[Cynagin]

Cynagin quietly snuck inside and looked around. It was a quiet place, a dusty place, and until today, appeared to be undisturbed by anyone.

"This looks like a good place to hide out from that which must not be named."

Welcome to the Last Haven, home of in-character interactions (including event discussion) only. The following posts tacked up on our makeshift board will be sincerely out of character, and help throw out some guidelines to help make this a great place to hang out.

Please enjoy.

[Cynagin]

Roleplaying: What Is It?

Roleplaying is a very widely defined category and often debated – if you put a bunch of roleplayers in a room and ask them to define it, it can be a lively exchange indeed! Much like acting, roleplaying is when a player takes on a persona within the game setting and plays the game as that character.

There are many different ways to look at “how to roleplay”, but here are the three most common ones.

• “To roleplay, my character tends to have a long and detailed background, so he (or she) knows how to react to whatever comes up.”
• “The best way to roleplay is to just be yourself, and immerse yourself in the game world and act like you’d act. But remember you’re not in the real world, so you can do so much more!”
• “Roleplaying means I take on a personality that has a very small number of things defined ahead of time. I’ll just fill in the rest depending on what my character does in game.”

The character can be well defined, or not very defined at all – the key is to immerse yourself in the game setting and have a good time enjoying the world that has been created for you!

[Cynagin]

Why Roleplay?

Roleplaying is a fun part of playing games, but often overlooked. Here is a small list of reasons why people roleplay:

• Socializing – roleplayers are always drawn into interaction with other people. Roleplaying is a great way to get to know other players, or bring groups of people together.
• Storytelling – many roleplayers like to feel like they are part of a bigger story, or are inspired by the world’s setting to tell stories about it.
• Escapism - Playing the game should be fun – and roleplaying can let players vent and relieve stress from the day, or try out personalities much different than the ones they have off-screen.
• Boredom – What can you do when you’ve explored every last corner, maxed out your characters and think you’ve killed every last creature? Roleplay! Interacting with other players in this way is never the same adventure twice.

[Cynagin]

Sounds Great, How Do I Get Started?

Getting started as a roleplayer is a lot easier than many people think! It requires a basic familiarity with the world and a little bit of thought – but these are things that players do anyway when deciding to play or not. The best place to start in creating a character is not with the character checklist below, but by looking around Fallen Earth and getting familiar with the background and history. Once you know where you are, you can focus better on who you want to be!

• Read Up on the World
The best place to get started is finding out as much as possible about the world! By starting with the background and the FAQ, you will probably get an idea really quickly what kind of characters will and won’t work in Fallen Earth. For example, trying to roleplay an elf would be difficult, as all the characters in Fallen Earth are human. Remember, this is the home world of humanity and you're trying to rebuild on the ruins.

Fallen Earth background: http://www.fallenearth.com/?page=background
The FAQ: http://www.fallenearth.com/?page=faq

Living in an apocalyptic universe is not a new fictional concept – you can also take a look at the Fallout series or even Mad Max for ideas, although familiarity with this material is not required to enjoy or understand Fallen Earth.

Resources from the Apocalypse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...lyptic_fiction

• Factions
Players won’t choose a faction until their second sector, and even then the choice doesn’t have to be permanent (it will take some work, but it is possible) – but if you’ve been reading up on the different factions, chances are you have a good idea of what faction you want to play and can steer your character accordingly.

• Making a Character
If you have roleplayed before, remember Fallen Earth isn’t like every other game you’ve probably played in. Your favorite character type probably won’t be found here (and doubly so for everyone coming from fantasy games – no elves here!), so why not try something new?

If you’ve never roleplayed before, you should keep things simple. Here are some ideas to get you started. Many of these suggestions are drawn from professional writers – and other roleplayers!

• What is your character's name? Does it mean anything special?
• Describe your character in one or two sentences. What do they look like?
• In a few sentences, describe your character's personality. What do they like? Do they have any major dislikes? Try to include ways that your character can interact with other people.
• What are your character's goals? Do they have any?

Even super heroes aren’t perfect – most superheroes have weaknesses and flaws to make them more identifiable to the average person. If you are stuck for ideas, look at some of your favorite fictional characters. What motivates them? What are their personalities like? Don’t be afraid to borrow a few things here and there to help get you started.

