Rolplaying rules. (in the words of O M N ii K ii D)

[Knux_nyan]

~A General KH RP Guide~

Need help getting started in the RP? Glad you came here. These are some main points you want to think about when rping:

ON MAKING YOUR POST
1) Distinguish between RP and OOC (out of character)
Sometimes people do not specify when they are talking in the RP or just to the Gaia users themselves. When conversing with others outside of the RP, put something like one or two parenthesis around the text.

2) Distinguish between dialogue, thought, action, etc.
Most people use quotation marks for dialogue, regular text for narrative and action, and italics for thought. Use what's comfortable, but stay consistent. Also, add the location of your character.

3) Please type out a narrative. Third person + past tense is preferred.
Instead of saying "I did" or "We did", refer to your character and other characters by using their name or he/she/they/ etc. etc. Some people like to write in past tense, others in present tense. Stay consistent with these as well.

4) Keep narratives readable, meaning no run-on sentences, numerous spelling errors, confusing dialogue, or anything of the sort.
Grammar is more something you will have to learn on your own, but spell-check can be done with Google Toolbar, or some other device.

5) Distinguish between rping multiple characters, if you are doing so.
Many people in the RP play multiple characters. If you are, you may want use a different kind of text. An example would be to use different colors. You can also bold the words or underline, even italicize. Just make sure everyone can tell the difference. And be sure to say who's who in your profiles, and who uses what text.

6) Add detail!!!
Detail gives your roleplay posts some body. Most people post something like:

Quote:

He ran to the beach and into the water.

when a better use would be:

Quote:

The ocean air brushed through his hair, his eyes glistening as the ocean did in the setting sun. His feet soon entered the surf. The cold water rushing over his exposed feet. His mouth opening in a gasp. His legs followed and soon he was swimming in the cold water.

This should include things such as emotion and attack descriptions as well. It battle you can describe what kind of attack you're using, what direction, where you're striking, etc. The minimum use of game techniques is advised, but if you have to use them, please describe the technique instead of just naming it. This also applies to heartless. For example:

Quote:

omni used Strike Raid on the Dark Ball.

better-

Quote:

omni thrust his keyblade at the floating heartless, it missed, but soon rebounded off the adjacent wall, hitting the sphere-shaped heartless in the back of its head.

7) Don't quote or post repeatedly.
Please don't post twice, three, or even four times in a row. If you want to post more, edit your last post and add instead. Also, please don't quote another person's post unless the post you are replying to is more than a page back in the RP. Definitely do not do a quote within a quote. (This smile

Quote:

Quote:

Like omigod. totally.

Yeah

If you have read this part of the post, you must put the word 'Keyblade' in your application to the guild. This is to insure that you have read everything. Anyone who does not have this in their application will be DENIED.

ON FAIR GAME OF ROLEPLAY
1) NO GOD-MODDING!
When using a person of higher power, create some kind of weakness somewhere that is a bit general for the most part, so others can take a stab (literally). Be creative, but not so much as to create these super moves that are nearly unbeatable, or extremely powerful (at least tell us about it beforehand. Don't introduce it all of a sudden in the RP). Allow yourself to get hit once in awhile.

If you want a precise explanation of God-Modding, read this article.

2) Keep spontaneous manifestations to a minimum.
Things like gummi ships, elixirs, potions, munny, and even weapons do not just appear out of nowhere- that would be God-moding. RP getting them from somewhere, or at least starting out with something. Mention what you have beforehand.

3) Summons cannot be invincible.
Summoning is allowed in the RP, but they also have to have a weakness. Your summon creature has to be able to be hit, it can't have an abundance of energy, and it has to take some time to recover if defeated. You can summon your creature to treat it like a pet or a means of transportation, but it can't be god modded.

4) Be flexible and creative.
You are interacting with other human beings, just like yourself, and all of you want to create your own story with something specific in mind. Well, with all this going on, you have to realize that your plot is not always going to go the way you expected. The trick is to be creative enough to get out of a mess as smoothly as possible, but not so much as to be unbelievable. Yes, please be creative. You can change your character, let it live and grow, give it a few extra powers once in awhile, but please, keep it real.

