Complete Beginners Guide to GTA RP

So you wanna be an RP Superstar? And live large? A sick house? 10 cars??

Sure you do. We all do. This is your Complete Beginners Guide to GTA RP!

New to GTA RP?

Here’s EVERYTHING you need to know! Which Servers to Join, How to Apply, How to Install FiveM, RP Terms, Beginner Tips, Mistakes to Avoid and MORE! In this video I tell you EVERYTHING you need to know to get you started in GTA RP! Start your roleplay journey with confidence!

Believe me, I know how overwhelming it can be when you’re brand new to GTA RP. I’ve BEEN there and when I realized there really wasn’t much information out there on how to get started, I decided to share everything I wished I knew before jumping in. I’ve been RPing on NoPixel and ProdigyRP for years now and I’m sharing my biggest tips for new players to help you guys feel a little more prepared.

By reading this guide or watching this video, you’re already going to know SO much more than someone just plopping into a server on their first day. 

Remember, all servers are different, so keep that in mind as I cover everything in this guide. The hotkey or lingo might be slightly different, depending on what server you play on, but the basic concept(s) should be the same.

Alright, we have a LOT to cover, so grab your coffee and let’s get started!

What We’ll Cover

• Common Q + A’s
• Set Up Tips / Do’s and Don’ts
• RP Terms you Should Know / Common Server Rules / IC Lingo
• Which Server(s) Should You Join / How to Apply
• Application Process / Time Frame / Prep / Tips
• Creating your First Character, Backstory
• How to Find Your Steam ID / Hex ID
• FiveM (How to Install / Troubleshoot Tips / Console
• Settings / Keybinds
• Getting Started In-Game / Emotes / Commands / How-To’s (Skills / Jobs / Activities / Heists / Gangs) / HUD
• Mistakes to Avoid as a New Player
• Beginner Tips / Advice
• 5 Must-Do’s on Your First Day
• + More!

Common Q + A’s

The first thing I want to do is cover some of the most common questions I get asked in my live streams for those wanting to get started in GTA RP.

Your Common Beginner Roleplay Questions Answered! In this section, we’ll cover the most commonly asked questions from those wanting to get started in GTA RP. I see these questions all the time on YouTube, on Reddit and some I get asked myself during my live streams.

“Do I need experience playing GTA 5 before starting RP?” 

This is a question I’m always seeing asked on Reddit.

Answer: NO. 

You DO need to own the game, however. But we’ll talk more on that in a bit.

You need to own a copy of GTA 5 but you do not have to have played it before joining an RP server and jumping straight into RP. But will someone that has played GTA have an advantage over someone who hasn’t? Not necessarily. 

The only real advantage I can think of is that someone who HAS played through GTA might be more familiar with icons on the map and specific areas or locations, but other than that, this is RP. You’re joining a unique server, with its own characters, its own set of rules and it will be a completely different experience so you don’t need to be familiar with the GTA story at all. Sorry, Trevor.

“Do I need to be a streamer in order to do RP?” 

I get this question a lot on Twitch.

Answer: NO. 

You don’t need to be a streamer or content creator in order to join an RP server.

In fact, I’d say the majority of players aren’t. There are some AMAZING RP streamers out there, but there are just as many RP-ers, if not more who are equally amazing, that don’t stream. Just gamers who enjoy RP. So if you’re not a creator, don’t let it discourage you from applying to a server, and joining in the RP experience.

That being said, just remember that you may not be streaming, but someone you may be interacting with very well could be, so-  just be respectful, either way. Be courteous, don’t go around playing music that isn’t DMC free. As long as you remember that what YOU do DOES impact others, whether it be their stream, or just their RP experience, just be aware, and you’re good to go.

“Do I need to be a good actor or voice actor to do RP?”

Another question I’m always getting asked during my live streams.

Answer: NO. 

You don’t need to be an actor or have any experience performing in order to be a good role-player.

Remember practice makes perfect. No one’s an RP GOD on their first day. For some people, it may seem like it comes naturally, but everyone started somewhere. Everyone was NEW to the city once. They had to meet people, figure things out, just like you are. If there’s something you aren’t getting- a lot of servers will encourage you to ask questions, in-character and RP it out, but we’ll discuss that in greater detail a little later.

Although you don’t need to be a professional by any means, I would recommend using a decent mic, and a pair of headphones. And on that note, let’s to our next topic: 

“Can I play on more than one server?”

I see this question all the time on YouTube.

Answer: YES!

You can absolutely play on more than one server and most players do!

Just remember that every server is different. They may have different rules or different ways of doing things. As long as you respect each server’s rules and understand they may vary, you can play on as many as you like.

Set Up Tips  / Do’s + Don’ts

TIP #1:

DO use a decent mic!

No need for a professional set-up, but having a decent mic can go a LONG way. As long as you sound clear and are easy to understand, you’re already setting yourself up for success- trust me!

TIP #2:

DON’T let your mic peak!

This may go without saying, but sound-checks are your friend! Pay attention to your sound settings. Practice yelling, laughing, anything loud that may cause your mic to peak. Do a quick recording if you need to and make the necessary adjustments to make sure you don’t sound distorted on those extra intense moments where you may be shouting, or louder than normal.

TIP #3:

DO use push-to-talk!

This may also go without saying, but sound checks are your friend! Pay attention to your sound settings. Especially if you tend to have a lot of background noise, say dogs barking, babies crying, lawnmowers going off… push-to-talk will help keep these unnecessary distractions to a minimum and provide a better RP experience for those you interact with.

TIP #4:

DON’T overuse soundbites or effects too much!

Soundbites or voice modulators can be a lot of fun and can add some pretty hilarious comedic moments to a scenario but if you do choose to do something like this and have it be PART of your character, just do so sparingly or when it makes sense.

For example, if you’re someone who uses a sound bite like “FRESH MEAT” whenever you walk up to someone new, that can be like your thing, like your own personal introduction But that doesn’t mean you should go around spamming it every five minutes.

Same for using things like auto-tune. Be true to your character, but at the same time, try not to do anything too excessively to the point that it may annoy others or ruin someone else’s RP.

TIP #5:

DON’T play sound through your speakers!

Trust me on this one. Use headphones or earbuds- something that will prevent what you hear from bouncing off the walls of your room and back into your mic so everyone around you hears an echo.

If you’re letting sound come out of your monitor, when others speak, your mic may pick up the feedback and whenever people talk near you, they’ll hear themselves twice. As you can imagine, this can not only irritate other players, but it also disrupts the RP. 

Btw, if you’re looking for a great headset, these are the headphones I use everyday and I’m super happy with them. But again, when it comes to set-up, as long as you have a decent mic, a decent headset, you sound clear and are easy to understand and you keep background noises to a minimum- you’re golden!

RP Terms You Should Know

Now we’ll cover some common Server Rules and RP Terms you should know.

RP – Stands for roleplay. When you roleplay, you take on the persona of a character. Someone that isn’t you, but someone you’ve created who has their own goals, fears, strengths, weaknesses, admirrations, abilities, etc. 

In RP, you fear for your life. Your actions have consequences and you act out situations as you would IRL (in real life). For example: if you fell off a cliff, you wouldn’t immediately get up and go on with your day. You’d likely have severe wounds or need treatment. Not to mention you’d be in quite a bit of pain. With RP, you can play out scenarios like this by things you say and do.

But what does roleplay actually mean?

The BEST part about RP, are the interactions you have with OTHER RPers. Roleplay is basically like one giant game of improv. You can have a things in mind, but you must be ready to PIVOT! or adapt to the situation at any time, as the stakes are always changing and you never know what kind of scenario you may find yourself in. But trust me, that’s where the fun is! 

Common Server Rules

Most servers have rules which help keep everyone in line and create a better, more immersive atmosphere for everyone. We’ll be covering a lot of these in this section.

ERP – Stands for erotic roleplay. (pretty self-explanatory, and not allowed on most servers) Essentially any RP performed mostly, or exclusively for the purpose of sexual behavior.

Whitelisted – Many RP servers require you to apply and become whitelisted. If you are whitelisted, it means your application on the server was accepted. I’ll talk more about WHY you want to join a whitelisted server in a bit.

IC – Stands for in character vs OOC – which stands for out of character.

Doing something IC, means, doing something AS your character. While OOC, means doing something as YOU, or OUT of character, essentially, breaking RP. Most servers require you to do everything IC, at all times. In my opinion this creates a more immersive experience and makes for better RP, all around. 

But sometimes you need to talk OOC, don’t you?

No. Although, when you’re brand new to RP, it may seem the only way to ask a question or learn how to do something is to speak OOC. However, I challenge you to find a way to RP it out.

Say you’re having trouble getting on your vehicle. You can ask for help IC.

Here’s a video from my very first day on the RP server, TRP:

As you can see, I found a way to ask for help, IC, and the other person gave a hint, without breaking RP. I’ll talk more about these types of situations in a bit, when we cover commands and beginner tips for in-game scenarios. 

What if someone else breaks RP / Speaks OOC?

