Please note that these are NOT rules. This is a small shop, and RP is not required for anything; it's just here for your enjoyment. You may roleplay in any manner you like, as long as it's within the rules of Gaia and your RP partner(s) agree.
However, sometimes there are events that involve RP, and roleplays that do not follow these guidelines may be disqualified. (For instance, breeding RPs must be 15 posts long, with each post including at least five sentences.)
Tense & Person: Most text roleplays are held in past-tense third person (ie, "she walked," "he talked," not "I speak"), so you'll be most likely to find partners who want to roleplay in this fashion.
Length: There is no length requirement in Symbiosis, but for events, posts should be five sentences long.
Characters: Most saplings are average--that's what average means. All have defining traits, of course, but most aren't schizophrenic or have murderous tendencies. I mean, SOME do, but try to keep them few and far between. Real characters are more interesting than charicatures.
Etiquette: It's considered polite to tell the person you're roleplaying with if you're getting disinterested or if you want to stop RP'ing. After one month without a reply, RPs can be considered abandoned. Remember that no one is required to follow the plot you want and just because your characters don't hit it off doesn't mean your RP partner doesn't like you.
Labeling: A couple of acronyms will help you find your way around the RP forums: boards labeled ORP means 'open roleplay,' or anyone can hop right in; boards labeled 'PRP' means 'private roleplay,' reserved for only certain players.
Location: Some saplings stick to a certain territory, so try to mention where you RP is occurring so there's no confusion.
Aging: If you have a growing sapling (meaning you received it at a stage that is not adult) and it grows but you still want to RP it at its younger stage, that's fine. However, once you decide that the sapling should grow and you begin to RP it as such, you shouldn't go back and RP retroactively. Basically, don't jump around in the timeline.
Hey! So, what can I get out of RP? Well, if you check out the Breeding stickies, you'll learn that breedings are cheaper & have better chance of having more offspring via RP. Some breedings, like same-sex or asexual, are available only via RP. You may also be eligible for free or cheap edits to existing Saplings, like signs of aging or scars and details gained in RP. You'll have to contact colorists about this, though, or mention it in the thread. Some events require RP. Various little prizes may be thrown out for RPs at certain times, too.
