Tips to Create A Roleplay
Nov 1, 2013 22:30:30 GMT -6
Post by Chinapandaru on Nov 1, 2013 22:30:30 GMT -6
Since this is a roleplay forum, after all, I suppose I should make some tips for good roleplays. Keep in mind that you don't, by any means, have to follow these! These are just to help you out if you ever need it, or if you're lost, or need ideas. This is just my way I making roleplays; feel free to do your own thing.
Now, your introduction doesn't need to be nearly as long as this; it might depend on your personal style as well as the type of roleplay you plan to start. (Script, One-Liner, Semi-Lit, Lit, etc.) Usually people will expect more from your introduction the higher level roleplay you are doing, and a shorter introduction for lower levels. People doing one-liners won't want to read through an entire block of text, where as people doing literate roleplays would at least expect as much effort as what is going into the roleplay itself.
However, your introduction should show that the roleplay is open to everyone; it shouldn't revolve around your character, or a very specific event (unless it could be broadened). A bad example would be:
Now, let me explain a few things wrong with this introduction. The length is no issue, really, for a Semi-Lit or One-Liner. First of all, the "virus" is not really named. It could be turning people into superhumans, for all we know. (After all, the title is Radioactive!) The roleplay is focused on a specific character; with Alfred in charge, everyone else is pushed to the background. Perhaps it would be alright if it said something like "He is having trouble with his job as 'Hero', and will need all the help he can get!" that would get people to stand up or take over, actually have a role in the story. Keep in mind that people want their characters to be important! Thirdly, it takes place in a specific event, the shed being attacked. What happens when they defeat the zombies attacking the shed? The roleplay would either end right there, or the introduction would become invalid.
1. You have to be active at least once a week.
2. You may play anywhere from 1-3 characters, as long as you are sure you can handle it.
3. Try to write a paragraph per character
4. When talking OOC, or Out of Character, please use ((OOC)), [OOC], or OOC:
5. No getting off topic OOC
6. I must accept your forum before you may begin.
7. All site rules apply
Now the 7th rule should be a given, so you don't have to add it, but it would be nice if you gave a little reminder. Of course, you don't have to add any of these.
Often, you might see things like "if you read the rules put doge in your post". These can get annoying. First of all, if someone isn't following your rules, you can usually tell. Second, people may often forget by the time they get to the end of your post. You might end up turning away a really good roleplayer!
Another good thing is to encourage people to research their countries if it is a nation-universe roleplay, and you are taking affairs seriously. Monitoring and having rules or specific tips to help people stay in character is also good, but being too strict could scare people off. (though if you're going for an advanced/strict roleplay, it might be best!)
Introduction
First of all, to start off a roleplay, you will probably need an introduction. This will at least get members to be interested in your roleplay, and it will usually explain major plot points. For this, I will use the introduction to Radioactive as an example:
Many months ago, a virus broke out over North America. It started in a laboratory, where rats were ingested with multiple pills among other drugs, expected to give them a long lasting life. It was the peoples greed for immortality that dived this operation. Though, a single rat broke from it's cage, one that had been experiencing several strange symptoms. Other rats soon caught the disease, and it was found that if a human were to be bitten, they would die minutes after. People were advised to stay inside, but the animals quickly got into houses or infected family pets. The rats sneaked onto ships and planes, and the disease spread to Europe and Asia. It was a new plague. When things seemed they couldn't get worse, many of the dead corpses of the humans awoke, having animal instincts to kill anything with a heartbeat. A human bitten by a corpse would change much quicker than a bite from a rat, and would experience conflicting emotions and severe pain rather than a painless death. Military operations were sent to kill these corpses and the infected animals, and make sure all dead humans were incapable of becoming corpses by disorientating their bodies. It was no use, however; the virus was spreading quicker than it was dying, and soon it was every man for themselves.
It is now a year into the horror, and a base has been set up. Behind a wall, it is said to be safe. About the size of a city, people live normal lives, farming. Though, of course, there is a military. If walls are ever to be broken, then the remainder of the human race will fall. If that ever happens, a cure must be found, and fast. And so the military stands, to not only make sure that nothing passes the wall, but to go out into the decaying world, searching for medicine and killing off as many corpses as they can.