So, what do you do if someone else breaks RP and speaks OOC? It’s unlikely, but say you get into a confrontation with someone and they call you a name, (not your character), and it’s clearly an intentional rule-break. Don’t further break RP, just report the player and move on. 

More likely, however, if someone NEW to RP or new to the server is struggling to figure something out, and they accidentally break RP to ask something OOC, encourage them to RP it out and respond, IC.

When in doubt, RP it out!

It’s all about how you respond. And you can do so, IC, without ruining the RP. As you just saw in the video, someone asked for my number and I didn’t know how to access my phone. You may be surprised, but RP-ing out scenarios when you’re new is actually a really great learning experience. Someday, YOU’LL be the veteran player, helping out someone else new on the server. And remember, you can always find a way to do so IC!

SOME RP servers may allow some things to be done OOC but again, every server is different, so make sure you do your homework and research the server you’ll be playing on before you jump in. Respect their rules and the way they handle both IC and OOC situations, and you’ll be good to go!

Speaking of IC and OOC scenarios, the next term you REALLY need to be familiar with is metagaming.

Metagaming or MG – is when you use OOC knowledge when you’re RPing IC. This will pretty much land you an automatic ban on most servers, and even YouTube or Twitch chats. This is something the RP community as a whole takes very seriously, so I’ll explain a bit more to make sure you really understand what it means. 

Basically, if you (yourself) learn something (OOC), you can not act on that knowledge (IC) as your character would have no way of knowing that information.

Some examples of megagaming:

Say someone posts in discord that Olof perma-died. You can’t IC say “so I heard Olof died”. YOU may know that, but your character doesn’t. Therefore, you can’t act on it. 

Or, say you’re RPing as a cop and you happen to be streaming. If someone pops into your chat and says “the criminal is at Pillbox Hospital”, you can’t immediately head to Pillbox, as your character didn’t find out that information… YOU did. See the difference? 

Don’t Megame. Period.

MG would result in a clear advantage for the offending party and can be seen as stream-snipping and it obviously completely ruins the RP. It’s a big no-no both on RP servers and in live stream chats so don’t do it! No need to stress, just make sure you never metagame or act on any OOC info you acquire from any means other than RP. It’s that simple.

Powergaming or (PG) – is another way to gain an advantage in an unfair scenario and is also prohibited on most servers. Methods of powergaming can include robbing other players without giving them a chance to escape or defend themselves, constantly talking over others without allowing them to respond or contribute to the conversation/situation or forcing dismemberment on another player without their consent. 

Basically, you can’t just do whatever you want at the expense of another player without SOME form of RP. In other words, respect other players, interact with them as you would someone in real life and don’t force anyone to do something without giving them the chance to respond and RP it out.

It’s RP, not kill or be killed

No, you can not randomly kill other players without any RP whatsoever.

Deathmatch / Random Deathmatch or (DM / RDM) – is killing another player without a reason. In RP, your actions have consequences. You can’t just run up to another player and shoot them in the head and go on with your day. If there’s a confrontation, or they wronged you in some way and the situation escalates from there, then that’s RP!

That being said, if you happen to find yourself in an area that a gang has claimed as their territory, and they’re known for shooting on site, well- that’s RP as well!

Vehicle Deathmatch (VDM) – Killing another player with a VEHICLE for no reason… Running someone over intentionally, trying to kill someone with your vehicle without a RP reason.

Spawn Kill (SK) – Is when someone shoots you or kills you the moment you spawn on the server. Before I was whitelisted on TRP, I decided to try some public servers to see what it was like. I tried about three or four of them and just gave up, because this is exactly what happened to me. The moment I spawned in, without fail, someone would kill me instantly, making it impossible for me to do anything. 

If you’re serious about trying out RP, this is just another reason why I highly recommend you apply to a whitelisted server. They have rules, they have regulations that just prevent things like this from happening and it makes for a better RP experience for everyone.

If I die, do I die for good?

Like hardcore mode in certain games, your character can die FOR GOOD. But only on your terms.

Perma Death – Only YOU can decide when your character dies – permanently. Still, you must react to close-calls or severe injuries. For instance, say someone hits you in the head with a bat. You can’t just get up and go for coffee. You’d be in some serious pain. You might not even be able to talk. If you do respond, be sure to do so IC. Again, only you can decide if a truly fatal incident occurs for your character. 

Perma-death means your character dies FOREVER. This is not a decision you should make lightly. Remember, you’re RPing with a ton of other players and your character’s actions, even death can impact others on the server as well.

A permadeath must be confirmed (usually via discord PMs) before a death certificate can be written. In general, it’s very hard to reverse a perma-death so if you proceed with this route, consider it- PERMANENT.

Team Kill (TK) – is killing someone from your own gang or organization. Many gangs have rivalries with one another, and this might get heated as situations unfold. However, most gangs rely heavily on the loyalty of their members, so keep that in mind.

An exception might be if a gang member went rogue or did something that really pissed off the gang leader, and the gang comes to a collective decision to the player out. If this is a perma-death situation, the player in question would have to agree. Remember, every server is different, so check the rules before proceeding with something like this. 

Remember, if you’re not sure, just ask.

Most servers welcome questions, especially from new players.

FearRP / Value of Life – Fear RP or sometimes referred to as Value of Life means exactly what it sounds like. You fear for your life, as you would IRL. It should go without saying, but in RP, you must value your life at all times, and the lives of others! If someone pulls a gun on you and threatens your life, you should react accordingly. Don’t run away or pull out a melee weapon that wouldn’t win in a gunfight. Act like you would in real life. If your life is being threatened, act like it. 

One of the quickest ways to ruin RP (besides speaking OOC) is to downplay a serious situation, such as being held at gunpoint or being physically threatened. 

Fail RP – Fail RP is when someone fails to roleplay something properly, meaning they intentionally do something they wouldn’t do IRL. For example, not roleplaying serious injuries, say being shot multiple times and walking away with zero reaction. 

Griefing – intentionally pestering, or harassing others or stalking them to force RP (strictly forbidden on most servers)

Combat Logging – is logging out while in combat. For obvious reasons, don’t log out in the middle of combat. Similarly, most servers won’t let you hide in an apartment while running from the cops either. 

Text RP – In certain situations, you may want to communicate something without breaking character. You can do this in Text RP. We’ll discuss this more in a bit when we cover Character.

For example:

If you drown and need to be revived, EMS may use Text RP to check your pulse. They’d do this by typing /me checks pulse into their text box and it would appear on-screen. This is a way to confirm you want to be revived. In this situation, your character likely can’t speak (or shouldn’t). By using Text RP, you can convey information by typing /me has a pulse so the EMS knows to revive you.

In general, Text RP should not be overused. However, sometimes, it’s the best way to convey necessary information. In certain situations, it can even add to the RP, if the situation makes sense.

IC Lingo

As I mentioned earlier, most servers require you to stay IC at all times. A good way to do this is to pay attention to the lingo others use. Slang may vary per server but here’s some common ones you’ll hear on most servers. Using slang is the best way to stay IC and keep the RP going, even when you’re explaining how to do something.

Locals – You’re probably familiar with this one. No matter which server you play on, referring to NPCs in Los Santos as the locals is pretty universal. You can usually tell the difference between a local and an actual player right away. Locals will likely ignore you unless they feel threatened. And they’re TERRIBLE drivers. No, seriously. They’re the WORST.

Downed – means your character is knocked out, unconscious, or has severe injuries and you need to be revived by EMS. You should be unable to move, think or talk normally while in this state.

Scuffed – If you hear something being referred to as scuffed, this means it’s either broken or glitched. If someone says, “my pockets are scuffed”, this probably means they can’t access their inventory.

I’m sorry, I don’t speak robot

Cough Drop – My very first time interacting with someone, I said “hello”, and they told me I needed a cough drop. That seemed odd to me, but I figured they were trying to tell me something.

Luckily, I was already recording myself, to test my sound settings before going live. I thanked the person and quickly hid in a bush while I watched back my video. Sure enough, I sounded- like a robot.

Clearly I did something wrong while setting up my audio. This is yet another reason why it’s SO important to test your settings! Do a sample recording and listen back to make sure everything is exactly the way you want it. We’ll go over all settings pertaining to RP later in this guide to help you avoid mistakes like this. 

Headache / Head Popped – If someone says they have a headache, this means they’re getting dropped frames or lag. If you hear someone say, “my head popped”, it likely means they crashed or got disconnected. 

Flex Your _ Muscle– If you hear something like “flex your ‘Y’ muscle” someone may be hinting for you to press the “Y” key. Or, if you hear “think about sitting three times”, they could be telling you to the third sitting position.

New City, Who Dis?

In Town / The City – Remember you live in Los Santos. Stay IC when asking questions or conveying info. For example, if someone asks if Johnny is around you can say something like, “I don’t think they’re up this early” or “they’re not usually in-town at this time” vs: “they’re not online right now”. 

If someone asks, “How long have you been in the city?” they’re wondering long you’ve been on the server. If you hear “in the last city I lived in…” someone is probably referring to the previous server they played on.

Again, the exact phrasing will vary per server, but now you have an idea when it comes to basic IC lingo, and the different ways you can ask questions, or figure things out without breaking RP.

