Post by thedaringhattrick on Dec 16, 2007 2:58:01 GMT -5
I'd like to consider myself a veteran of online roleplay. I've been playing play-by-post since I discovered the internet at the wee age of eleven. It certainly is a much more wide-spread phenomenon then it was back then, and I'm sure many of us are veterans in our own right, but I do not want to discourage any beginners from not participating because they may not be as well versed in the art of internet roleplay.
So, consider this a newbies guide (although there are a few goodies that even an experienced player might benefit from)
A play-by-post game (PbP) is an online text-based role-playing game. This is a niche area of the online roleplaying community which caters to both gamers and creative writers. PbP games are often based on other role-playing games, non-game fiction, or original settings. This activity is closely related to both interactive fiction and collaborative writing.
Play-by-post games are usually written in the third person perspective....This is the best way to separate the player character from the person playing the character (the typist), and it makes the game more readable. Sometimes online game terms such as OOC (Out of character) or OOG (Out of Game) are used to differentiate character vs. personal posting.
The first message posted onto a thread of that nature is usually one person laying down the scenario, starting a story about their character and inviting others. The thread then becomes an ongoing story in which players periodically advance the plot by reading the latest reply and then typing what their character does and how the environment changes in response. These replies are often open-ended so that other players can continue.
Depending on the rules established on the forum, roleplaying and story can be pushed forward through moderation by a gamemaster, specific rules (often existing role-playing game systems), or by mutual agreement between players.
Role-playing by mutual agreement does not rely on statistics or dice; any combat is usually written in entirety by one or more players. In some games, players will be allowed to include the actions of another player in their post, but this practice is commonly considered cheating in more established play-by-post games, where players are responsible for their own characters. Any form of this cheating (automatic hits and controlling another player's character) is commonly referred to as "power playing".
Characteristics and Social Aspects:
These methods of role-playing have many advantages and disadvantages in comparison with more traditional, off-line role playing systems. On the one hand, text-based games allows players to exercise their writing skills, while using writing as a medium. The internet also makes it relatively easier for individuals to meet and play together. This freedom, though it is a great strength to the system, also has the potential to be a great weakness. Such broad freedom of expression can easily be grossly abused, most often by new players unfamiliar with the mostly unwritten etiquette of the text-based gaming community. This has caused many more experienced players to form tight knit cliques, which can also be detrimental to new players seeking to join the community. Types of behavior commonly considered breaches of etiquette include power gaming and god-moding.
Another aspect of note is the development of a role-playing vocabulary that are almost exclusively limited to those who have experience with or are actively immersed in this pursuit as a hobby. Some terms overlap with those in commonly used in popular fandom. Terms as Mary-Sue, slash, powergaming (or powerplaying), god-moding, OOC, and IC are among the terms used with relative frequency in text-based role-playing circles, and it has come to be expected of role-players to be familiar with such jargon.
[Source: Wikipedia]
Rules, as mentioned above, are generally unwritten. At the most basic level, I can outline a few that I think are necessary to address:
1. In order to write action/thoughts for another's player-character, you need consent from the player
2. No Power playing, railroading. What this means is that your character is not a God. Your character does not do damage every time they swing their sword, your character is not immune to injury and cannot dodge every assault with ease. In the case of social rping, your character does not have everyone from the opposite gender fawning over them, your character is not loved or feared or [insert desired effect] everyone.
3. Pertaining to the above rule, NO MARY SUES! If you do not know what a Mary Sue is, let us consult Wikipedia once more (they give a rather complete picture)
Mary Sue, sometimes shortened simply to Sue, is a pejorative term used to describe a fictional character, either male or female (male characters are often dubbed "Gary Stu", "Marty Stew", or similar names), that exhibits some or most of the clichés common to much fan fiction. Such characters were originally labeled "Mary Sues" because they were portrayed in overly idealized ways, lacked noteworthy or realistic flaws, and primarily functioned as wish-fullfillment fantasies for their authors, often very young and unsophisticated. Usually, characters labeled "Mary Sues" by readers are not generally intentionally written as such.
While the term is generally limited to fan-created characters, and its most common usage today occurs within the fan fiction community or in reference to fan fiction, canon and original fiction characters are also sometimes criticized as being "Mary Sues." In play-by-post role-playing games, many original characters are also criticized as being "Mary Sues" if they dominate the spotlight or can miraculously escape a near-impossible predicament, usually with an unlikely and previously unrevealed skill.
Identifying a character as a "Mary Sue" is naturally a subjective matter. Not all characters seemingly exhibiting "Mary Sue" traits would necessarily qualify by everyone's criteria.
For reference, if you're uncertain whether your character meets Mary-Sue criteria, a good idea is to take a Mary-Sue test. You can find that here: www.katfeete.net/writing/marysue.html
Some typical Mary Sue traits are the following:
1. Beauty
The character in question is generally much prettier (usually unusual in some way) than already existing canon characters
2. Smarts
Example: An IQ of 250 and in High School
3. A “Big Picture” Point Of View
The character can solve little problems in a snap by looking at everything as a whole
4. Highly liked/loved by every character in the series
Everyone wants to be the character’s friend
5. Tragic Past
Speaks for itself. This isn’t entirely a mary sue factor, but it’s been overused to the point of cliché which makes it annoying to read. It's only here because it usually comes with the package
6. Unnatural Powers
This one actually depends on the series in question. If we’re talking about like…Beyblade, if the character has supernatural powers like control over an element, they are considered Mary Sue right on the spot because it's so far out of bounds
7. Relation to a canon character
This is also a very common cliche that comes with the package. Many OCs tend to be a canon's long lost sibling
8. Has No Enemies
This isn’t even humanly possible. Enough said
9. PERFECTION
...yeah.
