bloodlinesmod (![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} bloodlinesmod) wrote,@ 2009-04-13 22:07:00 |
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Bloodlines: Player Rules
1. Age Requirements
2. Characters and Posting Requirements
3. The Game
4. Format
5. Player Etiquette
6. Moderator Caveats
7. And Finally...
Last Updated: 9/21/09
Story | About | Characters | Jobs | Application
1. Age Requirements
- All players must be 18 or older due to possible (and likely) adult situations.
2. Characters and Posting Requirements
- Level One Characters
- Minimum of one significant thread per week, preferred at least two. Exceptions may be made to this rule with mod approval (due to vacation or extenuating circumstances).
- Must show effort in developing the character.
- Required involvement and secrecy in mod-driven plotlines.
- Must be available in some capacity at least 4 out of 7 days of the week (on average), though posting on each of these days is not required. Because the majority of players tend to be from North America, players of Level One characters should have at least 2 days a week where they would be available in times corresponding to prime availability for those time zones. For those players outside that area who want a level one, we can definitely take a look at your schedule and work something out. This is simply in the interest of the best interaction possibilities for these characters.
- Level Two Characters
- Minimum of one significant thread every other week, preferred every week. Exceptions may be made to this rule with mod approval (due to vacation or extenuating circumstances).
- Must show effort in developing the character.
- Level Three Characters
- No minimum posting requirement. Only required to be available when needed/wanted by other players for interaction, provided the amount and timing is reasonable. However, consistent refusals of interaction opportunities may be grounds for dismissal, depending on the circumstances.
- Characters of this level which become heavily involved in plotlines--to the point that losing them would be detrimental to said plot--may be elevated to Level Two characters by the mods. This change would first be discussed with the player.
- Original Characters
- No outside applications will be accepted for OCs. These will be granted only to current, consistent players who have them pre-approved by the mods before character creation.
- OCs will be placed by the mods as Level Two or Three and the corresponding rules will apply.
- Non-Player Characters
- All NPCs intended for involvement in a particular player plotline (i.e. more than just a passing mention here and there) must be approved by the mods. The mods may require that any NPC be played by a mod or another approved player.
- PBs (Played By)
- All PC and NPC "casting" must be approved by the mods during the application/approval phase. Players should consult the mods if they are having trouble finding an appropriate PB.
- All PBs must be able to pass for the appropriate character age and have sufficient availability of pictures/icons.
- We encourage creative and unique choices of PB. Please keep in mind that this will be a reader's mental representation of your character. It may be harder for people to suspend disbelief if you've chosen a more well-known celebrity. However, this does not necessarily exclude using an A-lister. These will be evaluated case-by-case.
3. The Game
- Setting. Bloodlines is set in a post-Deathly Hallows, non-epilogue compliant world, and characters/gameplay must adhere to this level of canon.
- Realism and Characterization. This game will primarily be focused on the day-to-day lives of characters, how they are affected by the world and those around them. Players are encouraged to roleplay the heavily plotted to the completely mundane and everything in between. While there will be overall game plots, the focus will be on the characters. Use them wisely.
- Shipping. Romantic relationships between characters are neither specifically encouraged nor discouraged. Players must take proper characterization and storyline build-up into consideration. Shipping for the sake of shipping is not permitted. Additionally, players must be open to any and all possible ships for their character(s), excluding them only based on character and story, not preconceived shipping notions. Het, slash, and femslash are all permitted.
- Plotting. The mods of this game will provide current and future plotlines to drive the game in addition to the normal daily character interactions. Players are also encouraged to develop their own character-driven storylines and/or plots. Anything with potential effect on the game world or other players must be presented to the mods for approval before being put it into play.
- Magic. Players may create new spells and magical items as needed for gameplay. However, these must be reasonable within the context of canon, and preferably remain nameless unless approved by the mods. Anything with potential effect on the game world or other players must be presented to the mods for approval before being put it into play.
- Character Bashing, Mary Sues & General OOC-ness. Not allowed. Period.
