Basic Terminology

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Roleplay - In District 18, roleplay is considered the act of writing and collaborating with other roleplayers to create a story. The vehicles in which this is accomplished is through the actions, statements, and thoughts of characters played by the roleplayers themselves. There are many ways one might conduct themselves in roleplay, but there is a standard etiquette that can be seen across multiple roleplay sims and platforms.  You can read more about the etiquette District 18 expects from its players below.

 

Consent-based Roleplay - Roleplay that depends on consent from players. This is when all actions made against characters are posted as attempts and damage or consequences are permitted based on the consent of the player whose character is facing said consequence. Knowledge about characters is generally subject to the same consent-based rules if the knowledge is not public. This is the primary type of roleplay in District 18.

 

Dice Roleplay - Roleplay where success, and at time effectiveness, of actions performed are determined by the roll of a die. Playing by dice is optional in District 18. There is a link to a free dice HUD in the District 18 HUB.

 

Free-form Roleplay - Free-form roleplay may refer to combat roleplay that does not make use of a dice system or combat HUD where players instead choose to play based on consent.

 

Free-for-All Roleplay - Roleplay that does not follow a post order or a large scene that is broken up into smaller groups that roleplay in a specific order amongst themselves.

 

Combat Roleplay - Roleplay that is aggressive and combative in nature between two or more parties. You can read more about combat roleplay rules and etiquette here: https://district18roleplay.wixsite.com/d18rpsl/combat-rules

 

OOC and IC - OOC stands for “out of character” which refers to the statements, actions, and thoughts made by players that do not affect the roleplay. IC stands for “in character” which refers to the statements, actions, and thoughts made by characters that do, usually, affect the roleplay.

 

Self-inserts - A self-insert is a character that is ultimately not apart from their player. Playing a self-insert is the act of playing oneself, or a better or lesser version of oneself, where the ego of character and player are one in the same. While there are no rules against playing self-inserts, it is usually frowned upon due to the problems the may cause when players take things personally.

 

Immersion - Immersion refers to the feeling of being “immersed” in the story where one can suspend disbelief without distraction or needing to overthink how they need to respond to characters, articles, or themes that are not typically found in the setting. Immersion is a very important aspect of roleplay for most roleplayers and those who do not take steps to preserve it, usually because of their own wants, often find themselves facing criticism or exclusion. Though players should not be excluded from the roleplay, if players do not enjoy the foreign dynamic or element that another brings, then they have every right not to roleplay with said element.

 

Metagaming, Powergaming and Godmodding - The antitheses of what makes roleplay enjoyable. These methods of engaging roleplay are considered the greatest sins any player could commit. Metagaming refers to the action of roleplaying as though one’s character has knowledge that their player has and/or has not encountered in character.

 

For example, Player A writes their character knowing the identity of Character B when their character has never encountered Character B nor did Player A receive permission from Player B to write their character knowing Character B’s identity.

 

Powergaming and Godmodding are of used interchangeably, but usually refer to the action of making and playing a character that is near, if not totally, invincible and/or perfect. A player is godmodding or powergaming when they write their character as taking no damage or taking damage that appears to have no consequence. It may also refer to a character always having the answer even though they have no reason to. Essentially, they are betrayals to realistic roleplay.

 

Reasonable Consent - Also known as the “right to life” policy. This term refers to the inherent right a player has to refuse certain actions attempted against their character, including death, until their own character has breached a threshold where the chances of their character surviving a specific encounter are near to none.

 

Pre-posting - The act of preparing a post before it is your turn. Popular, acceptable, and even recommended in some instances.

 

One-liner - A post that takes up only one or maybe two lines on your screen. These are not necessarily frowned upon and can be useful tools for getting out conversational and combat roleplay posts that do not need to be weighed down by excessive detail that might prolong the scene. There are times and places for one-liners and knowing  the difference of when and when not to use them comes with experience.

