Ok, so what IS role play after all (go ahead and TRy to read it, I won

[Uyaem]

There is \"storytelling\" in terms of reading from a book, and there is interactive storytelling, called role-playing. What is important is that characters actively take part in the story, hereby not only telling but also writing it.

So whether you people call it jelly, or jam doesn\'t change the fact that you are both talking about sweet parfait...

[Draklar]

Originally posted by Pogopuschel
interactive storytelling, called role-playing. What is important is that characters actively take part in the story, hereby not only telling but also writing it.

So in real life every single human can be called a storyteller?
Or is a storyteller the one who will keep the memory of his life in a form of writings, sounds or even paintings?

Can role-playing really be called interactive storytelling?
Or is interactive storytelling a possibility to influence a script by which the story goes by?
As a pencil and paper role-player, can you truly change Game Master\'s script, or are you only a tool in his hands?
Can you freely decide about the outcome of your actions, or are they depending solely on Game Master\'s will?

[Uyaem]

Originally posted by Draklar
So in real life every single human can be called a storyteller?
Or is a storyteller the one who will keep the memory of his life in a form of writings, sounds or even paintings?

You do not play a \"role\" in reality. You are.
The \"/me\" part in games like PS but also in P&PRPGs (\"I go to X and pick up Y\" ) makes up the storytelling part. You wouldn\'t say things like that in real life (unless you were telling a story ), you would just do them.

Originally posted by Draklar
Can role-playing really be called interactive storytelling?
Or is interactive storytelling a possibility to influence a script by which the story goes by?
As a pencil and paper role-player, can you truly change Game Master\'s script, or are you only a tool in his hands?
Can you freely decide about the outcome of your actions, or are they depending solely on Game Master\'s will?

P&PRPG is already a special form of role play. Generally, both is possible. The game master can choose to let the characters write the story, whereas he/she only sets limits, or he can make them walk down a narrower path. The first form, applied to a P&PRPG is the one where the GM has no adventure prepared, he/she just thinks of a situation, places the characters in it , done. This would be like occasionally writing down the the chapter name in a book, and leaving the plot to the others. The second form would be more like the GM writing chapters with paragraphs, occasionally permitting the players to add a sentence or add descripting adjectives to his words.

[Draklar]

Originally posted by Pogopuschel
You do not play a \"role\" in reality. You are.
The \"/me\" part in games like PS but also in P&PRPGs (\"I go to X and pick up Y\" ) makes up the storytelling part. You wouldn\'t say things like that in real life (unless you were telling a story ), you would just do them.

Do actors in theatric plays do those things?

Originally posted by Pogopuschel
P&PRPG is already a special form of role play. Generally, both is possible. The game master can choose to let the characters write the story, whereas he/she only sets limits, or he can make them walk down a narrower path. The first form, applied to a P&PRPG is the one where the GM has no adventure prepared, he/she just thinks of a situation, places the characters in it , done. This would be like occasionally writing down the the chapter name in a book, and leaving the plot to the others. The second form would be more like the GM writing chapters with paragraphs, occasionally permitting the players to add a sentence or add descripting adjectives to his words.

If a session is lacking active appearance of Game Master, if Player Characters\' actions aren\'t influenced by will of Game Master, aren\'t they then (by being able to do whatever they want) moving higher, as far as to the point of being semi Game Masters themselves?

[jhazor]

i wouldn\'t say the GM in Pen and papre RPG\'s was the script writer and the players  actors in his Story

to me roleplaying is a collaboration of everybody involved to tell a story

no one person is more important - as indeed without the GM you have no backdrop and setting - but without the players you have no protagonists.

only by collaboration between the two is the story told.

the GM is more like a director he presents Ideas and thoughts but it\'s ultimately down the the actors to play the parts

[zerohaven]

My comment on role playing is this:

Create a character you would like to be, and then BE that character.  
Playing games is about distracting yourself from real-world obligations and enjoying yourself.  Role-playing is about picking up imaginary world obligations to enjoy yourself.

Planeshift lets you create a character that spent their  youth as a circus freak, joined a street gang, and then worked under horrible conditions in a crystal mine.  

How would this person act and feel once finally past all of this?  Some would be bitter and mean, others would be optimistic and cheered to have a new future.  

It is you-the-player\'s obligation to take your interpretation of this digital individual\'s life and add it to the virtual world.