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Description

Guide to Role Play

Before we leap into the types of role play and the rules lets discuss what role play (RP) is exactly.
Role play: To play a role. To personify oneself as a separate entity. In short, collaborative story writing.
Role play is often more than just acting as someone else. It can be used as a stress reliever, to help develop original characters: possibilities with collaborative story writing are endless. However, like all games, rules come with them.

We are all Human
Lets face it, while most of us wish to be super man and godly in strength, we are not. This applies to your characters as well. Its no fun to role play with someone who *blocks actions or situations simply because their character is too good for that.

Block/Blocking: To deny a situation or action presented to you or your character. Avoiding the situation all together.

(Example) *The sky bellows and turns purple, with one last rumble the clouds release a waterfall of rain upon to two girls*
Thrisha: *becomes completely soaked and irritated by the sudden downpour*
Rhonda: *conjured a magical umbrella just in time to avoid getting soaked*

Rhonda blocked the situation. While blocking can sometimes be used for comedic effect, most of the time it ruins the atmosphere the current story teller's plot or idea they had planned.

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering
One of the many scenarios to play out in an RP are fights. While they can be exciting and fun there are the possibilities your "opponent" doesn't know how to play fair or even goes beyond blocking. What's beyond blocking? God-modding* that's what.

*God-mod: is creating a character who is of an invincible nature and can do anything.

Not only does a god-mod block but they go beyond it to that even if they acknowledge the situation or action against them they either over power it or manage to escape it unscathed.

They're called secrets for a reason
Who here would like a complete stranger they don't know, know everything about them? If you said yes, go see a therapist. Most people don't react well when someone they've never met knows all there is to know about them. This applies to characters as well. Just because you read the character reference sheet or the creator gave you a brief on them doesn't mean your character should know. This is one of the best ways to ruin the mood and surprise to the character's development. It destroys what relationship development the characters could have had. Word of advice, "Play dumb."

(Ex) Malso is really a woman, but the description and author claim that her disguise is fool proof.
Malso: So what, exactly do you want >:[
Reamus: Ooh~ just looking around, nice horses you have here. *suspects that Malso is a woman*

FFF No no no no! Are you trying to be an a-hole? Just play along It's not that hard. You ruin a perfectly good story when you reveal the element of surprise early in the game.

The unspoken Law
The unspoken law that really should be voiced more is to never ever, ever role play another person's character. This is the controlling impression people get similar to when an older sibling snatches the remote control from you. Unless you have some kind of agreement between the RP partner(s) do not ever do this.

Get involved
What's the point of role playing with someone if you don't have your character in some way be involved with the other or situation? Even if your character is aloof by nature some how some way have them involved even if it's discreet or indirect. People naturally ignore the background characters that just sit there. Ever watch a movie and remember the color of shirt that one extra was wearing in scene 16? No, because he wasn't involved with the situation, so naturally you dismissed him as part of the background. Same goes for RPs. Get involved.

Symbols used in Role Play
The colon ":" most commonly used in script style role plays is used to signify the character is taking action
(Ex) Royen: Oh my bladder lets go!

The asterisk "*" is commonly used to signal action or thought along with adding scenery in script style role play.
(Ex) Seruba: Look out! *ducks behind the boulder as the dragon unleashed a flurry of white hot flames*

Parentheses and brackets "( ) and [ ]" at the end of sentences that are not part of the role play.
(Ex) Reams: This is ridiculous! Can't you think of a better idea? *sits on a toad stool in a huff*
Sero: I'm trying alright <:[
author> did you remember to write up that guide on role play? ]]
author2> fff no I forgot D'l ))

Written Styles of Role Play
There are two common written styles of role pay. Script and Book.
Script is the style I have been using this whole guide for examples. Like the name says, script role play is written how a script would be.
Book style is a bit more elaborate and is written as if it's an excerpt from a novel instead of a script. Often the * and : are not used in book style RPs.

Styles of Role Play
There are hundreds upon thousands of ways to role play. But I'm just going to break it down into two most common. Action/Reaction* RP and *Controlled RP.

Action/Reaction role play is a very courteous style. Two or more authors write their character's action or insinuate an action about to happen to the opposing character, while still giving the other author(s) an option to react.

(Ex) Jordan: you'll pay for that! *leaps and aims to punch straight through Rigby*

See here. The author did not say he hit him, they basically paused the game right before the action caused an effect, giving Author2 a chance to consider his or her options on how to react to the situation. Author2 can decide whether or not Rigby can avoid the attack or be pummeled. However this also means that Author2 has to consider, can Rigby avoid an attack? Just because the action is left open doesn't mean it's a freebee for avoiding it. This is something all Role Players have to consider in order to avoid blocking or god-moding.

Controlled role play is, well, a controlled role play. It's nothing bad, in fact it can be very interesting. Basically one or more authors arrange a setting, atmosphere, and situation then control where the story goes while the participants have their characters react to what ever situations the author(s) present to them.

(Ex) author1> It was a terrible mundane day. The air was heavy with a mildew scent and the sunlight was dim through the tangled canopy. Suddenly a woman's shrill scream echoed through the forest.
author3> Lisa: O_O! D8> what was that?! *clings to James*
author2> James: <:[;; it s-sounded like a woman..

