Halcyon
09-03-2009 07:01:26
This little guide was originally created by Crix and Kir and is on the Taldryan page. However, I have put it here so that everyone can have a quick look at it. If you follow these points your posts will be solid, and we will have a great Run-On
1) Read every post before replying. If you don't know what's already happened then you won’t be able to advance the storyline properly.
2) When you want to make a new post, reply with just the word "Posting". This will serve as a place holder so that nobody else posts between the last post you saw and your own, reducing any continuity problems and confusion that may arise from posts being made at the same time. When you are ready to post, edit the place holder you made by deleting “Posting” and pasting in your actual post.
3) Write all of your posts in Word, or a similar program, and proof read them. Also ensure that you run a spell check as well prior to posting. Bad spelling and grammar will be clearly evident to the judges, and catching any other slip-ups before your post will ensure that each post flows smoothly from one to the next. A simple check can greatly increase the overall quality of a Run-On.
4) Don't double post. Wait until someone else posts before you reply again. Posting repeatedly is considered bad form and makes it appear as if you’re trying to keep the RO to yourself.
5) Make sure that your forum signature is turned off. ROs are about keeping a story going and signatures break it up, especially if yours is graphic-intensive or has a lot of text.
6) You do not have to formally introduce your character for it to be a part of the Run-On. 95% of the first posts people make revolves around their character relaxing, hearing orders being given and preparing to join others. Each of these posts slows a Run-On down to a crawl. Keep the story moving, and if your character happens to show up then it can easily be assumed that they went through the “preparation” stage somewhere off-post.
7) Be realistic. I'll break this down into a few subsections
a) Personality: Most of our characters have a distinct personality, from being cold and hard to always joking around or somewhere between the two. You won't know every subtlety of another person's character, but do the best you can to portray people the same way that the person who created the character does. Using the DB wiki is a great tool in this regard.
B) Ability: Every one is not a Grand Master, much to our dismay. You can't take on millions of enemy soldiers and walk away without a scratch; most of us probably couldn't take on 10 enemies and walk away without serious wounds. Everyone participating in a Run-On should have a Character Sheet, and it is the CS that defines your character’s abilities. Read up on each stat and what they mean for your character. It does not matter what you want your character to be if you don’t have the stats to back it up.
c) Position: In a vast majority of cases the only people who will be issuing orders and making major plot leaps in a RO will be the summit members. There may be some cases where non-summit members are granted command power, but that will happen in the RO itself and everyone will know about it. The roles each person plays will be laid out for everyone. If you are not a leader within the Clan then it is very likely your character will not be doing a lot of leading or issuing any orders to others.
Do not create side-plots, especially if they are character specific. While there may be side-missions for characters, a Clan RO is not the time to develop “personal” plot points. Each post should always tie into the main plot of the Run-On. Judges do not want to read 10 or 15 different story-threads.
9) Communicate. Most Run-Ons will have a separate thread for everyone to discuss what is happening and what to do next. This is where you can ask for any help, make suggestions or see if your own ideas will work in the overall story. The more communication between participants, the better the story.
10) Enjoy yourself. The club is about having fun, and if you’re enjoying your participation then it will be reflected in anything you do. There should be no stress when participating.
1) Read every post before replying. If you don't know what's already happened then you won’t be able to advance the storyline properly.
2) When you want to make a new post, reply with just the word "Posting". This will serve as a place holder so that nobody else posts between the last post you saw and your own, reducing any continuity problems and confusion that may arise from posts being made at the same time. When you are ready to post, edit the place holder you made by deleting “Posting” and pasting in your actual post.
3) Write all of your posts in Word, or a similar program, and proof read them. Also ensure that you run a spell check as well prior to posting. Bad spelling and grammar will be clearly evident to the judges, and catching any other slip-ups before your post will ensure that each post flows smoothly from one to the next. A simple check can greatly increase the overall quality of a Run-On.
4) Don't double post. Wait until someone else posts before you reply again. Posting repeatedly is considered bad form and makes it appear as if you’re trying to keep the RO to yourself.
5) Make sure that your forum signature is turned off. ROs are about keeping a story going and signatures break it up, especially if yours is graphic-intensive or has a lot of text.
6) You do not have to formally introduce your character for it to be a part of the Run-On. 95% of the first posts people make revolves around their character relaxing, hearing orders being given and preparing to join others. Each of these posts slows a Run-On down to a crawl. Keep the story moving, and if your character happens to show up then it can easily be assumed that they went through the “preparation” stage somewhere off-post.
7) Be realistic. I'll break this down into a few subsections
a) Personality: Most of our characters have a distinct personality, from being cold and hard to always joking around or somewhere between the two. You won't know every subtlety of another person's character, but do the best you can to portray people the same way that the person who created the character does. Using the DB wiki is a great tool in this regard.
B) Ability: Every one is not a Grand Master, much to our dismay. You can't take on millions of enemy soldiers and walk away without a scratch; most of us probably couldn't take on 10 enemies and walk away without serious wounds. Everyone participating in a Run-On should have a Character Sheet, and it is the CS that defines your character’s abilities. Read up on each stat and what they mean for your character. It does not matter what you want your character to be if you don’t have the stats to back it up.
c) Position: In a vast majority of cases the only people who will be issuing orders and making major plot leaps in a RO will be the summit members. There may be some cases where non-summit members are granted command power, but that will happen in the RO itself and everyone will know about it. The roles each person plays will be laid out for everyone. If you are not a leader within the Clan then it is very likely your character will not be doing a lot of leading or issuing any orders to others.
Do not create side-plots, especially if they are character specific. While there may be side-missions for characters, a Clan RO is not the time to develop “personal” plot points. Each post should always tie into the main plot of the Run-On. Judges do not want to read 10 or 15 different story-threads.9) Communicate. Most Run-Ons will have a separate thread for everyone to discuss what is happening and what to do next. This is where you can ask for any help, make suggestions or see if your own ideas will work in the overall story. The more communication between participants, the better the story.
10) Enjoy yourself. The club is about having fun, and if you’re enjoying your participation then it will be reflected in anything you do. There should be no stress when participating.