Drugs Role Play Guide

Greetings. I'll somehow start with a foreword. In fact I was planning to write a guide or similar on my own but since I got approached by Kushin' with the idea of posting one particularly for this section, there we go. This will probably be somewhat messy but I'll try to split it into entries and whatnot. It is not a mandatory to read and memorize every single of these ~2k words. I probably could've gone on for more than that, either way I simply wanted to share my theorycraft results, feel free to contribute and I'll add up whatever's sensible from you along with proper credits.

Lots of us believe everything has to come through In-Character methods, including introduction to the corner, it's customs, rules and whatnot, however seeing as most of your protégés come from the ghetto areas, therefore have an according upbringing, they'd have a clear view on what the drug corners are, how they work and what to do / not to do. At the same time, drug dealing on LS-RP [size=70](or generally on SA-MP at the moment)[/size] is far different from the real life model, thence arise divergences - that have to somehow be covered. Most of you are familiar of finding that golden mean by roleplaying your character having not a buck when you got a bullet in your /v list [size=70](Seth Jones :rolleyes:)[/size], and so forth.

Drugs.

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[size=70]Realism & Moral part.

To begin with, no teenager I've seen ever roleplayed the actual approach to the package. Your character, being a teenager within the 13-17 range, cannot afford one on their own. Most likely, he'd receive a trial package upon a recommendation and put under supervision of an older / more experienced slanger, and to actually get one himself he'd either have to go in debt with the particular supplier, or spend all his possible savings he's had under the pillow so far. Should he lose it somehow - get busted, robbed, otherwise, he's most likely going to have to steal and save on pocket money from his moms for half a year or so. Roleplay the -importance- of that package to your character, simply put it's his money to eat and live when you come to think of it.[/size]

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[size=70]Knowledge.

Another point is knowing what is that material you're holding. When you receive a package, you most likely have little-to-none knowledge about drugs from the real life perspective; so check it up on google and in >this< guide. Ask the supplier about the form of the drugs [/size][size=70](For e.g. PCP is dissolved and is dissolved either in vials in water form, powder to sniff or powder sprayed on leaves of marijuana)[/size][size=70], check the images on google to have a slighest idea of what you're holding - that knowledge will be useful in from stashing / hiding to presenting your drug to the buyer in future. Remember to roleplay with your product, you for all can check if it's crooked (overly strong) product or not dissolving it's small part in light amounts of water, even, you can try to mix it, you can pre-roll half of the baggies into blunts - use your imagination.[/size]

Corners.

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[size=70]Etiquette.

Drug corners probably don't deserve a detailed explanation though it is absolutely the same workplace for your character, and those tend to have their own `etiquette`, as in a set of unspoken rules. There's a few things not welcome on the corners, those two mainly being, crowds and fighting. Both draw unneeded kind of attention and give LEA's probable cause; not like your character realizes it the smart way like this but that's something natural you get to know. You don't come to a corner to hang, you come to it to slang. Don't got no package, get off the corner. That is exactly what your character have clearly defined in his head, however would deal with differently depending on their personality - Seth, for example, simply moves to another corner, since he's not the type to tell others to step off.[/size]

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[size=70]Holding a corner.

Other than that, the corners are -held-. Seeing as we're split in couples and sell the -same- product, that'd be Ryder candy, Kush, and whatever else; should Seth come to a corner that's held by Ken & Aisha, he'll be not welcome to slang there. Exceptions do happen IC and of course it's all about how your character's going to treat a situation of a kind, indeed - I'm not telling you to RP one plain strict way with this guide, I'm merely aiming to expand the knowledge about the nature of being on the streets and corners. Getting a good corner and holding it down is an extremely good ground for roleplay, even if OOC'ly there's no difference between the Bell's and Central, for example. All in all, the nature about this is same as if you get off your chair in a small room with lots of people, you lose the seat.[/size]

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[size=70]Organization.

Stash. It's a logical thing that keeping the drugs and dough on you is less preferred to prevent robberies or questions about money. Indeed almost no officer is going to pay any attention if a teenager with shitty clothing has one hundred bucks in cash just so, unless you point it out with caps in /do along with other your possessions, but that's going to give them an idea instead of being a factor against it. Some of you may go decorate it if you want - a pile of boxes, BMX leaned against the wall with jacket / hoody hanging on it, meal package - use your imagination (and remember to take screenshots with /servertime)

Other than that, every single person on the corner has their role - according to the unspoken rule "if you want to hang, drug corner is not for that".

