Elite roleplay: Banter

General Roleplay Etiquette:

1. Control only the actions of your own character(s). (AKA: God Mode)
This doesn't matter how small the action is, even if it is as simple as scratching their nose or a direct reaction to something else that just happened. This applies to everything from casual conversation to full blown fight scenes. If you'd like someone to do something specific, PM that person, however keep in mind they are completely within their rights to say no. Especially if said action is inappropriate to their character and/or circumstance.

2. Don't brute force your way into another persons RP.
Approaching with a conversation starter is fine, or indeed some other small action. However charging in, guns blazing and disrupting the flow of another person/pair/groups conversation/arc is about as rude as doing so in real life. If something is going on that you'd like to participate in, be subtle about it. Put out a gentle hook for someone to take, but again, be aware that said hook may not be taken. If you fear it was simply unnoticed, PM the person or people it concerns. Or even leave a message in the OOC forums.

3. Good grammar and spelling is preferred.
We're not asking you to be perfect, but please at least demonstrate willingness. no1 iz gna tak u srsly usng txt spk. There's a wide variety of people here, many who speak English as a second, or even third language. There are even some with varying degrees of dyslexia and/or likely other issues that affect spelling/grammar. We accept them all here. However, people who aren't accepted, are those unwilling to accept polite correction. Remember that even a small thing like the placement of a comma, or the wrong use of there/their/they're can completely change the definition of an entire sentence.

4. Accept constructive criticism gracefully and politely.
If someone spots an issue with your writings, they may wish to help you improve that writing. They may do this through PM or even publicly air their thoughts on the OOC forum. If they have taken the time to be polite and explain what is wrong with your writing, the best way to behave is to respond in kind, using the same manner they have approached you with. It means they have taken an active interest in what you have written and wish to see more. Basically, you have a fan!

5. Don't take the actions or opinions of things done IN RP, to be directly relevant to the writers thoughts or opinions.
Basically, if some ones character calls your character a jackass, it doesn't mean the writer thinks you are a jackass. It's a ROLE they are PLAYING. Watch a movie. The argument between the characters isn't an argument between the actors involved. The same applies here.

6. It's not a popularity contest.
Your RP might be bustling with participants. You have 3 people off station in a fire fight, while another 2 are infiltrating the darkest areas of the station, meanwhile a group of 4 others are tracking your movements in an effort to stop you. Good for you, I'm sure it will be a thrilling read! But you know what? Sometimes the absolute BEST work, comes from two RP characters having a simple heart to heart. Both are valid, both are great, but NEITHER is categorically better than the other. Period.


Inara RP Etiquette:

1. Respect the setting and rules of the universe.
Inara is an Elite: Dangerous 3rd Party Tool. The RP Forums are set in the Elite: Dangerous universe. Elite: Dangerous has rules, as any fictional universe does from Lord of the Rings to Star Wars, or Game of Thrones to Star Trek. If you intend to RP within the Elite: Dangerous universe you are bound by the history and rules of that universe. Simply put, this RP forum is bound by the same rules as the game, so if it can't be done in the game, it is not permitted here. This applies to things from a 50Ly Jump Range on a normal, unmodified Sidewinder, to the destruction of entire stations.

2. Respect the characters created by others.
We have a wide variety of characters already here. It's expected that some will be similar, just as it's expected that two characters will be vastly different. Opinions of each persons character will naturally be varied, but all are valid provided they follow the rules of the universe. You are allowed to interact with, or avoid interaction with, any character in the RP forums. But you have no right to belittle others for their creation. You are not an authority figure on writing, nor are you directly affected by another persons imagination. You might not like it, but you MUST respect it.

3. Be caught up on current events before joining in.
You need basic things like character descriptions in order to interact with them. You also need to know what's going on in the surrounding areas. This is simply because the people you are hoping to RP with, might be gearing up to something that you might not want to be part of. Or simply that the most recent post, out of context, could leave a different impression on the goings on than if you gather that context. We don't expect you to read every single post from the beginning of the forums, just enough to get that basic understanding.

4. Either subscribe to, or frequently check, the Roleplay: Q&A and OOC forum.
People may be discussing something relevant to you there, or even discussing you directly. Perhaps someone asked what the general consensus on the existence or non-existence of a certain object. Or we're just chatting about random gibberish. Either way, be aware of it and use it. If you're unsure about something, such as how guns would look and or behave, or even the music selection, use the OOC forum to ask. We don't have all of the answers, but the collective knowledge and logic usually allows us to overcome an issue and come to a decision on what should be allowed. Frontier Developments, and even David Braben himself, don't have the answers to every possible question that can be asked.

5. Large Scale events exploding out of nowhere are a complete no go.
We get it. Everyone wants their character to be noticed and for people to be tripping over themselves to interact with them. In some audiences, an introduction involving you blasting in for landing in a fiery wreckage of a ship, before cart wheeling out and sword fighting 35 Ninjas before whisking off with the local celebrity for a glorious night of passion, is in fact, cool. This is not one of those audiences. It is generally considered better to build your character up slowly over time. Eventually, you might even have a legitimate excuse to fight those Ninjas. Maybe even with other RP participants by your side.