If you have read this part of the post, you must put the word 'Hero' in your application to the guild. This is to insure that you have read everything. Anyone who does not have this in their application will be DENIED.

ON MAKING YOUR STORY
1.) Remember that this is a Kingdom Hearts role-play.
Have a character that ACTUALLY HAS TO DO WITH KINGDOM HEARTS! Meaning Disney and Square Enix! If you ask yourself, "How does my character relate to Kingdom Hearts?", and your answer is vague, or understandable only to YOU, or even NOT AT ALL, you need to adjust your character.

(Movies more so produced by Disney than actually made by them, such as Narnia, can count as Disney relation, but these unfortunately must be judged on a case-by-case basis.)

2.) Remember that some Final Fantasy and Disney characters are allowed to be controlled.
YOU MUST PROPOSE THIS TO SOMEONE IN CHARGE FIRST. (For VU, that would be Sory, and for HA, either MikomiRae, Mizu, or Je suis.) Permission for these characters is heavily judged on a case-by-case basis. Please don't bring them in for the sake of bringing them in or because you're bored. Make sure you have an actual storyline relating to them; they deserve cool parts. (However, if you're serious about the part, FF and Disney characters are welcomed. ^^)


3.) Think out your character.
Have some sort of plan/plot for your character. Make them more in-depth. Give it personality, but, again, stay consistent. Yes, characters do change over time. But it shouldn't be a "smack! Hey look, I went from bratty princess to goody-goody ruler all in one night" sort of thing.

4.) Avoid clichés!
These actually have their own post, so... yeah. Might want to take a look at that.

5.) Try to introduce yourself to the story.
Give a bit of background of how you came to be with the group, like RPing how you got swallowed up by darkness, or how your world got destroyed. If you choose not to, tell us how you got there later.

6.) Do not kill another User's character without their permission.
Cause for an instant ban. Killing your opponent without having him or her agree to it. That's a no.

7.) Create a good plot.
This includes many aspects. One can be to build up to a scene or a major plot point for you. Your story may include others, but the bottom line is this is a story. Make it come alive. Be descriptive at least once in awhile, have climaxes, have your characters face dilemas and grow from them, include others, be human (figuratively), let those juices flow. Do what feels right.

8.) Only have as many characters as you need.
There's no limit to how many characters you may have, but do not make so many that you find yourself RPing with yourself more than with others! If you do that, you defeat the point of an RP.

MOST IMPORTANT RULE OF ALL!!!
HAVE FUN!
Yes, corny, but the reason you're rping is to enjoy yourself. Not having a good time? Then stay out for awhile. No one is forcing you to do anything. Just take your time and have fun.

A TIP FROM RAE: You know what really really I'm-totally-not-joshing-you helps improve your writing for a Kingdom Hearts roleplay, particularly HA? WATCH. DISNEY. MOVIES. I mean, yeah being as familiar as you can with what happens in Kingdom Hearts is excellent as well, but I think the Disney movies give you a much better feel for what the characters and settings are truly like. Are we in Agrabah? Watch Aladdin, observe, make notes even! Watch it twice, three times! Imprint it in your skull. It helps so much. Though not as easy to do, this works the same way with Final Fantasy games if you're playing a Final Fantasy character. (For ease, you could just youtube clips, or just read parts of the script of the game with your character in it.)

If you have read this part of the post, you must put the word 'Heart' in your application to the guild. This is to insure that you have read everything. Anyone who does not have this in their application will be DENIED.  

[Knux_nyan]

~RP Cliches~

Below is an ongoing list of cliches you should avoid in your RP. If you fail to change these cliches after notification by crew member, you will receive a strike.

1. Son/daughter/best friend of *insert FF character here*
Obviously a lot of people have tried to claim that in their RP. Unless you've actually communicated with the person RPing said character (such as Sephiroth etc.) you are not to claim to know said persons. For example, we've had several people have their characters taken in by Leon, or having been brought back from Hallow Bastion by Leon before it was overrun. This is impossible, since Leon was still a kid when it got overrun, and Cid was the one who brought him Aeris and Yuffie back.

