Post by Seo-yeon (Vio) on Nov 9, 2018 16:50:17 GMT
- Multi-Person Topics
The majority of role play on site will likely be between two or more players and their characters, so here’s a few basics. It’s generally polite and fluid to take turns to post. If there’s more than two of you and somebody is unable to post (usually due to life getting in the way), ask them if they’re okay with being skipped before making the move. If it has been more than a week without any contact with them, then you can skip their turn regardless, but you can decide on this time period between yourselves when you start role playing together - it’s not a hard and fast rule! You don’t have to stick to a strict post rotation either, but again this is something you should decide on between you and your posting partners.- Topic Tags
There are multiple types of topic, depending on how you want to go about them. When you first create a topic, make sure to put some indication of what type of topic it is in the title, as you might want others to join freely, or are looking for a specific bunch:
• [Invite Only] means that you need the permission of some of the players already involved (ideally the original creator) before you can post here. Unless stated otherwise, all role play topics on the site are considered to be of this type.
• [Open] means that the creator and other members involved are okay with others joining in at any point without being invited. If this isn’t included in the topic’s title, don’t jump in without permission!
• [Private] shows that the thread only involves the members and characters that initially post there. Don’t join and don’t ask to join, as it’s already decided to be between a specific set of players. If you’ve agreed on it, you can invite somebody else into your private topics. Alternatively, you can instead name the characters or groups involved in the title.
• [Solo] is a type of topic in which only one character is involved and are usually used for flashbacks, time alone and similar stories that are personal to that character. You can post this as one post and constantly edit it, or make numerous posts to add to it; it’s your decision. Don’t join a solo topic.
You can change the topic type at any point. Just edit the original post and change the title to suit the new tags you want to apply. For example, a topic might start out as a private one between two characters and then, due to in-character circumstances, may change to become a solo or even an open topic!- Language, Tense & Perspective
Please use English when writing narrative. Many characters might know more than one language, such as their native language, and may speak in that from time to time. When this does happen, it’s usually a better idea to write it in English and specify (in the narration) what language they’re using.
When it comes to tense and perspective, it’s up to you. It’s usually better to write in past or present tense. You can write in a third-person or first-person perspective. Generally you should keep it appropriate to the topic; don’t be the one writing in first-person while everyone else is writing in third! Sticking to the same tense as the rest of the topic helps prevent confusion.- Non-Player Characters
Many other people exist in Empyrean, so it’s perfectly fine to control these everyday citizens as part of your topics, whether it’s an employee of yours or a customer, or just a bystander who got involved in whatever madness you’re making. In some cases, you might want a bigger NPC to be relevant, so here’s how you go about this:
• Branded Non-Player Characters do exist. If you want to use or develop one, then run the Brand by the staff first just to make sure it makes sense. You don’t have to make a profile or anything for it, just make sure staff have given you the thumbs up to use such an ability. We don’t want any unsuitable powers slipping through the net!
• Playing as an NPC is also something you can choose to do if you want to; your character doesn’t need to be the focus of your posts all of the time. In some cases you might just want to role play as a one-time character, so this is a perfectly reasonable way of going about it. You don’t need to make a separate account or anything for this, as it’ll be immediately obvious that you’re playing a different character.
• Staff-Only NPCs are specific characters relevant to Empyrean and the site’s overarching story. They have their own special account controlled by the site’s staff, and they are indicated in this colour and are tagged as being an NPC. They are only relevant during major events.