Getting in the Mood for RP

[Sig]

I'm curious to see if other roleplayers have any customs, quirks, or habits they do before or during RP sessions that help promote immersion, creativity, or enjoyment of RP. 

 

For example, I almost always try to minimize all RL distractions (especially cell phone and web browsing) and listen to albums during RP sessions (vinyl when possible).  I'm also a sucker for lighting scented candles and drinking (especially IPAs and red wine) during roleplay. I find that I RP better and enjoy it more when I observe these customs.

 

What sort of customs, quicks, or habits help your roleplay?

[Roen]

Music. If I can think up a soundtrack or a score that fits the scene, then I'll play that. I also have some playlists for specific moods, so they help too if I know what the scene will be about.

 

If not, just listening to music that I've compiled for specific character also helps.

 

Darker, quieter room helps too.

 

I find that alcohol however hampers me rather than help.

[Sig]

 

Darker, quieter room helps too.

 

 

Oh, interesting.  Lighting could really impact RP in ways.  If I think about it, I almost always open windows or turn lights on when I RP.  Weird.

[Martiallais]

Back when I originally started playing Martiallais, I would literally play/listen to this video before I RP'd him.

 

 

 

4DOKzTHaPfM

 

 

 

Getting the 'feeling/tone' of his words right was a big deal for me (since before then I'd been playing Zarek, an Ul'dahn street tough basically) as it was my first steps into RP'ing as an Ishgardian and there were only the NPCs in Coerthas to go by.

 

Nowadays I like to go with music in general, a nice soundtrack to fit the scene typically (I love 8tracks.com for this) though I sort of default to something softer unless it's a heavy combat/hunting RP.

[Erah'sae]

 

Darker, quieter room helps too.

 

 

Oh, interesting.  Lighting could really impact RP in ways.  If I think about it, I almost always open windows or turn lights on when I RP.  Weird.

It really does.  If you set your local ambiance to fit the sort of persona that matches the character, it helps immerse yourself better.

 

For me most of my perpetration is to make sure I've got a pitcher of water near by and I've shut down most other forms of social media.  Music I put on only sometimes, FFXIV's music isn't horrible for immersion on its own.

[Virella]

I have to admit the only requirement for me is making sure people cannot lurk onto my screen while roleplaying. And I cannot roleplay with someone who's in the same room as I am irl, unless it is at events or something, and preferable still not with one another.

 

That said, I have the odd tick I got to mute my sound when roleplay is getting too 'intense' and I need to focus. What... rarely happens I admit. And I bounce around a lot onto my chair in general. I rarely sit still. I hate it when people catch me doing that irl :<

 

But really, the only requirement is that I don't like people lurking onto my screen while roleplaying! And I can't do it with the same person in the same room irl. That's really about it.

[111]

I just sit down in my chair and RP <_<.

 

Sometimes I drink booze? Not always though. I have to get in a particular mood to write IC posts and stuff, but for RP is just hammer away at the keys.

[Sig]

I have to admit the only requirement for me is making sure people cannot lurk onto my screen while roleplaying. And I cannot roleplay with someone who's in the same room as I am irl, unless it is at events or something, and preferable still not with one another.

 

That said, I have the odd tick I got to mute my sound when roleplay is getting too 'intense' and I need to focus. What... rarely happens I admit. And I bounce around a lot onto my chair in general. I rarely sit still. I hate it when people catch me doing that irl :<

 

But really, the only requirement is that I don't like people lurking onto my screen while roleplaying! And I can't do it with the same person in the same room irl. That's really about it.

 

Agreed.  Few things are worse than screen lurkers.

[Aden Dellebecque]

Music, it's always music, no matter the format (LARP, tabletop, MMO, etc.). It's easier to begin behaving in-character or switch between characters when I have them keyed to songs or types of music. So I've gotta have something other than the standard in-game music playing.

[Faye]

I have to admit the only requirement for me is making sure people cannot lurk onto my screen while roleplaying. And I cannot roleplay with someone who's in the same room as I am irl, unless it is at events or something, and preferable still not with one another.

 

That said, I have the odd tick I got to mute my sound when roleplay is getting too 'intense' and I need to focus. What... rarely happens I admit. And I bounce around a lot onto my chair in general. I rarely sit still. I hate it when people catch me doing that irl :<

 

But really, the only requirement is that I don't like people lurking onto my screen while roleplaying! And I can't do it with the same person in the same room irl. That's really about it.

 

This. I cannot RP if someone is peeking at my screen, or if someone is talking to me, even on the phone (okay, I can write posts while on the phone, but it means I'm probably not responding/listening to the person on the phone, so...). Aside from that? I can always RP, no problem getting in the mood, even while watching a show or something on the other monitor. But if I really want to focus and write quality posts, I just make sure I'm not watching something else and that there's no sound but maybe some quiet, scene appropriate music.

