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[happyturtle]

This thread has been started with Roland's permission. He wants it noted that further flare-ups of the behaviour from the last thread will be dealt with swiftly.

WELCOME TO THE NEXUS!
Check your sanity at the door, please.

So, what is Nexus?

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Well, the Nexus itself is like a rift: a single, brilliant point where all the universes in this strange thing we call 'reality' meet. Traveling to, from, and between any world or cosmology is theoretically possible here, and the Nexus itself seems to encourage this happening, often sucking beings and locations out of other universes at random, and dumping them on the world that lies at its center. It was not always like this, however. Once there were two worlds at the Nexus' heart, separate and distinct, though somewhat similar in ways. Similar enough that they slowly and eventually merged, so that only one remained. Here in this world the Nexus' influence reigns supreme, and as such the world has defied almost all attempts at classification. Here, knights of old may engage with Jedi knights. Gleaming spaceships land in Dark Age hamlets. Cowboys and samurai quest together to find holy sandwich boxes. And in the heavens above, Xi Wangmu and the Flying Spaghetti Monster meet every Woden's Day to play bowls with Pelor (it gets pretty epic). Here the possibilities are endless, and the universe without rules (except the Forum Rules, and the general FFRP rules, and the Individual Thread Rules, and oh whatever). Welcome to Nexus. Fun is had here.

General Nexus FAQs:

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Is there a guide to getting started?
Besides this post, which you're currently reading, you could also read post 3 of the stickied FFRP Central thread, particularly the section about godmodding. You can also ask any questions you have in the current Nexus OOC thread. If you have no questions, post in the Nexus OOC anyway to introduce yourself. And welcome.

What kind of character can I make?
Any. There are no restrictions on genre, alignment, world of origin, etc.

Will my power work the way it does in the source setting?
Almost certainly not. In your setting, you may have been the Mighty Zorlox, whose power to control the world's socks was absolute, but in the Nexus, you may run across Madam Bo Peep, who controls the world's wool.

If my power goes against your power, who wins?
In combat or any type of adversarial situation, the defender has the final say. So if Zorlox tries to turn Bo Peep's wool socks purple, Peep's player gets to decide if her wool power prevails. But if Bo Peep tries to have a pair of wool socks strangle Zorlox, then his player gets to decide if his sock power wins.

Oh no! Someone's already using my character concept!
In the Nexus, all cosmologies are true. Just because someone is playing the incarnation of Death doesn't mean you can't as well. You are very unlikely to come up with a character concept that is wholly unique while remaining playable; there is nothing new under the sun, and so on.

Sometimes you'll say 'I just came up with a great character idea - they have x race and y abilities and z backstory and I'll call her Linda' and someone will say 'You mean like my character Lynda over there that I introduced last week?' No one really knows why these sort of coincidences occur, but the Nexus seems especially prone to them. When they do, the best thing to do is to look at your character concept and figure out what makes yours unique.

Where should I start? Theoretically, you can start in any thread that isn't a private thread or a plot thread. More practically: Trog's if you want a chaotic introduction with the possibility of brawls or random encounters. Mallside if you want a peaceful place to interact.

Do I need to get pre-approval for my character, or fill in a registry form before I start?
Nope. You can if you like, but it's not required. And sometimes it's better to get a feel for your character first, before deciding all the details about them.

Threads can be so confusing to read! So many people are doing things! How can I help?
There are two things that everyone can do that will make threads much easier to read.

First, please put your character's name in every post, even if it's just <Character's name> said, "<Stuff that was said>". Your characters are your babies and you know them all, but the other players don't. Even the people you roleplay with regularly probably don't know the text colors of all your characters. (The only exception to the 'name in every post' guideline would be if you're in a back and forth dialogue scene with only one other person no one else posting in the same thread at that time. Then I would change it to 'put the name in every third post'.)

Second, please use [Location Tags] to say where you are, so that people can keep track of events occurring in different places. For a good explanation of how [Location Tags] work, see the first post of the Outside thread.

I'm not getting any character interaction! What should I do?
First, try initiating interaction. Sometimes everyone in the Tavern is being mysterious and aloof, and someone has to be the first person to speak up and start talking to the other person. If that doesn't work, try posting in the OOC thread that you want interaction! It's a good idea to say if you're looking for a fight, a plot, a conversation, a romance, or anything else. Most people are friendly and will work with you.

Using this smiley in your posts can help too:



What if I disagree with another player about how the scene should go?
Talk to them, either by PM or in the OOC thread. If you've gotten angry, wait until you cool down to post. Ask non-involved players to act as mediators if needed. If it gets to the point where neither player is having fun, it's probably best to just agree on a way to quickly conclude the encounter and move on.

But I'm really mad! *ragequits and deletes all posts*
Well, first off, that's not a question, that's an declaration, Mr. Smartypants. Secondly, no one can really stop you, but it's not very courteous and makes problems for other players. Retconning out a scene can be done, but that's not the right way to do it.

So what's the best way to handle a retcon, then?
First of all, retcons should be rare. But if you really think you have a good reason for one, talk to all of the players involved in the scene and make sure they're okay with it. Remember, they all put their time and effort into roleplaying with you. Once everyone involved has agreed how the retcon will go, post a summary of the retconned changes in the thread involved and in the OOC thread so that other players will be aware.

I think I should win this fight! But the other person thinks they should win too! Should I make up a new power for my PC to win?

No. Please don't do this.

If you're planning on having a fight with another player's PC it's sometimes a good idea to work out ahead of time how the conflict is going to end. Especially if both sides go into it wanting to win. Because when that's the case things often spiral out of control and people get mad.

We aren't here to get mad, we're here to have fun.

So instead of getting angry, save yourself some trouble and shoot a few PMs back and forth first.

Your first character (copied from FFRP Central)

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So, you're ready to make your first character. One of the hardest things to get used to in ffrp is that you don't start out in an adventuring party, and there's no DM to push characters together. You'll have to actually find people to interact with on your own. Here are some tips (not requirements!) for making that easier on your first character:

• Don't be the quiet person in the shadowy corner. If you roleplay as someone who is outgoing and talkative, you'll find it easier to make IC friends. Someone who is curious or greedy will be more open to plot hooks and adventure opportunities. But if you roleplay someone who is shy or quiet or wary of other people, you're likely to be left alone.
• Don't be openly evil. If you walk into the tavern and start murdering npcs, you are unlikely to make a lot of friends and very likely to get jumped on by a bunch of PCs who were looking for a fight.
• Consider starting low-powered. It's tempting in a freeform system with no scores or points to decide that your character is the best at everything, but where will they go from there? They can always gain powers or magic items or skills as they go on.
• Don't be too needy. Remember in ffrp, you are not THE hero of the story. You are A hero, and there are many stories. The characters you meet at first are likely to be involved in their own affairs. Some players start by having their character immediately in need of rescue, healing, training, attention, etc. This can work well, but make sure you have a plan B in case there is no one willing to drop everything to devote themselves to being your rescuer! Can your character make it if they receive only a minimal amount of help, or none at all?
• Don't be too self-sufficient. Remember in ffrp, you are not THE hero of the story. You are A hero, and there are many stories. If you are a combat powerhouse and a healer and a master of obscure lore and a spellcaster, people are likely to get weary of their characters taking a back seat to yours and decide you can do just fine without them.
• Be aware of deadtimes and real life. Sometimes, not many people are online and active. Sometimes the people who are may only have a limited time to play and want to use it to progress their favorite storyline instead of meeting new people. Try to be patient and remember that it won't be long before you'll be the one wrapped up in your own favorite storylines. Talk to people in the ooc thread while you wait for your character to get 'stuck in'.
• Have fun! Remember this is a game, and if it isn't fun, you aren't doing it right.

Attention Villains and Plot Instigators:

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Conflict is great! It's the heart of any story, and there isn't much to roleplay without it. However, as a player to player courtesy, please check in with the players who are active at any given time before launching an attack. Not everyone wants to roleplay combat scenes, and sometimes there are other things going on that players don't want to interrupt for a random fight. Either a PM/IM to players, a short post in thread to say ((Mind if I introduce a villain here?)) or a longer post in the OOC thread if it's a larger plot is appreciated. However, taverns are usually considered fair game for a Random Encounter or general brawl.

