Entry tags:
TLV - OOC FAQ
The Basics
→ Finding Posts
→ Posting
→ Apping
→ Canon Updates
→ Canon NPCs
Activity
→ Activity Check: Requirements and Procedure
→ Reclaiming
→ Hiatus
→ Dropping
Miscellaneous
→ Content Warnings
→ Plotting
→ Godmodding/Metagaming
→ Conflict Resolution
→ Etc.
THE BASICS
- I CAN'T FIND [INSERT POST HERE]!
We keep a Directory for all key posts, so if you can't find them anywhere else, for whatever reason, please check the directory! It is a sticky post on the![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bargemods account so it will always be at the top of the entry view there, as well as in the sidebars and profiles of the main comm, log comm, and ooc comms. - How does posting work ICly and OOCly?
Upon arrival, each character receives a network communicator, which are explained in greater detail in the IC FAQ. The communicators are capable of TEXT, VOICE, and VIDEO formats, and can be filtered as PUBLIC or any combination of PRIVATE filters (wardens, inmates, infirmary, friends only, private to specific people, etc.). Journal entries can also include ACTIONSPAM options for scenes that shift from network communication to action or are too minor to require an entire separate log.
Network posts are to be posted to the![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
lastvoyages community. Logs are to be posted to the lastvoyageslogs community. In order to be easily accessible to other players, they should include the following header: - I'm not interested in the premise, but I'd like to app to play with my friends/castmates/shipping partner.
While it's fine to apply to a game because your friends or castmates are here, you should still find something interesting about the setting as well. We try to tailor our events to what players wish to see, and having our players enthused about the premise will help to inspire character development and continue growing the game. - Does TLV have any player/character/cast caps?
We don't currently have a player cap, and each player may play up to five characters. As for cast caps, while we don't have a set number limit, we pay attention to cast ratios, and will close apps for a particular cast if it comprises more than 10% of the game. - What if I want to play a non-human character like a Transformer/Sonic the Hedgehog/Pikachu?
Non-human characters are appable as long as they are able to function in an environment designed for humanoids. - Is there a minimum age requirement for characters? What about players?
Any character who is at least 18 (or their species' equivalent of adulthood) is automatically old enough to be apped to TLV, provided that they meet all other eligibility requirements. Characters as young as 15 are considered on a case by case basis, and their suitability for the environment must be addressed in their app. Any character under 15 is considered unappable at this time. In the case of a mismatch between a character's physical and mental age, their mental age is given precedence. A character whose body is only a few years old but who explicitly has the mind of an adult (for example, a robot/AI) will be considered appable, but a character who is explicitly a child that's been transplanted into an adult's body would not be.
Players must be at least 18 years old to join TLV. - Can I app an original character?
Original characters from original worlds are appable to TLV, but canon OCs (OCs that are written into the world of a specific canon) and blank-slate malleable protags (video game protagonists whose appearance, history, and personality are built by scratch by the player) are not. Our standards for comprehensiveness and clarity are generally higher for OC apps than they are for fandom apps, particularly when it comes to character powers and character history - the application will be the only resource available to potential pairing partners, so we'll want to know everything about everything! Additionally, when it comes to our informal guideline of not allowing a single fandom to make up more than 10% of the game, OCs will collectively "count" as a single fandom. - Can I app a real person?
In order to apply for a real person, they 1) need to come from a fictionalized source AND 2) need to be far enough removed from our contemporary society that playing them will not generate problems with other players. Most people are fine when it comes to the idea of redeeming a fictional villain (and if they weren't, they probably wouldn't be in this game), but are more uncomfortable when the premise is applied to a real mass murderer.
So, for example, you can apply for Shakespeare's Richard III or Chaucer from A Knight's Tale, but you cannot apply for Richard III or Chaucer the historical figures. When it comes to controversial and contemporary figures (particularly those of the 20th and 21st century), we will be much more strict. You cannot app Jeffrey Dahmer as seen in Dahmer, nor can you app Hitler from one of the billion films he shows up in.
If you have a character in mind and you're not quite sure if they'd be eligible under these guidelines, ask a moderator or the post to the potential apps discussion entry! - Can I app a character who requires a lot of headcanon and extrapolation to play?
