Roleplaying at WWRP

What We Are
Westworld RP is a roleplaying forum based on Reddit, where users come together to write and collaborate in a shared world, where their actions and decisions affect the people around them. It takes place in an alternate universe/version of the setting in the HBO series - no canon characters exist in this roleplay currently, nor have they existed in its history.

How the Roleplay Works
This is a reddit-based RP - so the actual roleplay is done on. Basically, once you have your character approved and ready to go, you begin by posting to the subreddit - you write and describe what your character is doing, or going through, or thinking. Some people have storylines outlined beforehand and work toward some end goal. Others take in events around them and develop their characters more organically.

The key to any roleplay is interaction. Your character will be affected by the decisions and choices of other characters, especially those nearby. You can interact with these people by commenting on their posts (often called threads) and beginning a conversation. They will then reply, and so on, and so on. Such interactions may be arranged OOCly, though it may be best to simply let things happen, rather than planning too much. Either way, feel free to use our Discord chatroom to get to know your fellow roleplayers.

A big issue many new players have is grasping how the timeline works. Because this is a forum-style roleplay, and not everyone can be on all the time, our timeline works in a very fluid fashion. You're allowed to have more than one thread open, where your character is interacting with more than one person at a time. There is no direct IC time - OOC time conversion. More on how time works can be found below, in the Time, Travel, and Distance section.

Getting the hang of reddit RP can take some time, but with the help of the WWRP community, it won't be as hard as you think. All of Westworld and the Delos Mesa Hub is open to you - you, as your character, can interact with it however you see fit. Craft your character's story in a way that is meaningful to you - and watch as it meshes and builds upon the tales of those around you.

Creating a Character
Creating characters on WWRP is a two-step process, but before you begin you must first have a character in mind. Westworld RP is home to three kinds of characters: Hosts, Guests, and the employees of Delos Incorporated - the majority of which are open for your choosing. You should, however, choose a character that you’re interested in writing, and won’t abandon.

In order to get an idea of the types of characters already being written, take a look at our Who’s Who of Westworld RP - a veritable directory of our players and their characters. If you are interested in playing as a character with a predetermined story arc, or picking up another player’s Supporting Character/NPC, then please check out our Classifieds: Wanted Characters list to see if there are any there that spark your interest.

Reservations
Once you have your character in mind, you’re ready to move on to Step One of the character creation process. The reservation is the simplest part of the procedure, asking for the most basic aspects of the character you have in mind; their name, character type, occupation, titles and age. This step is largely to make sure there are no glaring faults with your character design – or overlooked issues such as making a character/taking a role that is already taken – that can be addressed before you embark upon the lengthier portion of the application process. A successful reservation needs only one moderator’s approval.

For more information on Character Reservations, as well as the template, visit its dedicated page on our community forum.

Applications
The application is arguably the most important part of the two-step character creation process. It outlines your character’s history and requires you to make decisions on just who your character is. This part of the process has templates specific to the type of character you wish to write.

For more information on Applications, as well as their template, visit the dedicated pages for the Guest Application, the Host Application, and the Delos, Inc. Employee Application on our community forum.

Alts
Alternate characters, or Alts, are characters that are played by a person who already has one or more previously established characters. In WWRP there is NO MAXIMUM number of characters/alts that may be applied for by any one player. This will be decided on a case by case basis. Know that if you only have two characters but are not playing them regularly, you will not be approved for a third, while someone with three or four characters who does play regularly may be approved for an additional one. We don’t seek to hinder active players by putting a limit on their creativity. Alternate characters should ideally occupy a different part of the setting than your established character(s), and we encourage you to branch out as a writer, trying your hand at different types of characters, personalities, and walks of life.

Jumping In
Once your application has been approved by the moderators, you’re ready to begin! How you do that is entirely up to you. It's often a good idea to get a general grasp of what has been going on in your area or department – this can be achieved by visiting our Ongoing Narratives page, or by hopping on the Discord chatroom to talk with our incredibly helpful community. Once you have your bearings, the world is yours to explore. Go on an adventure within Westworld as either a Guest or a Host or try your hand at corporate intrigue. How you roleplay is up to you.

Mods, and their Roles
The moderators of this sub are not here to punish or police, but to facilitate a story that flows naturally and fairly for all parties. They’re here to serve as impartial arbitrators, helpful advisors, and, when needed, instigators for future conflict. Our mods are selected from the community, chosen as members who have not only expressed interest in moderating, but also have proven themselves to be helpful, kind, and dependable.

If you’re looking for information on WWRP or its lore, our mods are but a few of the sources that can provide answers – our community is often just as knowledgeable, and just as willing to help. If you’re looking for something more official, however, or need help settling a dispute, addressing a concern, or just need someone to speak to, feel free to message us on Reddit, or hop onto the Discord chatroom and visit us there.

Time, Travel, and Distance
Because WWRP Is a roleplay, not an RPG, the focus is on the story, not “winning”. Things like travel and distance and time – while important – are also fairly malleable. There is no direct correlation between IC time and OOC time, nor is there a hard and fast rule on how long you should wait between posts when travelling. Most often such decisions are left to the discretion of the player, though of course the mods will step in if they feel action needs to be taken. A good way to keep things aligned is to remember that you cannot ‘win’ a roleplay. Attempting to move too quickly in an effort to defeat your opponents, or skipping over long stretches of time or distance to gain an advantage, are both examples of metagaming, and are frowned upon. Do your best to keep your timeline in line with other players. Communication with the rest of the community and the mod team is a fantastic way of doing this.

Duels and Battles
There are two ways for duels and battles to be decided. The first way is for the participants to settle upon an outcome between them. If both parties agree on how the events occur, they can write out the duel or battle as they see fit, and post it on the roleplaying sub.

If the combatants cannot agree, however, the moderators will step in and do rolls to decide the outcome fairly. This is usually facilitated through an interactive duel or battle post that will produce a binding and final decision. Players may lose their characters in such a way, or suffer wounds or capture.

Where You Fit In
Each story and character is unique. Every player that joins WWRP brings something to the table that wasn’t there before, and is a valued and appreciated member of a story we all work together to create. Whether you wish to play as a bandit or gambler, merchant or mercenary, your tale will contribute to the lore of WWRP, giving it depth, purpose, and hopefully giving your fellow RPers an even more fleshed out world to expand upon.

What you choose to do with your time here is up to you – but every story, no matter its size or scope, is welcome.