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Welcome to Help!

Help on Help!

+ RolePlay onLine

+ The Main Menu

+ Games

+ Forums

+ Site Policies
The RPoL Terms of Use
RPoL's Public Forum Rules
RPoL's Adult Games Policy
RPoL's Mature Games Policy
Multiple Account Policy


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Glossary of RPoL Terms

View RPoL's FAQs



Contact the Admin


Running a Game

Any RPoL user can create a game to GM (hopefully once they've planned out everything and have a decent plot), and from there start signing up players, but GMing a game is a fine art.

Once you create a game you can enter the GM Menu for the game, and from there create and rule your make-believe, virtual world.

On RPoL we consider the GM(s), and especially the Game Owner to be the sole arbiters of what happens in their games.  This means the GM decides who gets to play and how play takes place.  This also means that the GM is responsible for making sure their game is within the RPoL Terms of Use and our content policies (consisting of the Adult Games Policy and the Mature Games Policy).

+ Character Details

The Character Details link will lead a GM to the Character Details for their primary character.  There, they'll see a box of Character Information at the top, and below that their Character Sheet, if any is assigned (otherwise there will be a "Create Character Sheet link" provided).

To the right of this area is a drop-down list with the names of all characters in the game available.  Simply select one and click the "View" button to see the details for any character in the game.

The information displayed will consist of the Character Name, the character's Game Access, the number of Posts the character has in the game, and the Character's Biography.  As with the GM's character, a Character Sheet will be displayed, if there is one, otherwise a link to create a character sheet will be provided.  If the character has a portrait, this will be displayed to the right of the Character Information.

Using the Character Details display, the GM can change a character's Profile (their Biography lines), their Description, and their Portrait.  Their Character Sheet may also be edited from this view.

+ ScratchPad

Each player and GM in a game will have a ScratchPad available to them (this is per RPoL Account, not per character in the game).  This ScratchPad is a note area (limited to 10240 characters in length), where users can keep track of important reminders and details.  This area is private, and cannot be read by other GMs or by any player.

+ Dice Roller

The Dice Roller is available to all members of a game (but not to visitors).  Using it, numbers can be generated randomly, which usually relate to a character's statistics or chances of accomplishing some task in the game.  Briefly:

As a GM, it's also possible to configure the Dice Roller to have some settings pre-selected when a player goes to roll their dice.  Use the "Configure the roller" link at the bottom right of the Die Roller, then set the desired options (note: only player options will be available), and click "Set as Default".  The RPoL default is a roll of 1d20.

More information on the Dice Roller may be found in its own Help file.

+ Game Info

The Game Info link takes the GM to the Game Information area.  Here, any Game Introduction written by the Game Owner is visible.  If the GM is also the Game Owner there will be an "Edit the game introduction" link at the bottom of this area to allow for changes.  The Game Information area shows other links as well: Game Web Site (if one has been assigned), File Links (if any have been made, and The Cast.

The GM can set the Game Web Site and File Links in the GM Menu area.

The Cast area provides a list of all the characters currently in the game.  Information about each includes their Character Name, their assigned Group(s), their assigned Access to the game, the date and time of their Last Logon and their Last Post, the number of posts they have in the game, and a link to rMail them.

Note that the time specified for the Last Logon is the last time that character's player visited the game (not the last time they logged on to RPoL).  Players do not see exact times as the GM does, but rather see only the day of the Last Logons and Last Posts.  If the GM has characters with "player" access to the game, RPoL will automatically obscure the GM's use of this character in the list for players, so that Last Logon does not always match up to the GM's own Last Logon.

+ GM Menu

The GM menu is where the GM can set their game's details, edit its players and characters, and set flags on their game.  In brief, the links here are:


More detail on these functions can be found in the Help file on the GM Menu.


+ Private Messages

Inside games, GMS can send Private Messages to all other members, and all members may send Private Messages to the GM, and to other characters who are in the same Group(s) as their character.

To send a Private Message, click the link for "Private Messages", then click "Post a Private Message".  On the next screen, type a subject and the message, then choose (at the bottom) who the message will be sent to, using the check boxes by the Character names there.

When new Private Messages are waiting for you, this link will appear red on the Game Menu, and on the Main Menu the link to the game will appear blue (if only Private Messages are waiting) or purple (if both game messages and Private Messages are waiting).

GMs can see all Private Messages in their games, and are responsible for ensuring the content of PMs does not violate our site rules.  While the Game Owner will see the New Message indicator every time a Private Message is sent in their game, co-GMs will only see it when a new Private Message thread is started in the game, or when a reply is directed to their own characters.

+ Reading Messages

When a GM clicks on a thread subject at a game's Game Menu, that thread will open for them to read it.  Opening a thread will mark it as having been "read".  Inside the thread, each message will show who posted it (with their Character Name linked to their Character Description there), and when they posted the message.  Below this information are links which are shortcuts to Private Messaging the character (PM), rMailing the character, or the Character Information for that character (info).

GMs have the ability to edit and delete every message in the game (except those of the Game Owner and their co-GMs if they are not the Game Owner), and so will see "edit" and "delete" links at the top right of each message.
Each message written by the player will have two links at its upper right: "edit" and "delete".

GMs will also see posts which have been deleted by players (as they can delete their own posts), and can use the "undelete" link to revive the post if they wish.

+ Posting New Messages

Inside a game thread, each message written by someone besides the GM will have a "quote" link at its upper right which may be used to quote the message in a reply.  At the bottom right corner of the screen for most threads will be a link for "Post a Reply", which will allow the GM to reply to the thread.

Threads which are closed are not be eligible for reply (they must first be opened).

GMs may also start new threads in the game, using the "Post a new Topic" link from the Game Menu (right side, top and bottom).

For help on formatting messages, see the FAQ file, RuBB Code Tips & Tricks.


Last updated: 05:43, Thu 12 Jan 2023.
Direct link: http://rpol.net/help/?t=help&page=gmingagame