For a character to be considered appable, you must be able to write a fully-formed app for them based on canon alone. If they're so minor a character that this is impossible, then they are unfortunately not suited for this game. Using headcanon to flesh out your portrayal in-game is fine, though please exercise your best judgement here: avoid headcanon that has the potential to seriously effect any castmates you may get, and don't try to force your headcanon onto others. If your headcanon for something like a canon organization, society, or relationship differs from that of an affected castmate, be willing to discuss, adjust, and find a middle ground that works for everyone. - Can I app a god?
Gods and god-like characters must have their powers limited in such a way that they would not break the game, and they must also come from a narative, non-holy source material. Whether it's an ancient play or recently published modern interpretation, they must have a canon to draw their personality and history from. A personal interpretation of a god, or a god whose source material is a holy book, is not acceptable. Jesus from Jesus Christ Superstar would be allowed. Jesus from The Bible would not be. - What happens with characters with canonical illnesses?
As time does not pass aboard the Barge - that is, characters do not physically age - most diseases or illnesses will cease to have an effect on the character while they are on board the Barge. This is to make it easier on an OOC level for players that want to play a character that canonically has an expiration date without including said expiration date; if you want to play around with the illness in question (cancer, radiation, mystery illness du jour, virus) within the setting, there are opportunities when the character is outside the influence of the Barge such as during ports and such, or something can be worked out at the discretion of the mod team. Just ask! - Can I canon update?
So, you decided you want to change your character's pull point, or the canon has given you more to work with that you want to add. There are multiple ways to handle this and for this to manifest and ultimately, these decisions are at the discretion of the player to allow you and your castmates to get the most enjoyment out of the game possible. At present there are few limits or real regulations for the process of a canon update beyond that the canon info being added must be at least 30 days past release, but if a single character has been updated multiple times within a short period, the moderators may take an interest on the behalf of the other characters and players in the game.
When your character disappears for their update, their cabin door may disappear or not disappear at your discretion; the same goes for their pairing status on their warden’s item, if they’re an inmate. They may return with their memories of the Barge fully intact, with no memories of having been on the Barge at all, or with memories that aren’t immediately accessible but which gradually return over time. They may be gone for a couple hours on the Barge and a couple years back home, or they may only be at home for a few hours and come back a month later on the Barge. Wardens may choose to go home and come back with more information than they intended to, but inmates cannot leave at will.
If the canon update will so radically change the character that a change in status (warden or inmate) will be required before they come back onboard, you will need to re-apply and be approved again for the character. This may be done before the canon update is put into action. Additionally, to preserve the premise of the game and the graduation system, characters who will be changing from inmates to wardens because of a canon update rather than a graduation will need to be apped and played as fresh versions who were never on the Barge, with no Barge memories and no possibility to regain them.
The point here is that the sky is (mostly!) the limit for whatever works best for your character and needs and still fits the game premise. Be sure to talk to your close CR beforehand and post to the OOC community letting other players know what's going on, and if you have any doubts or questions, feel free to contact a moderator. - What are Canon NPCs?
Because the ports and breaches that the Barge visits are occasionally canon worlds of characters already or previously in game, and because they are often suggested by players who love them, we occasionally run Canon NPC signups for these events.
Any characters who have previously been on board the Barge are subject to regular retirement restrictions, and any inmates who were dropped without graduating cannot be played with any Barge memories, even by the original player. Any continuity conflicts will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
NPC tags will not count towards AC for the player, as this is entirely voluntary - they are just for fun, to voice test, and to enrich the environment for other players and characters. The signup thread will be to facilitate both other players knowing who this random journal/character is tagging them, so there are no duplicates, and to allow for plotting. Canon NPC characters will not be bound by the usual game rules (age and species/medium/etc.), and no canon OCs will be allowed. There will be a limit of one canon NPC per player.
But wait, there's more! Should you find yourself enjoying playing a canon NPC and decide to app them into the game properly, we will still require an application approval process, but we will allow them to come directly from the port or the breach - as if they've merely joined the Barge when it left the city, or when the rest of that reality faded away as appropriate. Mechanics-wise (death for inmates, deals for wardens), nothing else will change, but this is another option going forward for those who might wish to use it.
ACTIVITY
- What are the rules for activity requirements?
In order to meet monthly activity requirements, you must have at least two of any of the following: a network post, a log, or a thread consisting of 15+ comments made by your character in another player's post. If a player can also show substantial activity in multiple posts made by other players (not necessarily in one 15+ comment thread), adding up threads to meet the comment requirement is permitted. IC inbox threads can count for one activity proof (half of standard activity), as long as the thread(s) provided consists of 15+ comments made by your character. All comments must have been made in the month the activity check is for. Private posts and logs (as in, posts/logs that consist entirely of a private message/interaction either of your character talking to themselves or to one other character) cannot be used as post proofs, though any comments may be used for the comment proof option.
