Roleplay Guide
Let's make a pact before starting: I will make it short,
but you will read it completely. If you want to have a good
experience inside our virtual world, it's important that
you grasp all the concepts behind Roleplay.
The beauty of a virtual world it's similar to the beauty
of a book, where you imagine the places that are described
and, during the time you read it, you start to believe it's
real, you participate to the story, you immerse into the
description and into the plot. Imagination is what makes
the difference, and if you start picturing certain characters,
you will enjoy the book more.
In an online world, many things are similar to a book:
there are fantasy places, characters, monsters, evil and
good creatures, a story and many small plots, event and
such. Most important of all we give you the chance to create
a character, giving you much more freedom to interact and
participate. To achieve that in a book you could write few
additional chapters of your favorite book that describe
the adventures of an additional character, you could describe
his past, give certain spikes to his attitudes to make it
interesting, invent his clothing style, his behaviors and
attitudes.
In PlaneShift you can create a new character and have him
participate to the virtual world.
What's of critical importance is that the character you
will create in game is NOT yourself. He is another being
with his wills and aims and fears and joys. You have to
keep this separation as strong as possible to successfully
roleplay.
Let's check what the dictionary says about roleplay:
Role play: To assume or represent in a drama; act
out
That's exactly the point. You are asked to create a character,
to think about his personality and goals, and then to act
out, like if you was on a stage performing in a theatre.
The more you are able to make it real for yourself and for
others, the more you are achieving the purposes of roleplay.
Ok, now you may ask what the beauty of it is. In my opinion
the beauty is to re-recreate a much as possible a fantasy
medieval world that's full of life thanks to the people
acting in it. Making it seems real, to be the most immersive
experience ever, something a movie or a book will never
give you.
As you may imagine it's not easy, because many people will
not collaborate to this task, and "reality" in
the virtual world can easily be disrupted by someone saying:
"Is this a good game?".
You may be interested in what's allowed and what's not
in terms of behavior and speech for a good roleplay. The
answer is very simple: everything that your character
will do is allowed, with his knowledge, his intelligence,
his attitudes. When you have him speak, think to what he
knows, not what YOU know. He can make jokes, but medieval
or fantasy jokes. He should not be a hero at all costs,
he can be lazy or chat all day, just have him do this with
his brain.
If you start looking at the PlaneShift world this way,
things will be a lot more enjoyable, and there will be a
lot more to do than just going for monsters hunting or getting
rich in game.
The kran looks at the written page, tilting his head
a bit and scratching the top with his left hand. - "Well,
I never been a novelist, but that should do it, I guess."
He stands up from the giant crystal table, picks a thick
cloak and looks outside the window of his sculptured stone
house. He concentrates a bit and thanks to his magic vision,
he reaches the Hydlaa plaza.
- "mmmm... there is still much more to do, but things
are surely getting better. Time for some magic!"