FAQ - Last update 2004.10.28 errors/omissions

 


General Gaming Questions

Game System Questions

Board Technical Questions

Game Specific Questions

Joining Questions

Q: How do I join a game on the AMRN?

A: Click on the name of the game you wish to join from the menu on the left. When that game's website opens up, look for joining information. If the game doesn't have a website, or if the game's website doesn't include joining information, then follow the General Joining Guidelines, found here.

Q: Do I have to go through the Academy?

A: "Academy"? What's "the Academy"?

Q: How soon after I submit a character sheet can I start roleplaying?

A: This depends on the game you are applying to. If there are open slots, you might begin right away. If there are no openings, you may have to wait. This decision is up to the game's GM, who may or may not give you other options.

Q: How many characters am I allowed to have?

A: Each player on the AMRN is permitted to have six characters total, board-wide. A GM post counts as one character. No one is allowed to GM in more than two places at a time.

Q: Can I be a GM?

A: Yes. AMRN GM hopefuls may apply to Admin for consideration and must meet the following requirements:

First and foremost, commitment. A GM must post often to move the game. Extended absences, and long breaks are simply not acceptable. This is a statement of practicality. Real Life does happen, and it can interfere, but as I stated when I became Admin, the game should be a place one goes to because of Real Life, not in spite of it.

Second, an agenda. A GM should have a direction, and a desire to follow it. A good half of the reason we see "GM burn out" is that the GM doesn't have a "plan". A plan doesn’t have to be detailed, but it does have to excite the GM. A GM should have burning desire to bring situations to light and see them play out. In short, when asked by the Admin, "Where are you trying to go with this?" the GM should have an answer, and be excited about it.

Third, intrepidity. A GM should be fearless. I don't mean a GM should fear nothing, but a GM should not fear taking action as a GM. No Game world is big enough for more than one GM. This game world has too many players for one GM to handle alone. This means toes are going to get stepped on. A GM must not be afraid of that. A GM must be willing to act even if that means interfering with what another GM is doing.

Which leads to:

Fourth, judgment, and diplomacy. GMs will interact. A GM has to be able to play well with others. This means being able to see when a cherished action will do more harm to fellow GMs than good. This means being able to let go of an idea when it has been invalidated by the actions of another GM. This means being able to reasonably discuss objections, and not assume everything amounts to personal attack.

A few final notes:

Knowledge of the Game System is a requirement. However, the form of the Game System is not yet set. This is an obvious conflict. So GMs are required to be committed to learning the Game System when we have a finalized Game System.

All previous GM titles are null. Official GM designators are now Head GM, GM, and Probationary GM in order of descending authority. From now on, you are either a Game Master or you aren't. All GMs will have full GM powers, subject to review by higher level GMs. Probationary GMs are new GMs and are subject to the most review. GMs are only subject to review by their Head GM or Admin. Head GMs are subject to review by Admin. There will be only one Head GM per Top Level Game. A TLG is defined as a game listed on the discus topics page. Presently there are 3 TLGs. Lodoss, Macross, and Gundam. Lodoss will remain closed until such time as a GM applied to head it.

Any of the terms above may be exempted by the Admin, based on circumstances of the Game.

Q: Can I start my own game on the AMRN?

A: Maybe. All new AMRN games must be approved by Admin. In general, if all the other games on the board are thriving, then Admin will be more open to allowing another new game onto the board.

If you would like to propose a new game, you must create a full proposal and submit it to Admin. This proposal should at minimum include the following:

  1. The exact name of the anime the game will be based on.
  2. A general description of the format of the game. Will it be large-scale? Small-scale? How will campaigns be run? What is the overall story?
  3. At least two detailed starter campaigns. This will not only prove your own creativity, but the potential of the anime you are proposing to work well in a roleplaying format.
  4. References from at least two AMRN GMs.

All games on the AMRN are subject to the following rules:

  1. There must be at least two GMs, so that if one is too busy to post, the other can pick up the slack.
  2. GMs must understand the AMRN game system.
  3. Games must be based on an anime or manga. An anime is a televised or theatrical animated production that was written, directed, produced, and broadcast in Japan. A manga is a graphic novel or serial story that was written, produced, and published in Japan. Translations and adaptations of existing works from other countries such as Star Wars or The Matrix are not considered anime or manga for the purposes of this RPG.
  4. Adherence to canon is absolutely necessary. "Canon" in this case means the rules of the universe in which the anime takes place. In order to be considered based on an anime, a game must follow closely the rules that are set up in the anime--how things work in that universe. This includes mecha, settings, and things of that nature. It also means studying the history of that universe, if there is much to see, in order to make the story realistically fit into that universe or progress in a similar fashion. Stories that rewrite anime history are acceptable to a point; if you intend to do this, you must have your idea approved by Admin. All questions about what is considered canon for Macross 2051 should be posed to the Macross 2051 Admin; all other games are subject to the Non-Macross 2051 Admin. If possible, cite a reliable webpage for canon information on the anime your game is based on.
  5. Any other restrictions imposed by Admin are expected to be adhered to.

