Broken Realities OOC Chatter

Okay, I need to know who all is still interested. Don't speak for anyone else, I just need a "me too" on this one, folks

Okay, any of you getting this message, the cogs are cranking to get this back into motion -- I have some ideas, but I'd like any and ALL of your input

I'll be restarting in the near future. Some characters will join in the restart, some won't, and some new characters will be added. I'm going to re-evaluate all the characters previously approved and post a new "Approved" list

Sorry about the lack of updating and follow-through, folks... I'm in the midst of making certain I have a place to live -- I promise to continue the thread on Monday! So much going on right now... not trying to make excuses, just apologizing

I made some assumptions in the opening scene for my character, notably that gun laws are similar to what I'm used to, and that at least with the proper permit, it is legal to openly cary a firearm. I'm also assuming that if a pistol permit is required, it doesn't cost any points.

As I said before, I still have to finish going over characters, but these are the folks already in the game who've given me character sheets and joined the IC community:

• jdmacguffin
• fleshandsteel
• atropos2011
• br_blackwing

This thread has been set up to discuss character concepts for this game. The comments on this post have been set so anyone can respond

Note that anyone can see the comments on this thread, so don't reveal anything you wouldn't want the other players to know about your character here!

Non-game-related comments will be deleted as soon as I find them!

In the Hero System^TM games, experience is point-based, not level-based, so you spend experience you receive instead of reaching toward a level. This, in my opinion, gives so much more flexibility and modular-ness, and just all around niftyness to each character. Unless otherwise noted, the communications listed below should be through email

In the Hero System^TM games, experience is spent just like Character Points at character creation

On the 28th of every month, I will award points for roleplay, plot adherence, plot deciphering, recommendation, tinkering, and reference

To define these categories:

Roleplay - Staying in character with your provided background, adding to the atmosphere of the game, being particularly clever in your portrayal of your character

Plot Adherence - This one is kind of nebulous, I admit. It's mostly as a reward for not abandoning storylines

Plot Deciphering - When you are instrumental in figuring out one of the points the overarcing plot is making, this is your reward... they may also be rewarded for particularly difficult side-plots

Recommendation - Three days. Three days before the XP day, I will post in the OOC room asking for recommendations with comments screened. I want reasons why, backed up by links, you're recommending the person for the XP -- you may not recommend yourself

Tinkering - I consider myself a virtuosa in the Hero System^TM game mechanics. If you can build a power an NPC has better than I can, you win XP. The difficult part is figuring out how I've built it and hope that your build is better. Better is defined as:

• same points, more bang (worth 1 EP)
• less points, same bang (worth 2 EP)
• less points, more bang (worth 3 EP)

Reference - I'm an obscure bitch of a pop-culture whore. If you can dig out where any of the obscure references are within 1 hour of my posting and provide the source material, it's worth 2 EP to you. I post erratically, so it won't always be the same time of day, folks. If you can hit the reference within 1 day (24 hours), it's worth 1 EP to you. After 1 day, the reference will be colored red to let you know you missed a chance. Just as a warning, not EVERY post will have a reference, but at least one per month will

Some of these rules were originally posted by theaceofspades for the rowan_academy game, taken by thegamemistress for emeraldshadows then by me

I'm posting this as an assguard. Hopefully, I'll never need to use these rules, but just in case...

The GM reserves the right to remove players who make no effort to be a part of the community. Members of the community who make no effort to play well with others, or who go out of their way to make the game unpleasant for other people, will be asked to leave

1. Not everyone in this world gets along. It's the way of the world. However, this game is a community, and OOC harassment is not permitted. There may be times of tension, as semi-large groups of people interacting often find problems. If there is a problem, resolve it politely, or ask for a third party mediator (preferably the GM)
   
   
2. Anyone desiring GM involvement in a dispute with another player should submit some sort of concrete evidence - links to threads, logs of IM conversations with the player(s) in question, etc. - to the GM -- note that hearsay (i.e., "Mary said that John called Jane a bitch on IM last night!") will not be considered "evidence" -- this evidence will then be examined by the GM, who will then take whatever action(s) she sees fit to resolve the problem
   
   
3. Try to employ the take-a-day rule in disputes: Don't post/say things in the heat of anger. Walk away, save what you were going to say, and if it still looks okay the next day when you're calm, it's probably not all that inflammatory
   
