Thats a ton of help, thanks!
Nice write-up! And for those of you that don't like clicking links:
QUOTE:
There is a widespread misperception in the MMORPG community that roleplayers are folks who run around saying things like Forsooth, M'Lord. Might thou sparest a cup of soup for this, thy unworthy page? That, or they play the game without making any effort to advance their characters or participate in the mainstream activities that games offer. For this reason, role playing has become stigmatized and roleplayers written off as oddwads.
This is simply not the case! And it's past time that RPG make a comeback in MMORPGs. Now I realize that some folks think that roleplaying is too much of an effort, or believe they don't know how, or feel awkward doing it. Relax! Role playing is like riding a bicycle. There is a moment of truth when you get your balance, and then it's something you can do with ease for life. The following tips may help with that.
1. You are already a roleplayer, even if you haven't realized it. When you made your character, be it a mutant spaceman, a knight, or a cowled user of magical damage, you took leave of the real world and became something you are not. That is roleplaying! The people you play with don't see you sitting in your computer room eating cheetos, drinking root beer and shooing the cat away from the keyboard. They see you as whatever character you made. In a world in which communication is 80% non-verbal, you are almost home. Now all you need to do is say some things that would be in character for the avatar you made.
2. Decide who your character is. In order to roleplay, you need to take a few moments and give your character an identity. Where did he come from? What has his life been like? What are his likes and dislikes? What does he want to do? Imagine you had the opportunity to learn more about someone you really admire by asking them questions. Think of what questions you would ask, and now ask them of your character. How did he become a hero? Did he always want to be, or did something trigger it?
3. Take a moment and fill out your bio. Now that you know who your character is, write out a little bit about him in your bio. You don't have to be Steven King to jot down X-tar was found in the woods after a meteor struck the Earth. He was raised by a farm family and found he could control fire. Now he uses his power to protect the city. That wasn't hard, was it? Now X-tar is someone. He has a past, and he has a future.
4. Now all you have to do is talk. Does this mean that every word you say has to be translated into something else? Of course not. Think about a character you have seen in a movie, and what gave them their personality. Let's take Gimli in Lord of the Rings. What do we most associate with him? He likes: his axe; killing orcs; beer; underground places. He dislikes: orcs; elves (until later in the trilogy); anything fancy; and too much exercise. Gimli is not a complex character. But these 8 traits make him a little different than the rest. If Gimli is exposed to something he likes, he will react one way (ahh, good beer), and if he is exposed to something he dislikes, he will react another way (sneaky elves). That makes him real. So use those likes and dislikes you came up with, and make a remark now and then consistent with them. People will remember these things as they get to know you and appreciate that your character has a personality!
5. Avoid discussions of real life things when you are in character. Unless you are roleplaying that your spaceman X-Tar is a Lakers fan (he could be), then you don't need to be talking about the game last night. That is an immersion breaker. Now people are thinking of you as the guy with a six pack of Miller and a bag of cheetoes, instead of X-tar. You don't have to be in character all the time though. It's up to you how much of it you do. But if you flip in and out with no consistency, then it will not be as fun or as effective. If there is something in real life you really like to talk about, say, pretty girls - no problem. Make your character a bachelor on the prowl and give him that trait. That way, you can be yourself and compliment your roleplaying, not interfere with it.
That's all there is to it! Give it a try. You may find it adds a whole new dimension of fun to the game for you.
UNQUOTE
I posted this on our SG site, and am passing it along for anyone interested:
http://www.guildportal.com/Guild.asp...TopicID=553905