[Davyn]

I've not been run out of town with forks and pitchforks for at LEAST a month now, so I think it's appropriate to dredge this one back up, since a year later I find myself still making very frequent references to it.

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Now, I'm about to do something here that we're not supposed to do. I'm going to define roleplaying, and give you a scale for ranking roleplaying. But, since you're not supposed to define roleplaying, tell someone how they roleplay, or tell someone not to do certain things, I suppose I've already covered that ground, right? So, what's the harm in plunging blindly ahead!

Hoo-ah!

One of the things I've learned in my years in various online roleplaying communities, both large and small, is that people roleplay to different degrees. Okay, okay...you're saying, "Well, duh! You've just spent the last dozen pages telling us that."
Well, now I'm going to put it on a scale. That's right. You heard me. I'm going to rate people on their roleplaying.

1 to 10.

None to hardcore.

Now, before you go ballistic and tell me that I shouldn't be judging people, let me point out a couple of things about this rating system:

1. In this rating system, 10 isn't necessarily the best.This system compares levels of commitment to roleplaying from casual to hardcore, giving you a glance of what different categories of roleplayers might 'look' like at different levels of roleplaying. Hopefully, the comparison will help you find out where you will find the most enjoyment, and what that means roleplaying-wise.
   
2. Secondary to that, this rating illustrates different levels of dedication to the art of roleplaying. If your goal is to be a hardcore, all-stops-removed, dedicated roleplayer and you want an idea of what it would take for you to move to the 'next level', then this should provide a good indication to you of what else you need to work on.

Now, take a look at the following chart:



Some explanation of the chart would be helpful. The horizontal axis represents categories of dedication to roleplay-the ranking. We'll talk more about that in a minute.
The vertical axis is a bit trickier. Essentially what I'm illustrating here is "where most of the roleplaying is happening." I guess you could think of the vertical axis as a measure of "Roleplaying Energy", or:

RPE = Number of Players X Amount of Roleplaying Actually Done

So really, what the chart illustrates, overall, is my basic un-scientific observation of the distribution of roleplayers at the various levels of roleplaying that I differentiate. Whee!

THE LEVELS OF ROLEPLAYING
So, with the chart in your head, let's take a look at the various levels of roleplaying dedication.

0) Anti-roleplayer
Yes, they exist. These are people who not only don't roleplay, but they'll go out of their way to say how much they don't like it, and at times they'll actually try to interrupt it in-game, or taunt roleplayers.

So, why are we still registering some RPE (role-playing energy) at their level?
Because, no matter how much they hate 'roleplaying' they'll do it, simply because a MMORPG forces roleplaying at some degree. The moment they step into an avatar and a world that is not their own, they are playing a role. They may not be expending any extra energy on it, but they certainly are roleplaying to a small degree. Unless they're a female goblin shaman in real life. At which point I rescind my previous statements. All of them.

1) Bitter non-roleplayer
These are people who don't roleplay, and don't like it. But they won't particularly try and stop it, unless pressed into a corner by roleplayers. Then, they may respond...poorly. Bitter non-roleplayers will get quickly annoyed when they perceive that unnecessary roleplay has wasted their time; for example, when they want directions to the nearest town, and a roleplayer doesn't help them because "it simply would NOT suit an elf to give directions to a dwarf!"

2) Non-roleplayer
This is the true neutral group on the roleplay alignment scale. They will expend zero extra effort towards roleplaying, but it also doesn't bother them. They simply don't care one way or another.

3) Ambivalent Non-roleplayer
These MMORPG players see some benefit in roleplaying. They like what it does for their 'environment'. But, they still aren't convinced that it's something they want to spend effort on, either because they think it will feel 'silly', or because they don't think that they would be good at it.

4) Warming roleplayer
Many, many roleplayers remember this phase. It's a transitional phase where they first 'got' what roleplaying was all about. Or maybe it was the first time they saw enough worth in roleplaying to actually begin expending energy on it. Whatever the trigger, it's a very short-lived phase (whether they move up or down) in which they're really just trying to grasp how to best expend their roleplaying energy.

