Roleplay Etiquette
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
A Treatise on Etiquette (RP101) By Dryzzid of Atlantic
Contents |
Introduction
So you you’ve done it all in Ultime Online. You’ve hunted every creature, forged steel and sewn leather, rained terror on all newbies who have dared to cross your path. You’re sitting on your throne of one-million gold checks thinking to yourself “what is there to possibly do now?”
Or maybe you’re fresh to Sosaria. You’ve just stepped out of Haven, mongbats fear your wrath, and the only red names you want to see are Priests of Mondain. You’ve just finished dispatching the toughest horde of lizard men ever to walk the lands and you’re wondering to yourself “now what do I do?”
If you fit into one of these examples, or anywhere in between, I have the answer for you: Role-playing! I am Dryzzid of the Atlantic shard, and I have been an active member of the role-playing community there for nearly three and a half years now. Role-play is something beyond the percentages and item properties of UO. It is an entire new world to tackle. I intend to help you get in the doorway of that world.
Role-playing?
Q: What is role-playing?
A: The Oxford English Dictionary defines role-play as deliberately assuming or acting out a particular role.
Q: Well…uh, that helps. I mean what is role-play when it comes to UO?
A: Role-play (which I will refer to as RP from now on) is Ultima Online’s finest skill. You cannot powergame it, you don’t get a nifty title for it, and it won’t help you slay fearsome beasts, but you see it everywhere you go. From the devout practitioner who never breaks character at EM events to the friendly smith at the Hammer and Forge who says “aye” and “thee”.
It is the art of placing yourself in the shoes of your character and experiencing Sosaria as he or she experiences it. Whether you play your character as a vile murderer or a noble paladin, you are role-playing.
RP Terms
Below are some terms commonly used by role-players:
IC (In Character) – refers to total immersion into your character. When IC you separate the UO world from the real world, remaining true to the role you are playing. You differentiate between what you know and what your character knows.
OOC (Out of Character) – refers to real world chat
Metagaming – using OOC knowledge in game that your character should not, or would not know.
Godmoding – abilities, actions, and attitudes that hinder the RP of the players around you (Example: the power to control minds at will, banishing people from space and time, playing a character with no weaknesses, etc.)
Elitism – the notion that one person’s style of RP is better than another’s.
Tips for Successful RP
RP, like anything else, takes time and effort. The beauty of it is that you are not confined to the game’s restrictions. You are only bound to your creativity. Here I will list some helpful tips to keep in mind when role-playing.
Role-play! Stay IC as often as you can. You don’t have to RP 100% of the time, but the more you do it the better you will become.
Develop a background for your character. Where does your character come from? How tall is he or she? What are his or her mannerisms like? Your characters profile is a valuable tool. It allows you to give people a general idea of what your character’s make up is like. Use it to make your character unique.
If your character is a race other than human… research the race a bit. Find out the benefits and drawbacks of playing that particular race. Keep in mind the common features of the race when coming up with your looks and personality.
Emote, emote, emote! Remember that you -are- your character. Emotes aid you in expressing what you’re doing in game. When you laugh, they should laugh. If you sit down, try emoting *pulls out the chair and sits*. These add flavor to your character and style, and enable you to accomplish tasks that are not possible through game mechanics. You can emote by pressing colon, then space, then typing what you wish to emote.
Never confuse IC and OOC. Always be conscious of what you know IC and what you know OOC. Never mix the two up. This can lead to the ruining of plots, both yours and those of other players.
Avoid using internet shortcuts and excessive OOC chat. Internet shortcuts such as lol, lmao, rofl, brb, afk, and bbiab, while acceptable in some places, are often frowned upon. When you wish to express something such as laughter, crying, etc. use emotes.
When you need to tell someone something OOC such as going away from your keyboard, brackets are the common means of doing so. However, brackets should not be overly used. Someone who says: [hey, afk for a minute] and someone having an OOC discussion via brackets is the difference between a good role-player and a poor one.
Avoid metagaming, godmoding, and elitism. All three are bad habits. They tend to force other players into situations they do not want to be in. Don’t play a god, or a being with god-like powers. Play out your weaknesses as well as your strengths.
And most importantly… remember that this is a game! This is indeed a game, and every character you interact with inside it has a player with feelings at the helm. Be courteous and respectful of others and they will do the same to you.
How Do I Get Involved?
As I said previously, RP is all around us. However, role-players come together collectively to form communities. How can you find them, you ask?
Read the news! Read your shard’s news on UO Stratics and keep an eye out for RP! Role-players hold public plots and events that can serve as a gateway into the RP community.
Be an active forum poster. RP often occurs in the form of IC stories and event news. Register on the Stratics forums and go to your shard’s forum. Find out the websites and message boards of your shard’s RP communities. Read event calendars. Try to be courteous on forums. Everyone has different opinions and ideas. Remember to be constructive!
Be active in game. Attend Event Moderator events. Watch the banks for event announcements. Seek out the RP hotspots of your shard. The more active you are in game, the better your chances of running across some RP. Try going about your daily business IC. You’d be surprised to see how many people will RP back!
And in closing…
There is only one more thing I can stress to you about RP, and that is to have fun. UO is a game and we play games to have fun. We play them for the challenge. Remember that you’re not the only player in this game. I hope that in some way I have helped you take your first step in becoming a role-player. I wish you good luck and safe travels!
Regards, Dryzzid Wandering elf of Atlantic