Forum

Type: Verdana, Arial, Courier New, Times New Roman Tahoma
Size: 10 , 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20
Spacing: 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 2.0
Weight: bold, normal
Color: White, Yellow, Green, Red, Blue

Iseijin

2005-03-03 13:24:30

Oh, that's ok. I am not trying to force these tutorials down people's throats. It's here for when people need a reference to go to. I'm not expecting a medal or anything; just contributing what I know for the greater benefit of many. Besides, I volunteered to do it; a 'labor of love' if you will.


~ No one is taller than the last man standing ~
~ Males conquer, females rule ~

2005-03-04 07:17:10

I'm sure it depends on what the other posts were like, i presume either deathdrop or bug-hunt were logged on in the evening, i'm thinking the posts could have been lees than average and if that were the case, were probably removed, they wouldn't have been deleted for no reason.

www.thorndesigns.netdarkness of acheronD & R webz

2005-03-04 11:56:34

Ref missing post's they were deleted by me last night reason being there was a couple of bad posts and as i looked through the rest of the topic i was seeing a great piece of work filling up quickly with one liners, yes all comments and compliments which we had all seen and responded too, i did not want to see this topic fill up with loads of pages, wanted to keep this topic simple and all for you Iseijin as one big essay for people to read over, if there was loads of pages people will not look through it all to find the posts in subject. How the topic should look, is like the list you have on the first page. Would like to say that NONE of your work was deleted and important comments stayed there as well. I did leave a post explaining it all last night but is not here (think i disconnected from net before it got posted) If you want me to stop and let this topic fill up? of course i will not delete any more posts (will still delete bad posts)..... :)





Been living on borrowed time so feck it if i die!

2005-03-04 13:28:50

Thanks, ... when reading your first post it looked like you were gona go through the roof over what i did lol, what i will do is just tidy it up from time to time ounce any new questions have been answered and the subject has moved on myself or dave will delete them for you.





Been living on borrowed time so feck it if i die!

2005-03-06 21:05:08

(Note: This lesson will be divided in two parts)
(Part I)

LESSON III – Etiquette

Etiquette defined: “The forms, manners, and ceremonies established by convention as acceptable or required in society, in a profession, or in official life.”

Now the word I would like to highlight from that phrase is “acceptable”. The RPG caused a few to create misdemeanors, many of them unacceptable caused by inexperience and negligence; from badly written sentences, to one-liners, to plot intrusion, to everything in between. Understand that the RPG has a certain standard of etiquette and all that is asked of the participants is that they comply to and apply them. Though this lesson is sub-divided into smaller categories its main idea will be the correct usage of your character with proper etiquette.

WHEN TO INTRODUCE YOUR CHARACTER – Your character is an extension of yourself, an RPG allows you to fully exploit that extension in ways that is only limited by imagination. Ok, so you have your character and you are ready to indulge into the RPG, but WHEN to start? Most participants will start at the beginning of the RPG; the first few being “greeting posts” – as I like to call them – where one can properly introduce the character without affecting pace or plot. Yet some participants will find themselves farther into the storyline before their first post. If this is the case then I suggest you read the previous posts and get an idea of the storyline and current events; believe me, others WILL know by what’s in your posts if you’ve read beforehand. Be sensible in your posts. Don’t just appear out of the blue in the middle of the story if you previously had nothing to do with it. It’s rude and it’s proving your negligence and disrespect. Instead, I suggest you take the time to properly introduce your character from the sidelines then gradually weave yourself in until you too are part of the storyline. Test the waters before going swimming. By slowly pacing yourself then you have a better chance at avoiding kinks and be faster at fixing them should you bump into one. Start OUT and work your way IN.

