Role-playing and Emoting for Language learning in

Virtual worlds:
Setting Scenarios and Writing Stories.

By: Dr. Doris Molero

E_Language Center
 Role Playing Game
 A role-playing game (RPG) is a
game in which players assume
the roles of characters in a
fictional setting. Players take
responsibility for acting out
these roles within a narrative,
either through literal acting or
through a process of structured
decision-making or character
development.
 SL Roleplayers’ view of Roleplay

Kiila Blackheart: Roleplay is

like acting: you create a
character and play it out all
your thoughts, emotions,
actions should reflect that
character.
MAGGIE (magdalena.easterwood): Taking part in
an interaction between people each of whom are
playing a role in a continuing story. This story can
take place during a certain time period or under
certain circumstances. It might include roleplay
based on a time in history.

(gadget.cyberstar):
Ryu Firehawk: Hmmm. Roleplay is the
roleplay is pretty much
act of taking on the persona of another
acting with a
character. This character can be
keyboard... you assume
predefined, or can be of your own
a role and play it out to
imagination. You then engage in events
the best of your ability
with other roleplayers, acting and
responding as your character would.
Why We Play Games – The Player Experience
Games are structured activities that create enjoyable experiences. They are easy-to-start mechanisms for
fun. People play games not so much for the game itself as for the experience that the game creates: an
exciting adrenaline rush, a vicarious adventure, a mental challenge; and the structure
games provide for time, such as a moment of solitude or the company of friends. People play
games to create moment-to-moment emotions and experiences, whether they are
overcoming a difficult game challenge, seeking relief from every-day worries, or pursuing what
Hal Barwood calls simply “the joy of figuring it out.”
Nicole Lazzaro
 Emoting is what turns a dialog into a descriptive
story full of actions and interactions. When you
Emoting emote, you are describing your senses, actions
and feelings.
• We emote in writing, never in voice.
• Emoting uses an action-reaction-emotional
response element.
• Express what you hear smell, or see and how.
• Characters do something (or something is done
to them), they react to it, and they feel
something about that reaction

•To describe an emotion we use: laughs, giggles,

chuckles, snickers, crying, weeping, etc.
•To describe an action we use: pointing, jumping,
. Cybere Placebo
falling, crawling, lurking, spying, etc.
A.K.A
•To describe a reaction we use: arching an eyebrow, Edith Paillat
narrowing the eyes at someone, rolling your eyes,
scratching your head, etc. 
A little practice
Express your state of mind (not feelings) naturally in the flow of the
action, think about what you would do in the situation you are in. Look
at the following emoting:
/me glances at the girl's face reaching out her
hand as a greeting gesture.

In this situation what do you do?

a. nod and smile,
b. ignore the gesture, or
c. walk away?

Write some ideas in the text chat

 /me
You usually use it when your character is doing something. It is
similar to speaking in local chat except that you add "/me" in
front.

For example if your Second life display name is Gwen,

typing "/me looks at Pionia" would appear as "Gwen looks at

Pionia“

Simply using /me is enough to describe an action.

“ Quotation Marks “
If you want to speak while making an emote, you
would additionally need to use quotation marks.

Example:
A light comes on in a window. He looks up the window *Perhaps it is
her! Lighting the world like the morning sun!* He feels his heart is
about to burst with joy, whispering "She is the sun, so much more
beautiful than the goddess of the night, the moon."
As though in answer to his wishes a door opened and she came out on to
a balcony.
"It’s her!" he whispered. "Oh, it’s my love.“

All of the text will show up as an emote, but the quotation marks denote that the
roleplayer said something.
*asterisks*
Sometimes you can also include what it is in
your mind while you are emoting. You do so
by using asterisks.

Let’s look at the example:

Ellie Stewart walks through the doors of the

potions room, gathers all of her belongings
placing them at her feet before pulling out her
parchment and quills. Sighs *I’m not ready for
classes to begin again!*  Her head is still in the
clouds from having such a wonderful summer.
Her attention is drawn to the door when she
hears it pushed open and she spots her best
friend Emma walking into the classroom.
"About time you got here!" She says quietly as
she grins at her friend. *Gosh, how I love this
girl*
Emoting: An Example
/me sits up. The moon is huge: it casts a silvery light over everything. The wall he is on
runs from the front of the mansion they’d just left and he realizes he is on Capulet’s
property. He smiles to himself *I must be out of my mind* He looks around, on one side
of the wall is the narrow alley where his friends had been. On the other is an orchard. The
back of the house looms dark and forbidding. He opens his mouth to ask in a whisper, "She
is in there somewhere. What is she doing’?" He asks himself *is she thinking about
me?. * He shakes his head remembering his cousin Mercutio,*It is alright for Mercutio.
He’d never felt the pain of love. It is easy for him to joke about it.*
OOC brackets (( ))
(OOC) Out of Character: Using
brackets (( )) around your text let's other
role-players know that it is you (the
typist) and not your character who is
speaking.

