GUIDE TO ROLEPLAYING IN LIFE IS FEUDAL
This guide is dedicated mostly to the players who may have not tried roleplaying yet, or have only briefly experienced it. Of course, even the more experienced roleplayers may find some useful information here. This guide is mainly describing general rules of roleplaying, that would apply in most online games.
WHAT IS ROLEPLAY?
Roleplaying refers to changing one's behaviour to assume a role of another character. In case of online games, these are fictional characters created by players.
Players needs to keep in mind at least a brief idea of the character they want to roleplay as. Some of the things that define a character are:
- Background story: Where she or he came from; What they did; who their family were; and how they were raised to become the person they are today: are they just a simple farmer, a warrior or someone else - and so on.
- Character traits: What is their nature: are they good, bad or is it a bit more complicated than that? How did she/he change during their life; are they easily angered; are they a dreamer or a realist etc.
- Strengths and weaknesses: Is the character physically strong, a fast runner or slow; are they courageous and strong-willed or are they afraid and cowardly etc.
- Goals: What are their ambitions; What do they want to accomplish; Does the character just want to live in peace or does she/he aspire to be well-known, rich and powerful etc.
The key to successful roleplaying is imagination!
This will open doors and make your journey much easier. Imagination is the key to effectively and properly roleplaying. Think back to when you were a child: you and your friends probably had a lot of fun playing as knights, using sticks and imagining that they are swords. It can make the game experience so much more fun and interesting and there's little difference between that and roleplaying with people, so use that.
There are many different platforms for roleplaying. Classic ones are tabletop games, which are usually played on a table, involving dice, paper, and/or pencils.
This kind of advanced into 'play by forum' games - the rules are nearly the same, but more people can participate in online roleplaying game that are PBF, and the game can be much slower, as it takes more time for a player to respond.
There are also 'live action roleplay' games that are acted out by players using props and locations to set the scene.
Now, probably the most common is roleplaying via online games, like mmorpgs. In some of them, there are even servers designated for roleplaying. It is often a mix of RP-PvE (Player versus Environment) or RP-PvP (Player versus Player). Even though they are marked as they are, PvE and PvP is present nearly everywhere. These are the basic and most common activities in online games.
In online games there are servers with different types of roleplaying, where rules are either very strict, or very loose. On the bottom of the list there's casual roleplay, where rp is only optional. There's also heavy rp, where roleplaying is mandatory and rules are very strict. There are also things between, but it all depends on the ruleset made by the creators of each world. On servers where heavy rp is present, you can truly put aside reality and become the character you are playing. There you must be cautious, as every action, every step you take has consequences, just like in real life. The way you interact with other characters plays most important part. How will you act will determine how your character will be perceived and treated by others.
In Life is Feudal, there are simple folks, like farmers and blacksmiths; there are warriors, knights and even lords and kings - but, on the other side of the fence, there are bandits, murderers and other scary people. There are many paths that can be taken: make up your mind on who you want your character to be. Remember that most servers do not offer high skill multiplier rate so, when creating a character, invest in skills that will suit them. If your character is supposed to be a blacksmith, invest in prospecting. If they’re going to be an architect, invest in terraforming. These are just examples though, you don't need to put all of the skill points into one area if you want to specialize in more than just one profession, or if just want to have an easier start.
Of course, your profession isn’t the most important thing. Making your character realistic and believable is key in roleplaying. You don’t necessarily want to try and make a great, formidable hero, known across all the land - a well-played peasant can be much more interesting than that.
After all, a lot of the time people spend farming, gathering resources and building - just like in the Feudal ages! Therefore, it can be so much better to be part of the team and part of something bigger; a humble citizen, common folk, living a simple life and being content with the little things you receive from the Gods.
COMMUNICATION
While communicating with other players, remember that there are two types of messages: messages spoken IC (In Character) and OOC (Out Of Character), and there are also two channels in Life is Feudal, Local (Nearest players) and Global (All people on the server). Messages IC are those spoken by your character to another character, where the rules of roleplaying apply. Global chat wouldn’t typically be used IC unless it is, perhaps, some kind of important announcement. For instance, the lord of the land can send letters to his subordinates about an important event. In which case, he or she can use global chat to inform the people about that. OOC chat is conversation between players outside of their characters.
- Example of local IC message:
- Good day, m'lord! I come from afar and seek shelter. Would you have me here, m'lord? At least for few nights?
