Hey everyone! Your Mizukage, Ash, is here! I know I'm so late on these blogs. But with all the Fanon Canon Rebirth stuff going on, it just didn't seem like an appropriate time to start posting these. Nevertheless, the time is here and now! So, as you can tell from the name of the blog, this is a guide to roleplaying by your favorite Mizukage ever~ So let's move on!
Before I begin: This isn't a set formula or strict rules you have to apply when roleplaying. This is simply my own opinion on what is important when roleplaying and why it is important. You can choose to disregard it, or you can choose to integrate portions of it, or even all of the advice. Either way, this blog will be formatted in the following way:
- Titles
- Roleplay Introductions
- Development of the Conflict
- Continuing the Conflict
- Conclusions
- After the Roleplay
Titles[]
A seemingly irrelevant portion of a roleplay, most people disregard the title as something that summarizes the roleplay and something others don't pay attention to. I'd like to comment on this supposedly irrelevant portion of a roleplay. A roleplay is a piece of writing between two users, yes. However, more than that, a roleplay is also being displayed on a public site like this one. It is something other people do have interest in reading occasionally.
So, taking this into account, what is the first purpose of a title? To engage readers. Titles such as "X Description: Y versus Z" in my opinion sound clumsy and can deter people from reading a certain roleplay, as the premise has already been set out to appear cliche. In order to remedy this, you could consider a title that focuses on a specific metaphor or symbol? For example, if I were to use Muketsu in a roleplay, I would try to title the roleplay to integrate symbolic aspects from both characters in the roleplay in order to create an intriguing title that will capture the attention of any passing readers. Because, who doesn't like a good title?
Roleplay Introductions[]
Introductions within a roleplay are quite important, for obvious reasons that some people seem to overlook. Introductions are meant to, as the name might suggest, introduce things. The introduction gives insight into a variety of things that are essential within a roleplay:
- Setting - The setting of a roleplay is exceedingly important. It determines a wide variety of "external" factors, including how you are able to manipulate the environment in order to damage your opponent, among other things. Ensure that your environment is properly defined for your opponent to read. Whether they choose to read it or not is completely their choice.
- Characters - Obviously, the characters are the central part of the roleplay. Roleplays are based on character interactions. Having a good introduction of your character is vital to making a good first impressions. Indulge yourself into their character, make it so that you make it clear that you know how your character acts in almost any situation.
- Conflict - The first few posts should be able to outline a clear conflict that has arisen in the roleplay, whether it cause the participants to battle or forces some other shift in tone, setting or the like. While it may be predetermined, or "go with the flow", a conflict is essential to developing a good roleplay. Otherwise, a stagnated spar does very little in characterizing your characters and showing off their potential as a whole.
Development of the Conflict[]
Development of the conflict is, essentially, the initiation of whatever dilemma that faces the characters and situation within the roleplay. It is what, perhaps, begins the potential battle or other scenario that the users are allowing their characters to undergo through. As such, it should be developed properly. In my honest opinion, this is probably the most poorly done of all roleplay sections because people (not all of us) like rushing into conflicts without thinking about how this affects our characters in a long-run. While I understand that fights are fun to engage in, how those fights come about is something that most people don't pay any attention to. Does this fit your character's personality to rush in a fight or the conflict that both roleplayers want to engage in? If not, how can you develop the conflict in a way that brings about your knowledge of your character as a whole without compromising the roleplayers' intents? These are the questions you should ask yourselves, guys!
Continuing the Conflict[]
Continuing the conflict is simple. This roleplay blog specifically focuses on fights, so I'll focus on that. However, if you do have other questions, feel free to ask me! Nevertheless, let's move on slightly. With the continuation of the conflict, the most important thing is to appreciate the other user's existence within the fight. Here, I'll copy my previous roleplaying and jutsu selection guide, because it's probably the best description of what I want to say here:
So, there's numerous things that need to be addressed here. Honestly, I can't dictate how you write. That's all up to you. If I tell you how to write, your writing will sound pathetic and without originality. Everyone will do the same thing and everything becomes boring. So, here are the steps:
- 1. BE YOURSELF: Okay. Step number 1. The most important step of everything and anything. Be yourself. Don't let other people dictate how you write. There is no set format in writing RPs. You just write how you write. Bring your own flavor into everything. Make sure that you're expressing your own identity in the way you write. THAT's how you make something successful...(of course with other kinks).
- 2. Fluidity: Fluidity, grammar and spelling, all the else. This simple aspect is quite important in RPs. You want to make sure that your opponent, comrade, and everyone else knows what you're talking about. To help you with this, it's recommended that - if grammar and spelling aren't your strongest suit - you use a spellcheck or something similar. Neat writing is one important step to good writing.
