Post by dad on Apr 20, 2016 19:39:50 GMT
Hello, and welcome to the site! Whether you are a new user or someone stumbling on the site for the first time, this thread can help get you started on your way to JoJo roleplaying! This is not an exhaustive list, but if you are left with more questions, feel free to talk to us in the chat box! We're super friendly, I assure you.
What do you do on this site?
We roleplay using the style and concepts of the popular manga/anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure as a base. If you have never heard of JoJo, please, check it out! You can stream the anime free and legally on crunchyroll right here to get started. To clarify, we don't involve ourselves with canon characters or settings at all, but we instead create our own characters and settings and adopt the style and concepts introduced in JoJo. More than anything else, we care about storytelling, and seek to create fun and enjoyable stories that many people can participate in.
How much JoJo do should I have read/watched?
You should have at least a basic understanding of the series before you start to post. At the very least, you should watch the anime up to the third season, Stardust Crusaders (don't skip the first two parts, either!). Of course, we will recommend for you to also read the manga as far as you can, as we will reference or talk about things in the later arcs, which could possibly spoil you. Of course, if you can't read the manga, you're still free to role play with us, just prepare yourself for any possible spoilers you come across.
How does the RP work?
Our roleplay is a mission based roleplay. We do not use locations or factions or anything of the sort. All Player Characters (PCs) are part of the same group, meaning that you will have to work and interact with other PCs one way or another. What then happens is that this group of PCs is split. The split occurs during the signup process for RP 'Chapters'. You can see an example of our RP signup by checking the Planning section of the site, specifically the Signup threads. In these threads the two or more missions for the Chapter are listed. The users will then have the option of signing up their character for one of the two missions. Therefore, the group will be split and two different groups will go complete two different missions. These groups are permanent until the end of the chapter where the signup process is repeated for the next chapter. Missions usually involve defeating enemy Stand users and vary depending on the RP you're participating in. Instant Crush for example is an RP that has mech battles as a mission type while Streetlight Manifesto instead has crime scenes to investigate. This is so every RP feels different and it encourages users to try out different mission types.
The missions themselves are handled by users, usually either moderators or users with a high activity level. These users become thread handlers and dictate how the thread flows, acting like some sort of DM for the thread. They will react to the posts of PCs, control NPCs and the villain of the mission itself. However, do note that while the objective of the PCs is usually to defeat the villain, the DM isn't allowed to defeat the PCs or give them permanent injuries. The DM will instead dedicate their time towards making sure their thread is interesting, well-written and most of all, enjoyable for all users in it. They won't care about winning or defeating the PCs, since they are not allowed to win in the first place.
The advantage of Chapter based roleplaying is that it makes sure the various PCs interact with each other. If you get tired of one group, you can easily join a separate group in the next Chapter. If you get tired of a certain mission type, you can try out one that you haven't tried out before. It is a very varied system that encourages you to take a step and interact with various characters and form relationships between your PC and theirs. Chapter based roleplaying is also easy to join for newbies. Even after a Chapter has started, you can still complete the signup process and be thrust into a mission with the thread handler's help. That way you do not need to wait for a Chapter to end in order to join the RP. It is recommended you try to see if there are any open signups upon joining, since Chapters usually take months to complete.
How do I make a character?
First of all, make sure you have read both the rules for character creation here and the format for character creation here. Make sure to also know which of our distinct RP's you will be writing for, as the character you have in mind may or may not work for the settings we have already created. We use music references for Stands as opposed to Egyptian Gods/Tarot Cards, and many of the names of our characters are musical references as well, although they don't have to be. When titling your thread, it makes it easy for us to find it if you title it going first name, last name and then Stand name, such as "Jotaro Kujo and Star Platinum" or "Josuke Higashikata and Crazy Diamond".
Can I have more than one character in the same RP?
Yes, but this is not recommended for new members. Posting as one character can be time consuming enough (if you wish to keep them relevant) so this is only recommended to members who have some experience with RPing/have been on this site for a while.
Can I role play villains?
Yes, you can. In the Character Creation board, there are threads where you can put villain profiles for each RP. It has the same format as normal profiles, but you can put as many points into the stand as you want. Villains will ALWAYS play to lose. Keep in mind that we don't kill off player characters or give them life threatening injuries unless the other user agrees. This isn't PvP, it's community storytelling. Also if you are a new member, you usually need to RP as a PC for at least one chapter so that mods can judge your activity level. Running a villain thread is a big responsibility. It requires having to deal with many users and the varied posts they come up with as well as posting replies regularly. If mods feel as if your activity and posting schedule isn't good enough to handle a thread, then you unfortunately won't be able to make a villain until you fix that.
