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Roleplayers' Hall->Frequently Asked QuestionsFrequently Asked Questions
Frequently-Asked-Questions
These are general guidelines for people new to this forum, new to Text-Roleplaying, or have other questions related to Roleplayers’ Hall.
This FAQ is an ongoing work, and additional questions and answers may be added at later dates.
If you have additional questions, please consult the Management (the Moderators and Administrators).
1) What is Text-Roleplaying?
Text-roleplaying is basically just roleplaying, but using only words and text. To roleplay (RP) is to take on an imaginary role, be it fantasy, futuristic, present-day, or otherwise, and acting it out. You assume the role of a character, and interact with other characters in a storyline. Your actions may either fulfill a storyline, or create one as you play it out.
Many of our members play games like WarCraft III. In there are maps specifically created for people to roleplay on. These people like to call themselves roleplayers, or RPers. In this case of text-roleplaying, we’d be called text-RPers.
2) What’s with all these abbreviations? OOC? RPSH? FFRP?
You may see many of the following abbreviations used here. It’s best to become accustomed to them. They are:
PM - Personal Message: The forum’s internal email function that can be accessed from either your profile or your Inbox, found below the top banner. Useful for contacting fellow members.
OOC - Out Of Character: Speaking out of context in an RP.
NPC - Non Playable Character: Any entity within an RP that players may interact with, but may not play as. These include monsters, passing civilians, or “bosses.”
RP Creator – The person who creates an RP World and sets up its elements, from history to races to properties of technology or magic.
In/Out-RP: “In-RP” refers to actually taking place within the “world” of the RP. In other worlds, they directly affect the RP world setting and can interact with elements of that world. For example, if the RP Creator has a character in-RP then other characters can interact with him/her. Out-RP is similar to OOC, in that it is taken out of the context of the RP and holds no effects on the world setting or the characters.
DM/GM - Dungeon Master / Game Master: The overseer and administrator of a game or roleplay, who is usually (but not necessarily) out-RP (i.e. the characters themselves do not interact with the actual GM, only his/her in-RP agents, usually NPCs). Rather, the GM directs the characters along a pre-set story, controls NPCs, and directs story elements. This is also an option RP Creators may use in their RP World if they want to personally control every facet of their RP.
RP World: Text-RPs found in the main roleplay listing on the webpage. These RPs are actually entire worlds, devised and run by their RP Creator. Each RP World has its own rules of reality, races, factions, and history. The RP Creator may have a story arc for participants to follow, or the RP may be open—giving players the opportunity to live in a unique or favorite world setting as their character(s). As opposed to...
FFRP - Free-Form Roleplay: “Freeform” simply means that there is no set storyline. Rather, RPers are supplied with a prompt, like “You see a lonely inn in the distance…” From here, participants arrive as they want to and simply interact. A storyline gradually emerges unto its own as each RPer introduces and meshes their own story elements together, forming a unique plot.
RPSH - Roleplayers’Hall: The name of this text-RPing forum.
Also, each RP World usually has its own shortened nickname, for convenience. Usually these take the forms of acronyms, or keywords. Some examples:
Divine Resurgence – DivRes
The Scorched Lands of Gilead – Gilead
The Hub: Trials of Darktown – The Hub
The Dance of Eternity – DoE
Ages of Sylvan – AoS
Planetfall – PF
These nicknames are for the most part close enough to the full RP name to discern, however as with the acronyms this may initially be confusing. If at any time you are unclear as to what these, or any term means, just ask.
3) How do you go about text-RPing?
There are several creative ways to do this. Basically, it’s just writing, but there are varying ways on what style to write. Some write their RP’s out like a novel; these would sound like something out of a book. Some write from a first-person view, using “I.” Others write from a third-person view, using “he/she.” Some people write in the past tense (He ran up to the castle door), while others write in a present tense (She reaches into her quiver and selects two poison-tipped arrows). No method is the “correct” way of doing it, it’s a matter of what best suits your writing style.
Also, please check out this thread, and this thread for more detailed guides to roleplaying.
4) What's considered inappropriate?
Please keep profanity realistic. What this means is that profanity is allowed, but only in terms of the RP. We’re quite relaxed here, we don’t care if you use the F-word or not. But don’t go overboard with swear words just for the sake of using swear words. Using profanity does not make you appear more mature, quite the contrary in fact. You cannot go around spouting the F-word for no reason. Nor can you make the lame excuse of "My character has Turret’s Syndrome." But if your character swears, and it is within his/her nature to swear, then that is fine.
