RoboRP

In the past, the concept of roleplaying was something we used to pass stormy nights, where we had precious little other entertainment. Roleplaying asks us to get into our minds and to bring forth scenes and events that we – deep down – would love to experience on our own. Roleplay allows us to get into different characters and to put ourselves in the shoes of people we might never be.

However, the rise of the internet age means that roleplaying means we no longer need to RP in person. While friends would once meet to play roleplaying board games together in person, today we can do it all online. In fact, roleplaying is now something we can even do with an AI, thanks to the rise of AI Roleplay. How did roleplay evolve in the modern, online era? Let’s take a look at the history of one of the best ways to allow your imagination to run wild!

In-Person Roleplay

The original form of roleplay, of course, was to do so in person. These would take place in our homes, in comic book stores, and in commercial spaces you could rent. Roleplaying would usually be done in groups, carried out with people you knew and would feel comfortable roleplaying with.

Of course, most traditional in-person roleplay would be ‘safe’ and innocuous. It would be built around things like fantasy settings, where you might inhabit the role of a dwarf, elf, orc, vampire, or even something you have invented on your own. In-person roleplay came with the ability to really get to know each of your participants, but also with the potential side-effect of revealing a little too much of yourself. That would inhibit some people from going all-out and enjoying the RP experience.

If you say something a little risque or reveal something about your true inner character via your RP character, you might find it uncomfortable to spend non-RP time with the same people in future.

Forum Roleplay

The first form of online roleplay, really, came from online forums. You could find online forums for just about anything as far back as the early 2000s. Whatever your niche or hobby was, there would likely be a forum that would allow you to take on the role of someone in a specific world or setting.

You could, for example, find roleplay forums for everything from popular video games like World of Warcraft and settings like Warhammer to media giants such as Harry Potter. Forum role-playing had the benefit of being anonymous, which was nice, but it also came with the fact that many others could likely see your conversation. If you said something embarrassing or went a little too public with thoughts you would normally keep private, it could become awkward on that same forum in future.

Generally, though, forum roleplay was one of the first ways to enjoy an RP experience in a wider setting. The public nature of it all also encouraged others to get involved, turning singular RPs and fan fictions into something a little more collaborative.

Chat Room Roleplay

Of course, the rise of messenger platforms – from AOL Messenger to MSN Messenger and IRC – makes it easy for people to enjoy roleplay via chatrooms. These systems would allow people to chat in private or in a wider group, enjoying an RP experience that would go as far as the group wanted.

The private nature of chat room roleplay also played a role in creating more intimate RP experiences. While sharing these details with someone in person could be awkward, through fear of rejection, or through forums, due to fear of being lambasted by the wider public on the forum, private chat room roleplay meant you could be a little more specific about what you liked – and desired.

Chat room roleplay changed the game because it allowed people to have more intimate, personal experiences. RPing on a forum meant that it was easy for people to intrude on your chat or to take over the direction of the experience, perhaps leaving you feeling shunned.

With a chatroom or messenger service, what was spoken about in the chat stayed in the chat.

Video Game Roleplay

Another alternative to chat room roleplaying was video game roleplaying. A lot of video games, especially MMORPG-type games, came with role-playing servers. In these servers, you could play as your character in full: you could invent a persona for them, talk in the dialect of the region, and really make it easier to feel part of the world.

Many MMORPGs focus on the systems that keep you playing for longer instead of making you feel truly engrossed in the world. Video game role-playing servers gave the people who wanted something beyond the game itself an opportunity to really get involved. For people who felt a genuine connection and affinity to the world they played within, video game roleplay allowed for a fuller immersion.

AI Roleplay

Today, we now have AI-based role-playing. These have quickly evolved from the generic pre-programmed chatbots of the 2000s to something far more fluid and authentic.

Regardless of whether you are looking for a D&D partner or something a little more erotic, AI roleplay fills that role. Really, it’s whatever you want it to be. Your quality of prompts, as well as your choice of chosen AI roleplay companion, will dictate the quality of your experience. The more detailed your prompts and the more specific the personality and theme of your AI RP partner, the better.

These systems allow us to be truly ourselves without worrying about another person reading what we say. You can use AI RP to get your kicks sexually, to flesh out a role-playing idea you take on in person, or simply to kill some free time!

Roleplaying has steadily evolved from something we did in an attic with a board game to something we can do online to fulfil any desires we might never wish to voice out loud. As the industry continues to evolve and elevate, expect to see ever-more forms of roleplaying appear in the wild.

Sometimes, there’s nothing better than escaping reality for something a little more fun!

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