Post by walkerm on Jul 28, 2010 8:52:20 GMT -5
What does 'FAQ' stand for?
It stands for 'Frequently Asked Questions.' These are questions that have been asked, or the staff have anticipated that they'll be asked, or that we just felt would be good to have documentation of. Since we really have better things to do than to mindlessly rattle off the same information time after time, the answers are here for your viewing pleasure. If you still have questions after reading this, then, by all means, contact a staff member! If you're not sure which peeps are staff, just scroll down to FAQ 003.
Note: Many of the questions have been answered in gear towards a very stupid fictional role player. We do not assume that this is you, and we really hope that you don't take offense. We just go for the worst-case scenario to give you a decent idea of what is expect and what is not permitted.
I. GENERAL
001. What is Naruto?
Whoa. Back up. What is it? You joined without even knowing what the subject matter was? First off, that's actually kinda cool, means you're interested, that our site looks pretty super, and/or that you just couldn't resist our charms and sheer awesomenes. Secondly, yikes! You're not going to do well here if you don't know what Naruto is! You should definitely read the manga and/or watch the show.
» MANGA: Mangareader
» ANIME: Hulu.com
002. At what point in the series does TotT take place?
That's right, we're based off of a series. For those of you that didn't know this, turn around RIGHT NOW and read FAQ 001. Now. For those of you who did know this, the answer is, "Right at the beginning of the series, when we first meet Naruto. We haven't gotten far at all, and it shouldn't be too difficult for those who haven't read the manga or seen the anime to catch up, plot-wise. Our plot is fairly canon, so we're going to stick as close to the actual story as possible. It is recommended that you read or watch all the way up to the most recent chapter or episode, if only to be well-informed on the subject matter. Now, all that aside, it's not 100% necessary. We have several members that have watched, at most, three anime episodes in their life, never even touched the manga, and still excel in the role play.
003. Who are the staff members, and what do they do?
The staff are those really cool people that one day got together and decided to make a decent Naruto role play. It's because of them that Tale of the Tales got started, and it's because they slave away that the site's still running smoothly. The staff members are as follows:
"Name" {rank} [Chatango Username] (PM)
"Sonic" {admin} [Sonicrulez] - (PM)
"Renji" {mod} [Renji1717] - (PM)
"Roren" {mod} [Roren] - (PM)
00?. Can I advertise the site?
Can you? The question is, would you? Go for it - we'd love for you to advertise! You must be cautioned, however, to post in the appropriate spots, and to check to see if we've already placed our advertisement on a given site. Most of the sites already advertised in should already have posted on our forum in the 'Link Back' board, so it shouldn't be too difficult to look the site up. Our advertisement can be found here.
00?. WAIT, there's a chat box at the bottom of the site?
The mind boggles. Yes, there is. It's the 'Chatango' and it's a very beloved addition to our forum. If you can't see the chat, either your computer is crap (it's a rampant condition that's running about the 'net) or you need to install the proper flash devices. Cookies will need to be enabled, and you'll have to install the Macromedia Flash Shared Object program. Several people that we've talked to have discovered that the Chatango and their computers don't get along very well, and that may be why there are issues.
II. ACCOUNTS
00?. What's the deal with display names?
Display names should be your character's name. We prefer that they be FIRSTNAME LASTNAME. We'd like for there to be just simple text, no l33t-speak or hearts or anything like that.
00?. Why isn't my display name a pretty color like all of the other folks are?
If you've just joined, it's because we do not assign usergroups to new members. If you've posted a character application, and it hasn't been accepted yet, the same thing applies. If your character has been accepted, then many apologies, and someone shall get to it right quick. Holla to a staff if this is the case.
00?. How many accounts am I allowed to make?
Right now, you are permitted one character per account. As the character cap is currently two characters per member, you are therefore permitted a grand total of two accounts. You don't have to create two accounts, though; if you would prefer to just have one character, one account is fine!
00?. Why does it have to be one character per account? Why can't I just have all of my characters in one account?
Because that's the set-up we've chosen. Our site, our rules. Personally, we believe it clears up clutter and makes threading with other people much neater - and it's easier to keep track of characters if they've got their own separate accounts.
00?. I play a canon character. If I leave to go on vacation for two weeks, will I have to give up that canon?
