[ SECRET POST #2071 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2071 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Important: I'm really sorry about this, but I accidentally misclicked and deleted the submission post from last week instead of saving it. Managed to save the first page (25) of secrets, but the rest (about 100 or so) are gone.

If you submitted something last week (Aug 26-Sept 1), please resubmit it here.

The submissions post for next week is below as usual.

Secrets Left to Post: ?? pages, ??? secrets from Secret Submission Post #296.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

RPing for dummies?

[(Anonymous)]

I've been thinking about getting into roleplaying lately because I think it would help me with writing regularly, character building, etc, and it would also just be really nice to be part of a friendly, active community again.

Thing is, I've never done any kind of roleplaying before and I don't really have a clue what I'm doing, so...any advice would be appreciated.

Like, would you say it's better to start with an original or a fandom rp, or does it not make a difference? Are forums the best place to do it, or is Tumblr/LJ a better format? Do you generally work out a vague plot to follow beforehand with your fellow RPers and then the details you just kind of make up as you go along? It all seems a little confusing from an outside perspective but it looks like fun and I know you can make a lot of friends doing it, so I want to give it a go.

I know a lot of RPs have word count requirements and activity requirements but this is the one bit that seems the most daunting to me because some days (most days) I just can't find the words even if I know exactly what I'm supposed to be writing. Tips?

And just...general advice for a total noob would really be appreciated!

Re: RPing for dummies?

[(Anonymous)]

I'd say it all depends on where and how you want to role play. Me for example only do one on one role plays, and over email. I've done a lot of rp's, but I have no idea how roleplaying on LJ is.

When I first started out, I thought that doing one on ones was easier, because I only had to deal with one person.

If you're interested in group-role play, then I'm not much help as I don't ever role play in groups anymore (too many people and things in general to keep track of for me).

Re: RPing for dummies?

[cloud_riven]

If you're just starting out, I'd recommend lurking and following an rp, and rpers you like. And trying out dressing rooms first (aphdressingroom is a Hetalia one for instance. it's 2008/2009 archives are some of my favourite things ever. well. the funny ones anyway.). Whether you're in a panfandom one, or a fandom-specific one, most don't require an application, and it can help you practice in a super casual setting (unless it's riddled with ridiculous wank).

If you want to plot, rather than pure improvisation, of course you can talk it over with folk. That's especially useful when you want to know if your partner(s) are okay with the characters heading into certain directions, relationships, settings, themes, etc.

As for the format (lj/dw, forum, tumblr, fandom vs OCs, etc.), that's up to you tbh. Where do you think you'll have the most fun? Do you want to write dialogue only, with actions in asterisks for instance? Or maybe you want to write with people who will write in third person? It just comes down to what you're looking to do.

Re: RPing for dummies?

[darkmanifest]

I can only speak about casual one-on-one from personal experience, and other kinds of RPing from observation. Fandom or original, it doesn't matter, pick whichever you like (I've seen people do both at once). In community games, the moderators will usually provide the setting and the general plot, have people apply, and then set the characters loose to interact. Me, I hash out a basic idea of what to do with one other person, start playing, and let the characters and story evolve from there.

Some people have completely fleshed out character profiles, others make them up on the fly as the plot requires, depends on what you're good at. My preferred format is email or instant messaging, but I've seen people use LJ threads - usually with in-character accounts complete with "PBs" (icons with pictures representing the character) - pretty coherently. Tumblr confuses the pants off me, though.

Some places you can use to find partners or advertisements for community games are RP Me @ LJ and Mun vs Mun @ LJ. Uh, can't think of what else to tell you. Good luck. ^^

Re: RPing for dummies?

[yeahscience]

It really depends on what you want to do! I used to play only in PSLs (that's "private storylines") with friends on AIM and in chatrooms. If you don't have anyone to play with, there are communities like musemostwanted or the "find an RP partner" thread on rpanons. Alternately, you can post to memes at bakerstreet and memebells, but that can be a little haphazard. Dressing rooms are sort of in between memes and full-on games. Only games have activity requirements -- although I've never seen one with a "word count requirement," I'm not sure what that means. But you can check out app_this_plz to get some ideas for games, if you're interested in that.

Personally, I can't stand tumblr RP or forum RP, so DW is it for me, but that varies from person to person too, obviously. I will say that RPing original characters on DW is not impossible, but it can be hard to get CR (character relations, i.e., activity) with them as compared to fandom characters.

[420]

To be honest, a lot of your questions can only be answered with 'it depends'. RP-styles are as varied as people are varied. What ends up being an enjoyable rp for one person doesn't necessarily have to be an enjoyable one for another. I don't think there is am inherently better way to rp as long as all the people involved are on the same line. I think the best thing to do is lurk in a few places, maybe try them out and see what fits you best. And don't be too discouraged if you don't find a place or style that clicks with you immediately. Sometimes it can be a bit of a search.

As for word count and activity requirements, I think the best thing you can do is look at a few of them, and be really honest with yourself. Not just about whether you could make them, but also about whether you could still have fun making them. RPing is about having fun, so if it is a constant struggle to meet activity that is not gonna be fun. There is a lot of variation on activity levels, so it is worth poking around a few places and seeing what is the what. Games on DW tend not to have word count requirements, just #number of comments/posts per month requirements which may be a bit more flexible to you. So that is something to keep in mind.