HOW TO INTRODUCE YOUR CHARACTER – As I stated before many of you will start posting at the beginning of the RPG thus avoiding many of the problems the “late-bloomers” had to face. Like meeting someone for the first time introductions must be made. Considering individuality and personality, decide traits first. Have in mind the traits of your character to bring out the interesting points, and illustrate (write out) your character in different poses to realize them more strongly. The manner of speaking, the movements of the body, possessions, etc, all have their own characteristics. Remember, that unless you have already participated in previous RPGs and have established a reputation, then others will have little idea of who you are. I suggest starting with a little bit of background history first to explain to the reader where you come and what you have to offer. Participants playing as Yautja will have to be a little more creative in their backgrounds than their Xenomorphs combatants and their “humble” beginnings. As with a story, include setting with your introduction.

For example (Yautja): “There were times when he abhorred the rain; its inconsistency in its falling pattern, the way it drenched all it touched…he knew that he would have to dry his armor as soon as it stopped before they began to rust (he laughed at the irony, acid-proof armor but not rust-proof). Yet this time he felt different towards it; there was a beauty it the tiny droplets, they reminded him of home, of all the hard-earned trophies in dense, humid jungles. The rain washed away insecurity from his mind and body. He was ready to face what this planet had to offer. To confront and emerge victorious. They had teased him about tackling such a task, him being smaller than the average Hunter, but that only made him more determined to succeed.”

Note how without bluntly saying so, I have already gave him a physical and a personality description. From reading alone, one has already come to the conclusion that this Yautja is of smaller-than-average size but his determination and courage more than makes up for his lack of stature. Work with this when introducing your characters.

(End of Part I)



~ No one is taller than the last man standing ~
~ Males conquer, females rule ~

2005-03-06 21:05:31

(Part II)

HOW TO INTERACT WITH… – Even though the RPG will contain a main storyline (and several sub-plots), the majority of the RPG the story will be seen through YOUR character’s eyes and whatever occurrences happen it is important that your character portrays them correctly and remains consistent. In other words, staying in character towards other participants and the plot.

Staying In Character – As yourself what your character wants to do. Does he/she want to conquer an enemy? Do they want to impress a potential mate? Is it personal or for the welfare of others? Were they forced to do it? Volunteered? These are just examples and there are many others. Just narrate whatever is it your character wants to be and do. Your POV should demonstrate how your character sees and thinks. Telling your story through his/her eyes will keep the story on track and the plot coherent. Individuality and personality are created from how the characters interact. Different methods of interaction will arise depending on what species you play as. Xenomorphs do not have a determined language but can communicate with sounds (hisses, grunts, roars, etc…) to reveal emotion and posses a wide variety of body language as well as chemical and electric signals for long distances. Yautja have a slighter advantage of being able to converse with their fellow Hunters verbally yet what is unfortunate is that many did not utilize it to its full potential. They declared – for example – that they opposed to someone’s idea; but without applying the proper grammar rules, the entire phrase (both the narration and speech) was one long sentence. Please apply quotation marks for speech.

For example (Yautja): “When his Leader’s words ceased, he was left with his blood frozen. Had the Leader gone mad? Surely his ‘plan’ would end up being a suicide mission. With a deep bow, he stepped forward. “Excuse me saying Leader, but certainly you have determined that not only is this strategy unreasonable it would danger the entire pack and –” But before he could finish, his Leader’s backhand crossed his face to silence him.”

Note the quotation marks!

Example (Xenomorph): “The drone swiveled his head back and forth, hissing in anticipation. He sensed the Hunters approach and all he had to do was single out the weakest of their pack to be pregnated. With a low growl he turned to the rest of his comrades amidst the foliage. Some curled their tails, others extended their secondary jaws, and all were just as excited.”

Note the lack of vocals does not hamper emotions or the idea of the phrase.

KNOWING YOUR BOUNDARIES – As human beings we have physical boundaries as well as psychological ones. We cannot run as fast as horses or retain a migratory pattern in our minds like birds but we can all do these things pretty well. Same with your character, they are bounded by their own abilities as well as disabilities.

