What is Roleplaying?

One interesting thing I've discovered about our favorite hobby is the limitless definitions of the word roleplay when used in the context of roleplaying games. Of course the definitions are all similar... and yet different.

So what does roleplay mean to you, i.e., what specifically are you doing when your 'roleplaying' in-game?

Basically I make up a character with all his powers, abilities, strengths, weaknesses and an associated personality, and then I act like that character would act in the circumstances presented during the game.

This means if the character in question would go right into a room, not knowing it's a trap, that's what he does. Even if I myself am well aware it's a trap. This means if he'd leave the person tied on the altar to die because their are more pressing concerns thats what he does, even if I personally would have saved them.

Other people have different definitions and that's fine, but when I roleplay I make up another person whole and then act like that person to the best of my abilities. Of course I don't claim to be perfect I'm sure I've occasionally done what I would do rather then what the character I created would. But I'm only human right.

,,, just to scare the crickets away...

Roleplaying for me means co-authoring an adventure with friends for an imagined audience.

Character is my pen and the game world is my paper.

I tend to bristle at the GM exclusively controling the supply of paper, I like to direct both pen and paper along with my friends... within certain boundaries of course.

Acting, plain and simple. The game takes care of the numbers, the GM takes care of the scenery, set design, and antagonists. Roleplaying is taking on a role (whether you developed it yourself, co-develop it with the other players, or it's handed to you) and behaving in a believable fashion.

EDIT [Know what? I just read the last line of the first post... so my post is rather off-topic now. However I'm going to leave it simply because I'd like to see if anyone else 'roleplays' outside of RPGs]

Hmm... I have a much broader definition than you it seems.

To me roleplaying is simply that, playing around in a new role. It doesn't have to be in D&D, or even an RPG for that matter, real life and other types of games are fair game (pardon the pun). Those that have played Mafia with me know how much I get into the roles ("No, I love this town, I couldn't possibly have hurt anyone!") and I do the same in FPSes, RTSes, and board games. mainly I just like running my mouth, and taking on different personas is how I do it.

Take my last Zombies!!! game, for instance. I was making all kinds of deals with other players to escape to the helipad cooperatively (Hey, you'll cooperate with anyone if 50 zombies are running behind you trying to eat you), before double crossing them at the last second (There was only one spot left, what could I do). Naturally this was all accompanied by speaking the whole time as if it was happening in real life.

I've never played straight up pen and paper D&Ds, yet I have a good 4-5 "real" characters from various RPGs I've played, and some backup "real life" characters that come out in various situations.

To sum up, why must Roleplaying be limited to games? The next time you're at a bar role-claim Mark Zuckerburg and talk about building facebook. Pick up a girl by pretending to race motorcycles (just need the helmet for this one, no need for the actual bike). Pretend you give a crap about what I just said and get a flame war going *grin*!

Its a big movie and were all in it. yes even you

A union of three different aspects:

1. A social activity. You roleplay with people (or sentient beings, whatever). This may be via forums or such. 2. You make decisions as or for at least one character, or a thing that functions as a character. 3. The decisions you make matter and have consequences.

Real life counts if you think of yourself a character or a group of them. Be my guest.

Roleplaying to me is telling a story. The players act though the characters, and the GM/DM supplies the storyline, plot, and any characters the players don't control. I don't care what system is used, as long as it is a good story with a good plot. Too many RPGs are run as hack-and-slash, which gets old if you want to roleplay. I play tabletop wargames when I want hack-and-slash. But a great plot with a twist and intrigue is music to my ears...