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While the exact nuances of good RP etiquette may vary from one RPG to the next, the following concepts are generally considered bad by Hub RPers. Engaging in some of these concepts isn’t likely to get you banned from our campaign (Bad RP will, though).\n\nPoor RP etiquette won’t win you any friends or permanent RP partners, and if you want to be successful in your foray within The Hub, keep good etiquette in mind.\n\nh5. \_Simple tips for good etiquette...\_\n\n\* Provide time for response\n\* Keeping IC and OOC separate\n\* Consideration for others when forming plots\n\n

\*A Guide to Bad RP\*

\n\n

\*+1. Metagaming+\*

\n\nMetagaming is using OOC knowledge in roleplay thoughts, actions, or behavior. Metagaming is a frequent issue for many RP communities. It often occurs with new players who do not know to keep player knowledge out of IC interactions. However, seasoned players do sometimes intentionally use OOC information to give their character an advantage. When intentional, metagaming is definitely bad roleplay.\n\nMetagaming is a form of bad roleplay that can be quite difficult to police. This is especially true if the metagamer is smart and stubborn. They can argue about how a character obtained information, how sensible it is for them to act one way or the other, and so forth — and sometimes, they’re quite right! Metagaming is rarely so cut-and-dry as the examples provided herein. See Wikipedia’s metagaming article for a wider array of examples.\n\n

\*Types of Metagaming and How to Avoid\*

\n\n

\n* \*Discord Metagaming\*\nThe OOC knowledge in Discord Metagaming is obtained by reading discord names, profiles, announcements, and other information.
	\n+ \_Avoiding Discord Metagaming\_\nWhat you read on Discord is not what your character knows. Discord markers such as group membership, area names, and other information that pertains to the IC world exists for organizational purposes only. Your newcomer character will still need to learn his or her way around.
	\n\n
\n\n* \*Roleplayer Metagaming\*\nThe OOC knowledge in Roleplayer Metagaming is information the roleplayer has, but the character does not have. This is very similar to skill-based godmodding, but specificially deals with information that could not exist in the RPG’s setting.
	\n+ \_Avoiding Roleplayer Metagaming\_\nRemember what your character knows is separate from your knowledge.\nPay close attention to your game’s setting to determine the appropriate knowledge level.
	\n\n
\n* \*Decision Metagaming\*\nThis is a more active form of metagaming. The OOC knowledge in this case is not merely written into roleplay passively, but impacts decisions the character makes. The essential element is that the character makes a decision they would not normally make due to the roleplayer’s information.\n
	\n+ Avoiding Decision Metagaming\nRe-read your own character profile and adhere to its information.
	\n\n
\n* \*\*Game Mechanics Metagaming\*\*\nThis one is the most prominent of metagaming as it is prevalent in competitive gaming culture. Usually players refer to the “Meta” as the best item, lodout, exploit, or mechanic to take most advantage of to essentially become top tier. Since The Hub is RP heavy, players will be basing their gear around their character and not their character around their gear.
	\n+ \_Avoiding Mechanics Metagamming\_\nDon’t do or go after something just because it is the best course of action from a gameplay standpoint.\nRemember that we value roleplay over gameplay in The Hub
	\n

\n\n

\*2. Godmodding\*

\nGodmodding differs from godmoding (one d). Godmodding specifically refers to character creation, skills, and certain situations. Godmodded characters are often created by bad roleplayers and is a common form of bad roleplay that can be incredibly harmful to the Persistent World story as a result of the freedom provided in Persistent Worlds.\n\nThe issue is the possibility of other roleplayers godmodding. The average player just scales up his character’s power to match those of the godmodder. Characters go from backwater drifter with nothing but his sword to a great and ancient warrior descended from the heavens with his \"Magical Sword of Supremeness +9000\" to fight once again. \n\nIn action based roleplaying games or those with very specific character skills, this behavior can be incredibly harmful. Unfortunately, it is also difficult to prevent (from an administrative standpoint).\n\n