Graphic violence follows the same rules. We don’t mind blood and gore, not at all. But like all things, it can be used properly and improperly. A particular evil character can resort to depraved actions, for that is in his/her character. Add some gore to enhance the chilling factor of your posts and to accentuate a certain event or feeling. If you plan to butcher another PC in a grotesquely detailed manner, that is fine, but first obtain permission from that character(s) owners.
Sexuality, again, follows likewise. If your character is, for example a womanizer, then it is to be expected he would make lewd comments. If characters hook up into relationships, well that is great for them, such elements add to the overall story. Graphic sexuality falls within individual writing style and ability; if you can write good smut, more power to you. If you want to write something of that sort that is alright. Violent sexual scenes, like rape, will not be censored—as long as it conforms to the flow of the RP. However, all scenes involving fellow PCs should be cleared with their respective owners. Lastly, RPSH caters to visitors of all ages, and for the sake of decency and appropriateness PLEASE insert your topic and/or post with a warning of some kind that such graphic scenes will be depicted; allowing members who do not wish to view such material the opportunity to skip it.
Another subject is the use of slang. Slang and jargon may be used in an RP as long as it fits the character. Accented dialogue is allowed as long as it fits the character. But for instance, your Evil Overlord in the World of Warhammer should not be saying, "Sup dawg, what be happin' yo? as his arch-nemesis walks into the doorway. Now, if it were a hilarious parody that would be fine. But use your common sense and if ever unsure, think to yourself, "Would this character say that or do that really?" Internet-speak, like "lol," "lmao," "asl," "ggnore" etc. should not be used in an RP, unless it fits in accordance with that RP. Fantasy characters would not say such, but a computer in the Inanimate Object RP might.
If you are unsure about the content of your material, simply PM the Management with a copy of your post. They will be happy to assist you.
In terms of out-of-RP, general forum conduct, we prefer to keep swearing to a minimum. Excessive profanity, excessive lewdness, posting of annoying graphic images, etc. will not be tolerated. In essence, don’t go overboard and don’t be an asshole. (See?)
5) Text-RPing is nice, but I like to see things when I RP. Words all the time are boring.
There are no rules prohibiting pictures to supplement your RP. We normally demand that these pictures remain tasteful and non-offensive. Graphic pictures may be used, but first clear them with the Management or supply a warning of the picture’s graphic nature in your post/topic.
Most of these RP's are not acted out on games like WarCraft or otherwise, due to their nature. For example, WCIII simply has nothing that could truly represent the insidious Void Magi of the Scorched Lands of Gilead RP . On the other hand, the Shadows Saga is played alongside a continued RP on WCIII.
6) What’s the whole point besides OOC Chat?
OOC Chat is Out-Of-Character chat, if you recall. This is where you may break your character to make a remark, or start a discussion about the RP in progress. It’s very crude for somebody in the middle of an RP to just say “Hey is it okay if my character steals something from this NPC?” Rather than post that, and in effect interrupt the RP, you should ask this in the OOC Chat section for that RP. Or, if you have a disagreement with others over actions in an RP (“Hey! You killed me, no fair!”) rather than ruin the RP thread with words not even pertaining to the RP you should do it in the conveniently separate OOC section.
7) What are Character Sheets/Bios?
All text-roleplays have characters, they are not only crucial to the story but are the story. In most, but not necessarily all, participants in the RP are asked to create a “character sheet” or "character bio(graphy)" which is a collection of all of their character’s important statistics. These can include the basics from Name, Age, Race, and Class/Profession to more complex fields like History, Appearance, Fighting Specialty, etc. In truth, because each RP is its own universe character sheets would usually be tailored to the specifics of that RP. The RP Creator may already have a list of required information fields to be filled out in order to coincide with their particular RP world.
The purpose of a character sheet is so that everyone, from the RP Creator to all the other participants, has a complete and convenient source of reference to each character. This cuts back on “godmodding,” in the regard that characters cannot simply “have always had” equipment that wasn’t listed in their sheet. Also, it allows the character to be identified within the RP itself.
8) What do I have to do to get my idea for an RP made into one?