If you intend to start a large scale plot, such as an invasion or apocalypse or the like, please consider the following guidelines:

* Don't spring it on players. Characters can be surprised, but players have lives. Make sure they want to play in your event before conscripting them by going "Suddenly, Apocalypse!" in a thread they're using for other things or at a time when the relevant players have exams, family stuff, vacations, etc.

* Go easy on the Nexus-wide effects. Ominous visual effects like a blood moon or a green sky tend to be accepted. Massive spells that affect everyone in the Nexus or city / org destroying superweapons... expect pages and pages of drama.

* Avoid apocalypse fatigue. If there's recently been one, there needs to be a cooling off period before the next one. People want to be able to roleplay how the event affected their characters and various locations, and this requires some RL time where they aren't in the middle of combat.

* Inside is the standard Apocatarget, but if you're attacking Inside, this absolutely requires that the Remnant and Irregulars players are onboard, and have the free time to devote to it. The same principle applies to making any other thread your target - make sure the main players in that thread are willing to play. The other time this isn't required is for the Outside thread, since it's so huge that anyone can say they aren't at the Apocalocation. If you do this, consider simply making a plot thread for the apocalypse. It does lose some of the apocalyptic flavour, but it avoids a lot of headaches for players and the GM.

* Make sure you as a GM know what you're doing. (1) If you've never GM'd a Nexus plot before, DO NOT start with an Apocaplot. Experience as a GM for tabletop games or other freeform verses is helpful, but the Nexus is different enough to have its own learning curve. Start with a bank robbery, a kidnapping, or some other lower end villainy to get some practice. (2) Make sure you have the free time to respond to many many player posts as well as handling the npc victims if no one else steps up to play them. If you don't already post daily, you should not GM an Apocaplot. Don't say 'I know I only post sporadically, but it'll be different for this plot.' Prove you can post regularly first. (3) Remember that you're going to lose. Your villain may not realize it, but you as a player must absolutely accept this from the start. Even if Team Hero completely and utterly fails, you do not get to say 'haha! Nexus goes boom!'

* An Apocaplot, by its very nature, is an open plot. Unless you have it in a separate thread, it's no fair to lock players out from participating, or to say you don't want high powered characters joining. If you're throwing around world destroying events, then Exalts, godlings, and other OP beings should be allowed to get involved.

* FFRP is supposed to be what we do for fun. If we start thinking of it as a chore, then that's a sign that something is going wrong. If any player wants out of the plot, work with them to find an IC way to let their character get out of it without killing them. If everyone is slogging through, forcing themselves to post, and really bored with it, consider wrapping it up in a cut scene. If people are ragequitting your plot, that's a really really bad sign, and requires a timeout for tempers to cool.

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Major Locales

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For an endless world that defies all logic and classification, Nexus can be pretty darn consistent at times. As such, several locations have survived the test of time, remaining (somewhat) constant amidst the chaos of the rest of the world.

Inside - Inside mostly resembles a modern city, with high-rise buildings and apartments, alleyways and roads, though the odd Demonic Monument can still be seen rising up above the surrounding suburb, teeming with dark cultists. Inside is headed by a Council consisting of representatives from the major ACRONYMS, as well as Magtok and Zee, with law enforcement provided by Remnant, the remains of the once powerful Acronymian Empire.

Outside - If you ain't Inside, you're OUTSIDE! Simple as that. Outside is a meta-thread for all those wildernessy type areas that don't merit their own threads, be it wood or lake or tiny shack.

Riverside - This is a completely separate city that has less law enforcement than Inside. Part of it is continually shrouded in darkness.

Skyside - A floating city with no laws and lots of MAD SCIENCE!!!! Also superheroes/villains.

Underside - A sprawling network of underground caverns beneath the surface of the Nexus. The Underside is often considered a separate world beneath the feet of the Nexus, operating under strange, foreign rules and keeping its business where it belongs.

Mallside - It's a shopping mall, with shops run by PCs and NPCs alike. MagMart is the largest store, selling everything you can imagine. There's also a food court and a gorgeous fountain. By OOC consent, this is meant to be a peaceful thread, so starting fights or murdering npc's is not allowed.

Home - Whether in the suburbs of Inside, a desolate mountain cabin, a dingy flat somewhere... this is where PCs live. This is a meta-location, as the houses themselves may be many miles apart from one another. Or in separate dimensions.

Plot Threads - Many threads exist to contain plot events, such as a dungeon crawl or a dreamscape. Always check with the GM running a plot before jumping in.

ACRONYMS - Home to adventurers, these complexes provide headquarters and occasionally living space for like-minded Player Characters. Invariably equipped with cheesy names, these structures provide a place for their various members to fight crime, cause chaos, or anything of the sort. Current Acronyms include:

• AMEN - Association for the Malicious, Evil and Nefarious. Evil aligned organization, exists to be EVIL! And sometimes Ebil.
• HALO - Heroic, Anti-evil and Lawbreaking Organization. Non-Evil aligned organization, exists to smite wrong-doers.
• GLoG - Good League of Good. Good aligned organization, exists to redeem evil-doers.
• MERC - (formerly NO - Neutralist Organization.) The organization with the highest stake in contract work, be it mercenary, adventuring or anything else. NO both hires itself out and exercises control over a large part of the freelancers by handing out licenses.
• WATCHTOWER - You Know What? Screw It. Non-aligned aligned organization. Exists to destroy threats to Nexus, whatever form they may take.

The Taverns
What kind of vaguely DnD-esque adventurer would you be if you didn't visit one of these places at least once? The various Taverns, Grills, Hotels, Cantinas and Restaurant provide meeting places for the Player Characters, areas for quest givers to stand mysteriously in, and also places for people to eat and spend the money they seem to have infinite amounts of. Though there are a vast number of such places in Nexus, some with their own thread and some without, throughout history three major hubs have existed, without which Nexus as we know it wouldn't exist. The Dancing Fox Inn, which is located among some hills in outside. Finally, there is Trog's Tavern, which is located, maddeningly enough, at every corner of the Nexus at the same time. There is also the Black Dragon's Den, it's located roughly between the docks and the slums of Inside, and is the local hive of scum and villainy.

For more information:
The first post of every thread is valuable reading. It explains the purpose of the thread, whether it's private or public, and whether there are any additional rules you should follow. It's always a good idea to read it before you post in a new thread.

Why We Fight: A Proposed Advanced Style And Concept Guide for Individual FFRP Combat By Neon Knight

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Foreword

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This guide is intended as a supplement to currently existing guides and practices relating to the employment of combat in FFRP. The author makes no pretensions that this guide is authoritative or useful until endorsed by the community. The author also makes no pretensions that he has perfectly adhered to the principles in this guide, nor that such a thing is possible. Everyone makes slip up sometimes. The author also makes no pretensions that these materials, observations, and recommendations are wholly original.

Introduction

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Combat is an interesting subject in FFRP. FFRP is an interactive, cooperative endeavor, but combat serves a different purpose in FFRP than it does in other interactive, cooperative activities that FFRP might be patterned off of, like video games and table top RPGs. FFRP combat, rather, is more akin to a fight scene in a movie, book, or play. Another analogy may be that FFRP combat is not like an MMA match, which is truly competitive, but rather like professional wrestling, which is an arranged, choreographed performance intended to tell a story. FFRP is cooperative storytelling, and it remains so, even during a fight or action scene.

Why Competitive Combat Doesn't Work in FFRP

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Competitive Combat does not work in FFRP for a variety of reasons, a few that I will outline here. The only method of interaction in FFRP is assertions. You assert some fact is true by the act of declaring it, by writing down that it happens. You can only assert so long as your assertions do not impede on anyone else's right to assert, at least for their own property and characters. In a fight, the only way to compete is to assert, but the effectiveness of your assertions are entirely determined by the recipient. A fight in which both people want to win usually becomes nothing more than an escalating series of assertions of power and lethality, until the knobs snap off at 11, and no one can go higher without being ridiculous. Characters receive power upgrades on the fly, just to keep up, or to try and top the latest assertions. It's a messy and ugly affair that many people have professed a dislike for.

