RolePlaying

All the World's a stage, And all the men and women merely players...

What is Role Playing?

Collins Dictionary tells us that it is to assume the attitudes, actions and discourse of another, especially in a make-believe situation, in an effort to understand a differing point of view or social interaction. While that is well and good for a general definition it fails to describe what we hope to achieve in Fractured. Put simply, Roleplaying is a a creative way to express ones self while having fun! The ancients of tomes of yesterday's Roleplaying Games (RPGs) opened the door and the very idea of being someone or somewhere else has captured our imagination.

For the purposes of this guide, let us assume you are looking to enjoy the game from the perspective of your character. What does that mean though, really? The basics are:

• Choose a name that is appropriate for the story/world
• Try to respond to a situation the way your character would in game
• Avoid Out of Character (OOC) comments, as much as possible
• Respect the players around you, some of them may not want to Roleplay with you. That is alright as well

Character Creation

Fractured Online gives us a rich and colorful pallet of options for character creation. Evocative races and wide lattitude in skill development that allows the player to craft a character that is a living breathing part of the land around them. Character creation is an important first step to Roleplaying. You can just make your selections and get in the game without much thought beyond the skills and attributes that make the most effective character, BUT, having a reason behind your choices can be very rewarding! Why is Grognard the Barbarian so strong? Does he hate Goblins? Perhaps the cold weather of Northern Aerhen is where he is most comfortable...probably should think about a high Constitution as well!

BASICS

Gender

Male or Female? Non-Binary? Robot? Do Wildfolk or Demons have a gender? While the game has mechanical limitations for gender, this can be a simple selection or something more complex. What is your character is female who is in disguise and you want to choose the male avatar? Steampunk contraption? Animated Armor? How does not having a gender affect the culture your character grew up in? You get the idea.

Name

Ahh, the name...one of my personal favorite topics...Choosing names can be difficult. Your name will be the first impression that other players will see. Choosing a game/lore friendly name may not automatically tell everyone that you are a Roleplayer, but you can guarantee that is your name is "Tw1tC33 d3\^/D" everyone knows you are NOT a Roleplayer.

A good way to consider if a name is appropriate is to ask yourself if a parent would call a child by such a name. The Demon may be good with "Thel'doriak'sharz", probably not a good RP name for a human street kid. I find it useful to look through the published lore and see what names the Devs are using for places and people in the background. Does the name you are considering fit in with those? If not, why? I am sure there is a reason they call that Street Kid "Rat Scratch". If all else fails, a quick internet search for "Fantasy Name Generator" will almost always lead you in the right direction.

Personality

When starting a character personality may not be fully developed but it helps to have a sense of who the character is (or at least who you want them to be). How do they respond or react to situations? Are they fearless? Greedy? Hard headed? Snobbish? Even thinking of three words that describe the character can be a good guide for reactions as the character comes to life during play. Just remember, not every person or character may get along. Be sure to leave the In-Character grumbles in the game, never bring your drama OOC; we all just want to have fun!

Racial Effects

In Fractured the racial effects of your character are very evident and mechanically based. But don't forget, they should probably reflect in your personality as well. If you are going to be a mean Wildling, there should be a reason why.

Alignment

Another mechanic in the game with real effects for a character is the alignment they choose. As with racial considerations, the alignment you choose should have a dramatic effect on personality. That is not to say that a creature of evil alignment cannot be loyal to his/her friends or that a good aligned character may not be a bit on the greedy side. If you play off of the alignment, it makes for great stories so long as the reasons behind it make sense.

Who are they really?

After all of that, take some time to ask yourself who the character is really? There are several writing clinics and workshops that delve deep into the creation of characters, but I find a few simple questions work for me. An example of some of mine are below:

• What was it like where they grew up?
• Family? Father, Mother, Siblings? Living/Dead?
• How old is the character?
• Love interests?
• What do they think of the Gods and/or major factions around them?

Those are generally enough to paint a fairly good picture of the character and get you underway. No need to use all the questions, or any of them for that matter. Answering some questions about the character before you start can sometimes spark the build in ways you were not expecting and definitely makes the character more believable overall.

Interacting with the World

Now you have made a character, how do you actually Roleplay?

Responding in conversation is the most basic manner of interaction while roleplaying your character. I will add a section on Out of Character (OOC) discussion below, but for now it is enough to reiterate that you should try to stay away from topics that don't exist in the world you are playing in. Try to consider how your character might respond verbally to a situation or conversation and go from there.

Emotes

Emotes are representation of an action that is not actually part of the game, such as a bow or wave, for example. It is generally accepted that you will annotate an Emote in some consistent manner so that the players around you can respond to the action. A good example is as follows:

• [Grognard] "Farewell friend, be safe"
• [Grognard] *waves farewell*

• [Grognard] *polishes his sword*
• [Grognard] *listens to the bard's tune, swaying gently*

The use of asterisks is a commonly accepted manner of calling out an emote in a text block. Some people will use plus signs (+waves farewell+), or other indicators. The key is to be consistent so that the players around you know that your character is performing an action.

God Mode/Acting for Others

It is considered very bad form to Roleplay a character that is God-like in their abilities through the use of roleplay or emotes alone. Such as:

• [Grognard] *dodges the slap from Brunhilde and quickly knocks her unconscious before she has a chance to react*

The emote above is long, it makes Grognard able to ignore Brunhilde's action completely and then removes Brunhilde's ability to respond in any meaningful way. Not only is it an example of being God-like but it also takes the action of Brunhilde away from her player's control.

