'All the world is a stage, and we are but players.
Sometimes we come on, sometimes we go off.
and sometimes the crowd throws peanuts.'
- Terry Pratchett
Over the last decade or so, this is one of the hardest questions
I've ever been asked. Its also a suprisingly frequent one.
The problem is that roleplaying is different to different
people. To a hardened dungeons & dragons player, roleplaying
can often mean increasing your experience, looting magical
items, and surviving the next dungeon. For an actor, it
is learning lines and scenes to ensure he has the best
possible portrayal, running over various methodologys
one by one. To a Masquerade live action player, its about
the depth of character, and the chance to explore emotions
and responses, plumbing the depths of ones psyche. To a team
motivator in the business world its a useful tool for
practicing policy and enhancing performance.
It's a whole barrel of monkeys we've opened here.
Therefore, the only way I can go about answering this
question is to say what the word 'roleplaying' is to me.
Right now, I've got my oxford english dictionary open to
the entry for Roleplaying, and ignoring what it says
about its use in psychology, the only other reference is
that roleplaying means simply 'participating in a roleplaying
game'.
Fairly simple, at least in essence, and very true of Cardea.
When you step into this world, you take on the guise of
a character. This character initially consists of very
little, just a name, the one you have chosen to go by. This
makes choosing a name a very important issue, you need to
be happy with your name, as you are likely to be stuck with
it for a long, long time.
Your initial days of life are a blur of confusion, concepts
are hurled at you from all directions, but something important
is already beginning to happen. That one word name is slowly
beginning to turn into a 'character'.
Perhaps our question should not be 'what is roleplaying?',
but instead should be 'What is a character?'.
The first thing everyone learns about their character
is how to measure them. By looking at Score, Stat, Inventory,
Skills and experience you gain a picture of what your
character can do, and for many players that is the depth
of an RPG.
Cardea challenges you to take another step forward.
As well as these simple statistics, your character can
also be defined by their experiences, memories and attitudes.
The enemies you make, and the allies you find will have
an effect on your style of play, and thus your characters
personality, as will the events you are party to, and those
you witness.
Your character, persona, PC or Avatar, whatever you want to
call it, is an extension of you. Its like a costume you
would wear to a fancy dress party, or a role you would
play on a stage. Its a funny accent, and some odd mannerisms,
and a curious quirk or two. Your character might even have
developed a few flaws, or a bit of a reputation by now.
However your character develops, its certainly going to
be living a life different to your real one.
And roleplaying, at its most fundamental, is a recognition
and manipulation of that basic knowledge.
As things happen around, and to, your character, you have
the perfect interface, and prime opportunity, here in
Cardea, to step back and think to yourself...
'Given all that my Character knows and has seen, how would
*they* react.'
Far too many people fall into the dreaded traps of acting
on immediate impulse, or simply doing what the player
themselves would do 'if it were for real'.
Well, how good would a horror movie be if no one went
into the cellar, or they just moved out of the haunted
house, or they stuck together in a nice, safe room until
sunrise?
How good would a fantasy novel be if the hero didn't take
up the formidable odds, or face the insurmountable foe?
This doesn't mean you have to be stupid, it just means that
your actions, words and deeds need to be appropriate to
the game you are playing. Act appropriately, respond
accordingly, and the game will unfold before you. If you
just sit there, and watch the world scroll by, then you
might well miss out on the rich tableux of roleplaying
that awaits.
I could go on for hours, and we could get into all
sorts of debates, believe me, but I shall bring this
to a close for now with these words...
Role - A character or part that you play.
Playing - Having fun.
Q.E.D. Roleplaying - have fun with your character!
