Welcome to Gaia! ::

Part One- Simple terms


Say someone comes to you saying: "Quit godmodding, you're going OCC you mary sue!"

What's your reponse?

Many acronyms, terms, and other things can pop up in an RP. See what happened? RP is a term, just like many others, which are used as shortcuts and contractions to a very lengthy phrase or description of a problem. Before you get started, consider this your appendix to using this guide.


RP - Acryonym for "Role Play".

OOC- Acryonym for "Out of Character". A statement or other forms of dialogue which may be pertinent to the RP, but are intended for response outside of the play. Like being part of the audience and whispering "what's going on".

OCC- Misacronym for "Out of Character".

IC- Acronym for "In character". Opposite of OOC, what is happening or can affect the RP.

Godmodding - Term used when a player's character acts like a mod or god.

Chatspeak- The use of internet slang like "l337" or "kewl".

Profile- A character sheet (for you D&D nerds) or a list of questions that describe a character, his or her abilities, history, or other "essential" components, as fitting the needs of the RP.

Storyline/Plot- The general series of events the RP follows, or can follow. Just like in a book, the chronological events which make up that which we read.

PC- Acronym for "Playable Character". A character a person RPs as, that cannot be played by someone else under normal circumstances, which often are main characters in a tale.

NPC- Acronym for "Non-Playable Character". A player that usually is not played by normal characters, such as a weapons shop owner or soldier. Also could be a person who interacts with specific PCs, like an admiral reporting to someone playing Darth Vader, but because he/she is needed to provide information that could otherwise be hard to gather.

OC- Acronym for "Original Character". A character who is completely made up. May be a clone of a premade character, or something brand new. For example, Jedi Master Biggus Dickus is not a premade to the star wars universe. He has not been seen in movies or ever made before.

Premade Character - A character, like Luke Skywalker or Lord Vader, who is existant in the universe one plays in. They can be PCs, or NPCs, or not even mentioned at all. However, they have a set of constrained limitations, such as age, skills, powers, and other attributes which can be followed, or completely disreguarded, depending on the RP's plot and genre.
Also be mindful that a premade character, such a Luke Skywalker, has his own story and pre-destined fate.

(will finish when I think of more)

Part Three - Character Building.


Oh man. Now here comes one of the largest chunks of information which you could ever read. But it is probably one of the biggest things that can affect an RP. If a character is made poorly, then the RP will probably suck major Bantha Poodoo. Few people like Jar Jar Binks, many more like Kenobi. Why? Character differences. Sometimes, a character lacks a sense of soul or personality that would fit its circumstances. Others can be used to relate to people. But it still comes down to making that character.

First step to building a character is knowing about the RP itself. By now, you should know what the RP really is. Is it a serious RP about a group of rebels, and only rebels, or is it a galaxy wide slew of characters whom demand constant vigilance? The second requires a much grander plot, but more characters are demanded. The first one, while easier to follow, may in fact not be an appropriate place for your character. An Imperial is probably not tolerated in a Rebel only RP.

Many RPs contain what is known as a profile (read part one again if you don't know what this is.) RPs don't always have these things, but it is a good way to lay out ones character. While some RPs decide to let characters be anonymous so that others don't simply look off profiles and godmod around them (more on this later), far more demand them to make sure players have a sort of contract with their character. Profiles show things like limitations, strengths, appearances, etcetera, and are usually found on the first page.



This is just a mock up of a very basic Profile. Many of these questions are almost standard, as they allow for people to see the basics of a character. But what to do with them? By all means, each character should be unique.

One thing which you may consider is also who is going to read this profile. While you may have built a character, your profile should be precise. But also consider how concise it is. If you have a profile the size of Webster's dictionary, nobody is going to read it. You may be easily find your profile denied, since the moderators just don't have time to go through and critique every aspect. This problem is very rare, but sometimes found. Again, the balancing act is in place.

More likely, though, is the profile is too short, lacking description. We shall dive into description later, but first, let us first define several minor do's and don'ts on common things:

Name: The name of your character is paramount to your entire gaming experience. I mean, while Shakespeare may say "a rose by any other name may smell just as sweet", we still need something to call you, right? Simple RPs demand simple names. Bob, sam, etcetera, you get the jist. However, in this guild, chances are you're not going to get away with such an easy task. Twi'leks, Chiss, humans, every race has its own tendencies and needs.