\*Types of Godmodding and How To Avoid\*

\n

* \*Character Creation Godmodding\*\nCharacter creation godmodding is the most frequent form of godmodding. In most instances, this form is very obvious. It is also most often employed by new roleplayers. It is possible to roleplay any of the following examples without godmodding, but new roleplayers may have trouble doing so.
	\n+ \_Avoiding Character Creation Godmodding\_\nRemember to balance your character’s strengths and weaknesses. There’s no getting around this one. Every character should have flaws and strengths. Consider what is appropriate for your character’s age. Consider what is appropriate for the setting.
	\n
* \*Skill-Based Godmodding\*\nSkill-based godmodding occurs when a roleplay character advances an existing skill or learns a new skill. It is similar to character creation godmodding.
	\n+ \_Avoiding Skill-Based Godmodding\_\nRemember how long it takes to learn something, and how intense some skills are. It’s just not possible to learn some skills quickly. Learning skills at a pace appropriate to The Hub's IC flow of time is important (2 days/1 day RL). Consider what is appropriate for your character to know which depends on the setting of the campaign. Writing and reading isn’t serious for modern people — but for someone born in the wastes? It may be a lot less plausible.
\n* \*Situation-Based Godmodding\*\nEssentially, situational godmodding ignores certain facts of the setting or individual character’s situation. Its intent is generally to advance the plot or to give an unfair advantage to one character.
	\n+ \_Avoiding Situation-Based Godmodding\_\nKeep track of your IC discord posts and character interactions. This is the number-one step in avoiding unintentional godmodding of this type. You can refer for your older notes and see what happened recently. This also makes your roleplay more interesting, giving you a cohesive story to write about. \nRemember what is appropriate for the setting, again. Being totally untouchable is generally not appropriate.
\n* \*Mary Sue\*\nThere are more harmless forms of godmodding, too. Characters who lack flaws and weaknesses may be considered Mary / Gary Sue characters. This isn’t to say your character shouldn’t have strengths or success. But when your character always knows the right thing to do and say, it can get incredibly boring to roleplay. It may also irritate fellow players.\n
\n\n\*3. Retconning\*

\nRetconning is the act of rescinding or otherwise acting as if an IC occurrence never happened. Note that this is explicitly different from roleplayers who promise a plot and do not follow through; that’s “reneging” but it isn’t retconning. Retconning specifically deals with occurrences that already happened in-game.\n\nThe problem with retconning: even a small, interpersonal thing between two characters can have consequences beyond those two characters. Changing or going back on this plot may make later occurrences disordered or even completely nonsensical. This is a huge detriment to a Persistent World — hence why we do not allow retconning at all. What happens in character has already happened and should stay that way for the sake of everyone’s sanity in organizing timelines and keeping track of character histories.\n\nIn some instances, the administrators may reserve the right to retcon a plot that severely violates the game’s universe. For example, in The Age of Hyboria, if two characters are explicitly discussing and using Space Rockets… that’s probably something the administration is going to want changed or even deleted.\n\n\*+RP Guidelines+\*

\n\nWhile most of this guide lists things as explictly against our rules, the concepts listed below are generally not against our rules. However, they may become so at any given time if a roleplayer insists on repeatedly forcing any of these behaviors. These behaviors are hallmarks of newbies and Trolls.\n\n\*1. Twinking\*

\nTwinking conflicts with our defined setting and is a gross violation of believability. Twinky is generally used to describe characters that act nonsensically from an In Character perspective. Secondly, twinky players tend to become upset when their IC actions have unintended consequences.\n\nIn good circumstances, all of the “wrong” examples could be acceptable roleplay scenarios. That is, when they are plotted out beforehand with the roleplayers involved. Plotting beforehand not only avoids plot holes, it helps prevent dissatisfaction and drama. The key difference between twinking and plotting: twinking is unplanned.\n\nPlotting needn’t be intense and detailed: something simple as, “I’m going to have my character attack a stranger — I’d like for him to be severely beaten and left for dead somewhere. Someone else will rescue him.” This alleviates other players’ anxieties about the character’s player potentially wanting their character to walk away without a scratch, and gives some (believable, realistic!) direction to the plot.\n\nExcessive stretching of believability and realism is another form of twinking. This includes extreme luck, incredibly rare skills or items, etc. Some things are just not plausible for certain settings, even though they are fine in real life.\n\n\*2. Cheesing\*

