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Alright so the testing topic is simple, I'll give you a starting post that sets up what is going on and what you see around you and then just reply to the best of your abilities. Me (The amazing Darius) or SuperNova will then read it over and pass judgment on your mortal souls! Just kidding. Seriously there's no reason to stress. Me and Nova are not only very fair and thorough with our decisions but if for any reason you feel that we have overlooked something you're free to point it out to us and we will read over it again. Or if you feel that you didn't write as well as you could have you're free to try again here or have us look over your work in another RP later on if you feel you just couldn't get into the testing topic. So without further delay here we go. I have taken the liberty to type the post in both story and script format as I know it's hard to transition from one to the other so feel free to respond in any format you like, be it script, story, a mix, or something all your own. We do not judge based on format but on the skill level shown and the thought put into it.

PLEASE however do not take longer then you normally would to type your response. It's not a proper reflection of how you normally write if you take hours thinking on this post and only about ten minutes in all other cases. Just relax and don't be nervous, we simply want to sort you into where you'll be most comfortable so there's no use in trying really hard to get into a higher rank where you will be expected to write how you did here all the time. It causes unneeded stress, so plain and simple don't shoot higher then you feel you're ready for, just go for it and see what happens.

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[Story]
While taking a stroll down the street, on your way home from a long day doing something or other, you suddenly hear loud and upset voices to your right. Turning to look you see two figures, a man and woman, in some sort of struggle. The man looks to be older and a bit unkempt, forcefully grabbing and pulling at something while the woman, about high school age fights desperately to keep it from him. “Let go you creep!” she shouts indignantly, clinging tightly at what looks to be a bag of sorts. The man however is not relenting, his hand wrapped firmly around the strap and his voice gruff and frustrated, “Just hand it over and you won't get hurt missy!” Further down the street you were walking down you can see the flashing lights of what looks to be a police car on patrol, however the much physically weaker girl looks as though she won't hold out until he passes by, and there's a chance he won't even see them in the dark of the alleyway.

[Script]
While taking a stroll down the street, on your way home from a long day doing something or other, you suddenly hear loud and upset voices to your right. Turning to look you see two figures, a man and woman, in some sort of struggle.

Older Scruffy Man: *forcefully grabbing and pulling at something*
High School Looking Girl: *desperately holding on to what the man is trying to take from her* Let go you creep!
Older Scruffy Man: *pulling harder in a frustrated manner and tone at what looks to be a bag* Just hand it over and you won't get hurt missy!

Further down the street you were walking down you can see the flashing lights of what looks to be a police car on patrol, however the much physically weaker girl looks as though she won't hold out until he passes by, and there's a chance he won't even see them in the dark of the alleyway.

~
Post your response below and feel free to add in any details you wish as long as they do not conflict with what I have already said, good luck!

* Note that both and man and the woman/girl (and the police officer) are my characters, meaning you cannot control them. That would be god-moding which is against the rules.
* Also note I'm terrible at script, I'm sorry!!! Plus I'm adding information for your character which is not normal, so I kind of used a mixed style, but it's close enough I hope. If not then I'm really sorry.
* Yet another note, please respond to my post, not the person who posted before you.
* One more note, you are only to post here once unless you CLEARLY say that you are trying again. Thank you.

What is Play-By-Post Role-Playing?

Put into technical terms it's an online text-based role-playing game in which players (also called writers or rp'ers) interact with each other and a predefined environment via posts within a topic. Put simply it's a creative writing activity between two or more people who take turns posting what each of them is doing, thinking, and feeling, and how they're reacting to what is going on around them and what is simply there.

Games vary in the degree to which the setting is established; some go as far as to include a virtual "world" to roleplay in, while others allow players to improvise the setting as they progress. PbP game settings may be derived from any number of media, including, but not limited to, other role-playing games, non-game fiction including books, television and movies, or an original setting that is totally made-up by the rp's creator. The most popular however is for them to be based around a specific animated television series.