The Ideal of Cooperative Combat

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Combat in FFRP should be cooperative rather than competitive, which by and large is the same purpose that most posts in FFRP serve. Combat should serve to tell a story and add to storytelling, provide drama and tension through physical peril, and to entertain through description. When your characters get into a fight, the ideal is to make that fight a meaning contribution to the plot, whether that be your character's overall arc, the plot of the other characters in the fight, the specific plot of the fight or place where the fight is taking... you get the idea. You should cooperate and coordinate with other players to make sure that you're all on the same page, fulfilling the proper purposes, and not stepping on anyone else's toes. Sometimes, you might not get to work towards the purpose you necessarily want, but compromise is one of the necessary parts of cooperation. This is the ideal of Cooperative Combat: to have fight scenes serve to support continuing plot lines and interaction, to serve the interests, needs, and stories of as many players as possible as harmoniously as possible, which is the same ideal for normal interaction.

What those purposes are will vary from fight to fight and plot to plot. Communicating with players in the plot and fight before, during, and after the occasion is ideal.

Covering Yourself and the Enemy in Glory

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One of the few precepts that should be near universally applied is the idea of covering yourself and the other participants in the combat with glory. By that, I mean you should try to reinforce their assertions with your own descriptions and actions. A player can say that their character is a master marksman, but he really becomes and feels like a master marksman when other players respond to him like he is a master marksman, when their choices, descriptions, and actions reflect this status. When others assert your own assertions, that is when they become real and powerful in FFRP.

This is why it is important to try and help people assert their characters, whenever you can, and why it is important that they do the same to you. Only together can you realize each character's power level and abilities. This is also why purpose and cooperation are important. Clashing purposes are often what cause inappropriate escalation. If your purpose is to kill a character while their purpose is to survive the encounter, the other player will have a hard time reinforcing your power while fulfilling their purpose.

Selling the Hits

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"Selling" a hit is wrestling terminology for acting as if a blow really hurt or serious injured/impaired you. A similar concept can be applied to the Nexus; selling is the act of briefly bowing to the assertions, that is, attacks of other players and letting them affect you. Selling is something that requires both people to meet halfway. The attack has to be appropriate in order to get sold; appropriate for the purpose and goal of the fight. The response has to acknowledge and account for the attack.

Thus, selling is something you need to keep in mind when designing a post, and when designing your character. You need to make sure your attacks and defenses allow both you and the other side to sell the hits, to avoid pointless exchanges were nothing really gets accomplished. A string of misses often adds nothing to the conflict or the plot, and doesn't move the action closer to resolution.

My suggestion is to try and design graded consequences for your abilities. For example, here is a suggested consequences list for an attack with a gun:

No Consequence: Total miss.

Minor Consequence: Grazing hit, or a hit in an armored location with minimum impact, character becomes more cautious/less aggressive, an item of minor importance is hit/lost.

Moderate Consequence: Flesh wound, character takes cover and doesn't act, character is forced to fall back, an item of importance is hit/lost.

Major Consequence: A disabling injury/injury requiring medical condition is sustained, character becomes pinned and temporarily unwilling to fight/risk self further, character begins to fallback, an item of major importance is hit/lost.

Full Consequence: Life threatening injury, death, retreat/rout, surrender, etc.

In general, you should take the consequences that are appropriate for the fight, and for the goals that the fight is intended to fulfill. But, in general, No Consequence hits should be used sparingly. Consequence lists will differ from fight to fight, situation to situation, character to character, and possibly from attack to attack. You don't have to have a response for every type of consequence. In general:

A No Consequence Hit does not move the fight closer to resolution. It has no real consequences on the fight or on the character.

A Minor Consequence Hit does not move the fight closer to resolution, at least not appreciably, but it is intended to have minor consequences for the immediate fight and for the character. These consequences aren't intended to be long term.

A Moderate Consequence Hit is intended to slightly move the fight closer to resolution, and has some consequences for the character. It is intended to last somewhat longer than a minor consequence.

A Major Consequence Hit is intended to move the fight rapidly towards a conclusion, and is intended to have consequences that last for some time or require some action to redress.

A Full Consequence Hit is an attack at maximum effectiveness, intended to move the fight immediately to a resolved state. It is intended to have long term/permanent consequences or to require severe effort to redress.

Another proposed consequence list, this time for a sleep spell:

No: The subject is not affected by the magic.

Minor: The subject feels fatigued or slightly sleepy, but not enough to seriously impair ability, only enough to take the edge off their prowess.

Moderate: The subject feels fatigued, unable to perform at top condition, and may suffer a temporary lapse in concentration or focus. The subject might fall into a micro sleep for an instant or for a few seconds.

Major Consequence: The subject may lose focus for several seconds, and may become so tired as to need to actively fight to stay awake. They might fall asleep for several seconds.

Full Consequence: The subject falls entirely asleep, or is so disabled as to be helpless.

These are not the only gradations you can offer. Different scales might work better, either for specific, individual cases, or in general. But having the ability to mitigate an attack to the exact degree of harm and effectiveness to be suitable for the purpose of the fight is an advantage. Avoid all or nothing powers, except if that's supposed to be the point (of the character, the fight, or the plot) and if you do so, be fully prepared and ready to accept a series of No Consequence Hits. When going for all or nothing, make sure that both the all and the nothing are as acceptable and widely applicable as possible.

Be Open To Other Roles

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In FFRP, your character is not always the protagonist. FFRP is a story composed of many other stories, each with their own characters. Each character might take different roles in different situations, and it is important to recognize this and to be ready to accept the many different roles you might get cast in. Sometimes, you're just a sidekick or ally in a fight. Other times, you'll be the main figure in a fight. And sometimes, you'll be the antagonist, and sometimes you'll get the role in the fight that loses. Being able to reconcile and relate this to your characters is an important skill in FFRP. Now, not every character will necessarily be interesting in every role, and it isn't a bad thing to try and put your character into the roles they are suited for whenever you can. But flexible characters who can relate and work in different roles can be more interesting than less flexible characters, and they may have more opportunities than those less flexible characters.

Conclusion

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Remember the foreword. This is not the gospel truth. There are always exceptions. But I believe that this advice, practices, and conception of FFRP combat might be applicable, interesting, and helpful to the community at large.

How everyone should feel after a great fight scene.

On Posting: A Guide to Avoiding the Most Common Mistakes, by Artemis97

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It would be, at the very least, polite to acknowledge the post I've made and spent time and thought putting detail into.

I know you haven't been on FFRP for too long, but if you've paid attention to the veterans around here, we tend to post quite a lot, not in frequency, but in volume. We average a paragraph or more, and when we really get going, we can go on for a page or more. We love this game, we love writing, and we pour our heart and souls into it. To receive a single sentence in reply is, honestly, downright insulting.

In addition to that, single sentence replies are really hard to respond to. You give us nothing to react to, nothing to go off of. It is the equivalent of typing "K" in response to a text. You may have noticed that I didn't continue the RP we had going in Outside last night. This is why. I had no idea where to go with the scene. FFRP is a cooperative game. It's a give and take. We need to work with one another to play.

We also need to be able to communicate clearly. So I will stress here the proper use of punctuation and grammar. Quotation marks set off speech, which is particularly useful when color tags fail. Proper punctuation helps you to get your point across more clearly.

Now I know, not everything requires you to re-write War and Peace in response, and sometimes it's hard to come up with content (believe me I've been there). But it's good to give some content, else we receive a very flat picture of your characters. Think about how they feel, how they're standing. Are they fidgeting and nervous, or stoic and grim? Do they smell? What's going through their heads?

I'm sorry for running on so long, and I don't mean to seem like I'm picking on you specifically. This is an issue that pops up with newbies often, and sometimes we need to remind folks. I'm saying this because I want to help you. I want you to enjoy your time here and be a thriving part of our community. I can already see that you're very enthusiastic about this game, and I love that. Please don't let what I've said here lessen that, but I also encourage you to take what I've said to heart.

~Artemis

When Storylines Stall: Dealing with Deadtime

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I have a suggestion for a new guideline (not a rule!) for roleplay. In group interactions, often the entire thing freezes when one player doesn't post. Then there's the debate about whether or not it's fair to skip that person.

My suggestion is that the default expectation be set at 24 hours. If you haven't posted in 24 hours without asking for more time, then the interaction is allowed to move on.

Caveats:

1. This would be 100% negotiable. If Pat Player knows he always needs 3 days to post, then he says so up front, and everyone in the plot knows that. Or Pam Player says she's never around on weekends, or Pav Player has a big homework assignment and needs some time off, or George GM says 'There's one week between turns in my plot' etc. The default is for when no one has said anything, but the post just isn't happening.

