY enjoyable. There is a genre for nearly anyone and a ton of ways to play and interact. Though of course it's not for everyone the RP community is extremely grand and if you try, nearly anyone can find something they find interesting.

Beyond just pure enjoyment, RP can help you with your vocabulary and creative writing skills. Now some people might write far to much for you to read of course, but don't be intimidated, anyone who has written a huge post, has most likely in their life written a very unimpressive post just the same. Take it in steps, find your comfort level, and you may find the world of Role Play can both teach you, and entertain. Can't beat that! ^.^

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Role Play Genres?

Oh wow where to begin? Role play genres can be best compared with books. There anything from sci-fi to fantasy to realistic. You could be a mid eval knight, or a kid growing up on the streets in 2014 New York City. You could be playing out a love story between a demon and an angel, or a war between Orcs and Mages.

If you can imagine it, you can Role Play it. ^.^ It's that simple.

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Safety and Rules

Now of course you may want to concern yourself with safety, rules etc. Perhaps you want a ton or rules, or perhaps you want as few as possible. In the world of role play both are possible. Things can range from very childish and strict, to very free and mature. That is entirely up to the GM in most cases. In this regard, similar to genre there is a safety and rules friendly environment for nearly anyone.

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Conclusion

Well, this is just a brief introduction to the world of RP, hopefully I add much more information for everyone soon. I hope this has enlightened some of you a bit, and I hope I didn't leave anything out. That said, in this section I'll be adding future links to section I write, or link I find around the web while researching this a bit more. For now, the time of writing this I don't have much to link but in the near future I will. Enjoy the read, and see you all in an RP myself very very soon!

~Ja Mata


Links:
-Will Add Soon-