 

Paragraph (Para) Posting - Posting paragraphs. This is the more popular and preferred method of posting for most roleplayers in Second Life.

 

Fading to Black - Ending a scene before the natural conclusion by means of mutually agreeing upon what happens ICly, OOCly. “Fade to Black” or “FTB” refers to the cinematic tactic used to end a story or scene by fading to black.

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Roleplay Etiquette

 

    District 18 expects all players to play by a standard etiquette in order to keep roleplay smooth, fun, and drama-free. There will always be times in which roleplay can be difficult, but by being considerate and following the steps below, everyone can do their part in creating a wholesome story and sustaining a healthy roleplay community.

 

General Posting Etiquette

    You can tell more about the quality of a roleplayer by how they post than you can by what they post. Players will usually always appreciate the method in which one approaches roleplay if they follow these simple rules:

 

1. Follow post order and adhere to the norms of when to use post order and how to join a scene.

2. Refrain from “shotgun” or “multi” posting. These terms refer to posting in rapid succession before everyone else, or even one person, has had the opportunity to respond. These posts are typically one-liners. See: Amending Posts.

3. Keep OOC chatter in local (out of character comments and discussion) to an absolute minimum. Make a conference with the players you want to talk to if you want to chit-chat while you roleplay.

4. Post all actions intended to affect other characters, or property that does not belong to your character, as attempts. Alternatively, you may preemptively request consent from the player before posting the action. Most will prefer the former method.

5. Refrain from excessive “thought” posting and know the difference between a good thought post and a toxic one. In general, a thought post should not include content that someone would wish to respond to, such as insults or other negative remarks. A good thought post would include some idle and non-offensive musing or the character questioning themselves, or an idea.

6. Never assume your character knows anything about another character unless they have that knowledge from a previous encounter or you have permission from the player to assume your character knows something they did not encounter.

7. Respect personal roleplay limitations if they are reasonable and are protected by the sim. “You can never hurt my character.” is an unreasonable limitation. “I am not open for erotic roleplay.” is a reasonable limitation.

 

Post Order

    Post order (PO) is the primary ingredient of smooth roleplay. There are times when post order is absolutely necessary and there are times when it can become a hindrance.

 

When to use post order:

• Combat Scenes - Combative roleplay is the most difficult and chaotic form of roleplay there is. This often stands to be the case even with post order, but combative roleplay without post order is even worse. Post order is combative roleplay also ensures fairness and a response to each action that a person need respond to. Always use post order in combative roleplay.

 

• Small Scenes [2-5 players] - Scenes with two to five players may or may not need a post order, but it is generally advised that most roleplay incorporate post order so that every player has an opportunity to post and no one is skipped over intentionally.

 

• Large Scenes [5+ players] - Scenes with five or more players also may or may not need post order, but it is still generally advised that players incorporate post order so as to give everyone the opportunity to pose and keep things smooth.

 

When NOT to use post order:

• Large Social Scenes - Large scenes like those found in clubs, dinner parties, restaurants, or other spaces where there are multiple smaller engagements happening at once do not need an all-encompassing post order. Most will choose free-for-all order in such settings. However, players should try to keep order amongst their smaller part of the whole roleplay so that others may join without barging in amongst a sea of posts.

 

• Free-For-All Scenes - Scenes that have already been declared a free-for-all where anyone may post (mostly) whenever they want.

 

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Establishing Post Order:

 

1. Post order may form naturally by how people funnel into a scene, but in the event there is no naturally occuring post order, one person may take it upon themselves to form one or everyone can roll a 1d20 with the highest rolls at the top of the post order and lower rolls at the bottom.

2. After post order has been established, people then write and enter their first post.

3. The cycle starts over when the last person in the post order has posted.
    

 

How to Join Post Order:

    Walking up and posting into a scene is NEVER a good idea nor is it polite. In fact, this is probably one of the worst offenses to basic roleplay etiquette because your post may interfere with the person currently posting and may even ruin the mood of the scene. These are the steps that should be taken when entering a scene regardless of whether or not there appears to be a post order.