Description

Guide to Role Play

Before we leap into the types of role play and the rules lets discuss what role play (RP) is exactly.
Role play: To play a role. To personify oneself as a separate entity. In short, collaborative story writing.
Role play is often more than just acting as someone else. It can be used as a stress reliever, to help develop original characters: possibilities with collaborative story writing are endless. However, like all games, rules come with them.

We are all Human
Lets face it, while most of us wish to be super man and godly in strength, we are not. This applies to your characters as well. Its no fun to role play with someone who *blocks actions or situations simply because their character is too good for that.

Block/Blocking: To deny a situation or action presented to you or your character. Avoiding the situation all together.

(Example) *The sky bellows and turns purple, with one last rumble the clouds release a waterfall of rain upon to two girls*
Thrisha: *becomes completely soaked and irritated by the sudden downpour*
Rhonda: *conjured a magical umbrella just in time to avoid getting soaked*

Rhonda blocked the situation. While blocking can sometimes be used for comedic effect, most of the time it ruins the atmosphere the current story teller's plot or idea they had planned.

Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering
One of the many scenarios to play out in an RP are fights. While they can be exciting and fun there are the possibilities your "opponent" doesn't know how to play fair or even goes beyond blocking. What's beyond blocking? God-modding* that's what.

*God-mod: is creating a character who is of an invincible nature and can do anything.

Not only does a god-mod block but they go beyond it to that even if they acknowledge the situation or action against them they either over power it or manage to escape it unscathed.

They're called secrets for a reason
Who here would like a complete stranger they don't know, know everything about them? If you said yes, go see a therapist. Most people don't react well when someone they've never met knows all there is to know about them. This applies to characters as well. Just because you read the character reference sheet or the creator gave you a brief on them doesn't mean your character should know. This is one of the best ways to ruin the mood and surprise to the character's development. It destroys what relationship development the characters could have had. Word of advice, "Play dumb."

(Ex) Malso is really a woman, but the description and author claim that her disguise is fool proof.
Malso: So what, exactly do you want >:[
Reamus: Ooh~ just looking around, nice horses you have here. *suspects that Malso is a woman*

FFF No no no no! Are you trying to be an a-hole? Just play along It's not that hard. You ruin a perfectly good story when you reveal the element of surprise early in the game.

The unspoken Law
The unspoken law that really should be voiced more is to never ever, ever role play another person's character. This is the controlling impression people get similar to when an older sibling snatches the remote control from you. Unless you have some kind of agreement between the RP partner(s) do not ever do this.

Get involved
What's the point of role playing with someone if you don't have your character in some way be involved with the other or situation? Even if your character is aloof by nature some how some way have them involved even if it's discreet or indirect. People naturally ignore the background characters that just sit there. Ever watch a movie and remember the color of shirt that one extra was wearing in scene 16? No, because he wasn't involved with the situation, so naturally you dismissed him as part of the background. Same goes for RPs. Get involved.

Symbols used in Role Play
The colon ":" most commonly used in script style role plays is used to signify the character is taking action
(Ex) Royen: Oh my bladder lets go!

The asterisk "*" is commonly used to signal action or thought along with adding scenery in script style role play.
(Ex) Seruba: Look out! *ducks behind the boulder as the dragon unleashed a flurry of white hot flames*

Parentheses and brackets "( ) and [ ]" at the end of sentences that are not part of the role play.
(Ex) Reams: This is ridiculous! Can't you think of a better idea? *sits on a toad stool in a huff*
Sero: I'm trying alright <:[
author> did you remember to write up that guide on role play? ]]
author2> fff no I forgot D'l ))

Written Styles of Role Play
There are two common written styles of role pay. Script and Book.
Script is the style I have been using this whole guide for examples. Like the name says, script role play is written how a script would be.
Book style is a bit more elaborate and is written as if it's an excerpt from a novel instead of a script. Often the * and : are not used in book style RPs.

Styles of Role Play
There are hundreds upon thousands of ways to role play. But I'm just going to break it down into two most common. Action/Reaction* RP and *Controlled RP.

Action/Reaction role play is a very courteous style. Two or more authors write their character's action or insinuate an action about to happen to the opposing character, while still giving the other author(s) an option to react.

(Ex) Jordan: you'll pay for that! *leaps and aims to punch straight through Rigby*

See here. The author did not say he hit him, they basically paused the game right before the action caused an effect, giving Author2 a chance to consider his or her options on how to react to the situation. Author2 can decide whether or not Rigby can avoid the attack or be pummeled. However this also means that Author2 has to consider, can Rigby avoid an attack? Just because the action is left open doesn't mean it's a freebee for avoiding it. This is something all Role Players have to consider in order to avoid blocking or god-moding.

Controlled role play is, well, a controlled role play. It's nothing bad, in fact it can be very interesting. Basically one or more authors arrange a setting, atmosphere, and situation then control where the story goes while the participants have their characters react to what ever situations the author(s) present to them.

(Ex) author1> It was a terrible mundane day. The air was heavy with a mildew scent and the sunlight was dim through the tangled canopy. Suddenly a woman's shrill scream echoed through the forest.
author3> Lisa: O_O! D8> what was that?! *clings to James*
author2> James: <:[;; it s-sounded like a woman..