Roleplay Basics
1. In Character (IC) vs. Out of Character (OOC)
Asphyxiation Point is a roleplay environment where you are taking on the ROLE of someone who lives on this strange, beautiful, exciting, cruel, and often times unfair world. This character you create may resemble you very closely or maybe not at all. Either way, always remember you are role-playing a FICTIONAL CHARACTER in a fictional world.
Just because you happen to run into a cranky character doesn't mean the person who is playing that character is mad at you. A person playing a sad character isn't really sad in real life. A person playing a character that is romantically interested in your character isn't romantically interested in you as a person. A good roleplayer is always mindful of that line between what their character says and feels with what they say and feel. The first is called In Character (IC) and the other Out of Character (OOC). Care must be taken never to cross between the two.
Just because you happen to run into a cranky character doesn't mean the person who is playing that character is mad at you. A person playing a sad character isn't really sad in real life. A person playing a character that is romantically interested in your character isn't romantically interested in you as a person. A good roleplayer is always mindful of that line between what their character says and feels with what they say and feel. The first is called In Character (IC) and the other Out of Character (OOC). Care must be taken never to cross between the two.
2. Consent & limits
Roleplay is all about consent. No one can force you to type anything you don't want to type. By roleplaying out your reactions, you are implicitly giving the other roleplayer consent to treat your character a certain way. Your character becomes a part of not just your story but someone else's as well.
Just because consent is implied, DOES NOT mean you have to accept every kind of roleplay that comes your way. If you find the roleplay going in a direction you are not comfortable with, IM the other person and inform them immediately. Once they are aware, the two of you can negotiate some way to steer the roleplay onto more neutral grounds. Or in the worst case "Fade to Black" wherein you both agree on the final outcome of the scene without actually roleplaying it all out
Also note that the implied consent is restricted to roleplay alone. No matter what role you play in this fictional world YOU, the player, have the absolute right to say NO when someone asks you for anything in the real world. Online safety happens to be a very real concern in Second Life as well and you would be well advised to protect your privacy aggressively. If a simple NO doesn't work, there is always the MUTE button to help you out.
Just because consent is implied, DOES NOT mean you have to accept every kind of roleplay that comes your way. If you find the roleplay going in a direction you are not comfortable with, IM the other person and inform them immediately. Once they are aware, the two of you can negotiate some way to steer the roleplay onto more neutral grounds. Or in the worst case "Fade to Black" wherein you both agree on the final outcome of the scene without actually roleplaying it all out
Also note that the implied consent is restricted to roleplay alone. No matter what role you play in this fictional world YOU, the player, have the absolute right to say NO when someone asks you for anything in the real world. Online safety happens to be a very real concern in Second Life as well and you would be well advised to protect your privacy aggressively. If a simple NO doesn't work, there is always the MUTE button to help you out.
3. Respect the lore
Imagine you are watching Pirates of the Caribbean and Darth Vader suddenly pops up on screen. Can I explain the presence of Darth Vader on a pirate ship? Well.. Sure! Time travel, alternate realities... The list goes on. But is it plausible? The short answer is no. While this is a rather extreme example, the character you create should fit in with the SIM background. People always appreciate someone who has taken the time to create, dress and play a credible character. Failure to do so may cause you to be shunned.
A similar danger exists in playing the exception vs. the norm. New role-players have a tendency to gravitate towards roles which sort of break the rules. Who are either impossibly strong or impossibly rich or have access to immeasurable, drugs, money and whores. But imagine if every person in the matrix were Neo. Life wouldn't be much fun in the matrix would it?
Try to play a character which would be normal for a given venue until such a time that you are able to identify whether it would help or hurt role-play to play something more unique. To this end, the different neighborhoods and businesses at Asphyxiation Point already allow for a very large diversity in role-play.
A similar danger exists in playing the exception vs. the norm. New role-players have a tendency to gravitate towards roles which sort of break the rules. Who are either impossibly strong or impossibly rich or have access to immeasurable, drugs, money and whores. But imagine if every person in the matrix were Neo. Life wouldn't be much fun in the matrix would it?