 

1. Instant message someone currently in the scene and politely ask whether or not there is a post order. If they know the order, ask them who you would go after should you want to join them. You may also ask in local, but be sure to put your inquiry in parentheses (( )) or brackets [[ ]].

2. While you are waiting for your turn you should carefully read the posts before your own so that you understand what is going on, know what the feeling of the scene is, and can respond appropriately. A somber roleplay can easily be ruined by an obnoxious entry and no one appreciates a ruined mood. You may also take this time to prepare a simple entry post for a seamless transition.

3. Post your character entering the scene. Generally speaking, it is a good idea to wait another round for others to respond to your character showing up before doing anything major.

 

Keep in mind that combat scenes are typically locked once post order is established unless everyone involved agrees to allow more players in.

 

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Amending Posts

    There are a few reasons why a player might feel the need or want to amend their post. Generally speaking, it is better to let the post go unless something is seriously erroneous or poor form. Otherwise, a player is encouraged to state that others should void a certain part of the post as though it never happened or offer a replacement for what is problematic before moving on.

 

Typos are not reasons to amend an entire post. Corrections, if needed, can be offered between OOC parenthesis or brackets with an asterisk or star ( * ) put at the end of the correction.

 

There are times in which players forget to emote an action or statement. Please keep in mind that while there is no rule stating one cannot amend their post with additions, such additions MUST be made BEFORE anyone else has posted. This means the amending player must quickly state their wish to amend their post AND gain approval from everyone in the scene. If approval is not given by all players, the amending player must wait until their next turn to perform said action or make said statement.

 

It is frowned upon to amend a post for the purpose of “fixing” something to acquire a potentially better outcome.

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Communications Roleplay

    The roleplay in District 18 often makes use of communication devices where messages are relayed over phones or through other long-distance communication devices. Statements or messages that are spoken over such communication devices should also be emoted in local chat. Thus, a call for backup will be made in local chat in addition to a group conference, instant message, or Discord channel.

 

If certain messages are meant to be kept private, or semi-private, all the player need do is emote the extent of privacy in their post.

 

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Ranged Roleplay

    There are times when some players will be out of range from other participants in a scene such as when a sniper is on a rooftop or when a suspect is on the run, but is still in sight. These scenes are especially difficult to keep organized because not everyone is nearby. A post order should always be employed during scenes when range is a factor. Conferences, though faulty, are usually the answer to ranged roleplay.

 

In roleplay conferences that result from ranged roleplay, all participants in the roleplay order must be added. These conferences should have no OOC posts other than potential amendments. Questions should be directed out of the conference in either personal IMs or local chat.

 

Another conference for OOC comments or discussion should be made if there is a need for extended OOC communication.

 

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Alternative Character Roleplay

    There is nothing in the rules stating that a player cannot have more than one character. However, the experiences of one character does not apply to another. In that, if a player has their primary character hack into a corporate database and they witness a lot of controversial plans, that does not mean their secondary character immediately has that knowledge too.

 

If you have multiple characters, it is best not to have them interact with one another.

 

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Common Knowledge Roleplay

    Common knowledge roleplay refers to a character having knowledge that is considered commonplace which would include dates of events that they were present for or made the news or was in a history book. The law would also be considered common knowledge and technically the punishments for breaking laws would be too. The names of public figures would be considered common knowledge. Directions, information about drugs, and how to operate hover vehicles are all considered common knowledge.

 

Common knowledge stops when it involves specific details about a scene that your character was not present for or details about other characters that your own has not experienced first-hand in roleplay.

 

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Reference Roleplay

    As aforementioned, if you have multiple characters, it is best not to have them interact with one another. They may, however,  reference one another when one is not there. A player should have one of their characters influence the roleplay to the benefit another character that they play. This would include playing one character to break their other character out of jail.

