Rules & Expectations
The Mods of the_metroplex would love it if there didn't have to be any rules at all because rules just have to be enforced, and we'd really love it if everyone just behaved and focused on the enjoyment of RPing and creating a world together. However, since not everyone has the same innate ideas about how, we have compiled a list of rules to let everyone know what we expect of our players and of ourselves.
1. Posting Requirements
We expect all characters to post at least once every month. Of course, the more active a character is, the better, so there is no maximum amount of posting that you can do in the_metroplex. To make sure everyone understands, for purposes of meeting the minimum posting requirement, a post is any substantial in-game interaction, either in a post begun by the character, or in another character's post. It does not usually include introspects or emails, though those are certainly welcome and encouraged. If your character has a compelling reason to post more solo posts than interactive threads, you should discuss this with the Mods.
As for backdating, we will allow it up to two days, but backdating should only be used under dire circumstances. If it becomes necessary that a post has to be backdated beyond those two days, you'll need to consult the mods. If you are posting to start a thread which you may not get back to until the next day, you must post the beginning of the thread (header, cut, introductory paragraph) as the place-holder. Any posts that simply say ‘place holder’ will be deleted.
If you fail to meet your minimum requirement for posting and have not spoken to the Mods, you will receive a warning. If there is no post from that character within the week, we will remove you from the game. Please note that all character journals will remain your property if you leave the game. There will be no recasting of original characters. However, any canon established for your character in the game will remain as it will affect other characters up until the time you leave.
You can purchase paid time/extra icons for your journal if you choose. However, this will be your choice and the mods will not reimburse you for the expense.
2. General Player Etiquette
Everyone here is a grown up and is expected to treat each other with respect. Don't doubt that miscommunication can and does happen for many reasons, from software failures to human assumption-making, so please don't allow a situation to become a drama when there's no actual ill intent. RP should be fun, and wank & over-the-top drama are NOT fun for the Mods of this game, so if they are fun for you, this is probably not your kind of game. So don't do it. To help with that, here are a few clarifications. This section is rather long, but we hope we've covered the most important areas for everyone so that this game environment can be a fun and enjoyable experience for all.
This part is sometimes difficult for new RPers to get a handle on. Please read carefully.
If and when referencing other characters' behavior in your posts, please make sure you check with the other player first. Give them reasonable time to respond (reasonable: if you're emailing them out of the blue, that might be a couple of days; if you're already chatting with them, it'd be more immediate) and if there is no reply, you may use a vague reference that suits known information about that character. For instance, if Jane and Mike are both characters who live in an apartment block, Mike can say he saw Jane in the parking lot, but he can't say she was there blowing up a car. Also, if Mike is away on holiday for a week, Jane can't say she saw him there that week.
Power playing is not allowed at all. Power playing is when you move another character or make another character that does not belong to you act/speak in a manner that is not approved by that character's author, or when your character does things which significantly change the world in which we are all playing, such as creating whole new languages or having a hostage situation. If you feel as if someone is power playing, please contact the Mods.
However, of course, it's not always quite that simple. This game is also about the characters working together, and some characters might be inclined to try to say what they need to their own advantage. If a character states something that is wrong in a context in which she or he is possibly trying to influence someone, that might be all right; for instance, if Bob wants the new office to have a sauna, he can say he knows the boss always wanted that even though of course the boss has never stated or thought any such thing. Mary, on hearing this, can believe Bob, or can go asking around as to whether this is true.
Similarly, a character might have a mistaken idea about something and state it as fact when it is not, in the same way two people might have different methods of any given household task and each swear theirs is the best/only way. If Mark’s favorite football team has always done best while he watches while standing on one foot, he may feel it's really the only way, and say so, which doesn't mean the same team won’t win when Shannon’s on two feet (or while jumping up in the air) just fine and say so.
Also, players may NOT retroactively remove their characters from a previously-played arc without Mod approval. For instance, if Rachel agrees to help Ryan build a house, and then, after they've begun, Rachel's Author finds the plot isn't working, she may not go back and edit Rachel out or delete. She may post her ruminations about how this association isn't working, and bring the plot to an end.
Other examples of problems can include: in-character knowledge of and responses to events the character cannot possibly know, and, out of character manipulation. What you, as the author, know versus what your character knows are two entirely different things and should remain that way (e.g., Kate is thinking how much she hates Mary yet smiles and gives all appearances of being friendly. As Mary's Author, you know what Kate is thinking, but Mary only sees the smile and hears the friendly words, so her reaction is based on what SHE sees/hears, not what you read/know). Manipulation of an author is not tolerated. This could be one author telling another how his character would or would not react (e.g., Kate's Author tells Mary's Author how Mary will or should or must react to Kate's behavior). It is fair game for Kate's Author to tell Mary's that if Mary does X, Kate will do Y, but she can't require anything, and can't attempt to effectively blackmail Mary's Author into compliance. Communication between authors is important. Again, you control only your own character(s), and your characters do not know everything you do.
If the Mods are pointed toward any thread in which it seems there has been Godmodding, they may: ask players to revise; ask that the thread stop until the situation can be resolved; and/or call a chat of involved players. Please do not take any of this personally--it's easy enough to start in a direction and lose sight of the overall direction of the game, but it's part of the Mods' job to keep the overall game in mind.