Now, we have a LOT more to cover, but if you have any questions, leave a comment in the comment section of this video. I try to respond to every single one.

Speaking of questions, let’s segway to the next topic, and probably the question I get asked the most…

Which Server(s) Should I Join?

Alright, I hate to say it but- not ALL servers are created equal. And if you’re serious about RP, I seriously recommend you do your research when it comes to which servers are right for you.

First, let’s cover the different types of servers and discuss which are best for RP.

Types of Servers

• Economy servers are most common for (RP) and the ones we’ll be focusing on.
  
  
• V Menu servers basically let you spawn anything. Some may consider these types of servers more for fun because you don’t have to worry about money and can basically get anything you want at any time, but it’s obviously not very realistic, making it not the best for RP.
  
  
• Scenario servers are somewhat RP but they’re not very immersive as you can usually talk OOC. You basically just play out different scenarios with a group of people. Essentially you decide on a situation like a store robbery. Some people are cops, others are robbers and you play it out right then and there. I suppose this could be used for practice in some respects, but if you want a true RP experience, I think you’re better off going with one of the economy servers, preferably a whitelisted one.

Do I Have to Apply?

Are there public servers you can join without having to apply? Absolutely. Are they worth it? Well… that’s up to you.

If you’re set on trying out a public server, I’ll go over a few of those first, but trust me, the whitelisted servers where you have to apply are the ones you want to be a part of. Having a server with rules and guidelines doesn’t make it any less fun, it actually makes the RP experience more enjoyable for everyone because in a world where actions have consequences, you tend to filter out all the people whose primary goal is to turn every city into a COD match.

The good news is, there are a TON of amazing ones out there with some god-tier RP-ers like yourself, just waiting for you to join in the fun! So let’s go over some of the best ones out there and how you can apply to them.

The Best Public RP Servers (non-whitelisted)

If you’re keen on trying out some public (non-whitelisted) servers, here are a few worth mentioning. Once again all of these are public servers, so you do NOT need to apply to join them.

• NoPixel – NoPixel did recently release a few public servers, however I’ve heard mixed things. Sometimes the queues can be an incredibly long while at other times- not so much. There are ways to boost your priority with actual money which – I won’t get into the logistics of since it’s such a hot topic, but if that’s something you want to do, you can do so at the NoPixel store.
  
  
  • You can also buy DEV Coins (an in-game currency) or extra character slots for real money as well. In the next section, we’ll discuss the (Whitelisted) NoPixel server and compare the two a little more.

Pay to Win isn’t My Thing…

I hear you! NoPixel may be the most popular of the bunch but there are plenty of others worth checking out:

• Mafia City Roleplay
  • Mafia City RP uses RageMP instead of FiveM. There isn’t a ton of criminal activity on this server but if you want to practice RP and try out some of the legal jobs like fishing for instance, it’s a decent option for you.
    
    
  • They do have some strict rules, but if you are looking to apply to whitelisted servers which will also have rules of their own, maybe not AS strict as Mafia, but perhaps a good place to practice in the meantime.
    
    
• Grand RP
  • Grand RP is another public server that’s a great option if you’re crime-focused but note that you do have to download atlv – before connecting to the MCRP server. Altv is free however. It’s an alternative multiplayer client for GTA V, similar to FiveM or RageMp.
    
    
• CityLife RP
  • CityLife RP has a nice starter guide when you spawn in, which can be helpful for new players. They also have a discord so you can get to know others in the community and a website with all the rules. Overall, easy-to-follow and a decent public server.
    
    
  • They don’t seem to have many (if any) locals which is uncommon and can make the city feel a little quiet at times, but other than that, not a bad option as far as public servers go

The Best Whitelisted Servers (Need to Apply)

As for the whitelisted servers, here are the most popular (and in my opinion) some of the BEST ones out there as far as quality (both server-wise and RP-wise) and how you can apply to them.

• NoPixel – is what you see all the big streamers like XQC, Summit, and Vader, playing on. For this particular server, not only do you need to apply, you also have to donate as anytime I’ve seen it, the standard whitelisting is always “closed”. 

• Note that donating does NOT increase your chances of getting accepted. All donors still need to apply, their applications are just processed faster. (roughly 14-30 days at the time of filming this video) Again: *DONATING DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOU A SPOT ON THE SERVER* 

NoPixel vs NoPixel

• To quickly compare the NoPixel whitelisted server to the public version(s), as this server is much harder to get into, you can expect a higher quality of RPers overall. As mentioned, many are streamers, therefore, you have a lot more eyes on various situations than you might on the public server. Also, money is worth a lot more, which is healthy for RP as it naturally helps the development of long-term storylines and character arcs.

• On the NoPixel site, be sure to log in with Steam or create an account and then you’ll be able to view “Announcements + Important Info” as well as the “Rules and Guidelines” and the different punishment tiers if you break a rule.
  
  
• If you wish to donate, click “donate” and choose how much you want to contribute monthly. Based on what tier of support you offer, you’ll be granted a title and then given access to the Civilian Application Template. I believe you can apply up to five times. Remember this isn’t a one-time donation but one that recurs monthly.

Now your heart might be set on NoPixel but I promise there are plenty of incredible servers out there that you can join where you don’t need to pay anything. Starting with…

God-Tier RPers

• ProdigyRP – Lately, we’ve seen a ton of huge streamers like LordKebun and dasMEHDI join ProdigyRP. The music scene on Prodigy is also booming and I’ve had a blast playing a few shows in the city myself.
  
• ONX – is quickly becoming one of the top rp servers even boasting some of the top streamers (like Kyle). Due to the influx of applications, you may be waiting a while once your app is submitted but you are able to pay for a boost so yours gets reviewed quicker. (if you’re into that)
  
• Ignite RP – Is a theme-based server set in 1985. Go back in time with retro vibes and neon lights for some throwback fun.
  
• NewDay RP – is a partnered rp server of Wild West RP so you can enjoy both the GTA universe along with WildWest lore.
  
• The Worldz End – is a really fun apocalyptic themed zombie server. If this interests you, check out the eerie backstory you can find on both their website and the server discord.

TRP or Twitch RP has now also joined with PRC – known for Red Dead RP. TRP is the first RP server I played on and it was it was super helpful to me as a beginner. Here’s why:

• TRP or Twitch RP is the first server I played on and one I can NOT recommend more. Here’s why:
  
  
  • I’ve been playing on this server for a month now, and I’m having an absolute blast. From the quality of RP-ers I’ve interacted with to the discord community who has been nothing but welcoming and helpful, to the website design and clearly written out rules so you know what to expect- my experience has been amazing.
    
    
  • I will say if you’re BRAND NEW to RP, this server does not hold your hand when it comes to figuring things out. As I mentioned earlier in the video, some servers encourage you to RP it out when you have questions and personally, I didn’t mind it. I actually learned a TON by asking questions, IC and tbh, a majority of what I’m sharing today, I learned in my first week – just playing on the server.
    
    
  • On the TRP website, click on GTA where you’ll find a Quick Start Guide, other helpful info and where you can apply. Make sure to login with Steam to register! 
    
    
  • Note for the TRP application you will need to submit both your Steam ID and your Discord ID which again, you can find on one of the sites I mentioned earlier or you can go into discord and at the bottom left, click the settings cog and from there click on “Appearance” then on “Developer Mode”, then exit that screen and right click your username in the bottom left and click “copy” and you can paste this in the application where it asks for your Discord ID. This will also be in the written guide linked below.

But, Seriously!

Whether you’re brand new to RP (like I was), or a veteran with a ton of practice, if you’re serious about RP and want a fantastic experience, apply to TRP! Join us- you won’t regret it!

Requires Experience

• Redline Roleplay
  
  • On the Redline RP site, you can view the Server Rules. They have different Member Ranks which is interesting that you can check out at the bottom of the Rules section. You can check out their discord which has over 50k members.
    
    
  • Once you create an account, you’ll see some more info as well as the application template. Keep in mind, you will need to be at least 16 years of age and have at least 75 hours of RP experience in order to apply.
    
    
  • Again all servers do things a little bit differently. For Redline RP, it sounds like there is an audio interview portion you need to go through as well. But again, everything is laid out in the discord, so just follow the instructions to guide you through the process. 

Good For Beginners

• Just RP 
  
  • Just RP seems like a nice starter server for beginners. On the JustRP forums, you can view the server rules and once you create an account, you can view the whitelist application. You can also join the discord where you will be notified upon acceptance to the server. 
    
    
  • JustRP uses TeamSpeak which, by the way if the server you’ll be playing on uses iit and you need to download it, you can do so at (teamspeak.com) I’ve also got a link to it in the written guide below. 
    
    
  • I do think JustRP could have a little more info on their site. Something as simple as an “about us” section sharing what their server has to offer, maybe highlighting some unique features or just doing something to stand out, but that’s just me. 

• Legacy RP
  
  • On the LegacyRP forums, you can view their memberlist and join the discord but it looks like you have to create an account in order to view the application.
    
    
  • This server also doesn’t offer a ton of info in regards to what makes them unique or why someone should join but I did receive an automated message upon joining their discord server, which had info like a link to the server rules, which I appreciated. 

