What is Roleplaying?

Introduction.

roleplaying is as name suggests, playing 'roles'.


Types of Roleplaying games.

there are roleplaying games:

- online roleplaying games,
- traditional (pen & paper or tabletop) roleplaying games,
- LARPs (Live Action Roleplaying) with costumes, terrain, perhaps more,
- offline computer rpg games for single player,
- perhaps more (i know too little about improvised theatres, cosplays, etc... to write about, for now at least).

they have something in common - player assumes a role, and 'plays' it appropriately, as in 'theatre' to certain extent.

roleplaying games are not a model of Reality, but a form of artful expression - though many would disagree. in blog author's opinion they are just styled for certain 'worlds', model worlds that live in game's creator's head.

roleplaying games can be used to express Artfully, to practice Lyrics & other Arts, to meet with other players & get to know each other & their 'worlds'.

in blog author's opinion game mechanic is not so important as game worlds & Art, but everyone who plays can play as they please. some prefer to outsmart others with game mechanics (mathematical rules, statistics) & kick other players' assess. many don't like that type of abuse, preferring beauty to strength. solution is to not play with players who do abuse too much - unless You can handle this somehow.


Traditional or Pen & Paper Roleplaying.

a group, or troupe of roleplayers meets & plays a scenario / story (more about scenarios / stories later).

each player plays one character which fulfills certain role in group & world, (there are exceptions, later about that), with a storyguide (storyteller, game master, dungeon master etc...) playing non-player characters, narrating & judging outcomes of players' decisions.

after a certain time, when scenario is finished, all characters dead, or time runs out - game session is over. memories remain, characters develop or detoriate.


Online Theatre.

- Arcade Roleplaying.

most online roleplaying computer games offer a world in which groups of players can play characters with certain abilities and fight against monsters & themselves. with chat option there's possibility to roleplay and perhaps many use it.

but many do not.

- Online Theatre.

there are strictly roleplaying online games with focus on playing roles & character interaction.

(... more to come later, probably ...)