The starting post of each scene typically lays down the scenario and describes a scene, then the proceeding posts become an ongoing story in which players advance the plot by reading the latest reply and then responding with what their character does and how the environment changes in response. These replies are often open-ended so that other players can continue from where they left off.

Closely related to both interactive fiction and collaborative writing. It's a great way to be someone different in an entirely new world, become a favorite character from any number of media, or even just put yourself in their world. For those who are interested in running an rp it's a great way to be creative and make a whole world for others to explore and a deep plot that others can be a part of.

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How does it work exactly?

The events in play-by-post games rely on participants and/or moderators (often called GM's) to make decisions and/or improvise in order to progress a story plot. This can be done in any number of ways and though the plot is often driven by the rp's creator the players are normally welcome to create their own sub-plots, usually centered around their characters. This adds for more attachment of all other character to another's character, forming bonds and allowing that character to develop more as a person.
*Note that some GM's frown upon doing this too frequently as it puts their own plans on hold and can even direct the story in an entirely different direction with no hope of setting it back on track.

Role-playing and story can be pushed forward through moderation by a game master or by mutual agreement between players.

A players post contains their own descriptions of events and their surroundings during play (either from the point of view of their characters, or from a third person view), which is either given to them by the GM or are created by themselves, or other players, based on a general idea and understanding of where they are and what would be available. Reading and responding is the heart and soul of play-by-post role-playing, the better you are at not only reading and addressing another persons post, but also constructing an interesting and understandable post the higher your rank among the community. That's not to say that beginners are looked down on, but most people feel most comfortable when rp'ing with people around their own level.

What If I Want To Fight With Someone Else's Character? ~ How to avoid God-moding and Power-playing:

God-moding and Power-playing is defined as:
I: To seamlessly avoid all incoming attacks, tactics and plans. This can be a tricky one to balance; as many enemies may specialist in this, but please remember it's no fun if no-one ever gets hit.
II: To control another player's character.

Results of combat, which may include player-versus-player encounters, may be determined by chance through dice rolls, software designed to provide a random result or can rely on cooperation between players to agree on outcomes of events to ensure that everyone comes to an agreement. The results of random chance may need to be provided to the players by the GM in order to avoid disputes that may be a result of cheating or favoritism, however this option only applies in situations where either side could viably win (Obviously a very skilled person would almost always win against someone with little to no fighting experience).
*Note that on our forum we generally do not use randomizes and recommend that either the two players fighting agree on who will win or the GM takes a careful look at both sides actions as they are posted to come to a decision on who is winning and when it is over.

In the latter case, combat and other measures are handled by requiring players to avoid detailing the results of their actions, and thus leave an opening for a response by other involved players. Consider the following possible post from a character named Bob attacking Joe:
[Bob punched Joe in the chest, knocking him over.]
This post makes the assumption that Joe takes no further action to avoid the attack by Bob and that he is incapacitated as a result. These types of actions are often called "autohits" as they "automatically hit" without allowing for a response by the affected character. This is alright only if the outcome of the battle has already been decided, otherwise Bob would be required to write an open-ended post like the following:
[Bob swung a punch at Joe's chest, attempting to knock him over.]
This allows Joe to respond to the action without contradicting the post, saying if he was hit or if he dodged, followed by his next actions.

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced?

Here at Sudeki we welcome all levels of role-playing and have specific sections for various difficulty levels. Each cater to a specific level of skill that is expected of the players who join the rp's contained within them. In beginner you will obviously find a lot less requirements, shorter posts with less detail, whereas intermediate calls for a bit more and Advanced demands posts that often take hours to write.

