Role play guide

Below is a guide written by a player to explain some of the basics of IC/OOC behavior as well as RP.

In Character

What is In Character?

IC (In Character) is everything that applies to you while you are playing the game. Moving from room to room is in character, opening a chest is in character, buying and wielding a sword is in character. Playing a roleplaying-enforced (RP-enforce) MUD means one thing - when you make your character, you are going into it with the mind that you are not playing yourself, but rather, an entirely different person. A good example of the difference between RP-enforced and non-RP-enforced MUDs is as follows:

In a MUD that is not RP-enforced, everything you do on that game, regardless of what it is, could be seen as OOC (out of character). When you make a character on a game like that, you are doing it because you are interested in grinding out skill levels, gaining levels, so on, so forth. Generally speaking, every form of communication or interaction with other players in a MUD that isn't RP-enforced is casual and might also be how you would speak to someone else you consider an acquaintance or a friend IRL (in real life). This typically includes the OOC channel, yelling, shouting, the say channel, stuff like that.

In a MUD that is RP-enforced, your character is an entirely different person from yourself. They could have a different appearance, a different age, a different way of speaking, and different habits than you do IRL. RP-enforced MUDs often times have zero global OOC forms of communication, though CLOK does have the chat channel, which is OOC, as well as the question channel, which is also OOC. On those channels, you can speak how you would normally, but playing your character is an entirely different matter entirely.

In Character Behavior

So how should I conduct myself in an RP-enforced MUD so as to be in character?

It's easy! You can do virtually anything you want, so long as it fits the theme of the game itself. Before starting CLOK, I perused their wiki for a time to learn a bit about the game before formulating what it is I wanted to play on the MUD itself.

Some examples of what you would not want to do while interacting with other players IC:

• Say "sup dawg" to them with the say command.
• Ask them if they saw the Super Bowl last year.
• Use acronyms formulated on the internet (lol, rofl, stfu) on IC channels like say or ESP.
• Use IRL slang in general.

Basically, you want to immerse yourself in the lore that an RP-enforced MUD has to offer you. The character you are playing is a product of this lore and of the world of CLOK as a whole. Let me walk you through the process I go through when making a character for an RP-enforced MUD!

Creating a character concept

First, I came up with a name for my character. Based upon what I discovered about the race I wanted to play (Gigan), I came up with a name that suits the theme of the game better than my real name.

Second, I took a look at the Gigan race on the CLOK Wiki to learn all that I could about them.

Third, I sat down and took some time to consider things that my character would like and would dislike. I made a character sheet, effectively - you might know what one of those are if you've ever played D&D, but if you don't, here's a little example.

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Likes: Booze, Fighting, Talking Loudly, Meeting New People

Dislikes: Cowards, Wearing Metal Armor, Weak People"

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Just a little something to help you imagine and envision the character that you want to play. You can make that as long as you please, or not do one at all if you have a good idea as to how you want to play your character.

Fourth, I got in and started role playing with people! Let me show you a little example of how it probably went.

Example Interaction

Joe walks in from the north.

Laroremas says to Joe, "Good day to you, stranger! I was wondering if you knew where the bakery was here in Shadgard?"

Joe hmms.

Joe says to Laroremas, "I believe it is on the west side of town, near the party pavilion and down the road from the bank."

Laroremas laughs!

Laroremas exclaims to Joe, "I knew I walked right by it! Thanks, pal! By the way, what's your name?"

Joe says to Laroremas, "Oh, I'm Joe. Sorry, I'm a little absent minded right now, otherwise I would have introduced myself right away."

Laroremas shakes his head.

Laroremas says to Joe, "It's alright. I get like that sometimes, too. I'm Laroremas. Good to meet you!"

Joe nods.

Joe says to Laroremas, "Good to meet you too. If you'll excuse me, I have to go see to something at the workyard."

Laroremas says to Joe, "Sure thing! Thanks for the directions, pal."

Joe nods.

Joe leaves east."

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So, from that little interaction, I incorporated two of my character's "likes" into his little encounter with Joe. First, Laroremas was talking loudly to Joe, which some people might see as rude, but that's just the way Laroremas talks. Second, Laroremas was very upfront and friendly with Joe, someone who he had never met before, which fits into his liking meeting new people.

Final Things

Your character certainly doesn't have to have any of those traits, but it helps to distinguish some traits that your character might have in interactions with other players so you can begin shaping your character's personality, which will in turn help you to immerse yourself in your IC, role playing interactions with other players.

Laroremas is very unlike how I am IRL). I do not yell at people I've just met, nor do I enjoy drinking booze. Beginning to see the overlapping trend, here? In playing an RP-enforced MUD, you are effectively playing (for the most part) an entirely different person, in an entirely different world with an entirely different history from our world, occupied by entirely different people.

In closing, here are a few references for you, new player, about some things in game that would be seen as IC, and some things that would be OOC.

OOC THINGS:

• Sending a tell to other players
• Everything said on the chat channel
• Everything said on the question channel
• Everyone on your friends list

IC THINGS:

• Using the say command, or sayto command to talk with other characters with your character.
• Using the esp command to talk to other characters.
• Buying/selling something from/to a vendor in game.
• Going out and killing a stag or a pheasant.
• Getting hurt and having a herbalist or healer in an infirmary healing your wounds, and paying them for their work.
• Having your armor repaired at a blacksmith.
• Eating food.
• And many more!

When playing CLOK, I enter with this mindset: every action I take is being influenced by what my character would do, not by what I myself IRL would do. Every action that my character takes will have some form of IC consequence, whether it be if he decided to steal from someone IC, or kill another player or mob, or simply something he said to another character.

Please remember that you can ask ANY question you might have about the game itself on the question channel, and more than a few people would be more than happy to answer any questions that you might have, no matter what it might be about. If you are conflicted or confused about if something is IC or OOC, don't be afraid to ask on question!

A Good Rule of Thumb

Don't do OOC things in IC situations, and don't talk about IC things on OOC mediums.