\nCheesing frequently occurs when a roleplayer is unhappy with a scenario’s outcome. Cheesing attempts to alter the situation to their favor, but does not cross over into the realm of true bad roleplay. As with twinking, there’s nothing wrong with “cheesed” scenarios, provided they are plotted or discussed first.\n\nFights are a common place for cheesing. It helps to avoid cheesing in fight roleplay by plotting winners. Figure out who is going to win and who is going to lose, and make sure everyone is happy with that outcome! It can also occur in non-combat situations, too, as with the second example.\n\nWhile minor instances of cheesy behavior aren’t against our rules, repeated cheesing is generally an easy way to lose your roleplay partners and gain a bad reputation within a campaign.\n\n\*3. Munchkin\*

\nA munchkin plays what is intended to be a non-competitive game … in an aggressively competitive manner … no matter how deleterious their actions are to role-playing, the storyline, fairness, logic, or the other players’ fun. These bad roleplayers create characters in an open-ended, non-combat game with intent to “win” or completely dominate.\n\nUsually, this behavior is encountered with players solely interested in roleplay fights. Fighters and warriors have their place, certainly. Just remember when creating this character make sure you give it depth beyond their fighting abilities. Give it a personality and make sure the character interacts with others in ways that do not involve combat.\n\nThe characters created by munchkins almost always dance on the line of bad roleplay and sometimes cross into godmodding, but a careful munchkin can create a realistically weakened character and still play the campaign in an aggressively competitive manner.\n\n\*+Addendum+\*

\nAfter you get past this point — it’s fairly nitpicky. Especially if you’re a beginner to roleplay, you will probably make some of these mistakes. As long as you learn from your mistakes, though, you’ll be fine!\n\n\*1. The Drop and Swap\*

\nThis bad roleplayer picks up characters like it’s going out of style. Only, they drop them shortly thereafter. Roleplay requires active participants — and if you’re switching characters every third week, you’re not establishing yourself or your characters. You may have future trouble finding roleplay partners, if you gain a reputation for Drop and Swap.\n\n\*2. The Selfie\*

\nThis player may employ slightly cheesy behaviors to twist plots to their own desires. Remember, roleplay is a collaborative effort — you need to take and give! An especially heinous OOC variety of this player attempts to make the roleplay cater to them — in entirety. They may request rules changes, alterations to the game’s basis, etc. The key difference between The OOC Selfie and a “good” player? The good player suggests, the OOC Selfie makes brusque requests or even\ndemands.\n\n\*3. Love at First Sight\*

\nThis bad roleplayer wants romance and relationships, and they want it now. There’s nothing wrong with plotting things out beforehand (it’s suggested). However, character relationships are best decided by characters themselves.
While the exact nuances of good RP etiquette may vary from one RPG to the next, the following concepts are generally considered bad by Hub RPers. Engaging in some of these concepts isn’t likely to get you banned from our campaign (Bad RP will, though).

\nPoor RP etiquette won’t win you any friends or permanent RP partners, and if you want to be successful in your foray within The Hub, keep good etiquette in mind.

\n##### *Simple tips for good etiquette…*

\n\n\t+ Provide time for response
\n\t+ Keeping IC and OOC separate
\n\t+ Consideration for others when forming plots
\n
\n**A Guide to Bad RP**

\n**1. Metagaming**

\nMetagaming is using OOC knowledge in roleplay thoughts, actions, or behavior. Metagaming is a frequent issue for many RP communities. It often occurs with new players who do not know to keep player knowledge out of IC interactions. However, seasoned players do sometimes intentionally use OOC information to give their character an advantage. When intentional, metagaming is definitely bad roleplay.

