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, welcome to Beginners

12:34, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

New to rp.

Posted by Dusty74
Dusty74
member, 1 post
Mon 12 Nov 2018
at 08:22
  • msg #1

New to rp

I'm new to rpol and have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing, not even sure how to join a game. I'm genuinely interested in participating but need a push in the right direction. Can someone help?
horus
member, 599 posts
Wayfarer of the
Western Wastes
Mon 12 Nov 2018
at 17:08
  • msg #2

New to rp

In reply to Dusty74 (msg # 1):

Sure.  But first:  Welcome to RPoL!

There's a lot to the place, and I can see where someone just starting out could get a bit confused.

Start by getting to know the place:  the usual things one does on a new forum venue.  Check out the upper right of any RPoL screen and you will see four links:  rPoll, Jump, rMail, and Help.  The two you want to look at right now are FAQs and Help.


FAQs are frequently asked questions maintained by the Moderators.  These contain useful information about how things go around here - what's permitted and what's not permitted, and questions about RPoL that have come up in the past, that sort of thing.  A useful pop-up.

Help covers the nuts-n-bolts of RPoL from the standpoint of a player and that of a GM.  It also has the official guide to site policies and procedures.  Another useful popup.

The popup windows can be maximized or resized for better viewing, or closed easily by links located upper right or by simply closing their window from your X button.

To get to know the place a bit better, hang out in Community Chat.  This is a place for general chit-chat, discussion, and what-not.

If you're in a hurry to game, check out Wanted - Players and Wanted - GMs.  These are advertising boards where GMs advertise for players for their existing games, and where players advertise for GMs to run a game they want to play.

Another great way to find a game just starting up is to read Game Proposals, Input, and Advice.  This is where, among other things, GMs who are intending to put together new games come to discuss the concept and gauge interest before working the actual game up.

If you want to know what's going on in a forum, once you get there open the Notices that are stickied to the top of the topic list.  One of these at or close to the top will generally be important stuff about what goes on in that forum, what's not allowed there, etc.

Yeah, there's a lot to RPoL, but there kinda has to be.  One of the best GM toolkits anywhere for developing, running, and maintaining Play-By-Post games anywhere can be found here, so if your interests run to being a GM, there's a bit of a learning curve, but it's worth it.

If you just wanna play, dig in!  There's plenty here, in all genres, and all styles. Get you some!
This message was last edited by the user at 23:08, Mon 12 Nov 2018.
bonni56
member, 26 posts
Mon 12 Nov 2018
at 17:59
  • msg #3

Re: New to rp

Dusty74:
I'm new to rpol and have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing, not even sure how to join a game. I'm genuinely interested in participating but need a push in the right direction. Can someone help?



Welcome to RPoL.

There isn't much else to say since Horus covered it so excellently.  If you have questions just speak up.  Everybody has a learning curve, especially with RPoL and the only way we know if you need help is if you speak up.  There's a great bunch of people here who are very knowledgeable about it and willing share their information.
icosahedron152
member, 922 posts
Tue 13 Nov 2018
at 06:38
  • msg #4

Re: New to rp

Rpol acts a bit like a gaming convention, with many different games running simultaneously. GMs will set up games, and you can check out what games are available in Players Wanted, or by doing a search using the facility at the bottom of the Home Page (aka Main Menu). You may need to scroll down to find it.

Once you've 'wandered the tables' and found a game that interests you, send the GM a Request To Join (RTJ). Each GM is lord and master of his own game (subject to Rpol's T&C), so he'll tell you what sort of RTJ he's looking for. If you want to join his game, follow his rules. If you don't like his rules, or he rejects/ignores you, there are plenty more games.

Some 'games' are actually private discussion forums, but they all work the same way.

There are different types of games - 'crunchy' types where the game follows strict rules and dice rolls, like a board game; 'freeform' types which are collaborative storytelling with no written rules, like playing cops & robbers as a kid; and anything in between. There is also a wide selection of genres: fantasy, scifi, historical, contemporary, mystery... Anything you can find in a book or on TV, you can find in a game.

Have fun. :)
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