If you've been on hiatus for 7+ days in a calendar month, you are exempt from that month's Activity Check. We keep all hiatuses up on the hiatus post for the duration of the month in order to keep track of who's exempt. If your hiatus straddles a month and you intend to use the hiatus for activity for one month, make sure that the hiatus covers at least 7 days of that month. (For example, if you are hiatusing January into February and want to use the hiatus in January, make sure that you have hiatused at least from January 25th on. A hiatus from January 25th - February 4th will allow you to use your hiatus for January's activity check.)
You may not hiatus out of two Activity Checks in a row without prior mod permission. If you feel you are experiencing special circumstances that mean you will have to hiatus for longer than one month, please contact the mods. - How do you check for activity?
Currently, the moderators will post an Activity Check post on the first of every month for the previous month. You are required to post your own activity proof for each character to this post within seven days, so keep track of your threads! - But I failed Activity Check for this month and was not on hiatus!
It's okay! If something comes up and you are unable to meet activity requirements for the month you may reclaim your character. This means you will need three instead of two proofs of activity for the oncoming month in order to continue to claim your character as active for this game. If you fail activity check the month after reclaiming a character, then we will consider that character to be dropped. - I need to go on hiatus. How do I do that?
If it's a short hiatus, just post it to the OOC community. If it's going to be a full hiatus of 7+ consecutive days, post it to the Hiatus Post. Please note that if you go on a 7+ day hiatus and fail to post it to the hiatus post, you will not be exempt from Activity Check. - I need to drop the game. How do I do it?
Just go to the Drop Post and fill out the form. It's also best to post your drop to the OOC community so your fellow players know. You're welcome to come back any time as long as you are in good standing with the game in general, but you will have to re-apply for your character.
MISCELLANEOUS
- What content is appropriate for TLV and how should I handle it?
TLV is an adults-only game that allows for the exploration of dark themes, but all potentially upsetting content must be marked clearly to the best of your ability. Common warnings include explicit sexual content, serious violence or gore, bigotry or prejudice, and anything related to abuse or sexual assault. Otherwise, use your best judgement when deciding what needs a warning. If you have questions, the mods are available to chat. - I have an idea for a plot. Do I have to take it to the mods?
We enjoy and encourage player-run plots, and mod approval is only needed for plots that would affect either the ship itself or the game's community as a whole. In all cases, anything that other characters might take notice of should be posted to the OOC community, so that all of your fellow players can be up to speed on it. Murders, serious public violence, and setting destruction should also be noted here. - What's godmodding?
Godmodding involves controlling another character without their player's permission. Accidents happen, and sometimes people slip up and godmod without realizing it, particularly in small ways. If you accidentally take too many liberties with another player's character and the player objects, be open to retconning/editing your comment. - And what's metagaming/info-modding?
Metagaming/info-modding is having your character aware of things they should not know. This includes tailoring their reactions to a character because you, the player, know the other character is lying, despite your own character not having this knowledge.
There is some wiggle room when it comes to fourth-walling. Some characters here will inevitably exist as fictional properties in other characters' canons, and different players have varying levels of interest in having this called attention to. We have a Permissions post post so that you can check and see which characters are and aren't fair game for fourth-walling. - How does TLV handle conflict resolution between players?
First and foremost, all players are equally responsible for opening and maintaining consistent communication with moderators and their fellow players. Whether it is for plotting and OOC coordination or the resolution of problems, communication is held in high regard here. Everyone here is an adult and is expected to behave like one. If there is a problem, attempt to address it with the people involved. If discussion yields no results or degenerates into unfriendly behavior, involve a moderator. It is recommended that you have a Plurk account, as this will be the primary mode of communication for most players within the game and is the fastest way to get in contact with a moderator.
OOC harassment of other players by players will not be tolerated. TLV has a very low tolerance for drama. You don't have to like each other, but you should try to be respectful to one another both in game and out of game. Sometimes this might ultimately mean not interacting with one another if you can manage it.
The FAQ will be updated as questions arise. If you have a question that isn't addressed here, feel free to comment, and we'll get back to you ASAP!
Last updated: 4/1/2024
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