4. Format
- All posts must be made using the individual character login (provided to you upon joining) to post to the community. Character journals may house character-specific resources, but all gameplay must be done at
![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif)
bloodlines_rp. - All posts must be made using the standard header format, and the remaining text must be housed under a cut. Each must be tagged and include appropriate warnings. Additional information will be provided in the writers' community.
- All posts and subsequent tags must be made in 3rd person limited (only your character's thoughts/actions) point-of-view, past tense.
- Appropriate use of British spellings, terminology and slang is highly encouraged, though not specifically required. Players should avoid overwhelmingly "American" or "Muggle" word choices when possible. Additionally, players should do their best to compose posts that are grammatically correct and use proper spelling.
- For this RP, one day of real time equals one day of RP time. Threads can take days to complete, but they should be started on the corresponding day. One started on Monday real time will showcase what happened to those characters on Monday in the game world. Additional information on thread dating will be provided in the writers' community.
5. Player Etiquette
- To make this game fun, players must be willing to communicate with one another over email and/or instant messenger. Yahoo! Messenger is the official IM client of Bloodlines, and it or a compatible IM client (we recommend meebo) is required. It is simply much easier to plan or actively thread this way. If you are online but do not want to be contacted by IM for threading, please indicate this in your status message. Otherwise, players may assume anyone who is online is fair game and should feel comfortable pinging them.
- A player may not dictate/write another character's actions in a thread without explicit permission from that player or a mod (in the case of NPCs or non-played characters).
- Pressuring another player into a particular storyline or ship is absolutely forbidden. We each have an idea of how our character(s) would react in a situation, and we all have our own OTPs outside of this RP, and these don't always fit together.
- Consistent use of short tags (only a couple of lines/sentences) is not permitted. There is a time and place for them, but players are expected to put time and attention into tags when the thread merits it, as this is necessary for well-developed characters and story progression.
- A dropped thread is one where a player stops replying well before the thread's destined end without first consulting/agreeing with the other player(s) on the stopping place. These will happen on occasion, and they are perfectly acceptable if all involved players agree to let them go. However, these will not count toward a player's posting minimum, and any player shown to consistently drop threads can and will be removed from the game after a sufficient warning/evaluation period.
6. Moderator Caveats
- The mods reserve the right to change these rules at any time. If this occurs, a message will be posted to the writers' community to notify all current players. All prospective players should consult the "last updated" date at the bottom of the page to verify they have read the most current version.
- The mods reserve the right to redirect characters and player-driven plotlines as needed for the good of game. In most cases this will happen only after the mods have first attempted to discuss with the player and resolve any issues that have been identified.
- At the mods' discretion, a player may be removed from the game with no notice, at any time, for any deviation from the rules. However, in most cases the player will be contacted with at least one reminder and/or warning. The mods understand that accidents/misunderstandings happen, and we are very willing to work with you.
- Character journals are property of the game and mods, not the player. Players may choose to purchase paid accounts and/or additional icons for their character journals at their own discretion. However, upon leaving the game, the game ending, or the player being removed, any remaining time on the paid items will revert to the game. The players will not be reimbursed for this leftover time.
- The mods may make an exception to any rule at any time; however, players seeking such an exception must contact the mods with the proposed exception and their reasoning. Players should not assume that their requests will automatically be approved.
- Any questions or comments that need mod consideration should be directed to the mod e-mail account at bloodlinesmod@gmail.com and not any of the mods' personal IM's or e-mails. Of course we want you to feel free to ping us to play or plot, but all mod decisions are made as a group, and the mod e-mail account is the one place that all of us can see your questions or suggestions, and then discuss them before making a decision.
- The mods' word and decisions are final. Sorry, but someone's gotta hold things together around here, and with the work we have and will put into plotlines and characters, sometimes we simply have to put our collective foot down. If that's not your cup of tea, then there are other games out there.
7. And Finally...
- These rules are in place so that players know what to expect from this game and so that no one "rogue" player can ruin gameplay for everyone else. The goal of this game is for everyone to have FUN. Keep that in mind, and we won't have a lot of problems!
Last Updated: 9/21/09