It is okay if you don’t have the answers to all of the questions above, some people enter the game with a very basic personality and let the things they encounter in game help form their character’s personality. You don’t need to write these down – it’s enough to have the ideas in your head. A lot of people do write some of these things down, just because it is easier to remember later.

You could even create someone who’s a blank slate with no real preconceived notions of the world around them – your character could have some personality, or not much at all. This is probably the easiest character type to play and perfect for roleplaying beginners. At the beginning of the game players are clones, recreated from someone who was alive right before the Fall. Most of the clones won’t have memories – but those that do could roleplay out flashes of memories as they learn more about the world. As the game population gets larger and the game gets older over time, it is very likely a lot of players will adopt this style of roleplaying when they enter Fallen Earth – they will roll a character first and fill in details later. New players will often join up with a bare minimum idea of the world and set out to explore it before they feel comfortable roleplaying.

Whatever way you want to play, don’t worry, you can roleplay from day one in Fallen Earth if you want to - the NPCs with their attitudes, dialog, and missions can all give you a feel for the world and how to view it. Remember, the world of Fallen Earth is one of hope in the desperation and need to survive.

[Cynagin]

Character Creation Guide

Often when we’re building new characters, it’s very tempting to throw in a little bit of this, a lot of that, some of these character traits, and a bunch of miscellaneous details until you end up with “the perfect character”. This isn’t the real world and it is okay to want to have all those things you can’t do in the real world. But by the time you’re done putting all these things in, not only is your character perfect, but not very interesting! Here are a few typical character types that you should avoid.

• Mary Sue/Gary Stu
A female character that is perfect, beautiful, or just generally so grossly out-of-character for the universe it is in is often called a “Mary Sue” (the male version is often called “Gary Stu”). To use an exaggerated example, Mary Sue most often knows everyone, has been everywhere, speaks any language she encounters fluently, can use any weapon she’s touched (even if she’s never encountered it before), and she is likely to have “color changing eyes” or some other striking physical feature that makes her irresistible to all she encounters. There’s nothing wrong with any of these character traits on their own, but put all together – why would Mary Sue ever need to interact with anyone else? Mary Sue is just too perfect for her own good. Most people find these types of characters annoying because they are difficult to interact with and don’t work very well in a group based environment. If everyone is beautiful and perfect, it gets tiring! There’s no way to stand out and be different if everyone can do everything. Even super heroes have flaws.

• Second cousin/Long Lost Son/Sibling/Previously Unknown Relative to Fallen Earth NPCs
Please do not make characters related to NPCs that already exist in the Fallen Earth universe. This character type is often used as a short cut to gain “instant credibility” or status in a community, something which is seen as a bad idea by experienced roleplayers. Status in the community should be determined by actions, not just who you know, in character (or out). If you want to be famous, you will probably need to use actions and not just words. Be prepared to back up your claims to fame and it will help make the experience more fun for everyone.

• Drama Kings/Queens
It’s nice to be the center of attention in a roleplaying scenario some of the time, but that doesn’t mean you’re the only one playing in a story. Keep in mind, in any given group there are an abundance of tragic pasts to be overcome, destinies to be fulfilled, and old enemies to conquer. The drama king will often become quickly obvious to the group, needing to have the most tragic past, the biggest “grand destiny” to fill, and the worst of foes to defeat. These players are generally unhappy filling even a small supporting role in other people’s roleplay scenarios and will usually attempt to find a way to turn any situation so the spotlight shines back upon them. They will often become very uncooperative as possible if they feel they aren’t getting enough attention. Players tend to avoid these types of people, so try not to be that person.

[Cynagin]

The Golden Rules of RP

Although roleplaying is often referred to as “acting without a script”, there are some basic rules that everyone tends to agree upon. We call these the “golden rules of RP”.

• Being considerate is a must!
Not everyone knows how to roleplay or wishes to do so. Even established roleplayers may have “off days” where they don’t feel like being involved in RP for whatever reason. Perhaps those people nearby are just observing, learning from, or just having fun watching your roleplay interactions. While it’s nice when everyone around you is actively involved in a particular roleplay scenario, if you try to include someone and are met with a negative response, realize it probably isn’t you and move on. Often a friendly private out of character whisper inviting nearby people you’ve not interacted with before to participate along is all the incentive they need to join in!

