[TIPS] A Guide to Online/RPoL Etiquette
Welcome to the Guide to RPol Etiquette. This has been compiled over much time spent gaming and it likely as not applies to most online forums, not just RPoL. If you have something to add, just talk to us by means of a Private Message.
In General...
Don't type in all caps -- or all lower case for that matter.
Check out the FAQ -- "Frequently Asked Questions" -- section before you asking for information that's readily available at the click of a mouse. Odds are that if you ask, they'll just tell you to check the FAQ anyway.
If you receive a nasty message don't respond immediately, if at all.
Keep in mind that all Private Messages are considered to be private and some view theirs as copywrighted by the original author. Making Private Messages public is very rude.
Perception is the only reality online.
Spell check your posts and proofread for errors (a good spell checker for Internet Explorer can be found at at
www.iespell.com).
Always capitalize appropriately and use proper punctuation.
Always edit out unnecessary information from a post you are responding to -- quoting the whole thing is pointless.
Sending email with extremely foul, threatening, or abusive language is crude (and often illegal). This includes obscenities, verbal harassment, threats of slander, or personal comments that would prove offensive based on race, religion, or sexual orientation. Don't do it.
Don't fall for flamers, jerks, or "trolls".
Share information and help other newbies.
If you have a beef with someone and you want to discuss it with them, have your discussion privately. Don't open your baggage in public for everyone else to look through.
In verbal communications, a good percentage of the conversation is non-verbal (vocal inflection, body language, etc.). Remember that you don't have that luxury in a text-based forum. You will have to word your sentences more precisely to get the same message across and you will have to pay attention to how else what you wrote could have been read.
Sarcasm is almost always taken the wrong way online. Either avoid it at all costs, or make it painfully obvious that it's a sarcastic remark.
If you feel you have to correct someone or critique them, it is always best to do it privately. If you want to compliment somebody, it never hurts to do it publically (though some of us are embarassed by such displays).
Tell your players or game moderators when you are going on vacation before you disappear if at all possible.
While Role-Playing...Never act for another player's character unless that player gave you explicit permission.
Stay In Character (IC) at all times except in Private Messages or in a special thread designed for Out-Of-Character (OOC) conversation. If you must add OOC information at the bottom of your message, make sure it is clearly identified and separate from your IC information.
Never use OOC information IC in any way. Even if you know someone in the real world, or as another character in the same or another game, your role-play character in game wouldn't know that.
Be patient: give others time to react to your character. Never assume someone will react in a certain way just because you think they should. Always give others the chance to react in their own way, and don't get upset if the reaction isn't what you planned.
Be considerate of the role-playing mood of others. If you come into a situation where other characters are already engaged in some role-play, don't just leap in with a radically different mood unless you have permission.
Don't try to be the center of attention all the time. Be polite and share attention with other characters. You aren't the only one there to have fun, and everyone likes to have their turn in the spotlight.
Avoid adding god-like abilities to your characters. Role-playing isn't about who can make up the best super powers for their characters, it's about the personalities and growth of the characters.
It is generally considered rude to just up and attack another character out of the blue. If you and your target are not part of some planned combat event, get OOC consent from the player before you attack their character. This can be done IC if you make your meaning clear enough and you can't contact the other player OOC.