2. If the player is online and posting in other places, poke them first before moving on. They may have just forgotten.

3. There are no 'sanctions' for missing your turn in a plot or interaction other than cyber poke wounds. If skipping the person would mean something significant occurs to their character, then don't do it, or find a way to shield their character from events or give them multiple options for how they would have been effected (with 'no effect' being an option.)

OOC Archives:

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[Nexus] OOC 45: 0.0000000000000000000042% full
[Nexus] OOC 44: To be continued...
[Nexus] OOC 43: Here Comes the Sun
[Nexus] OOC 42: The thread at the drain of the multiverse
[Nexus] OOC 41: Look! Up in the sky!
[Nexus] OOC 40 days and 40 nights
[Nexus] OoC 39: OoCside
[Nexus] OOC 38: The Mün Is Not Enough
[Nexus] OOC 37: What Goes Here Again?
[Nexus] OOC 36: The Absurd Only Seems To Get More Absurd
[Nexus] OOC 35: Winter is Coming
[Nexus] OoC 34: If it exists, we have role-played it. No exceptions.
[Nexus] OoC 33: The Orgs is all FREEMASONS!
[Nexus] OoC 32
[Nexus] OoC XXXI
[Nexus] OoC 30
[Nexus] OOC 29: Since When Have Titles Been All That Important, Anyway?
[Nexus] OOC 28: Something to do with Mayans
[Nexus] OOC 27: I saw Moffy kissing Wolfy Claws
[Nexus] OOC 26: Handwavium half off!
{Nexus} OoC XXV: Where all the Cool Cats are.
[Nexus] OOC 24: Babysitters Apply Within
[Nexus] OOC 23: YO MAMA never called me back.
[Nexus] OOC 22: ALL HAIL THE BUTT-HAT
[Nexus] OOC 21: Blackjack, But No Hookers
[Nexus] OOC XX: The Land of Pokings
[NEXUS] OoC 19: Et tu, Ninja-Pirate Zombie?
[NEXUS] OoC 18: Where the Females are Foxy and the Sirs, Superfluous.
[NEXUS] OOC 17: This Title For Rent
[NEXUS] OOC 16: Sweet!
[NEXUS] OoC 15
[Nexus] OoC 14
[NEXUS] Nexus OoC 13: Saturday the Nexteenth
[Nexus] OoC 12: Out of Cornflakes.
[NEXUS] OoC 11: The Misadventures Continue...
[Nexus] Nexus OOC X: Leave Your Common Sense at the Door.
[Nexus] Nexus OOC IX: Its Why They Pay Us The Big Bucks
[Nexus] Nexus OOC VIII: Portable Atrocities
[NEXUS] OOC VII: Where sniper cats greet you at the entrance
[NEXUS] OoC VI: Do You Think You Can Handle It?
[Nexus] OoC V: Suxen Eht Nioj!
[Nexus] OoC IV: We're All Mad Here
[Nexus] OoC III: May Contain Nuts
[Nexus] OoC II: Where Sanity Comes to Die.
[Nexus] OoC 1: The Shape of Things to Come

When the thread reaches page 50, anyone can make the new thread, but don't make changes to the OP without discussing it with the other players first.

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Nexus Character Directory
Nexus Digest

For Nexus IRC chat, click here.

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[Zefir]

Yay OOC is back in Action.

TS it's your turn in GloG. But if you want, we can skip through the Operation unless there is anything important you want to be played out.

@ Morty: Wasn't there a Blood Sample of Harnel once?

[happyturtle]

When setting up this thread, I realized that the OOC OP has gotten a bit bloated, and is probably fairly intimidating to newbies. In fact, I've heard at least one newbie complain. While the info is good, it maybe shouldn't be presented in an info-dump.

I think something similar to the GLoG OP could be implemented, where the critical newbie information is presented first, and the rest of it is marked as optional reading.

1. Do people agree with that?
2. If yes, what parts of the OP should be considered newbie essentials, and which optional?

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In other news, poke me if I'm due to post anywhere in existing scenes, but I'm unlikely to start any new scenes for a while.

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In other, other news, the title for this thread comes from the link in my sig. Click and scroll all the way through for the full impact.

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[Morty]

@ Morty: Wasn't there a Blood Sample of Harnel once?

I think there was. It's been long ago, though. The contract more or less failed, really.

And I agree with Happy that the OP could use some trimming. Separating critical and less-critical information sounds like a place to start.

[Slii Arhem]

Hey there folks, welcome back one and all! I wanted to start this OOC off right by adding a bit of side-along functionality to it. Since there was mentions of IRC chats last time, I feel that now is the best time to make a dedicated Nexus/FFRP IRC channel that people can use for the swift arranging, discussion, and clarification of scenes and plots along with the more stable OOC.

So in order to do that, I'm going to lay out how to use IRC (Internet Relay Chat) in as simple a form as I know, as well as mention a few other known options for you guys to look up and decide if you want to use.

Spoiler: Getting into IRC through Mibbit

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The most browser-friendly, non-installation, non-sign-up site for IRC I've found is https://www.mibbit.com/, and getting into the Nexus chat from it is going to be pretty simple for anyone who wants to try it.

Firstly, on the main page for the site there's a Launch App link that will take you to a page that looks like this:



The link may be partially obscured, depending on what browser you use, but that's just a site quirk and it should always be clickable. Now let's look at some of this page's options.

The Connect dropdown menu brings you to a list of different IRC servers that the client can connect to. In this case, Sorcery is the one being used. If you want to connect manually instead of scrolling down the list, then you can click the Server option and type irc.sorcery.net into the provided bar. The same thing applies to other servers. Though their direct URLS may not follow the irc.[servername].net formula, it's likely they will.

Next you need to decide on your Nick, or nickname for use in the channel. Nicks are floating things, and used server-wide, so your nick might not always be available unless you register it, and registering it comes with some side benefits, but requires you input a password when you log in to verify you own that nick. If there's enough demand for that I'll explain nickname registration and other irc commands in another post.

And after that, all you need to do to get started is input the channel name, prefaced with a #. In this case it will be #gitpnexus which means by the end your screen should look similar to this before you click Connect:

EDIT: And as a recent addition, thanks to Lost for his help for people on Android devices:

For those who want to use AndroIRC:

Spoiler: Lost's Guide to andro IRC

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Upper-right corner, options. First thing first, right? Nickname lets you choose what your name is, while 'Alternative' lets you choose the next best thing. I'd recommend setting both.

Servers: add new server. Name doesn't matter, I'd recommend "Sorcery." Address is the important part, it's "irc.sorcery.net" The rest should be fine blank, but I'd recommend checking Auto-Connect.

Channels: Choose Sorcery, add a channel. Put in #gitpnexus (THE # IS NEEDED), and again I would recommend Auto-join. There is no password, so leave that blank.

Note that Andro IRC does not support text customization as far as I can tell. There's a little color chooser in the corner, but that only applies per message.

Trillian also has an IRC chat function, if you already use that for other types of chatting, and I hear that pidgin is serviceable and preferred by a few people. If you go to sorcery.net's site, there are FAQs detailing various commands you can input into IRC, as well as a very basic chat function there under the chatnow tab.

Spoiler: A Fair Warning to All

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This channel will be moderated, and will abide by the rules of the forum. Please don't think to go there looking to start trouble, approach it with an open mind as a tool to aid roleplaying and help foster understanding. Moderators will come from people who join up and want to learn how to use IRC to its fullest in order to help keep it a place people want to keep coming back to.

To those who aren't interested in instant message chatting, don't have the time for it, or don't wish to get caught up in another distraction, let us know and we'll try to arrange things to where you're caught up on some of the goings on. I say we because I'm certainly not qualified to keep everyone appraised of everything on my own, so I'll be recruiting other operators and channel-goers to help me with that.

And as a TLDR for those who already know how IRC works: We have a channel called #gitpnexus on irc.sorcery.net now.

IRC stuff over, FFRP stuff beginning after the break.

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1
And because I'm taking a more active role in FFRP starting now, or trying to at least, is there anyone who might be interested in a plot based around condensed, evaporated dreamstuff that begins making people's dreams come true in a literal and possibly hilarious way? Let me know so I can get a good idea of what scale I should begin planning the plot for.

[Beans]

Yay, things!

*ponks FF to HALO*

[Duck999]

Does anyone (TS, Ark, FD) know where the current ravenloft plot is going to get us?

[Zefir]

@ Happy. Agree: What is the Nexus, Your fist char and a few rules like the deadtime Rule and Godmoding Rule should be in.