Radioactive
It is now a year into the horror, and a base has been set up. Behind a wall, it is said to be safe. About the size of a city, people live normal lives, farming. Though, of course, there is a military. If walls are ever to be broken, then the remainder of the human race will fall. If that ever happens, a cure must be found, and fast. And so the military stands, to not only make sure that nothing passes the wall, but to go out into the decaying world, searching for medicine and killing off as many corpses as they can.
Radioactive
Now, your introduction doesn't need to be nearly as long as this; it might depend on your personal style as well as the type of roleplay you plan to start. (Script, One-Liner, Semi-Lit, Lit, etc.) Usually people will expect more from your introduction the higher level roleplay you are doing, and a shorter introduction for lower levels. People doing one-liners won't want to read through an entire block of text, where as people doing literate roleplays would at least expect as much effort as what is going into the roleplay itself.
However, your introduction should show that the roleplay is open to everyone; it shouldn't revolve around your character, or a very specific event (unless it could be broadened). A bad example would be:
Many months ago, a virus spread all over the world, infecting many people. Military operations were sent out to stop it, but the disease was spreading faster than it was dying. Small groups are huddled all over the world, including one run by Alfred F. Jones, a former farmer. His group is being attacked by a mob right now, in fact. Perhaps... Perhaps hiding in the abandoned shed wasn't the best idea.
Radioactive
Radioactive
Now, let me explain a few things wrong with this introduction. The length is no issue, really, for a Semi-Lit or One-Liner. First of all, the "virus" is not really named. It could be turning people into superhumans, for all we know. (After all, the title is Radioactive!) The roleplay is focused on a specific character; with Alfred in charge, everyone else is pushed to the background. Perhaps it would be alright if it said something like "He is having trouble with his job as 'Hero', and will need all the help he can get!" that would get people to stand up or take over, actually have a role in the story. Keep in mind that people want their characters to be important! Thirdly, it takes place in a specific event, the shed being attacked. What happens when they defeat the zombies attacking the shed? The roleplay would either end right there, or the introduction would become invalid.
Rules
Not every roleplay will really need rules, besides a little blab about how many sentences are expected, if you are accepting OCs, or how many characters are allowed per person (if there is a limit). Though I always like to be on top of my roleplays, and make sure that everyone is fair. Some rules that I usually have are:1. You have to be active at least once a week.
2. You may play anywhere from 1-3 characters, as long as you are sure you can handle it.
3. Try to write a paragraph per character
4. When talking OOC, or Out of Character, please use ((OOC)), [OOC], or OOC:
5. No getting off topic OOC
6. I must accept your forum before you may begin.
7. All site rules apply
Now the 7th rule should be a given, so you don't have to add it, but it would be nice if you gave a little reminder. Of course, you don't have to add any of these.
Often, you might see things like "if you read the rules put doge in your post". These can get annoying. First of all, if someone isn't following your rules, you can usually tell. Second, people may often forget by the time they get to the end of your post. You might end up turning away a really good roleplayer!
Another good thing is to encourage people to research their countries if it is a nation-universe roleplay, and you are taking affairs seriously. Monitoring and having rules or specific tips to help people stay in character is also good, but being too strict could scare people off. (though if you're going for an advanced/strict roleplay, it might be best!)
Character Form/Sheet
You might ask "If I'm playing a cannon character/only accepting cannon characters, why do I have to fill out/make a character sheet?" Now, you don't have too, but it would be nice if you did. Something that might confuse people are unknown/new characters, and human names. If someone just says: "Can I join? I'd like to be Cheng Wang!" it could get confusing; for people who don't have access to the manga, don't pay attention to background characters, or don't know fanon human names will not know that this is Macau. For a forum, I would at least as for a Country and Human Name, if not age, gender, and a roleplay example. For roleplays with 2p!Characters, or other AUs, I would try to ask for a brief personality and appearance as well, because not everyone views them the same way. (For example, a common 2p!China is seen as having short, black hair, but I have also seen him with longer hair, and his personality ranges from being a sterotypical drug dealer, high and happy all the time, or even antisocial) I would also do this for Nyotalia characters, if you want to make sure people are playing with the nyo's conon personalities and not just genderswaped nations (For example, people following the genderswap rule might make Nyo!Italy weak, pathetic, or easily scared, while those following her canon personality might make her more aggressive, assertive, and even a bit cruel compared to her counterpart.) I would also add an "Anything else?"/"Other" section to the forum so that people may add things about their character that doesn't fit elsewhere.
