Don't know the terminology? Here's a simple to follow, A-Z guide to the terminology of role-play!
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1X1 (One on One) - Also known as Private role-playing. It's a unique way for players to role-play in a smaller group. Versus the usual group roleplaying style that everyone is most familiar with. Also see
Closed and
Private.
Admin (Administrator) - The "manager" or person in charge of the group, blog, forum, etc.
Click here to see a staff introduction thread. Also see
Mod (Moderator).
AU (Alternate Universe) - Specifically in reference to roleplays that are based off of an already existing story (parody/fanfiction RPs); The world that strays from the canon either slightly or entirely. Also see
Canon.
Back-to-Back - when someone posts right after someone else replies; when you post, then someone else posts, then you post again. When in a larger role-play, this is not a suggested role-play technique.
Canon - The original source information (TV show, book, etc.) that the characters came from.
C/G (Clans/Guilds) - A world role-play that is separated into mini stories that take place in one universe. There is more then one GM in C/G; for more information about RPA's Clans/Guilds, please check
here.
Closed - The thread/roleplay is closed off to outsiders and is only welcome to those that are mentioned and already involved; no longer open/no longer accepting more players. Also see
Open.
Character - The fictional persona used in a role play (human, animal, machine, etc.) Also see
Muse.
CS (Character Sheet) - A basic fill-in-the-blank sheet with details about a character. It's usually required to fill one out in order to join a role-play. Details oftentimes include, but aren't limited to, name, age, gender, appearance, personality, and bio/history.
DM (Dungeon Master) - An alternate name for GM commonly used in tabletop gaming. Also see
GM (Game Master).
Erasure - An agreement OOC that an event never happened.
Ex - (OOC - So, its agreed. I never stuck a taco up your dog's butt.)
Fade To Black - Most often used within sexual scenes or whilst characters are sleeping overnight; where the players end/skip a scene (though sometimes it's not typed out flat [and the scene just switches], and other times it may be), and the scene picks back up after the skipped scene would have ended.
Fan Character - An original character created in a canon world. Also see
Canon.
FFRP (Free Form Role-Playing) - the opposite of dice-based role-playing.
Fluff - 1. Fluff is when you add additional, though probably unnecessary, information in a post to make it longer/match a partner’s post length. 2. Fluff in romance roleplays/shipping is when there are scenes that probably do not progress the plot forward in any way, and are more or less there for the two characters to interact in a lovey-dovey manner/do cute, sweet things together.
Genre - A specific category of RPing (si-fi, western, etc).
GM (Game Master) - The person who's usually in charge of running the storyline and plot while players participate in the story. The person who created the role-play game is referred to as the role-play's GM. Anyone can start up a game and become a GM, and sometimes there are multiple GMs/sub-GMs referred to as co-GMs. Also see
DM (Dungeon Master).
Godmodding - Making a character invincible, or nearly so, by means of insane force-fields, healing, etc. i A character whose abilities are limitless. Such characters have the ability to avoid all potential character-damaging, fatal attacks or any boon that should have happened to a character during role-play. Not good RP technique.
Headcanon - Something that the individual or fandom believes to be true in the story, show, etc. and it generally makes sense, but hasn't been officially confirmed by the creators of the media. More or less, a "personal" canon. Also see
Canon.
IC (In character) - When you're speaking as your character. Sometimes used preceding a statement or description from a character's point of view. Here on RPA we have separate IC and OOC threads.
Ex - "Dang it! The dog went on the floor again" Mina spat. "Who forgot to walk him?" Use quotations when speaking IC
IRL (In Real Life) - When discussing the world outside of role-play or the internet in general.
LARP (Live Action Role Play) - Physically RPing with people in a group; ex. reenacting wars.
Mary Sue/Gary Stu — Used to describe a character that is often times "perfect" in every way, is capable of upstaging other characters no matter what, they can pick up on any task and master it in no time, etc. Not a good roleplaying technique. Also see
Godmodding and
Powerplaying.
Metagaming - A term to describe someone who uses knowledge gained out of character and not obtained in character or within the storyline. Not a good role-playing technique.
Mod (Moderator) - The "manager" or person in charge of the roleplay, group, blog, forum, etc. Usually (as is the case on RPA) the person just below the admin, volunteering to help out (for free) however the admins might need.
Click here to see a staff introduction thread. Also see
Admin (Administrator).
Moniker - A nickname or alias, often used by the roleplayer.
Mun - The person behind the character. A.K.A the roleplayer. Also see
Player.
Muse - Often referred to either the player’s character, or things that inspire the player. Also see
Character.
MU/MUSH (Multi User Simulated Hallucination) - Often related to roleplayers of MMORPGS such as World of Warcraft.
