World of Warcraft®

"To create characters, one must build background. And one of the tools we use is improvisation."


Improvisation- the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the immediate environment. It is in essence what the roleplayers call "walk-up rp".

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Kali... I fail to see the connection between what Steve Carrel or Tina Fey do and what my fabulous toon does.

Think about it. When we put the "walk up rp (welcomed/loved/encouraged/etc)" on our profiles we are asking newcomers to strike up a conversation. How that conversation starts is completely in their hands. Where it ends is completely up to the interaction between the players. As writers we can certainly steer it in a certain direction, but the wonderful thing about unscripted interactions with others is that you cannot be 100% certain of what will happen next.

That is precisely how improvisation works. You take two or more actors and shove them into a room. One will serve as the catalyst, starting the creative process with a simple comment. The others must then pitch in. And before you know it a simple "I got a gun!" has evolved into a much bigger story involving a cowardly cop, a bank teller who suffers from amnesia and a pregnant woman who is the town's vigilante masked hero by night!

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And this will help roleplaying how?

For starters it will make the community more accessible to new members! Its also contagious, one person starts it and the next thing you know you have all sorts of newcomers trying it too. IE: Roleplay in Orgrimmar... who would have thunk it? ;)

But the benefits aren't for the community alone, the individual can gain a lot from participating in sketches like these. Interactions like these can help you learn more about your toon, perhaps work on a certain background story you had never fully developed, give you new ideas for new stories and most importantly... keep you on your feet!

As our very own Bells once explained, there's nothing more wonderful than seeing how a simple idea you start is developed by others.

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Alright, you sold me this 'improvisation' idea Kali... How do I start?

According to Tina Fey there are rules to improvisation. I would much prefer to call them guidelines but judging by her success she seems to be a wee bit more experienced in this (for now >>).


1. Agree-
The very first step of improvisation and for some it proves to be the hardest. Why? Some of us are little control freaks (myself included, for my sake feign shock, kkthx!) not in the sense that we want to control others but in the sense that we need to know what will happen. The minute we don't its like someone cried out 'Deathwing!'.

This step involves accepting what the other has brought into play and developing with it. In other words, approaching situations with a 'yes' attitude.

Note: Keep in mind that this 'yes' attitude doesn't give anyone permission to godmod all over your toon... keep reading!


2. Yes! And...-
Some of us can sit and rp circles around Jero'me right outside the Silvermoon gates. But honestly, where's the fun in that? Improvisation requires you to add something each time the ball is in your court.

Now I know most of you are probably going 'well duh... why is she telling me this again?' But the truth is I've seen roleplayers of all sorts just stand there. Don't get me wrong, they reply to you but the answers are so short and blunt you wind up wishing you were outside of Silvermoon interacting with Jero'me.

Perhaps your toon is shy or not prone to open up to strangers? Then don't forget that you can also keep the story going through your character's actions.

Or perhaps that random person that walked up to you is that one person you admire? IE: When my toon met Nozz I was so thrilled over the idea of roleplaying with her that I let my nerves get the best of me. In the full hour and a half that we interacted I probably wrote a grand total of eight lines and by eight lines I mean four of them were probably "Kalico nods at you."

Just remember, keep adding to the story. And don't forget that just like any other talent, it might take time to develop.


3. Make statements-
When it comes to roleplay there's stories that require our character to be a leader and in others the lovable side-kick. Same goes with improvisation, the only difference is that you might have to banter back and forth between leader and follower more than you do on structured stories.

In essence this goes with the Yes! And... rule. Make sure you keep adding to the story and don't be afraid of grabbing the lead every now and then. (Make sure to share the spotlight!).

4. There are no mistakes-
Anecdote time. Those of you that follow the Wordpress character journals for Sisters of Elune are probably familiar with Bella's new arc. One of the entries consisted of a discussion between two of her characters. While writing she made a simple grammar mistake, instead of deleting and rewriting she incorporated it into the story. Thus adding a small comedy relief to the lil' drama between the characters.

Instead of focusing on correcting the mistake the other might have made, roll with it. Now don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean that if another mistakes your toon for a vampire you have to bust out the sparkles and wage war with the nearest worgen over a skinny emo elf.

This also leads me to the next part.

