InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "we are the knights of Nii"

i need a dane cook fix-like you don't even know! (historyisalive) wrote in rp_tutorials,
@ 2010-11-28 08:54:00

I think I need some help. :/
I was directed here by a nice person at the pbads group. I'll just say the same thing I said there.

Hi! I'm Elizabeth and I have been convinced to get an account here and look into this role play thing. Shells, the persistent friend, said this is like a whole universe in itself. And as I have been reading the entries in this group, I see it is. I don't really know what half of what you all are talking about but I am interest in learning and seeing if there is a group that will let a newb try this role play thing out.

Can anybody help me get started? Or am I in the wrong place? :/

(Post a new comment)

barrel_of_pbs
2010-11-28 04:37 pm UTC (link)

You're in completely the right place! Welcome to Insanejournal, we're mostly sane, most of the time. It's always great to see a new face, and I hope you find whatever roleplay it is that you're looking for. I started RPing here one year ago, next week, and have found the community as a whole to be: welcoming, creative, and a pleasure to play in. My writing has exponentially improved, and I've never been happier creatively. That being said, there is a slight learning curve, but I've never encountered a group of people so willing to help acclimate newcomers, and more often than not, people and moderators are incredibly welcoming to new players.

rp_tutorials is a great start. Their profile, has a list of affiliates. These are some of the best sites on Insanejournal, and will be a great resource to you.

My personal recommendations for finding a PB (which is shorthand for 'played-by', the face/actor/avatar that represents your character)

wikicon

find_icons

pb_updates

Roleplaying Etiquette and Lexicon:
Etiquette post here.
An article about the evils of 'God Modding', and what it is. Here.
And this article was INVALUABLE to me starting out: Guide to the Lingo
Chaperoned's RP Bible/Directory, Here.

To find games, there are a ton of great advertising sites, but it really depends on what you are looking for. Personally, I relentlessly stalk:

darkerrpgads

darkersls (You can post here what kind of gameplay that you are looking for, in hopes that someone will recommend a game for you)

wannarp

rpgads

I'm not really sure what kind of games that you are looking for, so I don't feel comfortable recommending something to you, just yet. However, I practically live online, and am incredibly comfortable with you IMing me on my personal IM accounts. I'll go ahead and private message you my screenames, and you can message me whenever you feel comfortable doing so. To check your Insanejournal PMs, click here. It won't send you an email alert when you receive one, but you will get a pop-up whenever you log into your account.

At any rate, I'm sure that there are a dozen other people here who can give you great advice. My advice is as follows:

Be open: Be open to new ideas, to games that might challenge you as a writer, and to the players around you. I've made dear friends in the RP community, and have grown tremendously. If someone approaches you with an idea that you don't necessarily like, try it- or find a compromise that works for the both of you.

Don't give up: If a storyline isn't working for you, or you're having difficulty finding 'The Perfect Game', keep looking and keep trying. It's easy to feel disheartened, but it gets you nowhere, and fast.

Treat the people you play with well: Be kind, and you'll be treated just the same. Avoid the negative-minded people, and stay positive. RP is a hobby, and should be fun. The moment you start taking it too seriously, it becomes a job, or a chore. And that's not what it's about. The internet often dehumanizes the person you are in contact with, but I try to put myself in their shoes if at all possible. I try to treat people the way that I would if they were standing directly in front of me.

At any rate, like I said, I'm always a PM/IM away if you want a second opinion about a game that you are joining, or have even the simplest of questions, or just need someone to say 'hi' to.

Good luck,
Jess

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	historyisalive 2010-11-28 05:14 pm UTC (link)
	This is great! I already feel more confidant. :) I will IM you as soon as I can get the personal messenger thing to open to get your address. Thank you so much for being sweet enough to hand this information to me. As I am a little shy, this is sort of scary. :/ (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	barrel_of_pbs 2010-11-28 05:45 pm UTC (link)
	That's why journal RP is so great. You can balance the shyer aspects of your personality and join in, but also remain as private as you like. <3 (Reply to this) (Parent)

silver_x_cross
2010-11-28 04:38 pm UTC (link)

Heya! Welcome to the crazy world of roleplay!

