What Is Roleplaying?

Roleplaying is a form of interactive storytelling featuring one game master (GM) and several players. Each player is in charge of creating one character and dictating that character's actions. And not just any character, these player characters (PC's) are the main characters of the story, the heroes who will be doing great and wondrous deeds. The GM is in charge of the rest of the story, such as setting the scene, planning the actions of the villains, and running all the other characters in the story not managed by the players (the NPC's).
This guide contains the rules that guide play. They are not like the rules of a board or card game in that they must be strictly followed or you will be playing the game incorrectly. Roleplaying allows for such broad freedom that no set of rules could adequately govern everything that is possible and every factor that would come into play. Instead, these rules are designed to give a standard set of guidelines so that everyone has a basic idea of how things work, with the GM being there to provide a common sense solution to any problems that become unrealistic, or where the rules are getting in the way of the fun of the game.
If you're new to roleplaying, don't worry, it's hard to explain but easy to understand once you see it happening. In the meantime, here are some tips for new players and some reminders for veteran ones:

• Remember that your character is more than numbers on a sheet. The best times will come when you have a goal and pursue it regardless of what makes the most sense tactics-wise.
• Be a good sport; everyone makes mistakes, and the more you accept this the more fun you'll have.
• Everyone has things in they're life they're dealing with, and a lot of that will come out in play. You don't have to put up with someone being abusive or disrespectful to the others, but at the same time, try not to look down on someone because they're going through things that you're not. Everyone deserves to be accepted, but not every behavior gets a pass.
• It's a game. Remember to have fun.