You will probablyp be okay, but it'd be best that you make sure to let us know that you're going to be gone!
00?. Do you have any rules about avatars and signatures?
Just the basic few. Images should contain no nudity or pornography. Signatures should not stretch the page. You know, the usual. The rule of thumb here is, if you think that it maybe might not be appropriate or that someone might have a problem with it, don't post it.
III. CHARACTERS
00?. What's a Mary-Sue or Gary-Stu? A Just-Like-You?
You know what these are? Perfect characters. You ever hear that saying, 'No one is perfect'? That is the god's honest truth. Nobody likes a perfect character, and the staff are going to do their best to keep these from coming in. Just so you know, a Mary-Sue is a perfect female character, and a Gary-Stu is a perfect male character. A Just-Like-You is a character that basically yourself; playing yourself usually leads to shameless Mary-Suing and Gary-Stuing. It's okay to give your character traces of yourself, but please, keep it to a minimum.
00?. Are there any preferences to which village I put my character in?
In all honesty, any village is good. There are some villages more than others that need characters, and usually, if you ask around or look at the character ranks, you can get a feel for what is needed. Currently, we would very much love to have more characters in Iwagakure, but any of the others are fine. Konohagakure tends to draw in the most characters, though, so that's something to keep in mind, too.
00?. Are there any ranks/positions that need filling?
Well, if you check the canon list and the team list in the Character Creation section, you can see the open canons and the incomplete teams. If you're feeling helpful, or just need a direction to go in, that's a good place to start. Again, if you ask around, you'll probably get some feedback.
00?. Would you prefer that I join as a boy or as a girl?
Right now, our gender ratio is pretty even, with the males slightly outnumbering the females. On a good many sites, the ratio of female characters to male characters tends to tilt heavily toward the former; so far, Tale of the Tails hasn't had this issue. If it is really important to you, go ahead and ask one of the staff members, or take a gander at the accepted character boards. Honestly, though, it's up to you.
00?. So, I'm joining with a character named Edward Cullen and I...
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whooah. Is this your idea of a joke, cause nobody's laughing. Are you freaking serious? There are so many things wrong with this. Numero Uno: "Edward" and "Cullen" are most certainly not Japanese - they don't even sound vaguely Japanese. You did read the rules, right? Secondly, okay, "Edward Cullen." Really? I mean, you couldn't think of any other name but the one that happens to be rather identical to the very popular main character of a very popular series? In case you haven't noticed, this is a NARUTO role play, not a TWILIGHT role play. If you want to role play Edward Cullen, that are plenty of Twilight role play sites to choose from. And don't say that you were just going to make a Jounin of the Cullen clan named Edward, who has insane levels of Taijutsu, has a nature manipulation of blood, and has a tendency to sunburn very easily. Yeah, uh huh, not gonna fly. You're taking one character from his own genre and story and attempting to cram it into another story and genre. That is so unfair to the character, and while we don't really have anything against Mr. Cullen, we just cannot let him into our home. And let's face it, Edward Cullen would have made a terrible ninja, anyways. ;]
00?. Alright, my character's name isn't Edward Cullen... It's Sasuke Uchiho!
*facepalm* Okay, first off, you do realize that people are going to read that as 'Sasuke Uchiha,' right? We already have a canon character named Sasuke Uchiha. Don't you think that, out of the thousands (if not millions) of word and name choices, you could have picked something... other? A little more original?
00?. Fine, then, I'll just take on Madara Uchiha >.<
This would be mighty cool, except for, you know, the fact that the character Madara Uchiha isn't even on the canon character list. Yeah, sorry about that. What, you're fine with that? Really? You've got someone else in mind? Awesome! You've posted your app? *goes to look* *facepalm* You do realize that Guren isn't even on the canon character list, either, right? Nor will she ever be, because she's a filler character from the anime.
00?. Wait, what!? Why can't I be the Yondaime Hokage?
Three reasons. 1) He's not on the canon character list, and therefore, he's not available for role playing, much as Madara Uchiha is not. 2) There's this small issue of Minato Namikaze being dead at this point in time. As awesome as it'd be, not even for you will we grotesquely mangle canon. 3) Even if Minato wasn't dead (which he is), currently, members are not permitted to role play any of kage save for Hiruzen. This may or may not change, depending on which direction Tale of the Tails goes.