Humans are the easiest to name. We, being human,have no real difficulty in finding variants which we can use. Change the prefix or suffux on a common name, like "gary" to "ganil" or "Matthew" to "Arthew". Write a name backwards, like "Ben" to "Neb" or "Kyle" to "Elyk". Plenty of differences can come. A twi'lek can be made by a simple name and putting an apostrophe in it, like "Pa'ul" or "Sam'uel". While this is not entirely creative, it can be a great brainstormer. Wookiees hold long, throaty names, with repeating sounds, such as "Hrrooken" or "Braachaana". You get the jist. Dependign on what your character will turn out to be the name has to fit. If you need help, ask around for people to give out examples. Also, go up on our favored wookiepedia, and see examples of famous people of that class, and make variants of those names.

You may also refer to the various earth-based mythologies and pantheons to obtain a name. Many folks tend to name their characters after someone from their favorite game. In fact, one of our fun loving moderators loves to borrow from Nordic myth.

Please, for the love of the force, NEVER say "unknown". If you are inexperienced in RPing, its never a good thing. Far too many noobs think that they can be badass by being cheap on their naming process. If there is a good reason why you're unnamed, chances are you're not reading this anyhow. Short of amnesia (a tactic discussed later on to balance characters), your character probably has a name or title he goes by.

Age: Your age denotes something you will need to remember vividly to make full sense. The time spent alive in the galaxy will affect how you are able to interact. Few people realize that a twenty-one year old human isn't just going to be fleet commander of the imperial navy and emperor of the known universe.

This is probably the first balancing act you'll ever need. Take 21 for example, on a human being. They are in the prime of their life, and fairly strong. They wont' be the strongest human (around age 25) possible, nor the most experienced. They'll have spirit, but only some knowledge. Take that compared to a 45-50 year old human. While weaker, the older human is probably more well traveled. He probably has been married, or for the least part, honed in some skills.

Much of this seems common knowledge, but we all want to be a really strong character. Young, smart, overachieving, many of these details become overstretched in character creation. Balancing age with experience and spirit are the cause of many problems in RPs. More on this will be touched later.

Gender/species: Gender has little to explain, so we'll skip it. Species is almost as self-descripting. One word of advice is know the limitations and benefits of your species. A wookiee, for example, is very strong and long lived. On the contrary, they won't be wearing armor, nor can they speak basic. Consider what you are looking for, and consider what that race will do in its circumstances.

Weapon: Another thing to consider is the weapon. Consider what you're packing, why, and most importantly, how heavy that sucker is. One of the most common mistakes is overburdening one's character with weaponry. This most often is a direct result of poor planning and fear of being unprepared.

Your character can pick up a collapsable missle tube along his travels, which he can use to attack a ship for one time use. Some people will try to hold this with them throughout the entire RP, thinking it will serve them sooner or later, and better to have it than naught. Let me explain something: Each weapon requires space, and has weight. While it may seem like a good idea to go into a bar with two vibroswords, a rocket launcher, a pair of rifles, pair of pistols, several throwing knives, a grenade belt, extra ammuntition, etcetera, It just isn't going to happen. First, you're probably going to get stuck in the doorway, and second, unless you're a wookiee on steroids (laugh if you get the joke about hair loss and steriods) then there's probably a good chance you can barely walk straight, much less run, jump, and evade.

Consider what are your characters strenghts. Jedi and sith rarely go outside of their trusty lighstabers. But say you're not force adept. Imperial stormtroopers were issued armor and a blaster rifle. Want something quick and easy? get a blaster pistol. If you expect more engagements than you would like, upgrade to the blaster rifle. Dont' expect fighting to be your suit? get a sporting pistol and run like a mofo. The worst you can do if you underarm yourself is get caught without enough firepower. So, next time you get to town, buy a bigger gun.