Since there are no mistakes you shouldn't be afraid of making them!

We've all been there, letting rp happen around us and not joining in for the fear of making a mistake. Well I've got news for you. The most interesting man in the world, Metzen (OBVIOUSLY) had a small mishap of sorts this past Blizzcon. To those who have no idea who this man is (shame on you for not knowing) he is the Loremaster, Thrall's daddy, vice-president of Creative Development and the person responsible for writing the vast majority of the lore. Going back to the story, Metzen was confronted by a fan during Blizzcon who pointed out a mistake in his facts.

If he can make a mistake I'm pretty sure we can forgive any you make ;)

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And according to Tina Fey those are the rules. Keep in mind that despite the spontaneous nature of improvisation, people spend countless years studying and improving upon it. Like I mentioned earlier, just like any other talent it takes time to develop it!

Now my questions to you~!

1. What rule would you add to the list?
2. What suggestion would you give to someone attempting to strike up conversation with a random roleplayer?

Rules added by the players:

• Remember There Are People Behind the Polygons- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369878844?page=1#3


• Listen- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369878844?page=1#5


• Be patient, go with the flow- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369878844?page=1#6

04/10/2011 10:50 PMPosted by Kalico

1. What rule would you add to the list?

Remember There Are People Behind the Polygons: If your character is snarky or a baddie (I love 'em when played well, though "grey" characters are my absolute favorites, hence the BElfs I play), understand that if you walk up and strike up a conversation with someone else and open up with, "Wow! Those robes make you look as big as an ogre!", you might not be well received.

There are folks behind the characters we see, and sometimes, they might not be in the mood for snark and such. Real life DOES happen, after all. Shoot a tell to the other person and let them know how your approach will be. It's still improv, even with an OOC temperature check beforehand.

As much, if someone tries approaching and your character is in a bad mood, etc., soften the blow with a /w OOCly to say "Sorry s/he is being a jerk" and such. It can help keep the line between IC and OOC strong, and let others know you're just letting your character be how it is while you remain you.

04/10/2011 10:50 PMPosted by Kalico

2. What suggestion would you give to someone attempting to strike up conversation with a random roleplayer?

You Don't Need to Shove, Only Nudge: I hear a good deal of talk about how it's hard to start conversations and how it keeps people from reaching out to others. My advice? Do something as simple as ask for the time ICly.

Just like you interact with others in real life, have your character approach that way to open up RP with others. In other words, unless you'd walk into a food court in a mall, sit down next to a family, then steal some of their fries, that might not be a great approach in roleplay if you're looking to make the encounter conducive to peaceful and friendly interaction. You never have to scream to be heard if you play it right, so the tiniest things can open up a whole new world for your creation.

I know it can be hard and work your nerves, especially if you're shy. However, if you don't try, you'll never know. No one here is writing the next Great American Novel. We're playing a game. Take a chance on things and reach out, even when it's hard.

After all, nothing worth it is ever easy, and nothing easy is ever worth it. ;)

I <3 you guys so much.

Roleplay can literally spring up from anything if you're willing to keep an open mind. Just the other day, a few of us were hanging out in the Dwarven District - downtown 'lets scurry between the mailbox and the AH ignoring everything because nothing interesting ever happens here' -ville. Iirc, a couple of us were putting together some uncommon crafted items for one of our guildmates who was leveling enchanting and needed one of the rods.

Well, as I'm wont to do, I got bored. And despite it not being in Hiccup's character at all [mostly to annoy Nozz >_>] I jumped up on the mailbox and started a stereotypical nelf mailbox /dance.

Well, one thing led to another, I think Nozz gave a semi-IC response, which led to a completely IC response, and lo and behold, a completely IC discussion started on the the inexplicable attraction of night elves to mail boxes. I used the excuse that Hiccup must have been high on catnip or something and thus more open to chatting [in her horrible common], and jumped in as well - and we soon had a small group sitting in the center of the dwarven district chatting ICly about anything and everything that happened to run by - which considering it was prime time just outside the AH...there was a lot to talk about.

But the BEST part, and I know Nozz, Tripsy, and the other guildies that were there all agree, is that people stopped rushing around to join in. People toggled on their rp walk as they moved from the AH to the bank, to the mailbox - tipped their hats, /bow'ed. It was awesome! We even had one person approach us who later admitted that they had never tried roleplaying before, which caused a ton of excited chatter in guild chat and on our guild forums later on that evening.