Warming roleplayers have a lot of enthusiasm, and usually ask a lot of questions on forums and read a lot of roleplaying articles. They also seek out good roleplaying communities and people who can model for them what roleplaying is all about. They're still a bit 'rough around the edges', but they won't be that way for long.

5) Average roleplayer
This is the first stage where a person will actually begin identifying themselves as a 'roleplayer'. Usually by this point they have realized that not all players roleplay, and that it definitely begins to put them in a 'category'.

Players in this stage still transition fairly freely back and forth between in-character (IC) and out-of-character (OOC) chat and actions. But they are definitely interested in roleplaying. The average roleplayer is also starting to really develop a sense of character. They may not be consistent in playing in-character (probably around 50% of their game time in-character), but they have an idea of background and motive and something they want to accomplish as their character.

Typically, at this stage, you'll see a person become active in roleplaying guilds, and begin to speak some in-game from the character's perspective.

6) Above-average roleplayer
Here you really see the player begin to move forward in character development. They're enjoying roleplay a lot more, and spend more time engaging in social scenes in game. As well, the Above-average Roleplayer will typically write longer, more thorough biographies of their characters. Also, you'll see this player begin to become involved in roleplaying forums, interacting in-character with other players there.

This level of roleplayer will begin actively seeking out roleplay if it isn't around, rather than waiting for it to happen around them. They're still not quite comfortable leading out, if alone, but they don't quite feel comfortable if they go long periods without roleplaying either, since, by this level, the player fully characterizes herself as a roleplayer, and will begin to play the game with this in mind.

7) Dedicated Roleplayer - The Sweet Spot
I call this the "Sweet Spot" for a very important reason. This is the cutoff point for the vast majority of the roleplaying community. Here is the point where many people will categorize themselves as a 'hardcore roleplayer', and in fact, will roleplay most of the time they are online.

However, the Dedicated Roleplayer will stop roleplaying and their roleplay development the moment they perceive that it is more work than fun to keep up their roleplaying. They'll also go OOC occasionally to handle odd in-game situations, be comfortable with good friends, or simply because they're tired of staying in-character and want a bit of a break.

These roleplayers stay in-character somewhere around 80% of the time, and are very dedicated to playing a role. They'll typically have well-thought-out character backgrounds that usually display maturity in character development. These are the people who not only pursue being a part of a roleplaying guild, but they often create a guild themselves or serve as officers in a roleplaying guild.

Now, let me pause and emphasize something: there's absolutely nothing wrong with stopping at this level! By now, you're roleplaying fairly intensely, but you like the option of 'cutting it off' at times when you 'just need to relax.' That's a great place to be. If you're at this level, you're every bit the roleplayer.

But, you can go deeper.

8) Obsessive roleplayer
Now, you're crossing into the twilight zone of roleplay. You're moving past the semi-casual attitude of a player, and you're really becoming something more. You start to use the word 'immersion' a lot, as well as the phrase 'character depth'.

Obsessive roleplayers will either have long, well-written character backgrounds prior to playing their character in-game, or they'll develop and nurture one as they play, maintaining consistency with previous character-defining decisions. They'll usually be able to tell you the names of their character's parents off-the-cuff, and can either recite or create a bit of detail about their past. By this point, they'll be roleplaying 90% or more of their time in-game, only going out-of-character on infrequent spurts.

You'll also see many Obsessive roleplayers begin to extend the character beyond the game, especially in organizational or leadership roles. They will register email addresses with their character names, and most of their emails and personal messages outside of the game will either be in-character, or clearly labeled as OOC.

9) Roleplayer / Developer
The Roleplayer/Developer is somewhat of a side-track in the smooth slope of the scale. They are everything that the Obsessive Roleplayer is and more. However, the Roleplayer / Developer isn't as much of the next step up, as it is an alternative class of obsession.

