Post by Sage on Mar 26, 2009 18:00:44 GMT -6
I have listed a few recommendations on the 'Creation of Roleplays' forum, but I'd also like to further explain myself in a more in-depth guide.
First things first. A roleplay must have a Plot! Without it, there would be no roleplay. There are a few recommendations on this, but it's mostly the basic things. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- When writing the plot, avoid 'purple prose' (Writing full of ornate or flowery language). You want everyone to understand you, and many people don't know what the heck many big words mean, save it for your own posts.
- All plots come from an idea. The best thing to do is to find inspiration. Whatever your inspiration is stick to it, come back to it when you find yourself getting stumped. Remember, your inspiration is what got your brain started in the first place, always reference back to that inspiration. Your plot revolves around that idea, so keep it in mind as you write.
- In every plot, you should have: a protagonist, an antagonist, background information, a goal (preferably one that can change when it is accomplished or is slightly vague), and a starting point.
- Good background information will explain all the key/important events in the history of your RP world. If there was an important war in the past, it will briefly be explained (things like: who fought, who won, who lost, why/how they won or lost.) If there is a specific event important to the development of the story and characters it will be explained. These events also help players design an appropriate past for their character, helps them mold a character that is believable
- Good background information will tell you about the protagonist(s): who they are, what they are doing, why they are doing it, connect them to the antagonist. It will, like with the antagonist paint a picture, give your protagonist purpose and a place to start from.
- Distinguish a protagonist. I would suggest making the protagonist an organization, kingdom, faction or any other generalized group. It is best to do it that way because then your players are not focusing on a specific character, rather a group as a whole.
- Create an antagonist, like with the protagonist I suggest making the antagonist a organizations, kingdom, faction or any other generalized group.
- The goal is a 'mission statement'! The goal is literally the point in the role play that players/characters are aiming to complete. That goal can be vague or very specific. I personally prefer fairly vague goals, it allows players to interpret that goal in whatever way they see fit.
- You as the GM can create a new goal, if your players manage to complete the first one. Remember between point A and point B, there are so many things that can happen. Twists, turns, ups and down.
- In your plot you will have to lead up to present time. You start in the past and move to the present, so by the end of the plot we are all caught up. The starting point usually is the last paragraph, and tells us the setting, where your first post will generally follow from. Again this can be very specific or vague. (The last paragraph may also contain the goal)
You should try to avoid:
Purple Prose: As I said you want to AVOID this, why? Because pretty words are just that, pretty. When you write a plot you want to be precise, to the point and comprehensive. If players can not understand what you are telling them, then your role play will flop. It's a sad truth but truth none the less.
● Bad/Improper Usage of Vocabulary: STOP, DO NOT USE THAT WORD! Do not use words you do not know the definition of, seriously if you do not know what a word means look it up.
● Contradicting Yourself: Do not contradict yourself. Say what you mean and mean what you say. In your plot (and posts) you should not tell players one thing, then in the next paragraph say something contradictory to the previous paragraph.
● Detail Overkill: Plots should be detailed do not get me wrong. However there is a point where to much detail hurts a plot. 'Vagueness' can be your friend, you want to leave things open to players interpretations.
Tips:
* Keep a dictionary close at hand.
* REREAD. Take the time to stop and read what you are writing, make sure that it makes sense, connects smoothly and is easy to understand. If something confuses you the writer, then you know it will confuse a random player.
* Read your plot out loud. This can help you notice mistakes and errors in your writing
* Have someone else read your plot, you do not have to do this but seeing if other people (preferably your target audience) understands what you have written can be very helpful. Doing this will help assure you that your on the right track.
* Keep NOTES, jot down ideas even if you do not use them, they may come in handy later.
* Use words you KNOW and UNDERSTAND. Big/different/fancy words are great but remember if a player doesn't know what a word means when they read it, then they are missing information. Common words aren't the enemy, they're actually helpful because we all know what they mean and in turn we'll all know what your saying. Using nice and pretty words in your posts is fine as long as you understand what you are saying, but it's best to stay away from them while writing a plot.
* Don't worry about length of the plot.
* Your plot is literally the hook you cast into a big lake full of fish. If your plot is simple, easy to understand and interesting at the same time. Then you will catch a whole lot more fish.
* Keep a plot log, if you can.
Rules are a staple to any roleplay, and it will be hard to find a good one without them.
First, there are a few types of rules you must know about:
° Down to Business: Your down to business types are the "my way or the highway" kinds of rules. There is no lax, easy going vagueness to them. There is no questioning these kinds of rules, they tell you flat out what is and is not acceptable. These rules are to the point, strict, extremely thorough and sometimes a bit frightening. However they ward off your ninny whinny players and usually ensure that you are getting the best.
° Fair and Friendly: These rules are fair, well said and in all honesty, friendly. They're written with the assumption that players do not need thorough explanations. These rules can be a tad vague but still get the point across. Not necessarily the best kind of style if your looking the weed out certain kinds of players. However not the worst either, especially if your trying to seem very friendly, open and accepting.
° Lax and Casual: Reserved for those role plays where you know the players who are joining. I personally use lax and casual rules when I'm starting a role play with people who've role played with me before.
Tips:
* When creating rules, DO NOT CONTRADICT YOURSELF.
* If you as a GM can't follow your own rules then change them so you can. One of the most frustrating things for a player, is to end up in a role play where the GM can't follow their own rules.
* If there is a ruler breaker in your midst deal with them, do not allow a player to get away with something. Just because your now buddies and partners it gives that player no reason to get away with breaking rules.
* You can have many and you can have few rules, so long as they keep order.
* Players: ask a GM questions if you as a player are unclear, a good GM will explain things and sometimes change the rule so it makes more sense.