Most role play SIMs limit OOC text in

local chat. If you must direct OOC
communication to a specific person, Do
so in IMs.

Use OOC in local chat only if you need

to address everyone in the vicinity. For
example ((Brb)).

Please note that abbreviations such as

Brb, l8r, cya which are okay for OOC
chatter but they must never be used in
role play.
New Roleplayer or Low Level Students
“Fast paced = quick response or the one liner”

This example is a basic form of emoting.

This is suitable for beginner role-players or lower level students.

Use verbs in 3rd

person
Dramatization,
description of an
action or feeling. reaction
dialogue

Bob throws the ball.

Jane misses the ball and starts to cry.
Bobs laughs at her. "Silly girl, don't cry. It’s just a
game!" He gets ready to throw it again.

prompt.
 Roleplayer – High level student

Slower paced = longer more thoughtful response

dramatization
description of
The elf jumps as she listens to her partner actions or feelings
scream. Drops to the floor, hands over her head, and gestures
her whole body shaking. *We’re gonna die!*
showing what you
Footsteps echo in the hall, coming closer. *This
are actually
can’t be happening, not to me*. Tears burns her thinking
eyes, she wipes them away. Shakes her head and
tells herself.. you have to see. You have to know.
Calls her friend’s name…”Zuly…What’s
dialog and
happening? Is there someone out there? Are prompts
they here? Are we all going to die?"
How Role Playing and Emoting help students learn and
practice English

Students improve their use of vocabulary

and expressions, writing skills as well as
their critical thinking skills.
Low level students role play in a slower
pace. One liner reactions. Higher level
students can work on more thoughtful
exchanges.
Students get time to think,  write, read
and consider what they want to
communicate.
Back channeling (using IMs)allows
student to get help when needed from the
teacher or fellow role players.
How Role Playing and Emoting help students learn and
practice English
Students get the chance to use
language in different contexts,
with different characters and
different scenarios.
It allows student to discover and
experiment with new ways to
express ideas, feelings and
emotions.
Students learn from models and
the counseling of more experience
role players.
 Activity 1: Looking at an example
Let's look at the following example and discuss about it. Get in pairs . Use private chat for
this. Answer: What elements of role-play can you identify? How can this be used in a language
class?

Pionia Destiny looks out the window. The village street is black, and not even the sliver of moon
cast enough light to see into the shadows. She sighs and keeps looking into the dark.
Cyber Placebo gets a little nervous.. "Are they still out there?"
Pionia Destiny scans the darkness with attentive eyes and ears listening to a faint groan. "Doesn't
look like it, but I can hear something groaning.“
Cyber Placebo creeps up to the broken window and peers over Pionia's shoulder. "Maybe it's not a
minion."  "Maybe someone is hurt and needs our help.“
Pionia Destiny gasps looking at Cyber like she'd lost her mind. "You want to go out there?"
Cyber Placebo folds her arms across her chest. "No," But I wouldn't want to leave someone out
there either.“
Randall Sandler sighs and rubs his eyes. "Maybe I can get a better view from the second floor.“
Cyber Placebo gasps and tries to grab his arm. "But that means going outside.  This door is
locked!“
Randal Sandler ignores Pionia's funny look and pats Cyber's hand. "Yeah, it does.“
 Activity 2:
Role playing a scene: Romeo and Juliet
1. Get in pairs. Select a scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and
Juliet.

2. Use private Instant message to role play your little scene with
your partner. Try to use slow paced or fast paced emoting. Don’t
forget to use the /me and a verb in third person. Include
description of your feelings or actions in the scene, dialog,
thinking and give your role play partner a hint to follow in the
role play.

3. Copy your chat script on a card, drop it in the drop box or send
it to Pionia Destiny.
 Activity 3: Role-play a scene
1. In Pairs Builds a little scene for one of Shakespeare's
plays.

2. Roleplay and have fun emoting and creating a story.

You can take pictures and record the experience. Save
the script of the roleplay.

3. Reflect on how can roleplaying and emoting enhance

your students creative writing and critical thinking
skills. Blog or post about this experience. Share your
thoughts in our Facebook group.
 Dr. Doris Molero
University Professor
Rafael Belloso Chacin University
doris3m@gmail.com
doris.molero@urbe.edu

Blogs:
http://medievalroleplay.blogspot.com/
EFL Professor in SL
Doris3m EFL Center
Twitter: doris3m
Facebook: Doris Molero
Second Life: Pionia Destiny
Google talk: doris3m
Skype: Dorismolero

Role-playing and Emoting for Language learning in Virtual worlds:

Setting Scenarios and Writing Stories.
EvoVillage 2017