Role-play v. (role-ˇplayed, role-ˇplayˇing, role-ˇplays): To assume or act out a particular role. Role-playing is very much like acting. You create a "Character" with a personality and history of their own then pretend to be that character. You speak as you would assume they would speak and act as you deem they would act. There are endless possibilities and it can be a very enjoyable pastime.

Creating Your Character

When creating your character you should use your imagination! Make them unique and special! They should be someone you will enjoy playing. Put some time and thought into it. What will their history be? A person's past affects their outlook greatly! Example: If your character's parents were killed by magic then your character most likely does not trust the magic arts and those who wield them. Make their history something you can live with for they will carry it with them permanently. If the character is going to be a specific race or profession you will want to do some research first, especially if you are planning on joining a specific role-playing guild. Many have very strict requirements and specific ideas on what their "style" should be. You will want to make sure you agree with those ideas and requirements before you start down the path of creating a character with a specific purpose in mind. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Avoid making your character's qualities or role-played abilities god-like or super powerful. Having a character that can do everything, knows everything, and never gets hurt or dies becomes boring and old. After awhile others may begin to see the character the same way ("oh, its bob the half god, now he'll go and kill everything again, just like last week"). Role-playing a character with mortal flaws or quirks can be interesting as well as challenging. It is not about being the best at everything; it is about the depth and story of your character.

Role-playing Rules of Thumb

- Don't use modern slang. "Cool" means its cold to us, "bad ass" means that you have a donkey who is misbehaving. This is one of the most important steps to becoming a good role-player. You must learn to step outside your everyday life and become something different.

- Don't abbreviate words or actions (Examples: brb, lol, afk.. etc.) when in character. This also includes those little smilies that so many people use. I know it is a hard habit to break sometimes but it truly adds to the depth and quality of your role-playing.

- Type out your actions such as smiles, frowns, crying, dancing, etc. Or you can hit the : and then the space bar which will give you a message that says "Emote:", then type the action you want to perform. For example, picking up a book. It will appear like this in game: *picks up the book*. Use this instead of the smiley faces :) that many people use. " :) " is not an acceptable way to express happiness. - Dropping Character in game. It is expected for everyone to stay in character (IC) at all times. Dropping out of character (OOC) is frowned upon. It is considered rude to start speaking out of character in front of others who are in character because it diminishes the mood. If you must say something out of character, then put it inside parenthesis. Example:((I have to go to the bathroom)) or better yet use party, ICQ or MIRC.

- Try to come up with creative ways to avoid going out of character in game. Emotes like *turns attention to the Other Realm* instead of "Going AFK" work wonderfully and you'll find that people will respond to this much better than if you drop the mood of the role-playing.

- Be polite and respect the role-playing of other people. If you come into a situation where other characters are already engaged in some RP, don't just leap in with a radically different mood. Take your time in becoming involved in storylines and understand that not everyone has the same idea of the way things should go like you do. Be ready for storylines to take dramatic turns you may not expect... then accept them and continue having fun.

- Keep in mind not every character will react to something the same way. Give other characters the chance to react in their way and do not be surprised if the reaction is not what you expected to get. This applies to making fun or insulting other characters; some characters will take a joke in good humor, while others may become offended and retort unkindly.

- Let others have the time to reply in your conversations. Some players will walk up, say something, and promptly turn away without giving the player time to reply back. Other times, they will continue to talk as if they had not been heard or react as if they were not going to get a response. Players with better connections will forget how much lag can affect speech or that some are not as fast at typing. Occasionally, conversations with more than two people will be full of interruptions and more than one talking at the same time. Try to be patient and remember not everyone is as fast as you might be.


Role-playing Rules of Thumb for Forums

- Only post your side of the actions. Don't post "I attacked Bob and he couldn't block me fast enough and got hit". It isn't fair to dictate the actions of other player's characters.

- Don't post anything about another player's character without their knowledge and permission. This is especially important with things that will permanently change their character.

- Try to keep posts true to things that happened in game. Some stories start in the forums, others are started in game and carried into the forums. Do not just jump into a story you see posted and force yourself in. Try asking around or making an unintrusive post first and see if you are welcomed. (Example of an unintrusive post: "I saw bob run by and wondered what the commotion was about.")

- Keep your actions within the bounds of reason. Yes many actions are possible in the forums that are not possible in game (Laying on a bed, putting a saddle on a horse, etc.) but please avoid posting things that are completely impossible. (Example: "A holy light surrounded Bob and immediately the armies he faced alone were vaporized.)

Playing Along

Most of the role-playing in UO is not scripted like a play. Changes occur quite often so be ready for them. If a storyline does not go the way you planned simply adapt and go with it. Becoming upset and trying to force situations to go your way is immature and will not impress anyone. If you do this too many times you may find yourself role-playing alone. The key to successful role-playing with others is being flexible. You must also be tolerant of other player's role-playing styles. Not everyone has the same ideas of what certain races are like. Just be accepting and let everyone enjoy themselves. Never forget we are all here to have fun!