DarkRP is a roleplay game mode for Garry's Mod where you play a citizen in a city, pick a job, earn money and follow server rules. It is one of the most popular game modes on community servers. To start, join a server with active staff, read the rules, and begin with a simple job.
Key takeaways
- DarkRP is a "non-serious" roleplay mode made by FPtje (Falco Peijnenburg). Servers customize it a lot.
- Rules differ from server to server. Read them before you do anything.
- Start with a basic job, learn the menus (F1, F3, F4), and avoid crime until you know the rules.
- Most bans come from killing without a reason, breaking roleplay or ignoring staff.
- Check the live Garry's Mod server list to find populated servers.
What DarkRP is
The Facepunch wiki describes DarkRP as a non-serious roleplay mode and one of the most popular modes in the game. Its author spent about eight years working on it. You spawn in a city. You choose a job, such as citizen, cook, gun dealer, police officer or mayor, and then you earn money, build or rent a base and interact with other players. Many servers add their own jobs, shops, cars and rules. Other servers adapt the mode into themed versions such as police RP, SCP RP or zombie RP.
These screenshots may contain violence.
Images are provided by Steam and belong to their publishers.
Controls and commands
These are the basics from the official wiki. Servers can change them, so treat them as a starting point. The wiki page is old, so some details can differ on current servers.
| Key or command | What it does |
|---|---|
| F1 | Opens the info panel or the server's message of the day |
| F3 | Shows your mouse cursor so you can click menus |
| F4 | Opens the main panel with jobs, shop items and more |
| / or // or /ooc | Global out-of-character chat |
| /y | Yell so nearby players hear you |
| /pm | Private message to one player |
| /me | Describe an action |
| /advert | Post an advertisement |
| /moneydrop | Drop money on the ground |
How to start: your first 30 minutes
- Find a server in the in-game browser or on our server list. Choose one with a decent player count and a rules link.
- Read the rules in the F1 menu or on the server's web page. This takes five minutes and saves you from a ban.
- Open F4 and pick a starter job. Citizen is a safe choice.
- Watch how other players behave. Listen to nearby chat before you speak out of character.
- Find a job that earns money steadily. Many servers pay a salary every few minutes while you hold a job.
- Save up before you buy. Shops are in the F4 panel on most servers.
How money works
You earn a salary for holding a job, and more by selling items or doing job tasks. Jobs differ per server. Some servers have a large economy with dozens of jobs, and others stay simple. Never trade real money or accounts for in-game cash. That violates most servers' rules and is a common scam. Servers may sell cosmetic or perk packages, so check what they sell before you pay and ask a parent first if you are young.
Rules you will meet on almost every server
Names vary, but these ideas appear again and again.
| Rule idea | What it means |
|---|---|
| RDM (random deathmatch) | Do not kill players without a valid roleplay reason |
| RDA (random arrest) | Police must not arrest people without cause |
| Fear RP | Act as if your character wants to stay alive when threatened with a gun |
| New life rule (NLR) | After you die, you forget what happened and you do not go back to take revenge right away |
| Prop abuse | Do not block doors, trap players or use props as weapons |
| Metagaming | Do not use information from outside the roleplay, such as Discord or stream chat |
Common reasons for bans
- Killing players for no reason or killing again right after you respawn.
- Exploiting bugs or using cheats. Cheating also risks a Steam VAC ban, and we do not cover it.
- Prop blocking, spamming adverts or microphone spam.
- Harassment, slurs or threats in chat or voice.
- Arguing with staff in public chat instead of making a report.
How to pick a good DarkRP server
- Population. A server with about 20 or more players feels alive. Check the live numbers on the server list.
- Staff. Look for named admins, a report system and a ban list.
- Rules. Clear, short and enforced.
- Download size. A huge pack means a long first join. Read our join guide if loading drags.
- Atmosphere. Some servers are serious, others are chaotic. Pick the one that fits you.
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DarkRP versus other servers
DarkRP is slow and social. If you want fast rounds, try Trouble in Terrorist Town. If you want a larger and more serious RP scene, look at our GTA RP servers page for a different game with similar ideas.
A note for parents
Steam shows no official age rating for Garry's Mod, and DarkRP servers are run by their own staff. Roleplay can include crime themes, strong language and open voice chat with strangers. Younger players are better off on servers with strict rules and active moderators, and with chat limited by a parent.
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Next steps
Pick a server on the server list, read its rules, and try a simple job. Need to fix loading problems first? See our missing content fix. More on the game: Garry's Mod hub.
