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Mercurias · **05-04-2015, 01:12 AM**

Typically, I start walkup roleplay by politely asking in tells whether the player is receptive to a walkup, since they could well be busy, OOC, or only wanting to talk to/ERP with (baby I ain't judgin') their friends. This also lets the person have a chance to get prepped (if needed) to get IC and lets them know your character is going to be talking to him/her.

After that, it depends on the character's personality.Â

My main, M'sato, normally starts by asking a question or making an observation (e.g. "/em steps over to x and frowns thoughtfully as he briefly studies him/her. "...S'cuse me for bothering you, but d'you mind my asking exactly what that thing you're holding is?")

My much flirtier alt, Solomon, would just make an idle observation and try to steer it into compliment territory (e.g. /em saunters over to the rail and leans on it, looking over at x with a smile. "I greatly love Ul'dah. A desert city so hot that its people so often choose to wear so little. What, if anything, do you enjoy about this great, gilded sandcastle?").

Soren, yet another alt who is a consummate Gemini, would probably open with a strange compliment that leads to a talking point (e.g. "Look, I'm sorry if this is going to sound strange, but that is the most purple shirt I have ever seen. And I mean that. You should be proud.").

Questions, observations, strange compliments that make them head-tilt...The important point is to try and engage the other party in a manner that encourages dialogue or a reaction. It gives the other party something to sink their teeth into rather than simply walking up, making a statement, and then waiting for the other party to try to figure out if you were addressing them and how to respond on the fly.

Dante Abigor · **05-05-2015, 07:41 AM**

/random until you get higher than someone, hit their character over the head with a club and drag them off. ??? Profit.

Seriously though for walkups its more about plugging your character into a situation you feel they could fit into. And you likely cant find out if it is one if you wallflower the Quicksand all day, so just be brave here and there and try Rping next to someone. If it doesn't work out, take some time to recover and try again with someone else.

I personally believe its more about conquering your own fear of being a horribad Rper than it is about walking up when it comes to walk ups. Also not being an intrusive titmelon.

Temmi · **05-05-2015, 01:44 PM**

While I agree with what a lot of people have said so far in the thread, I would like to add one huge comment.

Don't go into a random walk-up encounter unprepared!

This is scary!

As most people have said, if you want to walk up to someone, whisper them to politely ask if they're receptive. If they are, the next step is absolutely pivotal!

PLAN AHEAD!!

I absolutely never go into a new encounter without something planned. My character is distant, guarded, and on her own, would likely never choose to interact with another. But there are so many ways to fix this! I've had her trip over someone. I've had her sneeze on someone. I've given her an obvious and minor injury to drive conflict and conversation. I've had her nearly vomit on someone!

Don't just walk up to someone and expect amazing roleplay to just magically happen! It might not! Set yourself up for success!! Think of something hilarious and cool that could happen to your character, or that your character could do to someone else.

Does your character think they are someone else?
Is your character racist against them?
Is your character doing something suspicious? (even if they aren't, phrase your words to add intrigue!)
Does your character think they are doing something suspicious?

There are so many ideas to spark off an amazing scene, and you will have people super interested to come back and roleplay with you again! Unless I'm roleplaying with someone whom I'm very comfortable with, I almost never play reactive.

I know some people greatly enjoy having nice, organic roleplay, and that's totally fine! That's not mutually exclusive with being prepared, as it were. Just think of a few little tidbits to add to the scene, and let everything else happen as it may! That's the stance I usually take anyway. I'll throw in a few ice breakers, stir the pot, then just let it boil!

If someone else is approaching you for walk-up, the burden is more upon them to have something interesting to say or do to draw the scene along, so don't fret about that, but if you are walking up to someone else,Â you should absolutely take five minutes to think of something to spark a scene first. It will be worth it! I promise you!

EDIT to comment: My closest and most valuable RP partner was gained from a simple, random poke. Don't let anyone tell you that walk up isn't fruitful (but certainly don't disbelieve them if they say it's hard!)

C'kayah Polaali · **05-05-2015, 02:03 PM**

There's been a lot of good advice in this thread, so I'm not going to say much more than simply "Yes, do all this!"

One thing that hasn't come up here, however, is that walk-up RP especially benefits from the "yes, and..." RP habit: When you walk up to someone and start yakking at them, try to do so with an overly open mind. No matter how they respond, try to make your response to them be in the form of "Yes, and...", as opposed to "No". I'm not talking about your actual words here, mind you. Just your attitude.

Quote:"So, you come here often?"
"Not really. You see, Ishgard usually has me assigned to the front lines to combat the Dravanian horde..."
"But... but... You're half-Lalafell and half-Au Ra. Ishgard doesn't employ..."
"Bite me!" <RP ends>

Quote:"So, you come here often?"
"Not really. You see, Ishgard usually has me assigned to the front lines to combat the Dravanian horde..."
"Interesting! I didn't think Ishgard employed many half-Lalafell half-Au Ra Dragoons."
"Well, it's an interesting story. You see, my mother was a silver merchant from Ul'dah, but she ran afoul of the Syndicate and was driven into exile, where she met..." <RP continues>

See the difference? Now you, personally, may feel that a half-Lalafell half-Au Ra Ishgardian Dragoon is as likely as Elvis living in a condo on the moon, but you're getting RP out of playing along with it. And hey, from your point of view, said Dragoon might merely be an entertaining crazy person! Going along with their RP doesn't mean you have to accept everything they say as the truth!

I'm personally a big fan of walk-up RP. I like hearing people's stories. That said, I do what Verad (and a number of other people in this thread) suggest: I send people OOC /tells asking if they want to RP. Sometimes we'll discuss our characters a little, so that we can roll into the RP having heard rumors of the others. Sometimes we'll talk about why they might interact, so we can roll into it having a purpose. Mainly, though, talking OOCly before walking up ensures that the other person is both there at the keyboard and interested in RP with you. The only thing worse than trying to RP with someone who simply walks away is trying to RP with someone who simply doesn't respond - until 30 minutes later when they send you a tell saying "Sorry, I was cleaning up a Wagnerian quantity of cat barf!"

Nelson Herrmann · **05-05-2015, 02:30 PM**

Just think of it Â as if you're in Â real Â life. Â Ask all those questions to Â yourself Â and Â go in for the kill. Â If you bother yourself too much, Â you won't be able to do it!

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Walk-up Roleplay Advice.

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