Freeform, is as the name suggests, free. In the Freeform sub-forum anyone can create virtually whatever RP they want in there. However, if you want, or think you need a sub-forum for your RP then you need to make a thread proposing it in RP Proposals, found in Text-Roleplaying Resources. Here, the Forum Management and other members will comment and constructively criticize on your presented information to better refine it. Point out errors, ask questions, help clarify things, suggest ideas, etc.
Depending on the nature and guidelines for your RP, you may ask or others may recommend for it to be either an RP World or Free-form. Of course, the decision is ultimately up to you.
If you want to introduce an RP as an RP World, then you must introduce your idea in RP Proposals first. If it is approved, then it will be given its own sub-forum under the main RP listing. These RP’s are no grander than FFRP’s. They are also a lot of work, on both players and creators. RP Worlds must remain active, both by players and by the creator(s). Rules must be made and enforced, and any and all characters used by participants may have to be reviewed to be either approved or denied. If you think this is the best way to make your RP work, go for it. Otherwise, make it Freeform.
Some of the benefits of Freeform are the freedom of creativity and less dependence on the creator. FFRP’s can be just as serious, professional, and as large as any RP World, but at least in FFRP organization, rule-enforcements, and things in general are a lot looser. RP Worlds require backstories, guidelines, history, and more. FFRP’s do not need these to start.
Sometimes a Freeform RP grows so large and popular, and its story has evolved so much, that it simply “outgrows” its single topic room within the Freeform section. From there, it may be given its own sub-forum and become an RP World. Bear in mind that RP Worlds are no superior in any way whatsoever to FFRPs. It is simply a matter of defined world scale and detail.
For more details about how to make an RP, check this thread.
9) Why are some RP’s not given a sub-forum?
All RP Worlds are given a sub-forum, due to their need for greater organization. The creators of these RPs, because they have expressed the need for control over their RPs, are given moderator control over their respective RPs only. Another reason for a sub-forum would be because the RP has simply grown too large for one single thread to contain it all.
However, those smaller, simpler RPs that do not require organization, and are small enough to remain in a single thread are put under Freeform RP. These RPs usually aren’t moderated directly by an RP Creator. These RPs are loose and casual, and because there is no one personally directing the storyline no single moderator-ship is given. However, if authority is needed in that RP (for instance, in the event of rule-breaking or misconduct) an Admin or Forum Moderator can, and will, intervene.
10) Do you do anything else besides Text-RP here?
Not really. This forum is first and foremost a text-RP site. Other things can be found in the Spam Can. We are not a clan site, nor an official map team site (with the exception of Saga RP, which is used for the Shadows Saga RP) We do not endorse a single game either. There are many, many other forums for that.
We do however have sections for intellectual debate, self-written pieces of literature, and self-made artwork. This is for the benefit of the member community. The Philosophers’ Table provides an area of debate and discussion over meaningful topics. Fan Fiction allows members to showcase pieces of literature they have written. Fan Art is for members to display pieces of art they have made.
11) What are the general rules for posting in non-RP related sections?
Just like our relaxed stance towards in-RP posts, we are also very easy-going with posting in general on the forums. We simply ask that:
1) Do not double post unless it is absolutely necessary; please just edit your post as needed.
2) Do not revive old topics (also known as thread necromancy) unless you have relevant new input to add to it, but please refrain from adding simple comments to threads already forgotten.
3) Do not spam. In other words, do not post gibberish or simple one-word replies. Spam is anything that only takes up space and offers no relevant purpose.
4) Do not flame. In other words, do not aggressively insult, attack, harass, and any other form of malevolent action conducted against other members. This also includes racial, sexually offensive, discriminatory, and likewise comments.
On profanity:
Again, like in-RP posts, we’re not opposed to swear words. But do not abuse this freedom; don’t cuss persistently and for no reason at all. It’s preferable though that swearing be kept to a minimal, as other members may not appreciate it and find such content offensive. Mods and the Management reserve the right to edit out/alter swear words in posts if they deem them inappropriate.
On censorship:
There is none, really. If you have an opinion, you are free to express it. But do bear in mind there is a right and wrong way to express that opinion. If you dislike another member, well that is perfectly fine. You may say you have a problem with someone. You two may argue, that may be unavoidable, but do not let it get out of hand. RPSH is a place of fun, not blood feuds. What’s wrong is openly attacking that person by calling them names, posting untrue and/or confidential and personal information about them in order to embarrass them, etc. As always, if you have a problem or issue with someone/thing, alert the Management and the Mods. That is what they’re there for.
12) How do I become a moderator?