Sleek Aesthetic

• Echo RP
  
  • Echo RP is another server with a super clean website as aesthetic as it is informative. On the Echo RP homepage, you can read all about the server and what they have to offer. I personally love when a server has some general info oron what they’re all about or in this case, highlights their notable features. It’s especially helpful for those new to RP and interested in joining the server.
    
    
  • You can read the server rules, and after you join the discord, you can fill out the whitelist application. EchoRP even advertises creators who stream on their server and showcases their staff members as well.

• SAD RP
  
  • San Andreas Department of RP offers a clean website, showcasing what they’re about, while offering a ton of helpful links including the rules, penal code, commands, ban appeals and more. 
    
    
  • Upon joining their discord, you must verify your account before you’ll have access to the locked channels.
    

FifeM Alternative

• Eclipse RP
  
  • Eclipse RP does things a little bit differently. They use the RageMP client instead of FiveM and although you don’t need to fill out a traditional whitelist application, once you connect to the server and create an account, you’ll have to pass a quiz before you can play. The quiz will ask you several questions about your character, however, much like a standard whitelist application.
    
    
  • On the Eclipse RP forums, you can view the server rules, announcements, server commands, FAQ’s and more.

Text-Based RP

• GTA World
  
  • GTA World is apparently one of the easiest to get into and offers a text-based RP experience, if that’s something you’re into.
    
    
  • As per most servers, you can view how many players there are currently online, you can create an account or log in to view the rules and fill out an application.
    
    
  • Remember this is TEXT RP so be sure to read through the rules thoroughly so you understand what is expected of you and how it may differ from other RP servers. 
    

These are just a few of the many whitelisted servers out there. With most, you can join the discord ahead of time where you can meet members of the community and start getting the hang of things, although some channels might be locked until you are officially whitelisted.

How to Apply

In the previous section, we covered some of the best whitelisted servers out there and how to apply. If you’re interested in other servers, check their website or discord server for info on how you can apply. Remember that every server is different. Some may require a little previous RP experience (which you can get on public servers) while others rely on the application process alone. Now let’s go over some TIPS on how you can make your application stand out!

Prep

When it comes to applying, all servers really want to see is how creative you can get with your character. They need to be able to visualize what kind of potential storylines you can create and how you might interact with other RPers on the server. So take your time to get it right!

Think about how to answer questions like “What does RP mean to me?” “Why do I want to RP and what drew me to this server?” If you’re a criminal and you suddenly find yourself being interrogated by a cop, how do you respond? If you’re a lawyer and a criminal client of yours calls and says they just killed someone and asks what do they do, how do you advise them? Thinking about how to answer questions like this can really help spark some imagination as you develop your character. Remember to come up with a detailed backstory for your character. Hammer out all the details so you’re ready for anything someone throws at you. We’ll dive deep into how to develop a good backstory for your character in the next section.

And don’t stress if some questions seem… questionable, do your best to come up with something unique and at the very least – memorable!

Focus on ONE Character (At First)

Although you might have multiple characters in mind, most servers recommend you focus on ONE character when submitting your application. But we will cover creating multiple characters later on!

The application process can be a little daunting if you’re brand new to RP, but think of seeing it as intimidating, try to think of it as an opportunity. You’re telling a story and your character is the main character. If your story was a movie, how would the trailer look? What would be the most exciting or entertaining moments you’d highlight to get others excited for the feature film? This is your chance to showcase everything that makes your character awesome! Hype them up!

If you happen to be a streamer or YouTuber, send some links of you RP-ing! It doesn’t have to be GTA, it doesn’t even have to be actual RP… When I applied to TRP, I sent in some clips of me RPing in Cyberpunk 2077, which was basically just my character running around, insulting NPCs.

It’s all about having a strong foundation for a character you can portray and portray WELL. Whoever your character is, as long as they are solid, someone with their own identity who can engage with others in a meaningful way, you’ll be all set.

Creating Your First Character

It’s okay if you have no idea where to begin. I’d recommend starting with the basics and going from there.

• What does your character want?
• Is there anything standing in their way?
• What drives them?
• Does anything scare them?
• What are their goals?
• Do they have a favorite color?
• A favorite food?
• Are they repulsed by anything?
• Do they have any quirks?

The more you start fleshing out ideas, the more ideas you’ll get. If you need help getting started, you can use this template as a guide to start brainstorming details about your character.

The cool thing about GTA is that nothing is scripted. Situations are always evolving but it’s still a good idea to have goals for your character like you would IRL. How would you tell your character’s story? What is their arc? Where do you see them in 5 years? It’s okay to have a plan or an agenda but keep in mind at any time, things can change so be flexible. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow for the sake of RP. 

The more you know about your character, the more prepared you’ll be in any given scenario and the more natural your actions and dialogue will become. A good general tip is to think of ways YOUR character can stand out. Whether it’s their backstory, their personality traits or the way they respond in certain situations.

 For Example:

Maybe your name is Fry Guy and you work at Burgershot. You ALWAYS wear a french fry mask and you end every conversation with the catchphrase “you want fries with that?”. Maybe you refuse to eat anything BUT fries and if you accidentally do- you pass out. This is just an example but love ‘em or hate ‘em, it’s a character you meet once and never forget.

That being said, try not to OVERUSE things to the point where it gets predictable or annoying. But having a collection of go-to quirks you can pull out of your pocket for  those opportune times can make for a great laugh, and some hilarious content. Remember, every person you come across has THEIR own personality and characteristics, so you never know how someone will respond, which makes each interaction unique in its own right. 

The more you RP, and the more you develop your character, the more natural it will come. Before you know it, without thinking, you’ll respond instantly to things that trigger your character or spark a conversation. Having things you can draw from at any time will give your character a strong identity that’s not only recognizable, but something people can imitate. After a while, not only will your friends in-game be in on the jokes but if you’re a creator, or streamer, your chat will love these bits too, so don’t be afraid to reuse your best material.

Choosing a Personality

When it comes to your character identity, a unique personality can really set you apart. It’s also fun to play around with unique personalities in certain situations. Say after an accident, for instance, you may want to use something like injured male/female. There’s a lot to choose from, so play around and see which suits your character best. And don’t be afraid to try something different with the situation calls for it. It could make for some really good RP!

Changing Clothes / Appearance / Accessories

Some accessories can be changed anywhere, like throwing on a pair of sunglasses, a mask or a hat, while changing your clothes or facial hair and other features may need to be done at a specific location. On some servers, you may need to visit a barber shop, hair salon, or tattoo parlor, while on others, any clothing store or apartment closet will do. And don’t forget to save your favorite outfits so you can easily change into them whenever you need to. 

Keep in mind, some servers strictly forbid you to significantly change your appearance in the middle of a car chase or heist, for obvious reasons so again, do your due diligence on your server and when in doubt, refer to the rules or just ask in discord.

Creating Multiple Characters

Having multiple characters is common for most RPers, especially when they all have completely different personalities, accents or things that set them apart from one another. However, for someone new to RP, I’d suggest sticking to one character and mastering that character first.

And once again, for the application process, you generally want to focus. onone character anyway. Just remember, the more solid and comfortable you become with your first character, the easier it will be creating additional characters moving forward.

Moar… MOAR!!

Don’t just apply to one server and wait around, hoping to be accepted. Feel free to apply to more than one! As long as you respect the rules on each and understand they may vary, you can play on as many as you like.

How Long Does it Take?

If it feels like your application is taking a while, be sure to check on the server’s website, as most give an estimation on timeframe. And don’t forget to check your spam folder in your email once in a while just in case. 

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear back right away. Some people get accepted within a few weeks while for others, the application process can take several months. And this may have nothing to do with you. What it really comes down to is how many applications the admins or mods have to go through and how busy they are when you happen to apply. You just have to be patient.

Now, if you don’t get accepted, as disheartened as you may feel, take it as a learning experience. Apply again! This time, ask yourself: Is there anything I can do differently to improve my chances of getting accepted? What’s a unique twist or personality trait I can give my character to help them stand out?

I Got Whitelisted! Now what?

If you are whitelisted, it means you got accepted on a whitelisted RP server- congratulations! It’s an amazing feeling when you’ve waited anxiously for weeks or months and finally get accepted! You should feel extremely proud of yourself! You put in the hard work, fleshing out an awesome character and now you get to bring their story to life!

How to find your Steam I/O or Hex ID

The first thing you want to do is get your Steam I/O or Hex ID. Some servers will require this in your application. Others will ask for it upon being whitelisted. So here’s some ways you can find it:

• SteamID.IO

1. Go to SteamId.IO
2. Click on “lookup”
3. Search by username
   • If you have a common username, make sure it’s you. Do you recognize your avatar?
4. Not sure? Go to Steam and make sure you’re logged in
5. Click on your username in the top right
6. Click on “account details”
7. On the left, you’ll see your Steam ID
8. Copy pasta this into the search bar on SteamID.IO
9. Click “look up”
10. It should pop up for you

• VACBanned

1. Go to VACBanned
2. Paste your steam ID in the search bar at the top
3. This will bring up your different ID’s along with your Hex ID
4. You can also check your status to see if you are banned (Which hopefully… you aren’t)

FiveM

What is FiveM? FiveM is a custom modification that allows you to do all the things in GTA RP! Do not confused FiveM with GTA Online. FiveM is the mod that allows different RP servers to create custom cars, maps, weapons and more. 