A Roleplayer/Developer is fully immersed in their character, in-game and out-of-game. They are a strong proponent of roleplaying, and typically a good example of roleplaying in-game. However, they also take a strong interest in developing a roleplaying sagas or quests, or they become a community leader for a roleplaying community. They seek out other roleplayers and pull them together, often offering community and content to foster the art.

Really, at this point, a roleplayer is passing beyond being a roleplayer and almost transitioning into the realm of an author. They not only develop extremely complex character backgrounds, but also begin to look at the broader picture of world-building, ensuring that their roleplay and that of others has a rich environment with which to interact. They become, in many ways, the Dungeon Master (DM) even while they are in the adventure.

But believe it or not, there IS one more level.

10) Hardcore Roleplayer.
In-game, you will never see a hardcore roleplayer out of character.

Never.

Even if you go and spy on them while they're wandering 'alone' in the wilderness, they'll be in character. They'll grumble in-character. They'll know what their character's favorite food is. Even the favorite color. In fact, they'll rarely even be OOC when they're out-of-game.

Hardcore Roleplayers are purists. They breathe immersion.

They are extremely rare.

These are roleplayers that--even if you only encounter them once--you will remember them for most of your life. They are the characters you read about in the books. They are good at what they do. They are captivating to watch and will nearly always pull other roleplayers into their world. If a Hardcore Roleplayer plays an alternate character, you'll never know it. Not even if you try.

Also note that the Hardcore Roleplayer is one of the few 'higher' levels of roleplay that might not share all of the traits of the levels below it. In fact, of the few true Hardcore Roleplayers I know, none of them do any of the Community Development kind of roleplay. Doing that work usually necessitates that you spend a degree of time out-of-character, and that's not something a Hardcore Roleplayer would give up.

This is by no means a goal for all roleplayers. This is hard. That's why I've labeled it "Hardcore roleplay". It requires an exceptional amount of dedication, and a good amount of skill. In fact, there probably aren't many players who would characterize themselves as hardcore roleplayers. More likely, there are players who have one or two characters that they play in the hardcore roleplay style.

Hardcore Roleplay can also be abrasive to some people. You don't break character. Even with an OOC conflict. That won't always resolve the situation; but for the Hardcore Roleplayer, that's not what their game is about. They're all about the character. And they will react to everything in their environment as that character.

Dain, Jaikar, Andalus -- this is for you.

WHERE DO YOU FIT?
There's only one right answer to this question:

You fit at whatever level you enjoy roleplaying the most.

That typically changes over time. You might move up or down on the scale, trying different things or different communities. You may play different MMORPGs at different levels.

There is not style that's better or worse for you. A game is about enjoyment, and people enjoy different things. You should always pursue that goal in your roleplaying.

But, there are ways you can quantify someone as a better or worse roleplayer. Using the scale I've outlined, you can rank yourself, and decide how dedicated of a roleplayer you are. That doesn't mean you're a better player. It doesn't even mean that you enjoy the game more than others, or that you're somehow more elite. It doesn't even mean that people will like you more.
It simply means that in the art of roleplaying, you do some things to a greater degree than others. And that can be either by skill or by choice.

Sometimes, it can be fun being a purist.

Sometimes, it's not.

Do what you enjoy. Only you can decide what that is.

[Wulfric]

nice list and break down.

I personally find myself in the 5-7 range in MMOs...but, in the 8-10 range in PnP(more experience there I suppose)

I also tend to look for the 5-8 range of people while online... better for the immersion :P

[Demiglot]

I remember when you first posted this at SWG-RP and I predicted that I would rate as an 8.5.

Now after a bit of hands on experience I've found that I'm really a seven. I do happen to do some of the things that nines will do, but outside of the message board environment i.e. in-game, I really was more casual about my RP than I thought I would be. This had a lot to do with the players I interacted most with.

In the future I would like to find a group of players that are all around the eight to ten level and really get into it.

[Taka Taka Mu Taka]

I love this article. It makes Davyn so popular!

