roleplay
Act as another
Roleplay is acting out a character or scenario, whether for entertainment, education, or exploration.
Children roleplay as doctors and patients.
Actors roleplay characters.
In therapy or training, people roleplay situations to practice responses: We'll roleplay a difficult customer interaction.
Online, roleplay often involves collaborative fiction or erotic scenarios between participants.
The noun and verb forms are interchangeable: a roleplay session, let's roleplay.
Temporarily holding position
- improvisationSpontaneous, unplanned creation
- scriptWritten words for performance
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
- rehearsalPre-performance practice session
stage · audience · drama · costume · props · monologue · director · ensemble
Act as though
- make-believeImaginative play or fantasy
- imaginationFaculty for forming ideas
- fantasyImaginative mental wandering
- escapismHabitual mental retreat
immersion · adventure · storytelling · creative · narrative · daydreaming · world-building · collaborative
Imitation of real processes
- scenarioPostulated event sequence
- practiceRepeated work toward mastery
- exerciseActivity for fitness
- mockScornful imitation or fake
demonstration · debriefing · feedback · facilitator · participant · medical · military · corporate
Multiplayer internet adventure game
- RPGExplosive launcher or fantasy genre
- avatarDigital user representation
- NPCUncontrolled game character
- multiplayerInvolving multiple participants
guild · co-op · PvP · grinding · crafting · build · branching · cutscene
Subterranean prison chamber
- questSeeking journey for something
- campaignOrganized effort toward goal
- diceMarked cubes for chance
- gamemasterRoleplaying session director
session · adventure · party · encounter · loot · leveling · stats · attributes
Assumed public identity
- avatarDigital user representation
- backstoryCharacter's past narrative
- traitsDistinguishing personal features
- archetypeOriginal model for copies
motivation · personality · alignment · portrayal · embodiment · mannerisms · voice · identity
acting
Temporarily holding position
- improvisationSpontaneous, unplanned creation
- scriptWritten words for performance
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
rehearsal · stage · audience · drama · costume · props · monologue · director · ensemble · scene
pretend
Act as though
- make-believeImaginative play or fantasy
- imaginationFaculty for forming ideas
- fantasyImaginative mental wandering
escapism · immersion · adventure · storytelling · creative · narrative · daydreaming · world-building · collaborative · freeform
simulation
Imitation of real processes
mock · demonstration · debriefing · feedback · facilitator · participant · medical · military · corporate · crisis
MMORPG
Multiplayer internet adventure game
- RPGExplosive launcher or fantasy genre
- avatarDigital user representation
- NPCUncontrolled game character
multiplayer · guild · co-op · PvP · grinding · crafting · build · branching · cutscene · choices
dungeon
Subterranean prison chamber
gamemaster · session · adventure · party · encounter · loot · leveling · stats · attributes · skills
persona
Assumed public identity
- avatarDigital user representation
- backstoryCharacter's past narrative
- traitsDistinguishing personal features
archetype · motivation · personality · alignment · portrayal · embodiment · mannerisms · voice · identity · characterization
magic
Supernatural or illusory power
dwarf · sorcery · kingdom · orc · mythology · enchantment · goblin · warlock · vampire · werewolf
- fanworksfanfic, fan fiction, fanfiction, fan art, fanart
- pretend playmake believe, pretend, dress-up, dollhouse, dress up
- acting verbspretend, perform, portray, enact, rehearse
- impersonationimpersonator, mimic, imitate, imitation, impressionist
- pretendingpretend, pretending, fake, feign, make-believe
- roleplayacting, character, D&D, Dungeons & Dragons, Dungeons and Dragons
roleplayauthenticity
Quality of being genuine
sincerity · self-expression · candor · true self · straightforwardness
roleplayreal life
Existence beyond imagination
reality · lived experience · non-fiction · actuality · the real thing
- roleplaying gameCollaborative storytelling with rules