Navigating the RP Twitterverse

NEW!!

Twe-Guide to TBRP

Getting Started with True Blood Role-Play on Twitter

The purpose of this is to give some basic orientation to the unique way things happen around here & some guidelines for RP (Role Play) on Twitter. If you are new to role play, new to Twitter or a fan seeking to interact with role players (RPers) this is the place to start figuring out what’s what.

In general, although there is communication between RPers from different families, the storylines (SLs) of the groups do not overlap. This means, the occasional conversation, and even tweetdropping, is fine, but intruding into a someone else’s storyline uninvited isn’t. Also most groups frown on it.

Not all characters are created equal. When you are out socializing, please keep in mind that there are many doppelgängers and you need to tread carefully when interacting with them. A doppelgänger is somebody who looks like someone but isn’t that person. @ENorthmanTB is not @EricNorthmanA5 is not @SheriffNorthman is not @Eric_NorthmanTB is not @ErichtheSheriff is not @EricNorthman_ is not @LeifNorthman is not…well, you get it. They look similar, but they are not the same person. They don’t act the same way, know the same people or do the same things.

Since there are so many look-alikes around, stock characters are often compared to each other. This isn’t fair, since they are all very different people even if we do share some personality traits. If you don’t like how a particular character is portrayed, PLEASE DO NOT HARASS THEM. Simply unfollow them. If they harass you…that’s what the BLOCK button is for.  No one is making you watch or interact with someone  whose company you don’t enjoy, but please, keep in mind that there ARE people who do enjoy it so don’t ruin their fun.

There are many types of RP families and characters. Some are Canon and many are not-quite-canon, while some are original and others don’t even play in the same universe. Canon means a group or character is sticking strictly to character/storylines from a book or TV series/film. Non-canon means the characters and storylines go outside those parameters.

Canon groups have stricter rules, so before interacting check a person’s bio and group to determine how they are RPing. The non-canon groups have more flexible rules, but again, intruding uninvited beyond occasional conversation is generally frowned on.

Most groups have storylines, some of them quite complex, and stumbling through them, causing upheaval, is rude. That’s true whether it is your family or not. Complex SLs involving multiple members of a family or more than 2-3 people should always be run by group admins and as many of the people involved BEFORE they begin.  Please, give people time to review your proposed SL and respond, don’t just say this is  what we’re doing starting now.

If you want to do something that impacts a storyline, scripted or not, please, ask the people involved before you do it! And be patient. Some storylines take a long time to develop. and not everyone likes to be rushed into things. Please respect that. This is especially true of intimate encounters & godmodding. DO NOT try to force another character to do something just because you want to. That includes communicating with you in the stream or in DMs. Many people do not respond when they are active in a storyline and sometimes getting to DMs is impossible for technical or because they are just busy.

The members of most RP families as well as independent players are all adults. Let’s act like it. Give each other the respect and support you would like to receive. All the members of a family are expected to follow all the other members even if they do not interact with them. As far as other RPers and fans, that is up to you.

If you have a storyline or out of family character you would like to involve, PLEASE contact the Admins for your family first. They keep secrets very well so if you want to surprise someone, the surprise won’t be ruined *smile*

Also, don’t assume that anyone other than the family Admins know everything that’s going on. It may or may not be true.

Finally, try not to exaggerate other people’s storylines, stir up conflict or do the impossible. Stick to the character you’ve created and the limits of their species, age, abilities and back story.

Ok, that’s it. Comments? Questions? Rotten tomatoes?

Copyright © Jay Hammond and The Preternatural Post, 2010 – 2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the bylined author and The Preternatural post with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Contact PreternaturalPost (at) Gmail(dot)com for information regarding reprints, licensing and permissions.