Welcome to my terms, and formatting page! I created this page for people trying to learn how to role play. Or even just a refresher for those who have been out of the role playing scene for a while! If you're a fellow role player, and you see something missing. That you think people should know please contact me and I'll add it! If some things are still confusing ask. I'll explain them to you in more detail. Just know, i'll ask if you read these first.
Terms
GM= God mode/Godmoder- This kind of character has too many skills, powers, abilities and so on. To start off with. If they can even get hurt they heal in a few seconds, or in a blink of an eye! They may even move people's character, and say that they have done something. When they have not.
How to Avoid: Try to be semi-realistic, start off with a few powers, skills or abilities. 3 is a good number I have found. And over time get more, while in the role play. Explain what your attack/attacks 'would' do if it landed. Allow the other person to react in the way they see fit. Be it to block, dodge or counter attack!
PP= Power Play/Power Player- This is one step under a god mode. They don’t quite have every power, but they still have A lot more than anyone should! They may stay hurt a bit longer than a god mode. Both Godmoders and power players make the situation favor them. By coming up with new things to suit the situation be it a power, weapon, abilities, and so on.
How to Avoid: See God mode explanation, and to add don't make new stuff up to help you in Every situation! Roll with the punches.
MS/GS= Mary Sue/Gary Sue- With this term theirs two sides of the coin. And not just because Gary= guys, and Mary= ladies.
1.) A person who is overly 'Imperfect'. Some examples of this are people. That have too many illnesses. Mental, physical what have you! A person who is overly weak, and never grows stronger. Crying all the time over some sort of dark past. Without moving forward, or having meaning behind it. Many people use dead family, clan, and so on. This makes the role play revolve around this person shortcoming. If a person can move past the things list above then their not Mary or Gary sues.
How to Avoid: If your person is weak allow them to get stronger. If they are very sickly have them get healthier, and stay away from needless death! You can have a dark past, even family death. Just have a good reason, and not just because you can kill them off!
2.) The side of Over 'Perfection'. What this means is that the person can do no wrong, they're always right. Which makes the role play follow their ‘achievements’. They most often time end up power playing/god modding as well. Which makes them dull. So the role play has to be all about them.
How to Avoid: Everyone has strengths and weakness. The same should be applied to characters! No one's perfect even if we try and pretend to be. With that give you person a good mix of both.
OC= Original Character- This term is normally used when a person is making a character fit into some sort of series. Be it something you watch or read. Examples: check out my Anime and Video game/ Book/Movie tabs. Each person is my own creation, made to fit into those series worlds.
CC= Cannon Character- This is the other side of the coin for character based in a series. People choice a character from the Series they like, and then they play them. Doing their best to act like the character! These characters info can be found easily online which they can pull as needed. Also, most people get the info directly from the source. Example: Bleach- Ichigo, Ghost in the Shell- the Major, Pokemon- Ash and so on.
Smut/Cyber- Both of these words mean the same thing. It means that the people both know that they're coming together for sex and nothing more.
ERP= Erotic Role Play- Is similar to Smut, and Cyber. However, unlike the two above. People claim that they have a story before they have sex. Some joke that it's like Hentai. where a story builds up around the people's sexual encounter/fetishes. None the less, these role play's have erotic themes and cybers in them.
Rp= Role play- A role play is a term that can mean many things! But the type of role play were talking about is the written kind. In this kind, people create a fictional setting and story. In which the users play a character they make up. Be it all original, or based on a series.
Slice of Life- I’m not sure this is used elsewhere in the way it is here. When a person wants a Slice of Life role play. These are role plays that emulate real life. Some sub-genres to this are School, work/career and people traveling the world, Cowboys and Indians. I could list on! Basically anything that can happen in real life now a days.
Role play v.s. Chat Play
Role play Format
“Talk"<--- is done in between quotes like that. *Thought*<--- when a person thinks to themselves it most often look like that. On rare occasion, people use ' '. I'll ask that you use Stars for thinking. It may also be used for telepathy. Which a person would say who their thoughts are going to. At the end of both it's proper to put the name of your person. Along with word describing emotion, tone or if it was a statement. Or if it was a question. Action/narration have no symbols in role play format. This is the role play standard across the board. Role play is also done in 3rd person as we're not playing ourselves or telling people what to do. Which makes 1st and 2nd unviable. People also post a wide verity of length depending on how long they have been role playing, or what they're comfortable with!
Roleplay Example (A short example)
The wind howled on a stormy afternoon. Sand started to slowly coat the window and all the surfaces outside. "This is going to be one hell of a storm!" A drunk man called out from one of the bar stools. "That it is. I don't really have room for you all to board. But your welcome to ride out this nasty storm." The Bartender said. Slowly the red hair vixen turned toward the bartender. As her emerald eyes seemed to look through his soul. "Thank you, sir it's much appreciated!" Ava said with the tip of her hat, to the man. Turning back to the window she watched the storm rage on. *Lets hope it blows over soon. I need to leave before they catch up to me..* Ava thought to herself.
Chat play Format's
Unlike Role play format, chat play has no format set in stone. This is made up person to person, some may adopt other people's chat play format. This is found largely on Chatango labeled as Role play. I have seen this on other sites that were meant for chats as well. That in time became role play friendly. However, there's an unlimited amount of combinations for this format. Chat play is normally done in the first person however, people also do third and sometimes second!
Chat Play Example (Below is a short example)(This is only one of many)
-The wind howled on a stormy afternoon. Sand started to slowly coat the window and all the surfaces outside.- *This is going to be one hell of a storm!* -A drunk man called out from one of the bar stools.- *That it is. I don't really have room for you all to board. But your welcome to ride out this nasty storm.* -The Bartender said. Slowly I looked over to the man. As my red hair swayed behind me. My emerald eyes seemed to look through his soul.-*Thank you, sir it's much appreciated!*-Ava said with the tip of her hat to the man. Turning back to the window she watched the storm rage on.- 'Let's hope it blows over soon. I need to leave before they catch up to me..' -Ava thought to herself.-
1st person- I saw the Tiger swim in its pool.
2nd person- Becca saw the tiger swim in its pool or You saw the tiger swim in the pool (The normal form of second. It's when someone says someone else saw, did or said something. Which is consider power play/god mode in roleplay)
2nd person odd: Becca saw the tiger swim in its pool. Yes, Becca did. (This is a person referring to themselves in second)
3rd person- She saw the Tiger swim in its pool.