McGraw's Guide to RP 2

Part 2: Communication

In Supremacy Roleplaying Games, communication is key, and can sometimes become a huge problem. There are three common types of communication, each of which has its own parameters, and each of which should be handled in a certain way. 

1. DE Posts

2. Diplomatic Messages

3. Out-of-game Chat

There are two overarching distinctions that give each section two faces: In-Character (IC), and Out Of Character (OOC). These distinctions are extremely important, but as they are both defined by the context, I have included them in my descriptions of the communication types.

1. DE posts are the staple, and arguably the most important portions of literature in a RP. They are posted in a public forum, where anyone can read them, and provide the most information. Don't make them too short, as this is unrealistic given that the DE is a newspaper (unless you are trying something else, like a time-period based RP, or are just prone to the much more common and much easier "whatever, just post it" mentality).

I assume that if you're reading this, you know how to write an article, so I won't go into too much detail here, but remember that an article should have complete sentences, correct spelling and grammar, and should not be utterly stupid nor boring. There are several ways to write an In Character DE post. These are: 

• Official Government Statements (the most straightforward and common), 
• News Corporation Printings (where the Government is referred to but not responsible for things said, unless quoted by said paper, document, or third-party), and 
• Other (anything else not covered by third-party or government documents). 

I recommend using only non-anonymous postings in the DE for your articles. While it may be tempting to write only government-released statements non-anonymously (for feel and differentiation), your work is yours, and you should have credit for it, and be able to stop plagiarism, where people pretend to use your "paper" (if you are in a good RP, this won't happen).

The other sort of posting in the DE is Out Of Context. OOC can be constructive, if used to set-up or discuss, but mainly, it's just really, really annoying. OOC ruins games. Even some of the best RP'ers succumb to horrid arguments that can devolve quickly into personal attacks that can threaten to kill even a very good RP. OOC should be kept to a minimum, and should almost never be anonymous, lest trolls spawn and mess up all the hard work done by everyone else (choosing players is covered in a section to come).

The DE is for creating a storyline. It's not about what you're thinking, its about where you are leading your nation, and what's going on in the world you've made. Keep things realistic, well-written, discernible, and interesting, and you've a winning combination.

2. Messages to other players are how you interact with them to set up deals, create RP, or plan RP. 

In-character Diplomacy may sound redundant, and mostly is, unless you wish to create a true-immersion RP, which can be fun. I tend to always write IC diplomacy, as it lets me "strut my stuff" literarily, has a better effect on the reader, and somewhat influences people to regard you, your argument, or your offer more seriously or carefully.

One should mostly confine IC to DE posts, so that your words are not wasted, and your creativity can be enjoyed, but for full immersion, better diplomacy, and more RP material you can utilise in the future, I advise staying In Character for the vast majority of the time.

3. Out-of-game communication can add a whole new dimension to an RP. There are many ways to implement and use online chatting technologies, and I will describe several.

• Chatting- Complete OOC, a place for talking with, joking with, and getting to know the players who are in your game.
• Dealing- Running an alliance out-of-game, or using out-of-game instant messaging to more quickly communicate with players. This helps diplomacy, as you can iron-out details quickly, and get fast responses. This can be done either In-Character or Out-Of-Character.
• IC Forum- By far the most interesting utilization of chat systems is to use them In-Character. To do this, a chatroom on a website is utilized, and all members of the game (or an alliance/international meeting-place) make their names the rulers/representatives of their respective nations. They then converse as their characters, providing a very fun and entertaining, as well as interesting and engaging way of communication. This In-Character out-of-game chat can even add an entire game dynamic to the storyline of the game. If you decide to try this, make sure it's open to everyone (if it is for the entire game), just be sure that people still RP in the Daily European (which can hold some conversations from the o-o-g chat), as this is still the preferred place for articles, statements, and other official things.

Now, there are several different kinds of out-of-game chat providers, and I've had experiences with three of them. (Please note I only use free services)

• First, there's the old standby, Skype. This service is easy, and blue! It is best used for OOC Chatting, or OOC dealing, as making alternate accounts or changing your name might be annoying to some, and because there is little control over what is being said.
• Second is Chatzy. This service is as easy as any, and is useful for IC/OOC dealing and IC Forums, as you can easily join the chat without making an account. You can chat in-color or out of it, making Chatzy useful for going in-between OOC and IC.
• Last but not least is Xat. Xat is very interesting, and though the user interface is very tacky, the services it provides are some of the best. Xat is excellent for all three types of o-o-g communication. The thing that makes it unique are that you can create tiers of admins, meaning the managing of an OOC chat becomes easier, and making a proper international organization (including a chairperson who dictates whose time to speak it is) becomes possible and easy. You do not need to make a permanent account for the service. Plus, in Xat, you can make pretty drawings and play games. Because that's the important thing, right?

Out-of-game chats can not only add a means of communication, but entirely new types of gameplay. Which service one uses is up to the game's creator, and he should always be the one to set up (or at least manage) an external service. The extent of gameplay spent in chat should be at least somewhat balanced by the time spent in Supremacy itself. Give an IC Forum a chance, as it can constitute a very interesting 



Experiment with different variations and ratios of communications until you find the combination of Daily European articles, Diplomatic messages, and Out-of-Game chat services that works the best with your game and with the players you have selected. There are many options available to you, so I advise you to try interesting combinations, until you find something that clicks well with your own style of gameplay.

-ThatMcGraw