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Roleplaying 102
Let me begin by saying that I, in no way, claim to be a "great" roleplayer. I do, however, have years of experience in a multitude of leagues, and although this may not qualify me to write a "Guide to Better Roleplaying," I felt that it was, perhaps, time for SOMEONE to write one.
I am going to assume that you understand the basics of
roleplaying in the sense that you, in essense, cut an interview with your wrestler or wrestlers in an effort to tell a story, and, hopefully, win a match. The absolute KEY to good roleplaying is that you cannot consider your character a one-dimensional gimmick. You must create a living, breathing, personality. Of course, this can be difficult, but this Guide is meant to help you with this process.
Below are a few tips to get you started on what will hopefully be a successful roleplaying career. Remember, nobody said it would be easy. Success takes hard work, and it usually comes down to who wants it more. So, the real question is... How bad do you want it?
Tip One: Presentation Matters!
People say that substance matters more than style, which is true. The only problem is that if your roleplays are difficult to read due to poor grammar, spelling, and formatting, then it does not bode well for you as a roleplayer. Use a spellchecker if you have to, and always think about what you're trying to say before you do so. A well thought out sentence is usually much better than one just written on the fly.
Always use uniform formatting. If all of your actions are in parentheses, such as (Master Blaster gets on his knees and prays to God.) then they should ALL be in parentheses. If you refer to your wrestler in the third person during actions, continue to do so throughout your roleplays. Don't begin with something such as (Dick Bruiser flexes for the camera.) and two paragraphs down, have (Flexes). Try to use the same spacing, capitalizing, and style throughout your entire roleplay. Also, Tip Two can help in this.
Tip Two: Always Proof-read Your Roleplay!
I cannot stress this enough. Too often I have read a roleplay that could have been saved if only somebody had proofread it. Honestly, how many times have you read a roleplay in which a sentence or two, or perhaps, even the entire thing, didn't seem to make a lot of sense? Proofreading may seem like a lot of work, but I can almost guarantee you that if you proofread through a roleplay, you will, nine times out of ten, find a mistake that you didn't realize you made when you wrote it.
When proofreading, check your spelling, grammar, and formatting. Is the roleplay easy to read? More importantly, do the sentences read correctly and make sense throughout? If not, obviously, a change must be made. Always read through your roleplay after you've read it. It can save you a lot of time down the road.
Tip Three: Don't Roleplay Generically!
I can't count the number of times I've seen Joe Blow come out and tell me that he's going to hit me with the Devastator, his ultimate finishing move, and that I don't stand a chance against it. You should really avoid this kind of a thing. After all, why bother to roleplay at all if you have nothing interesting or original to say? Avoid real wrestler gimmicks (like Rock Cold or The Caretaker).
Originality is really a key part of roleplaying. After all, we've seen the bad guy who is an egomaniac and always cheats to win. When creating a character, do your best to not only come up with an original gimmick, but to develop it beyond that gimmick into a fully blown character with a personality and traits.
Tip Four: Develop Your Character
Catchphrases are nice for real wrestling, and have their place in fantasy wrestling, too, but don't get too carried away. If you are saying the same thing every time your roleplay, you will lose more often than not. Think of your character as a real wrestler. Gimmicks can help, but you can't allow your character to be one dimensional. The cocky stud muffin can only take you so far before you're stuck with the same stupid interview over and over again.
One way to develop a character is to think how he would react to a certain situation. If his best friend betrays him, is he going to go right after him? Is he going to enlist help? Is he going to ignore the friend? Things like this make up the fundamental part of your character, and transfer him or her from a simple gimmick wrestler to a champion.
Tip Five: Rip Off Everyone!
This may sound somewhat ridiculous, but ripping people off is an absolute must in fantasy wrestling. The exact format I use, from parentheses to capitalizing my characters' names was ripped off from other people. The idea behind this is that if you see someone, and you like how they do it, why not do it the same way?
I'm not suggesting ripping off other people's characters or gimmicks. I frown upon such behavior. When you see something you like, however, why not attempt to duplicate it? Notice that a certain roleplayer seems to have a cool style to his role plays? Incorporate it into your character. It is through other people that we can grow.
Tip Six: Winning Isn't Everything!
Everyone likes to win. Fantasy Wrestling should be, primarily, about having fun, however. You have to understand that you ARE going to lose, no matter how good you are. There's always going to be somebody who's better at least one time. When you lose, don't complain to the President. They hate that. Instead, why not ask him what he thinks you could do better? Not only will this help YOU in that you can understand better what your President expects out of you, but he will respect you more for being man enough not to complain and understand that everyone could stand to improve.
Tip Seven: Desire Is Everything!
As I said before, it usually comes down to who wants it more. If you find roleplaying for your matches to be a chore, it reflects your roleplays. People will see that you don't enjoy what you're doing, and that your roleplays will be rushed and generic. Don't be too quick to quit, however. We all feel burned out at one time or another. Obviously, writing a roleplay upon demand can be a pain at times.
Take your time. Think about what you want to say. Wait until you have time to say it. Read what your opponent has said (I usually read it twice, just so I can address everything) and then think about what you would like to say in response. Just saying that you're going to beat his ass isn't going to help much. If you take your time and do what you think to be a really good job, you will enjoy roleplaying more and probably do better.
Tip Eight: Have Fun!
Remember... this is about fun. Don't let fantasy wrestling ruin relationships between you and your online buddies. This is just a game, and in the end, it doesn't really matter who wins or loses. I hope I've been able to help you, and if not, at least interest you. I never claimed to be "good" at what I do. I'm just experienced. And experience, in fantasy wrestling, helps. Just keep truckin'. GOOD LUCK!
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