I Need Advice on Roleplaying
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MaetheDragon
Queen of Laziness
Well, the only way you can get good at roleplaying is by continuing to write! You might not be the best at it now, but you will with time. As long as you’re sticking to the role of the character you’re playing, there’s no one way to roleplay.
You have group roleplays with multiple people, roleplaying with only one other person (I used to specialize in 1 on 1 roleplays with long responses before I no longer had the time for it), responses can be short or long- just have fun with it!
You’ll get the hang of it, eventually.
You have group roleplays with multiple people, roleplaying with only one other person (I used to specialize in 1 on 1 roleplays with long responses before I no longer had the time for it), responses can be short or long- just have fun with it!
You’ll get the hang of it, eventually.
Mambi
Fun loving kitty cat
I'm pretty good at it, but only know a bit about autism, so I hope this advice is applicable. <blush>
My best advice is...picture the scene in your mind, the feelings of the characters as if you're watching a movie, get a good sense of the energy or tone you're trying to create, and describe it as if you're explaining it to yourself, with each sentence building on the scene as it progresses. Use descriptive words and try to capture it, not as a literal description but as an idea. It gets better with practice, but that's the start. Have a separate writing style for the literal talking narration, and another for scene-building wordings to make it easier to keep track of what's spoken and what's not. For example:
<as the cat sits at his dusty keyboard anxiously typing his response to the newcomer, a sense of dread forms in his heart, as he is conflicted by his desire to help and his desire to understand the limitations of the newcomer and not lead him astray. He takes a deep breath and pauses...carefully pondering his next words carefully as he sips his juice, shifting in his chair nervously as he tries to convey his wild thoughts into something manageable. Settling on a primary focal point, he takes another sip of his juice and continues...>
Once you have that, hopefully the flow will come more natural. Doesn't have to be long descriptions either, just long enough to get the idea you want to get across.
<he smiles warmly and closing his eyes, bows deeply and pushes his juice aside> Does that help any?
Yes it helps
Marius Merganser
The Duke of Birds
Like most things, I'd say practice, but I guess that's not terribly helpful by itself.
Keep in mind your character's personality. What are their goals and motivations? What are their limits? And then how does that compare to the characters they are interacting with? I think that helps to drive what the character does next, but your responses aren't simply just a reaction to what you just read. You can get an idea of where you want your character to go and then have fun trying to get them there.
You can use physical characteristics to convey or emphasize emotions.
For example, Marius can raise or lower the crest feathers on his head when alarmed or relaxed.
Use actions and body language. If a character is confused, they might scratch their head or rub their chin. If annoyed, they might fold their arms across their chest or pace around the room. It paints a picture for the people you RP with.
Universe
Most powerful dragon human hybrid in the universe
I have autism too
Ra'ara Su'nai
The golden-voiced fox
I don't believe that qualifies as advice.
The biggest tip with Roleplaying is to make sure all parties involved are enjoying it. If the person/people you are RPing with did something you don't like, tell them. If they get mad about being told, it may be time to call it quits with them. If they continue to do it despite being told, it's time to call it quits. In that same boat, if someone says you did something they don't enjoy, accept it. If any participant isn't having fun, you're doing it wrong.
KohleCoke
I pretend I'm a fluffy kitty on the interfloofs~
Having autism as well, I can understand long things can get overwhelming quickly. In that case, if there's any questions, want to practice, or ANY reason at all; please don't be afraid to send me a message here, Discord (@SchneeTheSnep#4293, best way to reach me), or Twitter (@SchneeTheSnep21, second best way). I apologise for being late, but I felt a way I rarely do. I'm sorry if this is long, but it's the best I can do for advice in a single post.
I tried writing this in a way where it'd work for both a beginner and someone a few years in.
To start, I personally don't think anyone can be 'bad' at roleplay, like they can be with a video game or school subject. I believe that people always think that if someone is 'better' than them--such as if I only do one paragraph, and another person does five--means that they are bad. Trust me, I doubt it's true. I could rant all day about 'oh you gotta improve x, y, and z'. But I won't, because it isn't right to make someone think that way.
Roleplay is one of the things that everyone doing it wants to master. I personally say there isn't 'mastering' it. Do what you are most comfortable with. If you want to write one line, or a whole paragraph--maybe even two! It's okay, even if your partner doesn't do what you do. There's people who adjust to their partner, and they're a lifesaver for everyone! Whether it's your first time, or you're a few years into this. There will always be feeling bad about your skills. I do. A lot. It's the cause of any writer's block or burnouts I get.
I completely agree with what Ra'ara said. Just to reiterate, there is definitely things I don't enjoy about how others rolepaly. I just politely say what is bothering me, it always feels bad and mean when I do too. There isn't shame in admitting annoyance, or anything of the like. An example might be; someone's controlling what your character does in their turns, and you may not like that. It's always good to say "Hey, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I don't enjoy you controlling my character." I personally try to avoid controlling others' characters when I can, and always hint at what I'd want their character to do.
My next tip might be difficult with autism, and I understand it. Doing what you've done here and asking for help isn't shameful, ever. Joining a community of roleplayers, such as a Discord server or a forum like this one works wonders. You have the ability to ask for help like now, and get more people to practice and make new friendships with! Practicing is always the best method to improve any uncertainty in skill. If you're new, it's always a good idea to say so! And at the end, or during breaks/pauses, ask "Is there anything I can improve?", and take any advice. I'll even help with this, if you'd like!
Another great idea is mentioning your autism when you meet someone. I'm always open about it, and I do show it sometimes- If someone doesn't know about it or something, I'm sure you know what to say, but I'll say it too. Something like: "Autism makes me think and act differently from people who don't have it, meaning I might act, respond, and feel differently to different scenarios." I'm always open to questions about it. I'm really open about anything.
My best piece of advice is: Do whatever you are comfortable with. That being said, it's never a bad thing to try something new. You've probably heard this a ton, but it's quite fitting with roleplay especially.
My second best tip is about grammar and spelling and word flow. I'm not perfect with grammar, no matter how much I seem. These last two sentences probably break ten different rules! It isn't a requirement to have good language skills to roleplay. I've seen people that literally do less than a sentence per turn, and that's okay! It's how you want todo your turns, not how the other person does. If you do want to be good at this, the internet is the best resource at your fingertips. Not even kidding.. Looking up spelling, synonyms, or even grammar rules is probably the thing I do most when writing. That's how I got to where I am with my typing. It's all about what you think works best. And don't be afraid to diverge from average grammar, it isn't as important as people think. Just the basic stuff works well for casual things like roleplay and normal convos. I'm being semi-formal writing this, I'm quite loose with normal texting!
This last note is probably the only thing I'd need to put, however I thought I'd put it last, I'm not sure why tbh. Acting things out is difficult. Especially when having a lot of characters like I do. I suggest typing out a rough draft of the basic idea of what you want, and go over it again, and add in details. It's much better to do this in an example, but I feel that I'm too long to do anything more--I apologise. I always try to capture the image in my descriptions. Such as my clothing, any details such as gear or addons. Fur/Hair details, or even just saying that my tail sways or flicks. However, I write in first person, so it may differ from how you do it! I can cover roleplay style another time!
My final thoughts? Definitely don't think having autism limits your skills in any way, even if it seriously feels like it. I've never felt like this, but I know people do, and can.
I hope this helps, again I apologise for being so late. If you want any other tips, or any sort of help or advice, please contact me any time! I'll respond whenever I am able to!