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Creating Roleplays; A Handy Guide
Topic Started: 30 Nov 2008, 20:00 (41 Views)
Corinth
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That crazy cat lady . . . man

The Basics behind Creating a Roleplay

Tips to Consider

-(For newer members) Before you decide to try and start a roleplay, look around; try and join one that already exists. We do try to create new roleplays in the General Role Play forum with some degree of regularity. This doesn't mean that you can't give it a go, we would just rather that you get some experience with actually roleplaying before you go and start one of your own. This is just meant to help prevent Mary Sues, clichéd plots, and other fun stuff like that.

-We would rather that you actually make something original. Yes, this means that you can't take The Lord of the Rings for a joy ride. Just as a general rule of thumb, we don't like fanplays, fanfics, or pretty much anything else with the word "fan" as a prefix. If, however, you feel certain that you can contribute significant elements to the existing plot, then by all means, go ahead and give it a go. It will still probably come under scrutiny, but you might well get away with it. A second option is to just create a roleplay that operates on the same general premises as the series--certainly no one is to object to that.

-Don't go overboard, either in number of roleplays or in substance. That is, don't make half a dozen roleplays at once when you can easily combine all of the ideas into one solid roleplay. Also, don't go overboard; no one is going to want to join your endeavours to save the Princess Bob from the evil clutches of space pirates who ride robotic flying motorcycles and are from the year 2904 and have traveled back to 412 B.C. to screw up the timeline, but were foiled by the tireless efforts of the International Consortium of Miners, forced into exile after the Great War of Neptune.

Creating a Roleplay

-In the first post you should include some basic information, such as an overview of the central conflict, a bit of background (the time period, a bit on the setting, an overview of what has led up to this, and possibly a bit of relevant history, if applicable). Just keep it general enough that other users can take creative liberties with it and help to expand the plot and enrich the overall story. Another thing; be creative with it--you can do anything that you want and make it to your own liking.

-You will also want to include a basic character sheet; when a new user joins, he or she fills it out and places it at the top of his or her first post. A general format will usually look something like:
Quote:
 
NAME:
AGE:
SPECIES (if applicable)
APPEARANCE:
HISTORY:
WEAPONS: (if applicable)

This is by no means the only thing that you can use, but it's fairly comprehensive and good for a starter roleplay. Again, this is your own thing and you can customise it however you will.

-Finally, just give the roleplay a starting point; set the scene. Just type up a short paragraph describing the starting location, a bit of background, and perhaps what your character is or has been doing and what has led to this. This will just provide a decent frame of reference for other users who wish to join and will allow for decent elaboration later on down the road.

Remember:
It is always better to join an existing roleplay than to start a new one. If you have a great idea and no existing or open threads share the plot, then by all means, go ahead and make a new thread. But, in most instances, if you haven't spent much time on it, it isn't going to go anywhere and it will just have to be scrapped by the staff.

"Creating Roleplays" guide © 2008 Christopher Wetherill
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