2. I HAVE THE OATHKEEPER/OBLIVION/ROAD TO DAWN!!!
There have been countless members who have claimed to be wielding the Oathkeeper. First of all, this doesn't make sense because the Oathkeeper was created from the charm KAIRI GAVE SORA!!! Which I'm fairly certain cannot be reproduced. Similarly, people try to claim the Oblivion or similar keyblades.

3. I HAVE THE MASAMUNE!!! I CAN USE COMET!!!
Okay, similar to cliche number three and two, please do not copy your characters after other Final Fantasy and/or claim to possess their weapons and/or skills. This also includes copies of said weapons and skills. -___-" For example, don't say you're wearing the same clothes as Sephiroth, and possess a similar sword. Try to make your character's appearance, skills, and personality UNIQUE!!!

If you have read this, you must put the word 'Champion' in your application to the guild. This is to insure that you have read everything. Anyone who does not have this in their application will be DENIED.

4."Possible" Princess of Heart
Big cliche that makes a character a Mary Sue. It's much like "Oh (insert actual PoH name here) was mistaken for (Mary sue name here) because they look so much alike bla bla bla." No. Disney and Square Enix make the rules in Kingdom Hearts. They are the actual dictators of the game. You cannot change that.

If you have read this, you must put the word 'Destiny' in your application to the guild This is to insure that you have read everything. Anyone who does not have this in their application will be DENIED.  

[Knux_nyan]

~N00b FAQ~

I'm new to Role Playing (RPing), may I have some help?
Of course you can! If you're having any problems what so ever, then just contact a mod, or another member of the guild, and ask for help!

Do I have to make a profile first?
Yes, a profile is necessary. Without one, the others would have no idea who your character is. Please create a profile first and post it in the Profile Forum.

Are normal members allowed to make an RP storyline of their own?
Yes, all members are entitled to make an RP storyline, as long as it doesn't take away too much from the main storyline, or other people's stories.

Just which Ansem are we talking about?
Xehanort's heartless is just Ansem, the other Ansem can be referred to Ansem the Wise.


These will be updated once there are more questions! Don't be shy. Ask away.  

[Knux_nyan]

~Creating a Character Help~

Lately, I've been noticing a lot of people have gone the route of complete originality instead of trying to connect their character to Disney or Final Fantasy somehow. At first, it wasn't much of a problem, but now I think its important for newcomers to try and fill the gap. As such, I'm going to post some info here that might inspire you.

Different Disney Species

Anthro - The first species; that of our beloved Mickey Mouse. Basically animals that can walk and talk. THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE, man! (Classic Disney cartoons, Robin Hood.)

Fairies - There are several different kinds of fairies in Disney movies. There are those that always remain small, such as in Peter Pan, that demonstrate no apparent powers besides flight and the ability to give others the power of flight. Fantasia also has fairies similar to Neverland fairies, but they help change the seasons. Then there are the faeries of Sleeping Beauty, who are normally at standard human height, but can shrink themselves when need be. They possess magic powers that is, given what's shown, unlimited. Fairy Godmother and the Blue Fairy are moreso related to this kind of fairy.

Djinns - Also known as genies, djinns are beings of fire and air kept inside lamps. They must grant three wishes to whoever frees them, and can only be freed by their master's wish. As slaves, their powers are virtually limitless except for three rules: 1.) They cannot kill, 2.) They cannot force love, and 3.) They cannot bring people back to life. Once freed from slavery, a djinn's power is reduce.

Gargoyles - Creatures of the night. They turn into stone when the sun rises, and come to life when the sun sets. They possess massive wings that allow them to glide (not fly), and sharp claws that can cut through solid stone. Their strength is unmatched. They live protect their "castle"; their home and the people in it.

Living Dead - Taken from Tim Burton's nightmare before Christmas. Walking skeletons, vampires, ghosts, zombies, mummies, scarecrows, werewolves. If you want a ghoulie, chances are it fits into this world easily.

Mermaids - Human torsos, fish tails. Beautiful (or handsome) creatures that can converse with any animal dwelling in or near the sea. (Scuttle.) They have voices like angels. They fear humans.

Monsters - Creatures of varying size and appearance, though the greater population is sized between 3-8 feet. All are scary looking, but most are actually pretty soft-hearted. Monsters are afraid of children, but they torment them because children's screams power their world.

