Basic Rules of Roleplaying – modified from ForceNet’s Jedi Council Forums

Not even the basics of RP are known…

 

 

SWAG 77 does not RP. There are reasons for that.

 

But newbies want to and no one is really educating them on the basics. Sadly, we are re-posting this blog because we are tired of individuals appearing on our pages violating our rules. So here are the basics of RP originally from the ForceNet’s Jedi Council Forums, as modified.

Basic Rules of Roleplaying – modified from ForceNet’s Jedi Council Forums

This is a suggested resource for Basic Rules of Roleplaying (RP) and is a modification of the Force.Net Jedi Council Forum boards. MOST legitimate roleplaying sites follow similarly. There is a difference between “forum based roleplaying” and “roleplaying on very public social media sites”, such as FB due to more social interactions.

SWAG 77 no longer roleplays (RP) as of May, 2012.

 

Each RP has its own rules according to the group’s desires. But there are four fundamental rules that you will come across in virtually every RP. Understanding what these rules mean will help you become a better RPer and into RP faster.

 

It is important to know the rules of RP, because if you do not abide by them, RPers do have the right to block or ban you from their pages.

 

1. Obey the TOS of the Social Media:

 

The TOS stands for the “Terms Of Service”, and it sets out what you can and cannot do on the Social Media site. Since you do not own it, then you need to read it, comprehend it, and post accordingly, and you will prosper. Swear, flame, bait, or spam a feed or wall – especially when the person does not know you will cause you to be blocked and banned.

 

Facebook’s Terms of Service clearly states no FAKE OR IMPOSTER PROFILE ACCOUNTS. They will delete an account that has been deemed as fake. How they do it is up for speculation, usually reporting my comments made by others. It is unfair, but if you do not have a legal government document of your name on the account, then it will be deleted or purged. If you make another one, it will be deleted and purged.

 

 

2. No Godmodding:

 

Godmodding is named for the “godmod”. It is often find in a computer game  where you are in a cheat mode and you are invulnerable, have unlimited ammunition, can walk through walls, and etc.

 

In a RP there are two types of godmodding:

• Creating and using a character with no weaknesses, or a character with limitless or unbelievable resources or abilities at his disposal

• Writing your character doing things in the game that your character really has no plausible chance of achieving:

 

     For example, a ten-year-old padawan character taking on Darth Vader in a lightsaber duel and whipping the Sith Lord’s butt.

 

    Or saying you survived the explosion of the Death Star 1  because you created a Force Field.

 

Godmodding, in short, is CHEATING! It is looked down upon severely by all RPers.

 

DO NOT DO IT!

 

 

This is important because it alerts FB to question and investigate your account.

 

 

 

3. No RIDICULOUS Auto-Hitting also known as being a puppet master:

 

Normal autohitting is allowable so as long as it is not a mortal wound where death is achieved. Loosing hands and feet is par for the course for Star Wars. Other RPers will not like it done to them, but the technology is advanced enough to have replacement parts.

 

ACCEPTABLE:

 

•      “Luke swung at Darth Vader, and  hits him cutting off his cybernetic hand”

 

UNACCEPTABLE:

 

•      “Luke Force Severs Darth Vader, and then allows the Force Cancelling Ysalamir allow his Kaiburr Crystal Double-Bladed Sith Blade to chop him up so that he can serve to the Rancor on his Lambda Shuttle like Darth Malgus told him to do.”

 

The above is RIDICULOUS AUTO-HITTING because you are not giving the person RPing “Darth Vader” a chance to come up with a defense.

 

 

 

That goes without saying you do not kill another person’s character without his or her permission. This is called a “no kill” order. While it is fun to have “rage” and kill everything in site, your RP ought to reflect some semblance of a plot or reason for your presence on a RPer’s wall or in a RP group.

 

 

 

RP etiquette and protocol that deals with how to speak to people and engage them in RP is part of an advanced techniques course at SWPU.

 

In a more general sense, do not manage other people’s characters in any way, shape, or form. This means that you cannot control them, “character jack” them = doing wild things to them while they are absent, etc. unless they give you EXPLICIT permission.

 

 

 

Conversing with ANY RPers is by the privilege of the RPer. It is called SOCIAL MEDIA for a reason! You become sociable through decent casual conversation, pleasantries and allow the RPer to warm up to you on HIS or HER time!

 

DO NOT spam their wall with stupid apps, or demand them to play app games, post irrelevant lame one-liners that comes on to them or hits on them. DO NOT perpetuate vicious rumors that you think you may have heard about them. You also do not blowing up his or her chat unless they approach you directly or you are pleasant with them. Messaging them could get you blocked unless they are civil.

 

 

Watch and learn is a good rule of thumb.

 

Since you want to speak to veteran RPers, then YES, you DO have to impress them. The best way is to LEARN about their characters, is to discuss STAR WARS and their character in it!!! The WHOLE RP is about this one fact!!! Speak to RPers in a PUBLIC location, preferably in groups with civility, diplomacy, etiquette and protocol.

 

Basically, don’t be an asshole on someone’s own page, especially when you want the “job” of RPing with them.

 

Don’t cut off your nose despite your face…

 

 

 

4. The ADMINISTRATOR(S) word is final:

 

This is plain old common sense, but it is important to say it anyway. The RPers or administrators who started the page – or ADMINS – have the final say on any issue in the RP.  It does not matter how harsh the decision is; it is their RP – their house, they are your hosts, and you are their guest. A guest does not make a mess in their host’s house.

 

If a decision is bothering you so much that you do not want to continue RPing, you are always welcomed to take the liberty to leave – or why not consider starting up your own RP group?

 

CAUTION! These modified rules are a part of the SWAG 77 and the ISCA. It is plagiarism to use them without acknowledgement.

 

5. POST YOUR CHARACTER SHEET ON YOUR PROFILE:

 

You enter most RPs by posting a “character sheet” (character description – search for templates or wait for the course) . Everyone should be able to READ A CLEAR, CONCISE CHARACTER SHEET!

 

If you are new to RP, it is BEST for someone to “vouch” for your RP abilities that can be seen: in groups and other Social Media sites as Fan Fictions. Or be “mentored” by someone until you get your sheet completed.

 

Recommended: The RP should be seen and proven. Doing this avoids superfluous interactions, repeating your backstory or getting cyberbullied.

 

Some RPers will not friend you unless they can see your character sheet. Trying to figure out your character, cannot be done at the time of RP. It frustrates the others and they will tease you mercilessly if you flip flop between characters. Get at least some basics of your character down and work from there. Moreover, it improves your writing.