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How Do I Role-play?
Role-playing is easy! You do it every day. In our lives we all have
a role to play, the only difference with doing it in-game is that
we are playing the role of a denizen of an ancient world. The great
thing about this is you can play that character much like you are
in real life or you can play that character much like you wish you
were in real life. You can be that famous music star you've always
wanted to be...supplying you don't mind a lute instead of a bass guitar.
You can be that head-strong, outgoing, and self-confident take charge
sort of person that you just can't be while flipping burgers. You
can be a self-centered, arrogant jerk who would sooner spit at someone's
feet than give them the time... it's up to you!
But, like we said, the big difference is you are playing the role
of a citizen in ancient Greece. This means no buses, no cars, no
football scores, no modems and faxes, no bit rates, no movies, no
television, no gas prices... nothing in the modern world should
come with you into our world. This is ancient Greece, and as far
as your character knows, this is the only world that has ever existed.
It's a good idea to read up a bit on the history of the world you
are role-playing in, but it isn't vital. As long as you keep in
mind the general dos and don'ts of good role-play, you will be well
on your way.
The first big rule is to be consistent. If your character
has decided to not like fish, you shouldn't turn around the next
day and have trout for lunch. Sometimes this can be hard to do,
but consistency is the basis of good role-playing. If you've decided
your character dislikes fish, as we stated above, and a merchant
comes selling enchanted fish that will grant you wishes when you
eat them, then you still shouldn't eat the fish unless you role-play
around your character's dislike for them somehow. Just because something
all the sudden has a desire for you as a player, it doesn't mean
your character would want it.
The second big rule is to role-play constantly. Don't just
role-play when it is convenient or when you think a GameMaster is
watching (you never know when one might be anyway). Even if you
are standing alone in a room, if there's something there your character
would react to then you should have them react. Just because a bee
stings you and nobody is there to see it but you, it doesn't mean
you shouldn't yell, "Ouch!" and rub your arm. Your character
should always react, no matter what.
The third big thing to remember is that you are the player and
your character is not. Keep in mind how your character is perceiving
things, rather than how you as the player behind the character are
perceiving them. You, as a player, know that the NPCs are not real
people and are run by the computer, but your character thinks they
are just as real as anyone else. Have them react just as they would
to another player.
You as a player may not need to rest anything after a long hunt
but your fingers, but your character should be breathless and near
collapse. Let them sit down, let them put that weapons away
and rest their tired muscles. Don't just go to the gate and stand
their with your sword out like some vigilante on the verge of attacking
the first person who makes a wrong move. If you're near death you
shouldn't just blow it off since you know you'll heal or that there's
nothing but a trip to Hades in your future, your character would
be pretty upset that they were about to die and be in a state of
panic!
If a god comes down to bestow whatever it is the gods bestow,
your character would be in awe. Think of what YOU would do if
some supreme being appeared in front of you in a flash of sparks
and a crack of thunder and began doing wondrous things that you've
never seen another living soul do. Your character is going through
this too, but the player behind them knows it's a GameMaster playing
the role. Let your character be who they are, don't ruin their fun
by making them think like you do.
Don't use internet slang! LOL and AFK and :) and How R U
is not how your character would talk. For LOL and :) you even have
verbs that will really make you LAUGH and SMILE
--use them! As for the chat-room shortcuts, you will get a lot of
stares if you begin talking like that and possibly even a few choice
words from the other players that won't need translating to get
the point across. Take the time to type out all the words you say,
people will respect you for it and they are willing to wait.
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