Applying guidelines to your public RP threads?

[SneezyHolmes]

I've never posted in this subforum so please bare with me staff. I was wondering if it's against the rules to set guidelines for public RP's? Such as: 'Post must be so and so long.', 'Please keep sneezing in context', etc. It's not explained in the rules as far as i'm aware and I figured i'd ask before posting in the RP section. I don't want to break any rules, and I certainly don't want to set anyone off by applying them. Sorry if this has been addressed or is explained elsewhere.

[Cutelittlenose]

I've never posted in this subforum so please bare with me staff. I was wondering if it's against the rules to set guidelines for public RP's? Such as: 'Post must be so and so long.', 'Please keep sneezing in context', etc. It's not explained in the rules as far as i'm aware and I figured i'd ask before posting in the RP section. I don't want to break any rules, and I certainly don't want to set anyone off by applying them. Sorry if this has been addressed or is explained elsewhere.

I think you can. One person did it before.

[•.*°•☆. Q .☆•°*.•]

Yes, I was wondering this, as well. Like, could I start an RP and state, for example, "paragraph-style replies, responses must contribute to plot, responses must not crowd out other players", that sort of thing, if I were to begin an RP? If any staff has an official response, it would be much appreciated

[SneezyHolmes]

I've never posted in this subforum so please bare with me staff. I was wondering if it's against the rules to set guidelines for public RP's? Such as: 'Post must be so and so long.', 'Please keep sneezing in context', etc. It's not explained in the rules as far as i'm aware and I figured i'd ask before posting in the RP section. I don't want to break any rules, and I certainly don't want to set anyone off by applying them. Sorry if this has been addressed or is explained elsewhere.

I think you can. One person did it before.

Just because one person has isn't an definite 'GO'. I'm going to see what the staff have to say.

[SneezyHolmes]

Yes, I was wondering this, as well. Like, could I start an RP and state, for example, "paragraph-style replies, responses must contribute to plot, responses must not crowd out other players", that sort of thing, if I were to begin an RP? If any staff has an official response, it would be much appreciated

Exactly! I do hope they give us the 'Okay, go!'

[Joal 555]

Thank you for the thoughts expressed in this thread and also here

The staff are currently discussing this and we will report back in due course. Please bear with us though as we have a lot of issues on the go at the moment, so we can't necessarily promise a quick answer.

[•.*°•☆. Q .☆•°*.•]

No worries! Thank you very much for looking into it even with your heavy work load at the moment.

[Joal 555]

The staff have now concluded their discussions on this topic and are pleased to announce the following (with special thanks to matilda who provided the bulk of the wording below).

In response to members' questions about establishing rules for roleplay, the staff has decided to allow members to create guidelines for new roleplays. This will be done on a trial basis only until the staff can evaluate the effectiveness of this change. RP guidelines should be set by the original poster at the start of a new thread. Participants are expected to act in good faith and abide by the agreed upon guidelines. Staff will continue to monitor roleplays regarding the rules of the forum but will not take responsibility for reading roleplays to "enforce" each RP's unique situation.

No guideline may violate any Forum rule (including flaming or language that would not be allowed outside the Snake Pit). If a conflict arises that cannot be solved civilly by the various members, please use the "report" feature so the staff can get involved.

Establishing Guidelines for Roleplay

Members starting a new roleplay may suggest guidelines for all participants. Guidelines may address things like:

• Response Length. Example :Each response should be a minimum of one paragraph,
  
• Writing Style. Example: Responses should try and advance the plot, or stay true to the time period, character, etc. that is established.
  
• Response Frequency. Example: Please allow enough time for all members to participate before responding multiple times in quick succession. Keep in mind that members may live in different time zones and have work/school obligations.
  

Guidelines may not do any of the following:

• Exclude individual members, genders, sexual identity etc. As always, roleplays must be open to all members.
  

Thank you for your attention

[Jorm]

Thank you so much to everyone on staff who took the time to address this!

