Plots
"Plots" are role-play arcs and events that have a particularly noteworthy impact on the game setting and/or specific factions, characters, or fandoms. Role-play and scenes that would not cause such a lasting impact need not be treated as plots and can be run on a casual basis without specific staff approval. However, role-play that would constitute a plot must be submitted as a +plot request (+help +plot-requests) and approved by staff.
Does your plot require or will it result in:
- A significant or long-term impact to one or more player characters, such as changes to a +sheet, character death, or long-term removal from the grid?
- A significant or long-term impact on the in-game world, such as destruction of grid areas, changes to politics, large mystical effects, etc.?
- The involvement of one or more powerful or important NPCs?
- Use of abilities/resources that are not on your character's +sheet?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, please submit a plot request (+help +plot-requests). If your idea does not involve any of the above, it should be okay to run it without a formal request. The only reason some ideas may require a request is just to keep staff informed; we like to keep track of what's going on in the game worlds.
Use of NPC support characters associated with your character does not require a plot request, though all characters must be reusable by the next player or apper who wants to pick them up, which means no permanent alterations to the character. (If the character might be changed, please send a plot request.)
Please note that having your request approved does not imply consent from other players who will be affected by your scenes. You must still seek individual consent from players and consent from +group heads if your ideas include the entities for which they are responsible.
If a GM makes decisions a player does not like, the player should attempt to communicate with the GM about it. If this does not work, then the player should contact staff for assistance. Any final decisions about such disagreements will be settled by staff ruling.
Plot Requests
Included in a plot request, you should explain:
Any potential long-term consequences of the plot, especially if they might require characters to update their +sheets, alter the grid significantly, or affect the game's setting (or fandoms within it) in a noteworthy way.
The general scope of the plot in terms of area affected and how long it is anticipated to run. Does this plot affect only a few characters, a whole fandom, a whole city or region? The greater the area of impact, the more detail staff is likely to ask in a plot request.
What level of "threat" may be anticipated, such as how dangerous the foes might be, how much fighting might be involved, and so on. Players should be able to tell from the +plot invitation how good a fit their characters are and whether the plots content will suit their interests.
Any NPCs, particularly unplayed Feature Characters, who will need to be emitted by the plot-runners--in particular, be sure to include in any significant impact that will be had on those characters who are being run as NPCs and/or on their fandoms.
Any special considerations the plot requires: assistance from staff, special locations or rooms for the plot, or other needs that must be met for the plot to proceed.
Any content flags (Violence, Death, Romance, Angst, Personal story arc) that pertain to the plot in question.
Monthly Threats
Monthly Threats are cycling villains that last for a month's time. They are currently implemented for Superia.
These Threats can give you a very handy basis for a scene, or even a personal character plot! Monthly Threats menace the populace in general for their month, and then they are cycled out again. Players may feel free to emit villains and minions, as well as other personnel necessary for the scene. Though they can and will be defeated in individual scenes, the main villain(s) must escape at the end of the scene, to continue being a threat until the end of the month. At the end of the month, a group scene may be run to defeat the villainous Threat.
The current Monthly Threat can be seen in the OOC Lounge.
Much of the code and the content of many of the News files on this game were contributed by staffers from other games. They are used with permission.