I think there was. It's been long ago, though. The contract more or less failed, really.

And I agree with Happy that the OP could use some trimming. Separating critical and less-critical information sounds like a place to start.

Yeah, thought so as well, since I didn't seem anyone even trying to find something and I myself didn't felt like sending Fade. In that case I could have send Arkant's minions.^^

@ Slii Arhem: Would like to be part in a plot again. I got a new char I didn't even made a page in the directory, but he shouldn't be that powerful.

[Ionbound]

Does anyone (TS, Ark, FD) know where the current ravenloft plot is going to get us?

Not a clue. Though, I have a feeling it will be both tragic and a better love story that Twilight.

[TechnoScrabble]

Yay OOC is back in Action.

TS it's your turn in GloG. But if you want, we can skip through the Operation unless there is anything important you want to be played out.

@ Morty: Wasn't there a Blood Sample of Harnel once?

I can't find it, sorry. What page was it on?

Also, I owe posts in the opera House and with recaiden's tiger shark in seaside but I am hitting some major writer's block...Grandma what an odd diving bell you have??

[UncleWolf]

Apologies for those waiting on posts from me a lot lately. Been a rough few days at work and recovering from it. I'll be posting everywhere I owe today though.

[Arkhosia]

Apparently the plan involves....

ENTHRALLING! MWAHAHAHA!

[happyturtle]

Proposed new OOC OP:

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WELCOME TO THE NEXUS!
~Always open to new players~
Check your sanity at the door, please.

So, what is Nexus?

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Well, the Nexus itself is like a rift: a single, brilliant point where all the universes in this strange thing we call 'reality' meet. Traveling to, from, and between any world or cosmology is theoretically possible here, and the Nexus itself seems to encourage this happening, often sucking beings and locations out of other universes at random, and dumping them on the world that lies at its center. It was not always like this, however. Once there were two worlds at the Nexus' heart, separate and distinct, though somewhat similar in ways. Similar enough that they slowly and eventually merged, so that only one remained. Here in this world the Nexus' influence reigns supreme, and as such the world has defied almost all attempts at classification. Here, knights of old may engage with Jedi knights. Gleaming spaceships land in Dark Age hamlets. Cowboys and samurai quest together to find holy sandwich boxes. And in the heavens above, Xi Wangmu and the Flying Spaghetti Monster meet every Woden's Day to play bowls with Pelor (it gets pretty epic). Here the possibilities are endless, and the universe without rules (except the Forum Rules, and the general FFRP rules, and the Individual Thread Rules, and oh whatever). Welcome to Nexus. Fun is had here.

General Nexus FAQs:

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Is there a guide to getting started?
Besides this post, which you're currently reading, you could also read post 3 of the stickied FFRP Central thread, particularly the section about godmodding. You can also ask any questions you have in the current Nexus OOC thread. If you have no questions, post in the Nexus OOC anyway to introduce yourself. And welcome.

What kind of character can I make?
Any. There are no restrictions on genre, alignment, world of origin, etc.

Will my power work the way it does in the source setting?
Almost certainly not. In your setting, you may have been the Mighty Zorlox, whose power to control the world's socks was absolute, but in the Nexus, you may run across Madam Bo Peep, who controls the world's wool.

If my power goes against your power, who wins?
In combat or any type of adversarial situation, the defender has the final say. So if Zorlox tries to turn Bo Peep's wool socks purple, Peep's player gets to decide if her wool power prevails. But if Bo Peep tries to have a pair of wool socks strangle Zorlox, then his player gets to decide if his sock power wins.

Oh no! Someone's already using my character concept!
In the Nexus, all cosmologies are true. Just because someone is playing the incarnation of Death doesn't mean you can't as well. You are very unlikely to come up with a character concept that is wholly unique while remaining playable; there is nothing new under the sun, and so on.

Sometimes you'll say 'I just came up with a great character idea - they have x race and y abilities and z backstory and I'll call her Linda' and someone will say 'You mean like my character Lynda over there that I introduced last week?' No one really knows why these sort of coincidences occur, but the Nexus seems especially prone to them. When they do, the best thing to do is to look at your character concept and figure out what makes yours unique.

Where should I start? Theoretically, you can start in any thread that isn't a private thread or a plot thread. More practically: Trog's if you want a chaotic introduction with the possibility of brawls or random encounters. Mallside if you want a peaceful place to interact.

Do I need to get pre-approval for my character, or fill in a registry form before I start?
Nope. You can if you like, but it's not required. And sometimes it's better to get a feel for your character first, before deciding all the details about them.

Threads can be so confusing to read! So many people are doing things! How can I help?
There are two things that everyone can do that will make threads much easier to read.

First, please put your character's name in every post, even if it's just <Character's name> said, "<Stuff that was said>". Your characters are your babies and you know them all, but the other players don't. Even the people you roleplay with regularly probably don't know the text colors of all your characters. (The only exception to the 'name in every post' guideline would be if you're in a back and forth dialogue scene with only one other person no one else posting in the same thread at that time. Then I would change it to 'put the name in every third post'.)

Second, please use [Location Tags] to say where you are, so that people can keep track of events occurring in different places. For a good explanation of how [Location Tags] work, see the first post of the Outside thread.

I'm not getting any character interaction! What should I do?
First, try initiating interaction. Sometimes everyone in the Tavern is being mysterious and aloof, and someone has to be the first person to speak up and start talking to the other person. If that doesn't work, try posting in the OOC thread that you want interaction! It's a good idea to say if you're looking for a fight, a plot, a conversation, a romance, or anything else. Most people are friendly and will work with you.

Using this smiley in your posts can help too:



What if I disagree with another player about how the scene should go?
Talk to them, either by PM or in the OOC thread. If you've gotten angry, wait until you cool down to post. Ask non-involved players to act as mediators if needed. If it gets to the point where neither player is having fun, it's probably best to just agree on a way to quickly conclude the encounter and move on.

But I'm really mad! *ragequits and deletes all posts*
Well, first off, that's not a question, that's an declaration, Mr. Smartypants. Secondly, no one can really stop you, but it's not very courteous and makes problems for other players. Retconning out a scene can be done, but that's not the right way to do it.

So what's the best way to handle a retcon, then?
First of all, retcons should be rare. But if you really think you have a good reason for one, talk to all of the players involved in the scene and make sure they're okay with it. Remember, they all put their time and effort into roleplaying with you. Once everyone involved has agreed how the retcon will go, post a summary of the retconned changes in the thread involved and in the OOC thread so that other players will be aware.

I think I should win this fight! But the other person thinks they should win too! Should I make up a new power for my PC to win?

No. Please don't do this.

If you're planning on having a fight with another player's PC it's sometimes a good idea to work out ahead of time how the conflict is going to end. Especially if both sides go into it wanting to win. Because when that's the case things often spiral out of control and people get mad.

We aren't here to get mad, we're here to have fun.

So instead of getting mad save yourself some trouble and shoot a few PMs back and forth first.

Your first character (copied from FFRP Central)

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So, you're ready to make your first character. One of the hardest things to get used to in ffrp is that you don't start out in an adventuring party, and there's no DM to push characters together. You'll have to actually find people to interact with on your own. Here are some tips (not requirements!) for making that easier on your first character:

• Don't be the quiet person in the shadowy corner. If you roleplay as someone who is outgoing and talkative, you'll find it easier to make IC friends. Someone who is curious or greedy will be more open to plot hooks and adventure opportunities. But if you roleplay someone who is shy or quiet or wary of other people, you're likely to be left alone.
• Don't be openly evil. If you walk into the tavern and start murdering npcs, you are unlikely to make a lot of friends and very likely to get jumped on by a bunch of PCs who were looking for a fight.
• Consider starting low-powered. It's tempting in a freeform system with no scores or points to decide that your character is the best at everything, but where will they go from there? They can always gain powers or magic items or skills as they go on.
• Don't be too needy. Remember in ffrp, you are not THE hero of the story. You are A hero, and there are many stories. The characters you meet at first are likely to be involved in their own affairs. Some players start by having their character immediately in need of rescue, healing, training, attention, etc. This can work well, but make sure you have a plan B in case there is no one willing to drop everything to devote themselves to being your rescuer! Can your character make it if they receive only a minimal amount of help, or none at all?
• Don't be too self-sufficient. Remember in ffrp, you are not THE hero of the story. You are A hero, and there are many stories. If you are a combat powerhouse and a healer and a master of obscure lore and a spellcaster, people are likely to get weary of their characters taking a back seat to yours and decide you can do just fine without them.
• Be aware of deadtimes and real life. Sometimes, not many people are online and active. Sometimes the people who are may only have a limited time to play and want to use it to progress their favorite storyline instead of meeting new people. Try to be patient and remember that it won't be long before you'll be the one wrapped up in your own favorite storylines. Talk to people in the ooc thread while you wait for your character to get 'stuck in'.
• Have fun! Remember this is a game, and if it isn't fun, you aren't doing it right.

