Note- There are different forms of Role Playing and the one I plan to cover is the writing form.
The Concept
One might assume Role Playing to be "acting" on a stage with scripts. However that is partially correct it is also wrong, for the most part. Role Playing, indeed, is a form of acting. Though it does not take place on any sort of stage and there are no scripts used. In Role Playing there are multiple people, each controlling their own character and acting as that character. Typically one person will create a storyline of sorts to follow and they all will "play" out that set storyline adding their own twists & turns along the way. These characters, "course, have a personality, history, and role in the story. The easiest way to describe Role Playing is as Work in progress book that is written together by many people.
I"ll tell you now that Role Playing is a creative and absolutely boundless writing craft. Through Role Playing you can be anything you've ever wanted to be, all it takes is just a bit of imagination. You can play as a serious, shady, type of fellow. Or a weirdo, sarcastic teenager whose obsessed with… anything from TV to Warfare. No matter who you are or what your dreams may be Role Playing can fit you. Think of your dream career; now imagine playing as a character that has such a career. Perhaps you enjoy fantasy, medieval, and adventurous settings.
Role Playing can easily put you into such an atmosphere, with lords, knights, blades and battles. So maybe you're not the magic, mystical type. Alright… that's no problem. Because you can be a High School student that knows the latest fashions and has all the newest technology at their fingertips.
The main idea of a Role Play is to have one person make up an interesting & fairly detailed plot to follow. That person will set it up and "post" it on a forum online or write it down on paper if it's offline. They will put up some rules and any extra information that will be needed, such as a character sheet. (Character Sheets are outlines for a person's character including their name and what the character looks like.) Then, if interested enough, others will join it. They will create a character and fill out their Character Sheet. Once the Role Play gets started those who had joined will start "posting" as their character or they will write as their character on paper.
Each person that joins will have a character. That character CANNOT be controlled by anyone else but him or her self. Depending on the type of Role Play the characters might be dressed in a certain way and equipped with certain items. Normally characters will be based mainly off the actual Person playing that character. Or they'll base the character off of a pre-existing Video Game, TV, Book, or Anime character; most likely one that they admire. However it is best to step out of the mundane and come up with a totally unique character.
Creating a Character
Characters will vary depending on the type of Role Play (RP), setting, and the preferences a person has. Every character will need certain aspects to bring it to life. Some characters will need more then others as the Role Play might require it.
Characters usually have and need the following…
- Name, age, & gender
- Appearance (eyes, hair, facial features, build…)
- Clothing & Accessories
- Bio/History (Ex.- Their parents died at age ten)
Sometimes, depending on the sort of RP, you'll need descriptive fields like these…
- Magical Abilities (Ex.- Can control fire)
- Weapons
- Special Skills
- Class (Ex.- Mage, Thief, Archer, Warrior, etc…)
You can use a Character Sheet to get started or you can use paragraph form to describe your character. Here is an example…
Character Sheet
Name- Thomas
Age- 17
Gender- Male
Appearance- Short and messy raven black hair, dark brown eyes, clean shaven, slim and agile.
Clothing- Thomas wears blue jeans, a short sleeved black t-shirt, fingerless leather gloves, and a pair of work boots. Around his neck is a silver chain necklace and his ears are pierced.
Bio- He's just moved from the place he grew up in and is starting his first year at this new high school in Lakewood. So far he hates this town and the people in it. Etc…
That is the bare minimum and a very basic, typical, boring character in a modern day Role Play that probably would have something to do with the dramatic lives of high school students.
You can also put that into paragraph form and describe your character as you go. “His sharp brown eyes searched the halls…” or “Thomas ran a gloved hand through his short, dark hair.”
