• "Clearly you have a dizzying intellect." "Just wait til I get going! ...where was I?"

    - The Princess Bride

    Choose a game platform. Obviously, being here on our website, you're considering joining Thalanaar, or at least an MMO. But, before you spend hours or days pouring life into a character, do a little research; choose a game world you will enjoy. Popular choices for roleplay that offer freedom for character growth include a variety of tabletops, online MMORPG games and live-action recreations. Each can be particularly demanding in time and require hours and days of preparation, and in some cases a considerable outlay of cash for books, costuming, and your chosen canvas - whether traveling to a game site or paying for internet access. While the internet has brought us considerable resources and vast opportunities, you still have to do some research on the world you wish to be a part of.


  • "Behold the Void"

    - Queen of the Damned (2001)

    Create a character. Using the world or framework, you can begin to craft your character's persona. The character can be as unique as you wish, but the idea remains the same - to create a persona that serves as your avatar in the game. They will do what you want them to do, say what you want them to say and go where you want them to go. They are an extension of you, but they need not resemble you in any way! Though Jack London exercised good practice in his years of writing, you can use this as an opportunity to step outside of yourself; you can play a character of a different race, gender, build or temperament. The possibilities are limited only by your own imagination.


  • "Should we begin like David Copperfield? I am born, I grew up...?"

    - Interview with the Vampire (1994)

    Flesh out your character. Once you’ve got the basics down (physical appearance, general personality and career) it is time to start getting more in-depth with your character. After all, how well can you play someone you don’t really know? Think about all the small details that shape who we are as people. Those same things shape your character. Who were their parents? Where were they born? What did their parents do for a living? Where did they go to school? Did they go to school? What were they like in their youth? What was their first kiss like? Did they ever have their heart broken? Did they ever break someone else’s heart? No question is irrelevant!


  • "And you will be..." "...a real actress."

    - Moulon Rouge (2001)

    Become your character. After you have a good idea of who your character is, where they’ve been, where they are and where they’re going, you can drop yourself into the game and act "in-character!" In-character means that you speak and behave as your character would. While this doesn’t mean that your fantasy character needs to speak Shakespearean English all the time, it does mean that modern words should be left out of your vocabulary whenever possible.


  • "I’m a courtesan. I’m paid to make men believe what they want to believe."

    - Moulon Rouge (2001)

    Be mindful of others. There are as many different degrees of roleplaying as there are people. Some people choose to become totally immersed in their characters. Others choose to roleplay casually, and some not at all. Be mindful of how far others are willing to go and respect their boundaries. Thalanaar chooses to be a heavier roleplay atmosphere than most. While it's members do have moments of casual play we do stick to a general, overall plot that shapes the direction of the guild. It's something that keeps us close, and keeps us together. Contrary to popular belief it doesn't make us the roleplay police, or better or worse than any other group. However, it does set us apart.


  • "You think I'm naive just because I don't share your twisted view of the world."

    - Lie to Me (2009)

    Take some acting or improv classes. If you are serious about roleplaying, acting classes or a few nights at the improv will help you think on your feet. Roleplaying is essentially improvisational theater, after all; you think of things on the spot that your character would say or do, then play them out. If you feel awkward roleplaying, think of it as an improvised play that you take part in for a few hours each week. It will get easier as the "weird" factor wears off, and you will find your own persona benefits from the occasional vacation you get to take from being yourself.


  • "There's blood on the knife."

    - Mazes and Monsters (1982)

    Be aware of your intensity. While it is fun to roleplay and become someone else for a while, it is important to remember that you still have a real life with friends, family, obligations and things that need to be attended to in real life. If you spend more time in-character than you do in real life, or get angry about things that happen in your game world as if they were affecting you personally, you should take a step back. Killing the dragon and saving the maiden will not pay your phone bill, or keep you fed.

New to Roleplay?


"Let me esplain... Would take too long; let me sum up."
- The Princess Bride

Roleplaying is something we do in our everyday lives, whether we know it or not. Anytime you step outside yourself and pretend you are someone or something else, you are roleplaying. Roleplaying comes into focus when you decide to play any number of games, ranging from computer roleplaying games to the venerable paper-and-pencil RPGs. If you’re interested in refining your roleplaying, here are some tips to get your creative side going:

Steps


  1. Create your character. For different sites, the requirements will vary. However, there are some basic information on character creation:


    • Make your character's bio detailed! If there is anything that can be elaborated on, do it!


    • Make your character believable. Nobody likes a perfect character or a Mary Sue or Marty Stu. Make your character human, and you will have so much more fun.


    • Most Character Sheets require a history. Here, you need to explain, explain, explain. Include everything you can think of, don't skip things to save time. Include descriptions.


  2. Start playing. If you are on a healthy server, there should be a minimum of ooc chatter! Use full sentences, good punctuation and grammar. Use quotation marks when your character is talking in an emote.


    • Avoid one-liners! This is usually just one sentence of what your character is doing. Posting dialogue is not an excuse for a one-liner. The occasional one-liner is fine but do not make it a habit to where everyone else has the brunt of the roleplay. You are there too, so make the attempt to write something worth reading.


    • Use description! Don't just say "Gil walked into the room and sat down on a chair" Where is Gil? What does the room look like? How did he walk in? How did he sit down? You need to think a little in advance when you roleplay. Instead, you could say something like, "Gil strode briskly into the hall, standing by the hearth, and wrinkling his nose at the smell of smoke from the hearth. He glanced at the walls, and the tapestries surrounding and lining the walls. He found a seat in one of the soft armchairs, craning his neck to try to eliminate the stiff back from the rigors of the trail that he had not relieved in twenty summers." Now do you see what you're aiming for?
Tips
  • Roleplay may seem like work more than play, but with a little practice you can really get into and have a lot of fun. Just remember to have a great time, and make others appreciate you and your efforts to make your shared game world a little brighter.


  • Don't be afraid of adding detail to a conversation. It only improves the depth of the roleplay.


  • Avoid one-liners. They do not advance your story. Most people do not like them, unless your intention is to illicit a response from your fellow players; always assume if it is not mentioned that one-liners in a heavy roleplay group are bad for business.