If you create an RP that requires its own sub-forum, you will be granted moderator powers solely to your own RP’s sub-forum.
Forum Moderators and Administrators are picked on the basis of responsibility, not friendship to the forum-owner. A moderator or admin must be a fair and objective judge over the forum with which they have control over. They are moderators, key words to moderate. Their duties are to maintain the forums, removing those threads and posts that warrant removal, moving things as necessary, and the like. Also, they must hold the peace during arguments or “crises.”
Do not ask to become a Mod or Admin. Simply be yourself. If you exhibit a natural ability to keep the forums in line by yourself as a member, it will be noticed by others, and powers may be granted as needed.
Any and all abuse of powers, by all who wield them, will result in immediate removal of said powers. This includes unlawful use of mod powers in an RP sub-forum by that RP’s creator.
13) Define what exactly you mean by “random gibberish” in the Spam Can.
This is not some forum for people to be childish or downright wasteful in. Humor, even most crude humor, is good fun and all, and is allowed. What is not allowed is things like: “spaaaaaaaaaaaam,” “asdasdaoijdaoijdsidjoajsdoj,” u suk suk suk suk,” etc. Do not create entire threads just to say one thing, especially if what you have to say could be said in another already-existing topic or is pure spam like the aforementioned examples. Spam, is like its connotation towards annoying emails, waste. And waste will not be tolerated and removed.
The Spam Can here is only for random, humorous things that don’t really fit anywhere else on the forum. It’s a place to have fun and unwind, not to be stupid for no reason and annoy people.
We are very relaxed here. This is a fun environment, and we’d like to keep it that way. We are not anal about trivial matters, and are not quick to anger. But bear in mind that there is a clear and definite limit as to how far you can go. Cross it, and the consequences will be doubly severe.
14) How many accounts can I have here?
You may only have 1 active account at any one time. However, we understand (I know from personal experience) that there may be special instances of shared IP addresses. If you fall under this category, please talk to the Management and they will work something out for you.
15) Why is it I was told the URL of this place was www.rpsh.cjb.net yet I see http://s7.invisionfree.com/Roleplayers_Hall/index.php?act=idx in the address bar?
The shorter URL is our hosted domain name, which is meant as a short and easy to memorize and type URL to give out to people. The longer, s7.invisionfree URL is the site's actual URL, provided to us when we made this forum from InvisionFree.
However, free hosted domains are really nothing more than re-directs, and a problem often occurs where the re-directed URL constantly replaces the normal path, leading to issues with logging in and refreshing.
To go around this problem, we've set up scripts that will retain the site's original URL, so no such problems occur. Once you type the .cjb.net URL in, you are immediately forwarded to the forum, as it should be. Once on the forum itself, the URL path will stick to the original address, the s7.invisionfree one.
So, both will work, and both lead to the same place.
16) How do I use the RPSH Jukebox, and are there any rules I should know about?
The Jukebox is simple to use. Simply click on the arrow next to the Music Dropdown Menu and click on any one of the song tracks in the list. The song will then download to your computer and play on your media player. This way you can play/pause/stop the music, and more importantly you can listen to it without fear of the music refreshing or stopping every time you reload the web-page.
Members cannot add music to the Jukebox themselves. Only Administrators have access to the Jukebox coding and consequently are the only ones who can change what songs are selectable. However, members may request songs, or better yet supply a copy of the desired song to the Management so it can compressed and uploaded into the Jukebox.
You can find the Jukebox Requests topic here.
Acceptable music files are mp3s, wavs and MIDIs.
Legal Disclaimer: All songs hosted through the Jukebox are low-quality, mono, mp3s or MIDIs and should be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. Any file-sharing and/or other use of the songs outside the forum is strictly prohibited. If you truly enjoy the song and want a high-quality, stereo version then please support its artist and buy their music legally.
**Status Update: The RPSH Jukebox has been removed for the time being.**
17) Who is this “Captain Placeholder” I keep hearing mentioned?
Captain Placeholder, or Capt. P, was employed by Blizzard in World of WarCraft to transport people between Menethil Harbor and Auberdine during a boat transportation glitch. Long retired after that glitch was fixed, he was hired to render his placeholding services on these forums. Next time you see him, tip your hat and say “Thankee, sai” for all the great work he’s doing for us here.
“Hired? Hardy har har! Iffin’ you be wonderin’ where your forum budget went too, look no further. But I will say this: you landlubbers have all made me one very happy pirate.”