When joining the site you will start as Unsorted. This means that you cannot participate in any RP's until your skill level has been decided. The criteria for each area will not be stated to avoid debate and arguing, just know that me and Nova will carefully look over everything before coming to an agreed decision. The way we test to see what level group you would be is that we ask that anyone wanting to participate in the RP's make a sample reply in the RP Testing topic found in Getting Started. The sorting process is easy, simply go into the topic and write a post to the best of your abilities in whatever style you feel more comfortable in.
*Note that me and Nova do have to look over each post individually so if you are not sorted right away please be patient.
*Also Note that you may only participate in RP's that are at your level or below.

Once sorted you may contact me or Nova at any time for a “Reevaluation” of your skill level if you feel you have improved beyond your given level. Upon getting this request Nova and I will both look over the past few posts you have written and then decide if a move up (or even down) is justified. For the sake of us getting to you quickly we also ask that you put “Level Reevaluation” or something to that effect as the topic of the PM.

Script or Story?

These refer to your writing style, these two being the most common. While neither is right or wrong, or better then the other, beginners tend to favor script where more advanced users find story style suits them better. The choice is honestly up to you but don't be afraid to try a different style if you find yourself struggling.

Script writing normally follows the format:
Character Name: Speech or Thought *Actions*
Depending on what order the Speech, Thoughts, and Actions took place in.
* Note that not all posts will contain all three, it's up to the player and the situation.
Examples:
Chris: *Looks at the two paths thoughtfully* I think we should go left!
Chris: That way! *Points towards the path to the right* I hope I'm right...”
Chris: I really don't know which way we should go, but I have to pick something. Let's go to the right.

Story writing follows the format most commonly seen in books and other written works. Meaning paragraphs about what is going on and dialogue/thoughts that are within quotation marks.
Example: Unsure which way to go Chris thought over it carefully, “I'm sure that the cave was to the left...” Taking a few steps down said path he grinned, feeling a bit more confident about his choice. Walking down the road for a short while he had a spring in his step as he shouted happily, “I'll be there in no time!”

First or Third Person Perspective?

Another thing I recommend when having difficulties with writing posts (in story style) is changing perspective. Play-by-post games are frequently written in the third person perspective due to the fact that multiple players must share each scene, each with his or her character as the focus of attention. However, first person has it's draws and benefits as well.

Third person is from the point-of-view of others around your character or from a narrative perspective. Meaning you are writing as if you are looking at your character and describing what they are doing and saying. As a narrator you can easily write thoughts and feelings in this perspective, but most things written in third person are things that everyone can see of your character and doesn't tend to touch too much on their personal and private feelings and thoughts.
Example:
Heading further down the path Chris was cheerful and brimming with vigor, though all this faded when he came upon yet another split in the road. “This again?!” he exclaimed with a heavy sigh, scanning the wooden planks that pointed in either direction. He knew he must make a choice once again, though this one was even more important then his last, “Let's see here...”

First person is from the point-of-view of your character. Meaning you will often be typing “I thought”, “I felt”, and just “I” as well as “My”, “Mine”, and other possessive words. You are putting yourself in your characters shoes and it can often give you a better idea of how your character acts, feels, and thinks as well as allow other players a bit more insight to who your character is as a person and the deeper motives behind their actions.
Example: I had no idea which path to take now, the choice was looming and the need to hurry to my destination weighed heavily on my mind, “How many different paths ARE there?!” Worried that I might be trapped here forever, never finding my way, I plopped down to sit on the road, gazing up at the signs before me. These forks in the road were becoming the bane of my existence. “Will I never find my way!?” I shouted towards the sky, at some unknown force that seemed to want me to only suffer.

Note that in RP's where a person is playing more then one character you may wish to state what character's perspective you are posting from if you are writing in first person. While others can take a good guess it is not always obvious and posting for two different characters, both in first person, within the same post can become confusing if you don't at least show you are switching with some form of separation.

Also note that there are many ways to show whether your character is talking or thinking. Most use Italics to show thought and regular text or Bold text to show speech, however there are many ways such as using different colored or underlined text, however if you use these please be sure that it is clear what is being said and what is only a thought to avoid confusion between the two.

