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RolePlay Etiquette FAQ
As we grow, we get a variety of people with various backgrounds regarding RP styles and experience. However, even our most experienced players can always use a refresher course in ettiquite Now, examples are taken from REAL IN GAME situations, or at least tinkered with said situations, so don't be offended, but it's an illustration of why we are so awesome!
01. Internal Monologue An RPers best friend. Fills out not only your character, but also the scene. So much is said with what is left unsaid, but that only works if we can see *inside* your head. How do we know if your character is lying? Given how little screen time we actually can manage for our characters since we're not actually playing out full hour-long segment daily, we need other ways to show! Tell us what they're thinking! Memories! Physical sensations! Remember! WYSIWYG! What you see is what you get!
02. Tag Order We respect that not everyone can be on at the same time, nor as often as others. Because of this, we are willing to let some threads take longer than others! Similar to table top, we continue an established order for conversations, unless the muns involved specifically ask otherwise. Still, isn't it great to know we respect each other's REAL LIFE enough for this? Yes, it means sometimes plots seem to take longer, but that isn't always a bad thing!
03. Communication amongst PlayersBecause our threads can take weeks, or even months, to finish, we communicate with each other. Out of game. Whether it's email or IM, we talk about plots or where our characters are going. Sometimes, it seems like too much, especially with real life being as important as it is. If there's some place we want to go with our characters, we talk to each other, plan and plot and allow characters to move on from the thread instead of waiting weeks for an answer to it. After all, we generally know how our character will react. Sometimes, it doesn't work as well, but we try!
04. Plot Twists Like any good soap opera, the obvious answer isn't always THE answer. Sometimes people/characters don't do what we expect, especially given extenuating circumstances. And certainly, the months of agony for our characters can be horrific for us as well, but it made for GREAT drama! It made for great character development. Sometimes we don't realize how another character will perceive an action, and while we may not always LIKE how it goes, the character isn't ours. Embrace the plot twists, and know that even if there is a lot of angst for your character at the moment, there is always the opportunity to turn things around, if you only stick with it!
05. God-moding What is "god-moding"? God-moding is taking control of another character's actions in the course of your posts. An example, where the writter of the post is playing Harry; "Harry stood angrily, balling up his fists and lashing out, hitting Ron in the jaw. Ron stumbled back and fell to the ground." You cannot say whether another person's character fell to the ground after being hit! We find it works best to say something more like this; "Harry stood angrily, balling up his fists and lashing out in an attempt to knock Ron to the ground." See the difference?
06. Different kinds of Drama There is a difference between spur of the moment vs plotted drama. Plotted drama is very preferable to spur of the moment! Plotted drama is always fun, planning with your fellow muns to wreak havoc in your character's world! But these sorts of plots are the kind that need to be cultivated, not done haphazard. If you want to have your character do something, please keep in mind the long-lasting consequences of their actions. Don't have your character run off with someone, leaving behind their husband/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend just because you want to have a bit of a romp! Those things are best left to the fluff and smut community. Remember that anything you do can have long-lasting effects on those characters around yours, so think before you do anything!
07. How often should I post? Post as often as you want! However, there are posting guidelines for the minimum you must post. If you are either a CORE character (Harry, Draco, Ron, Hermione) or are involved in a MAJOR story arc (something that affects the world around your character rather than just one or two characters) then you must post at least 2-3 times per week. This can include tagging threads, beginning threads or journal entries. For other characters, minimum post once per week, but please remember the more you post, the more you can be involved! We as mods, and other players will see your activity and if you are not part of a larger plot already, then certainly you will be foremost in our minds for the next! And we will be far more likely to approve YOUR plot suggestions if you have shown us that you will be consistant and follow through on them. Of course, if you have a life event that requires you to be away or to reduce your number of posts, we understand! Just please let us know.
