((The RP XP with MJ #53))

Welcome to the third “Captured Moment” with ((The RP XP with MJ)), my ongoing nod and /salute to the great RolePlay inspirations found throughout the living worlds of SWTOR’s awesome set pieces and NPC placement.

 

Keep in mind this little aside wasn’t produced, endorsed or even recognized by BioWare. It’s just me doing what every good RPer does: finding those captured moments of “realism” throughout the game and making up my own story to go with it. For the passing gamer, these are nothing more than animated space filler. For me, and maybe you, they’re somehting more. They’re little untold stories, pictures that spark the mind and give you ideas. Like this one…

 

CAPTURED MOMENT #3

WHAT IT IS:

A human male appears to wretch over the golden fountain trough on the lower promenade of Nar Shaddaa while a female Twi’lek looks on amused.

WHERE TO FIND IT:

(-986, 517) “Lower Promenade”, Nar Shaddaa

 

It’s probably one of the first humorous scenes you encountered the first time you played SWTOR: a human male throwing up into the fountain on Nar Shaddaa. Did he just have too much to drink? Did his female Twi’lek companion trigger his gag reflex by telling him the golden water was actually water passed by a Hutt? Or was it something more than that?

 

Bixlo was a business man. A shrewd business man.

 

He was famous throughout the black market networks of over six systems, a finagler whose expertise included bilking the hard earned credits out of the hands of more legitimate entrepreneurs. Bixlo Benns was known from Adumar to Tatooine as “The bahzanka jonsa yae” (The human with the Silver Tongue).

 

Until he met Herr.

 

Specifically, Herr’nika; a Twi’lek dancer and something of an entrepreneur herself. She worked the entertainment circuit from one hovering casino to another on Nar Shaddaa, never dancing on the promenade itself because that’s where she liked to unwind and spend her off-time. Alone. Herr’nika owned several of the larger residential blocks near the Slippery Slopes cantina as well as a controlling interest in the cantina itself. Most of the profits went to Sarthaa The Hutt, but her business was her own and Sarthaa never bothered to check Herr’s books. She was a generous business partner, after all. No reason to dig so deep into a partner’s pockets that you scare them off, or make them an enemy. Sarthaa was smarter than the average Yae with a bahzanka jonsa.

 

Herr’s specialty, and the trade with which she made her fortune, had nothing to do with her own dancing. Herr’nika designed, manufactured and sold holo units that recorded Twi’lek dancers in one club and broadcast them live in another. Revelers in the Silent Suns cantina on Coruscant were thrilled that they didn’t have to pay a cover charge to see a live projection of Mila’noko-Rah dancing for them—even if the actual flesh of her swaying lekku was several parsecs away on Nar Shaddaa. Club owners paid a small fortune for the projectors, and all Herr had to do was surreptitiously place a recording device in a club and calibrate it remotely from her ship. It only took a couple sales on Malastare and Coruscant to make enough to hire a staff to do the dirty work for her. Then all she had to do was sit back and collect.

 

Bixlo Benns fancied himself slightly more shrewd than the average Hutt, and heads and slimy tails above and beyond the likes of Sarthaa. He followed Herr’nika around Nar Shaddaa, listened in as she met with one of Sarthaa’s collectors, observed her tinkering with a receiver just outside the ship she had docked near the lower promenade, and traced one of the signals to Abregado-Rae where she just made a huge sale to a club owner there. After three days of close observation, he decided to make his move.

 

Bixlo Benns was going to get a cut of Herr’nika’s action with the oldest and most trusted technique in the book: simple extortion. He patted the pocket of his pants that held the small datapad packed with the details of Herr’s operation: frequencies, transmitter ranges, exact locations of hidden camera placements. All he had to do was loosen her up with a couple drinks.

 

“Hey, babe,” he smirked as he sidled up next to her in the Slippery Slopes. He nodded to the bartender and motioned to get a refill for the “lovely lekkus” next to him.

 

Herr’nika slid her eyes toward the human and corrected, “Lekku.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“The plural of lekku is lekku,” she said, though Bixlo smiled when she accepted her drink and threw it back. He ordered another for himself and slid closer.