How Do I Join An RP?

The first step is to take a look at the first few posts of the rp, where the other characters are posted. Most GM's provide a character profile form in their first post however if one is not provided then copying the format of the others involved would be your best bet in order to provide all the information that they're looking for.
Example:
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Hair length, style, and color:
Eye color:
Normal clothing:
Bio/Personality:
Other:

Some rp's allow members to freely join after posting a filled out character profile, while others require GM approval first, and still others may require members to provide a sample of writing for review, also known as an intro, before allowing participation. It is all up to the GM and, once again, if it's not stated then try and see how others were brought in before you, or if all else fails ask.

Characters may be original creations of the player, or may be based on a character taken from canon if the setting and rules provide this option. GM's will often put in their first post what canon (or characters from the original media source) are available for others to play or if original characters are banned from joining.

In any case, characters that have been approved for an rp'er to play within that role-play are regarded as belonging to the player who created them (or was given them), and even GM's are not allowed to make drastic changes or control them in any manner without the creator's consent.

Note that GM's are allowed to create character's without filling out a character profile for them. These are often characters that are only temporary or have a minor role in moving the story along though some may become recurring. Normally, however, if a character becomes vital enough a character form/profile will be written out for them, no matter how short or vague it may be.

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The second step, once your character has been approved, is to (hopefully) write your first post. Some GM's will allow players to post right away, where others may wish to create an opening, or break, in the story so as to not disturb the flow of the plot. They may even want to use your character as a plot device making things more interesting (Such as a villain defeated and turned to good, or a captured prisoner that the others must free). You may wish to talk with your GM personally about how to bring your character in if you are unsure.

The opening post of the rp will (most likely) give a lot of information about the setting you are stepping into, so even for rp's that are pages upon pages long I highly recommend reading the first post before writing your own. After getting a firm idea of the setting you will want to read the last few posts before your own, in order to get an idea of what the current situation you are stepping into is. The worst mistake any new player can make is to come in inappropriately or without a firm idea of what is going on, making assumptions that could contradict the entire role-play. ie. You wouldn't want to bring a character that is human to a planet of only aliens, or bring a police officer into a criminal hideout and have him causally talking with everyone.

What If I Want To Say Something In the RP But Not As My Character?

This would call for what is commonly known as OOC (Out of character) posting. There are many ways to show that what you're writing "Out Of Character", such as ((this)) or [[this]], or start the message with "OOC:". OOC posting is useful if you have a quick question, you want to say something small such as that you'll be back later, or if you just have a comment to make on someone else's post or your own, such as side notes.

Regardless of the reason, it's very important to differentiate in-character from personal posting, even more so if you're combining them in the same post to keep from spamming. I recommend putting a good amount of space (probably two or three lines) between your characters post and your OOC message to make sure they are seen separately.

Note that while some people have no problem with OOC talk in the middle of your character post it is generally frowned upon. It detracts from the post itself and can ruin whatever mood you or someone else was going for. If you wish to make comments about your post then I suggest you do it before or after. If you want to make a comment about a certain part of your post and want to be clear what part you mean you may add an amendment at the end of your post.

Here is an example of OOC in the middle of post:
“I looked down at him sadly, regret in my eyes, (SO SAD!) and let out a long sigh, “Looks like he's gone”

This can be fixed in many ways such as:
“I looked down at him sadly, regret in my eyes,(1) and let out a long sigh, “Looks like he's gone”

(1) SO SAD!

Or

“I looked down at him sadly, regret in my eyes,* and let out a long sigh, “Looks like he's gone”**

* SO SAD!
** I'll miss him so much...

Other Tips, Tricks, and Advice!

