Poseidon Academy RPG - Freeform RPing

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Nov 20, 2009, 11:42pm

Poseidon Academy RPG :: Important Information :: ***Rules & Information*** :: Freeform RPing - Detailed Explanation

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LegolianM
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Freeform RPing - Detailed Explanation
« Thread Started on Sept 21, 2006, 8:05am »

First, the answer to the question EVERYONE asks -

IT IS NEVER ALRIGHT TO ROLEPLAY ONE CHARACTER IN TWO PLACES, NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE. YOU CAN ONLY ROLEPLAY ONE CHARACTER IN ONE PLACE AT A TIME.

Got that? Let's continue.

We all know that the RP is moving very, very slowly right now. After some mod discussion, we’ve decided to post a detailed explanation for what “freeform” RPing is and how it works in order to clear up any confusion over this. If, after reading through this, you still have questions, please contact a GM or other mod directly.

What is “freeform”?

Freeform roleplaying is, in a nutshell, roleplaying without regard to dates and times. You don’t have to start off on Monday, RP that entire day minute by minute, go to sleep, and wake up on Tuesday. Rather, you can wake up whatever morning you want, RP whatever parts of that day you want to, and then move on to either the next day, or perhaps the day after, or maybe even the next week if you’d like. So, if there’s something you’d like to happen in a week and you don’t want to RP all the days to get there, you can simply skip ahead to that week.

Now, I know what you’re going to ask – what if no one else is a week ahead and we wind up there all alone with no one else to RP with? That’s another joy of freeform – it doesn’t matter what date you or other players are in. You can be in Tuesday, and another player can be in Thursday, and the two of you can still have lunch together. Why? Because the actual dates do not matter. All that matters is that you’re both in the same time of day, since you can’t have breakfast with someone who’s currently having dinner.

For example –

Bob is RPing on a Monday. He and George want to go out to the beach together. George is RPing on Thursday of the next week. The two of them can STILL go to the beach together, providing they’re in the same time of day, i.e. evening. As long as Bob is not in the morning and George is not at night, they can still RP together even if they aren’t in the same day.

So then, if you have a character who has to be away for a week, or perhaps was injured badly and was sent to the hospital, you don’t have to stop RPing to wait for them to return. You can simply skip ahead to the time of their return and continue without any delay.

You may have to contact players and try to coordinate things if there’s someone in specific you really want to RP with but they aren’t quite in the same time as you are. Send some PMs, chat a bit, and decide what you want to do; sometimes it’s easier to RP if there’s been a little bit of prior planning.

What about classes?

Classes are optional to RP. Now, this does not mean that your character doesn’t have to attend classes. They will still get written up and sent to the Hall of Shame if they’re skipping, however, you yourself do not have to actually RP each class. It’s the same as if your character was sent away somewhere else for a week – RP before the class, stating that you’re going there, and then skip directly to AFTER class and continue on. Make sure that your character knows he or she went to English or Biology – just because it wasn’t RPed doesn’t mean they were not there. If your character DID skip, then make sure to say that so that we know he or she was actually skipping.

Now, concerning the actual class work and homework – so that your character knows what his or her homework is, each teacher can post up their class lessons/homework assignments in this section. This is also something that is optional; if your teacher hasn’t posted up an assignment, then you can create whichever assignment you think you would have. Just as long as your character doesn’t think they have no homework just because nothing has been posted up by their teacher – they will have homework to do, since this IS a school.

You CAN still RP classes if you really want to, but if you do, please make sure to contact the other people who are in the class you wish to RP in order to make sure you will have other people to RP with.

What if someone gets too far ahead? What about holidays?

We would like to be able to RP the holidays and events as a whole, as they are school functions that everyone would participate in (or at least know of) at the same time. So please, while RPing at your own pace, do not start RPing holidays or other such events by yourself. You can go along however far ahead you’d like, but the GMs will announce when the holidays, events, and other school functions occur. No matter how far ahead you’ve gotten, you will still be able to participate in these events, because, as stated earlier, dates do not matter.