-- Feel free to add more to it --
Plot
First things first. A roleplay must have a Plot! Without it, there would be no roleplay. There are a few recommendations on this, but it's mostly the basic things. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- When writing the plot, avoid 'purple prose' (Writing full of ornate or flowery language). You want everyone to understand you, and many people don't know what the heck many big words mean, save it for your own posts.
- All plots come from an idea. The best thing to do is to find inspiration. Whatever your inspiration is stick to it, come back to it when you find yourself getting stumped. Remember, your inspiration is what got your brain started in the first place, always reference back to that inspiration. Your plot revolves around that idea, so keep it in mind as you write.
- In every plot, you should have: a protagonist, an antagonist, background information, a goal (preferably one that can change when it is accomplished or is slightly vague), and a starting point.
- Good background information will explain all the key/important events in the history of your RP world. If there was an important war in the past, it will briefly be explained (things like: who fought, who won, who lost, why/how they won or lost.) If there is a specific event important to the development of the story and characters it will be explained. These events also help players design an appropriate past for their character, helps them mold a character that is believable
- Good background information will tell you about the protagonist(s): who they are, what they are doing, why they are doing it, connect them to the antagonist. It will, like with the antagonist paint a picture, give your protagonist purpose and a place to start from.
- Distinguish a protagonist. I would suggest making the protagonist an organization, kingdom, faction or any other generalized group. It is best to do it that way because then your players are not focusing on a specific character, rather a group as a whole.
- Create an antagonist, like with the protagonist I suggest making the antagonist a organizations, kingdom, faction or any other generalized group.
- The goal is a 'mission statement'! The goal is literally the point in the role play that players/characters are aiming to complete. That goal can be vague or very specific. I personally prefer fairly vague goals, it allows players to interpret that goal in whatever way they see fit.
- You as the GM can create a new goal, if your players manage to complete the first one. Remember between point A and point B, there are so many things that can happen. Twists, turns, ups and down.
- In your plot you will have to lead up to present time. You start in the past and move to the present, so by the end of the plot we are all caught up. The starting point usually is the last paragraph, and tells us the setting, where your first post will generally follow from. Again this can be very specific or vague. (The last paragraph may also contain the goal)
You should try to avoid:
Purple Prose: As I said you want to AVOID this, why? Because pretty words are just that, pretty. When you write a plot you want to be precise, to the point and comprehensive. If players can not understand what you are telling them, then your role play will flop. It's a sad truth but truth none the less.
● Bad/Improper Usage of Vocabulary: STOP, DO NOT USE THAT WORD! Do not use words you do not know the definition of, seriously if you do not know what a word means look it up.
● Contradicting Yourself: Do not contradict yourself. Say what you mean and mean what you say. In your plot (and posts) you should not tell players one thing, then in the next paragraph say something contradictory to the previous paragraph.
● Detail Overkill: Plots should be detailed do not get me wrong. However there is a point where to much detail hurts a plot. 'Vagueness' can be your friend, you want to leave things open to players interpretations.
Tips:
* Keep a dictionary close at hand.
* REREAD. Take the time to stop and read what you are writing, make sure that it makes sense, connects smoothly and is easy to understand. If something confuses you the writer, then you know it will confuse a random player.
* Read your plot out loud. This can help you notice mistakes and errors in your writing
* Have someone else read your plot, you do not have to do this but seeing if other people (preferably your target audience) understands what you have written can be very helpful. Doing this will help assure you that your on the right track.
* Keep NOTES, jot down ideas even if you do not use them, they may come in handy later.
* Use words you KNOW and UNDERSTAND. Big/different/fancy words are great but remember if a player doesn't know what a word means when they read it, then they are missing information. Common words aren't the enemy, they're actually helpful because we all know what they mean and in turn we'll all know what your saying. Using nice and pretty words in your posts is fine as long as you understand what you are saying, but it's best to stay away from them while writing a plot.
* Don't worry about length of the plot.
* Your plot is literally the hook you cast into a big lake full of fish. If your plot is simple, easy to understand and interesting at the same time. Then you will catch a whole lot more fish.
* Keep a plot log, if you can.
Rules
Rules are a staple to any roleplay, and it will be hard to find a good one without them.
First, there are a few types of rules you must know about:
° Down to Business: Your down to business types are the "my way or the highway" kinds of rules. There is no lax, easy going vagueness to them. There is no questioning these kinds of rules, they tell you flat out what is and is not acceptable. These rules are to the point, strict, extremely thorough and sometimes a bit frightening. However they ward off your ninny whinny players and usually ensure that you are getting the best.
° Fair and Friendly: These rules are fair, well said and in all honesty, friendly. They're written with the assumption that players do not need thorough explanations. These rules can be a tad vague but still get the point across. Not necessarily the best kind of style if your looking the weed out certain kinds of players. However not the worst either, especially if your trying to seem very friendly, open and accepting.
° Lax and Casual: Reserved for those role plays where you know the players who are joining. I personally use lax and casual rules when I'm starting a role play with people who've role played with me before.
Tips:
* When creating rules, DO NOT CONTRADICT YOURSELF.
* If you as a GM can't follow your own rules then change them so you can. One of the most frustrating things for a player, is to end up in a role play where the GM can't follow their own rules.
* If there is a ruler breaker in your midst deal with them, do not allow a player to get away with something. Just because your now buddies and partners it gives that player no reason to get away with breaking rules.
* You can have many and you can have few rules, so long as they keep order.
* Players: ask a GM questions if you as a player are unclear, a good GM will explain things and sometimes change the rule so it makes more sense.
-- Feel free to add more to it --
