Reconstructing Guides

[Brovo]

Hi, I mentioned a while ago that one of the things I planned on doing was recreating a few straightforward "welcome to role playing" guides, that old guild used to have, such as explaining what PbPRP is. I think I have it down to just three now: What is forum role playing, what to do as a player, and what to do as a GM/DM.

However, before I proceed, I'd like to know what you all think should be in the guides. What should be emphasized, and so on.

First one I'm going to write will be the PbPRP one, as it introduces what exactly forum role playing is, and should be the shortest. Next will be the player guide, then the GM guide. The player guide is going to focus on roleplay etiquette, the action-reaction wheel and the role of exposition, and how characters work. The GM guide is going to focus on the basics of a plot (who, what, when, where, how, and why), GM/DM etiquette (with a focus on communication and compromise as the number one tools to stop problems), and the basics of world building.

So what do you all think?

[Jig]

Honestly, I really don't know that a 'What is PbPRP?' is necessary. People that find this site will either already know, or will think it's perhaps about video games/LARPS and probably not be interested, and I can't imagine that those people that stumble across the site accidentally would go to the articles and guides section. Then again, perhaps it could be stickied somewhere really obvious if the administration think it's a good useful article. If you write it, I would, as you plan to, keep it short. Advanced theory will bombard a newcomer and, as I say, I think it's the least useful of the three articles.

Another idea for a simple guide, possibly inspired by the B!tch thread, might just be a 'do's and don't's'. Your guides are excellent and I'm personally very interested in the various theories behind RPing, but I'm a freak and I expect the people that might tend to read an in-depth article might perhaps have a greater interest in the ins-and-outs of RPing and, not to mince words, might be a better RPer as a result. However, a more simple guide of 'do's and don't's' might be more accessible to a greater number and might result in a more tangible improvement in the RPing of those that read it. A guide would be more advantageous than a pile-up thread like the B!tch thread because it can be more easily formatted and, frankly, doesn't meander off into bickering or more cordial debates. That said, you clearly do enjoy (or at least get some personal reward from) writing advanced theory guides, so if you don't fancy doing a 'do's and don't's' guide, I might give it a shot.

For the player guide, I definitely think the focus should be on character creation and post content. Perhaps you could note how a more interesting character can be made by making sure they have a personal conflict that, if not directly reflecting the overall conflict and themes of the RP, can be explored and developed through an RP, creating a character arc expected from every other traditional written artform with characters (and why should RPs be any different?). I'm not sure that notion is really present in players' consciousnesses. Also, what you call the action-reaction wheel (which I believe is what I less eloquently call the 'making-sure-your-post-doesn't-kill-the-flow-itivity') is definitely key, as killing the flow seems to be what kills RPs more than people spontaneously vanishing in my experience. I'm not sure player etiquette is the most important content to focus on. Either I need enlightening myself (in which case perhaps player etiquette is something I should brush up on!) or it just comes down to, like so many things, not behaving like a douchebag, which we should trust most people to know how to do.

I'm a crap GM, so I can't even speculate as to what might or might not be useful to know. xP

[Brovo]

You can do do's and don'ts

As for player etiquette, think stuff like "instead of typing 'I hit you', instead use the magic words 'I attempted to hit you'. Its far more polite for everyone involved, and more respectful, too."

[Pachamac]

Jig said For the player guide, I definitely think the focus should be on character creation and post content. Perhaps you could note how a more interesting character can be made by making sure they have a personal conflict that, if not directly reflecting the overall conflict and themes of the RP, can be explored and developed through an RP, creating a character arc expected from every other traditional written artform with characters (and why should RPs be any different?). I'm not sure that notion is really present in players' consciousnesses.

This is something I think's pretty important. Whilst it's not absolutely neccessary in an rp, I think it can help elevate a player, their character and their writing to actually have some sort of goal and aim in mind for their character, and a plan for how they'd like them to develop, whether it be general ideas or something more fleshed out. I've encountered a few players in previous rps who create a character and then just have them along for the rp's ride, which isn't bad, but I feel the character (and myself in reading them) become more engrossing and interesting when I can see that they have their own story, and that the rp and thus mine or others' characters are helping to affect and develop that.

[Brovo]

*Will add at least a brief note about character arcs* Since it's meant to be basic, I'll probably expand on it by offering players two very viable choices.

#1: Do not kill off your character's immediate family. Keep the parents alive as potential victims of circumstance later on, or to write your character letters, or call them on a phone, or so on. Have a sibling as well, if you like. This can add to the depth of a character without needing to do anything at all: I can't lose now, my family is waiting for me back home, I can't let them down!

#2: Keep 1-3 articles from the past that aren't weapons or armour. Lockets, rings, pictures, lucky cards, religious or spiritual paraphernalia, etc, are all powerful ways to give others an easy way to explore your character and in turn an easy method to develop your character.

Also, generic soldier guy suddenly has a lot more humanity to him when he has a heart shaped locket hidden underneath his bulletproof vest.

Just saying.