The following guidelines are here to help you with posts and to advise you on my standard operating procedure for play by post games.
General Rules
1. Language: Please keep all language to a PG-13 level. This ensures that everyone is comfortable with playing in games and that younger observers don’t get in trouble or become scarred for life. Ingenious invention of fictional swear words is perfectly acceptable and encouraged. Also don’t forget comic staple curses: using the symbols in place of letters like “%*#% you!”
2. Content: Please keep the content of your posts to a PG-13 level. I don’t want to see graphic descriptions of violence or sex in these games. Low levels of blood and gore are just fine, but avoid going into the gory details. Outright sexual content will be removed without warning and players will be warned. A second infraction will result in removal from the game.
3. Frequency: I encourage players to post as often as they are able. An active game with a high post count and frequent activity makes the game enjoyable for everyone. Players are expected to post at least five times in any given week, give or take a few posts.
3a. Exceptions: If you are having computer trouble, will be out of town, or otherwise are unable to post for a more extended amount of time please inform me so that I can NPC your character during combats and find an excuse as to their absence otherwise. If you have sudden computer problems and are unable to inform me ahead of time, try to get word to me or at least inform me why you were gone.
3b. Inactivity Removal: Any player who does not post at least once in one week will be put on probation. Players on probation have an additional week to inform as to the reason of their absence before being removed from the game. Players who inform me of their absence ahead of time do not risk being put on probation.
Combat Posting
1. Frequency: Character are expected to post once per day per initiative round during combat. You have 24 hours to act in each initiative round before I NPC your character and move on. Players who cannot post once a day are encouraged to provide combat tactics for their character in the appropriate thread so that your character does not act in an inconsistent manner.
2. Movement: While in combat, please include the coordinates your character is moving to in your post (generally in an ooc tag) if they are needed and we're using a map. This enables me to place your character precisely on the battle map. If you do not list coordinates I will take my best guess.
3. What to Include: While in combat, please place your stat block at the bottom of your post in a spoiler box, using the following code:
. You are expected to keep an updated and readable stat block in your character sheet.
Closing
Following these posting rules will make the game run much more smoothly and quickly, so I encourage you to familiarize yourself with them. They’re not very complicated, so I expect my players to know my posting rules. Please make an effort to follow them.