Those three rules basically summarize all the problems I've run into in my many (many) years of role playing. I think its best if we take preventative measures to avoid any conflicts here
Have fun!
So, consider this a newbies guide (although there are a few goodies that even an experienced player might benefit from)
A play-by-post game (PbP) is an online text-based role-playing game. This is a niche area of the online roleplaying community which caters to both gamers and creative writers. PbP games are often based on other role-playing games, non-game fiction, or original settings. This activity is closely related to both interactive fiction and collaborative writing.
Play-by-post games are usually written in the third person perspective....This is the best way to separate the player character from the person playing the character (the typist), and it makes the game more readable. Sometimes online game terms such as OOC (Out of character) or OOG (Out of Game) are used to differentiate character vs. personal posting.
The first message posted onto a thread of that nature is usually one person laying down the scenario, starting a story about their character and inviting others. The thread then becomes an ongoing story in which players periodically advance the plot by reading the latest reply and then typing what their character does and how the environment changes in response. These replies are often open-ended so that other players can continue.
Depending on the rules established on the forum, roleplaying and story can be pushed forward through moderation by a gamemaster, specific rules (often existing role-playing game systems), or by mutual agreement between players.
Role-playing by mutual agreement does not rely on statistics or dice; any combat is usually written in entirety by one or more players. In some games, players will be allowed to include the actions of another player in their post, but this practice is commonly considered cheating in more established play-by-post games, where players are responsible for their own characters. Any form of this cheating (automatic hits and controlling another player's character) is commonly referred to as "power playing".
Characteristics and Social Aspects:
These methods of role-playing have many advantages and disadvantages in comparison with more traditional, off-line role playing systems. On the one hand, text-based games allows players to exercise their writing skills, while using writing as a medium. The internet also makes it relatively easier for individuals to meet and play together. This freedom, though it is a great strength to the system, also has the potential to be a great weakness. Such broad freedom of expression can easily be grossly abused, most often by new players unfamiliar with the mostly unwritten etiquette of the text-based gaming community. This has caused many more experienced players to form tight knit cliques, which can also be detrimental to new players seeking to join the community. Types of behavior commonly considered breaches of etiquette include power gaming and god-moding.
Another aspect of note is the development of a role-playing vocabulary that are almost exclusively limited to those who have experience with or are actively immersed in this pursuit as a hobby. Some terms overlap with those in commonly used in popular fandom. Terms as Mary-Sue, slash, powergaming (or powerplaying), god-moding, OOC, and IC are among the terms used with relative frequency in text-based role-playing circles, and it has come to be expected of role-players to be familiar with such jargon.
[Source: Wikipedia]
Rules, as mentioned above, are generally unwritten. At the most basic level, I can outline a few that I think are necessary to address:
1. In order to write action/thoughts for another's player-character, you need consent from the player
2. No Power playing, railroading. What this means is that your character is not a God. Your character does not do damage every time they swing their sword, your character is not immune to injury and cannot dodge every assault with ease. In the case of social rping, your character does not have everyone from the opposite gender fawning over them, your character is not loved or feared or [insert desired effect] everyone.
3. Pertaining to the above rule, NO MARY SUES! If you do not know what a Mary Sue is, let us consult Wikipedia once more (they give a rather complete picture)
Mary Sue, sometimes shortened simply to Sue, is a pejorative term used to describe a fictional character, either male or female (male characters are often dubbed "Gary Stu", "Marty Stew", or similar names), that exhibits some or most of the clichés common to much fan fiction. Such characters were originally labeled "Mary Sues" because they were portrayed in overly idealized ways, lacked noteworthy or realistic flaws, and primarily functioned as wish-fullfillment fantasies for their authors, often very young and unsophisticated. Usually, characters labeled "Mary Sues" by readers are not generally intentionally written as such.
While the term is generally limited to fan-created characters, and its most common usage today occurs within the fan fiction community or in reference to fan fiction, canon and original fiction characters are also sometimes criticized as being "Mary Sues." In play-by-post role-playing games, many original characters are also criticized as being "Mary Sues" if they dominate the spotlight or can miraculously escape a near-impossible predicament, usually with an unlikely and previously unrevealed skill.
Identifying a character as a "Mary Sue" is naturally a subjective matter. Not all characters seemingly exhibiting "Mary Sue" traits would necessarily qualify by everyone's criteria.
For reference, if you're uncertain whether your character meets Mary-Sue criteria, a good idea is to take a Mary-Sue test. You can find that here: www.katfeete.net/writing/marysue.html
Some typical Mary Sue traits are the following:
1. Beauty
The character in question is generally much prettier (usually unusual in some way) than already existing canon characters
2. Smarts
Example: An IQ of 250 and in High School
3. A “Big Picture” Point Of View
The character can solve little problems in a snap by looking at everything as a whole
4. Highly liked/loved by every character in the series
Everyone wants to be the character’s friend
5. Tragic Past
Speaks for itself. This isn’t entirely a mary sue factor, but it’s been overused to the point of cliché which makes it annoying to read. It's only here because it usually comes with the package
6. Unnatural Powers
This one actually depends on the series in question. If we’re talking about like…Beyblade, if the character has supernatural powers like control over an element, they are considered Mary Sue right on the spot because it's so far out of bounds
7. Relation to a canon character
This is also a very common cliche that comes with the package. Many OCs tend to be a canon's long lost sibling
8. Has No Enemies
This isn’t even humanly possible. Enough said
9. PERFECTION
...yeah.
Those three rules basically summarize all the problems I've run into in my many (many) years of role playing. I think its best if we take preventative measures to avoid any conflicts here
Have fun!