As well as holidays, the GMs will also be announcing the changes in the seasons, in order to prevent someone in winter clothes from encountering someone who's dressed for summer. So really, it's somewhat difficult to get TOO far ahead; no matter how many days you've RPed in comparison to someone else, you'll still be in the same part of the year, and you'll still be RPing holidays together. You just don't have to stay in the same day or week as they are.

The weather will continue to stay updated in the Weather section. This weather effects the entire forum, regardless of where or when you are. So just because you're a week ahead doesn't mean you can disregard the forum weather - if it says it's raining, then it's raining no matter where you are.

Also, a reminder - only player-teachers can begin threads for their classes. The same thing goes for all other activities that staff members run, such as track team, swim team, or drama club - only the teacher in charge can begin a thread for these activities. The only time the students can begin a thread is if the teacher in charge is an NPC.

Finally - just use some common sense. Keep things as realistic as possible. Go out, have fun, and don’t let restrictions of “it’s Monday at 12:34” tie you down. If you want to be in Wednesday, then be in Wednesday! If you want to skip straight from morning to evening, then go right ahead; it’s freeform. You can RP wherever, and whenever you want, with whoever you want to RP with no matter what day they’re in.

Got it? Make sense? If not, send someone (aka me, Piru, RZ… anyone with “Game Master” written over their head) a PM and we’ll try to explain it better.

C'mon guys, let's get this place moving!

« Last Edit: Jun 22, 2007, 10:44pm by LegolianM »

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LegolianM
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Re: Freeform RPing - Detailed Explanation
« Reply #1 on Jan 3, 2007, 6:09pm »

A bit more about freeform, and how to set up a post.
(Originally written by Mouse)

Regarding time:

This will be a freeform rpg. This means there are no set rules for the passage of time, or what time it should be. These things will be established by players themselves as they go along.

For Example. The opening post of a new game thread should establish not only where the character is and what they are doing, but what time of day it is. This need not be overt (you don’t need to write ’11 am’ at the top of the post or anything).

Quote:

Poseidon Academy was always beautiful at sunset. The brilliant reds and golds refracting off the ocean and the cream buildings, filling the grounds with an ethereal glow. The beauty only lasted a few minutes each day before the sun dipped so low the effect was lost, but Cusirimay made a habit of being outside for it.

She sat on the bench beside the long, wide avenue that led from the school buildings to the dormitories, an old battered copy of Nineteen Eighty-Four open on her lap. Her attention wasn’t on the book though. At this time of day the avenue was busy, as classes ended and students headed back to their rooms. Cusi enjoyed observing them… and lately there had been more new faces than before to get to know.

You can see there how the post sets up the time and place, and states the character and what they are doing. Others who then join the thread will follow the lead of the first poster… that is, they will go along with the fact it is sunset.

*****

In the case of classes/planned meetings at a later time between characters, the same principal will apply. The ‘leading’ character will state the time and such in the initial post.

For Example:

Bob, Fred, and Jim have been rp’ing in the library. Bob started the thread, and stated it was morning. The trio converse for a while, but then Fred has to leave. The trio decide that they will meet for lunch at the refectory.

Now, the people playing the three characters would have an OOC chat, either on messenger or in PM’s, and decide if the ‘lunch’ rp will start immediately or if their characters have other places to be/things to do before then. If so, they will go off and do those things. When the three characters are free again and ready to pick up the lunch part of the rp, a lead character will make the initial post at the refec.

****

As you can see, this is a very fluid, loose way of playing. It relies on communication and also initiative from the players. The easiest way to get into it is just to play and let things flow, get into synch with the other characters. I know it may seem a little strange at first, but when you get into it it’s perhaps the easiest way to play. Any questions, please ask me and I will attempt to clarify. But other than that, just jump in. ^___^

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