\nMetagaming is a form of bad roleplay that can be quite difficult to police. This is especially true if the metagamer is smart and stubborn. They can argue about how a character obtained information, how sensible it is for them to act one way or the other, and so forth — and sometimes, they’re quite right! Metagaming is rarely so cut-and-dry as the examples provided herein. See Wikipedia’s metagaming article for a wider array of examples.

\n**Types of Metagaming and How to Avoid**

\n\n+ **Discord Metagaming**
\nThe OOC knowledge in Discord Metagaming is obtained by reading discord names, profiles, announcements, and other information.

	\n- *Avoiding Discord Metagaming*
	\nWhat you read on Discord is not what your character knows. Discord markers such as group membership, area names, and other information that pertains to the IC world exists for organizational purposes only. Your newcomer character will still need to learn his or her way around.
	\n\n
\n+ **Roleplayer Metagaming**
\nThe OOC knowledge in Roleplayer Metagaming is information the roleplayer has, but the character does not have. This is very similar to skill-based godmodding, but specificially deals with information that could not exist in the RPG’s setting.

	\n- *Avoiding Roleplayer Metagaming*
	\nRemember what your character knows is separate from your knowledge.
	\nPay close attention to your game’s setting to determine the appropriate knowledge level.
	\n\n
\n+ **Decision Metagaming**
\nThis is a more active form of metagaming. The OOC knowledge in this case is not merely written into roleplay passively, but impacts decisions the character makes. The essential element is that the character makes a decision they would not normally make due to the roleplayer’s information.
\n

	\n- Avoiding Decision Metagaming
	\nRe-read your own character profile and adhere to its information.
	\n\n
\n+ **Game Mechanics Metagaming**
\nThis one is the most prominent of metagaming as it is prevalent in competitive gaming culture. Usually players refer to the “Meta” as the best item, lodout, exploit, or mechanic to take most advantage of to essentially become top tier. Since The Hub is RP heavy, players will be basing their gear around their character and not their character around their gear.

	\n- *Avoiding Mechanics Metagamming*
	\nDon’t do or go after something just because it is the best course of action from a gameplay standpoint.
	\nRemember that we value roleplay over gameplay in The Hub
	\n

\n**2. Godmodding**

\nGodmodding differs from godmoding (one d). Godmodding specifically refers to character creation, skills, and certain situations. Godmodded characters are often created by bad roleplayers and is a common form of bad roleplay that can be incredibly harmful to the Persistent World story as a result of the freedom provided in Persistent Worlds.

\nThe issue is the possibility of other roleplayers godmodding. The average player just scales up his character’s power to match those of the godmodder. Characters go from backwater drifter with nothing but his sword to a great and ancient warrior descended from the heavens with his “Magical Sword of Supremeness +9000” to fight once again.

\nIn action based roleplaying games or those with very specific character skills, this behavior can be incredibly harmful. Unfortunately, it is also difficult to prevent (from an administrative standpoint).

\n**Types of Godmodding and How To Avoid**

\n+ **Character Creation Godmodding**
\nCharacter creation godmodding is the most frequent form of godmodding. In most instances, this form is very obvious. It is also most often employed by new roleplayers. It is possible to roleplay any of the following examples without godmodding, but new roleplayers may have trouble doing so.

	\n- *Avoiding Character Creation Godmodding*
	\nRemember to balance your character’s strengths and weaknesses. There’s no getting around this one. Every character should have flaws and strengths. Consider what is appropriate for your character’s age. Consider what is appropriate for the setting.
	\n
+ **Skill-Based Godmodding**
\nSkill-based godmodding occurs when a roleplay character advances an existing skill or learns a new skill. It is similar to character creation godmodding.

	\n- *Avoiding Skill-Based Godmodding*
	\nRemember how long it takes to learn something, and how intense some skills are. It’s just not possible to learn some skills quickly. Learning skills at a pace appropriate to The Hub’s IC flow of time is important (2 days/1 day RL). Consider what is appropriate for your character to know which depends on the setting of the campaign. Writing and reading isn’t serious for modern people — but for someone born in the wastes? It may be a lot less plausible.