NPC (Non-Player Character) - 1. A character that's not actually played by a particular person/shared by all the players in which is participating in the game but a particularly important character in the plot; disposable. 2. This is when the player controls the actions of a character that may not be tied to the story permanently, such as pedestrians, waiters, office workers, etc. These may also be side characters that are tied to the story, though only played and controlled by one player.
NSFW (Not Safe For Work) - Any material that would not be suitable outside of private viewing. Also see
SFW.
OC (Original Character) - A character that is not related in any canon material/is not a Fan Character/completely made up by the player. Also see
Character and
Fan Character.
One Line - One sentence of post length. Used in Chat-based RPing.
OOC (Out of character) - When you're not speaking as your character. Mostly signified when you're speaking out of character in the middle of a role-playing. Sometimes used preceding a statement or description when breaking out of role-playing to ask a question or make a comment. Here on RPA, we have separate IC and OOC threads.
Ex - The air rushed out of Mina's lungs, leaving her stunned. She doubles over in pain... (OOC - I'll be right back, gotta walk the dog)
Open [Post/Thread/Roleplay] — This means that the post/thread/roleplay made is open for anyone to reply to so that a roleplay is started. Also see
Closed.
PbP (Play by Post) - Also known as text based role-playing. This style of role-playing can be played in a numerous amount of ways. Different sites always seem to have different preferences, some use dice and others prefer free form.
PC (Player Character) - A character played by a person participating in the game.
PM (Private Message) - RPA has a private messaging system accessible through the control panel. Also see VM.
PnP (Pen and Paper) - Another way to describe Tabletop Role-playing.
Player/RPer (Role-player) - The person behind the keyboard doing the role playing.
PM (Private Message) - the messaging system specific to the website.
Powerplaying - Controlling another's character without permission. Even if your character has "mind control" powers, you should always ask the other person for permission to do it. Not good RP technique.
POV (Point of view) - When in role-play, you must use either 1st, 2nd or 3rd person point of view [1st = I, me, we] [2nd = you] [3rd person = she, he, they]. 3rd POV is mostly used because 2nd causes control issues (See powerplaying) and 1st is tricky to use sometimes.
Private - 1. A roleplay that takes place someplace private to only the players, such as PMs, e-mail, etc. 2. A roleplay only open to a very small, limited number of players. For example a 1x1 is a private roleplay. Also see
Closed.
PSA (Public Service Announcement) - Generally used when making an important or should-be-wide-spread announcement for followers, groups, or people beyond those looking at your blog.
PvP (Player vs. Player) - Also known as a role-play battle. This is a unique version on "one on one" role-playing. Except the story usually revolves on two characters fighting toward a conclusion.
RECR (Recruitment/Recruiting) - A phase of getting people to "join" before an RP thread begins. RPA uses OOC sign up threads for recruitment purposes.
RFP (Removed For Privacy) — Used in roleplay applications. Players example audition posts which are removed once they're accepted/declined and in it’s place is RFP or Removed For Privacy.
RP (Role-play) - See
Part Two:What is Role-Playing? for a definition and details.
RPA (Role-Play Adventures) - the name of the website you're on right now!
RPG (Role-Play Game/Group) - Usually means game, but occasionally means group.
Self-insert - A character that resembles the Player/Mun via personality, looks etc. and is, generally, an exact reflection of the Player/Mun.
Semi-Selective - When a roleplayer will sometimes be choosy with who they decide to roleplay with. Out of person A, B, and C, they may roleplay with B and C, but decide not to roleplay with A for whatever reason. Not an acceptable RP technique on RPA.
SFW (Safe for Work) - Safe viewing material. Also see
NSFW.
Smut - The writing of erotica/18+ material. Not an acceptable RP technique on RPA.
Starter - The opening/beginning post of the roleplay. The very first post of the roleplay, to "start" it.
Table-Top RolePlaying - Roleplaying/storytelling with a group of people all playing different characters lead by a GM/DM of whom enforces the rules; ex. Dungeons and Dragons
Thread - The collection of posts and responses from the start or continuation of the roleplay. In a forum setting, it refers to a series of posts made under one particular post.
VM (Visitor Message) - On RPA, you can post comments, commonly known as visitor messages, on one another's profiles. These are public posts. If you're looking for something more private, see PM.
WIP (Work In Progress) - If a player puts the "WIP" or the words "in progress" at the end of a post, it simply means the post is incomplete and people shouldn't reply to their post directly as of yet. This is certainly not a suggested method of role-playing, but in the event it occurs, other players are expected to be polite about it.
CREDITS: Thank you to FuckYeahRoleplayAdvice on Tumblr, user RP_101 on FurAffinity, as well as the staff of RPA [namely Anne Bonny] for this lovely Abbreviations Guide!
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