This aim of this post is to give both new and old players a brief explanation of the expectations on this sub, and to give you a brief intro to RP if you're new to the format. I know it's long, but please read the full post. You only have to read it once. This same information can be found on the wiki here.

What is RP?

RP--or Role-Playing--is a form of gameplay or writing in which multiple players each represent one character in a story. In RP, the main goal is to create a character, whose motives and personality you understand, so that you can accurately portray their reactions to situations, and accurately determine their choices. For this reason, it is acceptable to base RP characters on yourself, as it's easier to predict what you would do in a given situation (the old adage of 'write what you know' applies here). This form of RP is practiced largely in forums and Tabletop RPGs.

In CivWP, you portray a nation and it's current leader, which somewhat different from the base form of RP listed above. Instead of acting based on the personality of a made up character, you act based on the general goals of your civ and it's leaders. This is actually a bit easier. The "Agenda" you had to choose on the Nation Creation Station is intended to aid you in making these "in-character" decisions. Simply make decisions that get you closer to this goal, and you're 'In-Character'.

In RP, staying In-Character, or IC, is very important. If you make decisions that are different form what your nation would otherwise do, it breaks immersion (and can damage the fun). This is why when people speak as players, you will often see them type "Meta" "M:" or "OOC" (Out Of Character), to highlight that what they are saying at the moment does not represent their civ or characters. (A distinguished mod also carries an implied 'Meta')

What is Metagaming?

You may have heard of metagaming before, and/or seen it discussed on our sidebar. Metagaming is when you make your character (or in this case Civ) take action based on something they should not know. This could be acting based on knowledge of the secret actions of other players, acting with unrealistic knowledge of game rules, or wildlf changing your nation's motivation with no RP'ed explanation.

Metagaming is frowned upon because at it's core it is not portraying the character. In a game--like Civ--you always play to win, even if you do it with knowledge the civ you are controlling would not know (knowledge of future techs, knowledge of other civs or players, knowledge of game mechanics). That is not the point here. Though we are based on Civ, this is not itself a game of Civ. We are more interested in making an interesting and realistic world, not in guiding our civs to domination by any means.

The reason metagaming will be strictly regulated is threefold. First, it is against the idea of the game. No one is really 'playing to win'. There are actual games elsewhere for that (like Civ). Second, it breaks immersion. If one civ is doing things that don't make sense in context, it weakens the game-world as a whole. Third, it's unfair to other players. If one player is using meta-knowledge to help make their civ more powerful, it disadvantages all players who are portraying a civ properly. For this reason, players who repeatedly metagame and ignore warnings will be reprimanded.

Don't worry about accidentally metagaming, light metagaming, and don't worry if you don't fully get the definition. No one will be punished or kicked out unless they become a significant repeat offender. You will get plenty of warnings, and will be told by mods if you seem like you're metagaming. Don't feel like you have to tread on eggshells. We won't be mean about it. Just don't metagame on purpose.

Additionally, there is such a thing as light metagaming. We are based on Civ, so there will be some degree of knowledge of the rules, and working within and around said rules. That's fine. Just make sure to build a neat civ at the same time.

Reactive Role-Playing

The main thing new RPers misunderstand is that the main purpose or RP is actually to be reactive, not proactive. Inventing things is very cool, and there's plenty of room to do that in OC (Original Content), but that's not the purpose of a RP game. RP is not a license to do whatever you want; that's what writing a story is for.

In RP, half of the fun is reacting to situations and stimuli, whether they come from the decisions of other players, or the game-world itself. If the actions of a civ or the rules of the game interfere with your plans, do not complain that your RP is 'ruined', because it's not. The most interesting RP comes out of reacting to things you didn't see coming.

This 'Reactive Role-Playing' is at the heart of large RP communities like this. We're building a 'large immersive world', so of course you don't control everything. Try to consider that part of the fun, rather than an annoyance.

Why We Have Rules

Many players may feel that the current state of rules are restrictive or overly complex, but they've actually been carefully decided on and refined over almost two months (and counting) to create the best experience.

Basically ,the rules exist to facilitate situations your civ must 'respond' to. In Mk.I, we had tons of alliances, massive wars, and many people claiming to be the 'best' at things. But obviously, not every nation can have a massive navy, fleet of trade vessels, and awe-inspiring progressive culture, and being friends with the entire world in the medieval era feels a little weird.

The rules as they stand now serve to direct players into interesting situations they must react to and work around, but also serve to make it possible to make your nation what you want it to be. You might not start as a major trade power, but you can become one over time! This slower, more regulated pace of events will actually facilitate RP, as you can describe the journey, not simply the destination, without fear of falling behind (or being online too infrequently). Though the rules may seem intimidating and feel restrictive, they have been crafted specifically to limit actions that got out of hand in Mk.I, to make a more realistic world with more tangible results, and more satisfying rewards.

Losing is Fun!

Another mistake is getting upset, at other players or the game itself, when you do badly. Though it's a natural reaction to get upset, try not to internalize bad things happening in game (and always remember that enemy states are not enemy players, so be civil). One of the key things to learn about a nation-based RP is that losing is as fun as winning. Writing about a collapse, talking about the crushed remains of your state, RPing a gradual rise back to relevance: these things are all just as fun as being the most powerful (or maybe more so. Some players make it their goal to collapse or civil or on purpose, just to write about it).

Similar to 'reactive role-playing', take a loss as an opportunity to write something cool. A person is the sum of their experiences, and so is a civ. Maybe your nation, a cultural bastion, turns to warlike aggression after losing half of their lands. Just remember: you can't win in CivWP, so by extension you can't really 'lose' either. Having poorer numbers doesn't make your civ worthless. This is RP, not a videogame.

On #On Powergaming

In RP, Powergaming (also known as 'And I Win' posts) is when you describe the actions of an opponent in such a way that that opponent is disadvantaged. You should not seek to undermine your enemies through RP, as this is a form of metagaming. Remember that enemy civs are controlled by fellow players. control only your own civ, they will control only theirs, and the outcome will be determined fairly.

You might think that writing for both sides makes things go faster, and this is true to an extent. But the reason you shouldn't do it is out of deference to other players. Each player has a vision for their civ which is largely inside their head, so attempting to play for them, even trying to be fair, can mis-portray their civ. It's better to take longer and let both players control themselves, than to go faster and risk mis-portraying a civ. After all, the interactions are the fun part; why rush them? (If you get permission to write multiple sides from the players involved, that's fine. This isn't a ban on playing multiple sides; just a request not to do it without asking).

Don't Worry About Skill

You may read some other player's RP or OC, and think "I can't do that, so what's the point?"

This sub is not a contest. It's no-one's aim to show up any other member, and no one is going to think less of your for your writing ability. Simply try, and of course strive always to improve. Do not forgo participation because you think you cannot write (and conversely, do not mock a member who is still learning to write. We were all learning at some point). If you want advice or constructive criticism though, feel free to ask.

Long story short, don't beat yourself up over writing ability. I think I'm pretty good, but I still have plenty of room to improve (and wouldn't personally rank myself in the top 10 writers on our sub). But that won't stop me trying. Don't be embarrassed to try, don't worry that it isn't good enough (but always try to improve)!

This ends our PSA. Have a wonderful game!