[EM] F.A.Qs, Updated: 29/12/07

Content in order:
1. I’m new, what do I do?
2. What is an RPG?
3. What is “Third Person”?
4. What’s a Mary Sue?
5. What is Godmodding?
6. Where do I locate the classes?
7. Do I need to enrol for classes?
8. What is a spell vault?
8. How can I graduate?
10. Do you have to have a certain amount of lessons for each class, or can you spread them around?
11. How do I get money?
12. Who can award house points (and how can I receive them)?
13. What’s an Admin?
14. What’s a Mod?
15. How do I change my member title?
16. I have a question I think should be on here, what do I do?

1. I’m new, what do I do?

We have a helpful guide for all new members here. Simply select the type of character you want to create and follow the instructions!

2. What is an RPG?

RPing is Role Playing. In role-playing, participants adopt characters, or parts, that have personalities, motivations, and backgrounds different from their own. Role-playing is like being in an improvisational drama or free-form theatre, in which the participants are the actors who are playing parts.

A role-playing game (RPG) is a type of game where players role-play by assuming the role of a character in a fictional story.

An Online Text Based Role Playing Game is a role playing activity in which online Role Players in groups of two or more engage in writing a cooperative story, each restricting themselves to the character they themselves introduced to the story. In other words, they create characters and Role Play as those characters through a story that can either be improvised or pre-outlined. Obviously, in this case, your character has been outlined by way of a ministry file and sorting.

OTBRPGs cover a vast number of genres, from sci-fi dystopias to comedic affairs, and the locations, technologies, and so forth vary vastly from game to game. It is advised that players familiarise themselves as much as they are able before joining a game with the world and canon of the game world. In this case, Harry Potter is canon, so most of the members here have read the books, seen the movies, and need to read the plot.

In Character (IC) is a role-playing term, referring to the world of the characters, rather than the world of the players. That is, a character talking to another character is an IC interaction, set within the IC world, while two players talking about a football game on the side is an OOC interaction.

Most online role-playing communities make allowances for the intrusion of "RL" (real life) by introducing standards of communication, such as insisting that all "OOC" comments are placed inside brackets, or given some prefix, for example "[OOC: Blast, the phone's ringing again, I'll go and pull it out of the wall.]"

Credit to Wikipedia where most of this information came from.

3. What is “third person”?

Third person is the view you write in, the view that most people find easiest to write in, and which is easiest to read if you’re reading different RPs all together. This is why we choose this “view” as the way people RP here at EM.
An example of something that is not acceptable would be this:

This is not allowed, as it is in First person.

Here is an example of a Second Person Role Play, which is also not allowed.

The difference between them is that the first one is written as “I” and “me” where as the second as “you” and “your”. The Third Person writes about the character as “he” and “she”, like the example below.

4. What's a Mary Sue?

A Mary Sue is a character who tends to be perfect, or a character who seems to have no flaws and is heroic, brave, smart, cunning, sly, and the friendliest person you’ll always meet, but modest too.

A Mary Sue can almost be anyone; it just depends on which light you cast them in. If they are taller than the average student, are they admired for it by the boys, or do they feel insecure about it? Do they have things that stand-out, and make them different… things which make everyone love them? Do you write them in a brilliant light, rather than a realistic one?

As well as appearances and traits, make sure you look at the heritage. Make sure the background matches the character. For instance, someone who is particularly regal would not be seen running through the house tables with no top on as they chased after a mate shouting “Oi! You get back ‘ere you bloody bugga!”

Here are two different examples, both of the same character. Notice how the first one is written with a perfect image of the character, whereas the other has a more realistic image; one not so wonderful, with flaws and doubts, like a real person would have.

This screams out “Mary Sue! Mary Sue! Run for the hills, Mary Sue is coming!” as the perfection and good qualities of Clarice are portrayed here, with not one bad thing in sight. Even a smaller version of this, a small paragraph that is equally bathed in perfection and wonderful traits, will also send out the message of “Mary Sue is coming! Run to the hills!” If you want to avoid your character from being a Mary Sue you are probably best giving them a few faults, not making them good at everything, and not describing them in a wonderful light – do not use too many good adjectives.

Here is another example this time one of a scarred girl in anguish, her heart detached from others because of the personal pain Lord Voldemort had wrought upon her in particular who might even be his daughter.