Attention Villains and Plot Instigators:

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Conflict is great! It's the heart of any story, and there isn't much to roleplay without it. However, as a player to player courtesy, please check in with the players who are active at any given time before launching an attack. Not everyone wants to roleplay combat scenes, and sometimes there are other things going on that players don't want to interrupt for a random fight. Either a PM/IM to players, a short post in thread to say ((Mind if I introduce a villain here?)) or a longer post in the OOC thread if it's a larger plot is appreciated. However, taverns are usually considered fair game for a Random Encounter or general brawl.

If you intend to start a large scale plot, such as an invasion or apocalypse or the like, please consider the following guidelines:

* Don't spring it on players. Characters can be surprised, but players have lives. Make sure they want to play in your event before conscripting them by going "Suddenly, Apocalypse!" in a thread they're using for other things or at a time when the relevant players have exams, family stuff, vacations, etc.

* Go easy on the Nexus-wide effects. Ominous visual effects like a blood moon or a green sky tend to be accepted. Massive spells that affect everyone in the Nexus or city / org destroying superweapons... expect pages and pages of drama.

* Avoid apocalypse fatigue. If there's recently been one, there needs to be a cooling off period before the next one. People want to be able to roleplay how the event affected their characters and various locations, and this requires some RL time where they aren't in the middle of combat.

* Inside is the standard Apocatarget, but if you're attacking Inside, this absolutely requires that the Remnant and Irregulars players are onboard, and have the free time to devote to it. The same principle applies to making any other thread your target - make sure the main players in that thread are willing to play. The other time this isn't required is for the Outside thread, since it's so huge that anyone can say they aren't at the Apocalocation. If you do this, consider simply making a plot thread for the apocalypse. It does lose some of the apocalyptic flavour, but it avoids a lot of headaches for players and the GM.

* Make sure you as a GM know what you're doing. (1) If you've never GM'd a Nexus plot before, DO NOT start with an Apocaplot. Experience as a GM for tabletop games or other freeform verses is helpful, but the Nexus is different enough to have its own learning curve. Start with a bank robbery, a kidnapping, or some other lower end villainy to get some practice. (2) Make sure you have the free time to respond to many many player posts as well as handling the npc victims if no one else steps up to play them. If you don't already post daily, you should not GM an Apocaplot. Don't say 'I know I only post sporadically, but it'll be different for this plot.' Prove you can post regularly first. (3) Remember that you're going to lose. Your villain may not realize it, but you as a player must absolutely accept this from the start. Even if Team Hero completely and utterly fails, you do not get to say 'haha! Nexus goes boom!'

* An Apocaplot, by its very nature, is an open plot. Unless you have it in a separate thread, it's no fair to lock players out from participating, or to say you don't want high powered characters joining. If you're throwing around world destroying events, then Exalts, godlings, and other OP beings should be allowed to get involved.

* FFRP is supposed to be what we do for fun. If we start thinking of it as a chore, then that's a sign that something is going wrong. If any player wants out of the plot, work with them to find an IC way to let their character get out of it without killing them. If everyone is slogging through, forcing themselves to post, and really bored with it, consider wrapping it up in a cut scene. If people are ragequitting your plot, that's a really really bad sign, and requires a timeout for tempers to cool.

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Spoiler: Additional Information (Optional Reading)

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Major Locales

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For an endless world that defies all logic and classification, Nexus can be pretty darn consistent at times. As such, several locations have survived the test of time, remaining (somewhat) constant amidst the chaos of the rest of the world.

Inside - Inside mostly resembles a modern city, with high-rise buildings and apartments, alleyways and roads, though the odd Demonic Monument can still be seen rising up above the surrounding suburb, teeming with dark cultists. Inside is headed by a Council consisting of representatives from the major ACRONYMS, as well as Magtok and Zee, with law enforcement provided by Remnant, the remains of the once powerful Acronymian Empire.

Outside - If you ain't Inside, you're OUTSIDE! Simple as that. Outside is a meta-thread for all those wildernessy type areas that don't merit their own threads, be it wood or lake or tiny shack.

Riverside - This is a completely separate city that has less law enforcement than Inside. Part of it is continually shrouded in darkness.

Skyside - A floating city with no laws and lots of MAD SCIENCE!!!! Also superheroes/villains.

Underside - A sprawling network of underground caverns beneath the surface of the Nexus. The Underside is often considered a separate world beneath the feet of the Nexus, operating under strange, foreign rules and keeping its business where it belongs.

Mallside - It's a shopping mall, with shops run by PCs and NPCs alike. MagMart is the largest store, selling everything you can imagine. There's also a food court and a gorgeous fountain. By OOC consent, this is meant to be a peaceful thread, so starting fights or murdering npc's is not allowed.

Home - Whether in the suburbs of Inside, a desolate mountain cabin, a dingy flat somewhere... this is where PCs live. This is a meta-location, as the houses themselves may be many miles apart from one another. Or in separate dimensions.

Plot Threads - Many threads exist to contain plot events, such as a dungeon crawl or a dreamscape. Always check with the GM running a plot before jumping in.

ACRONYMS - Home to adventurers, these complexes provide headquarters and occasionally living space for like-minded Player Characters. Invariably equipped with cheesy names, these structures provide a place for their various members to fight crime, cause chaos, or anything of the sort. Current Acronyms include:

• AMEN - Association for the Malicious, Evil and Nefarious. Evil aligned organization, exists to be EVIL! And sometimes Ebil.
• HALO - Heroic, Anti-evil and Lawbreaking Organization. Non-Evil aligned organization, exists to smite wrong-doers.
• GLoG - Good League of Good. Good aligned organization, exists to redeem evil-doers.
• MERC - (formerly NO - Neutralist Organization.) The organization with the highest stake in contract work, be it mercenary, adventuring or anything else. NO both hires itself out and exercises control over a large part of the freelancers by handing out licenses.
• WATCHTOWER - You Know What? Screw It. Non-aligned aligned organization. Exists to destroy threats to Nexus, whatever form they may take.

The Taverns
What kind of vaguely DnD-esque adventurer would you be if you didn't visit one of these places at least once? The various Taverns, Grills, Hotels, Cantinas and Restaurant provide meeting places for the Player Characters, areas for quest givers to stand mysteriously in, and also places for people to eat and spend the money they seem to have infinite amounts of. Though there are a vast number of such places in Nexus, some with their own thread and some without, throughout history three major hubs have existed, without which Nexus as we know it wouldn't exist. The Dancing Fox Inn, which is located among some hills in outside. Finally, there is Trog's Tavern, which is located, maddeningly enough, at every corner of the Nexus at the same time. There is also the Black Dragon's Den, it's located roughly between the docks and the slums of Inside, and is the local hive of scum and villainy.

For more information:
The first post of every thread is valuable reading. It explains the purpose of the thread, whether it's private or public, and whether there are any additional rules you should follow. It's always a good idea to read it before you post in a new thread.

Why We Fight: A Proposed Advanced Style And Concept Guide for Individual FFRP Combat By Neon Knight

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Foreword

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This guide is intended as a supplement to currently existing guides and practices relating to the employment of combat in FFRP. The author makes no pretensions that this guide is authoritative or useful until endorsed by the community. The author also makes no pretensions that he has perfectly adhered to the principles in this guide, nor that such a thing is possible. Everyone makes slip up sometimes. The author also makes no pretensions that these materials, observations, and recommendations are wholly original.

Introduction

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Combat is an interesting subject in FFRP. FFRP is an interactive, cooperative endeavor, but combat serves a different purpose in FFRP than it does in other interactive, cooperative activities that FFRP might be patterned off of, like video games and table top RPGs. FFRP combat, rather, is more akin to a fight scene in a movie, book, or play. Another analogy may be that FFRP combat is not like an MMA match, which is truly competitive, but rather like professional wrestling, which is an arranged, choreographed performance intended to tell a story. FFRP is cooperative storytelling, and it remains so, even during a fight or action scene.