- 3. Details: Alrighty. Something that bothers me heaps is one-sentence posts. Do you really think someone appreciates when you have a one-sentence post when they're putting in effort to make a nice, fluid, coherent paragraph(s)? No, they do not. You're putting your character in a situation that is "going with the flow." (Unless you have a set outcome from the RP) Therefore, you need to describe things. Emotions of the characters, thoughts, and if you're opening or referring to the environment - describe it! More description doesn't detract, unless it has no relevance to anything at all. If it has no relevance, don't put it in.
- 3.1. Details in Responses: Alrighty. Another thing that bugs me to death and beyond is when I get unjustified reactions to an attack I have made. For one thing, something like "he evaded it" is NOT a justifiable response. Okay, he evaded it. Great. But how? You have to make sure that you're respecting the credibility of the author that is RP'ing with you. Detail the ways you are avoiding something so it seems like it's legitimate. Oh, and please don't put stuff like: "He used a technique to evade this." No. It's not that simple. Techniques have processes in which you activate them. Describe those! Describe perhaps how close they were to being hit but managed to dodge. Or, if you don't want to be an asshole, perhaps let them be indirectly hit by the technique. Because I have a philosophy: if they're not hit for a majority of the RP, the hit they get is a big one. And that can cripple a character quite seriously if it's so instantaneous.
- 3.2. Details in Attacks: Please put detail into attacks. Just saying they did a technique and putting a link to it DOES NOT CUT IT! Not at all. You say you've done this, but there's so many questions left to ask: where is the attack going to, how fast was the preparation, what was the speed of the technique (and no, "high" doesn't work here), and all the rest. In order to have a proper, flowing RP, you need to be able to convey to the other author your specific intentions. If you do that, it appears as a competition between two authors (which is what an RP is!) rather than simple ramble by one author.
- 3.2.1 Multiple Attacks: And finally, the last part of the details section. (See how goddamn IMPORTANT this section is now?) Well, anyways. Multiple attacks at any given time...while it's possible, requires you to be considerate of your character's limitations. All characters have limitations, and for you to spew out five techniques at any given time IS NOT THE EASIEST THING IN THE UNIVERSE. So, a way to make this work is by making sure you properly state how they used the techniques. Is it in conjunction with one another? If so, how and for what purpose? Furthermore, multiple techniques at a given time can be quite slow, unless you justify it by the use of two or more lower-ranked techniques at any given time, considering that their activation setup is much less demanding than a higher-level technique.
- 4. Consideration for Other People: Probably one of the more important aspects of roleplaying. You see, when some people roleplay, they discount that other people are roleplaying with them and also - perhaps - want to have a good time. Therefore, when they post things that don't take into consideration another roleplayer's post? The other roleplayer gets mad. It is for this reason some people discontinue completely legitimate and well-done roleplays, simply because one of the authors is discrediting the value of another roleplayer. This comes back to the Detail in Responses and Attacks. Make sure you explicitly show that you are reacting to the other roleplayer's post. That you take into account their efforts and let that shine in through your legitimate and well-designed response that allows for a high level of fluidity and credibility to shine through you as a writer as well!
P.S. About the Detail in Attack and Response section? If you don't take into account those sections, an opponent could quite easily maneuver your attack into something else simply because you didn't take the initiative to do it yourself. In this case, they can make it so you've completely wasted time using a powerful technique such as the Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation, while it "missed" because you were careless enough to not aim it and give it a specific effect. Just a tad note~
Conclusions[]
A conclusion of a roleplay should demonstrate a reasonable resolution to the conflict that you have developed previously. Perhaps it's the victory of a certain individual or perhaps it is a stalemate, or an interference for one character who is suddenly summoned to be somewhere else? Whatever it may be, you should make it as reasonable and fluid as you can. Try to make it so the roleplay doesn't end anti-climatically following an intense conflict. Gradually let it subside until the roleplay itself gives you the opportunity to close it completely.
After the Roleplay[]
This is something a lot of people discard. Most people tend to do the roleplay and then subsequently never look at it again. Instead, why not consider the conclusion of the roleplay and perhaps attempt to continue it if it's within reason? Maybe develop a small storyline of some sort that makes the relationship between both of your characters become highly engaging? After all, relationships between characters of different users is something that would promote healthy relationships within users as well!
That's A Wrap![]
So that's a wrap! I hope you all actually consider the issues I have brought up here and how to tackle them. I'll be making more guides very soon and sending them out to the wiki! I apologize significantly for my inactivity, but real life and Rebirth has taken a significant amount of my time, making my own wishes about what to do as an admin be placed behind in the priority list. But I'm back and ready for action!
Fun Stuff[]
Also! If you'd like me to personally teach you a little bit more about roleplaying and the like, do contact me! I'm fully willing to help anyone who needs help, so long as they're also willing to reciprocate my enthusiasm.
And that's that!