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RP Tips


Special Thanks to Cynagin for creating this excellent guide. The original guide is posted on the FE Public Forums. The following version of the original guide has been slightly edited by the BFC, but the main concept and purpose remains the same.

Emotes in Fallen Earth

Emoting is an important part of roleplaying - sometimes actions speak louder than words, but it is important to know how to balance the two. Reacting with a /laugh or /cheer is more true to how people react instead of saying "lol". Letting out a /smile instead of a "=)" is generally more realistic when roleplaying. Avoiding chat rooms speak helps you and your character stay immersed in the world.

Fallen Earth's emote system is set up very easily. If you (in this example, Derby) type in /emote or /e like this:

/e jumps up on the table and shouts, "BAR FIGHT!"

You would see:
Derby jumps up on the table and shouts, "BAR FIGHT!"

You can even make your emotes more complicated - it's up to you and your imagination!

/e 's eye twitches impatiently as his fingers dance along the butt of his pistol, waiting for Tabetha to start the gunfight by drawing hers.

It becomes "Derby's eye twitches..." Unlike most other games out there, we've taken out the space before the apostrophe.

It's important to remember that in real life, people can't hear or sense someone's thoughts either but they can see someone's actions that might give away their thoughts. The easiest way to learn how this is done effectively is to read books that you like that are written in third-person to get some ideas on emoting.


How do I get involved in another person's RP?

Say you come across a couple of people talking in the center of town, and from what they are saying, you can see they are clearly roleplaying. If your character is outgoing, you may try to join in the conversation. But to your dismay, when you do, they pretend that you aren't there. Is it part of their character, or is this a scenario that's not designed for outside interaction? Sending a message to one of the participants should help clear that up right away. Chances are they'll be glad to let you know if the interaction is meant to be part of a "closed" scenario or one that anyone can participate in.


How do I start my own RP?/Get noticed by other people?

Just do it! Experienced roleplayers also recommend the power of a good stroll while in town - just walk around if you have time to and interact with people. You could also develop habits for in town interaction - hanging out in certain locations on a regular basis, or having a set of gear worn just in town. If people know where to find you and recognize you, chances are you'll be roleplaying together in no time.

Common terms and forms of interaction in roleplaying

Like any community, roleplayers have developed a style of jargon that may sound confusing at first. These are the most common terms and forms of interaction that roleplayers have developed over time.

IC
In character.

OOC
Out of character.

OOC != IC
Out of character knowledge does not exist in character. This is usually said when someone is acting on knowledge there's no reasonable way their character would have, either because it comes from another character the player operates or from the player themselves.

Making OOC comments
Most of the time, a short cut to using OOC comments while roleplaying is to put parentheses or brackets around them.

Stay IC!
Be consistent when you play. For example, if your character doesn't drink alcohol and you are often found in a local bar - ask yourself "why does my character hang out in a bar so much?" Maybe he's just meeting someone - or perhaps this is where her base of operations is located.