1Up - Are We What We Play?

In role-playing, I can ONLY play what I KNOW from at least a fraction in MYSELF.

So, I can only play - as an actor - roles which I actually KNOW how to play - and this knowledge comes from deep within.

If this were true I'd be really worried about all those actors who play psychopaths in movies and tv shows. ;)

I think you're seriously underestimating the human mind's ability to imagine.

And this, I think, is where the dichotomy lies... these games tend to involve one of two main play methods IMO:

1) I am the character. There is no true distinction in the player's mind between the player and the character they are playing. They are one. Therefore, for example, doing bad things with the character can make the player feel bad because it feels like they themselves are taking those actions.

2) The character is not me. This involves a separation of identity - it's equal parts imagination and dissociation... the character is not me, it's a role I am bringing to life with my imagination. Doing bad things as the character does not impact me as the player as it's not me doing those things - it's an imaginary role I am bringing to life and not at all based on my own real experiences.

From an acting point of view I would guess this would boil down to method and character acting. People use different ways to act, they will use broadly the same different ways to play roleplaying games. Neither is incorrect, it just depends on how the individual approaches inhabiting a role.
 
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If this were true I'd be really worried about all those actors who play psychopaths in movies and tv shows. ;)

I think you're seriously underestimating the human mind's ability to imagine.

I have no problems playing an Autist. I could quite well do that, because I've got or once found an inkling on how Autists are or at least might be.
 
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Being an actor means to imitate someone or something they are not. It doesnt so much come from spontanous inspiration as from LONG training! Taking the extreme, this guy who played Hitler in his last days, watched Hitler in films and listened to his speech records over and over. So its not as he plays a feeling on a whim, but mimicks something with long training. And he is paid for it.

Playing a RPG however I dont train a role, I find myself suddenly in a situation I have no trained way of reacting, so I must react spontanous, so I cant see how I could conjure up some artificial identity. Why should I? Whats so interesting about RPGs for me is, seeing myself in situations I would normally not be. Anything else would just not interest me, as it would be mere fancy.

And as I said, I dont see actors do anything but train to copy personality BEHAVIOR they see in others. Its a mere show. What fun there would be to pretend to be evil a RPG is beyond me, but if some like it I dont care either. ;)
 
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I wouldn't need too much training, because I can "dive into" characters quite quickly, due to me quite highly developed empathy.

I even begin to imitate the writing style of authors if I've read a certain book for too long. And that isn't uncommon under highly sensitive people (HSPs), I know.
 
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