Play nice, play dirty – but make sure you play. When you commit to a collaborative game, you’ve made an unspoken promise to other players and Storytellers about your participation.

Storytellers are here to guide and interact. They are not here to tell you what to do, solve your character’s problems, lead your characters, or hand out all sorts of information in game. That said, pay attention to subtle clues, hooks, hints and tip-offs you might receive in game.

Characters who wait on Storytellers to hand them answers so they won’t have to solve the problem are going to wait a very long time. A very long time indeed.

It is your job as a player to PLAY. Be active, proactive and reactive – DO something. Explore settings. Ask questions and seek out answers. Think outside the box, even if the ideas seem not-entirely logical. Even misguided creativity is rewarding.

Be prepared for red herrings, straw men, obstacles, roadblocks, distractions, and dead ends.

Don’t be afraid of challenging Storytellers. Surprise us. We’re glad to see our nefarious schemes spoiled and players giving back the same level of challenge that we dish up.

If you find yourself feeling bored and uninvolved, don’t wait for others to initiate action. Be proactive about initiating situations and scenes.

Likewise, if you find yourself becoming bored with a scene and it begins to drag, wrap it and move on to initiate a new scene.

Don’t be afraid to let your character get hurt, and don’t let your fears get in the way of the story.

Be realistic. The game takes place in an imaginary world with imaginary people, but it still has to make sense.

Use speech, action and thoughts in good measure. They are highly important to character insight and give other players material to respond to.

Place your character in locations that makes him or her readily available for interaction.

Form bonds and relationships with other characters, but be realistic. No one falls in love at first sight or propose after two days.

Pay Attention to Clues

That off-hand remark by a random person on the street, a recurring nightmare, that random object you happened to stray upon… Very few things in an RPG are meaningless.

Storytellers give you hooks designed to lead you to something important that helps in figuring out the obstacle at hand. Don’t make the mistake of thinking we won’t hand out red herrings or dead ends because we respect your intelligence (we’re here to have fun, too), but do pay attention, keep thinking, and be observant.

Follow the Clues

There’s nothing more frustrating to a ST than to lay out a trail of clues and have no characters with the intelligence and courage to follow it.

Don’t avoid following clues just because they lead to a “scary place.” Role-playing your character’s disinterest in following the clues is one thing, but don’t let your personal fears of getting your character stuck in a sticky situation get in the way of the story.

Do SOMETHING

If you find yourself bored and uninvolved in the story, it’s probably time for you to suck up your insecurities and make a move (or leave the game). You are responsible for your involvement on the site; if you want to be doing something, don’t wait for an ST to initiate.

Think Outside the Box

Don’t be afraid to try new and not-entirely logical things. Even misguided creativity is rewarding. Here are some basic problem-solving ideas:

• Talk to Non-player Characters (NPCs). There’s a lot of information out there that players discover by simply asking – if you can find the right people and ask the right questions.
• Check out the background. Talk to people who knew the victim or the big baddie, like family or teachers or allies. Pull out all the records you can get. Basically, do your research. Forewarned is forearmed.
• Check out the Setting. STs may not be specific about the setting of a scene, but the information is there for the asking. Don’t be afraid to contact an ST to ask questions, even if the information seems silly or irrelevant.
• Work as a Team. Two heads are better than one, right? Be smart about partnering up. Other players can be just as good a resource as anything the STs provide.

There is nothing the STs like more than to have their nefarious schemes spoiled. We’re glad to see characters figuring things out and giving back the same level of challenge that we dish up.

Why not try to beat us at our own game? We just might reward you for it. Maybe.

All players are welcome to join any scene already in play. There is no such thing as ‘closed’ or private scenes, and interaction is the name of the game. To get involved, simply have your character enter the scene – and we recommend the worst possible moment to do so!

If you’d rather open a new scene (or thread), start off with what your character is doing and thinking. There’s a good chance another player will soon join you. The scene takes off from there.

Always try to provide an opening for other players to join in some way. Give clues they can pick up on, behaviours to notice, and dialogue or setting details they can respond to.

When interacting, keep in mind that speech and thoughts are highly important. Characters that do nothing but walk around and smile or sit and listen are boring and soon find themselves abandoned and alone.

A character’s thoughts, speech and actions provide insight and give other players material to respond to.

Remember that you cannot control how other characters react to yours. You have no right to complain about other characters’ reactions. Write your character’s actions, feelings, thoughts and speech and allow other players to do the same for their own.

Other characters’ reactions are not always what you might expect or have wanted. Learn to deal with it and roll with the punches.

Stand Out by Stepping Out

Do place your character in locations that makes him or her readily available for interaction. If you post your character sitting alone in an empty, isolated area, he or she will stay that way until you move the character to a place where others are more likely to be.

