Discuss ideas you have regarding the roleplay with other players. The basic premise is ever-present, but all of us can contribute to create a vibrant, rich environment.
Update and create wiki articles with new information as events progress. If you see a character's page that's a little out of date, mention it to their player. (It's fine if you don't go into everything in extensive detail, but a little update now and again really helps!)
Utilise Shared NPCs to advance plotlines or create events where they are needed - that's what they're there for, just be mindful of who they are as a person.
Use the Timelock system to better represent when events or interactions are happening in the timeline. Whilst this isn't 100% necessary, Scattered Shards does not follow the current date for the sake of better pacing, and will progress slowly with potential time skips between story arcs or when things wind down.
Respect the other players during interactions through the Honour System style of play, especially where combat or competition between player characters is concerned.
DO NOT[]
Create vast changes to the world without discussing them first - the world is malleable, but we're all a part of it.
Abuse or take advantage of the Shared NPCs for an 'easy way out', or play them in such a way that utilises only their status and not their personality.
Advance too quickly into the future, unless you are okay with your event being 'in flux' and thus may not happen at all due to events taking place in the past.
Create an Servant-level or similar power-class character without discussing them with the Admin. If the idea is solid and the power class won't simply be abused, chances are they can be let through, but Servant-class characters are powerhouses that have the potential for great change so I need to know if one is running around.
Try to milk those.
Shared NPCs[]
What is a Shared NPC?[]
In the world of Scattered Shards, there will be characters who hold a position of power or influence, or fulfil some kind of role within the world. This could be as simple as a shop owner or as potentially complex as the School Principal and related duties. Whilst it's possible for a player character to take any of those roles, sometimes characters are best utilised as a plot device, a way to move things forward or create interesting scenarios without being the focus themselves.
This is when we create an NPC - a Non-Player Character. Ordinarily the term is used to describe characters in Video Games that are controlled by the system rather than a person, but in text-based roleplay we don't have the benefit of an automated system. Therefore, the best way to use an NPC is to make them a Shared Character, a person within the world that all players can control at any given time to use as and when they are required. This is so the person who created the character isn't required to be around all the time and doesn't have to treat playing said character like a chore for someone else.
However, with Shared Characters come a shared set of rules:
The Rules for Shared NPCs[]
When creating a Shared NPC, be sure to list down their Personality Traits, a Reference Image (just one is fine) and any normal activities they're likely to have, such as where they might be found at certain times. This doesn't have to go into a huge amount of detail, but the more you can provide the easier it will be for other players to understand your 'vision' for them, and play them more accurately themselves. Even little things like listing certain verbal ticks can help immensely.
When playing a Shared NPC, check out their character page first. Read the details on their personality and take them to heart - you're playing a character that belongs to the world now, not to you, so you have a responsibility to play them as accurately as you can.
As a negative example of the point above, do not take a character that is in a position of power who is known to be selfish and distasteful, only to have them bestow something easily to your character as an act of benevolence. Doing so shows a complete disregard for that character for selfish gain and is not something that will be approved of here.
The Timelock System[]
The Scattered Shards timeline does not follow in synchronisation with real-world dates. Instead, when interactions begin they are 'locked' in a particular time slot as described at the beginning of the interaction, and this time slot is updated as events proceed. This system was created so that an arc-like series of events can be completed at proper pacing, regardless of people's schedules or real-world time progression. We're all busy people, and we don't need for the rp to run away from us while we aren't there.
How it works:[]
The Timelocks are detailed by writing the Day of the interaction, followed by the in-world time it takes place in, for example: Thursday 14th October, 16:45 would detail the 13th October of the in-world RP at 4:45pm, and by keeping track of the day itself it's possible to accurately depict what's open, whether there's school or it's a weekend, etc. This only needs to be noted once if the interaction is short, but if those involved travel anywhere or make any notable timeskips (such as two hours spent walking the streets of the city) then the Timelock would need to be updated.
In this way, players can keep track of who is doing what, where and when. It's also possible for characters who introduce themselves later on, such as a week/month etc down the line, to have 'flashback interactions' where their actions from earlier dates are written out. Just be aware that if you're going back to a certain day in which other interactions took place, you might want to note who was doing what just in case your interaction might 'bump into them'. Try not to cause any paradoxes!
Systems of Luck and Combat[]
Naturally there will come points where player characters face off against one another, whether it's in a friendly game of cards or a battle to the death. Typically, Scattered Shards employs the Honour System which places trust in the players to discuss what might or should happen, and then enacting it in detail through roleplay, or at the very least writing out actions with the respect of the other character and player in mind. We trust our players to be mature in these decisions, and be capable of taking defeat alongside victory.
That said, at times the better option may be to leave it to chance. At any player's discretion, they may agree to use a rolling system in order to determine the element of luck involved, however because it would be tedious and troublesome to ask everyone to create character stats or attributes, it is best these rolling systems be kept simple. Such rolling systems include:
The d1000 Evens/Odds called shot system, by which a roll is made and Evens or Odds are called, allowing for a 50/50 chance at success or failure with doubles or triples being qualified as critical successes or failures.
A basic d20 Rolling system for those who wish to use tabletop-style rolls that they may be familiar with, without utilising stats or otherwise.
These systems may be used whenever an element of luck is desired (such as decision making), though if you intend to use a rolling system for combat or a competition it is best to discuss this with the other player/s involved in the interaction beforehand.