Why Competitive Combat Doesn't Work in FFRP

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Competitive Combat does not work in FFRP for a variety of reasons, a few that I will outline here. The only method of interaction in FFRP is assertions. You assert some fact is true by the act of declaring it, by writing down that it happens. You can only assert so long as your assertions do not impede on anyone else's right to assert, at least for their own property and characters. In a fight, the only way to compete is to assert, but the effectiveness of your assertions are entirely determined by the recipient. A fight in which both people want to win usually becomes nothing more than an escalating series of assertions of power and lethality, until the knobs snap off at 11, and no one can go higher without being ridiculous. Characters receive power upgrades on the fly, just to keep up, or to try and top the latest assertions. It's a messy and ugly affair that many people have professed a dislike for.

The Ideal of Cooperative Combat

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Combat in FFRP should be cooperative rather than competitive, which by and large is the same purpose that most posts in FFRP serve. Combat should serve to tell a story and add to storytelling, provide drama and tension through physical peril, and to entertain through description. When your characters get into a fight, the ideal is to make that fight a meaning contribution to the plot, whether that be your character's overall arc, the plot of the other characters in the fight, the specific plot of the fight or place where the fight is taking... you get the idea. You should cooperate and coordinate with other players to make sure that you're all on the same page, fulfilling the proper purposes, and not stepping on anyone else's toes. Sometimes, you might not get to work towards the purpose you necessarily want, but compromise is one of the necessary parts of cooperation. This is the ideal of Cooperative Combat: to have fight scenes serve to support continuing plot lines and interaction, to serve the interests, needs, and stories of as many players as possible as harmoniously as possible, which is the same ideal for normal interaction.

What those purposes are will vary from fight to fight and plot to plot. Communicating with players in the plot and fight before, during, and after the occasion is ideal.

Covering Yourself and the Enemy in Glory

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One of the few precepts that should be near universally applied is the idea of covering yourself and the other participants in the combat with glory. By that, I mean you should try to reinforce their assertions with your own descriptions and actions. A player can say that their character is a master marksman, but he really becomes and feels like a master marksman when other players respond to him like he is a master marksman, when their choices, descriptions, and actions reflect this status. When others assert your own assertions, that is when they become real and powerful in FFRP.

This is why it is important to try and help people assert their characters, whenever you can, and why it is important that they do the same to you. Only together can you realize each character's power level and abilities. This is also why purpose and cooperation are important. Clashing purposes are often what cause inappropriate escalation. If your purpose is to kill a character while their purpose is to survive the encounter, the other player will have a hard time reinforcing your power while fulfilling their purpose.

Selling the Hits

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"Selling" a hit is wrestling terminology for acting as if a blow really hurt or serious injured/impaired you. A similar concept can be applied to the Nexus; selling is the act of briefly bowing to the assertions, that is, attacks of other players and letting them affect you. Selling is something that requires both people to meet halfway. The attack has to be appropriate in order to get sold; appropriate for the purpose and goal of the fight. The response has to acknowledge and account for the attack.

Thus, selling is something you need to keep in mind when designing a post, and when designing your character. You need to make sure your attacks and defenses allow both you and the other side to sell the hits, to avoid pointless exchanges were nothing really gets accomplished. A string of misses often adds nothing to the conflict or the plot, and doesn't move the action closer to resolution.

My suggestion is to try and design graded consequences for your abilities. For example, here is a suggested consequences list for an attack with a gun:

No Consequence: Total miss.

Minor Consequence: Grazing hit, or a hit in an armored location with minimum impact, character becomes more cautious/less aggressive, an item of minor importance is hit/lost.

Moderate Consequence: Flesh wound, character takes cover and doesn't act, character is forced to fall back, an item of importance is hit/lost.

Major Consequence: A disabling injury/injury requiring medical condition is sustained, character becomes pinned and temporarily unwilling to fight/risk self further, character begins to fallback, an item of major importance is hit/lost.

Full Consequence: Life threatening injury, death, retreat/rout, surrender, etc.

In general, you should take the consequences that are appropriate for the fight, and for the goals that the fight is intended to fulfill. But, in general, No Consequence hits should be used sparingly. Consequence lists will differ from fight to fight, situation to situation, character to character, and possibly from attack to attack. You don't have to have a response for every type of consequence. In general:

A No Consequence Hit does not move the fight closer to resolution. It has no real consequences on the fight or on the character.

A Minor Consequence Hit does not move the fight closer to resolution, at least not appreciably, but it is intended to have minor consequences for the immediate fight and for the character. These consequences aren't intended to be long term.

A Moderate Consequence Hit is intended to slightly move the fight closer to resolution, and has some consequences for the character. It is intended to last somewhat longer than a minor consequence.

A Major Consequence Hit is intended to move the fight rapidly towards a conclusion, and is intended to have consequences that last for some time or require some action to redress.

A Full Consequence Hit is an attack at maximum effectiveness, intended to move the fight immediately to a resolved state. It is intended to have long term/permanent consequences or to require severe effort to redress.

Another proposed consequence list, this time for a sleep spell:

No: The subject is not affected by the magic.

Minor: The subject feels fatigued or slightly sleepy, but not enough to seriously impair ability, only enough to take the edge off their prowess.

Moderate: The subject feels fatigued, unable to perform at top condition, and may suffer a temporary lapse in concentration or focus. The subject might fall into a micro sleep for an instant or for a few seconds.

Major Consequence: The subject may lose focus for several seconds, and may become so tired as to need to actively fight to stay awake. They might fall asleep for several seconds.

Full Consequence: The subject falls entirely asleep, or is so disabled as to be helpless.

These are not the only gradations you can offer. Different scales might work better, either for specific, individual cases, or in general. But having the ability to mitigate an attack to the exact degree of harm and effectiveness to be suitable for the purpose of the fight is an advantage. Avoid all or nothing powers, except if that's supposed to be the point (of the character, the fight, or the plot) and if you do so, be fully prepared and ready to accept a series of No Consequence Hits. When going for all or nothing, make sure that both the all and the nothing are as acceptable and widely applicable as possible.

Be Open To Other Roles

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In FFRP, your character is not always the protagonist. FFRP is a story composed of many other stories, each with their own characters. Each character might take different roles in different situations, and it is important to recognize this and to be ready to accept the many different roles you might get cast in. Sometimes, you're just a sidekick or ally in a fight. Other times, you'll be the main figure in a fight. And sometimes, you'll be the antagonist, and sometimes you'll get the role in the fight that loses. Being able to reconcile and relate this to your characters is an important skill in FFRP. Now, not every character will necessarily be interesting in every role, and it isn't a bad thing to try and put your character into the roles they are suited for whenever you can. But flexible characters who can relate and work in different roles can be more interesting than less flexible characters, and they may have more opportunities than those less flexible characters.

Conclusion

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Remember the foreword. This is not the gospel truth. There are always exceptions. But I believe that this advice, practices, and conception of FFRP combat might be applicable, interesting, and helpful to the community at large.

How everyone should feel after a great fight scene.

On Posting: A Guide to Avoiding the Most Common Mistakes, by Artemis97

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It would be, at the very least, polite to acknowledge the post I've made and spent time and thought putting detail into.

I know you haven't been on FFRP for too long, but if you've paid attention to the veterans around here, we tend to post quite a lot, not in frequency, but in volume. We average a paragraph or more, and when we really get going, we can go on for a page or more. We love this game, we love writing, and we pour our heart and souls into it. To receive a single sentence in reply is, honestly, downright insulting.

In addition to that, single sentence replies are really hard to respond to. You give us nothing to react to, nothing to go off of. It is the equivalent of typing "K" in response to a text. You may have noticed that I didn't continue the RP we had going in Outside last night. This is why. I had no idea where to go with the scene. FFRP is a cooperative game. It's a give and take. We need to work with one another to play.

We also need to be able to communicate clearly. So I will stress here the proper use of punctuation and grammar. Quotation marks set off speech, which is particularly useful when color tags fail. Proper punctuation helps you to get your point across more clearly.

Now I know, not everything requires you to re-write War and Peace in response, and sometimes it's hard to come up with content (believe me I've been there). But it's good to give some content, else we receive a very flat picture of your characters. Think about how they feel, how they're standing. Are they fidgeting and nervous, or stoic and grim? Do they smell? What's going through their heads?