Can I roleplay as a reformed villain? How about a recurring villain?
Yes, you are allowed to RP as a reformed villain. However, we do not recommend this for new users. It requires the user to run a thread (which can be difficult). If you are a dead set on this route try asking if you can join a thread as a secondary villain. PLEASE note: if a villain is to later become a PC their stand needs to follow the PC stand requirements. A recurring villain is also allowed but this requires a user who is capable of running two threads with said villain. It is recommended that for at least one of those threads your character is more of a secondary villain.
Who can I talk to if I have any questions?
Any of the moderators or veteran users here are more than willing to help new members! All you need to do is talk to us in the chatbox, or if you're shy, you can make a guest post on this board to stay anonymous. Here is a list of helpful people you might run into.
dad (also known as Resis)
BlacKnightZero (BKZ)
ToledoJones
Warudo
Nat
MoeSenpai
If we don't talk back, messaging one of us is probably the way to go.
Is there a posting schedule? How often do I have to post? How active do I have to be?
We do not have a posting schedule, and we do not force people to post. People simply post whenever they want or whenever they have time. However, if you want your character to stay relevant and contribute to the story, I would suggest posting daily or near daily to keep up with the story and add in what your character is doing. If you don't post regularly, your character may be left behind, or even worse, you could ruin an experience for another user or be unable to understand what's currently going on in the plot. It's understandable if you can't post often, but if you have a problem it's generally advised to warn the moderators about any hiatuses or pauses, since that allows us to plan ahead.
What are the rules around here?
We're pretty lax about rules around here. If you have a problem with a user, talk to a moderator and we can clear up the problem. For the most part, a warning should be enough, although we will ban users that are especially problematic. This won't happen often, however, so you shouldn't worry.
1. Be courteous to other users, don't be an asshole, and don't cause problems for others.
2. Hate against an individual or group of people on the grounds of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, or other such grounds is not allowed in any form.
3. We do not allow self endorsement unrelated to the forum and or it's members, especially if you do not participate in the forum or if it's for a profit.
4. We want members to actively participate in the forum if you stick around. If this place isn't to your liking, we don't mind if you leave. But if you make an account, stick around and use our site, but never engage in roleplay, you're taking advantage of our site, and we don't want that to happen.
5. Disobeying admins is bad.
6. Don't spam several posts, just make one post.
And that's it! If you have any more questions, feel free to speak up. Have fun!
What do you do on this site?
We roleplay using the style and concepts of the popular manga/anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure as a base. If you have never heard of JoJo, please, check it out! You can stream the anime free and legally on crunchyroll right here to get started. To clarify, we don't involve ourselves with canon characters or settings at all, but we instead create our own characters and settings and adopt the style and concepts introduced in JoJo. More than anything else, we care about storytelling, and seek to create fun and enjoyable stories that many people can participate in.
How much JoJo do should I have read/watched?
You should have at least a basic understanding of the series before you start to post. At the very least, you should watch the anime up to the third season, Stardust Crusaders (don't skip the first two parts, either!). Of course, we will recommend for you to also read the manga as far as you can, as we will reference or talk about things in the later arcs, which could possibly spoil you. Of course, if you can't read the manga, you're still free to role play with us, just prepare yourself for any possible spoilers you come across.
How does the RP work?
Our roleplay is a mission based roleplay. We do not use locations or factions or anything of the sort. All Player Characters (PCs) are part of the same group, meaning that you will have to work and interact with other PCs one way or another. What then happens is that this group of PCs is split. The split occurs during the signup process for RP 'Chapters'. You can see an example of our RP signup by checking the Planning section of the site, specifically the Signup threads. In these threads the two or more missions for the Chapter are listed. The users will then have the option of signing up their character for one of the two missions. Therefore, the group will be split and two different groups will go complete two different missions. These groups are permanent until the end of the chapter where the signup process is repeated for the next chapter. Missions usually involve defeating enemy Stand users and vary depending on the RP you're participating in. Instant Crush for example is an RP that has mech battles as a mission type while Streetlight Manifesto instead has crime scenes to investigate. This is so every RP feels different and it encourages users to try out different mission types.
The missions themselves are handled by users, usually either moderators or users with a high activity level. These users become thread handlers and dictate how the thread flows, acting like some sort of DM for the thread. They will react to the posts of PCs, control NPCs and the villain of the mission itself. However, do note that while the objective of the PCs is usually to defeat the villain, the DM isn't allowed to defeat the PCs or give them permanent injuries. The DM will instead dedicate their time towards making sure their thread is interesting, well-written and most of all, enjoyable for all users in it. They won't care about winning or defeating the PCs, since they are not allowed to win in the first place.
