So, as per my earlier post I noted that the Roleplay Academy had taken on a new look, and it was shrouded into mystery as to how it would be operating. Now, it has been open a little while, and the new approach is very different to how it previously was operated.

Rather than a fully interactive, personal experience of learning, the site has taken on the form of a blog, and several people have taken on the role of being 'Authors', to write articles on varying subjects. Of course, people are given the opportunity to give feedback on the articles, and I have done so on most of them, under the pseudonym Effectual Immortality.

But, does this new approach work? In my opinion, I think it most certainly will. In time. It will act as a great resource for Roleplayers once there are more articles on there. At the moment, I feel, the content is scant at best, posts are not coming as regularly as perhaps one might expect, but then, this new approach is only in its infancy. I think, however, it would be interesting to see the site stats to see just how many people visit the site on a regular basis.

Of course, one can rest assured in the knowledge that Eric Martindale, with his vast knowledge of SEO, will be ensuring that the RPA is getting known. And, indeed, if you were to Google 'Roleplay Academy' the first result is www.roleplayacademy.com, strangely followed second by a group on Bebo. It is safe to say that Eric will be doing all he can to get the Academy known.

So, the impersonal approach is a first in the history of the RPA, but what effect will that have on helping people to roleplay better? My experience says that personal, one-on-one or small group, tutoring tends to work better. Why is this? Mainly because you can actually work with the learner, discussing areas they want to improve, what they want to focus on, and the ability to give your own positive feedback, as a tutor, is important. It gives the person learning a boost in confidence; I know that when I was a fresh starter to RP, I gained confidence because I was complimented on my own skills as a writer.

However, the RPA Forum on Roleplay Gateway seems to be offering that personal approach, though I haven't taken the time to look over it.

And, perhaps, that is the joy of roleplayacademy.com. Where the old, forum based approach contained MANY lessons, and much guidance, they were all lost within multiple threads, each tutor giving the lessons personalised for each student. For someone wanting to just browse a few different topics, they would have to dredge through many threads to find what they wanted. The new site offers the lessons in easy to find articles.

So, in conclusion, I am rather excited about the new RPA, and am looking forward to seeing it grow. It will, no doubt, become a great resource for the new generation of roleplayers.