These are general guidelines for people new to this forum, new to Text-Roleplaying, or have other questions related to Roleplayers’ Hall.
This FAQ is an ongoing work, and additional questions and answers may be added at later dates.
If you have additional questions, please consult the Management (the Moderators and Administrators).
1) What is Text-Roleplaying?
Text-roleplaying is basically just roleplaying, but using only words and text. To roleplay (RP) is to take on an imaginary role, be it fantasy, futuristic, present-day, or otherwise, and acting it out. You assume the role of a character, and interact with other characters in a storyline. Your actions may either fulfill a storyline, or create one as you play it out.
Many of our members play games like WarCraft III. In there are maps specifically created for people to roleplay on. These people like to call themselves roleplayers, or RPers. In this case of text-roleplaying, we’d be called text-RPers.
2) What’s with all these abbreviations? OOC? RPSH? FFRP?
You may see many of the following abbreviations used here. It’s best to become accustomed to them. They are:
PM - Personal Message: The forum’s internal email function that can be accessed from either your profile or your Inbox, found below the top banner. Useful for contacting fellow members.
OOC - Out Of Character: Speaking out of context in an RP.
NPC - Non Playable Character: Any entity within an RP that players may interact with, but may not play as. These include monsters, passing civilians, or “bosses.”
RP Creator – The person who creates an RP World and sets up its elements, from history to races to properties of technology or magic.
In/Out-RP: “In-RP” refers to actually taking place within the “world” of the RP. In other worlds, they directly affect the RP world setting and can interact with elements of that world. For example, if the RP Creator has a character in-RP then other characters can interact with him/her. Out-RP is similar to OOC, in that it is taken out of the context of the RP and holds no effects on the world setting or the characters.
DM/GM - Dungeon Master / Game Master: The overseer and administrator of a game or roleplay, who is usually (but not necessarily) out-RP (i.e. the characters themselves do not interact with the actual GM, only his/her in-RP agents, usually NPCs). Rather, the GM directs the characters along a pre-set story, controls NPCs, and directs story elements. This is also an option RP Creators may use in their RP World if they want to personally control every facet of their RP.
RP World: Text-RPs found in the main roleplay listing on the webpage. These RPs are actually entire worlds, devised and run by their RP Creator. Each RP World has its own rules of reality, races, factions, and history. The RP Creator may have a story arc for participants to follow, or the RP may be open—giving players the opportunity to live in a unique or favorite world setting as their character(s). As opposed to...
FFRP - Free-Form Roleplay: “Freeform” simply means that there is no set storyline. Rather, RPers are supplied with a prompt, like “You see a lonely inn in the distance…” From here, participants arrive as they want to and simply interact. A storyline gradually emerges unto its own as each RPer introduces and meshes their own story elements together, forming a unique plot.
RPSH - Roleplayers’Hall: The name of this text-RPing forum.
Also, each RP World usually has its own shortened nickname, for convenience. Usually these take the forms of acronyms, or keywords. Some examples:
Divine Resurgence – DivRes
The Scorched Lands of Gilead – Gilead
The Hub: Trials of Darktown – The Hub
The Dance of Eternity – DoE
Ages of Sylvan – AoS
Planetfall – PF
These nicknames are for the most part close enough to the full RP name to discern, however as with the acronyms this may initially be confusing. If at any time you are unclear as to what these, or any term means, just ask.
3) How do you go about text-RPing?
There are several creative ways to do this. Basically, it’s just writing, but there are varying ways on what style to write. Some write their RP’s out like a novel; these would sound like something out of a book. Some write from a first-person view, using “I.” Others write from a third-person view, using “he/she.” Some people write in the past tense (He ran up to the castle door), while others write in a present tense (She reaches into her quiver and selects two poison-tipped arrows). No method is the “correct” way of doing it, it’s a matter of what best suits your writing style.
Also, please check out this thread, and this thread for more detailed guides to roleplaying.
4) What's considered inappropriate?
Please keep profanity realistic. What this means is that profanity is allowed, but only in terms of the RP. We’re quite relaxed here, we don’t care if you use the F-word or not. But don’t go overboard with swear words just for the sake of using swear words. Using profanity does not make you appear more mature, quite the contrary in fact. You cannot go around spouting the F-word for no reason. Nor can you make the lame excuse of "My character has Turret’s Syndrome." But if your character swears, and it is within his/her nature to swear, then that is fine.