I rank myself, after playing SWG, between a 6 and a 7. I want to be an 8-10, but I'm not accustomed enough to MMORPG's to be that good yet. Right now, I'm leaning more towards being a 7-8, given that I started over with a new character, but I haven't really spent enough time developing my character. So far, it's been little bits at a time that make Rigger Denclaw what he is. Almost spontaneous in-game revelations.

[Ronin Storm]

*grins*

Ah... the good old days. :)

Once I was a 10. My out of game time was spent finding ways to be even more hardcore. My in game time was not merely playing a character - to all intents and purposes I was that character. I reacted without need for thought because, emotionally, I knew the character's every intimate detail. And, on occasion, the character would take hold and do things that I might be hard pressed to do (like executing a fallen bad guy with a round to the head and still taking time to stop and do that cool 'pose for the camera' at the door of the now-busted restaurant... on thinking back that was cold). I'd need the toilet, but I'd wait until I was no longer on-camera before I'd slip silently out of the room, and all the while I'd be thinking character thoughts. I was the depiction of hard-core, the very essence of roleplaying.

And now I'm a 7. Some days I'm only a 6. And I'm happy. I've had to step back because I'm no longer really a roleplayer - I'm a game designer and I must take much more time in the real world with the players. I prefer it at this level and I don't feel any wish to go back to being a 10. I like the abstraction. I like the idle critique and careful analysis of technique and delivery. I like the players too much too. So I'll talk it the way it was and tell you the way I want it to be, and I'll do it out of character while taking the time to preserve your in character experience.

But, I'll not deny it... it was a buzz to be someone else so completely. 8)

[Barz]

And can you believe that I'm only a 5 or 6? Yes...I used to be a 7 to 9 back in my heyday in high school, college and even in AO, but I've backslidden to the point that I don't even remember how to roleplay sometimes!

[Tamboran]

I try to be a 9, but I probably just fall back to an 8. I know the people in ADaM REALLY got annoyed when I wouldn't ever talk OOC. They'd explain it to others. "Yeah, in this channel, we're OOC unless we say we're IC, except for Tam. He's IC unless he says he's OOC. He's weird that way."

The reason I feel like I can get away with it is because I make my characters more of a copy of myself than most people probably do. That way I don't have to really "try" to roleplay, it just happens. Part of that is from experience, as well.

I'm also all about trying to build a community (or, in SWG's case, a fanbase) and planning events that will draw the community together.

I will drop OOC at times, though, but I hate it when I do. It is necessary, though, so I will never be a 10...But I respect those who do.

I mean, I remember asking myself OOC-ly about a month or so into SWG, "Man, I wonder what happened to Andalus...I kinda miss him."

It totally didn't cross my mind that I'd been hanging around Andalus for years. Kudos to you for hiding it from me. :>

[Davyn]

Those of you who remember the original article and have a good memory will also note that I've edited a few minor points (a lot in response to the initial discussion of this, and some excellent points by a lot of folks.)

I put this in...

[Tychus]

Yeah... I may have been a 10 as Andalus, but I haven't been there since. I attribute this two a few factors:

1) Character concepts - Some ideas simply work better than others. Some ideas that sound good are hard to actually put into practice. Some characters are just easier to get into than others.

2) Game mechanics - Perhaps I was more willing to overlook the limitations of the system when I started playing EQ because I simply didn't have anything to compare it to, but I've found over the years that I've felt like I've become more and more hemmed in by the rules and interface (even though they're getting looser and better).

3) Other players - I can and have roleplayed in a vacuum before, but it's not much fun. Sometimes yo're gung ho to roleplay, but those around you are nonresponsive. It takes other players to really make it work. Since we make up a fairly small minority of MMO players, when you find these people you tend to want to stick with them, which usually means you start building OOC relationships. That can make it more difficult to stay in character - or to get others to see you in character.

[Tynicas]

I think I'm more like a gronk flip-flop bred wrong invert lemonade.

And that's ok in my book.

*grin*

[Barz]

I think that line was an anagram for "I am a hardcore roleplayer"...