Diving into the 'RP' of SIndome
This might help you get it, if you don't already have it.

It felt like an isolated experience punctuated by occasional chats with other PCs that didn't seem to go anywhere. No hooks caught me. I waited and waited for the coolness to start and it didn't start.

When I started asking for help, I received the best terrible advice ever. Well intentioned but of so little value to me. That advice was, "Go RP! RP will fix it all! RP more!"

I thought I was RPing. I was in character. I'd RPed before. Lots. I WAS RPing. So I asked for clarification and for more help. I said I don't get it. And I got more advice. That advice was... Yep, you got it, "Go RP! RP will fix it all! RP more!"

It was frustrating and it took me a LONG time to break through. I wasn't one of those players who walked into Sindome and it all just clicked. It was a slow and painful road. And I am sure there are others out there like me.

So over the years I have worked out my own advice to new players trying to find that awesome goodness Sindome can offer. But I'm going the rout of a 5.3 step program for dummies like me that will, hopefully, help some new players get what all those old crusty oldbies mean when they say, 'Go RP!'

1.

Try and set one or more goals. They can be massive or small. Achievable or impossible. The aim here isn't to have goals so you can succeed at them. It's to have goals so you can have a guide when asking yourself, "What do I do now?" Then think about what the stepping stones towards reaching your goals might be and note it all so staff knows what you are about.

2.

Try and define who your character is. What role they play in the Sindome Cyberpunk world. What their vices are. What they hate. Are they a grumpy ganger, shady decker or friendly medic? Who are they connected to and how? This will (hopefully) be in your history when you start but if not or if it changes, note it. This one isn't a 'try' like goals are. It's essential and is what you have to fall back on when you can't work out number 1.

3.

Every time you log in, try and do one or more of the following. Don't wait for something interesting to happen to your PC. You innate it. None of these things seem all that impressive alone but doing them consistently over time will help walk you to that 'RP Heaven' people talk about.

a.

Go talk to another character, in person if possible but by any means available. During the interaction try and find a way to use it to advance your goal or to show them a part of who your character is. Then note it.

b.

Get angry or pleased by something and show it to one or more characters. This could be based on setbacks, lack of progress or a personality quirk. Try and draw one or more PC into it. Then note it.

c.

Pay someone for something - preferably a PC. Sure, make sure you can cover rent and clones or whatever (or don't if that fits your character better), but spend flash on others. Even if you have to do a little mental gymnastics and overly complicate simple things to excuse it and it leaves your account a little lighter than you want.

4.

Don't be scared to engage NPCs. If it makes IC sense to do so, do it. Usually this will need to be followed up with a puppet request. Sometimes a note will do. Seriously, don't avoid NPCs like the plague. Definitely try and involve PCs as much as possible but also pursue the move that makes the most IC sense. Sometimes the only or best interface available to you given your aims IS an NPC.

5.

If you feel like you're in a rut, DO SOMETHING. Even if it's not something you thought your character would ever do. Players have the ability to justify just about anything. Try and keep it reasonable and don't abuse this but don't get stuck in place either.

Often, this is where 1 and 2 come in handy. Can't figure out what to do? Pick a next step action for a goal and DO it, even if it's not really the best idea. Nothing clicking with goals? Then just do something that helps push theme. Have your angry ganger go bully the next person they see. Or go have your prissy Corpie go make a service mixer's life hell for fifteen minutes.

I might also add that if you're enjoying what you're doing, you're doing it right. No one can tell you what's important for your character. That's something you have to decide. If you like fighting, find ways to engineer fights. If you like socializing, that's pretty easy. Just find things you like to do and do them.

Right out of the gate, I chose a primary skill that I thought sounded interesting. Secure Tech. The helpfile for Secure Tech says that it deals with 'locks of all kinds, encryption devices, number generators'. When I read that I was thinking... that sounds neat. Maybe I'd be able to unlock doors and security gates, make cool gadgety things, make encryption systems for communication systems.

A month later when I finally got the chance to try the skill out, I discovered that I did not even have a basic understanding of what the Secure Tech skill actually did. That messed with my understanding of who my character IS and what his GOALS are. What's more, while I got some ic instruction on what the skills do, I got NO guidance whatsoever on how to ply the skill in a way that would add to my roleplay. Just...wait around until someone needs something done?

