2 questions about a freeform game.

[Mystic Muse]

In the Freeform RP section there's a My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic RP and I was wondering 2 things.

1. Despite freeform having no DM, are we allowed to set rules? Naturally, I'd expect that just one player wouldn't be allowed to set rules, but if enough people wanted a rule for the game, would we be allowed to make it a rule for that RP or is that out of our power?

The rule that we'd like is "No Grimdark." My little Pony would be rated G at worst if it were a movie, and we'd like to keep it like that. Naturally, "Grimdark" is really hard to define, so what we'd do is set somebody up who, if you think something might not be appropriate for the RP, you ask them and they'll tell you whether they think it's keeping it in the proper tone.

In addition, if a poster does want a "Grimdark" version of the show to play in, there is an RP specifically for that. There's really no reason to bring anything bad in when there's another MLP RP specifically made for that, and it would make several posters uncomfortable.

2. Assuming this were a valid rule, if a poster was violating it, what would the proper etiquette be? Reporting the post?

[The Dark Fiddler]

I'd imagine (note the lack of any actual authority here, please) that you could go ahead and set some self-maintained rules for the RP as a whole (that is, what the group says goes). I know certain recurring threads (I want to say the relationship and depression threads) set additional rules for themselves.

As for properly making sure the rules were obeyed... that'd be on the group too, I guess? It wouldn't be a matter for moderators, I don't think.

[happyturtle]

As far as I'm aware, the community in a ffrp verse gets to set the basic rules for the setting. If not, then there'd be nothing to stop Ponies from flying around Bleach itp or Lex Luthor trying to take over Equestria.

Question 2, I leave to the moderators, except to note that no one is going to force you, personally, to roleplay a scene or encounter that you don't wish to participate in.

[Mystic Muse]

Question 2, I leave to the moderators, except to note that no one is going to force you, personally, to roleplay a scene or encounter that you don't wish to participate in.

I know. This would largely be for bringing grimdark into the out of character thread where it also doesn't belong.

[Haruki-kun]

In the Freeform RP section there's a My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic RP and I was wondering 2 things.

1. Despite freeform having no DM, are we allowed to set rules? Naturally, I'd expect that just one player wouldn't be allowed to set rules, but if enough people wanted a rule for the game, would we be allowed to make it a rule for that RP or is that out of our power?

The rule that we'd like is "No Grimdark." My little Pony would be rated G at worst if it were a movie, and we'd like to keep it like that. Naturally, "Grimdark" is really hard to define, so what we'd do is set somebody up who, if you think something might not be appropriate for the RP, you ask them and they'll tell you whether they think it's keeping it in the proper tone.

In addition, if a poster does want a "Grimdark" version of the show to play in, there is an RP specifically for that. There's really no reason to bring anything bad in when there's another MLP RP specifically made for that, and it would make several posters uncomfortable.

2. Assuming this were a valid rule, if a poster was violating it, what would the proper etiquette be? Reporting the post?

That sort of thing is sort of made up as we go. Not counting the actual forum rules (which are always followed by default), the "rules" for FFRP are set by the community and worked on by everyone. Basically, the rule is "No grimdark, please." Or "No Godmodding please." "No ultimate power to destroy the universe, please."

If you think they're doing things for the sole purpose of causing trouble, then you could report it for trolling.

EDIT: And... they're not ACTUAL rules. They're more like... the way people do things.

[Zeb The Troll]

Troll Patrol: You are allowed to, as a community, decide upon some agreed upon guidelines for your RP threads. If someone is posting counter to those guidelines, you are allowed to remind them that the RP community for that universe has accepted a convention and ask that they follow it. If they don't, report it and we, the moderation staff, will decide if it's trolling or if they just need an official nudge to play nicely with everyone else.

That being said, you have an OOC thread which is for the MLP universe, and you have an IC thread that allows for the darker content some of you are trying to avoid. They have just as much right to discuss their RP in the OOC thread connected to their universe as everyone else. Is it your wish to make a distinct separation of the two RP's, and therefore create the necessity for yet another OOC thread where they can talk, potentially alienating players who are otherwise active in your thread? Or maybe you can make a compromise that allows them to continue posting, but makes it easy for someone who doesn't want to read about the darker content to skip it if they want to? Perhaps suggesting that your Grimdark content should be spoilered and labeled as such would be such a compromise?

[Mystic Muse]

Troll Patrol: You are allowed to, as a community, decide upon some agreed upon guidelines for your RP threads. If someone is posting counter to those guidelines, you are allowed to remind them that the RP community for that universe has accepted a convention and ask that they follow it. If they don't, report it and we, the moderation staff, will decide if it's trolling or if they just need an official nudge to play nicely with everyone else.

That being said, you have an OOC thread which is for the MLP universe, and you have an IC thread that allows for the darker content some of you are trying to avoid. They have just as much right to discuss their RP in the OOC thread connected to their universe as everyone else. Is it your wish to make a distinct separation of the two RP's, and therefore create the necessity for yet another OOC thread where they can talk, potentially alienating players who are otherwise active in your thread? Or maybe you can make a compromise that allows them to continue posting, but makes it easy for someone who doesn't want to read about the darker content to skip it if they want to? Perhaps suggesting that your Grimdark content should be spoilered and labeled as such would be such a compromise?

Oh, I know they have the right to discuss their RP in the out of character thread related to that universe. It's just that the Out of character thread for the normal RP and the out of character thread for the grimdark RP are two entirely different threads, and there's no reason to bring the grimdark stuff over into the normal thread. If it had been done in the grimdark thread, I wouldn't really care.

This wasn't even really an issue of anybody talking about the grimdark RP, it was about things like "Silent Hill" monsters and corpses in the thread for the normal RP, when there was no reason either of those should even have come up.

[happyturtle]

I think what Soft Serve is trying to say is this:

There are two different Pony freeform 'verses, one for Light and one for Grimdark. The Grimdark players are discussing Grimdark themes in the Light OOC thread. What should we do?

Is this a correct summation, SS?

[Mystic Muse]

I think what Soft Serve is trying to say is this:

There are two different Pony freeform 'verses, one for Light and one for Grimdark. The Grimdark players are discussing Grimdark themes in the Light OOC thread. What should we do?

Is this a correct summation, SS?


Yeah, pretty much. Thanks for clarifying better than I could.

[Zeb The Troll]

Sorry, I missed the OOC thread for the "dark" version. My first paragraph still stands, however.

[Mystic Muse]

Sorry, I missed the OOC thread for the "dark" version. My first paragraph still stands, however.

Okay. Thank you for the clarification.:smallsmile:

[Thufir]

If not, then there'd be nothing to stop Ponies from flying around Bleach itp or Lex Luthor trying to take over Equestria.

This is a thing which should happen.
And then Pinkie Pie throws him a party.