 

“Name’s Bixlo. Bixlo Benns.” He held out a hand. The Twi’lek considered the hand for a moment, then took it, curling her long slender fingers around his. “Herr’nika.”

 

“I know,” Bixlo grinned. He jutted a thumb at himself. “Huge fan.”

 

“Really?” She downed her drink. Bixlo ordered another. Then he got another for himself, determined to match her swallow for swallow and drink her under the table. This, he thought, will be the easiest score ever.

 

Except that Herr’s drink of choice was water.

 

It was less than two hours later that a rather mush-brained Bixlo Benns decided to ply his silver tongue and entice Herr with an offer she couldn’t refuse. They strolled—rather staggered—alongside the band pit and flickering lights of the lower promenade when he stopped and turned to her. “I haff a bidness proposilinition for you, Herm.”

 

“I’m sure you do,” she smirked. Herr shifted her weight to one hip, amused as she started the mental countdown to Bixlo Benns’ pending failure. She started counting backward from twenty.

 

At “eighteen” Bixlo Benns suddenly lurched, made an “urp” sound in his throat, then lost an hour’s worth of Tatooine Sunrises into the golden fountain next to them. The next morning Bixlo would wake up at that same spot, minus his wallet, logbook, the datapad with all the extortion intel on Herr’nika… and his boots.

 

The lesson he learned: Find out what your mark is drinking before you start matching them swallow for swallow.

 

 

 

CAPTURED MOMENTS LINKS

 

“The Tale of the Lost Jawa”

“The Sad Tale of Arlon and Jurie”

 

If you have a favorite “captured moment” scene, screenshot it and send it to me (swtorliferp(at)gmail.com). If you’ve got a story to go along with it, let’s hear it; or if you want to see what I can make up, we can do that too. ((The RP XP with MJ)) appears exclusively on swtor-life.com every Friday. Contact MJ directly by writing to swtorlife(at)mail, leave a comment, or follow him on Twitter @MJswtor.

((The RP XP with MJ #52))

I recently sought counseling for my altoholism. I finally realized that 20 characters was enough, especially when I came up with a cool name for them.

 

“The 20 Twenties.”

 

Yup. I have Twenty characters of level 20 or higher, all bound together by a legacy too complicated for the built-in legacy chart in SWTOR. Where RP is concerned, the connections between The 20 Twenties are as complex as the webs of an Eberon spider. They include relatives, distant relatives, rivals, marriages, school relationships, partnerships, business ventures, contacts, employers, slaves, hires, underbosses and adoptions.

 

I call it “Casting.”

 

If you enter into an RP scenario with me, even if it’s just a casual BARP, chances are a conversation will rotate back to one of these connections, and if your character has connections of their own… well, we just put together a cast for our own personal episodic content. Let’s say my Trooper has a brother who knows a Jedi who can get your Smuggler’s sister out of jail. The stories will write themselves if you have multiple characters with connected backgrounds.

 

 

BUT HOW DO YOU KEEP IT ALL TOGETHER

 

I’ve had friends in game who shake their head at the notion of having more than two characters. They say it’s hard enough to keep the backgrounds straight on just one of them let alone twenty! Yet any time they RP with one of my characters, traits remain consistent, my characters “remember” previous conversations, and stories continue unhindered as if each character really does have a mind of their own (rather than all of them being crammed into my Swiss cheese of a brain).

 

Here are a few ways you can keep it all together, with some tips on making your RolePlay fresh even when you’re switching from one character to the next.

 

 

KEEPING NOTES

 

The most obvious answer is to simply keep notes. Some RPers I’ve connected with say they keep a note pad or Post-It notes next to their computer. They jot down character traits, snippets of conversation, references for call-backs, etc. But as time goes on—especially if you have more than one character to keep straight—a lot of recycled forests will dry up, and you’re going to have the mounting problem of indexing and being able to find an old note on the fly.