Don’t be afraid to initiate situations and scenes. Feel free to start your own threads and situations, using the history and scenes that are already present. If you are observant and active, the opportunity for interaction increases for both your character and the story.

Give other characters something to work with and do your part to keep the story moving. Seek things out and talk to others.

There is no set path to follow as far as game play is concerned. Players should feel free (and encouraged!) to expand their horizons. Expect the unexpected, and if you’re up to the challenge, provide it for others as well. We’ll push your character’s limits, and we expect players to push our limits back.

Be forewarned that the results of unexpected actions are not always what you or your character foresees. If you find it difficult to meet with resistance, conflict, or disappointment, then the unexpected action may not for you. Not everything will succeed, not every situation will be pleasant.

Size Does Matter

There is no right or wrong length of post. Different people write with different styles – some write long posts, some write short ones. Both are fine, as long as players communicate well and feel good about their writing.

However.

Short posts often don’t give other players enough material to work with and may also make the other player work harder than he or she should have to. Interaction should involve near-equal effort on the parts of all involved in the scene.

Short posts can also be misinterpreted as a lack of interest. They imply a silent message of boredom – whether intended or not.

Long posts, on the other hand, may move the scene along too quickly, cutting off other players from their opportunity to respond or react. It’s important to give everyone in a scene a chance to have their ‘air time’, so gauge the length of your post with common sense. Pass turn to players without hogging the scene.

Long posts can also be time-consuming to read. A writer that goes on and on often ends up having his or her post skimmed over instead of read with enjoyment.

Keep in mind that ER is a collaborative effort and should be a rich and creative experience that rewards you personally while also rewarding others and encouraging them to post with you. It’s good to have fun. Allow others to have fun as well.

Read Other Players’ Posts Carefully

A large part of role-playing is providing other players with clues and hints to work with. Take advantage of what you’re given. Read descriptions carefully, pay attention to what’s said (and not said) in dialogue, and watch for characters behaving oddly.
Also, Storytellers often drop hints or clues necessary to resolve mysteries or overcome obstacles. If you missed that the gold coin is the key to the puzzle and chose the silver one instead … well. Good luck

Moving Others . . . Literally

You may never assume another character’s actions, reactions, thoughts or movements. Ever.

For example, if your character throws a ball at another, you cannot write that the character catches it. The player might respond that his character let the ball hit his chest, ignored it and walked off, or even ran away screaming.

Action, Reaction

Even if your character attempts an action that doesn’t involve another character, you can only post what your character does – not what happens as a result of that action. You must wait for another player or Storyteller to respond.

If your character attempts to interact with a variable in the environment (for example, trying to pick a lock), the outcome (whether the door opens or remains locked) must be determined by a Storyteller.

You can only try. A Storyteller decides if your character succeeds.

IC isn’t OOC

Always keep your character’s personality separate from your own. While you may have certain thoughts or opinions about other players, never vent them through in-character actions.

Likewise, never assume that in-character actions mean another player doesn’t like you. No conflict in game should be taken personally. If there is an in-game fistfight or insult-tossing match, this does not mean two real-life people hate each other.

Don’t confuse IC and OOC. And even if you do have a problem with another player, don’t take it out on their character.

While we want ER to be fun for everyone, we realize that players can and do disagree. If you have an issue with another player that you cannot solve in a mature and diplomatic fashion, please contact an ST.

Be Somewhat Realistic

Role-playing takes place in an imaginary world with imaginary people, but it still has to make sense.

If there’s no possible way your character would know certain information, then you can’t use it. Likewise, you can’t suddenly decide to give a skill for your character that he or she lacked previously.

Escaping Reality is set in a world much like our own, so be sure to keep in mind the similarities while you play.

Don’t Flit About or Drag It Out

When interacting with others, try to settle into the scene and give it a chance to unfold. Players who flit about, leaving scenes after just a post or two and entering others only to jump out again, are quickly going to find that no one wants to play with them. Be patient. There no such thing as a scene with no potential.

Likewise, when a scene becomes boring, mundane, and characters are just going through the motions, it’s time to wrap the scene and move on to fresh ones.

Play Nice, Play Dirty – Just Make Sure You Play

When you commit to a collaborative game like ER, you’re making an unspoken promise to other players and Storytellers about your participation. That means you should be present and active at the site.

Typical participation is at least one post within 24 hours of it being your turn in the scene. If you cannot post within that time, it’s just good manners to leave a note on the Notifications of Absences thread or to contact a Storyteller.

If you’ve been absent for more than three days, you will receive a notification from a Storyteller as a friendly nudge that it’s time to participate. Other players are waiting for you.