People often focus solely on how their characters act, think, and feel, and forget or don't care what they exactly look like. While this might not come into play for the player much it will most likely be vital to the others involved. Appearances greatly impact how others react to your character so I often suggest to new players that they find a picture online that they feel captures the look they wanted for their character and use it as either a reference when writing or even include it in their character's profile information. If this picture can also capture their personality, then all the better. There is however one drawback to this, and that is when you have a firm idea what you want them to look like and yet can't find it anywhere. That's when sacrifices must be made, questions must be asked of yourself such as “Do you need a picture for what they look like or are you more worried about attitude?”, “Is there something that's close enough that you could add in notes saying that it's not 100% accurate such as: I know the picture is brunette but my character is blonde” I find expression and attitude is often more important then looks, however that could just be me.

The opposite can however also happen, people feel restricted by the pictures they found or they're missing something important. So while a picture can help don't let it limit you, if they're blonde and you want them to have green streaks in their hair then say they do. If they have a third arm or cat ears then go for it! Everyone here has an imagination so make them use it a bit.

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Don't take on more then you can handle. I understand that sometimes the creative juices can get flowing so strongly that you want to make a ton of character, but keep in mind that you do have to play them all at some point. GM's often can have a large number of characters without becoming overwhelmed because they choose when to bring them in and they're normally not all going to be in the same place, however players can easily become bogged down with even only three or four. However, the opposite can also be true, where a player with only one character becomes bored and feels left out of situations due to them not being there. I suggest experimenting with one or two to start off and see how you feel with that. Also keep in mind that it may be easier to have multiple characters in some RP's then in others, it's up to you to make that choice and if you do happen to become overwhelmed speak with your GM about removing or even killing off a character to ease the load on you.

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Give fair warning if you know you get frequently busy with school, work, or other activities that will keep you away from the site for a good while. This will keep others from becoming (as) frustrated with you and will give them an idea of how often they can expect you around for an RP. Generally it's advised that you don't join an RP if your life doesn't allow ready internet access but there are some that are willing to wait up to a week or so for a response. You'll have to consult the GM if you won't be around much but really do want in or if something comes up that makes this so. Depending on the GM and situation you may not be allowed to join or may be kicked out, keep this in mind and don't take it personally. The job of the GM is to keep the RP running smoothly and if they see that you will slow down normally quick posters or will be left behind that is their choice.

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Turns, there is SO much debate on if RP's should have turns or be “post whenever you feel like it”. Personally I believe in a turn system, where all involved have a turn and when it is someone's turn everyone waits for them. In my opinion it keeps things flowing and makes sure that no one gets left behind, however I have also seen successful RP's that did not have a turn order. It's up to the GM if they wish to have turns or not, though I personally do recommend them. In a turn based RP players will normally have the choice to “pass” their turn if they cannot think of anything or are not involved in anything at the moment.

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Read either out-loud, or under your breath what you've written before posting! This is the number one tip I have for EVERYONE! In your mind you could have written something along the lines of, “The moonlight danced across the water of the lagoon”, when you actually wrote, “The moonlight daned across water of the lagon”. I know I often miss words when I'm typing or get ahead of myself, as well as make silly typos and just write sentences that aren't structured as well as they could be. By reading out-loud, or under your breath, you hear what you wrote rather then what you meant to write, often even glancing it over your mind will automatically fix any errors you made since you know what it SHOULD say.

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Descriptions, descriptions, descriptions! They are both wonderful and terrible, horrible, things. They can turn what would have been a two-sentence post of just “He said, she said” into a few paragraphs that get others interested and wanting to reply as quickly as possible. However, they can also go overboard and make anyone reading your post groan in pain at the unnecessary detail of EVERYTHING.

Describe the area around your character, describe your character's plans, feelings and thoughts. Describe how their face twitches in annoyance when they see someone eating their cookies, describe whatever catches their attention, but don't describe each wrinkle, each leaf, each tree in the forest in detail. Descriptions are a wonderful thing, they can make RPing more enjoyable for you, and others when done right. It makes the world you're creating more rich and real, just don't get too carried away.