08. When do I need to email mods about a plot? We are rather strict mods, and do not want plots running amuck. Though, here are good guidelines for things that we do NOT need to give you pre-approval for: Character hook-ups and break ups (unless the hook-up/break-up will affect a much larger number of people, such as Lily and James, etc) character vacations or get-aways, small interpersonal interactions such as friends getting together for occasions, chance "run-ins" between characters, whether friendly or not as long as it doesn't affect in-progress or planned plots. (Such as Harry running into Bellatrix, only to have a plot the next week involve the very same thing) Things that we DO need approval on: Major plots that will involve more than 2-3 persons, marriages, divorces, weddings, babies, major character shifts, and things that will be ongoing plots for more than 2-3 months.
09. What if I'm having problems, OOC or IC with a player/character? Of course, we encourage friendships between all of our players, and we believe this fosters a willingness to talk amongst yourselves when something is irritating you. Most issues between players are misunderstandings, and when you approach it as such then it will be easier to work through. But, if you don't feel like you can, or you're not comfortable talking to the other person, please IM the mods! We are here to help, and will do the best we can. Don't let things fester and get out of hand before seeking assistance from us! We value all our players, and want to keep you all in the game.
10. Can I have my OTP (one true pairing)? Or is that taboo? Of course it's not taboo! But we as mods and experienced players have found that it's best if you come into the game without any preconceived notions of who you might want to have your character pair with. Especially if the player for your intended has different ideas about who they want their character to be with. That being said, please check our rules about pairings and such.
11. Always give your fellow RPers something to work with! When making posts, always have to give your fellow RPers something to begin their posts from, a place for them to continue your story with them. Have your character ask them a question, continue the conversation by remarking on points of THEIR post, have your character take action that involves them. These are all good ways to further the plot and the post!
12. Can my post only be one line? Yes, though with a few reservations. In our game, we pride ourselves on good writing! One line posts generally are not considered good writing, sometimes they are a necessity. Please ONLY use one line posts if they are all that is needed to further your story at the moment. A good way to bulk up your posts is by putting in a few movements, actions or physical habits that your character may posess.
As we grow, we get a variety of people with various backgrounds regarding RP styles and experience. However, even our most experienced players can always use a refresher course in ettiquite Now, examples are taken from REAL IN GAME situations, or at least tinkered with said situations, so don't be offended, but it's an illustration of why we are so awesome!
01. Internal Monologue An RPers best friend. Fills out not only your character, but also the scene. So much is said with what is left unsaid, but that only works if we can see *inside* your head. How do we know if your character is lying? Given how little screen time we actually can manage for our characters since we're not actually playing out full hour-long segment daily, we need other ways to show! Tell us what they're thinking! Memories! Physical sensations! Remember! WYSIWYG! What you see is what you get!
02. Tag Order We respect that not everyone can be on at the same time, nor as often as others. Because of this, we are willing to let some threads take longer than others! Similar to table top, we continue an established order for conversations, unless the muns involved specifically ask otherwise. Still, isn't it great to know we respect each other's REAL LIFE enough for this? Yes, it means sometimes plots seem to take longer, but that isn't always a bad thing!
03. Communication amongst PlayersBecause our threads can take weeks, or even months, to finish, we communicate with each other. Out of game. Whether it's email or IM, we talk about plots or where our characters are going. Sometimes, it seems like too much, especially with real life being as important as it is. If there's some place we want to go with our characters, we talk to each other, plan and plot and allow characters to move on from the thread instead of waiting weeks for an answer to it. After all, we generally know how our character will react. Sometimes, it doesn't work as well, but we try!
04. Plot Twists Like any good soap opera, the obvious answer isn't always THE answer. Sometimes people/characters don't do what we expect, especially given extenuating circumstances. And certainly, the months of agony for our characters can be horrific for us as well, but it made for GREAT drama! It made for great character development. Sometimes we don't realize how another character will perceive an action, and while we may not always LIKE how it goes, the character isn't ours. Embrace the plot twists, and know that even if there is a lot of angst for your character at the moment, there is always the opportunity to turn things around, if you only stick with it!
