Get involved!

This is a blog about how to get involved in rp with other players and awareness of how and why to involve new players into your rp.

Main reason for this blog, is to make everyone more aware of eachother and to try and create an atmosphere in any role-play environment in which everyone gets to experience the joy that rp can bring.

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Let's start with the very beginning.
Everyone has started to role-play at one point, and players that have been active for quite some time will sure remember how they felt when they were new.

You don't know the rules, you don't know the people, you don't know your own character yet, you feel unsure, nervous, you may even suffer from stage-fright. Everyone has their own way of moving about in unexplored terrority.

You might feel more comfortable watching at first, getting a feel of how it works. Or maybe you feel eager to jump in. There is no wrong or right in how you start, but you have to realise that it will take time to find your way.

Most important advice before you get started : Read the rules!!

No matter in which sim you want to rp, every sim has their own rules and it is unavoidable to never mistakes, we all make mistakes, but reading and making sure you understand the rules will make it a lot easier to join the play.

Do not be afraid to ask questions. It would be ashame to start playing somewhere without the basic knowledge of the do's and don'ts and find yourself in trouble or even get yourself banned for something that wasnt necessary.

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A reminder for the more experienced active players.

New players are necessary to keep any sim alive. New people, new characters, new ideas, more rp-opportunities!!

It is very easy to stick to the players you know, you have ongoing rp's and relationships that you want to spend time with.
In some cases it is very understandable that you do not have the possibility to invest your time in someone you don't know yet.

But keep your eyes open at all times and don't ignore new players. If you see someone trying to engage in rp and it doesn't suit you at that time for whatever reason let them know in a friendly and honest way.

If you see someone that seems lost, remember how you felt when you started. Ask if they need help, guide them to a some place or someone that ‘can’ help them if you feel you cannot help them yourself.

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That said .. it can be really hard for new players in a new environment to find an entrance. Whether you have rp-ed before or not, you find yourself in a new place where nobody knows who you are. It can be extremely frustrating to find yourself someone willing to 'play' with you. 

A few tips on how to get yourself involved in rp.

*. Walk around the sim and find a single player. Depending on your character you could just walk up to someone and introduce yourself, or you could choose to emote 'noticing the person standing/sitting there' to let them know you are there to play.

Bare in mind that that player is alone for a reason. It could be they are waiting for someone to come along to start an rp, but also they could be caught up in IM's, or reading a notecard, working on their char or brainstorming on an oncoming rp. Wait a while for a response. Dont say 'Hi' and move on after one minute. They might not have seen it or ... some people tend to write longer replies.

If you are unsure if someone has seen you or not, send an IM. Be friendly, tell them you have tried to engage in rp and ask if they have time to play with you.

*. Approach a group of players interacting with eachother. Have a listen to see what is going on. You could emote 'stumbling upon a small crowd and observing the situation'. In some cases you will stumble upon an ongoing rp that has been set-up for a specific reason. This could mean it will be difficult for the players to include you. Again, do not be afraid to ask, using ((ooc brackets)) or IM, inform if you can be included or not.

*. Attend role-play classes. Several role-play sims offer free role-play classes. Make use of that service offered and learn the basics of role-play taught by professionals. Well known and well recommended are ROPE-Classes (Roleplay for Everyone) which teach the basics of role-play but are definitely worthwhile a visit of more experienced players too, to brush up on their knowledge and/or share their views/ideas with others.

*. Join OOC Chat groups. Most role-play sims will have special OOC chat groups, intended to allow players to connect with each other, brainstorm about roleplays, go off-topic, or whatever.

So in general :
Let other players know that you are there.
If you do not talk or emote at all, you might be mistaken for being afk, or not interested in playing.

Keep your eyes (and your mind) open and on the look-out for players who need guidance. Every new player is a potential new 'play'-mate to have lots of rp-joy with.

If you are unsure on how to get started, or too shy to take the initiative engaging in an rp, send an IM to a player near you. Let them know you are new and ask if they want to help you.