FiveM allows you to play on modded multiplayer GTA servers for things like RP, which is exactly what you see all the big streamers doing when they do GTA RP.  They’re using FiveM. FiveM keeps the original AI intact, so you can still see NPCs running around (aka: the locals) along with actual players (aka: other RP-ers). 

It’s synced with Rockstar’s Network, so you’ll always get the latest updates which makes it arguably more reliable than GTA Online. And it’s standalone. This means, if you want, you can switch between regular GTA or GTA Online and fiveM without a ban. (It doesn’t affect your GTA V Installation). This likely will only affect you if you have some friends that play GTA Online and some days you want to play with them, and other days, you want to jump on a RP server and for that, you’d use fiveM.

BTW – fiveM is free. So let’s walk-through how to install it and how it works.

FiveM Install Guide

1. Now, the very first thing you’ll want to do is make sure you own a copy of GTA V. You can buy it through Steam, the Rockstar launcher or Epic games store, but even though fiveM is free, you do need to have purchased or own a copy of GTA V.

2. Next you want to make sure you have enough space on your computer to download the fiveM client. 

3. To find out the specs you need, go to the FiveM website. Here you can scroll down and see the system requirements and I would recommend going with the- recommended. 

4. Next you want to click Download Client.

5. Now, if you’ve got some extra time on your hands feel free to read through the fine print. Or, you can go ahead and scroll down to Sure, I agree and let it do it’s thing.
   
   
6. Next, you’ll probably get a pop-up saying Five M needs to update… click Yes.
   And remember, whenever you want to launch FiveM, you need to have Steam open. (Quick tip: if you’re going to be playing often, I’d recommend pinning FiveM to your taskbar and I keep mine next to Steam so I remember to Steam first, then FiveM.) – but whatever works for you!
   

And Remember

Whenever you want to launch FiveM, you need to have Steam open. (Quick tip: if you’re going to be playing often, I’d recommend pinning FiveM to your taskbar. I keep mine next to Steam so I remember to open Steam first) but whatever works for you!

Troubleshoot Tips

I saw some people online saying they had to drag FiveM into a new folder with the game itself, so if you run into any issues, you can try this. It seemed to fix the issue.

FiveM Quick Fix

1. Create a new folder
   
   
2. Name it FiveM GTA (or something you can easily search for if you need to find it again, or save it to your Desktop.
   
   
3. Drag in FiveM and GTA V and continue from there.
   
   
4. Once you open FiveM, you’ll see this pop up asking you to log in to your Cfx.re account You can create an account or, in the top right, under account, you can link to your steam, or your console.
   
   
5. Now click play – Here you’ll see a list of servers you can click on and join. You can search for RP servers and filter by languages. Or you can type in the specific IP of a whitelisted server, once you’re accepted and have access to that information.

FiveM + Epic Games Store Quick Fix

If you own GTA V through Epic Games Store and when you launch FiveM WITH Steam open, it still doesn’t open, you can try this trick that seems to work for a lot of people:

1. Go to Steam >Library > Games
   
   
2. Now click Add a Non-Steam Game to My Library
   
   
3. Once you see a pop up, click browse. This will bring up your file browser. 
   
   
4. From here, click on Program Files then scroll till you find Epic Games.
   
   
5. Next click GTA V > .egstore > bps > Install > PlayGTAV.exe > open > Add Selected Programs
   
   
6. This should add PlayGTAV to your Steam Library.
   
   
7. Now when you launch FiveM, it should work. You may need to close both FiveM and Steam first, then re-open them.

Quick General Tips

If you happen to be streaming, make sure you do NOT reveal the IP address of the server you are joining! Note: Recent servers you’ve played on will show up on the FiveM homepage when you launch it. And to be extra safe, you can also favorite servers by clicking the star icon for quicker access to avoid typing the IP every time.

If you try to connect to a servers and get a connection failed notification, it’s likely you tried to connect to a whitelisted server. I went over the best public (non-whitelisted servers) and whitelisted servers in the previous section in case you need to refer back.

You’ll notice some of the public servers might say freeroam which basically means you can spawn cars, vehicles, anything you want at any time, which might be something you’re into, but again, if you want an RP focused server, I highly recommend applying to one of the whitelisted servers we discussed earlier.

Console

For those on console, the GTAforums seem like a great place to start. GTAforums have no modded servers. However, you can view how many people are on the server and how many comments have been left. This will give you a sense of how active the community is. You can even search for Roleplay specifically. You can also join discords, and lobbies to look for a thriving community. I’ll cover this more in Beginner Tips and Advice.

In-Game Settings / Keybinds

As for the settings, we’ll quickly go over our main controls and keybinds to help get you started and then I’ll quickly touch on which settings I recommend adjusting specifically for RP purposes. First, we’ll cover:

Basic movements and common keybind actions

• Press Esc > Settings > Key Bindings

Take a quick glance at the keybinds so you know how to walk, jump, sprint, enter a vehicle, crouch, etc. I play with a mouse + keyboard so it’s pretty standard, W-A-S-D to move, space to jump, shift to sprint, “Ctrl” to crouch, etc. If yours is slightly different by default, I recommend adjusting anything to what you’re used to or more comfortable with. 

If you play on console be sure to check under Settings > Gamepad to see your controls.

Cars / Bikes / Boats

Here you’ll see driving that is basically the same as walking, W-A-S-D. You can also honk your horn with a keybind. Note that on my server, it’s “E”.

FiveM

Here you can see you can have up to 5 items on your hotbar (or as we’d say belt or pockets if we’re speaking IC) Depending on which number you press, it will bring up the item you have slotted.

Note: If I press “I” to go into my inventory, it will also show what I have on my hotbar. I have my bat in slot 1 so if I press “1”, I’ll pull out my bat. Say “Hi, Lucille!”

Chatbox

Another keybind will open your chatbox. For me, that keybind is “T”. This is where you’ll type emotes like:  /e sleep,  /e dance /e coffee Or text RP like: /me picks up horns

For more emotes, commands and how-to’s click here.

Audio Settings

These will mostly be personal preference but I’ll go ahead and go over mine in case you’re not sure where to start and want some basic guidelines.

• SFX Volume – I keep mine at about 30% 

To adjust the amount of each setting, just click on the bar where you can increase or decrease the amount and set it to your preference. Because I also stream, I always keep my music at zero since sometimes I play my own and don’t want iti clashing. This means I also don’t have to worry about copyright music playing over my stream.

If you’re having trouble hearing people, you can try turning your Dialogue Boost up a few notches but I personally haven’t had an issue with this, so I just keep mine all the way off.

• Radio Station – Again, I have my music off but I believe if you set a Radio Station then wherever you get into a vehicle, that station will automatically come on.

Output

I’m wearing headphones so I set mine to headphones. Again, with RP, you obviously want the sound to be good (not just yourself) but everyone you interact with so I highly recommend using headphones or something besides your computer speakers so you don’t get an echo and annoy everyone you come across. 🙃

For more Set Up Tips and Do’s and Don’ts click here.

Advanced Graphics

Again, these are what I use based on my particular setup. Depending on what your using, you may need to adjust things like your resolution in relation to what your computer is capable of.

• Screen Type – Full Screen
  
• Resolution – 2560 x 1440
  
• Aspect Ratio – Auto

Now, if you ever have trouble with things rendering in game, maybe buildings aren’t loading correctly, or you fall into the ground or things seem off graphic-wise, here’s a few tricks you can try. First, make sure you set the following to off:

• Long Shadows – Off
  
• High Resolution Shadows – Off
  
• High Detail Streaming While Flying – Off

*Note these should all be off by default. It even says *Changing these options may cause reduced game performance. Turning them on may result in excessive lag or loss of FPS.

If you don’t have the above options, go to Settings > Graphics, scroll down and set the following to normal:

• Texture Quality – normal
  
• Shader Quality – normal
  
• Shadow Quality – normal
  
• Reflection Quality – normal

You can also turn your Extended Texture Budget to max.

Voice Chat

Most RP is done through voice chat so unless you’re using Text RP or are on a Text RP-based server, you’ll want to make sure people in-game can hear you.

• Voice Chat Enabled -On

Listening

Again, these are how my settings look based on my setup. For instance, I’m using a GoXLR, but your output device may be different. Make sure to choose your correct output device and note you may have some different options.

• Output Device – Game (2-TC-Hlicon GoXLR)
  
• Voice Chat Volume – I keep mine between 86-90%
  
• SFX VOlume during Voice Chat – ~20-25%
  
• Music Volume during Voice Chat – Again, I have music off

Talking

As important as it is for others to hear you, you want to make sure you can hear others as well. Again, make sure you select your correct input device and note it may differ from mine.

