in-sufficientdata (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
in_sufficientdata) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
rp_help2025-04-03 07:28 am
in_sufficientdata) wrote in rp_help2025-04-03 07:28 am
Entry tags:
Applying For And Playing In DWRP Games
In a game, characters interact with one another directly in a shared setting. Each time you want to create a new story element or a new situation for characters to interact in, you start a new post (called a log or a network post, terms which are explained below). Games are usually held in comms.
To find games you might like to play in, you can check out the monthlyenablemeplz post, or the list at dwrpmasterlist.
Each game has its own standards in what it looks for in an application. Usually, the meat of the app is in the personality and backstory sections. But some apps contain an in-character interview, a bullet-pointed list of characteristics, or other differences from these. It's a good idea to look over previous apps to see what kind of detail is expected in that particular game.
One of the most important sections of your app is the writing sample. From it the mods gain insight into your grip on character voice and your competence as a writer. But typically you don't have to write something from scratch. Most games include the opportunity to post your character to a test drive meme (TDM) to practice playing and interact with other players. The best advice, if you intend to use a TDM thread for your sample, is to make sure to include a little introspection and character gestures in the telling of events. Otherwise, you're usually also allowed to just write something up.
Beyond gaining you entrance to the game, the application is also meant to be available to other players who might want to get a little bit of insight into your character. This is why you'll usually see people post the application to their character journal and then linking it from the app page. Some games require you to post the entire application in the comments themselves, but even then you will typically see people posting the app on the journal.
As stated in the Dreamwidth tutorial, HTML is commonly used in posting links in Dreamwidth comments. This is the code for making a link:
<a href=http://rp-help.dreamwidth.org>This is a link to this blog.</a>
Write your character's name in the subject line of a new comment on the app page before posting the link in the body of the comment text box.
A log is a post where characters are interacting with each other face-to-face. Entries are commonly written in simple prose, just like you'd read in a book. Most people write entries in third-person present tense.
A network post is one where characters are communicating over an open broadcasting network, or via a one-on-one communication on the network. One character will make a post, and other characters can respond via text, voice, or video. This is where you'll usually see the bracket style listed on the site tutorial page. But note that some seasoned DW RPers prefer the network style of posting even for logs. It's usually customary to continue a thread in whatever style it was started in.
Subject lines are versatile and are used in a myriad of ways.
The way subject lines are used the most often are in responding to network posts. Characters respond via either text, voice, or video, and the method chosen is put in the subject line of the response.
Another example where use of subject lines is helpful is when multiple options are given for a log. For example, a character may post that they can be found in 2 or 3 separate places in the course of a day. The responder would place where they found the first character in the subject line.
The game format includes posting a new post for every event you want to play out. For example, one person may make a new post to introduce the fact that their character has arrived in game. Multiple people can then comment on that post. Then, someone else may want to make a post about their character wandering in the shopping district. They would also start a new post and other people can comment on that post.
The timeline is pretty much based on when you start a thread, though sometimes people will backdate something to fill in gaps in the timeline.
The main time you have to fudge timelines is when you have open network posts. In that case, there's a kind of conceit that all of these conversations were taking place concurrently. It's kind of a suspension of disbelief that your character could be holding several conversations at once.
As mentioned before, it's customary to put your application on your character journal so that other players can view it if they wish. There are a few other posts that may be placed on the character journal, as well, as listed on the Terminology post: the HMD, opt-out, and permissions posts.
This is a situation where a player has their character notice your character is on the network on an open post, or doing something in an open log, and interrupts by responding to the tag even though they weren't originally involved. It's customary to check the journal for a permissions post for that game to make sure the player is okay with threadjacking before engaging.
This is when a character in game notices the other character is someone from a fictional canon in their universe. For example, if someone were playing Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory, he would know Star Trek as a canon and would recognize Jim Kirk as the captain of the Enterprise. Make sure to check the character's permissions post to make sure the player wants to allow fourthwalling before engaging.
This happens when two characters in two different canons happen to be played by the same actor or the actor is being used as a PB for that character. A character would recognize them as someone else. Again, it's important to check for an entry in that character's permissions before engaging.
These are characters that were apped in with memories from previous games. Not all games allow CRAUs. Information about this will be in that game's FAQ.
This is another situation where a character might be recognized as someone known to your character. This will only come up if you're playing a CRAU. Do check the permissions post to know whether to engage.