   
4. Disciplinary procedures will follow the following system:
   • First offense: A warning will be issued to the player in question, and a note made of his or her behavior
   • Second offense: The player will have his or her posting privileges suspended for one week
   • Third offense: The player will have his or her posting privileges suspended for four weeks
   • Fourth offense: The player will be removed from the game, and his or her posting privileges permanently revoked
   
   
   
5. Do not use the game communities or your IC journal to publically complain about your OOC grievances with other players. This results in bad feelings, and only exacerbates any problems. If you have an OOC problem with another player, keep it between yourselves and the GM
   
   
6. There is no rule number 6
   
   
7. Any decisions made on a dispute by the GM should be considered final, and the parties involved are expected to abide by the terms of any decisions made. Please don't continue to bring up a dispute after a decision has been made. This does not encourage moving forward, and just makes it harder for everyone to have fun -- which is why we're playing this game
   
   
8. If a resolution cannot be reached, the issue will be taken out of game completely. The two (or more) feuding players will be suspended until a solution to the problem can be achieved
   
   
9. Remember, it's a game!
   
   One thing to keep in mind is that while we all love a good RPG, and get engrossed in the plot and characters, it is still only a game. Players and staff alike need to remember this when things get too intense or uncomfortable, and learn to respect one another's boundaries OOCly. Being a jerk ICly is fine, it's a game. Being a jerk OOCly is not fine
   
   If you find yourself getting too emotional about the contents of the game, perhaps it's time to take a step back and let the GM know you'll be on hiatus for a brief period. Keeping perspective about the game is important to its well-being, and contributes directly to it being fun and rewarding for everyone involved

Here are some rules regarding conflict-laden/angsty RP in this game. As not everyone enjoys this sort of RP, please take the time to read and understand these rules; it might save a lot of misunderstanding later

(These rules were originally written by torinosu for the rowan_academy game, and have been amended by thegamemistress for the emeraldshadows game and further adapted by delayra/gamergeekgrrl for Broken Realities)

1. When you are about to join a scene that someone else has started, read all of the posts that are already part of it, especially the initial one. Judge the tone, as best you can. Is it funny or light? If so, it is only respectful that you keep it that way, as the person that is essentially "running the scene" has already set the mood. It would be inexcusably rude of you to change it. Either keep your angst to a real minimum or don't participate in that particular scene. Don't start a lot of conflict in the "fun scenes" that are started. Every good story needs some fun between the bleak parts. It makes the trials the characters go for more meaningful
2. If you see the angst or conflict level rising in a "fun scene" and you're contributing to it, back off a bit and do your best to consult the other players present on whether or not they want to go that way. An OOC comment is probably the quickest way to do this. Yes, it may temporarily stop the scene, but it will keep more people happy. If someone asks you to back off, do it. Playing well with others is your responsibility, and this is how you ensure that it happens
3. If you and someone else are cool with angst that starts in a "fun scene" but no one else is, have your characters take it elsewhere. There is going to be conflict in every game, but it is all of our responsibility to keep it within reasonable levels. Think of it this way - you're invited to a party and start to cause a fight. Leave before you're asked to leave. If the other party wants to take it outside, too, go for it, but otherwise go and brood in your room. You can have angst, but not at the expense of others
4. Before you start a dark or conflict-laden story arc, consult the other players you want to involve. By all means, keep some secrets, but tell them you want to play something darker. If they say no, either adapt or find others willing to participate
5. If you are uncomfortable with the way a scene is progressing, it is perfectly acceptable to make an OOC comment telling the other player(s) involved. Again, it may temporarily stop the scene, but it keeps more people happy, and other players don't know where the boundaries are unless you tell them
6. Keep in mind, that this is "Dark Champions", not "Dim Heroes", not "Slightly-Deepened-Shade Good Guys", not even "Oh, Bother Hundred-Acre Wood Inhabitants" no matter how much you want it to be. Yes, there needs to be rules for the darkness, but keep in mind that it's kind of EXPECTED in a game like this, and if you expect to never get into any angsty or dark scenes, you really should question why you're in this game. Now, there are some issues that people CANNOT handle as a player -- that's fine, I'm not saying you MUST be in every dark scene, just that you should expect to be in some

And of course, the same type of warnings above apply to the reverse... don't go into an angsty or dark scene with the intent of "lightening the mood" for those involved. Don't be a wanker. Don't be that guy, Dude, don't be that guy...