You may have wanted to start role-playing,

but are confused with what all these chat symbols and acronyms may mean/ represent. To start, let’s begin with the basics!

What exactly is role-playing?

Role-playing (also known as RP) is when you pretend to be a particular character, while also behaving and reacting in the way that the character would.

But why do people role-pay? Are there any benefits?

It allows you to explore parts of yourself you’d like to explore, or do not yet know. If done in a conscious, self-aware manner, it can be a safe way to live out fantasies, with no real-world consequences. It hones some skills (e.g. communicational, verbal skills) in an interactive and exciting way.

Some benefits to role-playing are:

Improved reasoning and communication skills.
Increased empathy toward people with different lifestyles, appearances, culture, etc. By adopting a new persona, a player may be able to learn what life could be like for another individual..
The ability to establish new friendships and practice social skills.
Developing critical-thinking skills as players develop complex solutions to ongoing challenges and scenarios.

Now that we know what role-playing is and its potential benefits, let’s move on to what OOC and IC means.

What is OOC and what is IC?

OOC (Out of Character), often seen represented in:

(( )) or [[ ]]

Signifies that a player is currently speaking out of character. It is often used when a player needs to break out of their character to express a concern or pose a question. When a player is speaking in OOC, it means whatever they are saying does not reflect what they’re character is thinking or saying.

Example:

((Hey, sorry! I don't really understand why your character is behaving this way, could you please expand?))

IC (In Character), often seen presented in quotations marks:

"......"

Signifies that this is dialogue presented by the character. This means that the player is currently interacting in character, and that whatever is said and done does not represent the player.

Example:

"Out of my sight! The sight of you disgusts me."

Limiting OOC dialogue when role-playing

When role-playing, it is best to avoid OOC dialogue as much as possible to ensure that it is immersive for all parties involved. That is not to say that OOC is somehow prohibited when role-playing, there are actually plenty of scenarios when OOC is actually encouraged!

When OOC should definitely be practiced:

Didn’t really understand that last response from your role-playing partner? Don’t know if something is appropriate? Want to double-check if something is alright with your role-playing partner? Do an OOC check in! Below are what some OOC check-ins would look like:

((My character can come off as a bit brash and obnoxious, are you comfortable role-playing with such a character?))

((My character would like to surprise your character with a gift, is it okay if I have them drop by your place?))

((I’m sorry, I don’t think I understand your character's motivations. Could you please expand for me?))

Behind every role-playing character is an actual human being. Always be conscious of how you may be intruding on other people’s spaces and double-check if what you’re doing is something that the other player is interested in. Consent is important!

When OOC may be inappropriate

Oftentimes when role-playing with another person, one may get a few nagging questions or curiosities in the back of their heads.

"Is this person male or female in real life?"

"Are they anything similar to how they are in real life?"

"What is their profession?"

Quite frankly, it’s not anyone’s business.

Who this person is in real life does not reflect who their characters are and should not be mixed with one another. You role-play with another individual, because you’d like to learn of their character, or are interested in how their character may pair with yours.

What kind of dynamic, conflicts, or even possible friendships may come from these interactions for your character?

It is never okay to OOC ask a person questions that are intrusive and do not pertain to their character. Always be conscious of respecting another player’s privacy and boundaries.

Now that the introduction is out of the way, let’s get to building your character!

How to build your character

To build your character, let’s start with a name! Consider the status, and race of your character for an extra layer of immersiveness! Here's a nifty guide for naming conventions based on ffxiv lore by race, provided by Gildrein:

That is not to say that you must abide by the naming conventions provided in the ffxiv world. Feel free to name your character whatever you like!

Build a character board

It is absolutely okay to not have a fully fleshed out character with a backstory, and to build as you go while you role-play.

To start, you can build a character board to have a basic foundation you can work off of. A character board will help you visually see what kind of character you feel most inclined to build, and what kind of personalities they may have.

TAKE ME THERE

Character Board, START!

Think of all the characters you’ve come across in the media of your choosing, and which characters interested you the most.

Paste them into a document or slide. You can also paste other visuals that you associate with these characters, like their favorite food, likes and dislikes, settings, etc.

Once you’re done with your board, you take and trim from what you have and add your own flare to it! Now is a good time to decide which city-state your character is from. You can take into account the climate and environment, and why it may be most suitable for your character.

Congratulations! Your very own character to build as you go. You have earned yourself the role-playing badge of honor!

/roleplaying

Type: /roleplaying in game, to get your badge!

Note: Don’t worry about making mistakes or not having an elaborate backstory/ lore for your character before starting! Remember that anything can be retconned according to your level of comfort, and the best part about roleplaying is it can help you flesh out your character as you go along!

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Role-playing worries: Etiquette