I have done some threads here before that have touched on the subject of roleplay, I guess it began when I asked if I was alone with playing as only one character, going around doing all quests and skills. Basically what you often do in most games. But someone suggested to try roleplaying, and I have wanted to try that out for a while, but I feel like i need some more guidance since I am completely new to the subject of roleplaying in a videogame.

I actually grew up playing with paper and pen roleplaying games so I am not unaware of the concept in general and I have played games for near all of my 30 year life.

I have never really seen the compatibility between roleplaying and videogames though, even though it seems to be very standard practice to play that way here. I have played some "evil" characters in games like Fallout and Fable. But I would not really call that "roleplay". It is more like I kill people and choose the "bad" dialogue options..

Now, I must say I still have a bit of a hard time understanding how to really roleplay in a videogame as they are still quite restricting, but I am going into this with an open mind and I want to really give it a real chance, since I have heard people say it can really make it even more fun. I am a bit unsure about many things though. Sometimes I don't get if people are mixing up roleplay with immersion for example. I love the idea of not quicktravel, having to eat, DiD and all that, but is that really "roleplaying"?

Some general guidelines would be useful from people who are used to roleplaying. I assume the goal is to try to live the character and behave "realistic"? So that makes other question pop up in my mind. What if you enter an NPC:s house, are you supposed to treat them like real people? So do you burst in to strangers home as usual and start walking up to their bedroom looking around? Going to their bookshelf and just grab a book to read even though you have never meet them before? Looking through their drawers even? Stuff like that?

Create a character, a backstory, etc for a character. How did he/she end up there the game starts and why?

What role or class is your character. take a class from Morrowind, Oblivion, or even D&D and modify it to fit the game you are playin it stick to it. IF you are playing a warrior, ignore magic except for maybe alchemy/enchanting for example.

Do only missions/quests you think that character would do. For example, when playing a Cleric character, do you think you character would do quests that are all about killing or hurting somone innocent. Even if you know you can get around it, would your character actually even take up the job at all?

Have a habit or two this character has. for example, My cleric in Skyrim prays at a temple whenever she enters a town with one.

Back story and skill lines are part of the Roleplay, and probably the most fun to figure out, but they are really a support to the role.

What I do is come up with a list of Do's and Don't's and follow that closely. The D and D's can be based on the back story or anything else. Simple examples are, Don't Steal or Don't Steak from Commoners, only Nobles. Only kill when attacked, never take the first swing, only use magic, or don't use magic at all, don't use money, things like that. It can also be other things like only wear certain armor or use a certain type of weapon. For sure, Faction choices come into this list of rules. It's easier to follow a list of rules than to try to fully integrate your role into a game's mechanics. There is enough freedom in the game to RP this way.

The main thing about roleplay is to consider the character's point of view, not your own player point of view. Do what the character would realistically do, based on the character's personality, abilities, and especially knowledge.

You may know what's inside that dungeon, but your character doesn't. You may have seen a big game event 50 times, but it's all new to your character. Act accordingly.

You can do the "gotta eat, gotta sleep" thing if you want, but I think it's much more important for a character to have likes and dislikes, and hopes and dreams. Your character may be on the adventure of a lifetime, but what does he really want to do? What would he be doing if he didn't have these quests and life-threatening adventures going on? Maybe he can do some of that, along the way.

It doesn't have to be anything big or important. You don't even have to understand it. One of my characters takes the shoes of everybody she kills, and she hoards them. I don't know why she does that, but she does it. Maybe she doesn't even know why she does it. But a little "detail" like that is what helps to make a real character, rather than a puppet.