I guess the first big question is what kind of roleplay are you interested in? They can vary hugely in type! Broadly speaking there are three types:

Celeb; where you roleplay as a celebrity/real person. That's the one I know the least about as I've never done it, but it's very popular so I'm sure someone could help you out!

PB/Original; Entirely original characters, or characters made around a certain face. That's often divided into various genres such as historical, or sci-fi or fantasy.

Fandom: similar to fanfiction and the one I know the most! That can be divided into two big categories, the panfandom or the single fandom. Panfandom games incorporated some or all different types, from movies to comics to books to TV and beyond! Some also accept original characters, or original fandom based (for example a future child in a Harry Potter game, or an original Slayer from the Buffy universe.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

historyisalive
2010-11-28 05:20 pm UTC (link)

Thank you and hello! This is a big help.

I didn't know all of those categories even existed. I believe my friend is into something like the Fandom you described. She is a character from a graphic novel. Would that be the case?

After reading your explanation, I would say I might feel more comfortable in the PB/Original type of thing. Would those characters be in modern (dare I say normal) times? I doubt I would have the immediate creativity to create non-real worlds.

The Celeb thing, is that where one writes as the actual person and lives via the real person's life? That might require a great deal of research and I am afraid I may poop out before I even started. :/

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

silver_x_cross
2010-11-28 05:32 pm UTC (link)

Glad I could help! RP is scarily daunting at first. Or sometimes even when you've been doing it for years like I have!

That does sound like fandom, yes. I know of a few games of varying sizes and styles for fandom games.

And there are definitely games out there for modern original characters! There's probably a game for every scenario imaginable by now. As the poster above mentioned, somewhere like

wannarp is a good place to hunt for adverts for various types of games.

As far as Celeb goes, that's the gist of it as far as I know, but I've never played it so I couldn't really comment that much. It does seem to be quite research heavy so it might be quite heavy to get into straight away!

I completely agree with the advice given above too. Most players are nice people at heart, who are welcoming to newbies. So be open to any advice from people who offer (but don't always follow everything!) and be honest with other players. If there's something you're not understanding or not comfortable with, then say so, people will respect you for it.

And a big thing is to remember that we're all people! It can be so so easy to forget that when all you see is typed words (I know I've been guilty of it on occasion!) but we're human, and often from different places with different mannerisms. We might use slang from other countries or areas, so what we mean to say might not be how it comes across. We have crazy lives with work or kids or partners and stresses that as much as we might try to keep out of our game lives, so often creep through anyway. My point is that if you've received an e-mail or message that makes you think 'gah, have I done something wrong?!' or makes you angry, then it might not be what that person intended to put across.

I hope that made some kind of sense (my coffee has worn off so I'm into babbling mode. See, human!!)

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	silver_x_cross 2010-11-28 05:34 pm UTC (link)
	And, go figure, I've found where other people have said much of what I did, but way way better! http://asylums.insanejournal.com/rp_tutorials/121452.html http://asylums.insanejournal.com/rp_tutorials/121666.html#cutid1 (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

historyisalive
2010-11-28 06:03 pm UTC (link)

Thank you again! It is nice to know that everyone was new at this once. :) You've managed to ease my apprehensiveness. I am going to keep looking at the 'games' that are on the fore mentioned groups. I have already been able to dwindle it down to what type of thing I am interested in trying first (much with your help!) and I am positive I will find something. I am getting excited about it now (and a little less nervous). :)

(Reply to this) (Parent)

hammertech
2010-11-28 05:49 pm UTC (link)

There's a great write up on how to apply to games here: http://asylums.insanejournal.com/rp_tutorials/25917.html

There's also a huge list of places to find games (or just PSLs -- short for private storylines -- if you want to start out RPing with just one other person one on one) here: http://asylums.insanejournal.com/rp_tutorials/9345.html

Personally, I suggest rp one on one first as it was how I began.