- Example of local IC message with actions included:
- Well lad, *smiles* you've done a fine job here. Here, have few coins as payment for your work. *hands over few silver coins and pats his worker on the back*
Now, about global chatting. IC messages on global chat should be letters, either to a particular person or a group of people, or it can reach everyone, if the person sending this message wishes it to be so.
- Example of global IC message:
- I, lord Gregor invite all of my allies to visit my castle, so you will be witnesses to a very important event, which is my wedding. All gifts will be welcome.
Nobody from outside the circle of those allies should know about this event, unless recipients of those letters spread the word further. One can state in his message who is supposed to receive the letters, or, if it is common knowledge, it's not required.
Global OOC, on the other hand, is for everyone to see and acknowledge. OOC messages should be always marked with brackets to make it easier to differentiate them from IC messages.
- Example of global OOC message:
- ( Hey guys, I'm lost. How can I find some settlements? )
- Example of local OOC message:
- ( Sorry, I need to go afk for a moment. )
Roleplaying with a microphone can take it to the next level, and is even cooler than roleplaying via chat, because it's much more dynamic and takes less time to answer. With a microphone, naturally you must remember that you're roleplaying; you're not talking as you, you're talking as your character. Make sure that the tone of your voice fits your character and the situation. It's much easier to show emotions with the tone of your voice instead of describing it via chat.
It's not advised to roleplay with a cheap microphone, because it may be difficult to understand someone who is using low quality equipment. If required, you should describe your actions while speaking, and change your tone accordingly, so that people around you will be able to tell the difference, whether you are speaking or describing what your character is doing.
RULES OF ROLEPLAYING
While the only thing during your adventure that may limit you is imagination, there are also rules, which serve the purpose of making the game pleasant for all participants. Those rules forbid actions that would not be possible in real life, and therefore could give anyone an unfair advantage over others. There are elements of the game mechanics that can be abused in order to easily gain such an advantage. Things that are forbidden in roleplaying are:
- Metagaming: Mixing OOC with IC. Using information obtained OOC (either via OOC chat in game, or during conversation outside the game), which your character haven't obtained via roleplaying. For instance: Someone spoke on global channel, OOC about your friend fighting with an enemy. Despite your character having no knowledge of this, you get on your horse and aid your friend, because you read about it on global OOC chat. You can't do things like that. If your character hasn't been informed of an event, you can't take action. The same goes for meeting other characters. If they didn't tell you their name, your character won't know it until they do. They may well lie to you about their name, which will force you to call them by that fake name because your character would be none the wiser. Don't ever mix OOC chat with IC chat. That's highly immersion breaking, and generally non-rp.
- Powergaming: Forcing another player to perform actions. For instance: you might describe an action in the chat - maybe that you chop your enemy’s head off and take all of their belongings. You can't do that. If you're ever fighting via chat and describing actions, use common sense and perhaps even some dice.
- Deathmatch: Basically senseless pvp; running around and attacking people for no reason. That's not how you would behave in real life, so you can't do it on a roleplaying server, unless you want your character to quickly meet their fate.
- Bunnyhopping: Constantly jumping for no reason. It is abusing the game mechanics and another behaviour that wouldn't be seen in real life.
- Sprinting: Constantly running for no reason, or to get to desired place faster. Again, it is abusing the game mechanics and its another behaviour that wouldn't be seen in real life.
- Spinning: Quick, senseless spinning with your character. Usually done to see what's going on behind. This is abusing the game mechanics and another behaviour that wouldn't be seen in real life.
- Camspying: Using camera to look behind the character without rotating it, or to lurk from the corner from a safe distance, even when it's physically impossible for your character to see what's in there from that distance. That easily allows players to metagame, and use these game mechanics for their advantage.
PLAY AND LEARN
Now, just a few words to wrap up this guide. There are more detailed guides online about all aspects of roleplaying, which you can read to understand it all even better. But, the best way to learn 'how to' is to actually do it. Find some good roleplaying server where people actually do roleplay, and interact with them. People on these servers will probably guide you at the beginning, and eventually you'll get it.
It's not hard, just use your imagination and make your character realistic. Be a farmer, spending your day watering crops, plowing fields and milking cows, or a builder, making sure that people have a place to sleep, or a fine smith, who delivers tools, weapons and armor to guards defending the settlement.
I hope this guide will be useful to someone. I know that, presently, there isn't a lot of true roleplaying servers, and some of the existing ones don’t currently provide much actual roleplaying, but, hopefully you guys will change that, maybe even thanks to this guide of mine.
If you'll have any questions regarding roleplaying, I'll be happy to help.
Best regards,
Arrakis
