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HOW TO ROLE-PLAY |
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To get a list of role-plays to join, click here.
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INDEX |
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The Basics
How the RPG is laid out
YES AND NO: What you Should and Shouldn't Do
Controlling / God-moding
Creating Your Character
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HOW TO ROLE-PLAY |
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The Basics
The RPG (role-play game) site is laid out as a collection of 'boards'. A board is the name for a category of the RPG. For example, the board name "Discussions" is where you talk to the other members about things. Inside each board are many 'threads' which is where you 'post'. You can start your own thread if there isn't already one about the thing you want to talk about, or add your reply (which is called a post) onto the end of someone else's thread.
The forum is the name for the entire collection of boards. Boards usually fall into two separate groups – the "Out of Character" boards and the "In Character" boards. You play the RP on the In Character boards and you chat with others on the Out of Character boards.
The first thing to do is find a good role-play site. Check before you join to see if the members are still active – it's no use joining a site that nobody's been on for 3 years. You can do this by going to a board and checking the last post dates. If it was yesterday or some recent date, the site is still active. Also, check that there are a few members – some sites start up and get a small bit of interest, only to die within a few weeks. Well-established sites usually have quite a few members. There's a list of active RPG sites here.
Next, fill in the application forms. You'll need a correct email address and usually the password will be e-mailed to you for confirmation. Choose your username. It's best to try and make up an original name for yourself, rather than something like iluvmisto88, because the other members need a name to call you by. The sites are usually quite friendly and you may be given a nickname by the other members.
Once you've logged in for the first time, make your way to the Applications board. This is where you apply for your RP character. Usually it will be called something like applications, profiles, etc. On most sites, your application needs to be approved by a moderator before you start role-playing. This will only take a day or so. After that, find yourself a thread and jump in!
In a RPG you have two separate lives. Your Out of Character person is yourself, where you do the things you do, and in this 'state' you talk to other people, post in discussions and PM (personal message) them. Your In Character person is your Jellicle Character. This person/cat only exists inside the game threads. If you are playing a game and you want to ask the other players something, you should make sure people don't get confused between you and your character. You should put your message inside either
Often, different sites have different ways of using these. You might find the message should be inside [[ ]] or { }. You'll find out by seeing what the other members do.
The original/canon characters are the Cats in the Musical, for example Demeter, Munkustrap. You can apply for these characters, but only one person can play them and be prepared that your favourite character might already be taken. Check that nobody else has the original character BEFORE you do the application, it saves a lot of time and hassle. If you can get one of the original characters, you must be careful to stick to their personality.
You can create your own characters, see the guidelines for this here. Depending on the site, you can make up three of your own, or as many as you like. It's better to start with one or two, as it's easier to keep track of them.
Punctuation, spelling and grammar is VERY important. Nobody wants to RP with someone who writes a message like this:
Remember the basic rules: a new speaker, a new line. Full stops, capital letters, speech marks. It's okay to make mistakes, just don't use cellphone language on purpose! If English is your second language, don't worry. People are usually nice about problems with grammar and things. Also, I've got links to Russian and Dutch role-plays on the links page.
RPG: role-play game
This is when you take control of someone else's character, and in almost every role-play it is FORBIDDEN!! Here's an example of controlling. A plays Jemima, B plays Electra.
A: Jemima approached the tyre.Good – A hasn't controlled anyone
A Mary-Sue is basically perfect. She might have any or all of these characteristics: beautiful, innocent, generous, cute, selfless, loyal, playful, trustworthy, sweet, adorable, modest, happy and kind. She can sing beautifully and dance amazingly. All the guys are hopelessly in love with her, which she doesn't realise because she's so modest, and all the girls are dying to be her friend. She may have magical powers. She's protective of her friends and stands up for what she knows is right.
DO NOT MAKE YOUR CHARACTER A MARY-SUE!!! It can be tempting, especially if you're new to role-playing, or fanfiction. Most people will not role-play with a Mary-Sue. Every character needs some flaws. Make sure your character does too. Even if it's nice at first, they soon get sickening, and boring to play.
Some examples of Mary-Sues:
Guys can be Mary-Sues too! I've heard them called John-Pauls.
If you can think of any other Mary-Sues, please email me! felinas_jellicleworld@hotmail.com
Imagine this: Your role-play is lagging and you try to think up a scenario to keep it interesting. But someone else in the role-play completely kills the idea. Here's an example, with three players A, B and C. (I'm so inventive…)
A: Suddenly Electra's eyes widened as she saw something behind the queen. A movement in the shadows, a black figure creeping up, reaching out a paw....