[SneezyHolmes]

The staff have now concluded their discussions on this topic and are pleased to announce the following (with special thanks to matilda who provided the bulk of the wording below).

In response to members' questions about establishing rules for roleplay, the staff has decided to allow members to create guidelines for new roleplays. This will be done on a trial basis only until the staff can evaluate the effectiveness of this change. RP guidelines should be set by the original poster at the start of a new thread. Participants are expected to act in good faith and abide by the agreed upon guidelines. Staff will continue to monitor roleplays regarding the rules of the forum but will not take responsibility for reading roleplays to "enforce" each RP's unique situation.

No guideline may violate any Forum rule (including flaming or language that would not be allowed outside the Snake Pit). If a conflict arises that cannot be solved civilly by the various members, please use the "report" feature so the staff can get involved.

Establishing Guidelines for Roleplay

Members starting a new roleplay may suggest guidelines for all participants. Guidelines may address things like:

• Response Length. Example :Each response should be a minimum of one paragraph,
  
• Writing Style. Example: Responses should try and advance the plot, or stay true to the time period, character, etc. that is established.
  
• Response Frequency. Example: Please allow enough time for all members to participate before responding multiple times in quick succession. Keep in mind that members may live in different time zones and have work/school obligations.
  

Guidelines may not do any of the following:

• Exclude individual members, genders, sexual identity etc. As always, roleplays must be open to all members.
  

Thank you for your attention

Thank you! Ah goodness this is excellent news!

[•.*°•☆. Q .☆•°*.•]

Thank you staff!!!!!!

[Siegward]

So who's gonna start the first RP with guidelines? Would anyone be interested in a roleplay themed around giants/giantess?

[SneezyHolmes]

So who's gonna start the first RP with guidelines? Would anyone be interested in a roleplay themed around giants/giantess?

You'll have to wait and see I guess. I plan on making a thread but i'm not sure on what yet.

[Cutelittlenose]

((I feel a bit weird about the guidelines. That makes basically all my RPs invalid, and my most recent RP was made a few hours, about 8, before the guidelines went into effect. I've always felt it so hard to RP on here because of the width of the text boxes. It takes so long to create even a paragraph of material, although it's not like I haven't been able to, before. I would honestly like see what people could come up with, as it seems like I'm the only one posting RPs without the 'create a character' text box, that's honestly a waste of time . A person could just as easily create a paragraph of material through description. Although, I feel wary to start because then no one would want to reply to huge blocks of text. On the other hand, I can't wait for some serious RPs to be started.))

[Jorm]

I feel a bit weird about the guidelines. That makes basically all my RPs invalid, and my most recent RP was made a few hours, about 8, before the guidelines went into effect.

Your RPs are fine. The staff haven't created guidelines for all forum roleplays, they've just made it so that when someone starts a roleplay they have the option of setting out their own personal guidelines for that specific RP. People who don't want guidelines for their roleplay don't need to have them. There's no obligation for you or anyone else to change the way they roleplay.

[•.*°•☆. Q .☆•°*.•]

So who's gonna start the first RP with guidelines? Would anyone be interested in a roleplay themed around giants/giantess?

i would be down for that i love giant stories

[Joal 555]

I feel a bit weird about the guidelines. That makes basically all my RPs invalid, and my most recent RP was made a few hours, about 8, before the guidelines went into effect.

Your RPs are fine. The staff haven't created guidelines for all forum roleplays, they've just made it so that when someone starts a roleplay they have the option of setting out their own personal guidelines for that specific RP. People who don't want guidelines for their roleplay don't need to have them. There's no obligation for you or anyone else to change the way they roleplay.

Thank you, Jorm. That's absolutely correct. Setting guidelines for roleplays is completely optional and doesn't make any previous RPs invalid in any way. Indeed, the possible guidelines shown in our message are merely examples and members are free to decide their own guidelines or not have guidelines at all.