[Altitis Acquired]

I like to light up a few candles...

put on some smooth jazz or something with low bass tones...

then I spray a bit of my favourite perfume around in the room...

pour myself a glass of wine...

then I strip down...

put on my Spider-man costume...

lie in my bed...

and then I log on.

[Melkire]

Before? I don't need anything other than to log in and spend a few minutes picking an outfit, brainstorming where my character was, and brainstorming what he was doing prior to the scene.

 

During? I get up and pace while waiting for replies/emotes. I plan out a variety of character thoughts and reactions while doing so.

[Simeon Sibaruse]

Uh, kind of fun subject to think of. But no spider-man costume here, sadly. 

There is two possibility for me as preparations.

 

First one, to make things as erratics as possible. As much light as I can muster, loud music, completely out-of character, like russian nightcore, boosted to the max, when playing an noble. That's freaking disturbingly good. Most of the time, that when people try to piss me off with real needs when playing. Or talking to me. Or try to give advices... I may have nothing against people reading over my shoulder, but I have against people thinking they can comment on it. Or half-closed doors. That's dumb. Why to half-close it, seriously? Doors are meant to be open, or close. Not half and half.

 

Second one, is a polar opposite. Like sitting in the darkest and coldest corner of my house, in utter silence, only my computer as companion. Hopefully, there is a basement to do it. I feel that basement have a nice smell with roleplaying. To ask me why, i can't answer this. No, there is no basement in my house, so this option is kind of lacking. But hey, maybe the next one will do.

[Dravus]

I usually listen to music during and before role-play to get me in the right mood. Sometimes that will be music from the game itself but it's just as likely that it'll be music from some other game. I don't generally listen to music with lyrics though - for whatever reason it just doesn't have the same effect for me as the standard background tracks in RPG's.

 

If I'm due to engage in a particularly intense or dramatic scene then I need the room to be empty. I don't like engaging in in-depth role-play if there's major distractions. So I do my best to ensure that there's nothing that'll force me to have to go AFK rather suddenly.

[Greybarren]

Pretty much the same as the rest of you.

 

• Music before/during, instrumental stuff mostly.  I do have varied general lists for specific characters, settings, and moods.  I can't listen to anything electronic/digital while RPing in FF for example, but did so for EvE and MXO.
  
• Get that character dressed (5 minutes to 2 hours.)
  
• Get off Skype/Mumble/Discord/Vent/whatever.  People chatting can completely break my chain of thought on the character.
  
• Very serious RP = No one else about.  General or lighter RP doesn't bother me as much, but someone lurking over my shoulder can make me super conscious about what I am typing.
  
• Beverages and snacks are a must!  :moogle:
  

The only thing I haven't seen mentioned (unless I missed it) was actually doing a half/hour of reading before hand.  Kinda warms up the engine a bit as reading seems to turn the same gears in my head that are used for RP.  I only really do this for pretty heavy RP or having to pick up or continue from a major scene that needed to be split for meatspace stuff.  Or if I haven't RPed in a long time.

[Chillsmack]

Back when I originally started playing Martiallais, I would literally play/listen to this video before I RP'd him.

 

 

 

4DOKzTHaPfM

 

 

 

Getting the 'feeling/tone' of his words right was a big deal for me (since before then I'd been playing Zarek, an Ul'dahn street tough basically) as it was my first steps into RP'ing as an Ishgardian and there were only the NPCs in Coerthas to go by.

 

Nowadays I like to go with music in general, a nice soundtrack to fit the scene typically (I love 8tracks.com for this) though I sort of default to something softer unless it's a heavy combat/hunting RP.

 

God that was such a fantastic game, an amazing world, and a freakin' sweet intro movie. I'm still waiting for them to reboot it (and hopefully not into total crap lol)

 

Back to the question...

 

I'm primarily a forum RPer and run my own board, so when I'm writing there I'm already in that headspace, and it makes an easy transition to in-game when I log on. Otherwise, the motivation to log into the game usually has the desire to RP attached to it. I've always done a tiny bit of RP/headcanon stuff in any game so it just comes natural.

[Aaron]

I don't really do anything. 

 

Unless making sure I have a snack at the ready every time. Or none of my friends are online playing a different game counts.

[Mia Moui]

I don't really do anything. 

 

Unless making sure I have a snack at the ready every time. Or none of my friends are online playing a different game counts.

 

Same.

 

I've been RP'ing for so long that it is just something I can do by reflex.  I don't have to be in a particular mood.  I know my characters well enough that their reactions and inquiries just roll - at least they roll if that's what they're meant to be.