Do make sure to have a permissions page listing all of the above as no-nos if you'd prefer no one engages in that type of play with your character.
To find games you might like to play in, you can check out the monthly
enablemeplz post, or the list at dwrpmasterlist.Writing the app
Each game has its own standards in what it looks for in an application. Usually, the meat of the app is in the personality and backstory sections. But some apps contain an in-character interview, a bullet-pointed list of characteristics, or other differences from these. It's a good idea to look over previous apps to see what kind of detail is expected in that particular game.
Samples
One of the most important sections of your app is the writing sample. From it the mods gain insight into your grip on character voice and your competence as a writer. But typically you don't have to write something from scratch. Most games include the opportunity to post your character to a test drive meme (TDM) to practice playing and interact with other players. The best advice, if you intend to use a TDM thread for your sample, is to make sure to include a little introspection and character gestures in the telling of events. Otherwise, you're usually also allowed to just write something up.
Posting the app
Beyond gaining you entrance to the game, the application is also meant to be available to other players who might want to get a little bit of insight into your character. This is why you'll usually see people post the application to their character journal and then linking it from the app page. Some games require you to post the entire application in the comments themselves, but even then you will typically see people posting the app on the journal.
As stated in the Dreamwidth tutorial, HTML is commonly used in posting links in Dreamwidth comments. This is the code for making a link:
Write your character's name in the subject line of a new comment on the app page before posting the link in the body of the comment text box.
Logs
A log is a post where characters are interacting with each other face-to-face. Entries are commonly written in simple prose, just like you'd read in a book. Most people write entries in third-person present tense.
Networks
A network post is one where characters are communicating over an open broadcasting network, or via a one-on-one communication on the network. One character will make a post, and other characters can respond via text, voice, or video. This is where you'll usually see the bracket style listed on the site tutorial page. But note that some seasoned DW RPers prefer the network style of posting even for logs. It's usually customary to continue a thread in whatever style it was started in.
Use of subject lines in games
Subject lines are versatile and are used in a myriad of ways.
The way subject lines are used the most often are in responding to network posts. Characters respond via either text, voice, or video, and the method chosen is put in the subject line of the response.
Another example where use of subject lines is helpful is when multiple options are given for a log. For example, a character may post that they can be found in 2 or 3 separate places in the course of a day. The responder would place where they found the first character in the subject line.
Game timelines
The game format includes posting a new post for every event you want to play out. For example, one person may make a new post to introduce the fact that their character has arrived in game. Multiple people can then comment on that post. Then, someone else may want to make a post about their character wandering in the shopping district. They would also start a new post and other people can comment on that post.
The timeline is pretty much based on when you start a thread, though sometimes people will backdate something to fill in gaps in the timeline.
The main time you have to fudge timelines is when you have open network posts. In that case, there's a kind of conceit that all of these conversations were taking place concurrently. It's kind of a suspension of disbelief that your character could be holding several conversations at once.
Character Journal Posts
As mentioned before, it's customary to put your application on your character journal so that other players can view it if they wish. There are a few other posts that may be placed on the character journal, as well, as listed on the Terminology post: the HMD, opt-out, and permissions posts.
Other terminology used in games:
Threadjacking/threadhopping
This is a situation where a player has their character notice your character is on the network on an open post, or doing something in an open log, and interrupts by responding to the tag even though they weren't originally involved. It's customary to check the journal for a permissions post for that game to make sure the player is okay with threadjacking before engaging.
Fourthwalling
This is when a character in game notices the other character is someone from a fictional canon in their universe. For example, if someone were playing Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory, he would know Star Trek as a canon and would recognize Jim Kirk as the captain of the Enterprise. Make sure to check the character's permissions post to make sure the player wants to allow fourthwalling before engaging.
Facetwins
This happens when two characters in two different canons happen to be played by the same actor or the actor is being used as a PB for that character. A character would recognize them as someone else. Again, it's important to check for an entry in that character's permissions before engaging.
CRAUs
These are characters that were apped in with memories from previous games. Not all games allow CRAUs. Information about this will be in that game's FAQ.
CRAU recognition
This is another situation where a character might be recognized as someone known to your character. This will only come up if you're playing a CRAU. Do check the permissions post to know whether to engage.
Do make sure to have a permissions page listing all of the above as no-nos if you'd prefer no one engages in that type of play with your character.