Graphic violence follows the same rules. We don’t mind blood and gore, not at all. But like all things, it can be used properly and improperly. A particular evil character can resort to depraved actions, for that is in his/her character. Add some gore to enhance the chilling factor of your posts and to accentuate a certain event or feeling. If you plan to butcher another PC in a grotesquely detailed manner, that is fine, but first obtain permission from that character(s) owners.
Sexuality, again, follows likewise. If your character is, for example a womanizer, then it is to be expected he would make lewd comments. If characters hook up into relationships, well that is great for them, such elements add to the overall story. Graphic sexuality falls within individual writing style and ability; if you can write good smut, more power to you. If you want to write something of that sort that is alright. Violent sexual scenes, like rape, will not be censored—as long as it conforms to the flow of the RP. However, all scenes involving fellow PCs should be cleared with their respective owners. Lastly, RPSH caters to visitors of all ages, and for the sake of decency and appropriateness PLEASE insert your topic and/or post with a warning of some kind that such graphic scenes will be depicted; allowing members who do not wish to view such material the opportunity to skip it.
Another subject is the use of slang. Slang and jargon may be used in an RP as long as it fits the character. Accented dialogue is allowed as long as it fits the character. But for instance, your Evil Overlord in the World of Warhammer should not be saying, "Sup dawg, what be happin' yo? as his arch-nemesis walks into the doorway. Now, if it were a hilarious parody that would be fine. But use your common sense and if ever unsure, think to yourself, "Would this character say that or do that really?" Internet-speak, like "lol," "lmao," "asl," "ggnore" etc. should not be used in an RP, unless it fits in accordance with that RP. Fantasy characters would not say such, but a computer in the Inanimate Object RP might.
If you are unsure about the content of your material, simply PM the Management with a copy of your post. They will be happy to assist you.
In terms of out-of-RP, general forum conduct, we prefer to keep swearing to a minimum. Excessive profanity, excessive lewdness, posting of annoying graphic images, etc. will not be tolerated. In essence, don’t go overboard and don’t be an asshole. (See?)
5) Text-RPing is nice, but I like to see things when I RP. Words all the time are boring.
There are no rules prohibiting pictures to supplement your RP. We normally demand that these pictures remain tasteful and non-offensive. Graphic pictures may be used, but first clear them with the Management or supply a warning of the picture’s graphic nature in your post/topic.
Most of these RP's are not acted out on games like WarCraft or otherwise, due to their nature. For example, WCIII simply has nothing that could truly represent the insidious Void Magi of the Scorched Lands of Gilead RP . On the other hand, the Shadows Saga is played alongside a continued RP on WCIII.
6) What’s the whole point besides OOC Chat?
OOC Chat is Out-Of-Character chat, if you recall. This is where you may break your character to make a remark, or start a discussion about the RP in progress. It’s very crude for somebody in the middle of an RP to just say “Hey is it okay if my character steals something from this NPC?” Rather than post that, and in effect interrupt the RP, you should ask this in the OOC Chat section for that RP. Or, if you have a disagreement with others over actions in an RP (“Hey! You killed me, no fair!”) rather than ruin the RP thread with words not even pertaining to the RP you should do it in the conveniently separate OOC section.
7) What are Character Sheets/Bios?
All text-roleplays have characters, they are not only crucial to the story but are the story. In most, but not necessarily all, participants in the RP are asked to create a “character sheet” or "character bio(graphy)" which is a collection of all of their character’s important statistics. These can include the basics from Name, Age, Race, and Class/Profession to more complex fields like History, Appearance, Fighting Specialty, etc. In truth, because each RP is its own universe character sheets would usually be tailored to the specifics of that RP. The RP Creator may already have a list of required information fields to be filled out in order to coincide with their particular RP world.
The purpose of a character sheet is so that everyone, from the RP Creator to all the other participants, has a complete and convenient source of reference to each character. This cuts back on “godmodding,” in the regard that characters cannot simply “have always had” equipment that wasn’t listed in their sheet. Also, it allows the character to be identified within the RP itself.
8) What do I have to do to get my idea for an RP made into one?
Freeform, is as the name suggests, free. In the Freeform sub-forum anyone can create virtually whatever RP they want in there. However, if you want, or think you need a sub-forum for your RP then you need to make a thread proposing it in RP Proposals, found in Text-Roleplaying Resources. Here, the Forum Management and other members will comment and constructively criticize on your presented information to better refine it. Point out errors, ask questions, help clarify things, suggest ideas, etc.
