Now that we have won the battle for an RP-PVP server, the next step is to ensure people rolling on grob will actively RP. Here are some tips and tricks for people who are rusty or are first timers. RP is fun, immersive, and a whole new dimension to the game.
The Golden Rule - Participate in Role Playing if you are on a Role Play server in all situations.
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Learn the acronyms and conventions - When you /say and /yell, you are in character. IC = in character. OOC = Out Of Character.
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Come up with a believable backstory - Incorporate your class and race. Have faults and negative personality traits. Try not to be the “one in a million” that contradicts norms, especially if you are new to RP. Everyone wants to be the the uber powerful lich lorde mage or the void god stuck in the body of a gnome. For the most part, however, you’re just going to be a run of the mill undead with a few interesting tidbits in the beginning. Don’t expect people to respect a backstory where you are also giving yourself titles, powers, or items that you do not actually have. Progression for your character in terms of role play should happen in game just like power progression. Your backstory is a starting point. It sets your motivation and alignment. #5 will help you here, a backstory that fits with the lore, incorporates it, will work out well for you. Something super generic can also work, if it avoids conflicting with the lore to at least get you started.
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Pick a D&D alignment - Are you a lawful good paladin? A chaotic good gnome? A lawful evil undead mage? Knowing your alignment can help you figure out what kind of quests your willing to accept, who your accomplices will be, and what kind of actions are in character.
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Don’t rush the game, don’t focus on mechanics - RPing takes time. It will get in the way of you getting to 60. You HAVE to take the mindset that 60, raid gear, etc. is not something you HAVE to rush towards. Good RP is the end goal. Being your character, really exploring the world. That is going to pay off for you more than telling yourself you’ll only RP at 60.
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Know the lore as much as your character would know the lore - In creating your backstory and interacting with the world, you’ll want to be consistent with the world. For example, casting holy magic hurts undead. Tauren resolve conflicts via duels. If you are role playing one of these races, you should probably know these things. Your character should not magically know everything in the game. A good place to start is read the wow wiki page on your class and your race. Start there. If people make up stuff, whisper them corrects - don’t be a jerk - there is a lot of lore and it’s easy to get stuff wrong. If someone corrects you, you can double check it, but don’t make it a big deal. Just pretend it didn’t happen.
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Use IC say, yell, and emotes more than the other OOC channels - It should be obvious that anything you can do in character should be done in character. The very best role players rarely break character, and will make a point to role play even when no one is around. You want to think about what is the minimum amount of things I can do while playing that I can’t attribute to my character. Sometimes you will have no choice but to use LFG and trade chat. Try to minimize it to forming the group or finding someone to trade with in person. Then propose that the group meet an an inn to role play your first meeting, and role play the dungeon clear. Propose role playing an exchange of goods, and incorporate some haggling outside the AH.
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Approach strangers - One way we have failed in retail is that people tend to RP in tight circles or guilds. To make the world really feel alive, everyone needs to role play with everyone else. Be the person who encourages this by introducing yourself to randos, talking in character in dungeons, and generally living in the world even when your not around guildies.
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Emote - Azgoroth grimaces, clutching at his robes as a crimson stain begins to spread underneath his bloodied fingers Please… healer, help me. I… I feel so cold. Azgoroth collapses to the floor /fall - There are only a limited number of animations in the game. Use your imagination. Have a glass of wine in the inn. Buy an apple in the square. Put your hand on an orcs shoulder and tell him you truly value his friendship.
Remember, getting good at RP takes time. We are essentially writing a shared novel together. Not everyone is going to be writing Pulitzer prize stuff, but the more you do it, the better you get. Find people who are good RPers, and copy them. Contribute, contribute, contribute.
