Mobius Roleplay - Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

Mobius Roleplay's Mission Statement

What is the purpose of Mobius RP?

The purpose of Mobius RP is to create and maintain a pseudo-realistic fantasy setting based on the Sonic the Hedgehog universe for players to invest their imaginations and creativity into. Our goal is to breed excellent storytelling, character development and relationships, and inspire an array of captivating plotlines ranging from social to action-packed in nature, filled with renovating turns, unexpected twists and alluring progression. We strive to conserve balance and provide players with a mature and revolutionary roleplay experience.

Q&A

What type of roleplay is Mobius RP?
Mobius RP is an IRC game that takes place in #mobius on irc.sorcery.net. In general, it is turn-based in real time and written out in prose style. Multiple scenes can (and will) occur at once, so try not to get them or their turn orders confused or mixed up. Colors are used to distinguish characters from one another, but multiple characters will end up sharing the same colors. If you are having problems connecting, contact us on the forums or through e-mail or IM.

How long do poses have to be and how long do I have to write them?
Since Mobius RP is played in real time, players are expected to enter their poses as soon as possible. However, don't let this pressure you into rushing yourself. Take as much time as you need, but try to be mindful to other players and not get distracted with unrelated affairs for long periods of time without notifying them first. The average length of a pose is approximately one paragraph, but can sometimes reach three or more depending on the player. Feel free to make your poses as long as you want them to be, but be sure to keep it clean while entering them and be aware that IRC only accepts a certain amount of characters before cutting off. To avoid this, you can install Metal Man's cut off script in the download section (mIRC only) or PM the post to yourself first to see where it cuts off, then break it up in a separate word document before posting. Be sure to signal that unfinished pose-fragments will be continued shortly to maintain the order.

Am I allowed to double post or break the turn order when roleplaying?
Generally, an order is maintained to keep the scene under control and prevent collisions between posts. Do not make edits or additions to your post at the last second without notifying the person whose turn it is next. Keep the turn order to the best of your ability. If you absolutely need to break it, make sure the other players involved are all notified and agree.

Do I have to be a published writer / English teacher to play?
Certainly not, but we do value proper grammar and spelling tremendously. Poor writing will only detract heavily from the RP experience, and certain players might not be inclined to play with you if your English is atrocious. Players are always encouraged to give it their best shot. At least run your poses through a spell-checker and proofread them briefly beforehand as a fail-proof.

When do you roleplay?
The majority of all roleplay that occurs is unscheduled and impromptu. Larger, more important scenes will sometimes be scheduled at a time when all parties involved will be able to participate. Small scale, two-three person scenes (this is about the average size for a scene), will be done whenever those players are willing and able to roleplay.

How often do you roleplay?
This all depends on how many people are currently active in the channel. On an active day, the channel could be booming with roleplay, but on a non-active day, only one or two scenes might get done. The channel sees a fair amount of roleplay on most days, but we do have our periods of inactivity as well, so don't be alarmed or discouraged by them.

Where do you roleplay?
All roleplaying is done inside the #mobius IRC channel on irc.sorcery.net. The forums are NOT used for roleplaying, but we do post logs of some roleplays that occur onto the forums.

What is the #mobius_ooc channel used for?
#mobius_ooc is used for chatting while RP is going on in the main channel. Players are encouraged to remain inside both rooms during RP sessions.

How do I start up a scene?
Simple-- you find someone else who is currently available to roleplay and request a scene with them, or vice versa. As your character progresses and builds more and more relationships with other characters, it will become much easier to get involved in more scenes. Remember, you can't expect everyone else to come to you for roleplay. If you want to roleplay, don't be afraid to put yourself out there and ask who's available, or request an individual scene with a certain player.

I can't think of any ideas for a scene, what should I do?
This is a common problem among some people when it comes to creating scenes. Oftentimes, there will be multiple people open, but not enough ideas between the players. If you are finding it difficult to come up with scene ideas, try to look for things in common between characters that would give them a reason to meet. Look for potential chemistry between two characters as well. Maybe you think one character might be the perfect ally for yours, maybe they could help your character out, or provide some opposition for an evil scheme. Even random encounters can sometimes create character relationships and lead to bigger things.

How do I get involved with the main story?
This is a common question asked amongst new players. The simple answer is, there is no 'main story'. The closest thing to a main storyline we'll get is a GM plot, but even those are usually optional to participate in. In this roleplay, players are encouraged to start their own storylines between each other. There is no main story that every character is involved in, and there are no main characters that every plot revolves around.

I have an idea for a character plot, how do I get it started?
Small-scale storylines specific to a certain character or event are called player plots, and can easily be done with our approval. Do not attempt to start a plot without our permission. If something goes wrong or something in the plot is inconsistent with the already established canon, we might have to use a plot device to derail or cancel your plot completely. If you want to start up a plot of your own, contact the admin or one of the GMs and explain your idea, and we will evaluate it and potentially have it approved.