Talking Animals - There are a ton of these. Bambi, Jungle Book, Finding Nemo, you name it! These are animals that keep their natural form, but can still talk like a person. Chances are that if you want to be an animal or an anthro, there's a Disney movie you can fit into.

Centaurs -
Dwarves -
Aliens - Treasure Planet, Lilo and Stitch
Robots - Treasure Planet, Flubber

Of course, using Square Enix stuff is also a good idea. For all of your FF idea needs, go to: www.ffcompendium.com . They have EVERYTHING, from summons to a complete spell list to character name origins to a list of species... yeah. There's a lot.

I think the compendium covers pretty much anything you would need to know on Final Fantasy, but if you want to request more information on certain Disney aspects, or if you have info you'd like to add here, please PM me. ^_^  

[Knux_nyan]

1. Sensitivity

Generally respect people, whether it be their ethnicity, political views, or especially their sexuality. There are lots of people here from different walks of life and because of that we're very gifted. This is a place for open minded, culturally sensitive people, and though we may joke around from time to time its still important that no one ever feel as if they're discriminated against. If thats the case for anyone, I'd expect them to come to me about it.

2. Noobies

Alright, once again a rule along the same lines of the first one. Since we accept everyone into the guild there will be a lot of people who've been in Gaia for three or four years and those who've only been here a few days or weeks. Once again, oldies, be nice to the noobs. Noobies, try your best to act as maturely as possible.

3. Spam

Don't do it unless its in the OOC forum. In the RPs try not to use OOC too much and in other forums don't get off topic if you can help it. It gets really annoying when someone spams two or three pages having a really poor quality RP fight with someone in an Art forum.

4. Grammar

We're a semi-literate to literate community here. If you want in this guild, come with some decent grammatical knowledge. Also, people generally will not respect you if you're talking in noob-speak or l33t.

If you've read all this, put the word 'Oblivion' somewhere in your application. Any application lacking this word will be DENIED.

5. Cliches

This is a strictly RP related rule/guideline. We're very strict about cliches, and we have a list of them which you can study in the Main forum. Basically what this means is, no katana wielders, no keyblade spaming (where you have fifty different keyblades, or keyblades without any relevant story or special power) or except in extreme case claiming to be descended from certain Final Fantasy Characters or having trained under them. (Usually we have this problem with Sephiroth. Enough said.)

6. Godmoding

Obviously godmoding is frowned upon and we will call you out if we feel you've been using it. If you've already established whats going to happen with the other person thats all well and good. Just say in your post that you had permission.

7. Patience

Please be patient when waiting for another person to post, sometimes people will be MIA for long periods of time and its necessary to create an escape plan so that you don't get chained down. If things come to this though please don't be rude about it or complain. This especially applies to the artists in the art forum as well. Don't flood them with requests and then bug them constantly to finish them. Make requests understanding that they may never be completed. You just have to deal with it, and be understanding.

8. Do not bug me.

I don't want you to get the wrong impression, I love my guild members and I love to talk with them, but I'm a very busy person. Please don't pm or IM me every time I sign on just 'to talk.' There are very few people who've earned a place in my heart where I like to talk to them regularly. I don't mind if you know me pretty well, but I hate it when people I don't even know want to start small talk with me. Sometimes I'm flattered, and I'm more than happy to talk, but most of the times it just irks me. I've had several people stalk me and IM me every time I sign on and never stop bothering me. Hopefully that won't have to happen again because those people have been banned. Don't get me wrong, I'm not the grinch, its just I usually have my hands full and I don't appreciate people expecting me to give them extra attention. I'd love to talk to you guys in the forums any day, and once you get to know me pretty well, and I you, I shouldn't have a problem with talking to you from time to time.

If you've read all this, put the word 'Oathkeeper' somewhere in your application. Any application lacking this word will be DENIED.

9. Most Importantly

Have fun guys, thats what its all about. Don't just do the RPs, try and interact in the other threads too. We're a very close-knit family here, some of us have known each other for years and written together for just as long. We're very much a family and we love to bring new people into it. Some of my best friends in the world are here.This isn't just about the writing, its about the community too. I hope you enjoy becoming a part of it.
Kyou Nitsune wrote this