 

I recommend the note method if you have fewer than five characters, particularly if they’re not closely related. Buy a five-subject notebook like you’d get for school and turn each character into a “subject.” You can even draw a line down the center of the divider pages for a two-column quick-reference where you keep “likes” and “dislikes” or a list of traits that will be a consistent part of your characterization regardless of who you’re RPing with or what story you’re writing. For example, if your character “speaks with an accent” or “swears a lot,” you’ll want to keep those references at the front of your notepad so they’re a consistent reminder for that character. I have a Twi’lek Jedi Knight who happens to be deaf. He reads lips and senses vibrations in the Force, but I have to be careful not to have him respond to sounds or conversations out of his line of sight. “Deaf” is at the top of his character sheet.

 

 

ORDER OUT OF CHAOS

 

If you’re an old-school RolePlayer like me, you probably remember the days of Dungeons & Dragons, pencil-and-paper RP that included a Character Sheet that held information similar to what you find if you tap C to pull up your SWTOR in-game character profile. But, in addition to abilities and technical facts and figures, you might have a section for personality or references to traits related to your character’s race or background. The old pencil-and-paper character sheets you’d buy at a hobby or comic book store were great for keeping information concise because they’d have boxes and lines that kept your pencil scrawls organized. The problem is you’d have to copy everything to a new sheet once you started wearing eraser holes through the paper.

 

Fortunately, you can accomplish the same thing electronically. Keeping an “e-notebook” not only saves paper and desk space, it’s convenient to have on screen in front of you (either on a secondary monitor or in the background just an alt-tab away). You can use Microsoft Word, Notepad, Open Office, InDesign, or any other program for word processing or note keeping. Open Office is a great example of one you can download for free—if you want something beyond your computer’s built-in note pad—with the capability for organizing tables, columns or charts with boldface, italics or even color-coding. Every word processor I’ve ever used lets you easily find a reference with a simple key stroke that opens a search window (typically Ctrl+F for “find”). Just be sure to be detailed so you can easily locate your references.

 

I actually use my swtor-life gmail account for all my characters. I created an email for each one and simply save it in my drafts folder. In other words, I wrote an email to myself without hitting “send” so I can just click over to the drafts tab in whatever browser I’m using (wherever I’m using it—even on my phone or Kindle). Until Google suffers an unlikely server disaster, I know my characters are safe. Even so, I periodically copy/paste my drafts onto a word processor and store them on my computer.

 

Here’s an example of one of my e-notes:

 

(TWI’LEK – M – L18, A35 – [+Artifice/Arch/Treas]) >>>>>> * Jedi Knight Daelu’mi’sarvas*

RP NOTE –
HE IS DEAF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FORM OF ADDRESS: POLITE AND CASUAL

QUIRKS: READS LIPS
HOBBIES: Articulate Crafting, Metal and Macrocircuitry
PHOBIAS: Spiders

FOOD: Munch-Fungus (as a stew, broth or bread)
DRINK: Ysanna Branyak Juice (A potent ration. He usually enjoys one glass per day)

BORN: 35 Years Ago (GS21385) on Abregado-Rae to Micah Sarvas (Hum) and Na’lon’a (“Horwi”/Twi)

GREW UP: Spinara Plateau, Carida
EDUCATION: Carida Academy / Carida Basic Education
OCCUPATION: Librarian/Teacher: Order of the Ysanna Protectorate, planet Ossus.
BOSS: Master Leppapor, a Bith Librarian from Clak’dor VII
HOME: Tython, Jedi Instructor’s Camp Outside Kalikori Village
SHIP: “Li’Lo”

COMPANIONS:
Qyzen Fess = n/a
C2-N2 = “C2-O7” [aka. “Seven”] (Came with the ship)

 

The first line includes all the “game info” I need to know, including crafting skills and level. Each of my characters’s “sheets” contains the same queues for easy reference. If another character asks, “Where are you from?” or “What do you do?” I can easily remember that I’m a teacher and that I came from the planet Carida, but as you can see a character sheet allows you to go into greater detail. I only need enough to trigger my own memories and E.U. knowledge to flesh out this character even more. For example, the reference to Spinara Plateau and Carida Academy are enough to remind me that Daelu came from an orphanage on the rogue world until he was adopted by a Bith Jedi. You’ll also notice that I don’t use Qyzen Fess in RP and that I’ve re-named my ship’s droid to make him my own. As Daelu grows in level and gets more companions, I’ll create backgrounds for them as well.