 

I have the advantage of having only one RP character at any one time.  Once Black Desert launches, I may have to pay a little more attention to which character I'm playing.

 

Then again - is just finding the time a kind of mood?  Because that's my biggest problem at the moment - no time.

[saccharine_bliss]

In the words of our Holy Father, Ernest Hemingway

 

 

"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."

 

 

When that doesn't work, 8tracks is pretty nice.

[LadyRochester]

Like others mentioned before, I can't rp if someone else is peeking at my screen. I hate, hate, hate that with absolute passion. Even if I'm not roleplaying or doing anything "incriminating", I don't like it when people look at my screen. I'm very fastidious about this. I can't talk to other people either unless they are willing to let me finish/write my posts and read others before I address them. Fun fact: 9/10 people don't like it when you choose RP over talking to them. I understand it. 

 

Wine helps, sometimes, but it isn't a must. I prefer quiet environments or appropriate music while I RP, otherwise I become disengaged and it becomes VERY noticeable in my posts (Hint: Yes, it's because I'm a shitlord.) If I'm distracted while RP'ing, it really hinders my performance. This has led to disappointing RP more than once. I have made myself cringe with RP I did little over a year ago. It's painful.

[Ashe]

Music....

Or try to picture the way the RP can go and mentally prepare for all outcomes.

When I RP I tend to block out all social media...and try to concentrate.

Move my cats out of the way....

Choosing which job/outfit glamour I want my character in....

Yeah....

Nothing too special?

[Korin]

I tend to panic and flail about for between 15-30 minutes before finally deciding whether I can actually make a worthwhile contribution to the RP or not ;;

 

...Otherwise, music! It doesn't even have to fit the scene, I just rarely find myself writing (or drawing, or that matter) without it.

[Teadrinker]

Like others mentioned before, I can't rp if someone else is peeking at my screen. I hate, hate, hate that with absolute passion. Even if I'm not roleplaying or doing anything "incriminating", I don't like it when people look at my screen. I'm very fastidious about this. I can't talk to other people either unless they are willing to let me finish/write my posts and read others before I address them. Fun fact: 9/10 people don't like it when you choose RP over talking to them. I understand it. 

 

Wine helps, sometimes, but it isn't a must. I prefer quiet environments or appropriate music while I RP, otherwise I become disengaged and it becomes VERY noticeable in my posts (Hint: Yes, it's because I'm a shitlord.) If I'm distracted while RP'ing, it really hinders my performance. This has led to disappointing RP more than once. I have made myself cringe with RP I did little over a year ago. It's painful.

 

This is pretty much me 100%.

[Duplicitous Dame]

I'm pretty similar to what others have previously stated.

 

*I'm finicky about the environment in my den. The lights have to be dimmed, candles lit, and desk fan set to low. I can't concentrate if I'm not comfortable. I also have two of my favorite blankets nearby to curl up with in my computer chair. Add my favorite juice, and a snack, and I'm good to go!

 

*Music. I have to have my music. Each character has their own playlist, and separate playlists are made for different moods or if there's combat. Buuuut, if it's a particularly heavy RP scene, I'll forego music or at least swap to something that has no words. Sometimes I get caught up hearing the words and it breaks my concentration.

 

*I haaaaate screen lurkers or if people bother me during heavy RP scenes. On social media I'll set myself as "Away/Busy" or just log out of it entirely. My phone gets put on silent and I'll close out of internet tabs that I don't need. If someone IRL needs my attention, I always tell them to please tap my shoulder first (9/10 times I'll have my headphones on and won't hear if they call my name) and I'll hold up my finger if I need a second before responding to them.

 

*I like get my character's outfit ready before RP, and depending on how much I know of the context of the situation, I'll start mentally shifting myself into their headspace. Attitude, thoughts, opinions, general responses/actions. With Nahare, though, she pretty much comes to me second nature. I've had her for about two years now, so it doesn't take me as long to sink into her headspace like it does for my other characters. Then again, if it's a new situation she's being thrown into, it can take me a minute to adjust lol.

[Ekidna]

I'm not different from most of you guys.

 

> Music. Always. I always have a specific theme for each of my character, and I like listening to osts when role-playing. As long as it fits the scenery mood it helps a lot focusing and writing. Things like 2 steps from hell are actually quite useful for most of mmorpgs rp. 

 

> As a matter of fact I can't really focus on what I'm writing if people are talking to me at the same time, I find it quite hard. And I'm like many of you - I can't focus on writing when there's another person in the room.

 

> I usually play in the dark, or with dim soft light. Comfort is really essential to be in the mood for imagination. 

 

> Chosing an outfit depending on the situation. I'm the fashion-victim type, I always need an outfit for each possible situation!

 

Then it's just about being carried away by imagination and see what we can build and share with other people's sense of improvisation : )