You don't have to be a roleplayer to start here
Most people here started with “I'll just tag along”. You need no big ship, no invented life story and no second name. You stay your own citizen – you only decide what he does for a living.
In five steps you're in
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Pick a role
Not forever – just for the first evening. If you have no idea at all, take Civilian or Cargo. Both work without prior knowledge and without an expensive ship.
View all roles -
Read once what IC and OOC mean
This is the only term you really need. It takes two minutes and prevents most of the misunderstandings roleplay produces.
IC and OOC in two minutes -
Find something that's already happening
The easiest way in is not to organise something yourself, but to join in somewhere. An event marked “suitable for beginners” is meant for exactly that.
Upcoming events -
Say briefly beforehand what you expect
“I'm new, I'll just listen for now” is a perfectly normal thing to say. Nobody expects you to disappear into a role straight away. The good groups count on it.
To the RP finder -
Join in, and listen more than you talk
Roleplay is ninety per cent reacting. If you listen to what the others build up and respond to it, you play well automatically – even the first time.
The three misunderstandings that keep coming up
“I have to put on a voice”
No. You can talk completely normally. Roleplay only means behaving as if the situation were real – not putting on a performance.
“I need a big ship”
No. Multi-crew ships are always short of people. Without a ship of your own you're often more welcome, not less.
“If I die, the evening was wasted”
On the contrary: a loss is often the start of the best story. And that's why medics exist. If it's still too much for you, pick events marked “no PvP”.
And one that isn't a misunderstanding
If someone ruins your evening, that's not your fault and not part of the story. That's what the rules are for.