Example: (Oh no...)
“The quiet, calm, gentle, and serene breeze swept through the glade like a soft whisper. It seemed to carry the voice of both years gone by and yet to come as it rushed over April's face. It's cold prickling fingers danced across her cheek, leaving small, cold, prints in their wake. Her hair cascading back to where it had once been she let out a hushed sigh, her heart still broken from the day before. Like a figure standing out in the gradually thinning fog the memory came back to her. She had hoped to hear the words that she had waited on for so many years, and yet those words were ripped from her like a band-aid over delicate skin. A single, painful year swelled in her left eye, growing until suddenly, like a bolder down a steep hill, it swept down her rosy cheek to crash on her white silken dress.”

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When in a battle with another player be respectful of them. It's natural to want your character to win but remember that they're not invincible. Play fair and don't always avoid attacks or have infinite energy. There is nothing wrong with getting your character beat up or bloodied, fatigue is GOING to happen the more they do and the longer the fight goes on. Also respond to attacks in order, read the other persons post very carefully before acting. If your enemy throws a rock, runs in at you, then tries to punch you, respond to the rock, the rush, then the punch. Do NOT dodge the punch, run 20 feet away, have a monologue, try to punch them, then dodge the rock. IT MAKES NO SENSE!

Alternately please don't make what I call a “punching bag character”. This is a character that always jumps in the middle of fights (or gets pulled into them), gets beat up to the point of their life being in danger (normally, not always) and must be carried out of the battle by someone or rescued. They never improve and normally expect a lot of sympathy for what they saw to be a “selfless action” or a “brutal assault”. The more your character is involved in fights the better they will get, please reflect this. However if this is due to lack of training or as a running gag (meaning no sympathy is really expected) then by all means go for it. I'm just detouring characters that are made solely to get attention on the regular bases.
*Note that you're perfectly welcome to make them getting hurt a major plot point, just do not overuse this or they will be seen as a punching bag and people will stop caring that they got hurt.

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Spelling. Must I say more? You have a full keyboard (at least you should) so PLEASE use ALL of it. Don't be a smart-ass and try to find a way to incorporate weird symbols into your posts, but for the love of chocolate spell as correctly as you can! Text-talking is against the rules, but bad spelling is almost as bad in my book so if you're worried about your spelling I really suggest writing your post in Microsoft Word or some other program that has spell-check. I know Firefox and IE browsers have add-ons for spell check if you want to look into them or you can even use an online dictionary. I personally recommend MS Word, as it can also point out grammar but whatever works and is available to you should be fine.

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Read the preceding post carefully! I know this is stated higher up in this post but I feel it needs to be stressed more. People can often get so far ahead of the RP that they know what they want to do next before anyone even responds to them, meaning they don't really incorporate what others put in and want to rush to their next post. THIS IS BAD! While there's nothing wrong with knowing what you want to do next you need to be open to what others have put into motion. There might be hints for what your character could do next that might be better then what you thought of, there might be dialogue to reply to, or a couple attacks you should reply, in order, to. You need to be open to the fact that anyone can change where the RP is going and what is happening at ANY TIME. Plus you would be surprised how many hints and tips people will post when they RP (especially your GM)

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Be wary of using the same word repeatedly. Such as “There was a large tree before us, the trunk was large and round and it cast a large shadow over the area” It can become rather annoying quickly, though with the use of a thesaurus this problem can very easily be solved.

If you are stuck describing something and feel you're getting to wordy, use similes or metaphors. By adding these and likening one thing to another you also create depth, as people tend to associate certain feelings and thoughts with specific experiences or stereotypes.
Example:
“He jumped around like he was walking on burning hot sand”
“He jumped around like a puppy who had missed his master”
“He jumped around like he'd been spooked by a ghost”

All of these paint a different picture and you can likely imagine all of them happening as you've either been in a similar situation or have seen it somewhere before.

