Tegaki Linear RP Format

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There are a lot of ways to RP. You may have heard of T1, T2, para, semi-para, d20, LARP... they all are different systems with the same goal: telling a story. This page describes the format developed by Drow Love and used in Teremo and Orange Star City, our sister RP.

Using TLF

• If you want to make an RP using this format, DO IT!! Tegaki NEEDS more of these!
• Feel free to link this page as much as you like. We don't exactly have bandwidth here.
• If you do use TLF, let us know so we can link you! :D

TAGZ

• Tags can be handled in a number of ways, but our suggestion is to have two tags.
  • The first tag is a "group" tag. RP profiles, RP threads, and illustrations by accepted members of the game go here.
  • The second tag is a normal tag. OOC jokes and "crack" threads are placed here, as well as fan art or concept art of people who have not applied or been accepted into the game. This is sort of a noncanon free-for-all area separate from the actual RP.

Thread Creation

• RP threads will be made by the mods in the RP account. This is a shared account between the mods, for a BIT of anonymity as well as ease of the players to find the current threads or contact the mods.
• The RP threads are completely linear, which means that only a small number will be active at a time! Each thread must have 500 replies before a new thread is made, picking up right where the last one left off.
• Once there are 500 replies, or 10 pages on a thread, contact the mods know so they can make a new thread in the RP account. The goal is to get the new thread up before the old one hits 550. It might be a good idea to contact the mods at around 480 replies to make sure they are paying attention. Now that tegaki has a save feature, the mods can have the next thread ready to post well in advance!
• Mods: as soon as possible, post the next thread.
  • If people are waiting on you, post the new thread as soon as you have something that looks good enough to not get flagged. You can edit it while people are RPing there.
  • Make the new thread's picture very nice. Text only or bad art not only makes you and us look bad, it can get your post flagged for LCC. Besides, people are going to be seeing this image for a very long time. Make something you're proud of, and don't be afraid to edit and tweak it later on.
  • As soon as your new thread is posted, return to the last RP thread (the one with 500 replies!), lock it, and post a comment with the URL of the new thread to make sure everyone sees where they are supposed to go next! We've been doing it in the style of the new thread for kicks, but it's not required.
  • Make sure your opening image contains the thread number. This makes it easy to find later on! The image should also say if the thread is open to all members of the RP, or if it is closed to a select few. If it is closed, write who is allowed to post (IE, all characters of a certain race).
  • If you'd like, you can post some texty stuff in the first comment of the new thread, IE the number of pageviews or watchers the RP account has. It's just for fun and to make the RPers feel good. :) If you want to do this, make sure to lock the thread first so your first comment isn't snatched!
• If you see a mod's post with the new thread number in a locked thread, go to the new thread and continue replying to the same storyline there.
• If two threads need to merge (IE two parties' paths on the road are about to cross), try to let everyone know well in advance, especially the mods. The mods will make a new thread to take over for the two old ones, and post links to the new thread in both the old ones. As with the other threads, if you see a post from the mod account directing you to post in a new thread, please do so. This will help the flow of the story for everyone!

Joining RP Threads

• Everything is happening at the same time, so don't put your character in two places at once. If you feel that your character needs to be somewhere else, RP out some kind of IC exit from your current thread before you start your IC entrance to the new thread.
• Do not enter threads by being somewhere completely alone and expect other players to go find you. It's best to either plan something in advance with another player or otherwise integrate your character into the running plot. Make them care about you, but don't attention whore.
• If there's a note at the opening of a closed thread stating who it's for, and that doesn't include you, don't join it.
• Read EVERYTHING that happened in the old thread before you post there. If you can, try to keep up with the RP storyline everywhere as much as possible. This will help you make smart choices as a player.
• Have an IC reason for everything. Even if the thread is labelled as open to you, if two of the characters are off alone in a locked room, don't make your entrance post your character peering through their window unless your character accidentally left his hat in there or something.
  • It's okay to fudge this a bit if it will help the overall plot. Don't let your character slink off into a corner and pout unless you have planned ahead with another player for this to be the transition to a one-on-one scene or something.

Posting in RP Threads

• All posts should be of the same level of quality that is expected everywhere in the game. Backgrounds, fully rendered characters with consideration to colour, value, lighting, composition etc. No chibi lineart of talking heads, it looks bad and can get confusing very quickly.
• Every RP post should have either "C" or "NC" clearly in the corner. Lower right is preferred but not required. "C" stands for "Complete" and should be put on any post when you are finished posting. "NC" (assumed to be Not Complete) is used when you want to do multiple panels or an extended frame without interruptions. Label your final post as "C."
• Therefore, if you see that the last post on a thread is NC, don't post until they have posted their C unless you are ABSOLUTELY 100% CERTAIN that your post will not ruin theirs, perhaps because you asked them if it would be okay. Use your judgement here, okay, you don't want to fuck up what they've got planned.
• If you post and someone's NC post has shown up between when you started drawing and when you posted, DON'T WORRY. It happens and they will understand. DO NOT DELETE. Just try to work with it, you guys are clever, you can do it.
• Consider the RP like it is a comic drawn by multiple people. You can split your post down the middle with a gutter if it helps your story, even. Use English-style flow (left to right) when placing your speech bubbles and compositional elements.

Posting Art and OOC

• Keep the group tag for canon RP threads made by the mods, profiles, and particularly nice character art and illustrations.
• Post OOC threads in the not-group tag. These don't have to be mod-approved. Try to keep your quality up everywhere as much as possible; use those white backgrounds sparingly!
• Any thread not posted by the mod account is assumed to be non-canon as far as the storyline is concerned.

RP Etiquette

• There is no protagonist in this format. These threads aren't people approaching the OP, they are about one continuous story as it progresses through time. Hopefully the mods starting the threads will help solve this.
• A thread DOES NOT END until the game ends, and who knows when that will be. At 500 replies, a new entry is created, but the storylines continues throughout however many entries are needed.
• Communication is your one true god. If you have plot ideas that affect someone else's character, make sure they're okay with it before applying it in RP. It's fine if it's meant to be a surprise to the character, but the player has to know beforehand. If the player isn't okay with it, then that is the end of the matter.
• Following the above point, if you feel that your character is being maneuvered into a situation you aren't comfortable with (e.g. a sex scene), do not be afraid to speak up. No one should be forced to do something that disturbs them. If it's something that your character would do but you're squicked about playing it, that can always be handled somehow. Talk to the other player, talk to other players, talk to the mods. Remember: Always respect the comfort level of other players.
• Be careful about including too much mental narration, or writing out thoughts in word clouds or narration boxes. This is very subjective, but the main problem is that it isn't something other people can respond to. Often, just showing the character's facial expression is sufficient, and leaves the others to try and guess what's wrong (if they notice at all).
  • So with that in mind, if a player DOES post their character's thoughts, you can NOT reply to it unless you character can read minds. Don't metagame!
  • Teremo specific: In the case of goombas, this is different, because it's how they communicate. Still: if you are not a goomba, you aren't aware goomba speech is even happening. Don't reply to it!
• Correct punctuation and grammar is always important, as is neat handwriting. Firstly, it makes life easier for any players whose first language isn't English. Secondly, it makes everyone's life easier if we don't have to squint and ask, "What did he say? Fall? Hail? Boil?" We don't ask that you be calligraphers and walking dictionaries, just make the effort.
• If life has been hitting you hard with work or real-world drama and you need to take a break for a while, give us a heads-up, ideally with some time frame as to when you'll be back. Nobody wants to force a stressed person to keep posting.