If you have any questions regarding this, please don't hesitate to contact the Mods.
3. Icons
Please make sure your choice is age-appropriate, and please be realistic. The majority of the people in the world aren't pretty & perfect, and your PB should reflect that. If you're having trouble finding a PB, ask your Mods and they will do their best to assist you. The Mods do reserve the right to veto a PB choice and would provide an explanation as to why, should that happen. We would prefer that all players shy away from choosing the more commonly used PBs and very well-known celebrities as those might be more likely to be banned. It is unlikely that we will accept models, political figures or real (non celebrity) people as PB choices, so please consider other choices. We do ask that icons used not have words or fancy techniques that alter colors (beyond b&w or sepia) or add sparklies etc.
4. Shipping
While the game is not specifically ship-oriented, we are aware that shipping will occur. However, there are players who are here to create characters and not ship, so respect your fellow authors and their boundaries. There might be chemistry between characters, but that does not mean there will be a ship. One of the characters might not be interested in more than casual flirting or the author might want to explore all kinds of relationships and not just romantic. There will be no pressure from anyone to force a ship in this game.
In regards to shipping, we would prefer that the focus be on characterization and development for the first few weeks of game play. We'd rather not see immediate relationships to begin with -- giving all the players a chance to get to know one another and flesh out characterizations. Until you know your character, you're unlikely to know who they might want to date anyway. So, we would like to request that authors do not pre-set shipping or arrange shipping before characters even meet and interact for any reason, especially not just because their PBs look hot together. It really is better if relationships develop through interaction and not through pre-arranged plotting because it lets the characters decide who they do and don’t find attractive and provides a better flow.
the_metroplex is both het and slash friendly. We ask that any ship not overshadow plot development and characterization. Also, shipping with any NPC characters or those currently not in play is not allowed without Mod approval. We want to see interactions (both friendly and romantic) based on the characters in play. While NPCs might be necessary for general things, this isn’t a place to just play with yourself because that defeats the purpose of the RPing! Any character who is under the age of 18 is not allowed to participate in any adult threads (i.e. sexual situations beyond kissing).
5. Plots
The Mods will occasionally provide overarching game plots. However, we do expect players to incorporate smaller character arcs into the game. Any smaller plot arc that will have an impact on the_metroplex is asked to be cleared with the Mods first. This includes such things as new businesses, marriage, pregnancy, private parties, other things that greatly change the current world or other plots that could potentially involve large groups of people. Please email the Mods with your ideas before you begin seriously plotting, just in case the Mods have concerns, request alterations to the idea, or reject the plot.
Once a plot has been approved, you're welcome to post a brief synopsis to metroauthors to get further input from players or to recruit people to help with your character arc. This also will ensure that we do not have two plots of similar nature occurring at the same time (such as two pregnancies or two major break-ups), though the Mods will do their best to keep track of such things, of course.
The Mods do reserve the right to veto proposed plots. If we do turn it down, do not take it personally. We have to take into consideration where the game is and if the plot is appropriate. Sometimes plots have a further reaching effect than one could even imagine. We usually don't turn down plots, but there are occasions where we may. It's nothing personal!
6. Other Miscellaneous Things
Spelling and Grammar - Proper spelling and grammar is expected at all times. A few spelling mistakes are allowable, but we don't want to see AOLNetspeak around. LJ does have an easy to use spellchecker for both posts and comments. This is an RP thread based game and not an IM based game, so spellchecker is right there for use.
Tagging - Please make sure you don't give one to three sentence tags consistently. If a character is involved in a fast-paced conversation, such replies are allowable. However, we expect fleshed out characterizations and posts in most circumstances.
Author Chats - We will be hosting chats for player interaction, plotting, and discussion. These chats are not mandatory (as we know people's schedules vary and RL happens), but we do encourage attending them whenever possible. It is a nice way to stay actively involved with the game, plots, and other players. They will be held on a messenger service or via an LJ post, depending on what bests the players at any given time.
Age Limit - This game will eventually have adult content, so we do require that applicants be 18 or older, or of the legal majority in their country.
Real Life Issues - Since this game is set in the real world, there will presumably be real issues dealt within by the characters. This could include politics, religion, sexuality, gender, and race issues that people deal with in their everyday lives. Authors will need to understand this and keep themselves separate from their characters. If a character has a thought/belief that opposes you or your character’s own beliefs, it is not to be taken as a personal attack or even as the author’s own beliefs because the characters will not be the author. In other words, if a character is a Republican/Democratic/Christian/Wicca/Atheist/Homosexual/Homophobe/Feminist/Chauvinist etc. this does not mean the author is attacking you or your character or that you are attacking the other author if two characters disagree or even fight over issues important to you as an author. This also does not mean that an author can use their character to attack another character due to OOC issues or things like that. We’re all mature adults here. Any questions, ask the Mods.
7. Communication with the Mods
Please feel free to contact your Mods at any time with questions, comments or concerns. If there is a problem in the game of any sort, the Mods won't know about it unless you come talk to us. Please send an email to the Mods at metroplexmods@gmail.com so we can look over the problem and we can act accordingly. We will do our best to resolve any problems as quickly as possible, but please do understand that we all have RL and it might require a day or two to work out a solution.
Our contact info:
Inell (Jack Avery & Tyler Ross): YM: inell1331 // email: inell13@gmail.com // LJ: inell