A nice, interesting potential plot was just killed by player C. Adventures are great in role-plays and can go on for pages! If someone is suggesting an adventure, follow them if you can!! ^_^
If you've decided you're too busy to RP, or you're just bored, or for whatever reason you want to leave. Don't just disappear! The others in your role-play will probably wait for you, and if you never post you've killed the game. Also, your character is probably needed in the plot. What you should do is post saying you're sorry but you can't play anymore, and get your character out. Eg.
Sometimes, a group of people want to have a private RP. When this happens, they'll put the character's names in brackets in the title, eg.
6. Dominating Threads Back to top
To be reasonably active in a RP, you'll need to post at least once a day on most days. (allowances can be made for people only able to post at weekends, etc – check with the people you're playing with.) However, if A, B, and C are in a game and A and B are online together, it's easy to get carried away on the RP and leave poor C behind. I've been on threads where two people have posted over a page of posts, leaving the other players no time to react and interact. It's best to take turns posting, give the other people a chance to post again before you do. It lets the plot develop more interestingly, and everyone gets a chance to play.
This is more common with threads with lots of people. A and B are having a conversation. C tries to play.
A: "Let's go and find Misto!"
You see, everyone is ignoring poor little C. It's usaully more complicated than that, but it happens. It's good to acknowledge what others say, even if you don't agree with them, don't completely ignore them. You can read a (slightly edited by me) example from a real thread, where everyone ignored the character Felinity, if you want. ((Thank you my JP friends!! *hugs for you*))
Gwarthy: "Yep! Lets check out! We just have to wait some time and then we'll find out!" - Mungo suggested.
Felinity: "Okay, lets wait" said Felinity, who was listening her friend's talk with great attention "And as for me I don't even mind if we fly to Asia or not, because I just wanna go somewhere different from the places I've seen"
She sat near the other kittens and asked: "And what about food? I haven't eaten since morning!"
Gwarthy: Gwarthy was busy, digging a hole.
Sarete: "Gwarthy, what are you doing?" - asked Sarete with a worried expression.
Gwarthy: "Well..." - said Gwarthy. "I think I'm digging! If we will have a sleep here i prefer to have comfortable bed!"
Dynasa: "Um... that's the spirit?" Dynasa said, confused.
Felina: Felina watched Gwarthy with some confusion.
"But, you'll never manage to dig through the carpet!" She pointed out, scratching a little at the tough carpet. All it did was make a nasty grating noise on her claws, and a few fuzzy strands popped out.
Felinity: "Some want to sleep and as for me" said Felinity, whose question still wasn't answered "I want to eat and if you don't want to follow me, I'll go and the kitchen here by myself!" She stood up and then tried to understand where the most delicious smell came from.
Gwarthy: Gwarthy closed her eyes, so everyone think she is going to sleep. But she wasn't! She was just curious...
Sarete: "Hey, hey, don't sleep! Look out of the window! There's such a great view! Where are we? Anybody has an idea?.. I can see a lot of water..."
Dynasa: "Sarete! The woman can see you!" Dynasa squealed.
Felinity: Felinity, who was very upset that no one looked at her, went after a big fat human, who was going somewhere and she was absolutely sure that it was a kitchen.
It's okay if your Cat speaks a foreign language, but remember nobody else does! If your character is Japanese, it's okay to have them use Japanese words like arigatou, but most people don't understand what it means. It's best to translate the words, either in brackets eg.
Even if you don't want the other CATS to understand your Cat, it's polite to translate it for the humans. Of course, if you find out that there are three other Japanese players on the website, you can RP in Japanese together. Just don't expect anyone else to join in…^_~
Creating Your Character
Give your character an interesting personality. No Mary-Sues! They don't have to be wonder-cats. A good idea is to base your Cat's personality on your own. It's easy to play and to remember. Of course, nasty cats are needed too, so if you don't mind your character to be hated, go for it! Just make sure the others realise you're only playing, and it's not what you're really like. (unless you ARE really like that…)
Describe your Cat in detail. If possible, draw a picture or make a computer-doll. If you make friends with te artists on the site they may want to draw your character later on, and this way everyone has the same picture in their mind of your cat.
History is optional. If you have already thought up your Cat's past, great! If not, you can leave this space saying you're developing their history, and find out what happens to them as you role-play.
Keep a record of your Cat. Continuity is important – you may forget that your Cat lived with their mother for their kittenhood and say they were orphaned at two months. It confuses yourself and other people, so try to keep your continuity!!
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