00?. So, what Nature Elements can we use?
Currently, characters on Tale of the Tails may only choose from the five basic natures: water, fire, earth, wind, and lightning. Additional elements must be canon to the characters, such as Haku's Ice Element or the First Hokage's Wood element.
00?. Er, so, how many Nature Manipulations are allowed?
Most characters will only have one element. It takes a long and difficult time to master the element that a character is born with an affinity for; two elements is fairly unusual. To be safe, if wishing to have two elements, your character should be, at the very least, a Jounin. Even then, it's the staff's prerogative as to whether or not it will be accepted.
00?. How many jutsu are we allowed?
This can be found in the rules, but for those of you who never even bother to read the rules, I'll reiterate. In addition to the four basic jutsu allowed to a character by default, the number of jutsu permitted to a character is as follows:
Genin: 4
Chuunin: 10
Jounin: 20
ANBU: 25
Kage: Unlimited
00?. What rank jutsu is my character allowed?
Academy Student: E
Genin: E, D, & C
Chuunin: E, D, C, & B
Jounin: E, D, C, B, & A
ANBU: E, D, C, B, & A
Kage: E, D, C, B, A, & S
00?. What's the starter rank?
By this, we assume that you're asking what ranks you can join as. In case you didn't notice the above-listed ranks, the list is as follows:
--Academy Student (acceptable)
--Genin (heavily recommended)
--Chuunin (acceptable)
--Jounin (recommended)
--ANBU (limited)
--Kage (canon only)*
*For further explanation on which Kage characters are playable, please refer to the Yondaime Hokage FAQ.
00?. You guys keep saying that you're cautioning me against making a Chuunin character - why is that?
In plain and simple terms - because having a Chuunin character on a team sort of screws up the chances for the Genin to enter the Chuunin exams. (Oh, we didn't mention that those are coming up soon? You should probably already know this, given that this is a canonical timeline.) The chances getting three Chuunin to make a team is quite rare (as in, we frown on attempts to make such). The usual make-up of a team (yes, even with - nay, especially with - all of those geniuses) is one Chuunin and two Genin. And since you need a complete team of three to enter the Chuunin exams... Those two Genin would get the short stick and would miss out on a rather large plot device. It should be further pointed out that, being as Chuunin characters must have had teams, you as the player will either a) have to get people to play the characters you invented in your character's or b) invent a reason for your character to leave and join a new team.
00?. Can my character have the sharingan?
Your character most certainly may not have the sharingan, unless he is Sasuke, Itachi, or Madara. In order for your character to have the Sharingan, that character must canonically appear in the Naruto storyline as possessing the Sharingan. If you want the sharingan that badly, you'll have to take on a canon character.
00?. Aw, man. What about the rinnegan, than?
You most certainly may not. The rinnegan is an extremely rare Kekkei Genkai, and a very powerful one, to boot. If you would like to have a character with the rinnegan, go ahead and apply for Pain.
00?. ... Can I have an Uzumaki character, then?
You could, but they're very limited. Extremely limited, one could even say. You'd want to check and make sure that we don't already have some OC Uzamaki characters. At this point in time, we've decided to have just two (2) OC Uzamaki character spots.
00?. Can I create my own clan?
You may. The clan creation board can be found here. However, there is currently a clan cap of five. You may not be able to at this point in time, but don't let that discourage you: make the clan, and when the cap elevates, or one of the clans is archived, post the clan in the board!
00?. Can I have Electromagnetic Murder for my character?
You may not. This is a filler jutsu, and a rather dumb one at that. that's not to say that you can't use filler jutsu, it's just that you can only use filler jutsu that are reasonable. If you're unsure if a jutsu will be okay, just ask the head admin, Sonic.
00?. Do I have to post a custom jutsu before I post an application?
Yes, once your character application is approved all jutsu must be learned via RP, so if there is any jutsu that you'd like to create and have your character start with, have the jutsu approved before the character application.
00?. Which characters can I make a custom jutsu for?
Characters ranked Chuunin and greater may have custom jutsu. If you wish to create a summoning jutsu, your character must be a Jounin or greater.