05. God-moding What is "god-moding"? God-moding is taking control of another character's actions in the course of your posts. An example, where the writter of the post is playing Harry; "Harry stood angrily, balling up his fists and lashing out, hitting Ron in the jaw. Ron stumbled back and fell to the ground." You cannot say whether another person's character fell to the ground after being hit! We find it works best to say something more like this; "Harry stood angrily, balling up his fists and lashing out in an attempt to knock Ron to the ground." See the difference?
06. Different kinds of Drama There is a difference between spur of the moment vs plotted drama. Plotted drama is very preferable to spur of the moment! Plotted drama is always fun, planning with your fellow muns to wreak havoc in your character's world! But these sorts of plots are the kind that need to be cultivated, not done haphazard. If you want to have your character do something, please keep in mind the long-lasting consequences of their actions. Don't have your character run off with someone, leaving behind their husband/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend just because you want to have a bit of a romp! Those things are best left to the fluff and smut community. Remember that anything you do can have long-lasting effects on those characters around yours, so think before you do anything!
07. How often should I post? Post as often as you want! However, there are posting guidelines for the minimum you must post. If you are either a CORE character (Harry, Draco, Ron, Hermione) or are involved in a MAJOR story arc (something that affects the world around your character rather than just one or two characters) then you must post at least 2-3 times per week. This can include tagging threads, beginning threads or journal entries. For other characters, minimum post once per week, but please remember the more you post, the more you can be involved! We as mods, and other players will see your activity and if you are not part of a larger plot already, then certainly you will be foremost in our minds for the next! And we will be far more likely to approve YOUR plot suggestions if you have shown us that you will be consistant and follow through on them. Of course, if you have a life event that requires you to be away or to reduce your number of posts, we understand! Just please let us know.
08. When do I need to email mods about a plot? We are rather strict mods, and do not want plots running amuck. Though, here are good guidelines for things that we do NOT need to give you pre-approval for: Character hook-ups and break ups (unless the hook-up/break-up will affect a much larger number of people, such as Lily and James, etc) character vacations or get-aways, small interpersonal interactions such as friends getting together for occasions, chance "run-ins" between characters, whether friendly or not as long as it doesn't affect in-progress or planned plots. (Such as Harry running into Bellatrix, only to have a plot the next week involve the very same thing) Things that we DO need approval on: Major plots that will involve more than 2-3 persons, marriages, divorces, weddings, babies, major character shifts, and things that will be ongoing plots for more than 2-3 months.
09. What if I'm having problems, OOC or IC with a player/character? Of course, we encourage friendships between all of our players, and we believe this fosters a willingness to talk amongst yourselves when something is irritating you. Most issues between players are misunderstandings, and when you approach it as such then it will be easier to work through. But, if you don't feel like you can, or you're not comfortable talking to the other person, please IM the mods! We are here to help, and will do the best we can. Don't let things fester and get out of hand before seeking assistance from us! We value all our players, and want to keep you all in the game.
10. Can I have my OTP (one true pairing)? Or is that taboo? Of course it's not taboo! But we as mods and experienced players have found that it's best if you come into the game without any preconceived notions of who you might want to have your character pair with. Especially if the player for your intended has different ideas about who they want their character to be with. That being said, please check our rules about pairings and such.
11. Always give your fellow RPers something to work with! When making posts, always have to give your fellow RPers something to begin their posts from, a place for them to continue your story with them. Have your character ask them a question, continue the conversation by remarking on points of THEIR post, have your character take action that involves them. These are all good ways to further the plot and the post!
12. Can my post only be one line? Yes, though with a few reservations. In our game, we pride ourselves on good writing! One line posts generally are not considered good writing, sometimes they are a necessity. Please ONLY use one line posts if they are all that is needed to further your story at the moment. A good way to bulk up your posts is by putting in a few movements, actions or physical habits that your character may posess.