• Be consistent!
Sure, characters change over time and that is to be expected. A character whose background changes from day to day or whose behavior is completely inconsistent in any given situation will usually be written off by other characters as “crazy” and often avoided. People like to generally know what to expect. Your choices, the paths you take, and the friendships you make with players and NPCs in the game can affect your character’s personality.

• It is better to ask for permission ahead of time than for forgiveness later.
Roleplayers should avoid what is known as “Godmoding/Godmodding” and “Power gaming” at all costs. This sort of thing happens when you do something that doesn't give the other person a chance to react to what you do. An example would be "Cynagin pulls out a gun and shoots Mycroft through the heart." That emote took all chance of Mycroft roleplaying a response away which is why people call it "god moding". A more appropriate emote would be "Cynagin pulls out a gun and pulls the trigger, clearly aiming for Mycroft's heart." Also, you should never ever harm or killing another player’s character without OOC consent or at least give them a way to respond in character. Only you can determine what happens to your character – so ask for (and expect to be asked for) permission before engaging in roleplay that may be considered unpleasant to others. Although this is a “mature” game, it is also recommended that requesting permission be extended towards things that can be considered “intimate” between players – not everyone has the same views/comfort levels towards sex, and it is better to ask for permission than to make someone uncomfortable OOC.

• A little bit of thoughtfulness goes a long way.
Treat other players (not necessarily the characters) how you would like them to treat you. While often mentioned last, it is the most important rule of all. If you have offended someone else OOC by exceeding the limits of good taste or polite behavior by your IC interactions – and they ask you to stop, please do so.

[Cynagin]

Helpful Tips

Here are some handy tips for roleplayers of all levels.

In-Game

• Emotes in Fallen Earth
Emoting is an important part of roleplaying – sometimes actions speak louder than words, but it is important to know how to balance the two. Reacting with a /laugh or /cheer is more true to how people react instead of saying “lol”. Letting out a /smile instead of a “=)” is generally more realistic when roleplaying. Avoiding chat rooms speak helps you and your character stay immersed in the world.

Fallen Earth’s emote system is set up very easily. If you (in this example, Derby) type in /emote or /e like this:

/e jumps up on the table and shouts, “BAR FIGHT!”

You would see:
Derby jumps up on the table and shouts, “BAR FIGHT!”

You can even make your emotes more complicated – it’s up to you and your imagination!

/e ‘s eye twitches impatiently as his fingers dance along the butt of his pistol, waiting for Tabetha to start the gunfight by drawing hers.

It becomes “Derby’s eye twitches…” Unlike most other games out there, we’ve taken out the space before the apostrophe.

It’s important to remember that in real life, people can't hear or sense someone's thoughts either but they can see someone's actions that might give away their thoughts. The easiest way to learn how this is done effectively is to read books that you like that are written in third-person to get some ideas on emoting.

• How do I get involved in another person’s RP?
Say you come across a couple of people talking in the center of town, and from what they are saying, you can see they are clearly roleplaying. If your character is outgoing, you may try to join in the conversation. But to your dismay, when you do, they pretend that you aren’t there. Is it part of their character, or is this a scenario that’s not designed for outside interaction? Sending a message to one of the participants should help clear that up right away. Chances are they’ll be glad to let you know if the interaction is meant to be part of a “closed” scenario or one that anyone can participate in.

• How do I start my own RP?/Get noticed by other people?
Just do it! Experienced roleplayers also recommend the power of a good stroll while in town – just walk around if you have time to and interact with people. You could also develop habits for in town interaction – hanging out in certain locations on a regular basis, or having a set of gear worn just in town. If people know where to find you and recognize you, chances are you’ll be roleplaying together in no time.

Out of Game (forums)

Can I roleplay on the forums?
Yes! Forum roleplay is often used to supplement in game actions – it is excellent for the times when you’re bored and can’t get into game for some reason. Forum roleplaying is a lot like telling a story, or writing a fan fiction piece with other people. You can use the forums to “post messages on a tavern board” and set up meetings in game between parties, or as “filler scenes” between in game interactions. You can also use it to roleplay people you wouldn’t encounter otherwise (perhaps they live in a time zone that prohibits you both from meeting up in game easily). Some players use forum roleplay as a mostly reactionary tool and reflective of things that have happened in game, or thoughts from characters that you don’t bring into game.