All games on the AMRN are encouraged to have their own websites/sourcebooks. These sites are to be created by the game's GM(s), and will be hosted on unspacy.com. Once your game is approved, if you have a game site you'd like to have hosted, please discuss this with Admin.

Q: Who is in charge of ____?

A: The AMRN Staff Page has the names of all the people who GM and work on the website for the AMRN. It is updated regularly.

Q: How does the AMRN work?

A: The AMRN is made possible by the collaborative efforts of all the GMs, who work for free. Head GMs have the ultimate authority on their boards; other than the game rules mentioned above, Admin does not micromanage, except for in the rare case of a dispute. GMs are encouraged to help each other come up with ideas on how to organize their games and what sort of policies to enforce, but no specific organizational game structure is mandated by Admin for all games.

Q: Are there any rules I need to follow?

A: As the AMRN's purpose is general enjoyment, there aren't a lot of rules inhibiting behavior. The following guidelines, however, will help make the AMRN experience a lot more fun:

  1. Keep parodies, off-topic rants, debates, and other discussions that are not directly game-related on the General Discussion board or on threads designated for this purpose by GMs.
  2. Be polite and respectful. Flames are not permitted and will be deleted on sight. Debates, on the other hand, are allowed and encouraged, so don't be afraid to speak up if you want to make a point.
  3. Please check the AMRN's website and FAQ before asking a question. If you have a suggestion for a question that should be entered into the FAQ, please email Admin.

Admin reserves the right to remove any threads or posts that are deemed inappropriate. Threads that have gone for several weeks without posts are also removed or archived.

Game System Questions

Q: Why do all of the AMRN games use Fuzion?

A: Fuzion is a highly adaptable gaming system that represents anime worlds more accurately than other systems.

Q: Where can I get a copy of the Fuzion rules?

A: R. Talsorian Games, the creator of Fuzion, offers the basic Fuzion kit in .pdf format here (off-site). The AMRN hosts a general description of how to create a Fuzion character here. Be sure to check the homepage of each AMRN game to see if an adapted Fuzion kit has been created for that game. (For example, the Macross Fuzion kit can be found here.)

Q: Do I have to have Fuzion stats on my character sheet?

A: No. The AMRN is primarily a written forum. As such, more emphasis is placed upon writing ability than on knowledge of the gaming system. Those who don't wish to learn how the stats work don't have to. However, those who do take the time to work up their character's abilities in Fuzion will be certain that these abilities are properly represented in combat situations.

Board Technical Questions

Q: How do I format posts?

A: Formatting can be done in either simple HTML tags or the board specific tags. Unfortunately, you can not use both in the same posts. Doing so will likely result in the HTML tags being displayed within the post.

Check out the board formatting instructions here. Check here for the AMRN's standards of style and posting etiquette.

Q: What are user accounts, and how do I get one?

A: A user account provides a header for your posts in the form of FULL NAME (USERNAME), such as Heather (Illusion). Being logged in means that you do not have to type in your "full name" each time. You only need to supply your username and password and the rest will be filled out for you. The Discus software also allows you to enable a cookie which will remember your username and password for posts.

Having a user account creates a profile page on which you can tell others about yourself. It may be just your email address or it may include things like pets or occupation or interests. You can also upload a picture to your user account. Pictures must be jpg or gif format and no more than 600x400 pixels in size.

Your user account also enables you to edit or delete your posts during the first thirty minutes after posting. This is useful in the event of noticing a typo only after the post is already on the board. To edit, you may either click on the "Edit Post" link next to your username on the post itself, or access the post in the Profile Editor. To delete, you will need to log into the Profile Editor.

Only people who are active players on the AMRN are allowed to have user accounts. You may have one OOC account for yourself, plus one account for each of your characters. Once you have the accounts you need, be sure to put the Username of your OOC account into the "Player" field of the character profiles. This will help anyone who wants to see all your characters to be able to search the Player field for your Username and call up the complete list.

To request your user account(s), please contact your GM.

Those who are still in the Academy will not receive user accounts until graduation.

Q: Do I need a user account to post?

A: No. At the present time, you can post without a user account.