OOC, IC and RP: what they mean in roleplay.
In roleplay, OOC means out of character: something you say as yourself, the writer, rather than as the person you are playing. IC means in character, and RP simply means roleplay. The three terms come from forums, tabletop games and chat roleplay, and they help everyone know who is talking.
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See the plansOOC: out of character
An OOC note steps outside the story to talk about it: a question, a preference or a pause. It is usually wrapped in double parentheses or brackets so nobody mistakes it for dialogue, for example “((OOC: can we skip to the next morning?))” or “[OOC: I have to go in ten minutes.]”
In fan fiction, OOC can also describe a character acting unlike themselves: “that reply felt OOC for her.”
IC: in character
IC means in character: everything said or done by the person you are playing, inside the scene. “I pour two cups of coffee and slide one across the table” is IC.
Some writers put actions between asterisks, like *pours two cups of coffee*, and speech in quotation marks.
RP: roleplay
RP stands for roleplay: writing a story together, each person playing a character. You will also see RPer for someone who roleplays, 1x1 for a story between two partners, and OC for an original character you invented.
When to use OOC
- To agree on the tone or the pace before a scene starts.
- To check a boundary, or to say something is not working for you.
- To skip time, change the setting or end a scene.
- Keep OOC notes short, then return to the story.
OOC with an AI character
An AI character reads everything you write, so a short bracketed note is a clear way to steer the story: “(OOC: let’s keep this light and slow.)” It can still misread the note; if it does, restate it plainly.
On nytely you can also save the facts a story should keep in the character’s memories, instead of repeating them out of character.
Questions, answered
What does OOC mean?
OOC means out of character. It marks something the writer says as themselves, outside the story, usually in double parentheses or brackets.
What is the difference between IC and OOC?
IC, in character, is what your character says or does inside the scene. OOC, out of character, is you talking about the scene as its writer.
What does RP mean?
RP means roleplay: writing a story together where each person plays a character.
What does OC mean in roleplay?
OC means original character: a character you created yourself, rather than one from an existing book, game or show.
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