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RP Rules
Special Thanks to Cynagin for creating this excellent guide. The original guide is posted on the FE Public Forums. The following version of the original guide has been slightly edited by the BFC, but the main concept and purpose remains the same.
Things to Avoid During Character Creation
Often when we're building new characters, it's very tempting to throw in a little bit of this, a lot of that, some of these character traits, and a bunch of miscellaneous details until you end up with "the perfect character". This isn't the real world and it is okay to want to have all those things you can't do in the real world. But by the time you're done putting all these things in, not only is your character perfect, but not very interesting! Here are a few typical character types that you should avoid.
Mary Sue/Gary Stu
A female character that is perfect, beautiful, or just generally so grossly out-of-character for the universe it is in is often called a "Mary Sue" (the male version is often called "Gary Stu"). To use an exaggerated example, Mary Sue most often knows everyone, has been everywhere, speaks any language she encounters fluently, can use any weapon she's touched (even if she's never encountered it before), and she is likely to have "color changing eyes" or some other striking physical feature that makes her irresistible to all she encounters. There's nothing wrong with any of these character traits on their own, but put all together - why would Mary Sue ever need to interact with anyone else? Mary Sue is just too perfect for her own good. Most people find these types of characters annoying because they are difficult to interact with and don't work very well in a group based environment. If everyone is beautiful and perfect, it gets tiring! There's no way to stand out and be different if everyone can do everything. Even super heroes have flaws.
Some Form of Relative to Fallen Earth NPCs
Please do not make characters related to NPCs that already exist in the Fallen Earth universe. This character type is often used as a short cut to gain "instant credibility" or status in a community, something which is seen as a bad idea by experienced roleplayers. Status in the community should be determined by actions, not just who you know, in character (or out). If you want to be famous, you will probably need to use actions and not just words. Be prepared to back up your claims to fame and it will help make the experience more fun for everyone.
Drama Kings/Queens
It's nice to be the center of attention in a roleplaying scenario some of the time, but that doesn't mean you're the only one playing in a story. Keep in mind, in any given group there are an abundance of tragic pasts to be overcome, destinies to be fulfilled, and old enemies to conquer. The drama king will often become quickly obvious to the group, needing to have the most tragic past, the biggest "grand destiny" to fill, and the worst of foes to defeat. These players are generally unhappy filling even a small supporting role in other people's roleplay scenarios and will usually attempt to find a way to turn any situation so the spotlight shines back upon them. They will often become very uncooperative as possible if they feel they aren't getting enough attention. Players tend to avoid these types of people, so try not to be that person.
The Golden Rules of RP
Although roleplaying is often referred to as "acting without a script", there are some basic rules that everyone tends to agree upon. We call these the "golden rules of RP".
Being considerate is a must!
Not everyone knows how to roleplay or wishes to do so. Even established roleplayers may have "off days" where they don't feel like being involved in RP for whatever reason. Perhaps those people nearby are just observing, learning from, or just having fun watching your roleplay interactions. While it's nice when everyone around you is actively involved in a particular roleplay scenario, if you try to include someone and are met with a negative response, realize it probably isn't you and move on. Often a friendly private out of character whisper inviting nearby people you've not interacted with before to participate along is all the incentive they need to join in!
Be consistent!
Sure, characters change over time and that is to be expected. A character whose background changes from day to day or whose behavior is completely inconsistent in any given situation will usually be written off by other characters as "crazy" and often avoided. People like to generally know what to expect. Your choices, the paths you take, and the friendships you make with players and NPCs in the game can affect your character's personality.
It is better to ask for permission ahead of time than for forgiveness later.
Roleplayers should avoid what is known as "Godmoding/Godmodding" and "Power gaming" at all costs. This sort of thing happens when you do something that doesn't give the other person a chance to react to what you do. An example would be "Cynagin pulls out a gun and shoots Mycroft through the heart." That emote took all chance of Mycroft roleplaying a response away which is why people call it "god moding". A more appropriate emote would be "Cynagin pulls out a gun and pulls the trigger, clearly aiming for Mycroft's heart."
Also, you should never ever harm or killing another player's character without OOC consent or at least give them a way to respond in character. Only you can determine what happens to your character - so ask for (and expect to be asked for) permission before engaging in roleplay that may be considered unpleasant to others. Although this is a "mature" game, it is also recommended that requesting permission be extended towards things that can be considered "intimate" between players - not everyone has the same views/comfort levels towards sex, and it is better to ask for permission than to make someone uncomfortable OOC.
A little bit of thoughtfulness goes a long way.
Treat other players (not necessarily the characters) how you would like them to treat you. While often mentioned last, it is the most important rule of all. If you have offended someone else OOC by exceeding the limits of good taste or polite behavior by your IC interactions - and they ask you to stop, please do so.
