Non-Boring RP
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I try to find some reason for why my character is specifically interested in their character. I try to approach scenes with some IC goal in mind, so we’re not just standing around, we’re trying to move to a specific point.
For example, all things I’ve done:
- If I’m playing a bard, I might compose a song about their character
- If I’m playing a journalist, I might interview them for an article
- If I’m playing a bartender, I might name a dish or cocktail after them
- If I’m playing a private eye, I might interrogate them about their whereabouts during a recent crime
- If I’m playing an evil scientist, I might contrive a reason for why they’re uniquely important for the purpose of my experiments.
With varying degrees of success, I also try to make people laugh, most often at the expense of my own character’s flaws. I think this also has the double effect of signalling to the other player that I’m aware of these flaws and not gonna take it too seriously OOC if they wanna rib or even just disagree with my character. Which is also a signal I seek out in other preferred scene partners. For example, in a single pose my character might brag about how they can totally clear a hurdle, fail spectacularly, and then get embarrassed. And that way, hopefully you the player know that I’m not expecting you to glaze how cool and perfect my character is, which I think nobody really enjoys doing.
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I am trying to practice what I preach more. Anymore, I will reach out in pages or OOC and outright state what my goal is for the scene, which might not be what my character’s goal is, even if it’s revealing some secret or ulterior motive of my character and inquire what other’s goals are. Then, with all of that in the open, I write my poses as best as I can to push the scene towards everyone’s goals.
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I just show up. You’re welcome.
Okay, really though a lot that has been said here. I check out their hooks and connections we might have. I try to pull something that I might know about them to loop them into something.
I fall on their table. I engage directly with them. I swoon across their lap on a dare and make them carry me everywhere… that one might be too specific. I can’t guarantee I’m boring because I have horrible imposter syndrome most the time and think I’m the problem, but I do at least try to include them. Ask questions. Then I go off the vibe because my RP doesn’t fit all RP.
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Florid Answer: I try to see if someone else is trying to push a specific storyline, and fall into that as best I can. If nobody’s pushing their stories or one of the game’s plots, then I’ll try and drive things around what my character has going on. Ultimately, I play “yes and” and try and have fun with it.
Actual Truthful Answer: If I don’t hyperfocus on something in the RP, I’m basically a walk-on extra.
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RP about me, not about you. Tell me how great I am. Don’t tell me how great your character is.
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@Tez this is actually the secret. If you want people to want more rp with you, rp curiosity about their characters. That’s it, that’s literally all it takes.
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@hellfrog It’s like dating. Show an interest in the other person/people, have a sense of humour, and be open to trying new things at least once.
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I am always the most fun rper (and having the most fun) when I am a big fan of the characters of the people I am playing with. The things mentioned above about showing interest in my RP partner’s character and considering their hooks and everything is a lot easier when I am sidling up to them and metaphorically twirling my hair around my finger as I go ‘hey I think you’re cool want to rp after work today?’
To that effect, I actually start a lot of my efforts to be a good rp partner with how I build my character, because I want to be someone those cool characters might have a fun time with.
What are my character’s goals, and what things will they be unable to accomplish on their own? What ways can I make them reliant on the expertise of others?
What themes in the setting allow for shared elements of history, worldview, and trauma, that will give my character a chance to build meaningful relationships with others?
What traits will draw my character towards someone? What will push them away? How do I balance the character so that levels of interpersonal friction remain fun? How do I make it so I am not fighting my character to set up RP? (i.e. how do I find workarounds for the they wouldn’t go there/do that/talk to them shutdowns that might happen on my end.)
Most of this isn’t a formal checklist, but I know I’ve done a good job of it when I’m looking at other characters pages and going ‘oh it would be fun to have my character do x with them.’
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