6. Perfect characters are boring.
The point of a character arc, is that it is in fact, an arc shape. One who is morally unquestionable, fully kitted out and an infinite fountain of knowledge, cannot go through an arc. Give your character flaws. Be it a tendency towards befriending the wrong people, or a bad knee that frequently gives out at inopportune moments. It gives readers something to latch onto and empathise with. You can give your character exceptional capabilities at something, but it requires balance. She's a damn good pilot with no equal, but can't drive an SRV for peanuts. It can lead to some very interesting moments between characters, be it heartfelt or comedic.


Other Notes:
It should be noted that there can be exceptions to these points. For example, good grammar when a character is speaking is actually rare. Few people in real life actually speak with perfect eloquence after all. Or previously arranged actions during a fight scene, such as someone stumbling back after a punch. What's key to remember is context.

All in all, remember this is purely for fun. We have some seriously talented writers here, and others whose writing history starts and ends at high school. But many are willing to help out in whatever way they can. All it takes is that you ask nicely.

Also keep in mind that many people who RP here, also have logbook stories related to the character, or characters, they portray. If it looks like there's an "in joke" going on that you're unsure of, it's probably in those.

In fact, some users have even gone to the trouble of creating "alts" to RP with. If you read back far enough, it's usually pretty clear who has and hasn't, and which ones are the "alts". It's therefore not unheard of to see the apparent seizing of control of other characters. If you do spot one, point it out in the OOC section. If intervention is needed, it will be sorted quickly and (hopefully) politely.

Most, if not all RP participants here have Logbook stories pertaining to their character(s). These are for the reading pleasure of anyone who wishes to do so. While it can be useful to read them in order to gain a bit of backstory on a character you wish to interact with, it should not be assumed that your character shares that knowledge. Within the E:D Universe, these Logbooks either don't exist, or are private diaries kept by the characters. Either way, without explicit statements to say otherwise from the writer, your interactions should reflect that your character is in the dark about any information you, the writer/reader, have gained from reading the stories.
14 Jul 2017, 9:49pm
Far be it for me to criticise a professional, but isn't it gall bladder?

Gull bladders are in more avian creatures I believe...
14 Jul 2017, 10:08pm
And the lesson today, kids, is don't make jokes that impact someone's bottom line. Or that they feel might have impact on said bottom line.

I'll be honest. I've been to Tjakiri a few times on business, and never had a problem there. My last comment was simply a result of too much rum and too much boredom.

Though I confess my boredom did alleviate somewhat when called a 'slanderous toad'. That was refreshing, Doc. o7
14 Jul 2017, 10:14pm
Your comments have little effect on our bottom line, I can assure you of this. It takes more than careless words of a drunken merc to cause anything more than a very mild irritation.

Last edit: 14 Jul 2017, 10:56pm
14 Jul 2017, 10:50pm
If that mild irritation lasts more than a few hours, good thing you've got a big, fancy institute.
14 Jul 2017, 10:54pm
One that clearly hired veterinarians by the looks....
14 Jul 2017, 10:55pm
The bottom line? No I don't think so. We've worked our asses off trying to build something out of the Pegasi region. This backwards little spec of space was brutalized by the Federation. And we freed those people.

So while your off chasing your credits, some of us are actually trying to bring about change for the better.
14 Jul 2017, 11:04pm
Feds, you say? Not bad, Big Guy.
14 Jul 2017, 11:21pm
Looks like that institute does great deals on sense-of-humour gland removal surgery. Okay, boys. Seeing as you've got it all figured out enough to take the moral high horse and ride over me, I'll play.

Change for the better is an onionhead dream. I'm all for sticking my finger in the Fed's eye and have done so many times, but let's be vacuum-cold here. The only reason that you were able to free those people is because no bigger fish wanted them enough to slice you up with a monofilament lash and toss the pieces out of the airlock. The Fed has better things to do than fight insurgency wars in a system that far from it's shining and glorious heart. (That last bit was sarcasm, in case it needed spelling out.)

Taking nothing away from Black Omega here. Even dealing with a tendril of the Fed takes skill and guts. But you've only changed things for the better if that change survives your absence. Otherwise you're just a helmsman keeping the ship on course, constantly having to make little shifts so it doesn't go straight into the star while scooping.

I've fought wars for causes, and I've fought wars for credits. Fighting for credits makes more sense to me. Causes change, ideology shifts, words are deceptive. Credits are honest.
14 Jul 2017, 11:27pm
Oooh, look! A pot calling the kettle black. High horses for everyone!
14 Jul 2017, 11:32pm
Oh, the Feds have bigger fish to fry... That's why we drove away three Farraguts during a system liberation recently?

If what you are saying was true, I doubt they'd have bothered to send such equipment in a feeble attempt to secure their control. That's a lot of resource to commit for a superpower that supposedly has "better things to do".

Edit: Unless of course, it's standard Federal protocol to wave their dicks around in an attempt to intimidate their opponents.

Edit2: Also, if the Feds care so little about the systems in their outer borders to a point where they won't even help their own people, all the more reason those people need to be freed from Federal tyranny.


Last edit: 15 Jul 2017, 12:13am
14 Jul 2017, 11:44pm
Seeing as Hudson travels around with two Farraguts at all times, I think it is.
14 Jul 2017, 11:46pm
Huh... I didn't even know that. What the hell does he need two Farraguts for?

Maybe to make up for a lacking in another department hmmmm?
14 Jul 2017, 11:48pm
In my experience, any man who needs that kind of escort is compensating for something.
14 Jul 2017, 11:50pm
I wouldn't know from experience myself, but yeah, you're probably right. Poor sod.
14 Jul 2017, 11:52pm
Well that didn't take long...

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