Uhm, as for general advice, I can give, hmm... A lot of this is going to be relevant to the DW/LJ rp scene and influenced by me being a mod maybe, but here goes

- Don't be scared about tagging/posting. Yeah, okay, you might run into the occasional black sheep that doesn't wanna tag with you, but overall people are in this hobby cause they want to play. I hear of so many people, especially newbies, who worry about tagging new people cause they are afraid to bug them, and just... you are not! You are here, playing with them, doing what you came here to do. Most people are really happy to play with you, so go for it.

- Mods are your friends, not your enemies. Don't be scared of your mods. Seriously, they are just people also playing fake people on the internet. If you have any concerns or questions or problems, go to them. And go to them from the start. Far too often I encounter people with problems that would've been so easy to solve if they had come to us like a month back, but now everything is too sticky to handle.

- You only get out of RP what you put into it. Be pro-active. Fun isn't just going to deliver itself to your doorstep. Don't be afraid to ping a player and ask them if they want to plot. Don't be afraid of tagging around or using your games CR memes or whatever to broaden your RPing horizons, so to speak. On the same token, if something is bothering you, also be pro-active about that. Shoot others a line if you have a problem or a concern. Or don't be afraid to turn people down if they are suggesting things that don't interest you/don't make you comfortable. It is never bad to be in control of your own fun and filter out things that aren't fun to you.

Other than that, these two links are slightly out of date, but still contain great resources for LJ/DW rp. RP related links archive and Livejournal Roleplaying FAQ. The last one in particular is good for learning the lingo.

I dunno.. I already went on for far too long but if you got any more specific questions, I don't mind trying to answer them for you.

Re: RPing for dummies?

[(Anonymous)]

Err, I haven't RPed in a while because I am crazy busy buuut despite that I would love to help. :)

- On sites: I'll echo everyone else and say that it depends! Seriously, there's no right or wrong way of doing it. Personally, I find tumblr to be confusing looking and much prefer LJ/DW or forums (despite the fact that they're completely different). I guess what you should do is keep an open mind and check out quite a few different RP's until you find one you're actually interested in, then check out their archives and their rules and see if they make sense. (Seriously, sometimes their formats get very complicated! But it's really fun once you figure it out.) One thing, though: on forums, there's this whole invisionfree subculture that's like, crazy into graphics and trendiness and ~prettiness~. I have a friend who's into that style (and I'll admit it: we're making a site kind of like that), but personally I find it a little ridiculously amusing. Still, different strokes and all that.

Here's a good site for delving into that: http://rpg-directory.com/

-On fandom vs original/plotting: once again, depends! Seriously, just look around for plots you like and stuff. However, I prefer fandom ones or at least only semi-original (eg mythology-based one because those are fun). Why? Because it's easier to get plotting if you're starting out and nervous. Because if your character is one that has pre-set interactions with people (eg they share a fandom or a mythology), then it's really easy to just send the players a message and say "Hey, I play Bob and you play Alice! Want to plot?". It seems daunting, but I guarantee you the other players will be thrilled and you get guaranteed interactions even if you're starting out. And it's the easiest way to make friends - if you share a fandom or interest in mythology or whatever, the conversation should flow fast and easy. :)

For some original RP's, though, there is an option for the same thing (a player might post something like "Oh, I want a sister for Alice, and she should be morally ambiguous and like cupcakes! Anything else up to you :)" and the same thing will happen. If you don't want to do that, though, then not all is lost: people are generally pleased with new members. Just get posting and people will wander in to say hi.

On plotting in general, well, it depends. Like everything. Most of the RP's I've been in have a general premise/plot (zombie apocalypse! Gods in New York!) and the players go from there. In the beginning I'd say you can just post random things and eventually as your character forms relationships, you start working out plots. Or there are events organized by the mods. There's no hard and fast way to do this.

- On word/activity requirements: pick what is comfortable to you! You might want to start on a fairly lax RP if you're not sure you can do it. I personally think a good activity check is one post/thread a week. It doesn't overwhelm you. On word requirements, well, that's tricky. In general I kind of disapprove of minimum word counts but I guess it depends on the type. And if you pick a slower-moving RP, it's okay if you don't post every day - you can come back a bit later and finish up a thread. People are usually understanding.

In general, I think the best thing to do is to look through past archives of the thing you're interested in. See what people are like, how they write, if you think it would work with you. If there's OOC posts for the same community, go through them too! It will show you if it's the type of community you want to be a part at, as well as maybe showing you how people plot and whatever.

Another tip: don't be like me and disappear from your RP's. I tend to fall in love, post for a little while and then just stop, even after I made friends, and now I feel terribly guilty about it again. D: (I'm sorry to anyone who I've ever ditched that way!) If you want to stop, it's okay - just tell it to the people around you. They'll understand. Personally, it's why I like RPing - people are terribly nice.

So number one tip? Have fun. Explore your options. If a game is making you stress, take a step back and re-evaluate. Reach out to the people around you and make friends. And don't be scared - everyone was new once, and as long as you're polite and willing to learn, you shouldn't be intimidated.

(I know I posted this kind of late but I hope it helped, anon :). And sorry for any incoherence in my ramblings, I'm a little tired right now.)