Try to play a character which would be normal for a given venue until such a time that you are able to identify whether it would help or hurt role-play to play something more unique. To this end, the different neighborhoods and businesses at Asphyxiation Point already allow for a very large diversity in role-play.
4. Respect other roleplayers
Since role-playing is such a social activity, you have to keep in mind that it's not all about your character when you're interacting with other people. No one is in here to entertain you. These are real people you are dealing with much like you. They all have stories and reasons for being around, and playing with those assorted stories can be just as interesting as (and sometimes, even more than) your own. Thus you must be careful to ensure you :
- Do not hog the limelight : Roleplay arises from interactions. If you focus too much on your own story, it turns into story-writing and not roleplay. What makes roleplay really interesting is that the storyline you are trying to develop may be supported or opposed by the other characters you run into. As long as all this happens In Character, this is all part of the roleplay.
- Open yourself up to consequences : We are all here to write a story together. There is no winning or losing. No one likes someone who avoids consequences of their actions or insists on "winning" all the time. People do enjoy roleplaying with someone who brings in depth and diversity into their roleplay and makes roleplay a fun experience for all.
- Wait your turn to allow others to post : Most roleplay venues, especially ones with paragraph RP, subscribe to turn based role-playing. Be patient and wait your turn and do not try to dictate the direction of the roleplay by posting multiple things while others are composing their posts.
- Do not walk off from roleplay in progress : If you need to leave your keyboard for some reason, excuse yourself from the roleplay in progress before stepping away. If it really happens to be in a hurry, apologize to the involved parties the next time you log in. You wouldn't run out of someone's house without saying goodbye. Its much the same here.
- Be respectful in IMs and other OOC interactions : We are all adults here. Roleplay will not always go your way. Not all roleplay will meet your perfect standards. There is no reason to get insulting or abusive over it. Same holds for interactions in public forums, group chat and the like.
5. Common mistakes
There are some common roleplay courtesies which should be obvious but unfortunately aren't. So I am just providing a brief listing for your reference below :
Lastly a word of warning. Asphyxiation Point is not for everyone. It is a harsh world with harsh rules and controversial aspects that not everyone is comfortable with. If you happen to be such a person, there are other RP venues in SL to explore. Similarly, if you find yourself invoking roleplay limits or fade to black repeatedly, you should consider trying a RP venue that better accommodates your tastes. At the end of the day you are playing a virtual character in a virtual world. If the experience turns into anything but fun and exciting it is time to look for a change.
- Jack of all trades : Remember that roleplay is about interaction. If your character can do everything, knows everything, there is no reason for your character to interact with other characters. Similarly, no one really likes a know-it-all.
- Power-gaming : No character is perfect, no character is all-powerful, no character is invincible, and no character is above consequences. Please read Character Creation for more.
- God-modding : You may only emote your own actions not the actions of the person you are role-playing with. If you are roleplaying with PlayerX, let PlayerX roleplay his/her character's reactions to your roleplay. Read Emoting Basics for more.
- Metagaming : Information gained through OOC means like talking to your friends about this amazing new RP they are part of in IM has no part in roleplay. Only information gained via roleplay by your character can be used in roleplay.
- Extensive RP limits : Roleplay is all about consent. But an extensive list of limits that does not fit the venue may put off other roleplayers from interacting with you. You always reserve the right to Fade-To-Black.
Lastly a word of warning. Asphyxiation Point is not for everyone. It is a harsh world with harsh rules and controversial aspects that not everyone is comfortable with. If you happen to be such a person, there are other RP venues in SL to explore. Similarly, if you find yourself invoking roleplay limits or fade to black repeatedly, you should consider trying a RP venue that better accommodates your tastes. At the end of the day you are playing a virtual character in a virtual world. If the experience turns into anything but fun and exciting it is time to look for a change.