Strengths – Mainly, physical strength, but strength also comes from your character’s attitude and personalities. Human beings have unlimited possibilities and unpredictability. That can be a weak point but it is also a strength. It makes characters more “human-like”. Think about those aspects that cannot be unanticipated. Considering which species you play as, different strengths will arise that you can mold into your personality and exploit. Yautja are naturally strong, yet depending on your Yautja character you may possess different degrees of strength. Predators who focus on physical prowess will undoubtedly have greater strength than those who are leaner, yet maybe the lean ones sacrificed strength in order to gain speed. Other strengths include higher intellect, ability to track down opponents/prey, and mastery over a variety of weapons, as well as many others. Xenomorphs – despite their lithe physique – are quite strong in their own right but not as much as their Yautja opponents. Their strengths rely on camouflage (surprise attacks), speed and agility, and numbers. Again, depending on your character’s individuality you may find yourself having to sacrifice one feature for the other.

Weakness – Every positive aspect has a negative not too far behind. For Yautja their weakness could be their large size. Sure, it may have intimidated humans but it’ll do little to deter an experienced Xenomorph. Also, by being larger their agility is hampered and thus in a fight they will have to focus more on counterattacking and blocking rather than dodging. Communication could be their downfall too; Yautja will have to use loud sounds to communicate, giving away their position should a Xenomorph hear it. On the other hand, Xenomorphs could be far from being ‘perfect’ if taking into consideration their loyalty to their Queen. Xenomorphs have been known to stay still, while the Hunters killed them off, in order to not bring danger to the Queen. Participants playing as Xenomorphs are more intelligent but must be reminded that they are being submitted to every will of their Queen, no matter how ludicrous. The exoskeleton, though strong, is not bullet-proof; a Xenomorph can only take so many hits before going down for the count. These are only a few examples; please consider what you posses and what you lack to create a more believable character.

Disabilities – It will only be manner of time before you find yourself with a missing limb or two. RPG fights are known to be brutal and many consider themselves lucky to give up an arm for their life. If your opponent managed to sever a limb, don’t be disappointed; it is unfortunate but nothing to fume over, just an obstacle to adapt to. Make sure, above all, to take care of your wound; remember that a badly infected wound can lead to blood poison and eventually death (this applies more to Yautja than Xenomorphs). Take time to get used to your new disability before going out again, you don’t want to be caught unprepared. There is no preferable limb to be detached but if it had to be determined then I would say than an arm is better to lose than a leg, speed is probably more important. If you prove that you can take your handicap with maturity, you will be seen in a much more respected light than if you whine and complain. Please remember that it is important to keep these things in mind so that a more realistic RPG setting can be created.

Weapons – The proper use of weapons will be reserved for Lesson IV (Fighting) but this will touch the subject of different kinds of weapons. Yautja have been known to have the most unique weapons for Hunting and not all are for killing. Nets are great to subdue prey and can be used for long-range, not many Hunters used nets when fighting and would have proven useful to deter attacks. Spears can be used for both offensive and defensive maneuvers, extendable blades for closer attacks, while the burner can finish up the job. Armor will provide the most protection but will do little against a piercing blow from a Xenomorph’s tail. Xenomorphs are not known to carry weapons but that won’t stop them should they decide to take a Yautjpear for a few rounds. Be aware that weapons have limits too; not everything is acid-proof and can only take so much force before breaking.

PROPER STORYLINE INTERVENING – This mainly is revised from character introduction so little else can be said. I greatly stress the fact to read previous posts and get an idea of what’s going on, reread it if you have to and make sure you understand current events. From there you must take the appropriate action depending on the situation. Mods will inform from time to time what is expected from their members for the storyline to continue smoothly. Please, if a mod says not to interfere with the plot, by all means don’t try to meddle, wait until the appropriate signal has been given.

(End of Part II)
(Questions, Comments, and Suggestions open for discussion)



~ No one is taller than the last man standing ~
~ Males conquer, females rule ~