First off I'd like to suggest that this be put alongside "What is RP" on the main website.
To the newbie Role-Player:
Role-Playing is a skill which develops over time. Do not feel discouraged if you don't understand all the rules just by reading them for the first time. Most of us would be glad to help open the world of RP to anyone who is interested. This means that we may correct you, especially in the beginning. Of course this should be done constructively, but just know that we are not picking on you, or don't want you to RP.
For example when I first started, I typed in shorthand, "How r u guys?" Someone quickly sent me a /tell saying that I should type out every word. At the time I didn't even ask why, I saw others do the same, and figured I should too. If you don't understand why a certain rule is in place, it's alright to ask, but also note that you may not understand it fully until you are more experienced at RP'ing. Now I could tell that typing in shorthand reduces game immersion for most/all RP'ers, hence that rule was in place.
Don't be intimidated by other characters or stories. It might be overwhelming to join a Guild/LS which has very thought out characters with deep history and on-going stories which started before you arrived. Don't feel pressured to join until you are comfortable with your own character and background. Some new RP'ers join stories and form bonds with other characters within the first week, for others it may take six months to really start "playing" with other RP'ers. In other words, take your time and go at your own pace.
This leads me to character development:
Do you have to have an idea for your characters background? No. Is it better to have one? Absolutely.
You as a person respond to others based on your views, past experiences, etc. Imagine if you joined some sort of an organization or a club but had total amnesia. How would you interact? What would you say? How would you react to others?
This is why even a rough outline of your character is always beneficial. It doesn't have to be set in stone. In fact even seasoned RP'ers change their character's past at times by revealing something new which the character or others didn't know before. For example if you plan to be a good cleric at first, but then decide that you want to change your past- have a different persona... let your character discover something tragic which will steer them away from the clergy into the life of crime.
Your character doesn't have to have much depth as you join an Guild/LS, but as you learn about RP, you will also see other fleshed out characters, how they interact with others and the world. Take your time to think about how your character reacts to what's going on around them and why. Think about their background. Just as above, I knew RP'ers who had a clear idea of who their character is within a week, others took longer. When you plan their history, it's okay to leave things out, make gaps. You may get ideas later on and fill them in. I don't advise you to launch any kind of a story arch until your character's history is more or less figured out.
How to find your perfect Guild/LS:
First I'd like to say that there should be no stigma attached to leaving one Guild for another. People have their differences, whether it's between them and the rules, the RP style, or a specific person. It's juvenile to be mad at someone because they left a Guild to join another or be a freelancer. As a new Role Player, you should never feel trapped or obligated to stay in a Guild which doesn't seem to fit you or your character.
That being said I believe that whatever Guild you start in, it's likely going to shape your view of RP and the way you create your character. In this case there is no better guild for you than the one you started in. However this might be outdated (unless you join a guild in-game without any research) because of this Coalition. Now a new Role-Player can look at the list of Guilds and figure out which will suit them.
It's easier to know which guild will work for you the more you plan your character ahead of time. Most if not all Guilds will have a website and/or forums where you can check out their style of RP. Again, the more you know about yourself as a RP'er, the faster you will find a Guild which suits you. It's okay if you don't though, some Guilds will simply inspire you. You will see your character having a title within that Guild, or you will begin to imagine a background for your avatar by looking at the environment in which they will be placed. Other Guilds will have like-minded people which you will be drawn to naturally. In my experience, I usually have similar RP preferences with players that I can connect with on an OOC level. If you see that people share your opinions, you like their style of writing, then you might want to check out their Guild.
That's all I have to say (write) for now. Hope new Role Players find this info helpful.
To the newbie Role-Player:
Role-Playing is a skill which develops over time. Do not feel discouraged if you don't understand all the rules just by reading them for the first time. Most of us would be glad to help open the world of RP to anyone who is interested. This means that we may correct you, especially in the beginning. Of course this should be done constructively, but just know that we are not picking on you, or don't want you to RP.
For example when I first started, I typed in shorthand, "How r u guys?" Someone quickly sent me a /tell saying that I should type out every word. At the time I didn't even ask why, I saw others do the same, and figured I should too. If you don't understand why a certain rule is in place, it's alright to ask, but also note that you may not understand it fully until you are more experienced at RP'ing. Now I could tell that typing in shorthand reduces game immersion for most/all RP'ers, hence that rule was in place.
Don't be intimidated by other characters or stories. It might be overwhelming to join a Guild/LS which has very thought out characters with deep history and on-going stories which started before you arrived. Don't feel pressured to join until you are comfortable with your own character and background. Some new RP'ers join stories and form bonds with other characters within the first week, for others it may take six months to really start "playing" with other RP'ers. In other words, take your time and go at your own pace.
This leads me to character development:
Do you have to have an idea for your characters background? No. Is it better to have one? Absolutely.
You as a person respond to others based on your views, past experiences, etc. Imagine if you joined some sort of an organization or a club but had total amnesia. How would you interact? What would you say? How would you react to others?
This is why even a rough outline of your character is always beneficial. It doesn't have to be set in stone. In fact even seasoned RP'ers change their character's past at times by revealing something new which the character or others didn't know before. For example if you plan to be a good cleric at first, but then decide that you want to change your past- have a different persona... let your character discover something tragic which will steer them away from the clergy into the life of crime.
Your character doesn't have to have much depth as you join an Guild/LS, but as you learn about RP, you will also see other fleshed out characters, how they interact with others and the world. Take your time to think about how your character reacts to what's going on around them and why. Think about their background. Just as above, I knew RP'ers who had a clear idea of who their character is within a week, others took longer. When you plan their history, it's okay to leave things out, make gaps. You may get ideas later on and fill them in. I don't advise you to launch any kind of a story arch until your character's history is more or less figured out.
How to find your perfect Guild/LS:
First I'd like to say that there should be no stigma attached to leaving one Guild for another. People have their differences, whether it's between them and the rules, the RP style, or a specific person. It's juvenile to be mad at someone because they left a Guild to join another or be a freelancer. As a new Role Player, you should never feel trapped or obligated to stay in a Guild which doesn't seem to fit you or your character.
That being said I believe that whatever Guild you start in, it's likely going to shape your view of RP and the way you create your character. In this case there is no better guild for you than the one you started in. However this might be outdated (unless you join a guild in-game without any research) because of this Coalition. Now a new Role-Player can look at the list of Guilds and figure out which will suit them.
It's easier to know which guild will work for you the more you plan your character ahead of time. Most if not all Guilds will have a website and/or forums where you can check out their style of RP. Again, the more you know about yourself as a RP'er, the faster you will find a Guild which suits you. It's okay if you don't though, some Guilds will simply inspire you. You will see your character having a title within that Guild, or you will begin to imagine a background for your avatar by looking at the environment in which they will be placed. Other Guilds will have like-minded people which you will be drawn to naturally. In my experience, I usually have similar RP preferences with players that I can connect with on an OOC level. If you see that people share your opinions, you like their style of writing, then you might want to check out their Guild.
That's all I have to say (write) for now. Hope new Role Players find this info helpful.
I’m the bullies you hate, that you became.