\n+ **Situation-Based Godmodding**
\nEssentially, situational godmodding ignores certain facts of the setting or individual character’s situation. Its intent is generally to advance the plot or to give an unfair advantage to one character.

	\n- *Avoiding Situation-Based Godmodding*
	\nKeep track of your IC discord posts and character interactions. This is the number-one step in avoiding unintentional godmodding of this type. You can refer for your older notes and see what happened recently. This also makes your roleplay more interesting, giving you a cohesive story to write about.
	\nRemember what is appropriate for the setting, again. Being totally untouchable is generally not appropriate.

\n+ **Mary Sue**
\nThere are more harmless forms of godmodding, too. Characters who lack flaws and weaknesses may be considered Mary / Gary Sue characters. This isn’t to say your character shouldn’t have strengths or success. But when your character always knows the right thing to do and say, it can get incredibly boring to roleplay. It may also irritate fellow players.
\n
\n**3. Retconning**

\nRetconning is the act of rescinding or otherwise acting as if an IC occurrence never happened. Note that this is explicitly different from roleplayers who promise a plot and do not follow through; that’s “reneging” but it isn’t retconning. Retconning specifically deals with occurrences that already happened in-game.

\nThe problem with retconning: even a small, interpersonal thing between two characters can have consequences beyond those two characters. Changing or going back on this plot may make later occurrences disordered or even completely nonsensical. This is a huge detriment to a Persistent World — hence why we do not allow retconning at all. What happens in character has already happened and should stay that way for the sake of everyone’s sanity in organizing timelines and keeping track of character histories.

\nIn some instances, the administrators may reserve the right to retcon a plot that severely violates the game’s universe. For example, in The Age of Hyboria, if two characters are explicitly discussing and using Space Rockets… that’s probably something the administration is going to want changed or even deleted.

\n**RP Guidelines**

\nWhile most of this guide lists things as explictly against our rules, the concepts listed below are generally not against our rules. However, they may become so at any given time if a roleplayer insists on repeatedly forcing any of these behaviors. These behaviors are hallmarks of newbies and Trolls.

\n**1. Twinking**

\nTwinking conflicts with our defined setting and is a gross violation of believability. Twinky is generally used to describe characters that act nonsensically from an In Character perspective. Secondly, twinky players tend to become upset when their IC actions have unintended consequences.

\nIn good circumstances, all of the “wrong” examples could be acceptable roleplay scenarios. That is, when they are plotted out beforehand with the roleplayers involved. Plotting beforehand not only avoids plot holes, it helps prevent dissatisfaction and drama. The key difference between twinking and plotting: twinking is unplanned.

\nPlotting needn’t be intense and detailed: something simple as, “I’m going to have my character attack a stranger — I’d like for him to be severely beaten and left for dead somewhere. Someone else will rescue him.” This alleviates other players’ anxieties about the character’s player potentially wanting their character to walk away without a scratch, and gives some (believable, realistic!) direction to the plot.

\nExcessive stretching of believability and realism is another form of twinking. This includes extreme luck, incredibly rare skills or items, etc. Some things are just not plausible for certain settings, even though they are fine in real life.

\n**2. Cheesing**

\nCheesing frequently occurs when a roleplayer is unhappy with a scenario’s outcome. Cheesing attempts to alter the situation to their favor, but does not cross over into the realm of true bad roleplay. As with twinking, there’s nothing wrong with “cheesed” scenarios, provided they are plotted or discussed first.

\nFights are a common place for cheesing. It helps to avoid cheesing in fight roleplay by plotting winners. Figure out who is going to win and who is going to lose, and make sure everyone is happy with that outcome! It can also occur in non-combat situations, too, as with the second example.

\nWhile minor instances of cheesy behavior aren’t against our rules, repeated cheesing is generally an easy way to lose your roleplay partners and gain a bad reputation within a campaign.

