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Message: <blockquote data-quote="KidSnide" data-source="post: 5618571" data-attributes="member: 54710">As many have said, it's hard to encourage role-playing in a group that not used to doing it.  Your best bet is to lead by example, but that's hard advice.  If your group is already used to playing without role-playing, then they are used to you running a game where that's acceptable.  That having been said, there are two concrete things you can do:1) You can create games where the role-playing matters.  If the players need clues or cooperation from an NPC, or if there are problem solving challenges or moral dilemmas, those are all reasons to talk in character.  It is hard to role-play effectively when you are just exploring a dungeon.  It's much easier to role-play if your characters' interactions and beliefs matter to the game.2) You can play NPCs in character.  Whether it's a funny voice, a facial tick or a repeated phrase, cheap little characterizations make good theater and encourage the players to reply in-kind.  Also, by being a little silly yourself, it makes it easier for your players to take social risks without feeling like they are the only silly people in the room.  Related, I recommend having NPCs respond favorably to the role-playing of your PCs, at least for a while.  If you want to encourage role-playing, you want to make role-playing an effective way of solving problems.  Obviously, it's not realistic to make every NPC amenable to negotiation, but it's good role-playing training to game in a world of unusually flexible and persuadable NPCs.-KS</blockquote>

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