 

Be sure to use prompts for things like “Quirks,” “Hobbies,” and “Phobias” to add character to your persona, even if your character is a Dark Sith bad ass. My most vile character is a Sith Lord with an extremely nasty disposition. Here’s an example of how his QHP prompts might look:

 

QUIRKS: Uses the word “indeed” frequently.

HOBBIES: Collects slaves.

PHOBIAS: Bodies of water.

 

A Sith Lord afraid of water? Why not? Maybe he almost drowned as a child—shoved into a swamp on Hutta and left for dead. Otherwise, I play him as a tough guy with an unstoppable will. Adding a fear or weakness to your character humanizes them and gives them a dimension that comes out in your RP. It makes them a believable character. Consider this: Do you have a cyborg character? Where did the cybernetics come from? How were they injured (or were they born that way) to require artificial enhancements? Does your character have a scar? How did they get it, and did the deep mark on their face lead to a fear of something? Maybe your character was burned in some kind of plasma explosion, so now they have a fear of fire. Something to consider.

 

 

CHARTING

 

A simple way to keep character relationships in order is to create a chart like this:

 

With twenty characters to keep in order, a chart like this makes it easy for me to follow at-a-glance where all my connections come from and how they’re related.

 

If you only have a handful of characters, check out the built-in legacy tree on the Legacy tab in-game. BioWare obviously had RolePlayers in mind when they devised this handy reference tool which lets you relate your characters across faction as children or parents, siblings, rivals and more. The only reason I created my own chart is because I needed to refer to more specific connections like acquaintances from a training academy, or former master-slave relations.

 

 

KEEPING TRACK OF RP

 

Ok, so now you have a note system to keep track of your characters’ traits, personalities, history, visited locations, even phobias. How do you keep track of the characters played by other players in-game?

 

In-Game Notes

 

The Friends Tab in SWTOR lets you add notes so you can keep track of how you met someone or notes about that person’s personality or their character’s relationship to yours (consider the possibilities of combined legacies and having marriages, siblings, parents or rivals between you and other players).

 

My notes on the Friends tab look like this: “RP 10/16/13” and that’s it. I have more extensive notes on my computer tied to that date. Here’s how it works:

 

Out-of-Game Notes

 

I have a document on my computer that references RP. With twenty characters, all of whom I RP with, you can imagine how complicated and complex the relationships and instances can go. I can go more than a week between playing one character or another, so this guide helps me keep everything straight. Using the search function of my processor will instantly show me what the last RP session was with someone else’s character—or if I even know them at all. For example:

 

10/2/13 (Wed a.m.) – Meurika, Sanzara’li

Began a business chat with Sanzara’li when his pet Lethan approached. Meur inspected his property, then they talked about possible joint business ventures.

 

9/30/13 (Mon a.m.) – Elayo, Ventak

They are reunited after being separated for awhile. He gives her a bracelet of emeralds.

 

9/27/13 (Fri, p.m.) – Meurika, Sanzara’li

Meets Sanzara’li, an imposing slave trader for the Empire. They have several things in common, particularly a taste for blood soup.

 

9/23/13 (Mon a.m.) – Meurika, Zedra

Meurika returns to Korriban on business and meets an instructor there. Zedra enlists Meur’s help in locating one of her lost students.

 

(NOTE: Any relation to the characters mentioned above and in-game characters is coincidence. I made them up for this example.)

Meurika’s Friend’s List next to “Zedra” will have the note “RP 9/23/13.” Searching for that date on my RP note document will bring me to the two lines above that will remind me who Zedra is and what Meurika and she did. Likewise, if I search for “Elayo” and see all of that character’s RP dealings, I can see that she received a gift on 9/30. The next time Elayo and Ventak RP together, I can emote her adjusting the bracelet or admiring it in the light. If you use this method of memory-boosting, just be sure to keep it simple. There’s no reason to go into long exposition. You really just need enough to remind you what your character did, with whom, and when.

