Roleplay Rules and Regulations

This sticky is part of the overall initiative to improve the quality of this section. It is effective immediately, and all threads or posts made after its creation will be subject to the rules enclosed. Those who do not follow the rules will be given a single warning, after which they will be punished.

On making new RP threads

~If this is your first time in here, try to run through a few games with another DM before making one yourself.
~For the love of all things holy, please, PLEASE give your RP a title. "new dnd" and such will be renamed as the moderator wishes. And some of us have really strange ways of thinking (I'm looking at you Swindle). If in doubt, use the template of "Noun of the Adjective Noun."
~Put some effort into your creation. The barebones minimum is:
*A character sheet (Name, class, race, abilities, equipment, background, personality, looks, etcetera)
*Backstory of some sort, setting up the stage for the game.
*A basic understanding of how the game will be played. Will it be based on numbers rolled by dice applets? A simple game of word and wit? Can the players assume things on the part of the plot?
~Try to be serious.
~If your RP is popular, you may want to create a separate Sign-Up topic to keep track. Ask a moderator if a Sign-Up topic is appropriate for you.
~If your RP's title is gratuitously mis-spelled, it's gone. If you can't take the effort to look up how to spell the part of the RP people see first, you will likely not put enough effort into the RP itself.

So far, people have used the following templates for creating characters:
*D&D template: Class, Race, STR, DEX, CON, etc. This RP is suited for the D&D style of playing, including combat and skill checks.
*Roleplay template: Class, Race, Personality, etc. This template is useful for roleplaying without having to go through 20 turns just to kill a goblin, This template allows a better-flowing story and richer characters, but players must be trusted to not be over-powered.
*RPG template: HP, MP, etc. This seems to be a new trend because many people do not own D&D books or are unable to produce a deep and exciting character. This template has a broader appeal at the cost of quality and balance.

~If you are using an RPG template instead of the D&D or Roleplay methods of calculating stats, specify how to calculate them or give them out to your players yourself. This helps create a balanced game and stops people from whining.

On posting in old topics

DO's:
~Do PM a moderator if you want to bump up a thread that's older than a week old since last post.
~Do look for active RPs to join rather than resurrecting dead ones.

DONT'S
~DO NOT bring up old RP threads if the DM has a current one already.
~DO NOT post crap like "r we goin 2 pley" in a thread that's clearly dead.
~DO NOT post in a thread that has not been posted in for over a week. Instead, contact the DM to check whether it's still being played.

On joining and posting in an RP thread

~If you wish to play as a race or class not covered by the Player's Handbook, make sure that either you have the appropriate materials, or if you made the class up that the DM approves.
IF THE RP IS NEW:
~Read the first post very carefully before posting an application. It may require you to do something different from regular RPs, so pay attention!
~If the DM requires backgrounds or personalities (which they should), follow this simple guide to determine if that RP is right for you:
*If you think "lawful dwarf" is a proper personality, think again.
*"Cool, friendly and heroic" is possibly the stupidest poop you can put down. This is the RP section, not cookie-cutter Fantasy novels.
*When you put down a personality, tend to stick with it. The name of this section means to take on a role, and if you're just going to be yourself then why did you come here? Go play outside.
~Try to be original. Most people play lawful good characters whether they try to or not. Break apart from the mold! Play a treacherous back-stabbing egoist or a deranged Pyrokineticist. Try out a character with some sort of personal conflict. Be creative.
~Do not try to overrule the DM's decision if you are rejected. Of course, they should give tips for improvement as well.

IF THE RP IS OLD
~If there's a Sign-Up thread for that RP, head on there. If not, DO NOT POST in the thread. PM the DM. Posting in the middle of a story disrupts it.

PLAYING AN RP
~Try to pretend you're writing a book. Instead of "I look in the chest" try "Grenth slowly moves across the room, eyes darting to and fro. A small chest in the corner catches his attention and he quickly walks over there and peers inside".
~Going with the general theme of "trying", please try to make posts more than a sentence long.
~The edit button is your friend, use it.

ummm i already have 3 rps..can i keep them because this wasnt posted when i made them?

Erhm, there's no RP number limitation.