So, you wanna be a [proboards] Roleplayer?

[Suzie]

Step one: Register
The first thing you'll need to do is Register your account with the proboards system. This is done by finding the 'REGISTER' button. Each skin has it in a different spot, ours is right underneath the chatbox to the left. <<< over there.

Most of us also have an OUT OF CHARACTER account for browsing and whatever else you want it for. Aka Suzie , Eaven , ali ETC.

To register, you must use an email and create a password. Then, you choose a username for your character. Most of us do the characters first name or a nickname so they're easy to tag. Let us know in DISCORD so we can ACCEPT your account, since this is a private site.

Now, your first character has been registered! In order to register further characters, simply log out and press the register button again. This will all be connected to the same email, and you can switch accounts by using the fancy little tool in the bottom left corner of your browser!

Additional tip: If you aren't sure what kind of character you want to make, try visiting the 'Wanted Ads' found in the 'Character Development' board. Some of our members are looking for specific relationships and characters that you could play!

Step two: Profile set up
You will see at the top a button that says 'profile'. Click on it, and here you can edit your character profile!

Click Edit Profile and choose an avatar, make sure it is a SQUARE image, if possible! If you need to crop a picture, gif or otherwise, here is a fun tool: ezgif.com/crop

Edit Profile > Personal > change DISPLAY NAME to their name! We don't care if it's a first and last name, first middle last, first middle middle middle last (dumbledore style, but it might look ugly )

Then, you'll need to click the tab called PERSONAL. There, you need to put in a URL for a HOVER IMAGE. This image is the long 230x400 image on your profile. Your images will resize however so you do not need one the perfect size. Just make sure it is a tall rectangle.

TO COPY AN IMAGE URL, find the image you would like and right click it, selecting the 'copy image location' or 'copy image URL'. Then paste that link in the required AVATAR and HOVER IMAGE spots.

Additional tip: When using an image in a signature or post, use image tags: [img*]URL HERE[/img*] (remove the stars to use the image tag)

Step three: BIO
Before you can start roleplaying, you need to fill out an Application/Character File. The link for this can be found in the Character Bios board. Or Right here.

Copy the code, and start a new thread in that board or the 'Completed Bios' board with your characters name as the title, then fill out the bio! If you need help inserting your characters picture onto the code, please let a staff member know.


Step four: Claims
Claims are incredibly important to the world of online roleplaying. These are for you to claim your characters face, your rank, your job, your powers, etc. You can find the claims in the 'CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT' board and in the 'CLAIMS' section. Please do all of them that apply to your character!

When doing claims, copy the code in the claim and respond to that thread. Use CODE TAGS, which are: [code*]paste form here[/code*] and be sure to remove the stars. The lists and your profile will be updated by the staff.

We don't require ACTORS for your characters face, but we do prefer it so we can have fun with GIFS.

Step five: Plotting
This step is not required, but it is really helpful to get some threads going!

WE RECOMMEND PLOTTING IN THE DISCORD. We hang out there way more than the plotting threads.

Other option: Visit the 'CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT' folder and the 'PLOTTERS' section to take a look at other members plot boards. This is a place where you can plan things, discuss character relationships, etc. It is a really fun thing to do!

Step six: Role-play
Please write in the third person ONLY!!!

ALWAYS only control your own character unless given permission otherwise. Example: In a battle, I could write 'Amelie shoots an arrow, attempting to aim and Rodrigo" and then Rodrigo's character could decide if it hits. BUT - you can also PLAN AHEAD. So, if Kierra and I had talked ahead of time about the arrow landing THEN I could say "Amelie shot the arrow and it met it's target in Rod's shoulder." Don't write how ROD reacts, make sense?

It is also nice here to write at least 100 words in your post. There is a word counter in the bottom right corner of your post to help you with this! 

If you're new to Role-Play in general, we highly recommend reading others threads to get the idea for how we do things. We want to know your characters thoughts, actions, motivations and what they say!