• Microphone Enabled – On
  
  
• Input Device – Chat Mic (2-TC-Helicon GoXLR)
  
  
• Voice Chat Mode – Push-to-Talk
  
  
  • Push-to-Talk is VERY IMPORTANT for RP! You don’t want excessive background noise so Push-to-Talk is a must! For more set-up tips, make sure to refer back to the Do’s and Don’ts section.
    
    
  • Remember, when it comes to voice chat, every server is different. Some may use discord or TeamSpeak while others may use VoIP.
    
    
• Microphone Volume
  
  
  • This may depend on your quality of mic. If people generally have trouble hearing you, you can raise it, but before make any adjustments, make sure you aren’t whispering or yelling. You don’t want to end up shouting in people’s ears!
    
    
  • Note: You can toggle between whispering, normal and yelling. We’ll cover this more in the next section.
    
    
• Microphone Sensitivity
  
  
  • Similarly, this is something you’ll want to play with. If you tend to speak quietly, you may want to UP this a few notches to make sure your audio is picked up when you speak.
    
    
  • I recommend doing a test-recording to see how your audio sounds. For more suggestions like this, check out Set Up Tips / Do’s and Don’ts.

Game

To exit the game at any time, simply select Exit Game

Getting Started (In Game)

If you skipped ahead, be sure to refer back to the previous section where we went over Set-Up Tips and In-Game Settings + Keybinds.

Be sure to note your default keybinds by pressing Esc > Settings > Key Bindings

Take a quick glance so you know how to walk, jump, sprint, enter a vehicle or crouch. I play with a mouse + keyboard so it’s pretty standard, W-A-S-D to move, space to jump, shift to sprint, “C” to crouch, etc. Yours may be slightly different by default. I recommend you adjust anything to what you’re used to or more comfortable with.

Delete

The delete key can stop an emote or an animation abruptly. (Such as hacking a register). 

Mouse Control

Sometimes you may need to turn on mouse control in order to do certain functions such as retrieving items from a counter or taking a selfie. This feature might be something you need to enable. (Likely found in phone settings).

Chat Box

In your chat box, you can type out commands, emotes, bind emotes and even Text RP. Some commands you can do by simply typing something like /pry (to pry open a cash register) or /glasses (to put on or take off your glasses.)

Emotes

As you can imagine, there are a massive amount of emotes that will allow you to RP various situations to your heart’s content. You can likely access your server emote list by typing a command in your chat box or through your character menu. 

Emotes can be anything from things like /sit to /dance to /chicken. The more familiar you are with emotes, the more you can have fun RPing different situations and create an immersive experience for you and everyone you interact with. You can also hotkey emotes you use often by typing something like /ebind flipoff in the chat box.

Shared Emotes

Some emotes can be shared/performed at the same time. Like a hug, for example. In your character menu, you should be able to ‘request’ say, a high five from another player. 

Prop Emotes

Prop emotes can be a lot of fun. Let’s say your character is obsessed with coffee. In your text box, try typing  /coffee for instance, to always have one in hand. Or say you’re at a club and want to show off your dance moves. You can try things like /dance 1 /dance 2 or even /glowstick pride to bust out some color-changing glow sticks.

Text RP

As mentioned earlier, in certain situations, you may want to communicate something without breaking character. You can do this in Text RP. In general, Text RP should not be overused. But sometimes, it’s the best way to convey necessary information. In certain situations, it can even add to the RP!

For example: Say you drown. This means you’re down. (You need EMS to revive you). The EMS may use Text RP by typing /me checks pulse into their chatbox. This is a how to check you want to be revived. (And this is not a permadeath). Remember, your character is down. You most likely can’t speak. (Or shouldn’t) By using Text RP, you can convey this information by typing /me has a pulse.

Note: On some servers, you can access your emotes and shared emotes lists in your character menu as well. Depending on your character, say a cop or EMS for example, you may have additional options such as swab for evidence, revive, or cuff.

Scenes

Scenes can also be used to relay information. For example: Say you rob a store and want to leave a piece of evidence behind for the cops to find. In your text box, you would type something like /scene strand of wavy teal hair and place it on the ground of the crime scene. 

You can also choose the color of your scene. Let’s say you’re driving and someone cuts you off and steals your parking spot. You could leave a nasty note on their car by doing /scene red FUG U and placing it on their windshield. You may also be able to delete scenes by radius by typing something like /scenedel 1, /scenedel 2 or /scenedel 3.

(Remember, the hotekeys or commands may vary slightly, depending on your server)

Map

On your map, (maybe referred to as your GPS, IC) you’ll find several icons on the right, sorted alphabetically to help you navigate around Los Santos. Note your apartment if you have one or nearby garages so you can access your vehicle, and other points of interest. Typically, you’ll know a business is open if their icon appears on the map. 

You can also click anywhere on the map and “ping” a destination, which will show up on your mini-map when inside a vehicle or on a bike. You can also share your GPS coordinates to a friend via text by using your phone.

Phone

The keybind to bring up your phone will vary per server but get familiar with what it is because you’ll likely be using it OFTEN. In your phone you can access apps like Twitter and the Darkweb as well as add contacts, access your bank account and even share GPS coordinates and photos via text. 

On Twitter, you can promote things like city events or your business. You can also inquire about vehicles being sold, and post photos of you and your friends. With most servers, you can even create animated gifs and upload them to imgur so you can share them in-game. 

For some servers, you may have to go to your phone settings and turn on mouse control to do certain actions like this or to take photos with your phone. You should also have both PD and EMS on speed dial if you need to report a crime or in case of emergency. 

Again, most of this can be learned through RP. These are just some of the basics to help get you started.

Vehicle

When it comes to vehicles, every server is different. Some will give you a starter vehicle right from the start while others will require you to take a drivers test and pass before you can even buy one.

Accessing your vehicle can vary per server as well. On the server I play on, TRP, I can do so at any parking garage. By opening my player menu, I can retrieve or store my vehicles. 

Be sure to unlock your car before getting inside. And always lock it when not using it so no one can steal it or so it doesn’t get impounded. Trust me, it happens. Keybinds may vary per server, but you can do things like honk your horn, open your trunk to store items or hop in for a ride when they’re aren’t enough seats. 

Vehicles can be upgraded, customized, or repaired (when damaged). Repairs can be done by a mechanic, with a repair kit or at a mech hub.

Gas

When in a vehicle, you’ll see the gas gauge, usually at the bottom left near your status bar. Keep an eye on this because when it’s out – it’s OUT. Your car will eventually not be able to move. You can refill your tank at a gas station or purchase a jerry can to use for later or in dire circumstances.

Seat Belt

When in a vehicle, it’s a good idea to buckle up! If your seat belt isn’t fastened and you get in an accident, you may fly out resulting in some serious injuries. You’ll notice when you’re in a vehicle, a seat belt icon will show at the bottom left of your screen. Usually green when on and red when off. A hotkey like “B” will likely toggle your belt on/off when in a vehicle or on a bike. (Again, this keybind may vary per server.)

Housing

On some servers, you’ll be given an apartment when you first enter the server. While with others, you’ll have to purchase one with in-game money. Some even have in-depth housing where you can decorate and rearrange furniture. You can also give players a “key” so they can visit your apartment as long as they know the passcode. 

In most housing units you can change your clothes/apperance for free without having to visit a clothing store. 

Gangs

As you probably guessed, gangs (sometimes referred to as families) are a popular component on most RP servers. However, it is not required you join one. Simply join a gang if it makes sense for your character and it’s something you want to explore. 

Note that gang rivalries can get pretty intense in RP. Some gangs will shoot on site if you cross their territory while others will require you to dress in their specific color scheme.

HUD

Now we’ll cover the UI, HUD and Menu systems as well as other essentials you’ll absolutely want to know before jumping straight into RP. As always, every server is different so the UI or Menu systems may look slightly different, but this will still give you an idea on how they work.

On most servers, you’ll usually see your status icons in the bottom left.  Note that icons may vary per server (ex: hunger may be a knife and fork or sometimes a burger)

Voice Icon

Locate the microphone icon in your status bar. You can toggle between whispering, normal and yelling. On my server, the default hotkey is “Z”, but yours may be different. The microphone will likely change color as you toggle between whisper (white), normal (green) and yell (red). 

In general, you want to stay on green and speak normally. A good tip is to cycle through all the options when you first log on before setting it to “normal”. Some people refer to this IC as “warming up your vocal chords”. 
Note: In some situations you want to yell if you’re trying to talk to someone far away or in another room, and you may want to whisper whenever you’re in a vehicle or discussing criminal activity, say plotting to rob a bank.

Health

Health is something every player must be conscious of. Different circumstances will cause different injuries and the severity of those injuries may vary. But beware, if your health gets low enough, you will become downed and need EMS to revive you.

On some servers, serious injuries can cause effects in-game like blurry vision or slowed movement.

Hunger / Thirst

Yes, you can die from lack of food or water. Make sure to stay hydrated and eat whenever your hunger/thirst status is running low. Note that SOME foods are more filling than others. 

Food or drink can be purchased at stores, traded with players and crafted. (If you have the necessary skills.)

Armor

Not every player will wear armor but sometimes cops may depending on the circumstance.

