Former Official Competition RunOn Guidelines

Rules

General Rules

• Disable Signatures
  • Signatures often break the flow of a story and are not allowed in Voice operated RunOns
• Editing Posts
  • You can edit a post so long as no one else has posted after you, once this happens you cannot edit your post

Advanced Rules

• Disable Signatures (This is already covered, but it is a big one and can be the difference between winning a competition and failure.)
• Skills are limited to what appears on Character Sheet
• In a competition, you must post at least twice within the entirety of the RunOn to count as participating.

Guidelines

Posting Style

The point of a RunOn is to build a collaborative story, in this way the style of posting used is critical.

• Length

A typical post should contain at least two paragraphs and consist of 300 or more words

• Formatting

Try to maintain a unified Font Size and Style throughout, allowing for bold and italics You cannot guarantee that every screen in the world views content the same way, some people may even rely on magnification to read what you post. Don't make it harder for them.

• Be open ended

Leave openings within the post for other PCs to interact and react within their post. It is often a fun means of posting when players can react and have posts "overlap" instead of just being chained together

Continuity

Our RunOns typically have a large group of PCs working throughout it, and not necessarily together. In this way, the PCs are sorted into "Player Groups". These PG should establish a "Posting Order" within themselves in order to ensure that everyone is given a fair opportunity to add to the story. This ensures that there will never be two posts at the same time from two different sources, causing confusion and editing.

• The posting order can be circumvented when parties agree to it, Life has a knack for getting in the way.

NPC Interaction

In all forms of RunOn it is next to impossible to portray a story without incorporating NPCs into it. The following are the recommended guidelines when creating and interacting with NPCs, whether they are yours or another's.

• NPC naming
  • Without name -- In general practice, NPCs without name are considered write offs and will more than likely be written off by other characters. These are typically your cannon fodder characters and will be treated accordingly within the Runon.
  • With name -- These could still be write off characters, it is entirely dependent on the Writer creating them. When you are unsure in this regard, it is advisable you speak to the Writer to find out their intentions. Think of these as sub-PCs instead of a NPC.
• Killing NPCs
  • This touches into the naming rule a tad. Make sure before you kill an NPC that it is okay with the Writer that they are killed off. Some Writers may have elaborate plans in store, others may not. Still, those with plans could also be willing to alter their plans and allow the death. Always ask when unsure.
  • If they have no name, proceed to treat the Red Shirt with the role it has been dealt. No mercy. No quarter.

PC Interaction

This can be a great hurdle for many who are new to DJB's particular brand of RP. It is generally accepted practice to write the full interaction, including that of the other PCs involved. This can be daunting and confusing. Once it has been practiced, it becomes second nature, but the following guidelines will prove useful nonetheless.

• Research
  • Learn the character before you take the reigns. It can be offputting for a Writer to cultivate their character and have another take it and turn their "Romeo" into "Rambo".
  • Utilize Character Sheets to learn the extent of their abilities and attributes
  • DJB Wiki -- This is an excellent resource with highly detailed information about the specific characters within the Brotherhood. Give it a look before writing your post.
• Master Plan
  • Everyone has a pretty good idea of what they want to do with their characters. Generally, if you aren't in the know on what a given Writer is planning for their PC it is best to discuss it with them, so as not to completely derail their plans. This is often a natural occurrence amongst Player Groups but it is still good practice regardless.
• When in doubt
  • If you are ever unsure about how a particular PC would act in a given situation, simply ask their Writer for help. We have a great community that often collaborates and would be more than willing to help you better understand their creation.

Combat Interaction

Every member of a RunOn should have an up-to-date Character Sheet. These sheets will be used heavily during combat scenarios to evaluate what is possible and what isn't. In this way, combat within a RunOn becomes extremely similar to combat within the ACC. While not as strictly governed as the ACC, combat in a RunOn should still follow set rules.

• Realism
  • All combat should be realistic within the physics of Star Wars -- For example, a 240 lbs. man will not land with the same grace as an 80 lbs. child, unless augmentation is applied via tech or Force
  • The Attributes of a CS -- If you have 8 Strength, you will have very real issues in terms of heavy lifting and other tasks, whereas a PC with 18 STR will not have the same issue
• Allow for PC response
  • Do not start and finish combat with another PC in a single post, give them a chance to take part in the battle.
  • Do not cripple a PC without permission, this includes anything that would severely hinder their ability to battle or give a believable response.
• Killing
  • Killing is not allowed without the express permission of the PC itself or a governing party (GM)
  • We have all invested large portions of our lives in these characters, do not take that for granted and rob someone of their choice.
  • At the same time, try not to put your own character in a situation where the only possible outcome would be death.

Side Stories

Side stories... These can be both a boon and a bane to any RunOn. While capable of being strong and compelling, they serve no purpose when they make the reader sit there and wonder: "What did I just read?"

• If you are including a side story of some kind, though not recommended in most cases, be sure to complete the entire arc. Make it believable and interesting, preferably related somehow back to the main plot. The only thing worse than a badly written side-story is an unfinished one. If you are going to do it, go all the way and do it well.
• Once again, it is reminded that side stories have an extreme potential of losing your Judge in a convoluted trap. Try to avoid them when possible and remember that you can always make separate RunOns for the purpose of Character Development.

Prepared by Atra Ventus and Wiki-fied by Mirado Pepoi L'eonheart