Where does the majority of the roleplay take place?
In the past, the roleplay revolved heavily around Capitol City as a central setting, but since the creation of Spike's Map of Mobius, scenes have become much more spread out. Generally, there is no one central point where all characters reside, but towns and cities are likely to be more populated areas abundant with characters. Some characters reside in more mainstream areas, while others live in very specific villages that aren't even on the map. Talk with the player who you're roleplaying with to get an idea where your two characters will be able to meet.

How is my character expected to travel all over the continent to meet other characters?
With this particular issue, realism has to be sacrificed for convenience. Don't worry about this too much. Up until recently we didn't even have a map, so characters would be all over the place without any explanation. You don't need to wait three days real time in order to get your character from one place to another. If your character needs to cross the continent, don't stress it. There are transportation systems such as trains and extreme gears that can get characters from zone to zone with ease, so those can be used as a roleplaying device to satisfy the issue. Keep in mind, if your character is only eight years old, you might have to get more creative with how they get around just for logic's sake.

What is the policy on playing NPCs?
Players are allowed to take control of NPC characters as roleplaying devices for their own scenes or helping another scene out by playing generic characters. Character specific NPCs such as relatives and friends are more flexible, but do not abuse this privilege by treating them like player characters. Also keep in mind that you do not reserve the right to play NPC characters for a faction or group that you are not in charge of, such as GUN or the Eggman Empire, unless someone who is in charge of the group in question gives you permission.

Can I enter into a scene that is already happening?
You can, but be mindful of the other players involved. If you want to join a scene, ask for their permission first and make sure you aren't intruding on anything. Generally, don't impose your character randomly into unrelated scenes.

My character is frozen in a scene, how/when can I get out?
Refer to Asterisk's guide on freezing for any questions related to this issue.

I want to play a Feature Character, but the storyline here is confusing. How do I adapt it to fit this RP's canon?
Mobius RP does have a unique canon established, as the RP was founded in 2002 and obviously a load of new Sonic games have been released since then. Because of this, we've had to adapt certain canons in different ways. If you want to know exactly which games we've adapted, and how they fit in with our canon, refer to this topic. Afterwards, it is advised that you talk to the GMs in order to establish exactly how the character you wish to play will fit in. It's a lot better off that we figure out everything first before you submit a bio and end up having to alter the entire backstory.

I'm currently playing a Feature Character that has appeared in the RP before, how do I handle his/her past roleplay history?
In the event that the Feature Character you're currently playing has been involved with significant events roleplayed in the past, it is best to gather as much knowledge and information about these events in order to keep the history of the roleplay intact. It is up to the player as to what extent you want to emulate an older player's rendition of the character, but certain bits of history may need to be kept to avoid plot holes. Ask the GMs or an older player for information if you need help with this issue.

Looking back, I have a problem with (x issue) in my bio. Can I change it?
If you simply wish to rewrite what it already written, feel free. If you plan on making any additions or edits to what we've already approved, contact us to be sure. We will have to approve any major changes you wish to make to your character's bio. Whether this be a change in backstory, change in abilities, or whatever. The only exeption being your character's appearance. If you want to change minor details in there such as attire, you can feel free to edit that as you see fit.

Am I allowed to link fanart as a Feature Character's picture?
If you have permission, yes. If not, you can either attempt to get permission or find another image to put up. We don't really want any artists storming in our channel angry that our site has their art up without their consent.

I'm too occupied in real life to keep up with major roleplay events, am I still eligible to play here?
Sure. You are welcome to come and go as you please as long as you don't get your character frozen with someone elses and then disappear for a month. Major roleplay events aren't necessary to keep up with, although it is very helpful to do so anyway. For this reason, a brief list is kept detailing current events in the roleplay for the convenience of players who can't be around 24/7.

I have a problem with a roleplay situation or one of the players, what should I do?
If you have a problem, talk to us. We would much prefer to deal with any issues sooner rather than later. If a problem goes undetected, it will only get bigger and end up imploding on all parties involved. People WILL be punished if things get too messy. We do not tolerate drama of any kind. We are more likely to punish someone for hiding an issue rather than confronting us about it.

I'm roleplaying in a fight scene and someone is powergaming, what should I do?
If you think someone is powergaming, the best thing to do is talk to that player and question them about their character's actions. Failing that, contact the admin or the GMs IMMEDIATELY and we will supervise the situation. DO NOT, under any circumstances, attempt to counter powergaming with powergaming. We will not have sympathy for you if you powergame in response to someone else doing it, and we will punish you AND the other player if we find out about it. Contact us and we will deal with the situation appropriately. Also refer to Dranar's fighting guide to be able to identify powergaming.

I think your policy on (x) is ridiculous, do I have to abide by it?
If you have feedback or concerns about how we run the roleplay or a certain issue, do not be snide or snarky about it. This will only get you on our bad side. We are always open to polite feedback and we do care deeply about the feelings of the players. Feel free to talk to us about any issue you may have, and we could try to compromise. On the contrary, we can't please everyone, so don't get angry at us if we're not willing to change our ways of doing things for your satisfaction.