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Victory Handbook: Difference between revisions
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Wrote about MSPNPCs.
AlleranTan (talk | contribs) (Minor changes.) |
AlleranTan (talk | contribs) (Wrote about MSPNPCs.) |
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The only hard and fast rule we have is that no character can have telekenetic powers. That is to say, no character may move physical objects with their mind. Years of experience in the simming world have taught us that such a powerful gift solves too many problems too easily, and makes a character far too powerful. | The only hard and fast rule we have is that no character can have telekenetic powers. That is to say, no character may move physical objects with their mind. Years of experience in the simming world have taught us that such a powerful gift solves too many problems too easily, and makes a character far too powerful. | ||
==== | ====Polishing your sims==== | ||
When writing sims, one should be mindful of the readability of your work. Generally speaking, a properly formatted post will be clean and easy to read, with a correct use of punctuation and grammar. Occasional typos are fine, but frequently making mistakes a spell-checker would pick up can be annoying. | |||
Generally speaking, it's a good idea to always: | |||
* Use a spell-checker. This is the easiest and most effective way to dramatically improve the quality of your sims. | |||
* Read your sims before posting them. If YOU wouldn't read your own work, who will? | |||
* Use whitespace to make your posts more readable. | |||
* Splash in actions, thoughts and the like. Generally speaking, no more than two thirds of your sim should be 'speech'. | |||
One should also be aware of runaway dialog. Unless your character is giving a big speech, you should keep your spoken lines fairly short, giving other players plenty of time to contribute. | |||
====Omniscience==== | ====Omniscience==== | ||
While we, the writers, can read any sim in the fleet (and know what's going on all over the ship) your characters do not. Part of realistically playing a character is making sure that the character only reacts to what they know. There's nothing wrong with picking up hints or clues about what's going on all over the ship, but even powerful telepaths should be mindful to keep some surprise in store for their characters. | |||
==MSPNPC== | ==MSPNPC== | ||
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A Mission Specific Player Non-Playing Character, or '''MSPNPC''', is an NPC assigned to a specific player for the duration of a mission. They are usually antagonists, and are simmed using an anonymous e-mail address. | A Mission Specific Player Non-Playing Character, or '''MSPNPC''', is an NPC assigned to a specific player for the duration of a mission. They are usually antagonists, and are simmed using an anonymous e-mail address. | ||
Any member of the crew can apply for an MSPNPC position, but they are generally only allocated to simmers who have demonstrated both the ability to handle an increased workload and those who have been on at least one mission (so they know the ropes, so to speak). | |||
====Anonymous Email Accounts==== | ====Anonymous Email Accounts==== | ||
At the beginning of a mission, the CO takes volunteers for people to play these roles, and assigns them each to an anonymous e-mail accounts. During the mission, no one knows who is playing which MSPNPC, including the other MSPNPCS. We have found that this adds to the suspension of disbelief, removes expectations from the MSPNPCs, and makes the game more enjoyable. At the end of the mission, identities are usually revealed. | At the beginning of a mission, the CO takes volunteers for people to play these roles, and assigns them each to an anonymous e-mail accounts. During the mission, no one knows who is playing which MSPNPC, including the other MSPNPCS. We have found that this adds to the suspension of disbelief, removes expectations from the MSPNPCs, and makes the game more enjoyable. At the end of the mission, identities are usually revealed. | ||
Some writers make a game of privately trying to guess the MSPNPC's writers just before the big reveal, so feel free to join in with that, too! | |||
====Simming a MSPNPC==== | ====Simming a MSPNPC==== | ||
MSPNPCs are simmed just like any PNPC | MSPNPCs are simmed just like any PNPC. Writers of MSPNPCs are advised to avoid including information that would reveal their identity. Simming an MSPNPC is a great chance to try something new or challenging with a character, since they are designed to be temporary. | ||
It should be noted that although MSPNPCs are usually villains, writers are reminded that ALL UFOP sims must be PG-13. Scenes of extreme cruelty or sadism, even from MSPNPCs, isn't acceptable. If you want your character to commit a serious 'kick the dog' moment, it is best to 'fade to black' or employ vague or poetic wording to do so. If you're ever in doubt that a scene might not be PG-13, it probably isn't... but the PG-13 rating is a very subjective thing. As always, if you're uncertain, ask your CO. | |||
==Promotions== | ==Promotions== | ||