Depending on the nature and guidelines for your RP, you may ask or others may recommend for it to be either an RP World or Free-form. Of course, the decision is ultimately up to you.
If you want to introduce an RP as an RP World, then you must introduce your idea in RP Proposals first. If it is approved, then it will be given its own sub-forum under the main RP listing. These RP’s are no grander than FFRP’s. They are also a lot of work, on both players and creators. RP Worlds must remain active, both by players and by the creator(s). Rules must be made and enforced, and any and all characters used by participants may have to be reviewed to be either approved or denied. If you think this is the best way to make your RP work, go for it. Otherwise, make it Freeform.
Some of the benefits of Freeform are the freedom of creativity and less dependence on the creator. FFRP’s can be just as serious, professional, and as large as any RP World, but at least in FFRP organization, rule-enforcements, and things in general are a lot looser. RP Worlds require backstories, guidelines, history, and more. FFRP’s do not need these to start.
Sometimes a Freeform RP grows so large and popular, and its story has evolved so much, that it simply “outgrows” its single topic room within the Freeform section. From there, it may be given its own sub-forum and become an RP World. Bear in mind that RP Worlds are no superior in any way whatsoever to FFRPs. It is simply a matter of defined world scale and detail.
For more details about how to make an RP, check this thread.
9) Why are some RP’s not given a sub-forum?
All RP Worlds are given a sub-forum, due to their need for greater organization. The creators of these RPs, because they have expressed the need for control over their RPs, are given moderator control over their respective RPs only. Another reason for a sub-forum would be because the RP has simply grown too large for one single thread to contain it all.
However, those smaller, simpler RPs that do not require organization, and are small enough to remain in a single thread are put under Freeform RP. These RPs usually aren’t moderated directly by an RP Creator. These RPs are loose and casual, and because there is no one personally directing the storyline no single moderator-ship is given. However, if authority is needed in that RP (for instance, in the event of rule-breaking or misconduct) an Admin or Forum Moderator can, and will, intervene.
10) Do you do anything else besides Text-RP here?
Not really. This forum is first and foremost a text-RP site. Other things can be found in the Spam Can. We are not a clan site, nor an official map team site (with the exception of Saga RP, which is used for the Shadows Saga RP) We do not endorse a single game either. There are many, many other forums for that.
We do however have sections for intellectual debate, self-written pieces of literature, and self-made artwork. This is for the benefit of the member community. The Philosophers’ Table provides an area of debate and discussion over meaningful topics. Fan Fiction allows members to showcase pieces of literature they have written. Fan Art is for members to display pieces of art they have made.
11) What are the general rules for posting in non-RP related sections?
Just like our relaxed stance towards in-RP posts, we are also very easy-going with posting in general on the forums. We simply ask that:
1) Do not double post unless it is absolutely necessary; please just edit your post as needed.
2) Do not revive old topics (also known as thread necromancy) unless you have relevant new input to add to it, but please refrain from adding simple comments to threads already forgotten.
3) Do not spam. In other words, do not post gibberish or simple one-word replies. Spam is anything that only takes up space and offers no relevant purpose.
4) Do not flame. In other words, do not aggressively insult, attack, harass, and any other form of malevolent action conducted against other members. This also includes racial, sexually offensive, discriminatory, and likewise comments.
On profanity:
Again, like in-RP posts, we’re not opposed to swear words. But do not abuse this freedom; don’t cuss persistently and for no reason at all. It’s preferable though that swearing be kept to a minimal, as other members may not appreciate it and find such content offensive. Mods and the Management reserve the right to edit out/alter swear words in posts if they deem them inappropriate.
On censorship:
There is none, really. If you have an opinion, you are free to express it. But do bear in mind there is a right and wrong way to express that opinion. If you dislike another member, well that is perfectly fine. You may say you have a problem with someone. You two may argue, that may be unavoidable, but do not let it get out of hand. RPSH is a place of fun, not blood feuds. What’s wrong is openly attacking that person by calling them names, posting untrue and/or confidential and personal information about them in order to embarrass them, etc. As always, if you have a problem or issue with someone/thing, alert the Management and the Mods. That is what they’re there for.
12) How do I become a moderator?
If you create an RP that requires its own sub-forum, you will be granted moderator powers solely to your own RP’s sub-forum.
