Post by CASPER on Jun 15, 2010 19:16:47 GMT -5
INTRODUCTION
So, if you're new to post-by-post roleplaying online, you might be wondering how to go about doing so successfully without looking too much like an idiot or feeling awkward by asking the staff of a website so many questions. (Even though they'd be more than glad to answer and help you out.) So we'll break this down: Simply put, post-by-post means that you type and post a story segment and then someone else replies to your story with their own. Then, you can post again. Obviously, roleplaying implies that you assume the role of a fictional character (or characters). For move information on creating characters, see the Rules page or the Character Bios page
In Character (IC)
This is your character, your role. All of your posts in character reflect the personality and behavior of your character. This means that anything and everything you type/say is their story and their interactions with the world and others. For In Character rules, see the Rules page (IC Rules Section).
Out of Character (OOC)
This is, well, you, yourself. For Out of Character Rules, see the Rules page (General Rules Section).
Regular Posting
There will be times, either to create plots, request pictures or to just generally interact with other members, that you will post Out of Character.
Role Play (RP) Posting
Well, first off, all posting is done In Character (or IC). Full sentences and proper structure are very much appreciated, but please no chat speak in character. Even out of character, some of us have a hard time understanding mass strings of letters and number sound a-likes, so keep your abbreviations to a minimum.
Tense and Point of View (POV)
Tense is when in time and POV is from what point of view your character is written. The most common form to roleplay under and the preferred on this site, is third person past tense. This means your sentences will look something like: "He went to the store." NOT "I am going to the store."
Post Length
Every site is different. Some require a post to be 150 words or more, others 250 or more. Here, we require a 200 word minimum. But despite all this apparent length, the absolute minimum is eight sentences, or one full, school determined paragraph. This is excepting dialogue. Can't think of what to write about? The landscape is always a good start, and also the character's thoughts about what they're experiencing or about another character.
Posting Order
If more than two people are in a thread together, please remember the posting order. Don't skip someone when it's their turn.
Example:
Person One posts
Person Two posts
Person Three posts
Person One posts
Person Two posts...
If Person One posts again, before Person Three, that will make Person Three mad. And that's not supporting harmonious relations.
Conventions
Periods, commas, colons, semi-colons, parenthesis, hyphens, exclamation points, question marks, brackets, dashes, apostrophes, and quotation marks. All comma, high school grammar that is easy to forget. You won't get killed for not using them, or using them incorrectly, but fellow site members and everyone who reads your post will appreciate it if they don't have to figure out where sentences end.
Character's Speech
This is the easiest case to review. You simply put whatever it is your character says in "quotation marks." In addition to this, changing the color of you text when a character speaks is very helpful. In large posts or paragraphs, it can be hard to pick out those pesky "" hiding near the bottom of the words above.
Character's Thoughts
These are the specific, fully structured thoughts, basically something the character says aloud in their head. Usually, you see these italicized, like so, when reading a novel. In some instances, such as manuscripts, thoughts are underlined. But you shouldn't have to do that.
Character's Sound Actions
This includes things like sighing, groaning, laughing, sounds that you make that aren't in word format. Chat speak isn't the way of the literate, grammatically correct world, and if you ever plan to write a story, be it professionally of for fun, you can't use *sigh* in text. That's wrong. Don't do it, or someone might eat you. But to avoid that, simply put it in sentence form. "He sighed when practice was canceled due to the rain." You've explained something and used "sigh" correctly In Character. And guess what? You've used more words too!
Sound effects, such as "Phew," are simply words with sound meaning; an onomatopoeia. These you simply put in quotes.
Other Formatting
You can change the text color, the text font, the alignment, and other things in a post. These are only some of the ways you can format your text.
Examples:
Example text
Example text
Example text
Example text
Example text
user@domain.com
Click here!
www.domain.com
Click here!
Example text
Example text
Example text
Tables
You see those pretty chart-like things with pictures at the top or bottom (or both)? Tables are simply fancy ways to post IC. You don't need a table to start posting, but if you'd like one, you can make a request from another member in the site's local Studio board.
Boards
You may notice the different boards on the forum, you know, those rectangular things that you can click on and are all related to each other, a collection of mini-forums, so to speak.
General
There are General boards, where you can read the rules, check out announcements, create character bios, read bios, adopt characters, suggest ideas, and retrieve other OOC information you need to get started. The staff board will either be located here, or in the OOC board.
Species
At PR we have two separate ways of defining our wolves. The first is called a species. Basically your wolf will have a species (ie. Maned wolf, Arctic Wolf, Grey Wolf) Which will basically serve as a basis of what your character will look like.
Races
At PR we have specialized "races" that you can choose from to place your wolf into. This is also the second way we define our wolves here at Psychosis Rebirth. Basically your wolf will have a species (look above), as well as a race[/s]. This will serve to see what 'powers' or 'gifts' of that specific race.
Formalities
At PR, we have a separate board called Formalities. There are two very important sub-boards here.
Wilderness
This is the no man's land, where it doesn't matter what your character's allegiances is; the rules of everyday life in the pack don't apply here. So, if you have a terrified pup wandering around, something bad might happen. On the other hand, you might meet a friend you never would get to see otherwise.
Pack Lands
Each of the five packs on PR have their own lands with three sub-boards each. Ample room for you character to run around in, provided they are members of that pack. Trespassing on another packs land might not get you killed, but you'll be at the mercy of the wolves it belongs to, provided you get caught, of course. Pack wolves who trespass on a different pack's territory could cause social problems between the two packs. Loners, on the other hand, have only their lives to bargain with. Bu that said, a lot of good plots and story-lines begin by breaking the rules...
Entry Lands
In addition to the three sub-boards, there is a single "entry" board which serves as the "border" into the packs' territory. This is the only one of the four boards within the packs' category that loner wolves, or wolves from a different pack, can post in without having to abide by that packs' laws.
OOC
There are also OOC boards, which include art studios, character "diaries," character plot creations, games (either IC of OOC), and other chat areas.
So, if you're new to post-by-post roleplaying online, you might be wondering how to go about doing so successfully without looking too much like an idiot or feeling awkward by asking the staff of a website so many questions. (Even though they'd be more than glad to answer and help you out.) So we'll break this down: Simply put, post-by-post means that you type and post a story segment and then someone else replies to your story with their own. Then, you can post again. Obviously, roleplaying implies that you assume the role of a fictional character (or characters). For move information on creating characters, see the Rules page or the Character Bios page
In Character (IC)
This is your character, your role. All of your posts in character reflect the personality and behavior of your character. This means that anything and everything you type/say is their story and their interactions with the world and others. For In Character rules, see the Rules page (IC Rules Section).
Out of Character (OOC)
This is, well, you, yourself. For Out of Character Rules, see the Rules page (General Rules Section).
Regular Posting
There will be times, either to create plots, request pictures or to just generally interact with other members, that you will post Out of Character.
Role Play (RP) Posting
Well, first off, all posting is done In Character (or IC). Full sentences and proper structure are very much appreciated, but please no chat speak in character. Even out of character, some of us have a hard time understanding mass strings of letters and number sound a-likes, so keep your abbreviations to a minimum.
Tense and Point of View (POV)
Tense is when in time and POV is from what point of view your character is written. The most common form to roleplay under and the preferred on this site, is third person past tense. This means your sentences will look something like: "He went to the store." NOT "I am going to the store."
Post Length
Every site is different. Some require a post to be 150 words or more, others 250 or more. Here, we require a 200 word minimum. But despite all this apparent length, the absolute minimum is eight sentences, or one full, school determined paragraph. This is excepting dialogue. Can't think of what to write about? The landscape is always a good start, and also the character's thoughts about what they're experiencing or about another character.
Posting Order
If more than two people are in a thread together, please remember the posting order. Don't skip someone when it's their turn.
Example:
Person One posts
Person Two posts
Person Three posts
Person One posts
Person Two posts...
If Person One posts again, before Person Three, that will make Person Three mad. And that's not supporting harmonious relations.
Conventions
Periods, commas, colons, semi-colons, parenthesis, hyphens, exclamation points, question marks, brackets, dashes, apostrophes, and quotation marks. All comma, high school grammar that is easy to forget. You won't get killed for not using them, or using them incorrectly, but fellow site members and everyone who reads your post will appreciate it if they don't have to figure out where sentences end.
Character's Speech
This is the easiest case to review. You simply put whatever it is your character says in "quotation marks." In addition to this, changing the color of you text when a character speaks is very helpful. In large posts or paragraphs, it can be hard to pick out those pesky "" hiding near the bottom of the words above.
Character's Thoughts
These are the specific, fully structured thoughts, basically something the character says aloud in their head. Usually, you see these italicized, like so, when reading a novel. In some instances, such as manuscripts, thoughts are underlined. But you shouldn't have to do that.
[i]italicized character's thoughts[/i]Character's Sound Actions
This includes things like sighing, groaning, laughing, sounds that you make that aren't in word format. Chat speak isn't the way of the literate, grammatically correct world, and if you ever plan to write a story, be it professionally of for fun, you can't use *sigh* in text. That's wrong. Don't do it, or someone might eat you. But to avoid that, simply put it in sentence form. "He sighed when practice was canceled due to the rain." You've explained something and used "sigh" correctly In Character. And guess what? You've used more words too!
Sound effects, such as "Phew," are simply words with sound meaning; an onomatopoeia. These you simply put in quotes.
Other Formatting
You can change the text color, the text font, the alignment, and other things in a post. These are only some of the ways you can format your text.
Examples:
[b]Example text[/b]Example text
[s]Example text[/s][i]Example text[/i]Example text
[u]Example text[/u]Example text
[align=left]Example text[/align]Example text
[align=center]Example text[/align]Example text
[align=right]Example text[/align]Example text
[email]user@domain.com[/email]user@domain.com
[email=user@domain.com]Click here![/email]Click here!
[url]http://www.domain.com[/url]www.domain.com
[url=http://www.domain.com]Click here![/url]Click here!
[size=7]Example text[/size]Example text
[font=impact]Example text[/font]Example text
[color=blue]Example text[/color]Example text
[img]http://209.85.12.234/html/emoticons/cool.gif[/img][ul][li]Item [/li][li]Item[/li][/ul]- Item
- Item
[quote]Example text[/quote]Example text
[code]Example text[/code]Tables
You see those pretty chart-like things with pictures at the top or bottom (or both)? Tables are simply fancy ways to post IC. You don't need a table to start posting, but if you'd like one, you can make a request from another member in the site's local Studio board.
Boards
You may notice the different boards on the forum, you know, those rectangular things that you can click on and are all related to each other, a collection of mini-forums, so to speak.
General
There are General boards, where you can read the rules, check out announcements, create character bios, read bios, adopt characters, suggest ideas, and retrieve other OOC information you need to get started. The staff board will either be located here, or in the OOC board.
Species
At PR we have two separate ways of defining our wolves. The first is called a species. Basically your wolf will have a species (ie. Maned wolf, Arctic Wolf, Grey Wolf) Which will basically serve as a basis of what your character will look like.
Races
At PR we have specialized "races" that you can choose from to place your wolf into. This is also the second way we define our wolves here at Psychosis Rebirth. Basically your wolf will have a species (look above), as well as a race[/s]. This will serve to see what 'powers' or 'gifts' of that specific race.
Formalities
At PR, we have a separate board called Formalities. There are two very important sub-boards here.
Wilderness
This is the no man's land, where it doesn't matter what your character's allegiances is; the rules of everyday life in the pack don't apply here. So, if you have a terrified pup wandering around, something bad might happen. On the other hand, you might meet a friend you never would get to see otherwise.
Pack Lands
Each of the five packs on PR have their own lands with three sub-boards each. Ample room for you character to run around in, provided they are members of that pack. Trespassing on another packs land might not get you killed, but you'll be at the mercy of the wolves it belongs to, provided you get caught, of course. Pack wolves who trespass on a different pack's territory could cause social problems between the two packs. Loners, on the other hand, have only their lives to bargain with. Bu that said, a lot of good plots and story-lines begin by breaking the rules...
Entry Lands
In addition to the three sub-boards, there is a single "entry" board which serves as the "border" into the packs' territory. This is the only one of the four boards within the packs' category that loner wolves, or wolves from a different pack, can post in without having to abide by that packs' laws.
OOC
There are also OOC boards, which include art studios, character "diaries," character plot creations, games (either IC of OOC), and other chat areas.
Copyright to Psychosis Rebirth Staff