Star Army

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Queries regarding characters

Rizzo

Well-Known Member
I find these questions quite querious...

1. Is there a limit on the number of characters a writer can have?

2. What is the public opinion of a writer having multiple characters in a single thread?

3. What is the public opinion of having characters that act as double agents?

4. What is the public opinion of having characters belonging to separate writers becoming romantically involved?

5. What is the public opinion and/or procedure for killing a character belonging to another writer?

If anyone else had questions they'd like added to the list let me know and I'll put 'em on this post or just ask.
If your answering, I used the numbers to make things easier.
I'm hoping this thread can help all of us newbies.
 
1. No, but generally you want to keep your character numbers to something you can manage.

2. Not sure. Depends on the GM, honestly.

3. Talk it over with your GM.

4. That just happens, tbh. Although sometimes people actually do plan it out.

5. Obviously talk with the person you're trying to kill the character of, and the GM as well.
 
I think Moogle covered the bases pretty well, and that covers those questions as far as they go on damn near every RP site I've been on. Always clear double-agent characters with the GMs, and always talk with the person who's character you wanna kill off, along with GMs.

I'd also say on question 4, talk with the player of the character your character is interested in. The player might have plans or plots for the character, or said character might already be in a relationship. I personally prefer to avoid 'planning/plotting' inter-character romances and relationships, and prefer to let them grow on their own. If they happen, they happen. If not, then they don't. You can usually feel it if a romance between two characters has been decided from an OOC standpoint, rather than grown organically. But that's just my opinion.
 
All good advice, thank you both for your input. I wasn't completely sure how this site worked compared to others and felt it appropriate to ask.
I made this to be a public thread since I'm not the only SARP noob. If anyone has questions or more advice feel free to chime in. :)
 
Here's the official answers I'm giving as the admin:

1. There is no limit of characters you can play.
2. You can play more than one character in the same thread, if your GM allows it. In general, people stick to a single character per plot. It's not against the site, rules, but individual GMs may see it as sort of cheating and prohibit it for the sake of fairness to the other players. A more common circumstance is a GM allowing a player to control a background NPC like the ship's cook, or NPC subordinates of your character (lower ranked soldiers, drones, androids, underlings, etc). The difference is the NPCs belong to the GM/setting and are not exclusive like a player character is.
3. Characters acting as double agents is allowed and has happened in the past. Talk it over with your GM. If it's supposed to be a secret, the GM can approve the character in secret via PM instead of on the Submit New Characters forum.
4. No problem! Commonplace.
5. It's allowed. OOC planning is encouraged.
 
I find these questions quite querious...

1. Is there a limit on the number of characters a writer can have?

2. What is the public opinion of a writer having multiple characters in a single thread?

3. What is the public opinion of having characters that act as double agents?

4. What is the public opinion of having characters belonging to separate writers becoming romantically involved?

5. What is the public opinion and/or procedure for killing a character belonging to another writer?

If anyone else had questions they'd like added to the list let me know and I'll put 'em on this post or just ask.
If your answering, I used the numbers to make things easier.
I'm hoping this thread can help all of us newbies.

1) No, there's no limit, though people are generally encouraged to go with no more than 2, maybe 3 for a while until they get a better handle on the site, and their ability to keep up with various plots.

2) It's not necessarily frowned upon, but I know lots of people tend to view it as rather masturbatory. In the case of GMs, and the NPCs they control, it can be unavoidable at times, but generally, there's no need to RP with yourself alone unless you absolutely want to. Someone is almost always interested in being involved.

3) No real opinion, tbh. If it fits with a plot, and is approved, than it's good. And if you can pull it off well, and make it look GOOD, then there won't be many objections. Keep in mind that double agents tend to end fairly abruptly though, for one reason or another. Especially in a setting as high tech as this.

4) Romantic stuff happens, though keep in mind, it's exactly like real life. You're gonna get smacked down pretty hard if you try to force other people into being involved, but if everyone involved is content, then it's your writing. Your characters do what you want them to, after all.

5) PvP in general is kinda frowned upon because of how bad it usually works out, one way or another. If it's something that everyone agrees on, that's fine, but keep in mind that GMs have final say in any actions taken in a plot, not you, so you can't just automatically say you shot someone in the head and they died.
 
5) PvP in general is kinda frowned upon because of how bad it usually works out, one way or another. If it's something that everyone agrees on, that's fine, but keep in mind that GMs have final say in any actions taken in a plot, not you, so you can't just automatically say you shot someone in the head and they died.

That, and the highlighted part would also be considered god-modding or power-playing which is more than frowned upon by damn near every and any RP forum out there, unless it's an NPC under your direct control.
 
I'll simplify everything that was said above into one phrase: if the rules do not specifically forbid it, and you thoroughly discuss it with every player and GM that would have a reason to be involved, run with it. As long as you aren't stepping on someone else's toes or making another player/GM uncomfortable, it's probably okay. :)
 
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