00?. Hey, I just finished a character application; why hasn't it been accepted yet!?
You did? Really? Congratulations! Now, pipe it and listen up. We know that you'd like to role play right away, and in fact, we want you to get to role playing right away! However, you must keep in mind that the staff are people, too, and they do have lives outside of the site. You say that you 'just finished' your application - well, that's great, but that doesn't mean we'll be able to get to it right away. The staff are usually quite prompt when it comes to reviewing applications, but sometimes, a little something gets in the way of that. Usually, it's, you know, a little something called Real Life. But, that aside, one of the four staff members will definitely get to it soon. Whether or not it'll be accepted the first time around, no, that's a different story. Don't be surprised if you have to go in a second or third time to make revisions.
00?. My character has relatives that I'd really like to see played. Is this possible?
Yes, it is. You can create an advertisement of sorts, and you can ask around. People are usually willing to help out in plots, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Please do not become annoying/obsessive about this, however.
IV. ROLEPLAY
00?. There's a certain person I want to reply to my post. How do I make sure that no one else does?
Well, the best thing to do is to plan out a thread WITH that person, so that they know that it's a thread they're supposed to respond to. Another thing you could do is, in the title, put the name of the character/member you want to respond to the thread.
00?. What the heck is 'posting order' and how can I do it?
Posting order is the turn sequence in which people respond with their characters. If, say, Naruto starts a thread, and then Sasuke responds - there will always be an alternating sequence of Naruto and Sasuke. Double posting is not allowed. If, say, Sakura joins the thread after Naruto posts, then it is Sasuke's turn, and from thereon the posting order is 'Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke.'
00?. How do characters advance through the ranks?
They do so through in-character role playing. We have it set up so that, if a character wishes to gain a new jutsu, a new nature manipulation, to master their first nature manipulation, to advance from Genin to Chuunin, etc, etc, etc, they must do so in threads.
00?. ♪ They burned down the gamblin' house, It died with an awful sound~ ♫
A lot of people like to format their posts and make them look nice: different fonts, lyrics at the top and bottom of the page, images and quotes, a little section at the end for mood/ word count/ listening to/ tagged / notes/ etc. We're not particularly picky about what you choose to do (though we do like the idea of 'less is more'), and we'd like to remind you that the minimum word count is 150 words, and such things as lyrics and notes in no way, shape, or form constitute as or contribute toward this minimum count.
00?. My character hasn't actually been accepted, yet, but I'm really close to it - can I just start posting anyways?
You most certainly may not. Almost accepted isn't accepted. You'll have to wait for the stamp of approval, same as everyone else did.
00?. I dunno how many words I've got in this post...
Well, the minimum word count is 150 words - usually a decent two paragraphs. There is a word counter at the bottom of the page, under the posting buttons, though that tends to count the BBC codes (bold, italic, underline, etc), so it's not as accurate as some. If you really want to know, go ahead and use WordCount to get your exact words (you'll want to click the 'preview' button and get the pure text, first.)
00?. What is Godmodding?
Godmodding is basically an all-powerful character. Your character can do anything, everything, anytime, anywhere. To this character, The Laws Of The Universe Mean Nothing.
00?. What's powerplaying?
A strain of Godmodding, Powerplaying is something that occurs in the role play, when you control another person's character without their permission. If you role play Sasuke, and the other person role plays Naruto, and you say in your post that you stabbed Naruto and he died, that would be power playing.
00?. So me and my bud play Kakashi and Anko, and we were thinking of starting a romance plot between them.
Yikes, the thought of that is scary. No, you may not. Under no circumstances are you permitted to do such a thing, barring if it suddenly becomes canon. We feel very strongly about non-canon relationships between canon characters, and we've had bad experiences in the past. I'm glad you and your bud are concocting plots and plans, but on this one, the answer is a definite no. If you want to ship characters, make OC characters.
00?. I wanna kill off my character, now, cause I'm sick of him.
We would prefer that, if you kill a character off, you do so because it is conducive to the plot. However, if you are adamant about killing your character, go ahead and contact the staff (chances are, all four will be involved) and we will review your case. It is noteworthy to mention that, if you do end up killing off your character, you will not be able to resurrect it.