Forum Moderators and Administrators are picked on the basis of responsibility, not friendship to the forum-owner. A moderator or admin must be a fair and objective judge over the forum with which they have control over. They are moderators, key words to moderate. Their duties are to maintain the forums, removing those threads and posts that warrant removal, moving things as necessary, and the like. Also, they must hold the peace during arguments or “crises.”
Do not ask to become a Mod or Admin. Simply be yourself. If you exhibit a natural ability to keep the forums in line by yourself as a member, it will be noticed by others, and powers may be granted as needed.
Any and all abuse of powers, by all who wield them, will result in immediate removal of said powers. This includes unlawful use of mod powers in an RP sub-forum by that RP’s creator.
13) Define what exactly you mean by “random gibberish” in the Spam Can.
This is not some forum for people to be childish or downright wasteful in. Humor, even most crude humor, is good fun and all, and is allowed. What is not allowed is things like: “spaaaaaaaaaaaam,” “asdasdaoijdaoijdsidjoajsdoj,” u suk suk suk suk,” etc. Do not create entire threads just to say one thing, especially if what you have to say could be said in another already-existing topic or is pure spam like the aforementioned examples. Spam, is like its connotation towards annoying emails, waste. And waste will not be tolerated and removed.
The Spam Can here is only for random, humorous things that don’t really fit anywhere else on the forum. It’s a place to have fun and unwind, not to be stupid for no reason and annoy people.
We are very relaxed here. This is a fun environment, and we’d like to keep it that way. We are not anal about trivial matters, and are not quick to anger. But bear in mind that there is a clear and definite limit as to how far you can go. Cross it, and the consequences will be doubly severe.
14) How many accounts can I have here?
You may only have 1 active account at any one time. However, we understand (I know from personal experience) that there may be special instances of shared IP addresses. If you fall under this category, please talk to the Management and they will work something out for you.
15) Why is it I was told the URL of this place was www.rpsh.cjb.net yet I see http://s7.invisionfree.com/Roleplayers_Hall/index.php?act=idx in the address bar?
The shorter URL is our hosted domain name, which is meant as a short and easy to memorize and type URL to give out to people. The longer, s7.invisionfree URL is the site's actual URL, provided to us when we made this forum from InvisionFree.
However, free hosted domains are really nothing more than re-directs, and a problem often occurs where the re-directed URL constantly replaces the normal path, leading to issues with logging in and refreshing.
To go around this problem, we've set up scripts that will retain the site's original URL, so no such problems occur. Once you type the .cjb.net URL in, you are immediately forwarded to the forum, as it should be. Once on the forum itself, the URL path will stick to the original address, the s7.invisionfree one.
So, both will work, and both lead to the same place.
16) How do I use the RPSH Jukebox, and are there any rules I should know about?
The Jukebox is simple to use. Simply click on the arrow next to the Music Dropdown Menu and click on any one of the song tracks in the list. The song will then download to your computer and play on your media player. This way you can play/pause/stop the music, and more importantly you can listen to it without fear of the music refreshing or stopping every time you reload the web-page.
Members cannot add music to the Jukebox themselves. Only Administrators have access to the Jukebox coding and consequently are the only ones who can change what songs are selectable. However, members may request songs, or better yet supply a copy of the desired song to the Management so it can compressed and uploaded into the Jukebox.
You can find the Jukebox Requests topic here.
Acceptable music files are mp3s, wavs and MIDIs.
Legal Disclaimer: All songs hosted through the Jukebox are low-quality, mono, mp3s or MIDIs and should be deleted from your computer within 24 hours of downloading. Any file-sharing and/or other use of the songs outside the forum is strictly prohibited. If you truly enjoy the song and want a high-quality, stereo version then please support its artist and buy their music legally.
**Status Update: The RPSH Jukebox has been removed for the time being.**
17) Who is this “Captain Placeholder” I keep hearing mentioned?
Captain Placeholder, or Capt. P, was employed by Blizzard in World of WarCraft to transport people between Menethil Harbor and Auberdine during a boat transportation glitch. Long retired after that glitch was fixed, he was hired to render his placeholding services on these forums. Next time you see him, tip your hat and say “Thankee, sai” for all the great work he’s doing for us here.
“Hired? Hardy har har! Iffin’ you be wonderin’ where your forum budget went too, look no further. But I will say this: you landlubbers have all made me one very happy pirate.”
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