I learned four lessons when I was being taught how to RPG.
The Five Senses, Communitcation, and Power.
The last lesson was the overall goal, The Promise.
I understand that these lessons may not be to everyoneâs liking, but itâs my own way of how to RPG, and I donât think itâs a half bad list.
Lesson Three is Pending.
Sub Element Lessons pending as well
How to Lengthen Posts:
This is what many come to the RPG Acad for. The best way Iâve found to lengthen posts is to add details of the world. And further describe your character, adding internal dialogue and SOME flashbacks help but arenât needed every post. Adding some smaller actions such as a hand wave or drum of the fingers on a table works well.
The quality of your posts will make a better impression then the length.
Some RPGers never move beyond three long paragraphs but those paragraphs are packed so well that you have to read every word to make sure you didnât miss anything.
There is a way of writing the skeleton of your post first and then go back over it to further see into the details.
In the world of writing, you make a contract between the reader and yourself.
You make a promise. As to what that promise is- it depends on the story and the writer.
In the flipside world of RPG, itâs no different, though instead of making a promise just to the reader, youâre also making a promise to the other writers.
The World is the first part of the Promise, and following the build of the world is very important.
RPGers rely on team work. As a team, we may be as small as 2 or as many as 12 or more. We lean on the post above and take details from that sample of writing to further the story along. Our characters react to what ever is thrown at them by the other players. This is why the Promise is so binding.
But how do you keep the Promise with The World?
Lesson One:
The Five Senses:
Iâll cut the chase- the three most used senses in writing are are:
Sight
Hearing
Touch
Those three are the most commonly used senses in RPG posts as well. But weâve got two more not so commonly used.
Taste- Your body is well tuned to taste just about anything you smell. From sweat and blood to peaches to cheese.
Smell- Smell generally is where the action is taking place.
No matter where you are, there is always an area. Even in the blackest pits of Oblivion, there is something. You can feel canât you? Or maybe you canât. But thatâs a feeling too- but more on that some other lesson.
The guy I learned to RPG from had a drill where I would stand in the room and name off what was in it. So it started like this:
Chair, table, books.
Then he would ask for details: Red chair, plastic table, brown books.
Again he asked for details: Red plastic chair- cracked down the side; a white plastic table with a faded coffee stain and scratches on the legs. And the books were brown leather bound books about Sir Thomas Moore and his essays.
Do you now see the process of adding layers of details?
The first challenge is to:
~ usea basic human
~ No magic
~ No powers
~ Keep a light back story.
Bonus: One physical handicap: Blind, deaf, or both, or physical injury that slows the character down and/or makes the character interesting (optional)