\n**3. Munchkin**

\nA munchkin plays what is intended to be a non-competitive game … in an aggressively competitive manner … no matter how deleterious their actions are to role-playing, the storyline, fairness, logic, or the other players’ fun. These bad roleplayers create characters in an open-ended, non-combat game with intent to “win” or completely dominate.

\nUsually, this behavior is encountered with players solely interested in roleplay fights. Fighters and warriors have their place, certainly. Just remember when creating this character make sure you give it depth beyond their fighting abilities. Give it a personality and make sure the character interacts with others in ways that do not involve combat.

\nThe characters created by munchkins almost always dance on the line of bad roleplay and sometimes cross into godmodding, but a careful munchkin can create a realistically weakened character and still play the campaign in an aggressively competitive manner.

\n**Addendum**

\nAfter you get past this point — it’s fairly nitpicky. Especially if you’re a beginner to roleplay, you will probably make some of these mistakes. As long as you learn from your mistakes, though, you’ll be fine!

\n**1. The Drop and Swap**

\nThis bad roleplayer picks up characters like it’s going out of style. Only, they drop them shortly thereafter. Roleplay requires active participants — and if you’re switching characters every third week, you’re not establishing yourself or your characters. You may have future trouble finding roleplay partners, if you gain a reputation for Drop and Swap.

\n**2. The Selfie**

\nThis player may employ slightly cheesy behaviors to twist plots to their own desires. Remember, roleplay is a collaborative effort — you need to take and give! An especially heinous OOC variety of this player attempts to make the roleplay cater to them — in entirety. They may request rules changes, alterations to the game’s basis, etc. The key difference between The OOC Selfie and a “good” player? The good player suggests, the OOC Selfie makes brusque requests or even
\ndemands.

\n**3. Love at First Sight**

\nThis bad roleplayer wants romance and relationships, and they want it now. There’s nothing wrong with plotting things out beforehand (it’s suggested). However, character relationships are best decided by characters themselves.

The following are rules to keep in mind while you are RPing at The Hub. These rules were agreed upon in order to help many narratives fit together as seamlessly as possible. Therefore, violating these rules can be not only detrimental to the story line, but community as well.\n\nConsistent and repeated failure to follow the rules listed here will result in two warnings. After 2 warnings, a 2 day temporary ban will be enforced on RP channels for the player. If the player continues to stray from the guidelines after the temp ban, the player will be removed from The Hub.\n\nClick each link below for complete details on each rule.\n\n\n 1. Follow The Narrative\n<a href=\"https://fallouthub.obsidianportal.com/wikis/rp-basics\">2. Keep In Character Separate from Out of Character</a>\n<a href=\"https://fallouthub.obsidianportal.com/wikis/rp-advanced\">3. No Metagaming of any kind\n4. No Godmodding of any kind\n5. No Retconning\n6. No Selfies, Twinking, Cheesing, or Munchkins</a>

The following are rules to keep in mind while you are RPing at The Hub. These rules were agreed upon in order to help many narratives fit together as seamlessly as possible. Therefore, violating these rules can be not only detrimental to the story line, but community as well.

\nConsistent and repeated failure to follow the rules listed here will result in two warnings. After 2 warnings, a 2 day temporary ban will be enforced on RP channels for the player. If the player continues to stray from the guidelines after the temp ban, the player will be removed from The Hub.

\nClick each link below for complete details on each rule.

\n<a href=\"/wikis/the-narrative\" class=\"wiki-page-link\"> 1. Follow The Narrative</a>
\n<a href=\"https://fallouthub.obsidianportal.com/wikis/rp-basics\">2. Keep In Character Separate from Out of Character</a>
\n<a href=\"https://fallouthub.obsidianportal.com/wikis/rp-advanced\">3. No Metagaming of any kind
\n4. No Godmodding of any kind
\n5. No Retconning
\n6. No Selfies, Twinking, Cheesing, or Munchkins</a>