Rules and Conventions
Game Rules and Conventions.
Unlike face-to-face games, play-by-post games require a set of different conventions.
1) Do Not Meta-Game
"Meta-Gaming" is where a player uses information or knowledge not available to their character.
2) Do Not Lie, Cheat or Steal From Other Characters.
The basic social agreement of gaming is that players will work together. The game is dangerous enough for the characters without their colleagues actively trying to get them killed. Also note that while this sort of behaviour might seem like fun role-playing many players approach this as a relaxation from such behaviour. Please be considerate.
3) Be Aware Your Actions Have Reactions.
You are not an island, mistreating NPCs will eventually get out, you will find it difficult to interact peacefully with the world if you have a reputation for torture or murder. It's a tough world but there are obvious over-reactions that will impact negatively on your reputations, you have been warned.
4) You may NOT kill or attack with intent to harm another PC without prior GM approval.
The GM reserves the right to make an empathy roll, if you fail this roll you cannot bring yourself to harm the other player, although you're more than welcome to be bitter and nasty! The GM may well re-roll this without your knowledge as time and the campaign goes on, so you may 'be pushed too far' and be told
that you are ready for violent confrontation, but PCs aren't permitted to open up on other PCs willy-nilly.
5) Turns: The GM posts Two times a week, UK Tuesday and Friday
You must have your response in before then or you are NPC'd for that turn. If you miss three turns without telling anyone, your PC is 'walked offstage' and out of the game. If something catastrophic has occurred, your PC is then brought back on when you can play again.
6) Players MUST answer other players
You should always answer any speech directed at your character, even if it's to only post something like 'I ignore Primus.' If this isn't instituted some players aren't answered and are stuck waiting for a response, missing turns and slowing everything down. Sometimes this turns into the dreaded 'talking to the air' where players address the air rather than be held up.
7) PCs must NOT 'think aloud' about other PCs.
Never post 'Secundus thinks Primus is a total jerk, his plan is stupid and will get them all killed.' etc. It's cowardly, the other player gets no right of response. Role-play out your differences and resolve them on the board, that's the name of the game!
8) When in combat, post a combat summary after your post.
The summary looks like:
Who you are,
Where you are,
What you're using,
What you're doing.
Such as:
Primus
In the ditch, crouching, by the wrecked wagon.
Composite Bow, 12 arrows
Covering Secundus' advance to the gully.
9) A Rules-Speak Paragraph is A Good Idea.
If you post a long and descriptive turn, you may want to follow it by a 'rulespeak paragraph' after your turn - but before your summary - if you're concerned the GM may get it wrong. Don't skimp on your descriptions, they're the meat of the game, but sometimes a quick clarification of the
'round 1: run to barn, round 2: ready bow, round 3: shoot at brown-haired bandit’ makes things amazingly easier for me to GM out and I hate it when I make mistakes about your intentions. I know it's hard to come up with thrilling narrative every turn, but please try and make longer posts of good descriptions of your actions for a few reasons. Firstly, they get me really enthused to write the story for you. Secondly, they add so much to the game. Thirdly, fifteen separate posts of "yes", "no", and "maybe" tends to "spam-out" people in different time zones, they get up and there's a hundred posts of drivel that they can hardly inject themselves into. It also is amazingly confusing to GM.
10) Trim your posts.
Only have in your post the text that you are responding to or relates to your post, and only respond
AFTER the text and not before.
11) Colour Your Speech.
When your PC talks, the text of his comments should be enclosed within inverted commas and the text should be Blue, this is so other players can sort your conversation from your descriptions. However, if a character thinks something they are written the same way but they are in italics; "such as this."
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:39, Tue 16 May 2023.