Here is the Posting code I (Suzie) use cuz it's easy and cute:

[div align="justify"][blockquote][blockquote]

[div align="center"][img]INSTERT URL OF IMAGE HERE, OR DELETET HIS PART[/img][/div]



Posty posty



[/blockquote]

@tag  [/blockquote][/div]

How to Post 101:

WIP Section

Happy Roleplaying!

[Eaven]

How to Write a Post 101

      This information is intended for newbies to posting. This is NOT required reading. Perhaps an interesting perusal or casual glance. Everyone is able to write in their own style and how they like, but there are some unique things that come with posting on a board like this. The most important things are at the top and the interesting or optional things closer to the bottom. It is also recommended that you check out a few threads to see how the flow of posting works. That is always super helpful!
If there is anything you want to know that isn’t here, just let someone know in the chat and they would love to help you!

3rd Person
     On RPG, Role Playing Games, all posting is done in 3rd person. It makes it really easy to keep the flow of the story going, even with multiple authors!

Control
     Because this is a RPG, we are all playing together. This means that you can only control your own character, and no one else's. This takes a little getting used to at first, especially if you are used to writing your own stories. Make sure that you don’t say that someone else does something unless: you have specifically gotten the owner’s permission for that specific thing, it is an NPC, or it is another character you own.

Date
     On Excalibur Rises we start the 1st post of a thread with the date the post takes place on, or starts on. This helps everyone keep track of things. The Battle of Deception happened on April 1, 4015. You can do whatever format you like for the date (ie. 4/1/4015, April 1, 4015) just as long as it is there!

Thoughts
     On Excalibur Rises there can often be a lot of telepathy. Dragons and Riders use telepathy, and some Riders have telepathic powers. This means you may need to have something your character says in their thoughts only and not outloud. Most people delineate thoughts by using italics along with quotation marks. You can do this very easily in three ways.
Button - Highlight the words and click the I in the bar at the top of the posting area
Keyboard Command - Ctrl+i when you start writing the words will italicize them, just make sure you ctrl+i to end the italics as well!
HTML Code - [i] and [/i] is the html code for italic words. You simply type the [i] before the words you want italicized and [/i] at the end.

Speaking
     When having your character speak you use quotation marks. But you know this. So how is posting different? Well… it isn’t. Unless you want it to be! Some people like to bold the words that are spoken along with quotation marks. You can do this in three ways:
Button - Highlight the words and click the B in the bar at the top of the posting area
Keyboard Command - Ctrl+b when you start writing the words will bold them, just make sure you ctrl+b to end the bold as well!
HTML Code - [b] and [/b] is the html code for bolding words. You simply type the [b] before the words you want bolded and [/b] at the end and, voila! Bold words!

Tagging
     We are playing with lots of people! That is part of what makes this so fun! That also means we need to let people know it is their turn to write! Enter: Tagging!
When you have finished writing your post you can tag the other characters involved in your post by using the @ symbol and their tag. Often this is the character’s name, but not always, so make sure you know what it is! For example, Perseus Carew is a character’s full name but his tag is @percyYou can figure out what a tag is by going to the members board and searching for the person, or by hovering over a link of their name. Also by asking!
An optional way to tag a friend is by using the #tag channel on Discord. Simply @ the person you are playing with and let them know you posted. You can even post the link there for easy access!

Inner Workings & Actions
     When writing your post, make sure you write what your character is thinking, what they are feeling and especially, why they are doing things. This lets the other author(s) writing with you have some creative freedom in how they respond to your character. This also allows you to flesh your characters out more and have a lot more fun!
Also, write the actions your character does. Running, jumping, putting their hand up to cover their face. Basically, describe what your character does and how they say it in the moment of your post. Just like normal writing!

Graphics
     If you want to add an image you can do that two ways:
Button - get the image URL, click the image button at the top of the posting section and past the image URL there
HTML Code - Use the code [img]put link here[/img] and it should work just fine!

Editing a post
If you need to edit your post just click 'edit' on the top right corner of a post you made. If while editing you need to edit within the CODE click "BBCODE" on the bottom left of the edit screen.