 

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Hacking and Internet Roleplay

    Hacking is another popular aspect of roleplay in District 18 and is especially difficult to pull off without compromising the other etiquette rules such as assuming knowledge about events or public figures that may by played by other players. Metagaming tends to be a huge here as well. After all, is there any real limitation of knowledge if anything can just be found on the internet? Technically, no. The players might as well be the internet for their characters, right?

 

No.

 

Characters should still have a reasonable limitation of knowledge. At least when it comes to other player’s characters. Public figures would be known by anyone with internet access, but that does not mean that players can assume their character has indisputable knowledge about other characters without player permission. Furthermore, a character spreading half-truths or slander about other characters may land another player in trouble. As a rule of thumb, before posting anything about another character that your character has not encountered, ask the other player for permission and guidance.

 

Hacking roleplay is subject to the same consent-based rules and in some cases may require dice. You can find more information about hacking roleplay here: https://district18roleplay.wixsite.com/d18rpsl/neural-net

 

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Respecting Limitations

    Respecting limits is an easy step anyone can take to ensure their fellow roleplayers feel comfortable so that they can enjoy the roleplay. There is often little reason why one cannot respect and play by the limitations of another player. The exception being that the limitations of another player are unreasonable.

 

District 18 is a consent-based roleplay sim, and to some, that is old-fashioned. Setting limits has almost become a thing of the past because roleplay sims today are written to emphasize consequences, even at the expense of player enjoyment.

 

In most cases, limitations are protected in District 18. However, that does not mean that players can set unreasonable limitations or avoid any and all consequences.

 

Nevertheless, it is as simple as not roleplaying something another player is not comfortable with.

 

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Setting Limitations

    Setting limits is easy for experienced and open-minded roleplayers, but for others it might be a little difficult. They key is to distinguish between what you dislike playing and what you are uncomfortable roleplaying.

 

Reasonable Limits:

• Roleplay that might contain sensitive or triggering content such as sexual abuse, non-consensual sex, mutilation, or torture.

• Roleplay involving consensual sex, or specific sexual acts.

• Recreated violence against real-world minorities or other marginalized groups.

 

Unreasonable Limits:

• A limit that amounts refusing damage, even if the consequences fit the scene.

• A limit that amounts to playing by the rules of a sim.

• A limit that amounts to ignoring proper roleplay etiquette.

 

Death is a particularly difficult limit to deal with because some are okay with their character dying at any time while others do not feel the same. That is often when “reasonable consent” or “right to life” policies come into play.  

 

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Stealing and Attacking Property

    Stealing property is something that can occur quite frequently in roleplay and, for some, is considered a unique limit. Many players often spend a great deal of money on their character’s belongings, and some even go so far as to have things custom made for their character. Thus, stealing an article or belonging from another character requires consent from their player. Attacking or breaking into  homes (personal rentals) requires permission from the renter.

 

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Fading to Black

    In the event a roleplay takes a turn towards content a player is not comfortable with playing, but will permit being written in the background, they may choose to “fade to black” or “FTB”. This term is in reference to the cinematic tactic of ending a scene by fading to black.

 

This is a great tactic to use if players cannot come to an agreement on how a roleplay should proceed, if either player must leave (usually in one on one roleplay), or if the content of the roleplay is bothersome to a player though they permit the agreed upon consequences.

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Observing vs. Metagaming or “Ghosting”: When are you in character?

    Knowing when to consider yourself in character is imperative to avoiding accusations of metagaming, or worse, actually being reported for metagaming. OOC observers are those who do not post and merely watch the roleplay with no intention of taking what they read into another scene. Meanwhile, those who observe events from an IC perspective do post and do have the intention of playing their character as though they witnessed or heard the events occur.

You are NOT considered in character if you do not post and therefore you MUST post in order to be considered in character.

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