ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Play-by-post role-playing game

Okay kiddo, imagine you are playing a game with your friends, but instead of playing together in real life or on a screen, you all take turns writing stories about your characters and what they do in a made-up world. That's what a play-by-post role-playing game is!

First, you decide with your friends what kind of world you want to play in, like maybe a magical kingdom or a futuristic city. Then, each of you creates a character to play as in that world. You might be a brave knight, a sneaky thief, or a wise wizard - it's up to you!

Now comes the fun part. You all write stories about what your character does in that world. Maybe your knight sets out on a quest to defeat a dragon, or your thief tries to steal a valuable treasure. You write out what your character says, does, and thinks, just like writing a story or a diary entry.

After you've written your story, you post it online in a forum or website where your friends can read it. Then, they can write their own stories responding to your character's actions. They might write about how their own character helps or hinders yours, creating an ongoing story that you all come up with together.

The game continues like this, with each of you taking turns writing your character's adventures and reactions to what the other characters are doing. It's a fun and creative way to tell a story together, and it doesn't require any special equipment or technology - just your imagination and writing skills.