Post by Ai on Aug 13, 2008 19:20:46 GMT
General Format
Roleplaying at this RPG is done from a third person, limited, past-tense point of view. It is limited because overstepping the boundaries between what a player knows OOC and what the character knows IC is a line that should never be crossed. Always keep that in mind.
Text Formatting
As you have seen in the site rules, there is a minimum of 200 words on all in-character posts. In order to help you fluff up your posts when you're feeling uninspired, here are some tips and tricks.
But whatever you do, do NOT resort to redundancy and plagiarism simply to make it look as if you put forth an effort. Doing so not only makes you look like an amateur (and a lazy one at that), it can also get you into trouble.
This guide has been used with permission of mimmy of RPG Underground. Further redistribution, recreation, or reuse in any capacity is prohibited.
Roleplaying at this RPG is done from a third person, limited, past-tense point of view. It is limited because overstepping the boundaries between what a player knows OOC and what the character knows IC is a line that should never be crossed. Always keep that in mind.
Text Formatting
- Thoughts - Thoughts are written in italics, and should be followed up (or preceded) by some sort of cue in the context. (Example: I wonder what she's up to, he thought.)
- Emphasis - Normal emphasis on words is also done in italics, and just about anyone who knows how to read will pick up on this fact when viewing it in the context of the sentence. Heavier emphasis on words may be formatted in bold or underline. But please remember (both ICly, and OOCly), WHEN YOU TYPE IN ALL CAPS, YOU ARE SHOUTING. Period.
- Languages - Here's a neat trick, and it just happens to be the only time when you will be allowed to color your text in IC posts: If your character speaks another language (e.g. French, Russian, etc.), but you do not speak it yourself, you may type the words in English, and simply format them using a different color, plus italics. Like so:
-- French: "How are you today?"
-- Italian: "I am great!"
-- Russian: "You did not ask me..."
-- Spanish: "...How are you today?"
It's always helpful to add a tidbit in your character profile about how you plan to format text that is meant to be spoken in his/her native tongue. Otherwise, a quick OOC note to explain it will also help.
As you have seen in the site rules, there is a minimum of 200 words on all in-character posts. In order to help you fluff up your posts when you're feeling uninspired, here are some tips and tricks.
- Actions - Be descriptive when it comes to portraying actions in a post. Remember, your audience cannot see you, nor can they see inside your imagination. As a writer, it is your duty to make the story clear as it pertains to your character. When tapped for extra details, don't hesitate to give us a glance around through the eyes of your character at other (NPC) figures that may be in the area. If your character is standing on a busy sidewalk, what are the other people in his scope of vision doing? As long as you don't try to describe things of this nature for another player character, you're safe to add content in this way.
- Emotions - Again, we can't actually see your character, so without your assistance in the context of your posts, it's impossible for us to determine his or her moods and feelings. Likewise, if your character isn't willing to openly admit how they're feeling, then depending on their reasons for it, it may be necessary to describe such things as body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, and any of the other small details that people can read when face to face. Conversely, if your characters wish to keep these things to themselves, then that, too, needs to be made clear in your post. Otherwise, it's wide open for other players to interpret for themselves.
- Thoughts - Thoughts can either be obvious and active (which are the kind you would format in italics), or they may be passive and subtle. Example: As he listened to her talk, he watched the way her expressions changed, the way her lips moved, and how the light danced in her eyes; and he thought about how lovely she would be immortalized in a painting. You see I didn't have to italicize that bit about his thoughts, because he wasn't actively thinking such a thing. More like musing, really. So, don't limit yourself to only that which could be considered 'active' when regarding your character's thoughts. And of course, keep in mind that things like questions, opinions, ideas, etc. don't always have to be voiced by your character without a bit of forethought in the content preceding it (or afterthought following it).
- Setting - This is another vital aspect of in-character posts where you can build up your content. Just because the scene may have been set at the very beginning of a thread doesn't mean you can't expound upon it later on in the thread. It is actually quite rare for any setting to remain fixed or static the entire time. The world is constantly in motion. Even an empty room is not always what it seems at first glance. Who knows what details you might find if your character were to simply turn his gaze to his left when evading a question, or what she might see if she were to glance down for a moment while she collected her thoughts.
But whatever you do, do NOT resort to redundancy and plagiarism simply to make it look as if you put forth an effort. Doing so not only makes you look like an amateur (and a lazy one at that), it can also get you into trouble.
This guide has been used with permission of mimmy of RPG Underground. Further redistribution, recreation, or reuse in any capacity is prohibited.