Post by warraven on Mar 18, 2008 16:44:15 GMT -5
Getting involved in roleplay can be tricky, especially if you are new to it, unsure of what is going on, or just not sure if you're wanted to join in with what's going on. As our guild runs things in ways that can be confusing to newcomers I've decided to write a guide as to how you can involve your character.
1) Be aggressive! I don't mean that you should walk in and punch Warraven in the face - you don't want a tauren angry at you. But you should be confident in your character and their place in the roleplay. You do not need an invitation to roleplay and that is the greatest thing about it. By being part of this guild you are part of the roleplay. You only need to step in and act. The willingness to just jump into something alone will get you very far and turn you from a passive observer to an active participant. Don't be afraid - we want you to be part of this. We. Want. You. Here.
2) Now that that's established, let's get into some more specifics. How do you jump in? Well, there's several scenarios.
Let's say guild chat is utterly dead. Nobody is talking. You want to roleplay. Start something! March into the guild hall proclaiming that by Thrall's Doomhammer, the Alliance are awfully frisky today and you just barely escaped a band of thugs that amount to no more than highway bandits! Or contact the guild through our guild bracelets1 and mention how you're sick of it raining all the time in Zangarmarsh and wish you had an oiled cloak to keep dry under. It doesn't have to be complex, it just has to be something other people can join in on. Just remember that for this to work people have to also adhere to rule number 1. Otherwise, you're talking to yourself, which is a sorry state of affairs. Rule 1, everyone! Let's go!
Or perhaps there already is something going on in the guild roleplay. Let's say two of the officers are bickering about the 'no explosives in the guild hall' rule. Jump in. Walk in, listen for a bit, then ask why this rule is in place. Or recall that yes, you agree because you remember that one time Molinu did this or that. If you're completely lost ask in ooc what is going on. Someone will explain it. Once you know, pick a good spot and hop in.
If you aren't certain if this is a roleplay that is guild-wide or not ask in ooc. We'll tell you. If it's between a select group of people just be patient and go kill some Alliance in the meantime.
3) Be aware of what is going on. Remember that when joining a roleplay you are joining it - not starting a new one. So if something is happening already slide yourself into the action but don't try and derail what is going on. Everyone has their own personal storyline and ideas but we can't do them all at once. Continue with what is going on as you wish but don't try and grab attention. Be respectful of others.
If you DO want to roleplay your own personal storyline, great! That goes back to rule 1! But if for whatever reason you're having trouble getting participants... ask in ooc. Maybe people are having an off-day and don't feel like roleplaying. Maybe they're not sure how to participate. Just don't try once and be discouraged - talk around and let people know you want them involved. If you need to, give them some ooc information to make things easier.
4) Know your character. Is your character more an observer with occasional outbursts or someone who directs their attention to everyone and is very outgoing? The better you know your character the better you'll know how to react to others and situations and that will take away a lot of uncertainty about how to join a roleplay. Basically, just think for a moment and decide how your character would react in the situation. Then do so.
5) If you are already involved in the roleplay, watch for people just joining. Sometimes rule 1 can't be done because there are too many dominant personalities already in the roleplay. If someone is trying to get involved, step aside and let them. Or use the influence you already have to bring them in. Pause the conversation to ask the newcomer if they know anything about the situation, or who they are. Etc. Make sure to include others as well as including yourself. The more comfortable you make others the more likely they are to join in roleplay. Else you'll just be talking to Eonthane and honestly, you don't want that.
6) If all else fails, ask an officer for help. That's why we're here.
1Guild bracelets are a mechanism we use to communicate to each other over long distances. They are given to members and allow speech between anyone else who is wearing one. They can be activated at will and can even pick up sounds around them.
1) Be aggressive! I don't mean that you should walk in and punch Warraven in the face - you don't want a tauren angry at you. But you should be confident in your character and their place in the roleplay. You do not need an invitation to roleplay and that is the greatest thing about it. By being part of this guild you are part of the roleplay. You only need to step in and act. The willingness to just jump into something alone will get you very far and turn you from a passive observer to an active participant. Don't be afraid - we want you to be part of this. We. Want. You. Here.
2) Now that that's established, let's get into some more specifics. How do you jump in? Well, there's several scenarios.
Let's say guild chat is utterly dead. Nobody is talking. You want to roleplay. Start something! March into the guild hall proclaiming that by Thrall's Doomhammer, the Alliance are awfully frisky today and you just barely escaped a band of thugs that amount to no more than highway bandits! Or contact the guild through our guild bracelets1 and mention how you're sick of it raining all the time in Zangarmarsh and wish you had an oiled cloak to keep dry under. It doesn't have to be complex, it just has to be something other people can join in on. Just remember that for this to work people have to also adhere to rule number 1. Otherwise, you're talking to yourself, which is a sorry state of affairs. Rule 1, everyone! Let's go!
Or perhaps there already is something going on in the guild roleplay. Let's say two of the officers are bickering about the 'no explosives in the guild hall' rule. Jump in. Walk in, listen for a bit, then ask why this rule is in place. Or recall that yes, you agree because you remember that one time Molinu did this or that. If you're completely lost ask in ooc what is going on. Someone will explain it. Once you know, pick a good spot and hop in.
If you aren't certain if this is a roleplay that is guild-wide or not ask in ooc. We'll tell you. If it's between a select group of people just be patient and go kill some Alliance in the meantime.
3) Be aware of what is going on. Remember that when joining a roleplay you are joining it - not starting a new one. So if something is happening already slide yourself into the action but don't try and derail what is going on. Everyone has their own personal storyline and ideas but we can't do them all at once. Continue with what is going on as you wish but don't try and grab attention. Be respectful of others.
If you DO want to roleplay your own personal storyline, great! That goes back to rule 1! But if for whatever reason you're having trouble getting participants... ask in ooc. Maybe people are having an off-day and don't feel like roleplaying. Maybe they're not sure how to participate. Just don't try once and be discouraged - talk around and let people know you want them involved. If you need to, give them some ooc information to make things easier.
4) Know your character. Is your character more an observer with occasional outbursts or someone who directs their attention to everyone and is very outgoing? The better you know your character the better you'll know how to react to others and situations and that will take away a lot of uncertainty about how to join a roleplay. Basically, just think for a moment and decide how your character would react in the situation. Then do so.
5) If you are already involved in the roleplay, watch for people just joining. Sometimes rule 1 can't be done because there are too many dominant personalities already in the roleplay. If someone is trying to get involved, step aside and let them. Or use the influence you already have to bring them in. Pause the conversation to ask the newcomer if they know anything about the situation, or who they are. Etc. Make sure to include others as well as including yourself. The more comfortable you make others the more likely they are to join in roleplay. Else you'll just be talking to Eonthane and honestly, you don't want that.
6) If all else fails, ask an officer for help. That's why we're here.
1Guild bracelets are a mechanism we use to communicate to each other over long distances. They are given to members and allow speech between anyone else who is wearing one. They can be activated at will and can even pick up sounds around them.