I can't really get into roleplaying in Oblivion, despite my countless tries at it. I try roleplaying AS my character, but I find that to be very hard. I try to roleplay as my characters conscious, but that doesn't work. I even tried steal a few things from the great Arcadian and roleplay as my characters mentor, but to no avail. I really love the idea of roleplaying, but I can't get into my character. Any ideas?

Try playing as your characters son.

This topic has come up before and I have no idea how to help you. I think there are some people who are imaginitive, some who are over-imaginitive, and some who (for whatever reason) haven't got much imagination.

When I was young, me and my friends used to play with dolls for hours. We had the big doll house, the props, the little Corvette, etc. Got to be a teenager, and I learned about Dungeons & DRagons. For me, it was simply natural to give each of my characters a bit of personality, beyond "fearsome Barbarian" or "stealthy mage". Some characters would be drunks. Some would be liars. It just came natural to me and my friends at the time.

So Oblivion is (again) just an extension of all this. :shrug: RPing is not really for everyone, but I'm sure you'll get lots of ideas how to get started from others. And then either something willl "click" for you, or maybe not. There are plenty of peeps here who play the game without roleplaying.

You have to toss aside the barrier between your mind and the game. You don't necessarily roleplay as yourself, you roleplay as that person.

You've got to get 1 thing in mind before you start, which is a general personality. From there you can build it up.

Who do you want your character to be? What sort-of person? A compulsive liar? An anti-social wanderer? An upbeat happy-go-lucky person by day, and a serious assassin by night?

The possibilities are endless.

These are a few of the things I've used:

• Breton Woman, ran way from home and became a bandit, after her friends were killed she settled down in Anvil and got married and had kids, but every once in a while she just "needs" to get out of the city, tell her family she's going on a trip, and goes around adventuring.
  
• Dunmer Man, with a temper. He studied in the Mages guild in Morrowind, but lashed out against the guild there because he's naturally a very rebellious guy. He moved to Cyrodiil and decided to join the Mages Guild there, he has a constant problem with not being in a leadership position, and often tries to undermine everyone in power. Other than that, he's actually a very good person... until you get him mad. Then the Frost flies.
  
• Bosmer Woman, bartender in Bravil, mother of two children (I needed to make mods to have children). I have no idea why but it's actually insanely fun, she's been working on trying to raise up enough money to move.

The most important thing is that characters have to be unique or they just doesn't work. They need distinct characteristics, needs, wants, and motives.

Think about it like writing a book. What kind-of a person would you like to read about?

If you have a hard time roleplaying, then maybe that′s not for you. But if you want some advise, I have http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1082413-roleplaying/page__view__findpost__p__15769275__fromsearch__1 for you to look into

I suppose I am what Renee would call 'over imaginative'. I had an invisible friend when I was 6. Over half a century later, I still do. Lol. As you know, I tend to RP from the perspective of traveling with my character as a companion or mentor or 'invisible friend' to my character. We chat constantly while playing, although the other NPCs can't hear me, for I am inside my character's head. Sounds like you are familiar with that concept, as well as the idea that many RP'ers use of 'becoming' their characater. Hmm. . . a couple things that I believe help me:

- Before seriously RPing the game, I played like many normal players do. Uber characater that did everything in the game and mastered it all. This was a good thing, because I am very comfortable with what is in the game. If my charater wrinkles her nose at different skills or quests, I don't mind a bit because I have 'been there, done that' with other characters. In a way, that frees me to simply support what she wants to do and let her live her life in Tamriel.

- Maintaining a detailed journal has helped greatly. Most of the NPCs that are important to my character have complete and fully developed life histories and personalities. In her world, these NPCs do not just talk about mud crabs. She can take a quest and turn it into a major production with very elaborate background and reasons why it makes sense (or not) for her to do it. In fact, she can readily create her own 'quests'. The journal helps fill in the gaps between what I see in the game, and what we see through the eyes of my character.
For example, this is what I might see: http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv43/Acadian6/Buffy%20I/ScreenShot258.jpg
Whereas, this is how things look through the eyes of my character: http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv43/Acadian6/horse-beach.jpg

Now, that all said, it is most certainly not everyone's cup of tea. The game offers plenty to see and do and can be enjoyed on many levels with or without roleplaying. Don't feel bad if it doesn't work out.