Development

Do not be afraid to let your character grow as your time in game progresses. If you are part of a significant event, it can and should, affect your character in a meaningful way. You should however, strive for consistency. Consider the following points:

• Stay in Character! The more you let yourself play OOC, the harder it is to get back in character. If you are regularly interacting with other Roleplayers, it can affect them as well. We all get tired and just want to "grind" on occasion, just be mindful of those times and how you are affecting the players around you.
• Own your decisions. Once you have made a decision in-character, stick with it! Consequences make for great stories!
• Remember, you are not your character. If you are attacked, robbed, etc. Try not to take it personally OOC. Find your revenge in game and in-character. Maybe reach out to the culprit and see if they are interested in turning it into a story!

Out of Character Discussion/General Chat

This is probably the biggest hurdle to new Roleplayers, a sense that they may violate a rule or be considered "bad" at playing the character. Most Roleplayers are extremely happy to have someone to interact with and will be happy with whatever effort you give.

That said, Roleplayers usually have some general rules that they apply to themselves and highly encourage others to follow when interacting.

• Avoid any non-game/story discussion. Talking about last nights sports game is a quick way to break the immersion of those around you
• If you must speak OOC, ensure that it is annotated in some why, IF it cannot be explained with an in game expression.
  • Example: You have to take a call.
    • OOC - [Grompric] "((Sorry guys I have to take this, don't let me die!))"
    • In-Character - [Grompric] "I must rest a moment, to gather my strength, do keep an eye for a moment?"
    • Hybrid - [Grompric] "I need a short rest ((call, brb))"

• It is generally accepted that during raids, large battles etc., that the conversation as it relates to the game cannot be In-Character at all times. Some Hardcore or Heavy Roleplayers may still attempt to keep it up, but to do so is often risky.

The important thing here is to make an effort! The best way to Roleplay is to be active and get involved. If you are standing around waiting for an activity, strike up a conversation with those around you using game appropriate topics or references.

Types of Roleplayers (Terms)

There are many types of adventurers walking the Fractured worlds. You may hear some of them referred to by their Archtype or their selected race, etc. However, in the realm of RP there are a couple of terms that come up farely regularly. While not all inclusive, I thought it might be a good thing to explain the most common ones below.

Heavy Roleplayers/Hardcore Roleplayers

The Heavy Roleplayer takes the role of the character as the primary importance within the confines of the game, often accepting flaws or disadvantages if they make sense. They may avoid killing without a proper reason or narrative to do so, or walk instead of run, take breaks for the horses to drink, etc. Immersion is what the Heavy Roleplayer is after, they want to escape into the character and enjoy the verisimilitude that is provided by the game. Often, Heavy Roleplayers will have complex backstories and/or be part of an expansive or intricate narrative tale being shared by other Roleplayers. Themed Guilds will spring up around Heavy Roleplayers, such as an Order of Light, followers of Tyros and hunters of Demons!

Light Roleplayers

A Light Roleplayer generally reflects the responses in game to how their character would respond to the situation. They try to find a balance between the character's interactions and the mechanics of the game. Staying in character or playing back with another Roleplayer while avoiding greater complexity. In truth, the majority of a Roleplay community usually falls into this type of role.

Neutral Players

These guys are just playing the game and seldom cause an issue for Roleplayers and in fact may even sometimes play along, just don't expect too much. They generally have no desire to take part in the Roleplay, once that is determined, respect their style of play and let them enjoy the game their way.

Griefers or Anti-Roleplayers

I know, it is hard to imagine, but there are people out there who seek to intentionally ruin your ability to be in character or relate to the game world, so caringly crafted by the Dev Team. Many of these players seem to find join from ruining someone your fun. The best bet is to ignore them or find a way to encourage them to play along. If the Griefer continues or consistently harasses you or the players around you, it is best to let a member of the Dev Team know via Discord or other reporting methods. However, be a good representative of the RP community and attempt to encourage the Griefer to move along in a civil manner or even take a stab at roleplaying themselves. I find most people will RP back, when engaged.

Honorable Mention: Carebears!

A "Carebear" is generally a derogatory term for a player that prefers only PvE content and often times only when that to is safe. It is generally used as an antithesis to the PvP player (Player Killer or "PK", sometimes just called a "Red"). The reference is to an 80s cartoon/toy brand that focused on teamwork and friendship above all else. While not a term for Roleplayers in general, it is often used as a reference to those Roleplayers who prefer not to fight.

A Note on Recruiting: If someone is asking about Roleplaying or actively trying to be a part of the story, take the time in private messages or perhaps via Discord to encourage them or answer any questions they may have. It is amazing the people you will meet and the stories you will share!

Finding Roleplay (Summary)

I have ramble on quite enough for one guide. I hope to revise this as Fracture develops and perhaps add sub-pages discussing themed guilds or emotes, decorating, etc. Before I sign off however, I would like to add a section on Finding RP.

Play your character! Even when the Neutral and Light Roleplayers are not paying you any attention, Play your character! It is amazing how many people will play back. Maybe not the first time they interact with you, but after a few instances, so many people will start to contribute to your immersion and some will join in completely. It truly is a great feeling.

Use the OOC resources, if you are wanting to roleplay, pop into the Discord and say so. If you are hosting an event, maybe toss out an emote in the General Chat about the flyers that are found throughout the region on the doors of every tavern. Just putting yourself out there will reap great rewards. I have found that Roleplaying takes a good game and makes it great, I hope to continue that feeling with Fractured as well.

Farewell for now, Brave Adventurers!

*Waves as he turns to ride away*

Discord: Rhomdruil#6573