A lot of roleplayers distinguish their posts or stories by a short out of character note somewhere to explain what kind of post it is at the beginning of the thread. This isn’t necessary at all, but it does save a lot of confusion to help other roleplayers know what information they should and shouldn’t bring into the game with them!

Examples:
OOC: Contents are private. All information within cannot be assumed to be known by your character.
OOC: If you’re curious about what’s going on, come find us in game!
OOC: Closed storyline, please PM me if you want to be included!

In Game and Out of Game (forums)

• You aren’t your character.
The best part about roleplaying is that it isn’t real. Please remember that when interacting with others. Insults said to your character are not aimed at you personally. However, if you need to say something out of character (and it happens), try to do it in a way that is least disruptive to the people around you who are roleplaying. Also, it helps leave your out of character disagreements, bad work days, and other real world squabbles at the login screen. In game and in character, “Sugarshock” is not that annoying forum poster who disagreed with you in General Discussion in bullet pointed fashion with citations and as a result, humiliated you in front of everyone you know. “Sugarshock” may indeed turn out to be your worst enemy – but there is also that chance he or she may turn out to be your character’s best ally if you’re both roleplaying! You never know, stranger things have been known to happen. Conflicts between characters should always stay in character.

• Be patient!
If you’re an experienced roleplayer please have patience with those who are new to this style of play. Remember that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to roleplay, and offering to help a newcomer with their roleplaying might be met with the word “no” – but it’s not personal. Even if they say yes, suggestions on improving roleplaying are better given privately to individuals as not to embarrass or shame people into not roleplaying in public. Even people who have been roleplaying for years make mistakes here and there while roleplaying, too – nobody’s perfect!

• Have fun!
If you aren’t having fun roleplaying, just stop. It sounds really simple, but it’s okay to write your character out of situations that no longer are fun for you – when you dread logging in because of roleplaying, something’s wrong. Unhappy roleplayers generally cause other people to be miserable as well, and this drags everyone’s mood down until no one’s happy. Please note you don’t have to “god mode” your way out of a situation, even though it is the most tempting and easiest way. All it takes to get out of a “bad rp” is a little creative thinking. Don’t be afraid to brainstorm out of character with the other players involved in your roleplaying interactions to make things more fun for everyone.

[Cynagin]

Roleplaying Resources

Although these resources have been quoted elsewhere, this is a handy “cheat sheet” for quick reference.

Background of Fallen Earth
• http://www.fallenearth.com/?page=background

Apocalypse Fiction
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...lyptic_fiction

FAQ
• http://www.fallenearth.com/?page=faq

Faction Specific Information
• http://www.fallenearth.com/?page=factions
• http://forums.fallenearth.com/fallen...isplay.php?f=6

In-Game Slang Glossary
• http://www.fallenearth.com/?page=glossary

History Timeline
• http://www.fallenearth.com/?page=timeline

Roleplay Group List
Categorized by types A-E (casual to hardcore) and should help aspiring roleplayers find a group they can fit into – or be inspired to create their own.
• http://forums.fallenearth.com/fallen...read.php?t=219

[Cynagin]

Common terms and forms of interaction in roleplaying

Like any community, roleplayers have developed a style of jargon that may sound confusing at first. These are the most common terms and forms of interaction that roleplayers have developed over time.

IC
In character.

OOC
Out of character.

OOC != IC
Out of character knowledge does not exist in character. This is usually said when someone is acting on knowledge there’s no reasonable way their character would have, either because it comes from another character the player operates or from the player themselves.

Making OOC comments
Most of the time, a short cut to using OOC comments while roleplaying is to put parentheses or brackets around them.

Stay IC!
The best ways to stay in character are:
• Keeping /say in character and keep out-of-character comments for private messages
• Being consistent when you play. For example, if your character doesn’t drink alcohol and you are often found in a local bar – ask yourself “why does my character hang out in a bar so much?” Maybe he’s just meeting someone – or perhaps this is where her base of operations is located.
• Reading this guide for handy tips!