I tend to start with "What makes my character different, and why?" As I answer those questions, the roleplay just naturally follows. Does my character like or dislike something so intensely as to be willing to risk death as a result? What's so important about this next quest?

Why is this person in prison? Where does he/she come from? Does he/she believe in the gods or not? Does this character feel allegiance to the Empire?

What weaknesses does this character have? This will affect the way you play the game perhaps more than strengths, since it dictates what the character can't do.

One of the most important rules of roleplaying, I would say, is to recognize that there's no way to roleplay a character who will do everything in the game. There are just too many contradictory paths. Roleplaying is allowing the character to develop, to follow one path well. It's a much more relaxed way of playing, for that reason, since one doesn't have to "beat" anything.

Roleplay as an insane man and run around Cyrodiil on a killing spree.

Thanks for all your help people. I understand this isn't the easiest thing to give help on, but thank you for all your help anyway. Rainman, I can't workout if that comment was a pisstake or a suggestion.

He was probably kidding
You can do that, but be sure to save before

Kind of both haha. If you are a low level its a nice way to welcome you into the world of Oblivion. If you are a high level its a nice way to show off your power.

"You are a low level" and "you are a high level" doesn't sound much like roleplaying to me.

You are a young whipper snapper or an experienced adventurer .

"Really? I never would have guessed." :wink_smile:

Seriously, playing a crazy person might really work in the game, but nobody is just going to run around killing everything. To roleplay such a character, you need to have a sense of what the craziness is all about. What's going on in the character's mind? What does the crazy character think when he's attacking somebody?

Check out Glarthir, for an example of what I mean.

I never really thought that deep into it. Just saying its fun to go on killing sprees. Would be better if you could add the Unreal Tournament or Halo announcers voice to the game haha.

You do understand that "playing a role" means suspending the idea of "the game" and trying to see the situation from the character's viewpoint, don't you?

How I get into a role.

To butt in, crazy is the easiest way to play, just act on impulse don't do anything planed just act like you would in rl if you're bat@@?> crazy.
This is not killing for the sake of it, think about seeing something shiny across the road then crossing through three lanes of busy traffic just to happily find it's a plastic bag, thats impulse and it's very easy to do in Oblivion.

Second create a character of different six, make a face thats across between yours, and your female relatives then play it as you are in rl, if you're straight don't make your pc a lisbian..
Everytime you look at their bum or boobs, realise your checking yourself out and really need to see a doctor.

Third, find something you like and stick to it, changing their nature half way through with no reason is an instant imersion killer, stay with the core and expand on it.

Majors matter, not everyone feels the same, but for me using every skill just loses the feel I tried to get.

Ya I know haha. I roleplay my character fine, just offering suggestions. Just saying I never really try to see the Oblivion world from a psychotic killers point of view.

Well, after all your help, I've came up with some kind of character.


Name: Belwen
Race: Bosmer
Gender: Female
Religion: General, but not over the top
Location: Bravil wilderness
Class: Ranger
Ablilities: Good at markmanship (like most Bosmer). Skilled at using frost magic. Good at talking to people and quite sneaky.
Weaknesses: Not good at fire magic, but can use the odd spell, and terrible at shock magic. Terrifide of hights.
Dislikes: Dislikes using close combat weapons, but understands their importance, so she carries a dagger alongside her bow.

It's a start I guess, but still needs a bit more work. Thanks for all your help so far!

Booo Bosmer. No fun being a midget in Cyrodiil or the fact that the god's of Tamriel haven't exactly smiled upon your fellow countrymen.

So you're suggesting that I change my character to another race? Dunmer maybe?

I always play as a Breton so I'm not the best advice giver. But just saying that Bosmer are really short and 3 of the most annoying/crazy characters in the game are Bosmer suggesting that the gods don't look too kindly on them haha.

Maybe you haven't seen a female Bosmer. Female Bosmer are as tall as an Imperial male, or maybe taller!

They are at normal height. I never play as a girl though haha so I never thought about that.

This is my first female character.