PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE ASKING TO RP WITH ME.
CRYSTALFENIX'S GUIDE TO RPG
Before you begin reading, keep in mind that this isn’t any sort of self-declared list of rules for RPG. RPG is an incredibly open means of expression and entertainment that everybody has their own interpretation to. What this is, is an inside look to my analysis of it over the years, and a guide that I think might help inform others who are interested yet unsure.

I’m starting off with an incredibly important and seldom-realized disclaimer.
WRITING A STORY, AND PARTICIPATING IN AN RPG ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

Sure, you have to be a writer on some level to participate, and good grammar, spelling, and format are integral. But there is one key difference that is the pitfall of many a potential PGer. And that is this;
When you write, you have a set plot in mind and write in order to captivate a reader and take them on a journey. You need character development, setting, and a plot that goes from beginning to end.
When you RPG, you also need a good character and setting in mind, and a pretty good idea of where the plot is going to go. The only thing is, instead of weaving your plot together like a tight fabric on a loom, it needs to be loose and adaptable. Because here’s the key difference between the two- RPGs include two or more people.

What exactly does this mean? It means that your character must both ACT and REACT.
Reacting is easy. Someone asks a question, than its answered. Someone proposes something, your character comments on it, or points out obvious pitfalls. Perhaps propose a different idea.
Acting takes a little more grey matter. A knight enters a room, you have a dragon pop out and attack. Some is asleep, you have the burglar sneak inside. Action is what moves along a story, and an RPG.

Here are two examples of potential RPG posts. I want you to guess which one points to a more interesting RPGer.

Janny was the most popular gilr in school. Evrybody like her cause she was pretty, and rich and had a ferari. She walked down the hall, and all the boys whistled at her and wanted to be her boyfriend. Once she was outside, she hid behind a bush and transformed into a beutiful tigress and ran off into the forest.

and

Mariette Van Hoslen sat alone in the library. She poured over the books at her table, pushing the glasses a little bit up the bridge of her freckled nose. So much homework! She paused for a moment, scratching her sweater and looking up at the clock. The library closed at five. Gathering up everything she might need, she checked out her things and headed outside. It was getting dark.

Ok, so the first has poor grammar, little plot development and makes no damn sense. But, Holy shit! A tiger? She certainly knows how to be spontaneous. She referenced other people in the school, and provided backstory all in one post! Not to mention location. Why she’s cutting school...who knows? Who cares! She’s a tiger!
The second one is much more realistic, and could just as easily belong to a wonderful RPGer. The point is...its uninteresting. Sure Mariette could be the real deal, but apart from noting the time and going outside, not much has happened. We don’t even know if there was a librarian at the library who checked her books out for her! What’s more, the last line is something to note. Its getting dark? Mariette probably wants to be approached by some dark stranger, or pulled out of danger at the last minute by someone heroic. The poster might even say flat out that’s what they want in the little (blahlbahlvah) at the end of the intro. Point is, they already want YOU to do the dirty work for them.


Herein lies the pitfall. Eight pages of simply having your character blandly react gets tedious for your RPG partner. Its also possible for two people to simply react to one another’s reaction, with barely discernible bits of action in between. Is this a poor RPG method? No! Of course not. Not so long as both people are happy with it.

So how do you even know if what your doing is simply reacting? How do you know you’re not posting any action? After all, you are posting something. Your character is saying and doing stuff.
Here is a short checklist to go through to tell whether or not you might have an imbalance of action and reaction in your current RPG.

Time- If only one person is controlling when the days/nights begin and end. Time is obviously inegral in moving stories along. If only one person is doing it, then only one person is moving the story.
Weather- If only one person is EVER narrating if its sunny, cloudy, raining or snowing. This isn’t necessarily a key issue with story, but it is the sign of a good writer. If you’re dedicated to elements outside of your single main character, than that is a key sign of a good writer and RPGer.
Secondary Characters- This is a big one. Though I’ve seen thousand-poster RPs with little to no interaction with secondary characters, it is another sign of depth and dedication. Secondary characters provide insight, multiple perspectives, and overall a generally more in-depth story telling experience. Again, don’t get me wrong. It isn’t always like that. If your RP is moving along fine with just two people, don’t rush out and try to change it. If you can’t handle multiple characters, don’t attempt it. It will only make them flat and uninteresting.
Location- Same with time and weather. If it is consistently up to one person (especially in a travel-oriented plot) to describe just where the characters are, where they’re headed, and how they’re getting there, that is a big hint.

If you are NOT doing one or any of these things and the other person IS, than you might want to consider upping the ante a bit. Characters, setting, and location all require lots of thought in comparison to simply reacting. The other person will in time get tired of carrying the story, and simply drop it in search of a more dedicated partner.
Ok, so you want to get into it more. What do you do? Sometimes its not that easy to simply post more. For instance, with location. If an RP is introed with an original set of countries and ideals, who are you to say that you’re coming up to a desert, mountains, or even a river? If you’re uncertain, talk to your partner. Eemail or AIM them. Chances are, they really won’t mind and will probably be enthusiastic to share their ideas with you.
Its an RP, not a novel. Which means that since it involves two people, the setting should be just as much your creation as theirs. Even if its just 70% theirs and 30% yours. Which brings us to the next bullet,
Talk to your partner. Plan plot on eemail. This is actually a necessity for longer RPs.
Be Spontaneous. If Alice and Bob are going to Disneyworld and get in a fight, instead of having Alice sulk for a bit then forget about it four posts later, have her run away, hop a taxi and take off. Force the plot into a different direction. Once again, its not a novel. So what if they don’t get to Disneyworld right away? Its not going anywhere, and who knows? You might just enjoy having Alice and Bob chase one another through the back-country of South Carolina even more.
Backstory. Where did Bob come from? What does he do? What’s his motivation? Its actually the same as character development, and to tell you the truth it can get REALLY irritating when your partner can’t sit and think long enough to create a three-sentence explanation as to how he or she got to where they are now. Its a tell-tale sign that you have no investment in the RP, and are simply acting a part in somebody else’s story.
Emotional Development. This is a great place to start if you’re that determined to stay in the shell of your character. If your character says something, add inner monologue for their feelings. If Alice is lost in the woods, instead of just saying she wandered around, have her panic a bit. Wonder what would happen if she wasn’t found, if anybody is looking for her. Have her notice the creepy noises in the trees and bushes. It won’t do anything for your partner directly, but it is at least a signal to them that you are trying and not simply waiting for them to move the story for you. Another way to do this is;
Minor Dialogue. If Bob is a notoriously nerdy kid, instead of saying he ‘walked down the hallway’ or even that ‘Bob was teased as he walked down the hallway’ have Jo stick his foot out and trip him before saying “Haha, nerd!” You’d be surprised what a little definitive vocality can do. It’ll get you thinking. Before long, Jo might even become a reoccurring character and maybe even start a love triangle with Alice. Its the beginning of secondary characters.
And by the time you’re able to flesh out and utilize secondary characters, who have personalities and backstory, than you have reached a point where you can successfully carry on and RP without fear that your partner might be dissatisfied with his or her RP experience.


Now, I hope you enjoyed reading it. Again, this hardly goes for every RP. My mantra is that there are no rules for it. Its between two people, and if you don’t like it, than you quit. If you read an RP you don’t like, ignore it. Don’t make a fuss, don’t make a stink. Be groovy.
That disclaimer aside, shoot me an eemail if there’s anything you don’t agree with that I’ve said. I’d love to have a good argument with you.





Crystalfenix is <3



~AB

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Remind me constantly or else I promise I'll forget.