...moral of the story I suppose is ...if you build it, they will come? Or...something. Basically that some of the best roleplay can be stirred up by the most random of encounters. Even an anti-social elf getting the sudden urge to shake her bootay on a stormwind mailbox!

Just remember not to get discouraged if it takes some time to get a real back and forth going! Improv doesn't always flow naturally - I know I have my moments of simply nodding at everything going on around me - or being too late with a reply and scrambling to somehow weave it in so that it makes sense...not all of us are naturally amazing at the skill, but it gets easier with practice! [At least I hope so, otherwise Im going to be that weird stuttering drood forever...]

What people who are shy to roleplaying, or nervous about approaching people ICly should know is [working off what Bells said earlier] - there are people behind those characters. They might look like they've got it all under control, and you might feel like you would just be interrupting them by saying hello, or asking for directions [>_> My favorite way to approach people on my pally apparently...], but the majority of the time they're going to be excited you took the first step. After all, that's the hardest one!

Also...

04/10/2011 10:49 PMPosted by Kalico

When my toon met Nozz I was so thrilled over the idea of roleplaying with her that I let my nerves get the best of me.

Nozz has that effect on people. I think it's the eye. -sagenod-
>_> Don't kill me!

04/10/2011 10:50 PMPosted by Kalico

Going back to the story, Metzen was confronted by a fan during Blizzcon who pointed out a mistake in his facts.

By the way, here is the incident in all it's online glory:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwyMB19q7ms#t=0m21s

I do love Chris' response: "Isn't he dead? ... [when told to the contrary] We're going to get it fixed."

When even paid writers (whose sole job it is to write in this universe) can make mistakes, I can easily shrug off my own and somebody else's. And if I am way off, I will blame it on my character's onset of senility.

My one suggestion is to listen while improvising. I sometimes get caught up just dumping my bit on another player, and don't always pick up on little hints they are offering up. To keep the roleplaying moving along, I sometimes need to consciously remind myself to stop, and give the other player room to breathe.

Some phrases like these help me on occasion:
(if the other player emotes fidgeting or something like that) "You seem a bit anxious. Anything on your mind?"
"You just mentioned that something similar had happened to you. Care to share?"
(and if I really need to hit the brakes) "But enough about me. What have you been up to today?"

It's totally okay to give up on a story I am pursuing if I notice that the character I am talking to is leading the conversation into a different direction. Following their lead is always way more interesting to me than trying hard to get everything out that I want to get out at that moment.

1. What rule would you add to the list?

I just have two things I’d like to stress:

Be Patient.

Not everyone is a fast thinker, nor can type fast. I know some people with health issues that make hand movements painful. Others just get nervous, or you might run into someone who had a really bad day and is lucky just to remember their own name.

Go with the flow.

I’ve been with roleplayers who’d have a near aneurysm over someone making a spelling or grammar mistake, or occasionally inserting OOC comments or emotes into /s.

Ignore it.

For heaven’s sake, most of you are pretending to be a fantasy race, pretend you didn’t see the mistake – or as was pointed out earlier, roll with it and incorporate it into the RP. So Bob just added an “o.O” at the end of his sentence, big deal. If you’re that sensitive to having your “immersion” ruined, you probably shouldn’t be trying improv RP to begin with.

2. What suggestion would you give to someone attempting to strike up conversation with a random roleplayer?

Do your research and learn how to read characters.

This involves the fine art of Paying Attention. It helps if you download a RP addon like TRP2, MRP, or FlagRSP. Pick a spot and people watch.

Thing is, RP addons are great, but I generally look for walkers first. That, above anything else, is a sure sign of a RPer. Click the character. Are they using a RP addon? Great! Do they actually have a profile there? Even better!

Read their description for clues. If they have a background history (for MRP users), scan over it. I do this mainly for curiosity’s sake and to OOCly learn if there might be some quirky behavior associated with the character (instead of wondering OMG what’s wrong with this person?!) – you have to be careful with this because utilizing anything from this tab can easily lead to godmoding. If you don’t see a character history tab, then don’t worry about this.