 

 

FAIR WARNING FROM THE GUILTY

 

My name is MJ and I’m an altoholic.

 

“Hi, MJ.”

 

I love my characters. I love their interrelations as well as the histories they share with other player characters. The downside of my massive legacy is that it makes me inadvertently selfish. How often can I RP twenty characters and how deep can their relationships go with others, especially if my in-game time is already limited?

 

Don’t bite off more than you can chew when establishing relationships with other characters in-game. I’ve been on the receiving end of whispers in-game like, “((Hey! Where have you been? I haven’t seen you on in almost a month!))” to which I have to admit, “((Sorry… I was involved in a story with another character in the other faction)).” Don’t assume that everyone else has as many characters in the pot as you.

 

One way to keep everyone happy is to be open about your play style. I typically let people know that I may be on another character, invite them to “friend” those names, and shoot me a Tell if they’re interested in RP. I also make sure that I only get involved in deep multi-episodic stories with one or two (at the most) players at a time and give them the priority until our stories have concluded. Likewise, I’ll warn other people I RP with that I may bounce from character to character, and I let them know the hours I’m typically in-game. Above all, I never allow myself to fall into a situation where I have a character “living” on another character’s ship, or vice-versa. Imagine being “stranded” because the other person hasn’t logged in to that character in a long time.

 

((The RP XP with MJ appears every Friday exclusively here on swtor-life.com. Feel free to contact MJ directly with your RP stories or questions at swtorliferp(at)gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter @MJswtor))

((The RP XP with MJ))

It’s time again for YOUR ROLEPLAY QUESTIONS! And to celebrate the 50^th Edition of The RP XP with MJ, we’re going to turn up the heat and have a Q&A that’s hot and sexy, because this Q&A is all about Erotic RolePlay (ERP).

 

I recently got a batch of ERP questions and decided to add them to a couple others I’ve had on the back burner, so turn down the lights, get comfortable, put on some Barry White (or keep it canon with something smooth by Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes) and let’s get started…

 

DISCLAIMER: ERP is for mature audiences RPers. Consequently, some of my discussion here may be frank and suggestive (though I’ll try to tone it down as much as possible). Before engaging in ERP, be sure that you have 1) Established your intentions OOCly, 2) Agreed to the level your ERP will take with your RP partner, 3) Established that your RP partner is an adult. For more on ERP (the do- and do-nots), refer to RP XP #6. In the last Q&A (RP XP #40) I answered the question of how to get out of an ERP if you get pulled into one without permission. In a not-so-related topic, see also RP XP #9 where I talk about male players with female characters.

 

Now let down your lekku, loosen that gun belt, polish that lightsaber. Let’s talk sex.

 

 

How do you enter ERP without looking like a hormonal teenager?

 

An interesting question because a number of ERPers out there are hormonal teenagers. You can usually (but not always) tell by their approach. They’re usually bold, up-front and typically quite crude, though I have encountered one RPer under the age of 18 who approached one of my characters with ERP in mind whose spelling, syntax, grammar, and mature approach made them seem far more mature than their age. (NOTE: I didn’t engage in ERP with them because they were under 18, but I did have an OOC chat with them wherein I encouraged a lot of reading and writing, bolstering the talent I saw in our brief interaction).

 

Before you enter into an ERP, ask yourself this question: Am I doing this because I’m horny and want to have “pretend sex,” or is this part of my character’s development, their nature, or is it part of their world? I’ll come out and say it: You’re not a deep, serious, dedicated, hard core, etc. RPer if your motivations in-game are to satisfy your needs more than your character’s. Approaching someone ICly with a suggestive /whisper because their character is dressed “slutty” is acting like a hormonal teenager. Approaching someone ICly because their character appeals to your character (through an overheard conversation, the way they emote, or the way they carry themselves) is more “realistic.”

