RP methods 101

So roleplay means acting as your character, not the player. We all agree on that much. How do you go about that, though? How do you, the player, make other people believe you're actually someone else -- and what's in it for you? Fun, obviously -- but what makes it fun?
There's no one answer. The following is a breakdown of a bunch of possible ways and reasons to roleplay, as well as stuff I've noticed when trying them out myself. Just to have said it, while I have my preferences, I consider them all perfectly valid methods of achieving credible IC. There are probably others I'm forgetting or haven't run into, too.
== Emulation ==
"I think, 'What would Starbuck do?'. Then I do that."
This is how a lot of rp'ers start out, they see a cool character in fiction and try to play a character to the same effect. Good emulationists will be able to vary the theme enough that the original character isn't obviously identifiable. Emulationists are usually flattered if the character's model is recognised, but don't require it.
PROS -- Tends to produce highly consistent behaviour because the player has a very clear idea of what they want to do. Easy for beginners to relate to. Allows for a wide variety of characters.
CONS -- Done badly makes the char a bit of a cardboard cutout, e.g. a highly devout paladin who however never acts on their faith. Depends on the player's acting skills.
== Immersion ==
"I think as my character when I'm playing them. I feel what they feel."
This leans on the assumption that the player can assimilate themselves to the character's way of thinking well enough to act as the character, rather than themselves. Immersionists often identify heavily with their character and enjoy emotional, dramatic roleplay. They may also have therapeutic or wish fulfillment motives. An immersionist feels most successful when they genuinely experience the situation, aka cry for real at a sad scene or get angry when their character is upset. Immersionists frequently write introspective fanfic.
PROS -- Characters similar to the player are very organic and intuitive. Makes the player very sensitive to the setting. Riding the character's emotions can be a major adrenaline rush.
CONS -- Identifying overmuch with a character's conflicts is the root of 95% of all pointless OOC bickering on rp servers. Immersion is also useless for playing characters the player cannot identify with, and by nature a very solipsistic mode of play. While it's nice you can sit in a corner experiencing your horrible loneliness without talking to anyone, it doesn't really get you much in terms of interaction.
== Simulation ==
"It's just a model. Things happen, and it responds accordingly."
This is what roleplay began as, in the D&D era -- tactical simulation, which evolved the tools to simulate narrative and personalities too. Simulationist play asserts that what the player feels is irrelevant, because roleplay is about creating the illusion of a character for your fellow players. Simulationists are most satisfied when playing in an environment that gives them consistent, plausible input to react to and play with. They tend to be religious about keeping IC consistency inviolate, and frown on any OOC elements influencing IC -- both ruin the fun for them.
PROS -- Works for any type of character, if the player is intelligent enough to figure out what makes the character tick. Leans on portraying, not experiencing the character, so tends to give others a lot to interact with. Good at improvising, as a simulationist usually has the likeliest "what if...?" possibilities worked out already.
CONS -- Requires a lot of OOC thought, and strikes some as manipulative or fake because of that. Simulationists can demand a high level of consistency and detail from others, and are easily frustrated by things they consider unrealistic (whether that's stupid game mechanics, or mechanics being ignored). Depends on the player having the smarts to do all that math without seeming to.
== Storytelling ==
"...but little did she know that..."
A storyteller's focus isn't on the character at all, it's on the story the character's life becomes. Storytellers tend to write fanfic, run storylines, and try to introduce continuity between events even if there originally wasn't any. Depending on their skills, storytellers can be valuable contributors or the masters of hellishly annoying railroad action. A storyteller is most satisfied when things lead to things lead to other things and eventually, produce a logical and cathartic conclusion.
PROS -- The only thing better than a good character is a good story for the character to be a part of. Doing that well enriches everyone's experience. The most interesting and actively action-building characters usually belong to storytellers.
CONS -- What makes a "good" story can be very subjective. Hint: if it's only relevant to your character, you should probably write fiction instead. Storytellers who entertain themselves rather than the people they play with are a pox on everyone. The world's most annoying Mary Sues always belong to storytellers.
== Improvisation ==
"A guy walks into a bar, and..."
This stuff doesn't actually have a plan, it doesn't even necessarily take a character (though good improvisationists can pull one out of their hat at any given time, and all roleplayers use a -little- of this). Improvisation leans on taking what's there and running with it. An improvisationist is most happy when random events conspire to become meaningful.
PROS -- Freedom. Some more freedom. Spontaneous, creative, spur-of-the-moment play tends to feel more organic and natural than pre-planned stuff. Improvisers are good at fitting in to interestign stuff where they find it.
CONS -- Pure improv can get erratic, unless the player enforces consistency on themselves. Also, it's a big world and relying on random chance will often mean you seeing no-one interesting for days. Works best as a supplementary method to one of the other methods.
That's it off the top of my head. Hopefully this is interesting or useful to someone. Discuss, disagree, debate, ammend, as appropriate.
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