Hello there, I felt like there are some things that need to be said now that it's summertime again and people are flowing on in. Let's see if I'll be of any use!
Improvising RP:
I regard RPing as acting. And acting is not just saying your lines, it's as much about reacting and keeping the story going. And a part of this is improvising, making something up, reacting in a split second (or a minute, 'cause it's in text) to what the other person says or does. You can not, in any regard, just disregard things that happen. That stops RP.
Also, there's a general rule, that if someone asks your character to do something or go somewhere, you should accept his idea, and not just go "No." I have noticed so much of this, where I go
Azheron cries in the woods, his back torn up and bloody, sweating like a pig.
MrPotatoHead joins Azheron's company, tapping him on the shoulder with comfort in his gaze, "What's wrong my love?" He asks.
Azheron wipes a tear off his cheek dramatically, "Nothing, absolutely nothing."
MrPotatoHead: Okay.
You can clearly see that I was trying to somewhat involve the trouble Azheron had been in to the RP, yet MPH here just disregards my initiative, wrecking the RP. If someone mentions something that he's obviously trying to get in the RP, don't just throw it away. Go with the flow.
Yes, even if you have an amazing idea for an RP later on, you should let the one that goes first get the idea done.
Improvising in character creation:
Often when I create a character, I can't make the history right away, because all I have is a general idea of what I want. That's when I go on to the server, log in, and start RPing. Then, during the three few somewhat meaningless RPs, I create my characters history. Here's an example.
Azheron and SUPERMAN are in an Inn, drinking, talking and all that. Suddenly, they run out of subjects. A man runs in, saying, "We need assistance, can anyone here fly a plane?". Seeing as how Azheron and SUPERMAN are very bored and out of topics, I will make up a history for Azheron where he had gone to pilot school when he was a young lad.
In my opinion, this is acceptable, because it doesn't ruin RP, but causes it. However, there's a wrong example of this as well.
Kretol attacks Azheron with all his might, trying to jab his spear into Azherons gut. Seeing as Azheron's just a random gnome mage that's old and sleeping, he should succeed.
Azheron blocks the attack with the iron stomach that was installed on him when he was in a car crash.
This here was the wrong type of example. Using this to save your character from certain death or a loss makes no sense, as it interrupts the RP more than helps it.
Oh and asking your RP mates before you do this is probably required.
But Azheron! There is never RP, or it's in the wrong places oh dear oh dear.
I remember reading something like what I'm about to say in Kretol's signature, a good RPer will rarely say "I can't come to RP because my character is A and B." He'll say, "I can come RP even though my character is A and B, because he has just done C." My point is, you can almost always find a reason for going somewhere to RP. (Except for cross race things like a human going to orgrimmar.)
Character versability
This is a short one. Just to say, every character does not have to be a fighter. I would like to meet another character that has absolutely no fighting skillset, as of yet I have not. ... Or at least in about a year.
TL;DR Accept other peoples' ideas, you can RP with an unfinished character (And make it during the RP, if changing this does not affect other peoples' RP except for making it better.) and you can't say that there is no RP. A character which can only stay at Stormwind is a terrible character in my opinion.
I will see if I add anything to this later on, but for now, that's about it.
Improvising RP:
I regard RPing as acting. And acting is not just saying your lines, it's as much about reacting and keeping the story going. And a part of this is improvising, making something up, reacting in a split second (or a minute, 'cause it's in text) to what the other person says or does. You can not, in any regard, just disregard things that happen. That stops RP.
Also, there's a general rule, that if someone asks your character to do something or go somewhere, you should accept his idea, and not just go "No." I have noticed so much of this, where I go
Azheron cries in the woods, his back torn up and bloody, sweating like a pig.
MrPotatoHead joins Azheron's company, tapping him on the shoulder with comfort in his gaze, "What's wrong my love?" He asks.
Azheron wipes a tear off his cheek dramatically, "Nothing, absolutely nothing."
MrPotatoHead: Okay.
You can clearly see that I was trying to somewhat involve the trouble Azheron had been in to the RP, yet MPH here just disregards my initiative, wrecking the RP. If someone mentions something that he's obviously trying to get in the RP, don't just throw it away. Go with the flow.
Yes, even if you have an amazing idea for an RP later on, you should let the one that goes first get the idea done.
Improvising in character creation:
Often when I create a character, I can't make the history right away, because all I have is a general idea of what I want. That's when I go on to the server, log in, and start RPing. Then, during the three few somewhat meaningless RPs, I create my characters history. Here's an example.
Azheron and SUPERMAN are in an Inn, drinking, talking and all that. Suddenly, they run out of subjects. A man runs in, saying, "We need assistance, can anyone here fly a plane?". Seeing as how Azheron and SUPERMAN are very bored and out of topics, I will make up a history for Azheron where he had gone to pilot school when he was a young lad.
In my opinion, this is acceptable, because it doesn't ruin RP, but causes it. However, there's a wrong example of this as well.
Kretol attacks Azheron with all his might, trying to jab his spear into Azherons gut. Seeing as Azheron's just a random gnome mage that's old and sleeping, he should succeed.
Azheron blocks the attack with the iron stomach that was installed on him when he was in a car crash.
This here was the wrong type of example. Using this to save your character from certain death or a loss makes no sense, as it interrupts the RP more than helps it.
Oh and asking your RP mates before you do this is probably required.
But Azheron! There is never RP, or it's in the wrong places oh dear oh dear.
I remember reading something like what I'm about to say in Kretol's signature, a good RPer will rarely say "I can't come to RP because my character is A and B." He'll say, "I can come RP even though my character is A and B, because he has just done C." My point is, you can almost always find a reason for going somewhere to RP. (Except for cross race things like a human going to orgrimmar.)
Character versability
This is a short one. Just to say, every character does not have to be a fighter. I would like to meet another character that has absolutely no fighting skillset, as of yet I have not. ... Or at least in about a year.
TL;DR Accept other peoples' ideas, you can RP with an unfinished character (And make it during the RP, if changing this does not affect other peoples' RP except for making it better.) and you can't say that there is no RP. A character which can only stay at Stormwind is a terrible character in my opinion.
I will see if I add anything to this later on, but for now, that's about it.
Azheron's back in business. For reals.