 

Also, if your first approach is, “Are you into ERP?” you’re doing it wrong. And yes, I am an advocate against telling people they’re RPing wrong, but when it comes to ERP the lines are different. Unless you just want to practice “sexting,” that’s not the approach you should use. ERP should come up the way intimacy comes up in real life. Your characters should have some kind of interaction leading up to the intimacy. That can be anything from a drunken one-night stand to a long period of “dates” and running Flashpoints together in-character, where friendship becomes more.

 

 

How do you ERP tastefully?

 

Another excellent question. ERP “chat” can range from the downright crude and pornographic to something more suggestive and insinuated, essentially The Spice Channel vs. Cinemax.

 

Even if you and your RP partner have demonstrated that you’re both mature and adult… Even if you and your RP partner have agreed to acting out intimate moments through ERP… Even if the relationship between your characters has grown comfortable… ERP can be ruined with the wrong language and the wrong setting. If you want your ERP to be more serious and mature, consider these rules:

 

~ Avoid Crude Language

 

“S*** my C***,” “L*** my P****,” “F*** me hard,” are all very base forms of sexual communication, and really have no place in the world other than pornography (my opinion, folks). Granted, a heated moment where all inhibitions are out the airlock may arise and heavy breathing will give way to an intensely erotic outburst once in awhile, but there are ways to convey this without breaking immersion with crude language.

 

You can substitute body parts with euphemisms or similes. Instead of referring to male genitalia as a c***, d*** or Johnson, opt for something like “shaft,” “member” or even something colorfully innocuous (though humorous), like “sword” or “tool.” The female t***, p****, or the singularly most crude c***, can be substituted with “breasts,” “sex,” or “tunnel.”

 

Typically, the tone and emotion of the setting will dictate what kind of language you use, but keep in mind that you don’t always have to make direct references to your “member” or her “sex.” For example, the exposition of “/e kneels down,” “/e bends over,” “/e touches,” or “/e lies back” don’t mean anything by themselves, but in a sexual connotation, you can fill in the blanks with what comes next.

 

What about the direct action verbs? Well, since we’re in the SWTOR universe, you can exchange the F-word for the more canonically correct “kriff” (aka. “The K-word”). And again, your setting will dictate whether “ram” or “slam” is more appropriate than “enters” or “slides.” Emphasize your actions with appropriate adverbs as well. “Slowly,” “roughly,” and “delicately” are common.

 

~ ERP, Like Regular RP, is Give and Take, Action and Response

 

I’ll say it plainly: One-sided ERP is virtual rape, even if your RP partner has consented to ERP, shown that they are mature and of age, and the scene has been entered into appropriately for the setting.

 

If you’re familiar with “godmodding,” you should be familiar enough to realize that taking control of another character’s body is no different than disarming them in a duel, hacking off their limb or speaking on their behalf. To that end, avoid presumptions that take control of a character away from another player. When it comes to a sexual act, your RP partner will decide if, when, and how much their character climaxes.

 

 

How do I know if I’m RPing with a male or female?

 

You don’t. Period. Even if a player states that they’re one gender in OOC chat doesn’t make it so. I’ve known quite a few males who pass themselves off as female players, and vice-versa. Now ask yourself if that matters. If you are a male RPer and you will only ERP with a female player, you’re putting the art of RolePlay more on your personal desires than extending your talents to a character you control. After all, what does it matter to your male smuggler that the female ex-Jedi coming on to him is controlled by a guy or a gal? It shouldn’t. If you’re concerned about the gender of your RP partner, NEVER NEVER NEVER engage in ERP. As Yoda would say, “Search your feelings.” Or, in this case, search your motivations for wanting to ERP in the first place.

 

If you, like me, don’t care about the gender of the player as long as their RP is mature, adult and consensual (and makes sense with the character they’re controlling), don’t assume your RP partner feels the same way. I typically clarify that I’m a male RPer if I happen to be playing a female character. You may get the brush off from someone whose intentions are more outside-the-game, but I’ve never been called out for it. Remember, RolePlay is a Community. We’re all familiar with the art. If you get to the point in a character relationship where ERP is around the corner, chances are you’ll be able to address gender issues openly, and if your partner has a problem with it, they’re usually pretty up-front about it and may suggest a “fade out” technique, or politely end the character relationship.