Stress / Oxygen

Some servers have stress and oxygen icons you can choose to show when relevant, such as swimming underwater.
Note that swimming is likely the exact opposite of walking. Think W-A-S-D in reverse. Try using “S” to swim upwards and “W” to swim downwards.

Gas / Seat Belt

Both your gas gauge and seat belt icons should show in your status bar whenever you’re in a vehicle. Refer to the previous section for additional details on both.

Minimap

Your minimap will likely only appear when inside a vehicle. It’s most handy when following a pinged destination. See the previous section for more details regarding your map.

Player Menu

In your player menu, likely “G” by default (possibly referred to as your “G phone”, IC), you’ll have access to everything from your inventory, to your vehicle, character interactions and more.

Interactions can include paying a bill, or billing another player for instance, while you can also access your clothing accessories like say, put on a mask or a hat.  

Most servers will encourage you to learn things through RP itself, and I would encourage that as well. You learn a TON just by being on the server and interacting with others and I wouldn’t want to rob you of that experience, but what I will do is share some general info on some of the key categories, just to help you get started.

Inventory

You can access your inventory through your player menu or with a hotkey, likely “I” by default. Here you can store, stack, use items. You can also drop items on the ground or give them to other players. Right click any item to see your options.

Note: If you can’t receive an item from another player, you may be full on inventory slots or overencumbered. 

Jobs

Each server will have a variety of jobs you can choose from. You can even choose to be unemployed! Jobs may include state jobs such as taxi, delivery or player-run businesses such as car dealer, mechanic or realtor. You can even do peti crime and sell weed to the locals for some quick cash.

Most servers will even let players submit business proposals to open their own businesses such as restaurants or cannabis stores where they can hire other players to work there. To get hired, visit the job center or the corresponding job icon on your map.

Some jobs such as State Trooper (cops), EMS (Emergency Medical Services) or lawyer are whitelisted and will require you to apply, IC, and possibly even have an interview for a position. You can apply for these at the DOJ (Department of Justice).

Note: These jobs may take more of an investment on your part, as being knowledgeable about what you do will not only help you get hired but will only further your RP potential and gain you respect in the community.

For example: If you want to be a lawyer, have basic knowledge of the law and how court cases work, the terminology, etc.

Hobbies

There are a ton of activities you can do with large groups such as fishing, hunting, go-karts, jet-skiing, and more. Certain hobbies will require you to use an item in your inventory or “rent” before use while some can be done by shortcut for example /fish. Most items for hobbies (or crime activities) can be found at Supply Stores. Some servers may have bowling alleys or even casinos where you can gamble.

Another common mini game is dice roll or death roll. This can be used in bets, for events or in-game giveaways like if a dealership is giving away a vehicle.

Money

You can earn paychecks from working your job or get cash from selling items to other players or by doing criminal and illegal activities. Money can also be traded with other players. 

Some UI will show your money, job status and other info on the screen while on other servers you may have to check in your wallet. You can also access money in your bank account by going to a bank or visiting an ATM and using your debit card. 

If you’re missing your debit card, you should be able to pick up a new one from the bank.

Crim Activities

Criminal activities also known as heists can include robbing stores, banks, or running illegal business operations. 
Quick tip: For these types of activities, some places you may want to visit are the Ammunition shop (for weapons and ammo), the Supply Shop (for crowbars and lockpicks), or the Digital Den (for things datapads or walkie-talkies).

Heists

You can create or join a heist or squad group, in your wheel (or “G” menu) by selecting Crime > Heists > Create / Join and create or enter the password.

In a heist you will typically only be allowed a max of 4 players (6 for larger jobs). This is mostly to keep the server “balanced” and to ensure police or EMS do not become overwhelmed. 

If you tend to run with the same crew often, it may be a good idea for each person to focus on a different “skill” to ensure they each have a specific “job” such as: Lockpicking (crowbar/ lockpicks) Hacking (datapad), Plundering (bank safe mini-game), or Hustling (laundering money). Technically, the hustler doesn’t have to be at the heist itself, but will need to have the necessary skills to help launder your money after a successful heist. Also note that both a hacker and a lockpicker can tamper with the register and this can be done solo without a heist. 

Remember in RP, your actions have consequences. If you get caught breaking the law, know that you may likely be arrested, detained, searched, fined, or sent to prison. It may vary per server, but for prison time, minutes will usually equate to months. For example: if you got sentenced to five months in jail, it would equal five minutes. One year would likely be one day, etc.

Skills

Many activities or even jobs may require you to have a certain level of skill in that particular area. Go to Character Menu > Profession > Skills, you can see how leveled you are in a certain skill set. To level a specific skill, be sure to practice something relating to that skill set. 

For example: hacking falls under Science. To level this skillset, practice hacking! Try using a crowbar and /pry at a cash register, or use a lockpick to break into a vehicle and try to hotwire it.  
You can refer to your skill level IC but saying something like “so far, I’ve read one book on hacking and I’m on the second page of my next book”. This could relay that you are level one in hacking and have 2 experience toward your next level.

Mistakes to Avoid as a New Player

Remember, we were all new once and yes, it can be quite overwhelming at first. A lot of servers don’t have a tutorial when you spawn in, nor tell you how to level skills or how to start a job, etc. This is because most servers want to encourage you to RP it out and learn from others, IC, instead of giving you a giant document of things to memorize. 

If you run into trouble, you can check the server website or just ask in their discord. Make sure to respect their rules, as some discords have a specific channel for questions while others ask you not to PM the mods so just make sure to do your homework beforehand. 

Now let’s cover some common new player mistakes you want to avoid.

Don’t Violate TOS

This should be common sense but do not violate the game’s terms of service, nor that of Twitch, as many players you may interact with could be streaming live. Sexual acts, ERP, nudity, and other touchy subjects as well as playing copyright music or media will likely get you or the person you’re interacting with banned. Don’t be that person.  

Don’t Exploit Glitches or Mechanics

This should also go without saying, but do not exploit glitches or in-game mechanics. This will surely land you a ban or at the very least, a warning for power-gaming and breaking RP. It’s simple- just don’t do it.

Don’t Forget to Eat / Drink

Yes, you CAN indeed die from lack of food and/or water so watch your stats and make sure to grab a drink or quick snack when you need it before you pass out!

Don’t Run Out of Gass

It’s no fun when you’re in a hurry to get somewhere and suddenly your car starts acting wonky right before it comes to a complete halt and you find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere. Trust me- it happens. 

Do yourself a favor and make it a habit early on to check the gas gauge icon whenever you’re in a vehicle. Gas stations can be found all over the map so just look for the icon when you’re running low and fuel up. Better safe than sorry. 

If you DO run out of gas and can’t find a ride, you can run to the nearest gas station on foot and purchase a jerry can to bring back to your vehicle. If you’re someone that runs out of gas often, you can even stock up and keep a few back ups in your inventory, but be wary- they DO expire.

Learn How to Swim

Nothing like surviving a jet ski ride through shark-infested waters only to die by drowning. DON’T BE THIS PERSON! (me) Swimming isn’t hard (once you know how to do it). Think of it as the opposite of walking. If you’re using a keyboard and mouse and move with W-A-S-D, think of walking backwards and use “S” to swim upwards and “W” to swim downwards. You can always practice in one of the swimming pools found throughout the city.

Lock Your Car and Store It

Don’t you just hate it when you stop for a quick bite then later realize your vehicle is- MISSING. If your server has you retrieve your vehicles from a garage, make sure to always put it away at a garage when you’re done using it. Temporarily, you can leave your vehicle parked at a store, or somewhere around the city, but be sure to lock it when you do so no one tries to steal it. 

If you leave your vehicle abandoned for too long and you’re unable to retrieve it at a garage, it’s likely been impounded. Luckily, the fee isn’t too bad but it can be quite an inconvenience. If this happens to you, visit the impound yard, pay the fine and you’ll be able to retrieve your vehicle.

Always Fasten Your Seat Belt

Get in the habit of fastening your seatbelt whenever you’re on the road. When you’re in a vehicle, you’ll notice a seatbelt icon appear (typically at the bottom left of your screen). If it’s red- time to buckle up! Servers may vary, but there’s likely a keybind for it.

If you fail to fasten your seatbelt and things take a turn (say someone plows into you headon), you’re likely to be thrown from your vehicle. This can land you some serious injuries so don’t want to risk it.

Use Items Before They Expire

Most items in your inventory WILL expire. Food, gas, even your debit card. Weapons and electronics will also expire after so much use. An easy tip here is to stay organized. Sort your inventory by similar items and stack any you can. Glance at your stats often so you use food / drink / medicine as needed before they expire.

Don’t Change Your Look (When You’re New)

As a new player, it can be tempting to change your clothes, your hair, your style every single day because, well, you can. However, because you’re a new player, it may be hard for people that have been around a while to remember your name, especially if you’re accepted at a time when there’s a huge influx of other new players OR if you’re constantly changing how you look.

Remember how your favorite cartoon always wore the exact same thing? This might seem boring in a world where we can change our appearance every five minutes, but sometimes having a unique, instantly recognizable identity is more important. Especially when you’re new, and trying to stand out among the slew of other new players just added to the server.

