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General Tips for Role-play

Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:58 pm
by Tal Zem
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Typos

Depending on your skill as a typist, you may find yourself making the occassional keyboard mistake. When this happens, a lot of people will say the word again in brackets accompanied by an asterisk, like so:

=Niva=Quari=: Hello there!
=Beaha=Aitu=: Hey, aer you okay?
=Beaha=Aitu=:: (Are*)

This can be actually be more immersion-breaking than the spelling mistake itself. Trust that the majority of us can spell and can decipher the point you're trying to get across; you don't have to share every correction out of character. That being said, rather than just moving on and ignoring it, why not turn it into more role-play?

Here's an example:

=Niva=Quari=: I still don't understnad, Master.
=Niva=Quari=: Uh... understand! Sorry, I was tripping on my own words there. ::scratches the back of her neck with a sheepish smile::

This is not something I would suggest you did every single time that you made a spelling mistake (particularly if you misspell frequently!) But it can allow your character to appear flawed in a simple way, which grounds him or her firmly in reality.

Your ability to type tends to improve with more role-play, so have it!

Re: [R&Ts Draft] General Tips

Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:59 pm
by Tal Zem
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Pop Culture Exists

Music isn't excluded to the real world. The Star Wars galaxy features a lot of interesting genres, including Gamorrean opera as a matter of fact, though I'd steer clear of that one.

Does your character have a favourite artist? There's a lot of room for creativity here. Were they involved in a charity concert recently, or a scandal? Are they now a host on a show scouting for fresh talent? Do you watch the show on the viewscreens when you can?

If you're graphically gifted, why not create an advertisement? We have space for it on the front page of the holonet. Speaking of the holonet... If any of the above were to happen, would they likely feature in the entertainment news? Write about it! Draft an article and submit it to the JEDI Archives Droid for review.

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It doesn't stop with music. Films, books and just about everything else exists. What kind of taste does your character have? Have a think about it!

Re: [R&Ts Draft] General Tips

Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:59 pm
by Tal Zem
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Don't Forget Your Manners!

How often do you find yourself stood or sat completely still, particularly for long periods of time? Most people are always doing something, even if it's subtle. They're scratching their arms, shifting their weight from one foot to another or maybe swinging their legs from their seat. You might get up to stretch and then slump back down with a grunt, or crane your neck to peer at something else going on nearby. When someone says something to you, how do you show that you're listening? You don't just say yes, you nod, maybe glance away for a moment while you reflect. You react, right? You'll shrug, pout or maybe even roll your eyes..?

When you're new to role-playing, it's very easy to forget to do these kinds of things. Working on your mannerisms can give us all a great insight into your character's personality, so try not to leave these things off to one side! If one child is bouncing up and down at some recent news and another is glancing at the floor while chewing his lips, you can immeadiately tell what sort of things might be running through their mind or what kind of person they are. Have a think at the sort of things you do from time to time in quiet moments and then the sort of things your character might do in the same spot. Even better, if you're waiting on a response from someone you're role-playing with, fill the gap and keep the flow! Try catching a cough in your hand, or snapping your fingers when something occurs to you. Express yourself!

Re: [R&Ts Draft] General Tips

Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:59 pm
by Tal Zem
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Don't Skip The Details!

Take a look at this action for a moment:

=Niva=Quari=: :: Prepares a cup of tea ::

Now take a look at this one:

=Niva=Quari=: :: Swipes an empty mug from the nearby shelf, inspecting it for cleanliness, then rummages the cupboard for a tea bag ::
=Niva=Quari=: :: Curses under her breath at the sight of a small, empty box before dumping it in a trash container :: "Who finished the nabooian tea bags?!"

Is one a touch more interesting to read? Hopefully so! Skipping the details of your character's actions is an easy way to lose interest in what you're doing. It's also an easy way for others to do the same. Sure, you can create a mental picture from the first description, but everyone who reads it will interpret it differently. It also says nothing about your character's personality. Maybe another character in the same scenario would be less irritable. Perhaps another passer-by shrugs at the sight of stains in the mug? These are the kinds of things that tell us something about your character and make us all different. The next time you're wandering through the Praxeum, doing the day-to-day things, take the time to really get into it. Paint us a picture of what you're doing in a way that tell us who you are!

Re: [R&Ts Draft] General Tips

Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 12:59 pm
by Tal Zem
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(( Oops! ))

The JEDI Code of Conduct page here on the Comport does make a point of saying that we should use (( out of character chat )) only when necessary. Now take a look at this example:

P1#: (( Oops! MT ))
P2#: (( OMG ))
P3#: (( LOL ))

If you'd like to share your out of character reaction to something outrageous, perhaps consider restricting it to a private message so that only the party involved hear about it. Broadcasting your out of context reactions to the rest of the server only serves to hinder the immersion of other players. So please, keep these outbursts to a minimum and be considerate to others!

Re: [R&Ts Draft] General Tips

Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 1:00 pm
by Tal Zem
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Hypersomnia & Life While Offline

What do you think your character does while you're not actively portraying them on one of the ::JEDI:: servers? Are they reading a novel? Are they developing their technique with a lightsaber? Are they playing indoors, outdoors? Maybe they're not on Rannon altogether? Perhaps your character is visiting a settlement, settling a minor dispute between a buyer and a trader.

Next, what do you think other characters are doing when the player is not around to portray them? Is that padawan sitting on their butt and twiddling their thumbs? Are they trying to recite something to commit it to memory? What time is it? Are they somewhere with their master?

A Jedi's life is a busy one. It's reasonable to assume that most people are doing anything -but- sleeping. Thought of something? Build on it! Where was this settlement you went to? Did it have what you were looking for? What was the first person you met like? You read a book? What was it about? Delve into detail, but keep a track of it! Document it in your journal, reference it again, continue expanding on it. Speak to people on and off of the server and draft your character's experiences together. The more memories your character has, the more personality they'll develop and the more interesting they'll become.

What's your character doing right now?

Re: General Tips for Role-play

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2022 1:54 am
by Kiara O'ren
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It's the little things

It's the little things in life that we can appreciate. Similarly, in JEDI and roleplaying in general, it is the little things that can increase immersion ten-fold. It may seem ridiculous, but you would be surprised at how much buy-in you get from players around you when you go out of your way to acknowledge, through your roleplay, something mundane about the Galaxy that surrounds your Jedi character.

This means to pay attention to and include your surroundings in your roleplay. An example; in JEDI, we find ourselves meditating or having a chat while sat on a field of grass. Guess what happens when you stand up to go about your business? Maybe your tunic is slightly damp now or grass clippings are clinging to your clothing and demand being brushed free. Nothing wrong with RPing those tiny little facts of life.

I have to give kudos to Pent Desh this week. While RPing in the student dormitory wing, he had his character notice a dirty dish in the kitchenette area of the dorm and go out of his way to clean it. Small, inconsequential to the overall Jedi story perhaps, but increased credibility to show that our beloved horse-man is just a regular being living his life in the real world around him.

I challenge anyone reading this to pick out something small and highlight, or otherwise include it, in their day-to-day interactions during roleplay. You might be surprised at what you reap by sowing that seemingly unrelated seed.