If you read Nozz’s profile, for example, one thing that should stand out is the sight of her clockwork eye and the thin red vein that runs down her cheek. Some of the best walk up RP I’ve experienced has come from players who took the time to read the profile and incorporate that into their introduction – one gnome very nervously approached her and asked in a hushed voice if it hurt. People invest care in coming up with their descriptions – don’t be afraid to responsibly use it.

So … what if someone doesn’t have a RP addon?

For one, that doesn’t make them any less of a RPer. Back in my day (*rocks back in chair*), we didn’t have that luxury, we had to rely on each other posting character profiles on the forums and work from that. Something as simple as nodding at a character can invite RP. Alternatively, try standing by that evil mailbox and dropping your mail. Nozz likes to kick the thing and mutter obscenities from time to time, or complain about the unsanitary things she’s forced to look at while sorting through her letters.

And, as Rongar, pointed out, pay attention to the character’s mannerisms. Are they nervous? Excited? Sullen? There’s almost an intuitive process at work. Even a simple “Are you okay?” can help move things along.

04/11/2011 06:13 AMPosted by Rongar

I do love Chris' response: "Isn't he dead? ... [when told to the contrary] We're going to get it fixed."

Actually if you watch the video you will notice it wasn't his fault. It was clearly Alex's.

Just remember not to get discouraged if it takes some time to get a real back and forth going! Improv doesn't always flow naturally - I know I have my moments of simply nodding at everything going on around me - or being too late with a reply and scrambling to somehow weave it in so that it makes sense...not all of us are naturally amazing at the skill, but it gets easier with practice!

Agreed! I actually meant of adding how writer's blocks happen to all of us or how sometimes we simply don't know what to add. But the key part is to keep trying to improve. =]

So far everyone's offered great suggestions, I'm going to modify the second post and make a list with links to posts!

I remember the mailbox night, that was quite fun.

I remember one night, I was waiting to boost a friend through the stockades, and someone came up and said "Do you normally stare off into dark cellars?"

Made the wait much better, I'll be looking into those addons.

It's totally okay to give up on a story I am pursuing if I notice that the character I am talking to is leading the conversation into a different direction. Following their lead is always way more interesting to me than trying hard to get everything out that I want to get out at that moment.

I've found that when you can hold true to this, RP just kind of...makes itself. Sometimes I'd try to run plotlines or events and have a set arc for how I wanted them to pan out. I've found that when you just get things going with a specific event, discussion, fight, etc., the players often create the action on their own. This is probably like tabletop D&D, which I really know nothing about. But I've read DM guides where they say the less they try to control what the players do, the better the RP turns out.

On the flip side, it is good to have an overall idea of where you might WANT the arc to go if you're the one running it, so that if things drift too much off course and no one really knows where to go next, you can gently get them back on track with a nudge from your own character, or an "NPC", or something.

When Bells pulled me into her arc story we had a mini discussion of sorts of where we wanted our characters to end up. What things we wanted them to develop.

What we left up in the air was how exactly they would achieve that.

So... essentially we had the starting point, the ending point and what we asked of interactions with others was that they help us forge the journey =)


Which leads me to the next part: thanks to everyone who has taken part in this. Though the original concept wasn't mine (totally Bells, so thank you too for that!) I've had a blast just getting to know people, their characters and learning soooooo much more about lore.

There is no fun in trying to make people do something. If someone is going to be that controlling in RP, might as well just multi-box.

The trick of it is just to give folks a basic idea, then let them run with it. The Talion arc isn't over quite yet, and as I explained in a post I made on my blog, "What started on a whim evolved into an arc that included fourteen characters in varying degrees and has spawned a few posts, subplots and additional storylines." That post can be found here: http://bellaboldvalor.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/boldvalors-et-al-vs-the-hammer-overview-and-collaborative-resources/. That number has grown, and things keep building and expanding due to the creative genius of others. When everything is said and done, I'll update with a final post, pulling everything together in one list for a giant list.

I still really only have a slight idea of where things will end. Most of the fun (for me) comes down to watching what others do, and seeing how actions I'm not controlling change my characters. When you give people a bit of faith and a lot of breathing room for creativity, awesome things happen. That's the wonder of improv.