Forums » RP Discussion » Connect & Play Better?

My games go much more smoothly and get a lot more interesting when I've had time to become familiar with the player and their character. I've learned that just being familiar with a player isn't enough, because playing is nothing like talking with them. Familiarity with the character and style are the more important things for me - but you can't really get a truly good idea of what to expect with those until you're already playing. I've been considering asking people if they have any short stories or similar stuff featuring the character, so I can better get to know them in advance and have a better idea how to play.

What about you? Do you get this, too? Are there other things that help you to better connect and have a better game?

I have this issue to. My writing also feels like it doesn't have much of a personality to it, at least to me. That could just be over familiarity though. I think it's a trial and error thing though, and certain styles just don't mesh well. I find the trick to RP so far for me has been matching the rhythm set by the previous user, but that requires a lot of experience writing with other styles, which, incidentally means trial and error again. Most people on this site seem either really rigid in a way that all their characters are essentially the same person, or they have a broad range of writing. I actually haven't had much in finding rp's with others that accentuate my writing, but they do seem to find me when I make my own topics, which pulls me back to the Rhythm thing. Usually the first person set's the tone and pacing, but not always, and it's a fine line to tread. It can actually be difficult. Of course as time passes and you get more familiar with their writing style, it certainly does make it easier. Of course, some people just have the talent to mesh with all sorts of styles, having either written with others and picked it up, or have been exposed to so many and have learned through their own form of trial and error. So all in all I'd say that I'm not even sure if I've helped here or not, since everyone's different, it could be that I've just droned on and on with no real point outside of the obvious. Sometimes that's what you need though.