I'm working on finishing up a quick guide about how to rp (what each part of the game is and stuff) right now! Hopefully that'll come in handy!

Welcome to the wonderful world of rp! You're certainly in the right place!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

historyisalive
2010-11-28 06:08 pm UTC (link)

Thank you! I am looking at the RP BIBLE that was suggested by barrel_of_pbs, above. The lingo will come easier with all these guides I've been forwarded to. And maybe I won't sound like a complete nimrod. :) I see, from this group that the players (?) spend a lot of time making their pages/journals look very beautiful. I think that's amazing.

Thank you for making me feel welcomed!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	shakespeare 2010-11-28 07:35 pm UTC (link)
	WELCOME! I'm pretty sure the others have the basics covered, but the best advice is what Finston said right above me! The easiest way to get started is to find someone awesome and just give it a go! You can also try stalking some games in progress to see how the games themselves actually work. I stalk constantly. ;) (Reply to this) (Thread)

	historyisalive 2010-11-28 10:26 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you very much for your input! I was so nervous at first but I am discovering that this place is full of really great people that are ready to help. I've found a place to call my frist role play home and I'm actually at work shhhh... writing my very first biography. (Reply to this) (Parent)

kopi
2010-11-28 09:25 pm UTC (link)

Hello, there, I'm just here to say that you've definitely come to the right place and I wish that I knew of this place when I just started out three years ago.

I stumbled into the world of RP through a fandom, and loved it. None of my RL (real life) friends RP so I spent a lot of time to learn all the lingo and protocols on my own, step-by-step. I guess I started out okay, because my first time was basically a few people who liked a TV show enough to want to try RP-ing it, though none of us knew what we were doing.

Then I realized that there is a whole world of RP right over here. I have one thing to say though, you're already two steps ahead of me because:
a) You have this comm! :D
b) I had to deal with weirdo timezone issues on top of it all

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	mulciber_frank 2010-11-28 10:20 pm UTC (link)
	Time zones are always a bit hilarious, when you think about it. It's almost midnight where I am. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	historyisalive 2010-11-28 10:30 pm UTC (link)
	How do people work around the time zones? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mulciber_frank 2010-11-28 10:34 pm UTC (link)
	I tend to stay up a bit longer on the nights that I can (weekend, Friday night), but usually I ask of the people I play with to NOT wait until I come online to comment, but to just go ahead. As a Belgian, I've found Australia and the UK to be pretty compatible. Certain timezones in the US (Chicago and hm, Texas, I think?) also sort of work. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	roadmaps 2010-11-29 12:28 am UTC (link)
	Sometimes having a chat board (http://chatango.com/) helps just to talk about ooc stuff. 24/7 chats help, too. RP wise, I know two people who just make a post in the morning and evening back pretty much and occasionally throughout the day. They get up to 50 posts per thread. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	roadmaps 2010-11-29 12:28 am UTC (link)
	^ chaperoned (Reply to this) (Parent)