Slangers - those who approach the client and present the product; Runners - they usually receive a sign from the slanger once the monetary transaction's done, with a simple duty to run up and pass the product; Flyer-boys - Usually put ahead of the group on a BMX at a more busy road to draw the right attention to the actual corner (As in, teen shouting at the Chongs corner to check out the Clucking Bell in Willowfield - some will come and stop, there's the slangers' chance to roleplay with someone); Muscle - rarely used, generally an older character who'd have a weapon just in case of protection for the corner.

It is up to you whether to make your character silly enough to carry the whole package on you, but most likely he'd not take the whole ounce with him, just about five baggies or so. You, as in the couple, may even unite your package as a whole and sell it together.[/size]

Selling.

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[size=70]Tools.

It is suggested to get a bind for pulling vehicles over. Most of the time they pass you, they either won't stop at all or unless roleplayed with. Make it somewhat short and simple, you don't get to catch four lines about how you stretch your hand out lazily or in a tired motion in attempt to draw the driver's attention with puppy eyes. It'll be more than enough if you write, "motions the vehicle OVER", with the initial word capitalized so that they see it at speed. My bind is, "t/gsign4~t/ame motions the vehicle OVER.~" in Chaos Keybinds. Does a nice gesture along with the /ame line. Do it when car's out of the distance but getting close, beats the delay & /ame is displayed quite far.[/size]

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[size=70]Approaching a client.

Every single person that passes by is a potential client, attitude to those is different from real life though. In real life, people come to the corner with a clear definition of what they need - dope. On LS-RP, those kind of clients are rare to an extent. Most of the characters on LS-RP are created without flaws, and even if with those, they're absolutely healthy and have a clear "NO" to drugs. And even in that case there's a chance to sell to them if you develop a convo.

Don't go up to the player with a clear "You want some of that shit homie?", you'll get a clear no with low likelihood of it changing into yes. Start talking about something general. Those generally depend on the type of your product, associate it with an item or subject. Most of the time you sell something that can be smoked, ask for a lighter or shoot a ciggy. If it's ecstasy, speak of Hangover or other parties grand openings scheduled tonight (I know there's none, who cares!). Coke by far is the most difficult one to speak about as it's snorted. The direction they're heading to (if it's Idlewood), is also a good ground to speak about. Talk about other corners they better not get their stuff at, tell a cool story about Idlewood slangers lacing their blunts with heroin, up to your imagination.

The above is you building an impression in the eyes of your customer, be sure not to make it long but enjoyable for the other party. In the end they'll go for whatever thing to keep up the roleplay with you - I'll even go as far as to say, most of your clients will buy from you only because/if they like you for your outstanding roleplay.

To sum it up somehow, you have to create a decent impression and make the other person like roleplaying with you. Try to see if they're fine with having a small conversation, approach the subject of drugs without displaying yourself as a drug dealer even if it's obvious, see their attitude about it. Develop it in a way, you can even get into a situation where you start to talk about drugs or smoking as a habit.[/size]

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[size=70]Sales - prices & frequency

This one's going to be rather short.

To start with, the prices - merely suggested to cut the last zero of the three-four digit number off. It's not absolutely realistic but is drawn as close as possible, if you roleplay three hundred scripted cash being just thirty bucks in fact. It's not mandatory however most of us - the trend started with me & Ken somehow being fine with it and stating that the price is "thirty" all the time, it somehow went along with clients without any fuss or frowns.

Moving the package as a whole isn't something that takes a day. I personally can keep up to a schedule to package per-day, unless it's a really difficult day with OOC work / outstanding other RP getting into it where I'm not on the corner to sell, however it takes at least a week to `move` all of it. Just keep up with realism to follow your concept not to get into paradox of having no explanation for bringing 6k a day but still being a poor hustler without over a hundred in his pocket.
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IC/OOC.

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[size=70]Roleplaying at the corner.

No one is going to argue, you're on the corner to sell - according to the unspoken rule - "Don't come to the drug corner to hang"; however OOC'ly you'll have to spend quite a lot of time waiting on a potential client to come - simply because no character is in the vicinity you can engage into appropriate themed roleplay with. Therefore, selling in couples is the ideal way. You can roll a dice, play 7/11 or 21, write rap lyrics or draw if your character is artistic, play with skateboard or bounce the b-ball, do homework, hang or chat with your partner until a potential client comes in.[/size]

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[size=70]Success/Failure.

Brace yourself for failure times when you're going to have no sales at all. It's not you doing something wrong, it's just the very well known "wrong time wrong place" coincidence. As I pointed out in the beginning, moving the package is a primary thing for your teenage character as it's his money to eat and live, OOC'ly it's no race "I sold it faster than you.[/size]




I have no clue how to conclude it perfectly, I think the best would be to say the following - Remember that IC'ly you're selling drugs, OOC'ly you're selling roleplay. Grasp the sense of that quotation and you'll not just enjoy your roleplay but provide the same experience for others.