Using RP Repository to showcase your characters
One of the biggest challenges of running a roleplaying game is getting other members to sign-up and play, and I’ve seen so many fail quite early on because the GM can’t get enough players together. Advertising your game is important, and in this article Mike explains how you can use a website called RPG Repository to showcase your characters to other roleplayers.
Mike Krueger (MnMike on OngoingWorlds)
Most of us know that the key to recruiting new players for our PbP games is to network with others who are already interested in Roleplaying. Some games have turned to Facebook with great success, but there are other options available to us online.
One such option, and the subject of this article, is the relatively new RP Repository. (http://www.rprepository.com)
The RP Repository (hereafter referred to simply as RPR) just celebrated its second “birthday” and has grown to host pages for over 4000 registered members. That is quite impressive for a site that has been advertised almost entirely by word of mouth.
If growth of the site continues at the same rate, RPR will certainly become one of online Roleplays’ most valuable fixtures.
RPR’s site labels itself as “The Social Network for Roleplayers” and is in effect a place to host small web pages for RP characters and games. Many of the players also roleplay on the site’s locally hosted forums and thus make a great database when seeking new recruits for our OngoingWorlds Play-by-Post games.
Navigating the site can be a tad tricky for beginners who wish to create a character or game page. It is the aim of this article to get players started with creating a basic character page. A follow-up article will then walk GMs through creating a group (or game) page.
To begin, sign up for an account at http://www.rprepository.com
When first logged in, click on “Dashboard” (found near the top of the page.)
You should see a page for listing your RP characters and groups. This will be blank for new players, but will include buttons for adding a character and joining a group. Since we want to create a character, click the “Add A Character” button.
You will now be able to enter your character’s name and gender. You will also need to select if you wish to play your character publicly (Your account name is linked to this character) or anonymously (no account info is shown to others.) Click the “Create My Character” button when ready.
Another page will display telling you that your character was created and include two buttons. “Quickstart Wizard” is probably the button new players will want to click. The other labeled “Customize By Hand” is for players who are a bit more savvy with their RPR site building skills.
Clicking the Quickstart button will give you a list of available options to include on your character’s page. Choose those that you wish to include and fill them out as required. When you are happy with your work, click the “Create Page” button.
You will now be shown your character’s profile page in edit mode. You may choose to upload a picture in the gray box with a question mark. Do be sure to look over the required specs for the image.
You can also change your page’s Template by clicking the link at the top of the page. This changes the appearance of your character’s page such as the background image and text colors. Choose a style that you like and save it.
Check boxes are included for characters to show if their page includes sexual material, violence, or bad language. Do be sure to click those needed as this is part of the RPR TOS and you don’t want your character deleted for missing this step.
You may add Widgets to your page by clicking the cog wheel down on the bottom right of the screen. Some current widgets include additional text sections, a guestbook, and a journal. Once you have joined or created an OngoingWorlds game group on the RPR site, you will definitely want to include the “Games and Groups” widget to help spread the word and recruit others to your game.
Choose and edit the widgets that you like by clicking and dragging them onto your character page. Remember, you can edit the names of the widgets on your page by clicking the small pencil near the text as well.
When you have your page looking how you want it, you may want to click the “More Character Settings” link near the character portrait on the top of the page.
Here you may add tags for your character’s games. This is a great way to spread the word on your OngoingWorlds games, so do use it! You will also be able to select a “Friendly URL” near the bottom of the page.
Now you should be done. Click the “Public Profile” menu item near the top of the page… then “Visit Public Profile” to see how your page looks to others. If needed, simply click on your Dashboard to edit anything you may want to change, add, or delete.
Now you may be wondering, “How do others see my character page?”
For those outside of the RPR site, you will need to copy the URL at the top of your browser window when looking at the public profile that others see. Paste this into your OngoingWorlds’ character page, other forums, or RPG directory.
Players who are registered at RPR may see your character by doing a search for keywords or the character name. They may also choose to browse characters by clicking the “Community” -> “Character” menu links at the top of the site. Players can change how characters are listed when browsing them, but the default shows the newest characters first.
So now that you know how to create a Character page on the RP Repository site, please do. Then feel free to introduce yourself or your characters over on the RPR forums.
You never know. You just may recruit some new players for your OngoingWorlds game!
GMs, remember to check back next time to learn how to create a “Group” or game page on RPR for your OngoingWorlds games.
MnMike’s Example Character Page:
