InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Hey Todd. How's it going?"

Edna Fran Wilson (ainsworthmods) wrote,
@ 2010-04-26 15:28:00

Entry tags:

frequently asked questions, rules

CODE OF CONDUCT
These rules apply to all players and moderators. Please give them some thoughtful consideration.

RULES

A. joining
There are 3 communities and 1 mod journal:

ainsworthooc,

ainsworthu,

ainsworthxchn,

ainsworthmods
Please join/friend them immediately after your character is approved.

B. rp style
This RPG is writing intensive. While there will be a character journal in which each character is allowed (and encouraged) to post (in first person, much like real life) the main focus will be on scenes. Scenes can come in more than one format, either through the traditional round-robin threading on the IC community, or through AIM scene logs or google doc scenes. Our only requirement is that you post all of your scenes, and that each one you post is well written and in paragraph form.

There are 3 different communities to take note of:

ainsworthooc: For all OOC (that would be "out of character") interactions

ainsworthu: For all scenes and threading. Please remember to tag and put the appropriate header.

ainsworthxchn: For all communications purposes. Emails, texts, phone calls, snail mail, etc. should go here with the correct header and tags.

Still confused? This might help.

C. dos and don'ts
(1) No real-life drama: See, life has this really annoying habit of sticking its nose everywhere it shouldn't be. Try your best to keep it out of the game play and if there is a problem that you have with another player, please take it up to the mods.

(2) Serious and dedicated writers only: As much as we're appreciative of younglings, a good RP simply can't survive on trashy writing. We wish that if you join, you are fairly decent in producing (not perfect, but at least) quality work.

(3) We would prefer that you be at least 18 years of age as we are inviting darker storylines that may not be appropriate for younger players. However, those younger than 18 may still apply, as we judge upon writing level and not age. We simply ask that you keep in mind that not all content here will be for everyone. (Then again, you can always choose to read what you want and not read what you don't want.)

(4) No god-moding: Don't control someone else's character unless you have gotten explicit permission.

(5) Darker content is allowed: This RP is pretty open minded and there is also no restriction on content ratings, however if anything gets a little too explicit, please put up a proper warning and place the post behind a cut. That said, please do not join for the sole purpose of smut and try to play with everyone rather than keep to one specific storyline. It's more fun that way.

(6) At least one thread every two weeks (per character): One week equals 7 (seven) days. This is essential to keep the RP alive. The mods will conduct monthly activity checks and you will receive one email warning if you failed to meet the requirements. Only threads will count toward your activity count; this means that anything posted in your character's journal or the communications community will not count. Those are, after all, only perks and not the point of this RP. However, if anything happens that prevents you from posting, let us know and we will be happy to give you a small break per your request. Again, the concept is if you don't have anything to write any more, why bother staying? Don't hold everyone else back with you.

(7) Plotting: P-plot? What plot? There you go, with that said, there is no such thing as messing up the plot (almost). The mods can only present to you a prompt (through campus-wide events, national event, swine flu, etc) - it is up to the players to drive the story home and alternate it to their fancy. That is the way an RP becomes fun and works out. If you DO have a question perhaps regarding some major change in the plot that you don't feel comfortable with, or if you just have ANYTHING you wish to discuss or ask, please contact a mod. Mods are here to help you out, we are not godly figures (although the thought is nice), we are just people like you so relax.

(8) IC actions will result in IC consequences: This is, after all, supposed to be realistic. While many of the students at Ainsworth could probably get away with more than your Average Joe, this does not mean they will be free to do whatever they want. After all, there will always be certain authorities that will disregard status and wealth and prosecute regardless. So, be careful what your characters do, as punishments will be dealt.

D. tagging
All entries in the communications and IC communities should be properly tagged. This may seem like a bit of a hassle, but in the long run, it is actually quite helpful. The mods will be using these tags for activity checks, and so if you don't properly tag your entries, you may be giving yourself unnecessary trouble. Don't worry if you forget once or twice though, because the mods will tag things for you when they spot it. Below is a short and sweet explanation of all the tags that should be included in your post. If you can't find the tag you're looking for, let a mod know and we'll create it for you.

ainsworthu:
!complete/!incomplete please tag all incomplete threads with the !incomplete and remember to go back and tag !complete when they are finished. This makes it easy to track what you have finished and what you still need to work on. As it stands, IJ does not allow members to remove tags, so just go ahead and tag the thread with !complete and a mod will remove the !incomplete tag for you.
(char) is for the characters involved in the threads. For example, if the character Jane Doe is in a thread, find the tag (char) jane doe for her. These will always be the character's full first and last name.
(player) is you. Every time you participate in a thread, please tag it with your name. For example, if the mods are needed to play Dean Wilson in a thread, the tag would be (player) mod

ainsworthxchn:
(char) is for the characters involved in the threads. For example, if the character Jane Doe is in a thread, find the tag (char) jane doe for her. These will always be the character's full first and last name.
(player) is you. Every time you participate in a thread, please tag it with your name. For example, if the mods are needed to play Dean Wilson in a thread, the tag would be (player) mod
(type) is the method of communications used. Phone, email, IM, etc. are all valid types. An example for this tag would be if Character A and Character B were having a phone conversation, the appropriate tag to use would be (type) phone.

E. journaling
Please make sure to keep track of everything going on via your friends page! There will be a lot of action, OOC posting, updates, etc. going on and it is vital that you are on top of everything. Also make sure to check once in a while to make sure that you have all the characters friended!

Make sure you follow all the instructions on the acceptance email once you receive it! It is especially important for you to post your character's profile before you begin making any more posts! Please do not friends-lock any of your posts!

~~Strike-outs~~ indicate text that has been marked out by the character and those texts are NOT known IC by the other characters.

Strike-Outs

Privated text should be in the following format:
[Private to --Name(s) here--]
Text here
[/Private]

These posts can only be viewed by the character(s) that were listed. Make sure to be specific as to who the private texts are addressed to. Do not do something vague like "Private to friends"!

Private Text

In the threads community, characters can post with their own journal and will include the following header before all threads:

Who: The characters involved in the thread (Also indicate if the thread is open or closed)
What: You don't need the entire thread already plotted out, but some indication of what will be going on is nice.
When: The day and time the thread takes place. Backlogging is always fine! Just remember to indicate it here.
Where: The setting of the thread.
Warnings: If there is anything out of the ordinary, always indicate it here. If there's adult content, write it here. If things develop as the thread goes along, please remember to update this! We don't want anyone reading something they don't want to read.

Also remember to tag your entry with the type of event it is (when applicable,) the players, and the characters involved! (If you forget, that's alright too. The mods periodically go around to make sure it is done!) Please keep large images and long

Header:

The communications community does not require a similar header. Simply indicate somewhere on the post (generally in the subject) what type of communication it is and who it is directed to. (I.E. having a subject of "Text to [Character]" works just fine.) Remember always to tag your threads accordingly and to list all warnings.

Emails are an exception and do need a specific header:

From: [Sender Name] <[first name initial][lastname]@ainsworth.edu>
To: [Recipient Name] <[first name initial][lastname]@ainsworth.edu>
Date: [Date email is sent]
Subject: [Subject of Email

Reminder that Ainsworth has its own IM and Email program. Each student and teacher have a specific email: (FIRST NAME INITIAL)(LAST NAME)@ainsworth.edu and it can also be used for IM purposes. For example, Henry Van Meer's email would be hvanmeer@ainsworth.edu and his IM information would be hvanmeer.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Have a question? Either comment here or email the mods at ainsworthu@gmail.com!

Q: When is this game set?
A: The game runs on the current U.S. calendar. If it's May 6, 2009 in the U.S., it's May 6, 2009 in the game. All holidays happen on their actual holidays as well!

Q: Is there a limit to how many characters I can play?
A: Currently, no. However, we ask that you use your own discretion. Remember that all characters have to follow the activity requirements, and so the more characters you have, the more you will be required to stay active. We would prefer that you have at least two or three completed threads per previous character before you apply for your next. This way, we know you're serious about the game and won't just pick up characters and not participate. We expect each of your characters to be different from the others and we want you to play with others and not yourself (what would the point of that be?)

Q: Can I play a character who's not from a wealthy/prominent family?
A: Yes! Ainsworth does give 'charity' sometimes. Scholarships will be awarded to middle-class (and very rarely lower-class) students who are either extremely intelligent and hard working (straight A students and high school valedictorians!) or extreme jocks who will take Ainsworth sports teams to the championships! But keep in mind that your character will most likely not be accepted into the mainstream of the school if that is the case.

Q: How old should my character be?
A: Since this is university, the age of each character will vary. We request that undergraduate students be between the ages of 18 and 22, but we don't have specifications for graduate students, just keep them real! Teachers should be over the age of 22 at least, and the age of staff members may vary.

Also, when choosing a face to play your character, please keep it real. If you're going to choose Shawn Ashmore for an undergraduate freshman for example, use images of him back when he was 18 or 19 and not ones of him when he's 28 or 29.

Q: What is this RPG rated?
A: Most of the game will probably be rated G/PG, but darker, more adult storylines are also welcomed. Just make sure you mark anything that's higher than PG-13.

Q: Is my student a 'newcomer' when I first join, or can he/she have been in school since his/her freshman year?
A: This is entirely up to you. We encourage students who have been in school since their freshman year (you will have a chance to make storylines with existing students, no worries!) but we welcome transfer students at the beginning of each school year. A few exceptions can be made for students from particularly rich and well-known families to transfer in the middle of the school year.

Q: There's a club/organization I want my character to join but it's not on the list, what do I do?
A: Feel free to suggest clubs and organizations to the mods! Please include a description of the club/organization and we'll consider it. Most likely, it will be made, unless it is really far out there.