Now, once you have everything else planned out, you should make a title. Your title should be interesting, as well as telling what the roleplay is about. "Radioactive - Zombie Apocalypse RP" tells people that the roleplay takes place during an apocalypse. If I would of put "Zombie Apocalypsetalia" or "Apocalypse Roleplay", people may of not of been interested, and if I just put "Radioactive", people wouldn't have an idea of what it was about, and would have to read my entire introduction to find out, which isn't going to happen if there are other roleplays on the site. (Unless of course, you have a really creative title!) Now, my title isn't very creative, but I think you get the idea. Also make sure that the title is properly capitalized, and don't spam it with symbols to where it's nearly unreadable. "Radioactive ♠ Apocalypse RP" Might be fine, as it is using the symbols as a dividers. "▀▄▀▄▀▄ radιoacтιve ♠ apocalypѕe rp ▄▀▄▀▄▀" would be ok, but it might push away members with older computers that cannot see all the symbols. "[Nª®¶dioA¢tivS§ApO¢@lyp$S+RP" or "•?((¯°·._.• яąďɨ๏ąȼţɨ˅€ ♠ ąρ๏ȼąℓ¥ρ$€ яρ •._.·°¯))؟•" Might be too much.You might ask "If I'm playing a cannon character/only accepting cannon characters, why do I have to fill out/make a character sheet?" Now, you don't have too, but it would be nice if you did. Something that might confuse people are unknown/new characters, and human names. If someone just says: "Can I join? I'd like to be Cheng Wang!" it could get confusing; for people who don't have access to the manga, don't pay attention to background characters, or don't know fanon human names will not know that this is Macau. For a forum, I would at least as for a Country and Human Name, if not age, gender, and a roleplay example. For roleplays with 2p!Characters, or other AUs, I would try to ask for a brief personality and appearance as well, because not everyone views them the same way. (For example, a common 2p!China is seen as having short, black hair, but I have also seen him with longer hair, and his personality ranges from being a sterotypical drug dealer, high and happy all the time, or even antisocial) I would also do this for Nyotalia characters, if you want to make sure people are playing with the nyo's conon personalities and not just genderswaped nations (For example, people following the genderswap rule might make Nyo!Italy weak, pathetic, or easily scared, while those following her canon personality might make her more aggressive, assertive, and even a bit cruel compared to her counterpart.) I would also add an "Anything else?"/"Other" section to the forum so that people may add things about their character that doesn't fit elsewhere.
Title
Prettying up Your Post
I hope this is helpful, and remember that this is just to give you ideas and tips. This is how I make roleplays, but it does NOT have to be how you make them! I made this for members who are lost, confused, or not confident enough in making a roleplay from scratch. Feel free to think of suggestions to add to this post as well.
At some point you might decide to pretty up your rp. Some people might add pictures or gifs, or even add a special formatting to the post. However, that often proves to be difficult, especially if you aren't familiar with coding. A simple thing I usually do is use fontmeme, a site that allows you to input text and create nice-looking words that I tend to use as titles.
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, 
Simple: select a theme, font, and generate your fonts (copy the image url afterwords). To add them to your post, click on the preview tab, the "insert image tab at the top," and paste the image url. You might want to add your title to the "Alt Text" option, in the case that someone's computer does not show the image.
I hope this is helpful, and remember that this is just to give you ideas and tips. This is how I make roleplays, but it does NOT have to be how you make them! I made this for members who are lost, confused, or not confident enough in making a roleplay from scratch. Feel free to think of suggestions to add to this post as well.
