In order to help people understand how roleplaying will work here, I have established this thread.


Frequently Asked Questions


What is Free Form Roleplaying?

Free form RPing means that no dice rolling system is used (e.g. D20, D10, GURPS, etc.). You create a character appropriate to the universe and act out it's part. In many ways, Free Form RPing is like cooperative storytelling.

How Does Free Form Roleplaying Work?

You know what your character is capable of and role-play it's abilities appropriately. This is accomplished by describing your actions ADVICE(in relatively decent detail; try to go beyond: I hit him, I walk there; you are partially responsible for the story and need to try to make it interesting; your character is a living, breathing, feeling individual; so when describing an action, make sure to include how your character does it) and interacting with other people's character's or NPC's created by the Storytellers (pick your own personal favorite title for who is running a storyline). At least in the beginning, only Moderators (Crew Members) will be running stories. As such, only they can create NPC's, though you may feel free to suggest one, and later, with approval from crew, run it.

How Is This Going to Work on Gaia?

You will make a post detailing what your character is doing, then you will have to wait until someone else (Guild Member's Character or the Crew Member running the story) to respond to your post. In this manner, the story will move forward.

What Are the Advantages ?

The main advantage is that your actions are not determined or limited by dice rolls. This puts you more in control of the story and allows you to be more creative. You also are more in control of the story and get to help create the story.

Another advantage, since we are using an Online Forum, is that you can participate at your leisure, and we don't all have to be gathered at the same time.

What Are the Disadvantages?

The BIGGEST Disadvantages is that it is easy for someone to Godhand (Munchkin, Uber-Bad a**, use your favorite term for someone whose character is GOD). Since you have a large degree of freedom in posting what your character does, then it is possible to say that your character does something that is outside his skills, ablilities, and knowledges. The only block on this is YOU. We rely on you to create reasonable characters (as opposed to Uber Bad a**, you might be Semi-Bad a** at like swords or maybe cooking Ramen) and play them within their ablilities.

Remember, you can be beaten at something, and it will happen. Accept this with grace and learn that your character flaws make him/her interesting; use these flaws to grow your character and to drive the story forward. We don't care how Bad a** your character is; we care how well you roleplay it.

The other disadvantage, since we are using Gaia, is that we are not in the same place. As such, you must wait for others to reply. Therefore, this Guild will only succeed if the members are ACTIVE. Try and check in at least once a day. Also, we can try and arrange times to be on Gaia together.



Rules of Thumb and Advise for Good RPing


1. Be literate. Since we are using a text format, we need to be able to understand you.

2. Be polite. Don't get angry, if you lose or if the Moderators say you can't do something. Anger will only destroy the guild.

3. Be active. The Guild cannot surive without everyone participating.

4. Stay on topic.

5. Don't Godhand. It ruins the fun, and you will be asked to change it by the Moderators, or it will be deleted.

6. Don't Metagame. Metagaming is when your character knows something that he has not learned in game (e.g. from reading another thread). Don't do this. It is a sure sign of a bad RPer and will make others angry.

7. Know your character's limits. Post within its ablilities. Your character's ablilities will grow. Be patient.

8. IF you think what you want to do might not be feasible, or you want to try something, but you think it might be broken, then PM one of the Moderators and ask. A good roleplayer will put the time into making a good post and will ask in advance about something. Remember quality over quantity.

9. Be creative and descriptive. You are helping to create a story. Try to make your post sensual (not sexual, it just means to include descriptions pertaining to the senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, sound, tingling extra spidey senses, whatever) and entertaining.

10. HAVE FUN. You are doing this, because you enjoy it. So try and enjoy it.


When Roleplaying...(Formating Your Post and You)


If your character is thinking or otherwise employing internal monologue, use Italics.

If your character is speaking to someone, make sure you put what they are saying in "Quotations".

If your character is using a special skill/technique, use Bold to name the skill/technique and when describing it's effect.

If your character is fighting with another character, use Red to color the text that text.

If you must use Out of Character Dialogue (OOC) in a post outside the OOC Chat (only if absolutely essential), use Blue and put OOC: before the text and separate from the rest of the post.

Remember, this is just a general overview to help Guild members. For more specific information on what is allowed and what isn't, try checking the other Stickies.