It’s worth noting that if you repeatedly absent the boards, your account will be suspended. We have a three-strikes-you’re-out rule for inconsistent players.

If you have not been active on the site for 30 days, your account will be removed.

Creating Stuff Out of Thin Air

Your character arrives with the possessions you listed in your character concept. You cannot dream up the items you need as they come to mind. This includes transportation, lodgings, friends, funds, etc.

If you don’t have it, find it or buy it.

Out-Think the STs

One of the things that STs learn early is flexibility. We’re here to throw loops and obstacles, but we can only predict players’ actions and reactions. Sometimes players take us by surprise and end up being delightfully clever.

Sometimes, however, we find ourselves baffled when players fail to solve problems and obstacles thrown their way.

Even worse is when players assume that they’ll be given the answer to the obstacle or problem without doing anything to figure it out themselves.

Characters who wait on STs to hand them the answer or to speed up the plot so that they won’t have to figure out a way to solve the problem on their own are going to wait a very long time. A very long time indeed.

Create Relationships

Part of your job as a player is to find ways to have your character form relationships with others. Don’t isolate your character; don’t be shy or shuffle your feet . Get your character out there and meeting others.

If you find that characters aren’t coming to you, chase after them. Don’t be afraid of being bold when it comes to finding playmates.

Instant bonds aren’t realistic. Characters should be feeling each other out and getting to know each other more – not falling in love at first sight and proposing after two days.

Provide Quality Post for Others

Preference for whom we post typically develops based on the quality of material returned to us. Players that write rich posts and receive short, bland replies in return are discouraged from further interaction.

You get what you give. Don’t spend hours on a single post, but do try to make your replies worth everyone’s while.

Cliques, Favorites, and Preferences

Cliques happen and are difficult to avoid. Do make sure that you take advantage of the whole player population, not just a select few. Players should attempt to interact with everyone regardless of preference.

Don’t Touch Other Characters

Players are not allowed to write the actions of another player’s character without consent. This includes assuming reactions or outcomes and controlling or ‘moving’ another player’s character is commonly referred to as “power-playing,” “bunnying,” or “God-modding,” and it’s not polite or tolerated here.

The Passing of Time

Our game operates on a fixed-time system. Characters proceed together in the stoary along the same relative timeline in a day-by-day fashion, and Storytellers do their best to keep all scenes within six hours of one another.

Posting Frequency

You should expect to be required to post at least once a day – if not more. If you have a full-time job and a chaotic home life, study hard at university or frequently spend several days away from the computer, this game may not be the best for you.

Player Etiquette

We’re here to have fun, but we still have expectations for behaviour.

We ask that you grant the same level of civility and respect to players as you would anyone you met on the street. And not a dark street in the middle of the night in a bad neighbourhood, either.

Be courteous at all times, be polite, and remember your manners.

In Game Conflict Doesn’t Mean Someone Hates You

There is no story without conflict, but the clashing of characters doesn’t mean there’s been a fallout between the characters’ players. If another character dislikes yours, picks a fight and rains insults on his or her head, keep in mind that you – the player – is not the recipient of the abuse.

You are not your character. Your character is not you.

The same goes for positive interactions. Attraction happens, but a wink from a hot character shouldn’t lead you to believe that the winker’s player is head over heels in love with you.

Resolving Issues

Should you contact a player or a Storyteller regarding an interpersonal issue (or anything else), please do so in a mature, polite, and reasonable fashion. Weed out emotion and personal opinion before you bombard us with enraged diatribes.

Also, while player conflict isn’t something that happens often, please don’t hold in your displeasure until it leaks onto the boards or explodes. Don’t simmer; don’t stew. No one can read your mind. If something is wrong, say so.

If you do take an issue to Storytellers, be prepared to compromise, hear the other side of the coin or accept that you may have been wrong.

Lastly, no ST decision is arbitrary, but all ST decisions are final.

The game has a setting, environment, and history that has been developed by both Storytellers and players.

Click here to read more about our current game, Mysteria Island.

To play, you take on the persona of the character you create and write his or her actions, thoughts, and speech according to the situations Storytellers and other characters create. Your character plays as large or small a role in the story as you decide.

The gaming and interaction is carried out in a play-by-post style. This means you play by posting your section of story to the game boards, and other players post their sections in return.

All posts must be in third person, past tense. For example, “He went to the store.” A firm grasp of English grammar and spelling is a must.

Accents for characters should be used sparingly. They’re difficult to read if not written extremely well.

Try to write as if you are picking up the next sentence in the story from where the last player left off. There’s no need to summarize what happened in the last 10 posts before adding your character’s reactions. Read, respond and add to the story – avoid recapping it.