A slightly linked tip, never write “I did this, I did that.”. Obviously you can write in first person, but don't make your entire post nothing but actions and speech unless you are writing in script style. No one wants to really read, “I walked over to the well. I looked inside and didn't see anything. “There's no frog in there” I said to the boy.” Descriptions are your friends, don't you love your friends? Speaking of which...

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Describe the world from your character's point of view, it makes things more interesting to read. If your character is angry, make the post seem angry, if they're sad, then make it sad. Describe things in a different way depending on how you're character is feeling and how they even see things in general. A smart character might see a time machine while someone less educated might see nothing more then a hunk of metal and lights. A character that is normally aggressive might see an act as hostile or insulting where a more passive character might not.

Also, if your character has higher senses, include much more detail about the world. If they can read auras then tell us what they see from the people around them. If they have super smell then describe the scents and things around them. Maybe a person always has a strong scent, maybe someone always has a sad aura even though they're smiling. If you add these things to your character then use them whenever possible, they are a part of who they are.

This also goes for characters with animal parts/wings/horns/etc. If they have special features then please make use or mention of them. If you're not going to use it then don't include it.

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Be sure to read any rules that the creator of an RP may have put into place. Every GM has their own way of doing things and every RP is different. Some may need specific rules or the GM may do things vastly different then you're used to. Some do turns, some don't, some run the plot while others let the players run it, some say that all battles must be decided through randomizes while others expect the players to figure it out themselves. Everyone is different so no two GM's will ever run things the exact same way. Remember this and respect their rules.

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On the subject of respect, also be sure to be considerate of your fellow rp'ers. Meaning...
* Do not ignore their posts because you do not agree with them.
* Try and resolve all personal conflict in a civil manner.
* Do not make a sibling, relative, or any other relation to another players character without asking them.
* Do not make preexisting relationships without asking the other player involved. Your character can however have a preexisting crush on someone, granted they had met them before. Be sure to explain how they met them if you choose to do this.
* Flirting and building up to relationships are allowed, and you do not have to ask permission for either of these. It is however up to the player how their character reacts to the advances. If they shoot you down don't take it personally.
* Do not take anything that happens in the RP personally unless you really feel that someone is targeting only you, in which case confront them about it or report them if it persists.
* If you end up in a relationship you did not want to be in then it's your fault. Deal with it or find your own way out of it.
* Do not pick on or single out another character due to a personal grudge against the player. (Your characters can however have a grudge against one another, I'm talking about strictly out of character conflict)
* Do not belittle or make fun of someone else's character, for ANY reason. We all put work and love into our characters so be nice.

Remember that there is more then just your character. While everyone IS trying to tell their story, keep in mind that there are others around you and being too absorbed in your own character will detour others from wanting to RP with you. Your back story and character's thoughts and feelings are important, there's nothing wrong with detailing it, but remember that ignoring others events and story is rude and selfish. Every member of an RP is just as important as the others. (Except maybe the GM...)

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This one is for the GM's, YOU ARE NOT GOD! I've known many GM's who abuse their powers and control their players to the point where they were so trapped and forced to follow exactly what the GM wanted to happen that they didn't have fun AT ALL! Yes, a GM controls the world they've made or borrowed. Yes, a GM can throw in a twist or enemy at any time, for any reason. No, they cannot take away a character's freewill. If a GM is shooting down all your ideas and you feel like you are being forced to do something your character would not, or they would strongly do something else, then that is a BAD GM! I recommend leaving any RP run by someone like that and possibly reporting them.

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Do You Have To Do Anything Special To Become A GM?

No! Not at all. A GM is basically just someone who created and is running an RP. Everyone is welcome to start their own, though I recommend seeing the following post for help and information on how to start an RP and make it enjoyable for not only you but others as well. Role-Playing is a group activity and if no one is having fun (or only one person is) then the whole thing tends to fall apart.


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I think that's enough tips and hints for now, I might add some more when I think of them. Good luck everyone, and enjoy RPing!

(Part of this post paraphrased from Wikipedia)