Until you’ve been around a few weeks or have met a majority of the players, I recommend sticking to ONE look. By all means, make it your own, make it unique, make it awesome! But make it memorable. Until others get to know your character, your voice, your mannerisms or personality, make yourself easily recognizable and avoid drastically changing your look.

Beginner Tips + Advice

Starting RP for the very first time or joining a brand new server can be daunting. But the good news is, I’ve already been there! I was exactly where you are right now and I know how overwhelming it can be. So I’m sharing my best beginner tips and advice to help get you started!

Join RP Server Discords

A lot of servers will let you join their discord even before you get whitelisted, Don’t be afraid to do so! Scope out the vibe. Do the players seem engaged? Are people friendly and helpful? Does it seem like a good fit for you and the character(s) you’re thinking of bringing to the server? 

Not all the channels may be visible to you (yet), as some may be locked until you’re whitelisted, but you can usually still get a feel for the rules, the overall vibe in the community and decide if it’s a good fit for you. In my experience, most people are happy to help and respond to questions pretty quickly as well.

Browse GTA Streams on Twitch

Another thing you can do is pop into the GTA 5 category on Twitch. Most streamers will put the name or abbreviation of their server in their stream title. For example I’m on TwitchRP so you’ll see me and other streamers on this server with TwitchRP or TRP in our stream title. 

This is something I did when I was considering which servers to apply to. I’d watch a few streamers on different servers, so I could get a sense of the characters, interactions, and the way they handled things as well as the quality of RPers and it really helped me narrow down which servers to apply to.

Don’t be afraid to interact with others outside of RP. In fact, it can actually help your bond when you do RP. Most servers will have channels where you can share pics or clips from your stream or videos you make featuring and tag your friends. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself and get a conversation going. 

It can also be a great way to get to know others in the community you might not necessarily interact with or come across in-game. (Perhaps they’re in another time zone or aren’t on during the hours you normally are) but you can still build relationships with them.
A popular site amongst the GTA RP community is Hasroot (https://gtarp.hasroot.com/). Here you can browse live channels by server. Click on one and it will take you straight to their Twitch channel.

Introduce Yourself to Everyone

As a new player in town, don’t be afraid to go around and introduce yourself! Meet as many people as you can! Ask them what they do for work, for fun, try to remember something about them whether it’s their accent, something unique about the way they dress or a fun fact about them to help you remember who is who.

In the same respect, make sure your interactions with others are memorable. Does your character have a go-to catchphrase or emote? Use it! Whenever you meet someone new, make your interaction meaningful in some way so you make a lasting impression.

Get people’s numbers! Plan some activities! Before you know it, you’ll have a ton of friends in the city at any given time you can hang out with. Don’t be afraid to be the one to get things going. It can help some shy RP-ers maybe come out of their shell, the more welcoming you are. 

I play a character that’s always getting into trouble, yet I still make sure to introduce myself to everyone and try to make them feel welcome. Whether they choose to join in our “activities” is up to them, ofc. Unless we deem them a sacrifice. But in general, try to be welcoming and don’t intentionally exclude anyone. The best way to do this is to always have an agenda in mind, then invite others to join. 

Don’t Be Yourself

If you’re shy IRL, maybe it’s a good idea to have your character be the opposite. Maybe they’re overly confident or have a larger than life personality. Someone who doesn’t mind inserting themselves into conversations. If you’re someone who gets nervous in social situations, have your character be someone who never gets embarrassed or if you sometimes don’t know how to respond, make that PART of your character. Maybe your character is Santa Clause and when you’re quiet, you pull out a notepad and add people to the naughty list. 

In general, you don’t want your character to be too similar to you IRL. They can have similarities, sure, but you are playing a character after all, not yourself. You want to be invested in your character without getting too attached. For example, say someone you run into on the server for whatever reason doesn’t like your character. Remember this is RP. If you were playing a character exactly like you, it’d be hard not to take it personal, whenever they’d talk shid on your character, because you would feel personally attacked. It’s all about balance.

Quick Tip

When you’re new, it can be hard to remember everyone you come across, especially if they change their hair or clothes often or look similar to other characters. In addition, many RPers play more than one character and they may have a different name in discord than they do on Twitch or Twitter. That’s a lot to keep track of. 

Something that really helped me when I first started out was creating a “cheat sheet” for myself whenever I needed a quick reminder. Remember, this should only be things your CHARACTER has learned, not things you learned OOC. I’d add a screenshot of each person I met, along with their character name and something my character learned about them like where they worked, what gang they were in, etc. Along with their discord and/or Twitch name. If you’re a streamer, another thing you can do when players from your server pop into your chat is use the “nickname” feature on Twitch to add their character name(s) to help you keep track of who is who.

Be a Less Selfish Roleplayer

This is something I myself have definitely been guilty of. My character is very chatty and sometimes I have to stop myself from talking over others. Remember every roleplayer is different. Some may be shy or less talkative but it’s important to give everyone space to RP. 

So, if two people are having a discussion that has nothing to do with you, it’s okay to listen without feeling the need to insert yourself into every conversation. However, if you have something to add to the conversation or the scene, that’s one thing, but if what you’re about to say is going to change the subject or interrupt their RP, sometimes it’s better to sit back and let others have the spotlight. 

If someone is having a moment, let them have their moment. RP can be addicting and it’s okay to be excited and have a character that is boisterous or outgoing. But regardless if you’re a creator or not, get others involved! Have a “the more, the merrier” mindset. Invite others when you’re doing an activity or encourage others to join in the conversation by asking them questions. 

Show off Your Friends

And if you do happen to be a creator, feature others in your videos! If you meet some interesting characters, show them off! It’ll make them feel important to be included in whatever you’re doing. They may not always join in, but I promise, they’ll appreciate the gesture, nonetheless. This can also be helpful for shy or new players that may want to join in but aren’t sure how. 

If you’re a true extrovert or your character loves being the center of attention, just remember- it’s all about balance. Having a big personality can be something people gravitate to and want to be around, but it can also turn people off. If others feel you’re constantly trying to take control of the conversation and make it about you or you’re constantly interrupting people, they may start to avoid you and you don’t want that. 

You ofc want to stay true to your character, and react to the situation how your character would IRL but always think about how it will affect everyone involved. Ask yourself, “will what I’m about to do/say benefit everyone? Or just me?”

Give others a chance to shine too, especially if they’re shy and don’t always get to. If you notice someone else getting interrupted, try circling the conversation back to them by saying something like “what were you asking?” or “oh, I think you wanted to add to that?.” If you’re a streamer or YouTuber, feature others in your content! Everyone you meet will have their own personality, unique traits and comedic moments. Don’t be afraid to share the spotlight and highlight some other awesome creators in the community!

Your First Day

Not sure where to start? Here are five things I recommend doing on your very first day:

1. Acquire a vehicle
   
   • If your server requires you to take a drivers test or get a license in order to drive a vehicle, I would recommend doing this right away so you have a means of transportation. You can also purchase a bike down by the pier which doesn’t require gas and is rather cheap as well.
      
2. Get a job
   
   • Visit the job center and get a job to start earning money. 
     
     
3. Check Twitter
   
   • See what’s happening in the city. Are there any events going on? Look for business advertisements or activities to get an idea where people are hanging out. Or feel free to post yourself! Maybe something as simple as “just moved here. what’s happening?”
     
     
4. Get to know your map
   
   • Get familiar with the areas on the map and major locations like Pillbox hospital so you know your way around. Players will often refer to common areas like Sandy or Interstellar. Getting to know the map will make it easier when meeting up with other players or trying to evade the cops in a car chase. 
     
     
   • Take note of the different icons like stores, garages, gas stations and other places you’ll be visiting often. Remember you can ping locations and view the route on your mini map when in a vehicle and you can share your location with others via text as well.
     
     
5. Meet other players
   
   • Explore popular locations on the map such as mech shops or the casino where people could be hanging out. Introduce yourself! Add people’s numbers to your phone contacts. 
     
     
   • The more people involved, the more hilarious, ridiculous or exciting things will be. Things can get a little hectic at times too but I always think of it like: the more people involved, the more spontaneous ideas, the more things could go wrong which usually makes for some entertaining content. 

Takeaway

The last piece of advice I want to give is just- be helpful. Just as you may be new now, one day, you’ll be the veteran player, so when the time comes and you come across someone else that happens to be new, try and remember what it was like. Be helpful, be understanding. If you hear someone talking OOC and you can tell they don’t mean to but they’re generally not sure how to do something, make sure to respond in character, help them RP it out. Your kindness and patience will go such a long way, trust me on that.

Once again, if there’s anything you want to go over again, timestamps can be found in the description below, where I’ve also linked the writteen guide with all of the info I just went over along with links to the different RP servers we covered, FiveM, TeamSpeak and more.

If you have any further questions, feel free to leave a comment on this video. I try to respond to every single one. Or pop into my Twitch stream where I RP as DR DESHrespect with some other fantastic roleplayers on TRP.

Enjoy the RP journey!

Desh Please

Drinker of Coffee, Lover of Games, Creator of Content