If you're a player, or a participant in virtual worlds of any type or description, this is the place for all the information you could ask for, to really make the most of your experiences, and those of everyone round you.
We have a massive selection of role-play resources, for those who'd really like to leave their own lives behind for a time, and be someone else for a while...
There are resources on how to connect, clients to try out, and help on staying connected once you're there. We have moving tales on why the community within a world, really does matter, and proof of why virtual worlds are far from being games.
Whatever your level of interest, from newcomer, to casual participant, to hard core online gamer, we have something for everyone here.
Sections
Role-Play is, at it's base level, the art of Playing a Role. If you don't roleplay, then you usually tend to treat virtual worlds as simple games, with no consequences. Unfortunately, this isn't true. Virtual worlds are social situations. The avatars are controlled by other people, as real as you. If you interact with these avatars outside of Role-Play then you are dealing directly with that person, and any unkind words or gestures strike through to them. Role-Play is where you don't treat the avatar as a part of yourself. Instead, it is almost a puppet, and you are the string-puller. It has an animation of it's own, you see through it's eyes, you move it's limbs, but it has it's own life. You are simply the actor that says the lines, and expresses the personality. With Role-Play, you can set up a life for the character within the virtual world. They may come to be known by other characters as a mighty sage, a whimsical bard, a dispicable thief, or even a lowly barkeep. Whatever the outcome, by playing a character, and creating their own life, you then have far more context for their actions, and a lot of lasting fun as well.
A Brief History of Roleplaying, Part One
This, the first in a series on the evolution of Role-Play looks at where we have come from, at the origins of the modern roleplay systems used by near enough every world.
A Brief History of Roleplaying, Part Three
A look at the third kind of structure for Role-Play, that of the story-driven world, where less emphasis is placed on the characters, and more on the overall idea. This article looks at the evolution of this strain of virtual world over time from the first ancestors, to modern versions.
A Brief History of Roleplaying, Part Two
A second look at the history of Role-Playing, with more in depth coverage of how the different types of system which encourage role-play have evolved over time.
Quick Start: Is this MUD for Me?
This article, written with the Turning Point MUD specifically in mind, is still ideal for an introductor to any Role-Play Intensive world. It highlights the key issues and considerations you need to face as a player, when first stepping out into a virtual world.
A comprehensive introduction to Role-Playing, for the uninitiated, across all the major world types. Well worth a look.
RPer's Ramblings on VR Role-playing
This is a long, many sectioned paper, containing many suggestions, do's, and don'ts for better role-play in virtual worlds. Also available at the authors home site here.
Its just a game, right? (7)
This, the most commonly asked question a non-role-player asks a role-player, 'This is just a game, isn't it?' has a tendency to drive the role-player up the wall, for a virtual world, whilst it is entertainment, is also far more than a simple, and meaningless game. Therefore, this section is here to provide the answers that will make it crystal clear, once and for all.
Balance
This interesting read deals with finding a balance between Role-Play, and the 'Hack & Slash' approach taken by gamers, allowing both to co-exist in the same world, happilly, without ruining the experience for each other.
No Shit, There I Was
Roleplaying combat: a reminder of what roleplaying *isn't*, of your rights to roleplay, and of how to stand up for those rights. A comparison of common attitudes, to the mentality of a rapist, and how some players are just wannabe rapists who can't safely do so in RL society (with its Laws), so they take the next best thing from YOU in the Virtual World.
Role Playing Extremism?
This is a transcript of a conversation held within an OOC area of one MUD, wherin one player's discussion of RP within the MUD, and the article author's own use of it, reveals some interesting views.
Roleplaying (II) - on maturity
Not a role-play article par-se, this article is included here because it looks at the conflict between some extremes of role-play, and the RL morality issues when kids are involved. Note: the solutions raised are not proposals, merely comments.
The Powergamer
A more serious article, along the same broad bent of The story of Havoc, this one looks at the views, and downright obsurdities -of the powergamer, that unusual breed of player who plays to win, nothing else.
The story of Havoc
A satriatrical look at non-role players, based around one player's character in a particular MUD, Nexus. A sad example of what can happen if a player doesn't consider RP 'a worthy consideration'.
Back To TopBenefits of Role-Play (7)
If you're here, in the third of VirtualWorldlets' Role-Play categories, then you probably know what role-playing is, you know how to do it, but what are the benefits of it? What do you gain from role-playing that you wouldn't, by just treating the world as a game?
It was never about Hats!
This article stands as a statement against the compartmentalisation of ideas, genres, et al. You should be free to use ideas, concepts, and more, from any 'genre', into any world.
Placards
This short article, written in response to a forum post at another site, whose origin is, sadly, unknown, expresses the need of Role-Playing gamers to present a united front by embrasing differences between gamers, rather than suppressing, or ignoring them. As the author points out, these actions damage the RP gaming community as a whole.
Play the character, not the game
This story-based paper examines the different challenges, experiences, and memories available in role-play, and other types of 'game', in order to showcase the advantage of the one over the other. This one makes its point well.
Quick Start: Developing Your Character
A solid, and badly needed guideline on creating a character which is sensible, and believable. Covers the creation of the backstory, and motivation for your character's actions - a point often missed by the new, or casual role-player.
Roleplaying is like a polyfractal prism
This fascinating article compares the art of role-play, to peeting through facets of a marvelous gem, the more facets you can look through at a time, the better a roleplayer you are. Read it.
The Ethical development of Detail
This article is designed to mark a line in the sand, to clarify the principles which the author firmly believes are needed to stop "righteous internal sabotage by players, in the name of roleplaying".
Why Do I Roleplay?
The author explains their personal experiences of the benefit of role-play. This article deserves a read.
Back To TopWorld-Specific Role-Play (1)
Whilst the basics of Role-Play don't really change from world to world, codebase to codebase, sometimes the commands you use do. This section takes a look at Role-Playing in a variety of different world codebases, both text and graphical.
MUSH and Roleplaying Etiquette Guidelines
As the author states, this is only an opinion on the etiquette needed for virtual world roleplaying. However, it is a very well reasoned, and common-sensical opinion.You could do worse than to follow these guidelines.
Back To Top
Role-Playing has been a battered occupation since its beginnings. Often used as a scapegoat by those who misunderstand its purpose, or who lump it in with other topics, often having nothing to do with it. Thus, there have arisen a legion of 'flag-bearers' for roleplaying, those who will go to any length to prove that role-play is a wonderous thing, not a tool of abomination.
An excellent site, fighting to protect and promote RPGing of all types. Since most (decent) virtual worldlets fall under the RPG umbrella, this site is most definitely worth a look.
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