	opnmouthcroc 2010-11-28 10:42 pm UTC (link)
	(Same person, too lazy to switch) It's...6.41am here. Timezones are why I miss out on one-day plots and events. But I get a nickname 'Future Girl', not as cool as Batman but still pretty hilarious. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mulciber_frank 2010-11-28 10:47 pm UTC (link)
	New Year's always comes earlier for us, which is the only most awesome thing there's to be gained from this. (Unless there's someone from Australia or New Zealand who's faster than me.) But I hear you on missing plot points and events. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	opnmouthcroc 2010-11-28 10:52 pm UTC (link)
	I don't know any Australians/NZs in RP land so I'm the 'earliest' person that I know of. I have met a Singaporean though. Most of the non-American RPers I know are European, so sometimes we band together while everyone is asleep. Make the best out of it, aye? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	thetriad_npcs 2010-11-28 11:14 pm UTC (link)
	(Too lazy to log out.) I've actually met two Belgians who RP'ed, one from France, The Netherlands and Spain. They're out there. Once RP'ed with someone from Asia too, although I couldn't tell you the specifics. Might have been Singapore? Hm. Everyone I play with these days is from the US though, which is a bit of bummer. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	syikana 2010-11-29 02:06 am UTC (link)
	Inserts a waves hi from a GMT+12 (+13 at the moment) time zone -New Zealander but yep I'll echo on the missing plot points and trying to figure out the right day that can be a toughie as well. (Reply to this) (Parent)

historyisalive
2010-11-28 10:49 pm UTC (link)

LOL And here I was wondering about what will happen when I am working nights and everyone else is active. I guess it all works out somehow. I'm in Mesa, Arizona. I guess it won't be too hard to interact, not as hard as it is for you at least.

And I personally think that Batman is cool and all but Future Girl is totally unique. :)

I am all amused because I figured out how to add a picture. Is that completely retarded? :?

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	opnmouthcroc 2010-11-28 10:54 pm UTC (link)
	Oh pfft, there are loads of people who work nights and owls who don't sleep at night on my buddy list, in fact, most of the people I know don't sleep anytime earlier than midnight. That's a relief for me. That's awesome! Now go collect a bunch because it's fun :) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	historyisalive 2010-11-28 10:29 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you! I wish my friend had referred me HERE first instead of the other place. :) Everyone is so encouraging. I'm just so chicken because I feel like I will be scrutinized, at least I did before. Now I am seeing that people around here are very helpful and eager to share their knowledge. Where do you live that you have a weirdo time zone? :) (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

opnmouthcroc
2010-11-28 10:47 pm UTC (link)

(Same person)

I felt the same way before, and it still feels that way sometimes when I join a new game. But I guess it helps if you can establish some extant of a friendship OOCly with other players, and talk to people. I especially love games that have group chats for this reason, because it helps me feel like I'm a part of the game, and not so much of an outsider.

Some games have something like a scene lottery that lets characters (and players) who otherwise don't have any interaction, either because it's canon or circumstance, thread together.

I live in Asia, so I'm about 12 hours ahead of some Americans :)

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	historyisalive 2010-11-28 10:52 pm UTC (link)
	I had no idea so many other countries were a part of this! I feel extremely sheltered. :O I honestly thought it was a smaller group of people and they were going to be mean. Its nice to be wrong! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	opnmouthcroc 2010-11-28 10:57 pm UTC (link)
	I can't guarantee that everyone is going to be nice, I have met some mean ones. But most of us are not so bad. Also, so far I've met Americans, British, Finnish, Singaporeans, Swedish and Canadians. It's pretty international, but most are Americans. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	thetriad_npcs 2010-11-28 11:16 pm UTC (link)
	Not everyone will be necessarily nice, as opnmouthcroc says, but best thing to do in that case is to either just ignore it, or move to another game. But like 75 percent (or more) of the RP world wants new players! The more, the merrier! I know it's a bit scary especially when you're brand new at it, but have a little faith. Most of us are pretty nice. :D (Reply to this) (Parent)

	pemberley 2010-11-28 11:51 pm UTC (link)
	RP 101 might help :) (Reply to this) (Thread)

	hammertech 2010-11-29 12:35 am UTC (link)
	Great suggestion! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	pemberley 2010-11-29 01:51 am UTC (link)
	Thanks :) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	hammertech 2010-12-01 04:15 am UTC (link)
	OKAY I LIED. I have a zillion things to do this week and this tutorial will take a while to get done properly. BUT you can see the WIP here. And hopefully it'll come in handy. If you have questions, we're here! :D? (Reply to this)