 

 

How do you spot an invitation to ERP?

 

In mature scenarios, a character relationship may get to the point where there is a tender touch, a longing look in the eyes, or even a gentle kiss. The next scene should be considered optional, and this is where the subject comes up. Presuming your characters are in a private setting and it looks and feels like sex may be the next step, feel free to extend the invitation yourself. Even if the other person describes their character as disrobing or moving toward a sexual position or situation, jump into an OOC whisper and make sure they’re an adult.

 

 

How long does/should ERP last?

 

Damn good question, and so glad it was asked. It’s a mistake among RPers who ERP (or ERPers) that virtual sex acts should last a long time. The question of a male’s stamina, the number of orgasms a female character can have, etc. all tend to weigh on an ERP and make it drawn out and boring. Remember, that an ERP scenario is a stepping stone to the larger life of your character. You have worlds to conquer, enemies to fight, Ewoks to feed. Your whole life isn’t about sex (discounting several stereotypical smugglers I know).

 

To maintain a believable stretch of time that doesn’t make your male character seem like a “quick draw,” or your female character seem like an “sex-addictive schutta,” use exposition to extend time without having to wade through redundant comments and repetitive details. If you have to consult a thesaurus during ERP, you’ve been going at it too long.

 

Consider this outline:

I. Foreplay

II. Sex

III. Afterglow (or Aftermath, depending how ‘wild’ the scene was)

 

The actual “sex” part of ERP can take some time, but once it’s established that that’s what’s going on, feel free to say something like, “…continues for ___ minutes/hours” etc. Then move on (presuming, of course, that your RP partner agrees with the established set of time). There’s only so many different ways to describe “rhythm,” “moaning” or “panting.” Cut it short. Move on.

 

SIDEBAR: REALISM

 

During ERP, maintain character. Keep things in mind like self-consciousness, awkwardness, shyness, allergies and fetishes (or responses to fetishes). KNOW BEFORE YOU BEGIN how your character would respond to invitations to different acts or positions, and don’t be afraid to be vocal if you play your Sith somewhat prudish. If one position is enough for her, stick to that in-character. Likewise, consider whether or not it’s been “a long time” for your character and how he/she may respond considering. Is your character promiscuous? Have they had many partners, and are they likely to carry some form of galactic V.D.? Is protection involved? Is it possible your character (or theirs) can become pregnant? As with any RP act, be sure to chat these out OOCly before beginning.

 

 

SIDEBAR: PROTECTING YOURSELF

 

Even if you don’t care what gender your ERP partner is, make sure you get a verification of their age. You can be criminally liable for engaging in sexual talk, connotations or suggestions (even virtual) with a minor. Granted, a clever 15-year-old who writes well can say they’re 20 and you wouldn’t know. Protect yourself by asking them to confirm their age, then take a screen shot of your game screen and save the image in a secure folder on your computer. And, as with anything, the only way to be completely safe and secure is to simply NOT DO IT.

 

Keep in mind that ERP is an OPTION. There are ways that your characters can engage in sexual relations without acting them out. The “fade out” technique is probably the best method.

 

For example:

Bonzor kisses Elysia tenderly. “Let’s take this to bed.”

Elysia kisses him back. “Okay.” She takes him by the hand. ((fade out))

Bonzor ((fade in)) pulls on his shirt and fastens the buttons. “Wow.”

Elysia runs a hand through her hair. “That was… amazing.”

Bonzor grins. “I know.”

 

RP XP WITH MJ WIKI:

Q&A #4

Q&A #3

Q&A #2

Q&A #1 

 

((The RP XP with MJ)) appears exclusively on swtor-life.com every Friday. You can follow him on Twitter @MJswtor, or write to him at swtorliferp(at)gmail.com