The advantage of Chapter based roleplaying is that it makes sure the various PCs interact with each other. If you get tired of one group, you can easily join a separate group in the next Chapter. If you get tired of a certain mission type, you can try out one that you haven't tried out before. It is a very varied system that encourages you to take a step and interact with various characters and form relationships between your PC and theirs. Chapter based roleplaying is also easy to join for newbies. Even after a Chapter has started, you can still complete the signup process and be thrust into a mission with the thread handler's help. That way you do not need to wait for a Chapter to end in order to join the RP. It is recommended you try to see if there are any open signups upon joining, since Chapters usually take months to complete.
How do I make a character?
First of all, make sure you have read both the rules for character creation here and the format for character creation here. Make sure to also know which of our distinct RP's you will be writing for, as the character you have in mind may or may not work for the settings we have already created. We use music references for Stands as opposed to Egyptian Gods/Tarot Cards, and many of the names of our characters are musical references as well, although they don't have to be. When titling your thread, it makes it easy for us to find it if you title it going first name, last name and then Stand name, such as "Jotaro Kujo and Star Platinum" or "Josuke Higashikata and Crazy Diamond".
Can I have more than one character in the same RP?
Yes, but this is not recommended for new members. Posting as one character can be time consuming enough (if you wish to keep them relevant) so this is only recommended to members who have some experience with RPing/have been on this site for a while.
Can I role play villains?
Yes, you can. In the Character Creation board, there are threads where you can put villain profiles for each RP. It has the same format as normal profiles, but you can put as many points into the stand as you want. Villains will ALWAYS play to lose. Keep in mind that we don't kill off player characters or give them life threatening injuries unless the other user agrees. This isn't PvP, it's community storytelling. Also if you are a new member, you usually need to RP as a PC for at least one chapter so that mods can judge your activity level. Running a villain thread is a big responsibility. It requires having to deal with many users and the varied posts they come up with as well as posting replies regularly. If mods feel as if your activity and posting schedule isn't good enough to handle a thread, then you unfortunately won't be able to make a villain until you fix that.
Can I roleplay as a reformed villain? How about a recurring villain?
Yes, you are allowed to RP as a reformed villain. However, we do not recommend this for new users. It requires the user to run a thread (which can be difficult). If you are a dead set on this route try asking if you can join a thread as a secondary villain. PLEASE note: if a villain is to later become a PC their stand needs to follow the PC stand requirements. A recurring villain is also allowed but this requires a user who is capable of running two threads with said villain. It is recommended that for at least one of those threads your character is more of a secondary villain.
Who can I talk to if I have any questions?
Any of the moderators or veteran users here are more than willing to help new members! All you need to do is talk to us in the chatbox, or if you're shy, you can make a guest post on this board to stay anonymous. Here is a list of helpful people you might run into.
dad (also known as Resis)
BlacKnightZero (BKZ)
ToledoJones
Warudo
Nat
MoeSenpai
If we don't talk back, messaging one of us is probably the way to go.
Is there a posting schedule? How often do I have to post? How active do I have to be?
We do not have a posting schedule, and we do not force people to post. People simply post whenever they want or whenever they have time. However, if you want your character to stay relevant and contribute to the story, I would suggest posting daily or near daily to keep up with the story and add in what your character is doing. If you don't post regularly, your character may be left behind, or even worse, you could ruin an experience for another user or be unable to understand what's currently going on in the plot. It's understandable if you can't post often, but if you have a problem it's generally advised to warn the moderators about any hiatuses or pauses, since that allows us to plan ahead.
What are the rules around here?
We're pretty lax about rules around here. If you have a problem with a user, talk to a moderator and we can clear up the problem. For the most part, a warning should be enough, although we will ban users that are especially problematic. This won't happen often, however, so you shouldn't worry.
1. Be courteous to other users, don't be an asshole, and don't cause problems for others.
2. Hate against an individual or group of people on the grounds of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, or other such grounds is not allowed in any form.
3. We do not allow self endorsement unrelated to the forum and or it's members, especially if you do not participate in the forum or if it's for a profit.
4. We want members to actively participate in the forum if you stick around. If this place isn't to your liking, we don't mind if you leave. But if you make an account, stick around and use our site, but never engage in roleplay, you're taking advantage of our site, and we don't want that to happen.
5. Disobeying admins is bad.
6. Don't spam several posts, just make one post.
And that's it! If you have any more questions, feel free to speak up. Have fun!