I'm sorry for running on so long, and I don't mean to seem like I'm picking on you specifically. This is an issue that pops up with newbies often, and sometimes we need to remind folks. I'm saying this because I want to help you. I want you to enjoy your time here and be a thriving part of our community. I can already see that you're very enthusiastic about this game, and I love that. Please don't let what I've said here lessen that, but I also encourage you to take what I've said to heart.

~Artemis

When Storylines Stall: Dealing with Deadtime

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I have a suggestion for a new guideline (not a rule!) for roleplay. In group interactions, often the entire thing freezes when one player doesn't post. Then there's the debate about whether or not it's fair to skip that person.

My suggestion is that the default expectation be set at 24 hours. If you haven't posted in 24 hours without asking for more time, then the interaction is allowed to move on.

Caveats:

1. This would be 100% negotiable. If Pat Player knows he always needs 3 days to post, then he says so up front, and everyone in the plot knows that. Or Pam Player says she's never around on weekends, or Pav Player has a big homework assignment and needs some time off, or George GM says 'There's one week between turns in my plot' etc. The default is for when no one has said anything, but the post just isn't happening.

2. If the player is online and posting in other places, poke them first before moving on. They may have just forgotten.

3. There are no 'sanctions' for missing your turn in a plot or interaction other than cyber poke wounds. If skipping the person would mean something significant occurs to their character, then don't do it, or find a way to shield their character from events or give them multiple options for how they would have been effected (with 'no effect' being an option.)

OOC Archives:

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[Nexus] OOC 45: 0.0000000000000000000042% full
[Nexus] OOC 44: To be continued...
[Nexus] OOC 43: Here Comes the Sun
[Nexus] OOC 42: The thread at the drain of the multiverse
[Nexus] OOC 41: Look! Up in the sky!
[Nexus] OOC 40 days and 40 nights
[Nexus] OoC 39: OoCside
[Nexus] OOC 38: The Mün Is Not Enough
[Nexus] OOC 37: What Goes Here Again?
[Nexus] OOC 36: The Absurd Only Seems To Get More Absurd
[Nexus] OOC 35: Winter is Coming
[Nexus] OoC 34: If it exists, we have role-played it. No exceptions.
[Nexus] OoC 33: The Orgs is all FREEMASONS!
[Nexus] OoC 32
[Nexus] OoC XXXI
[Nexus] OoC 30
[Nexus] OOC 29: Since When Have Titles Been All That Important, Anyway?
[Nexus] OOC 28: Something to do with Mayans
[Nexus] OOC 27: I saw Moffy kissing Wolfy Claws
[Nexus] OOC 26: Handwavium half off!
{Nexus} OoC XXV: Where all the Cool Cats are.
[Nexus] OOC 24: Babysitters Apply Within
[Nexus] OOC 23: YO MAMA never called me back.
[Nexus] OOC 22: ALL HAIL THE BUTT-HAT
[Nexus] OOC 21: Blackjack, But No Hookers
[Nexus] OOC XX: The Land of Pokings
[NEXUS] OoC 19: Et tu, Ninja-Pirate Zombie?
[NEXUS] OoC 18: Where the Females are Foxy and the Sirs, Superfluous.
[NEXUS] OOC 17: This Title For Rent
[NEXUS] OOC 16: Sweet!
[NEXUS] OoC 15
[Nexus] OoC 14
[NEXUS] Nexus OoC 13: Saturday the Nexteenth
[Nexus] OoC 12: Out of Cornflakes.
[NEXUS] OoC 11: The Misadventures Continue...
[Nexus] Nexus OOC X: Leave Your Common Sense at the Door.
[Nexus] Nexus OOC IX: Its Why They Pay Us The Big Bucks
[Nexus] Nexus OOC VIII: Portable Atrocities
[NEXUS] OOC VII: Where sniper cats greet you at the entrance
[NEXUS] OoC VI: Do You Think You Can Handle It?
[Nexus] OoC V: Suxen Eht Nioj!
[Nexus] OoC IV: We're All Mad Here
[Nexus] OoC III: May Contain Nuts
[Nexus] OoC II: Where Sanity Comes to Die.
[Nexus] OoC 1: The Shape of Things to Come

When the thread reaches page 50, anyone can make the new thread, but don't make changes to the OP without discussing it with the other players first.

Nexus Character Directory
Nexus Digest

[Arkhosia]

Looks good!
I would love it if a history section was added.

[happyturtle]

Someone would have to write a history section.

...

Not it!

[Ionbound]

Yeah, I like the new OP...and a history of the Nexus/Town would be pretty cool, if nigh-on insurmountable, thing to make.

EDIT: Not it!

[Arkhosia]

Not it!

[Arkhosia]

Anyone wanna play members of a RWBY team?
Also, Happy, I think it's your turn in DFI.
The best person to write it would have to have been around for a long time...
I think that narrows it to at least you, magtok(?), Reinholdt, Mad Hatter, Beans, and maybe Slii and Wolfbane.

[happyturtle]

It's TE's turn in DFI.

But seriously, I'm not at all up for writing a Nexus history. I'd rather roleplay in the now. Does it matter what happened before, with players and characters that aren't around anymore?

[TechnoScrabble]

I could bring in Alt!Cruach.

And with the Ravenloft vampirate thing, Terek plans to enthrall Aerith and maybe Noelle and use them for vampire hunting.

[UncleWolf]

The issue with writing a History is that you would have to summarize it down and in doing so, how do you choose what is important enough to keep and what isn't? Do you follow Reinholdt the Character's Timeline or do you put in the History of The Empire? If the latter, do you follow only Emperor Vyrn or do you include Edijar? Do you add in Zee who wanted to rebel against the Empire? If you add her, you have to add not just her history, but the all the other little intersections from when she interacted in meaningful ways with other plots. You'd have to include her marriage to Raril, and when you do that, you have to explain who Raril even is and that goes further into the drow family history and how they have shaped Nexus.

So...how would you decide what to keep and what not to keep? Even the most minor of interactions can be incredibly important here.

A history, while it would be nice, would likely take up several volumes of written work if done properly, and for a forum like this it would simply take way too long to do.

[Morty]

I can't see much of a point in a Nexus History either. It'd be a lot of work for something that, ultimately, doesn't matter all that much.

[Zefir]

I can't find it, sorry. What page was it on?

Also, I owe posts in the opera House and with recaiden's tiger shark in seaside but I am hitting some major writer's block...Grandma what an odd diving bell you have??

Link to the last post I made.

[TechnoScrabble]

Plus, a lot of it has been lost. Or would be heavily biased.

[Arkhosia]

Yeah, fair point.
I was mainly thinking something like:
Bob the devil really didn't like King Joe, who ruled Nexus, because [Reasons go here].
Bob led a rebellion, and after a long war in which [Notable PCs] died, King Joe was killed.


With links to the profile of each character for individual history.
It would be very difficult.

[happyturtle]

Here's a very brief summary I wrote last thread. If someone wants to expand on this to include all the major factions, I wouldn't mind adding it to the OP, but it's incomplete as-is.

First there was HALO. And then AMEN. Or possibly they arrived in the opposite order. Then NO was founded and later became MERC. Then GLoG, which moved locations but didn't change names. Some GLoG members split off to form WATCH. The city of Inside was formed, taken over by the Empire. The Vanishing left only the Remnant behind to run the place, until some of the missing soldiers were found again and became the Irregulars.

[UncleWolf]

Issue with your example Ark that by writing that, you leave out things like:

Because of [UnNoticable PC] dying during the Rebellion, [PC 3] at GLoG was so overcome by grief she became [Villain 3] who holds Inside hostage.

Taking things down to the necessary level of detail would require more research and time than any sane person should commit to at this point.

[Arkhosia]

Issue with your example Ark that by writing that, you leave out things like:

Because of [UnNoticable PC] dying during the Rebellion, [PC 3] at GLoG was so overcome by grief she became [Villain 3] who holds Inside hostage.

Taking things down to the necessary level of detail would require more research and time than any sane person should commit to at this point.

Yeah...
CURSE YOU NEXUS HISTORY FOR BEING SO COMPLICATED!
...Kinda like history IRL.

[Beans]

I propose we take the Terry Pratchett route (more specifically, the Hogfather route):

Things just happened, what the hell.

[TechnoScrabble]

Zee tried to start a rebellion?

Wow I was gone for a while.