Also, one thing I'd like to point out, specifically Star Wars related. Lightsabers cannot be handled by Non-force Users very efficiently. Point at General Grevious, and I'll vape you myself. There are certain individuals who have modified themselves to be useful at the saber, but they are far and few in between. This does not mean go grab a vibrosword, either. Everyone wants to be a jedi. Face the facts; if you're a non-force user going up against a jedi/sith, you're either not supposed to be there, or you're smart enough to equip yourself with the right gear to take them down. Or you're just plain stupid. But I'm hoping this is not the case... ((hint: Slugthrowers can't be blocked by lightsabers))

Appearance: The appearance. Almost as important as one's name. Its also probably one of the easiest way to tell how skilled an RPer is. Description is a power which needs to be harnessed in this section. You dont' have to be overly literate and know 10,000 adjectives. But some things quickly add up to really good descriptions.

Start with the basics! Height, weight, hair color, eye color, hair style (messy is good enough for many people), Body style (lean, like a swimmer, or bulky, like a body builder?). What about scars? Birthmarks? If you're up to the challenge, go for describing the facial features. Does he have a Roman nose? Wide set cheekbones with pale cheeks with thin, piercing lips and beady eyes? Long flowing locks of wheat?

This section is limited to your power of description. But one of the many problems encountered is the "mary sue" epidemic, or just as bad, the "anime hero" plague. More will explain later, but the short and quick right here and now is a character who is perfect in every way. Beautiful beyond compare, eyes which attract all of the opposite sex, etcetera. Remember, we're not all models. Also, we don't have rippling muscles, boundless strength, and look like Goku.

History: Just as lengthy and worthy as the appearance, history reveals much about a character. The side which we don't see, the exploits we'd know or the tragedies that afflicted the character.

You can make up anything for the character; only two things limit it. The age of a character will determine just how far he could have gone. Nobody's an ace pilot at age 15, lest they be a clone or someone who was taught nothing else. A fleet commander cannot be 21 years of age. Once again, balance is key.

The other problem with the histories is what I call the "sob story". Common to noobish RPs with poor moderation has a contest of who is the most tragic. Everyone's parents left, everyone was mistreated, had to hack it out on the streets, etcetera etcetera. Guess what? You're not emo, you're not always the mainstream hero, and get used to it. The galaxy is not that bad. If you grew up in the underbelly of Nal Hutta, you may have a case. But if you were part of the noble aristocracy on Kuat, then there's probably not so much you can claim. But then again, if you're part of an aristocracy, you'd better have quite a reason to get involved in things!

Other craptastic histories: You're the last monk of an order, the chosen one, you did something only to save someone, you are the creator/sole practicioner/ last known user of a unique skill/power/fighting style, etcetera. Uniqueness has benefits, note also that if you have to rely solely on unique weapons or abilities, you quickly become that which we're trying to prevent: a godmodder. Some rpers can handle the power (you can tell by the way they balance that power, often times making sure that people can interact with them only when ready by having a personality quirk such as pacifism or something) and they may bend this reed. But note that this is completely up to the discretion of the moderator in charge, not the player. Trust is the key aspect here, don't push your luck.

History also denotes skills you've picked up. Perhaps you're a slicer or a historian. Or a mechanic or a fighter. This is often a good place to tell where you picked up your traits and abilities. But like everything else, we'll sound like a broken record and stress balance.


There are more than just what we said that could be on a profile. Other things work outside of the profile, and are incorporated into the RP. Consider the future of this character. Is it going to be a loner, or are you going to rely on others to make up for lack of skills? Will it develop relationships? How will it respond to war and strife? Peace and tranquility? Does it have addictions which may lead it into trouble when it doesn't want it?

Many questions develop along the path which you should consider. Most importantly, though, is making sure you know how far you are going to take this character. Some characters serve a single vital purpose; after which, you can abandon them and create a new character, or kill them off. Others are long term characters, who require constant work otherwise will quickly fall to the backstage for utility.

Planning is by far and away your strongest asset. We can't help plan for you, only give you things to think about. It is your character after all. Thus, know him or her well.

