Roleplaying in Terris

Roleplayed character interaction and development is a key part of Legends of Terris. While you are here, you are expected to "get in to" character to act, speak and dress as he or she would.

 

Roleplay (RP), In Character (IC) and Out of Character (OOC)

Roleplay is what you do when you enter the land of Terris and play the part of your character. By playing the part of the character, performing actions that are in keeping with the characters personality and talking as they would, you are acting In Character. Anything, therefore, that your character does and says is considered IC.

Out Of Character refers to anything that is not roleplayed, for example things from the players' real life or current affairs, as well as discussions on game mechanics.

OOC knowledge, that is knowledge gained by the PLAYER and necessarily the CHARACTER, can be useful for understanding the game mechanics and current roleplay events. However, OOC knowledge should be avoided when interacting with others over things that your character would not know. An example of this is reading about current personal roleplays on the Message Boards that your character would not otherwise have known about.

All public areas in Terris are considered to be In Character and not areas for OOC discussions - except in helping people with game queries - this also applies to the shout channels, including Guild Shouts and Temple Shouts. OOC questions can be asked through the CHATS channel.

 

Questions to Inspire Characters

  • What does the character look like?
  • Does the character have any unusual habits, speech patterns, personal quirks/mannerisms or physical traits?
  • Does the character have any family? Who were the character's parents?
  • What was childhood like for the character?
  • Why has the character started their adventuring career?
  • What did the character do before they started adventuring?
  • How does the character generally treat others?
  • What are the character's dreams, ambitions and goals?
  • What lengths would the character go to achieve a goal?
  • Does the character have any fears, phobias or weaknesses?

 

Character Descriptions

By using the description1 and description2 commands in Terris you are able to set a character description that other players can read when looking at you.

Character descriptions are intended to display physical, visible details of the character. Personalities should not be declared, but demonstrated through your actions.

 

Displaying Emotion and Actions

There are commands set in to Terris that can be used to convey emotions and act out simple actions. These commands, called emotes, are often able to be 'targetted' so that you can direct them towards a person you are talking to - for example NOD DEORI will allow you to nod your head at Deori - or left 'untargetted' to take in the room. A list of some of these commands can be found here.

You can also generate your own special emotions and actions by use of the emote command. To do this, type the command EM or EMS followed by the event you wish to describe.

For example:

  • EM throws his arms in the air!
    Would show: George throws his arms in the air!

  • EMS hand is engulfed in a blue light.
    Would show: George's hand is engulfed in a blue light.

It is generally considered 'bad form' to force an action on someone else through the use of emotes and special emotes, and consideration should be given to others when using these commands.

 

Roleplay Tips, Etiquette and Standards of Behaviour

The following is generally accepted as 'good form' for roleplaying within Legends of Terris.

  • Relax and have fun. Remember, Terris is only a game and it's their for everyones enjoyment.

  • Make sure you know the difference between In Character and Out of Character, both in dealing with others and understanding their dealing with you. If a character acts in generally unfriendly manner this may be part of their roleplay, and not directed at you.

  • Try to stay in character as much as possible. If you desperately need to say something OOC to a fellow player then use the TELLS channel.

  • Emoting in Shouts can be consider 'bad form' by some. As Shouts span the entire lands of Terris, it is unlikely for everyone to be able to see actions you perform. Certain emotes, however, can be used to express ways of speaking and underline the way you say it - such as with a grin, a smirk or a chuckle.

  • Avoid using knowledge gained Out of Character for In Character situations.

  • Never force an action on to someone else's character, even if it seems something trivial. Any emote you perform using EM or EMS that is intended to target another character should be writtem as an 'open ended' attempt to allow them to respond or avoid something they would rather not have happen to their character.

  • Be considerate of others. If you come into a situation where the other characters are already well established, in the middle of a roleplay, don't just leap in. A quick TELL to one of the players involved will be able to answer any queries or see if it is ok to join in.

  • Avoid godlike abilities for your characters. This includes awarding yourself ranks within non-player armies or boasting supreme magical powers. Be realistic, even stretching, in your abilities but recognise your limitations. If you are level 9 and a large group of level 95 people are role-playing that they are taking over an area, how realistic is it for you to role-play that you have managed to subdue them all and make yourself King?

  • Be courteous to other players. You do not have to be everyone, or even anyones, best friend, but respect is a must. This includes no swearing or bad language. Some leeway may be given to terms such as 'bloody', 'hell' and similar when used sparingly or for dramatic emphasis. (See the Acceptable Use Policy (Section 1))

  • In Character discrimination and racism based on Species, Class, Guild or Temple is tolerated and can enhance character behaviour, as long as this does not lead to unwarranted harrassment or bullying of other players. (See the Acceptable Use Policy (Section 2))

  • Out Of Character discrimination will not be tolerated and will be dealt with strictly. (See the Acceptable Use Policy (Section 2))

  • Often players are involved in personal relationships and wish to display their affection. Although affectionate displays such as cuddling and kissing are allowed, Terris caters to players of all ages and behavior should be appropriate for everyone in the game. Therefore sexual relationships and overt sexual actions should not be roleplayed or discussed in the game. (See the Acceptable Use Policy (Section 7))

 

If in Doubt, Watch Others

Terris has a wide variety of characters being roleplayed in different ways, watching how other people act and interact can help to develop your own skills.

 
Location: About Legends of Terris > Roleplaying in Terris

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