5. What is Godmodding?

Godmodding is when you dictate actions (or thoughts) of another member’s character within your own RP, usually for your own character's needs. For example, if Jane’s RP said John started throwing rocks at her—but no such event occurred beforehand—it would be godmodding. However if John’s RP stated he started to throw rocks, and then Jane’s RP also says he threw rocks, it is not godmodding. Here at [EM] godmodding is not allowed, and repeat offences will constitute a raise in your warning level.

6. Where can I locate the classes?

All of the Hogwart's classes are located inside the castle on the many different floors - each floor having its own forum - or on the outer School Grounds (as is the case for Care of Magical Creatures, Flying, etc).. There are classes in the damp dungeons as well as on the highest tower of the castle.

There is also a Lesson List to make things a little easier.

7. Do I need to enrol for classes?

No, you do not need to enrol in classes. The most common practice is posting in lessons as you see fit as frequently as possible. Professors accept all students unless it is clearly stated otherwise. As soon as you have been sorted you are allowed to begin posting in classes... There is no official registration at this forum.

8. What is a spell vault?

A spell vault is a topic where you can keep track of the spells your character has mastered. After completing a lesson post your professor (or, in some cases, their assistant) will grade your post with an OOC and IC response. The IC grade (Outstanding, Exceeds Expectations, Acceptable, Poor, Dreadful, or Troll) is usually given in the IC response and your RP grade - which will be a P or an F, for Pass and Fail - in the OOC response.

If you get a Fail as an OOC grade the lesson does not count towards your graduation, so it does not need adding to your spell vault (F's are rare). If you passed you can then add the spell to your spell vault, along with both the IC and OOC grade you received. There is an example spell vault here.

9. How can I graduate?

To graduate you first need to RP your character as each of the other years. To ensure that members do this, we have a certain amount of lessons you must do each year before we will raise you to the next year. This also means that you do not have to RP as (for example) a first year for the whole school year before becoming a second year - you may apply to increase a year as soon as you have the correct amount of lessons.

The list of the amount of classes needed is below, but once you have enough to graduate you need to make your way here, find the correct year, read the pinned topic(s) and then post your application .

From first to second year – 6
From second to third year – 7 (Total: 13)
From third to fourth year – 7 (Total: 20)
From fourth to fifth year – 8 (Total: 28)
From fifth to sixth year – 8 (Total: 36)
From sixth to seventh year – 9 (Total: 45)
From seventh year – 10 (Total: 55)

10. Do you have to have a certain amount of lessons for each class, or can you spread them around?

No, you can spread them amongst the classes as you wish - you could pass to second year if you had done six DADA lessons, or if you had done two charms, two transfiguration, one herbology and one potions - it doesn't matter how you separate them, just make sure the lessons you do are for your year.

11. How do I get money?

You receive OOC money by Role-Playing around the forums: you get 1 money for every post you make. However, you can also receive money by doing things the admins like; for example, posting in empty forums. Check out the Admins' Market Stall for a full list of what you can get money for and what it is used for. You do not need to use your EM money to buy your character basic items, such as: wand, robes, books, pet, basic school supplies - you simply RP yourself buying them (during summer-time only) or pretend you have already bought them when RPing around the castle.

12. Who can award house points (and how can I receive them)?

House points can only be awarded by administrators, moderators, and professors. Student Assistants may also award house points if the professor they are assisting has permitted them to do so in class. House points are typically awarded to well written RPs in class, however can also be given to high quality out-of-lesson posts. The Daily Top Poster is also awarded 5 house points. In-character, professors can add or subtract points in accordance with a student’s behaviour—just like what is done in canon.

13. What's an Admin?

An Admin is an administrator; staff of the site. Administrators are the people who run the site; they create new boards, change member titles, board properties, sort out member group and permission masks, change the sidebar information, etc. Administrators also do moderating jobs such as closing topics, editing posts, making sure everything is running well, and approve or disapprove the ministry files.

14. What's a Mod?

A moderator is like an admin, only with a little less responsibility. Moderators, well, moderate the forums. They too close topics, edit posts, assure everything is running well and make sure the members are following the rules. Moderators, like Admins, have the power to warn members if they do not follow the rules.

15. How do I change my member title?

You need 200 posts to be able to change your member title, but once you have them it’s quite simple. All you need to do is go to My Controls > Edit Profile info > and then type your new member title into the box next to where it says ‘My Member Title’.

16. I have a question I think should be on here, what do I do?

PM an admin. Honestly, we don't bite and any suggestions are welcome.