If I was a murder-hobo character, I could start shit and get into fights and fail spectacularly and chalk it up to practice while building up a base of friends and enemies. If I was able to craft things (which I thought would be at least part of my skills) I would be able to practice making stuff, show off my skillz, and become the best crafter evar. As it is I have to... pretend to study things on the grid? Which basically translates to "Go roleplay something else and then toss the UE into Secure Tech in case you actually get to use that skill at some point."

In short...Idunno what 'goals' to set for my character that would ACTUALLY LEAD TO ROLEPLAY. Could someone give me examples?

Because, right now, neither you nor your character is informed, and your character is not (probably very) competent.

(Remember the basic rule of thumb: If you don't know, your character doesn't know either.)

So, with this as a motivation, your RP direction could be to find out who the secure-tech gurus are. To find out what the secure-tech gear is. To find out what products involve secure-tech. To find out what specific tasks secure-tech users commonly execute. To find out if there are differences between secure tech in the mix versus topside. To find out if there are any applications of the secure-tech skill which aren't strictly about security. To find out what the potential is for subverting security. To find out how they should develop their innate potential and traits to grow as a technician. To find out if there are any dangers a budding techie should be aware of. To find out if there are any holy-grails that all secure-tech operators fantasize about achieving. To find out if there are rumors of any new technology the sectechies are waiting for. To find out if there are any related/associated skills they should maybe consider developing, in order to maximize the potential of the role they want to create or assume. To convey to your acquaintances and their acquaintances and to strangers that you're trying hard and are driven to make something of yourself.

That's a goal for maybe a couple of weeks or maybe (probably) longer. Definitely something to do (RP) which is more proactive than just waiting for someone to call you with a job. But after your character begins to learn some or any of the above, then new goals should begin to suggest themselves.

Maybe at that point, your character will know who you want to try to get as your mentor. Maybe they'll know whether they should pursue corporate employment or stay underground. Maybe they'll have met some other connections which can help them drive business in ways they can't come up with on their own. There are so many maybes that you have no idea what goals you can develop based on the RP you pursue today.

None of the above depends on stats and skills, it all depends on your RP. A little imagination goes a long way!

Having to kinda pivot your char's identity can feel bad, and I don't know the details of the skill you mentioned but maybe your goals can kind of change without too much of your original motivation to? If your original goal was to become the best crafter, but you learn that's not really what your profession does, maybe the reason for wanting to become the best crafter stays the same or at least is similar.

I'd also say don't be afraid to have really grand goals that you know you can't even complete in the game. If your char really wants to be able to experiment with and always be creating brand new types of X, but creating new types of X isn't a feature of the game, that doesn't mean your char can't have that overall goal. Why do they want to create new types of X? Whatever the answer is, that could be avenues that lead to roleplay.

Then, the fact that you will likely need people's help is what will naturally draw you to people, and then to their own goals and/or plots. Hopefully that sort of stuff will keep you a bit busy until you achieve your long term goals, and maybe even tie into yours somehow. Still trying to get better at this myself.

As far as only having the options to study on the grid in the meantime, maybe a goal of your char could be to figure out how to get any way involved in the sector that you want. Even if that just means delivering the product from a manufacturer to a customer. Not the most glamorous but it could be a foot in. But again not sure how probable that is since I don't know anything about that skill.

I know that the best and party RP can seem overpowering and repetitive. But it's also an opportunity. You can get names. Learn who's who. Talk up your character.

You can wish start drama. Get pissy about something. Push someone's boundaries be seeing how insulting you can be without it coming to blows.

See s gathering and your characters an anarchist type? Blow it up! Sleazy, type? Remember who was there and who they hung with and try and sell the info. Trouble maker, start a rumor that will get people mad at each other.

I'm a firm believer of creating needs. Use that bar time to make money. Or create a problem your character can get involved with fixing.

Bars aren't often the end all of RP but they can be the gateway to RP. A way to build knowledge and relationships do you can drive plots.