Part Five - Do's and Don'ts (A brief summary)


Do:

- Know what the plotline of an RP is.
- Know the characters in the RP itself.
- Take the initiative to find out what's going on by reading around.
- Ask people questions if you can't find the answer yourself.
- Use creativity and imagination when creating a character.
- Consider how your character will react in a situation.
- Understand "balance" in the RP
- Allow others to post.
- Use literacy. Meaning proper grammar. (note: not perfect grammar)
- Limit the use of OOC talk.
- Follow the anti-munch project (look below.)


Don't:

- Use chatspeak, netspeak, or other forms of speaking which neglects the proper spelling of words (the occasional slip is okay), commas, periods, quotation marks, or other symbols or tools commonly seen in grammar.

- Break the anti-munch project. The anti-munch project is:




To be completed.

Part VII - The Delicate Balancing Act

Balance. We keep seeing that word. Its easy for us to simply say "balance". But what can it mean? Its just something we keep spewing out, but more important is to help give you the past, present, or future RPer the ability to understand this act. We'll review small part of each section to help explify this further.

Character building:
Mary sue, Gary sue, stereotypes, consider the effect the characters have on the RP. You can't have a hundred bad guys and one good guy, or vice versa to make a good RP. Each side must be balanced. Same with powers/strengths and weaknesses.

Many people try to shaft weakness, because these characters are reflections of our own ego, our own self-image. If our characters are weak, we feel that we ourselves are weak. Its a daunting topic to understand there are weaknesses, but they still are needed to make everything run flawlessly.

Many characters can easily get away with three or less skills without really worrying about penalty. Specific skills. The more power you gain, however, the more weaknesses that others should be able to exploit. I don't mean be allergic to a specific silver spork found at your fifth birthday party that you smelted down into a lock on your safe at home. I mean readily exploitable weaknesses. If you're a smuggler whos quick at the quickdraw, consider your weakness as a guy who every time he goes to the terminal to get information, the terminal blows up. Or as we say it, technologically dis-inclined.

To speed things up, see if your character is balanced by taking the Character Litmus Test. Its worth a shot. See how well you rank, and your character.


Balancing in battle is also necessary. One man cannot take on the horde, lest he is someone of great significanse and is destined to. The whole "rage makes me stronger" fight never works well, and often is not only overdone, but done improperly.

Your character will define what balances are required. A logical tactician is not goign to be easily scared, more because he's not prone to emotion. So, consider how hard he is going to break when he does. The hardier the constitution, the tougher a nut to crack. When cracked, that means he'll be harder to piece together. Think of it as a giant oak versus many thin pines. It is easier to bump around someone with emotion than one without, but still, consider the benefits. While emotion can be cheesy, and usually goes against our more stoic beliefs, it opens up many new areas of Role Play, allowing characters dimension in battle, and techniques once unrealistic to become very plausible.

With battling, one must also understand the effect of attacks. A massive attack with the force, or a very powerful physical attack with the saber, both will leave you vulnerable. The Force drains energy, while physical things drain stamina. Very few people just collapse from pure exhaustion. Signs often erupt long before the final defeat, such as panting, sweating, slowing of motion, etcetera. Think of what you see when you're extremely tired. Very few fights act like a track runner, going into decreasing lap times. You don't get better in a fight, especially wounded. You get worse. If your character is a thinker, he'll sit back, and play defensively. However, someone agressive will not consider retreat until much further down the line. The balance in battle is considering how far can your character reasonably go? A padawan cannot imagine defeating a master with the same amount of effort the master is using. Sheer mastery will defeat that attempt. But it is application of your character that will prevail. Some characters will never be able to defeat the other, no matter how hard they try. Notice the villians. Allies are rarely seen, because each villian wishes to be solitary. No villian can be good at everything; that's godmodding. So if you apply the villian properly, there will still be a weakness exploitable. Consider weaknesses, cover for them as best you can, but learn to accept defeat.

Defeat is truely what balances a roleplay. If you can accept defeat, you can take victory. Learn to lose. Nobody has a perfect record. Eventually, sooner or later, the laws of probability will demand balance, and you will lose. In our standard view of things, Villians win in the beginning, and lose in the end, heroes vice versa. In some instances, its flopped, but the meaning holds the same. Nothing lasts; neither will your character. It should adapt to win, remain static to lose. In a way, consider it evolution. The way you play the game will determine if you win or lose.