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Post by Mayor on Jan 28, 2021 15:01:11 GMT -5
Welcome to Westwood Shores! I’m so excited to have you join us. I, the administrator, am Josephine or as some may call me Ninja (I nickname that was given to me on BG). I can be found as Mayor, Work Force, Jo229 and Ninja229. You can PM me if you need anything.
Admin
*Josephine is the primary admin and available in accordance with her personal and professional work schedule. Additional admins may be established as the city grows. These people’s positions will be to assist with monitoring that rules are being followed. If you would like to become a moderator, apply under Registrar.
Obey the city government. This power will not be abused.
The Work Force
*The Work Force is an admin account representing various fictional characters who hold jobs around the town. Any Work Force character may be replaced by a member who wishes to perform that job. For example, Jeff Yee, the real estate agent, may be replaced by another member who wishes to be the real estate agent.
*Even when the Work Force characters are functionally replaced, they will continue to exist in their corresponding place of work and will be available for other members to use them in their stories. This way, instead of waiting for the member who role plays as the doctor to respond to your posts, you may continue your story on your own, using Dr. Gregory Cain as your doctor. This way you can take control of the character within your story without “godmodding” someone else’s character. These characters are indestructible. If you chose, you may even kill off one of the Work Force characters in your story, but that person will still exist outside of your story for someone else to use.
About WS
Westwood Shores is a fantasy town where members create imaginary families and interact in character. It is in America but the "state" is undefined. When we write the address, it is like this:
Westwood Shores, CS 82082
CS=cyber space 82082=8/20/82... Lizzie’s birthdate
For story purposes, WS will follow American laws. Children are adults at age 18, drinking age is 21. Any exceptions to American laws can be decided along the way.
The following procedures will help guide you on your way. After reading, you may click on the link below and post that you understand and agree to these rules. But don’t worry! We are here to have fun! Let’s get started!
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Post by Mayor on Jan 28, 2021 15:03:30 GMT -5
General
*Please follow the rules and procedures in each section of the town, for example posting where categorized and filling out forms as required. Also obey the Admin.
Newbie - Rose Star, 1-50 posts
Getting Established - Lime star, 50-100 posts
Established - Light Blue star, 100-500 posts Sweet! 100 posts! Now we're cookin.' Once you have taken the time to make one hundred posts, have shown yourself faithful to your posts and are involved around town, you may open another account if you desire.
Core Citizen - Purple star, 500+ posts Core citizens have 500 posts and are eligible to become moderators. For more information about this PM the admin.
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Post by Mayor on Jan 28, 2021 15:24:27 GMT -5
Accounts
*You may begin with 1 role play account. You may open a second role play account (and create a new family) after your first one reaches 100 posts. If you have too many accounts you may get overwhelmed and not develop or use your characters. Also, if you have many characters and then choose to discontinue play, there is more work to be done by the admin to remove your families.
*All of your screen names should have something in common in the name so others can make the connection. For example, Jo229 and Ninja229.
*Each of your role play accounts should be assigned to one of your families. It is important to post with the correct account because your signature will reflect the members of your family who are on that account. If you wish to have multiple families on the same account, connect them as friends or family, such as cousins moving in from out of town or close friends.
Signatures
You can edit your signature by going to Profile > Edit Profile > Personal >> Scroll down to "Signature"
This web forum only allows 500 characters in the signature box. This includes any code you try to use. This is really tricky and I can't change it.
I highly recommend creating a signature graphic to include in your signature.
At the bare minimum, signatures should include your real life name (or the name you go by) and your families' last names. Ideally, including the names and birthdates of your characters is preferred, but there likely isn't room. Perhaps first names and a link to the bio will work.
*Create a slideshow and embed it in your signature.
The goal is to minimize the number of lines used for the signature so our signatures are not longer than our posts!
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Post by Mayor on Jan 28, 2021 15:33:30 GMT -5
Role Play Procedure
When creating a new family or a new character, post your character's bio under the main forum titled "biographies." Title your post "The (Last Name) Family," even if it is only one person. Post photos, birthdates, and a description of each family member. Follow the instructions on posting a bio or your bio my need to be redone (see the instructions in the Biographies forum).
Each forum on the board serves as a part of the town. Examples are the hospital, schools, community center, mall, etc. Use your appropriate account to post as your characters in the appropriate forum. Explore the town. Post in forums as if you are there. Your characters may interact, chat, email, visit, and blog. Get creative!
Read the Forum Instructions in each section of WS. There may be forms to fill out. Feel free to PM the Work Force with questions.
Home interactions take place in the "Neighborhood" forum. Everyone on the same street will post in the forum of that name. Begin a new thread for each interaction/story. Respond to other members' threads in order to "visit" them at their house. Post photos in the photo album if you would like to show the design of your house.
Role play stories will be written in present tense (“She runs down the street” as opposed to “She ran down the street”). Members generally write in third-person story format. There are areas of the town for things like blogs where first-person is appropriate.
Each post must be dated at the top of the first post, by posting the date and approximate time of the event you are writing about (Ex: Tuesday afternoon, February 12, 2021). Date stamping helps keep track of the sequence of events because not everyone in online at the same time.
TIME TRAVEL At the bottom of the board is a Category called "Time Travel." This is where you may write about any events outside of real time.
Any events before 2021, no matter how far in the past, can be written about/role played in the forum called "The Past." Any events taking place more than 1 year in the future can be written about/role played in the forum called "The Future." Anything happening in the future does not effect real time in BG.
If you have fallen behind on a storyline and need to catch up, this is acceptable to do in the regular areas of town. This is where it can get confusing and date stamps are important.
<OPEN> If you would like to role play/write with another member but you don't have a specific story in mind you may put up a post with <OPEN> before the title. If you see one of these it means it is open for anyone to respond.
You may lead the story in ways that are not permanently damaging to other characters. You may invent spontaneous plots that do not affect another members' main stories. You may not, however, kill someone else's character or kidnap a child, etc, without the other member's permission. Leading a person's character in a detrimental way without the member's permission is called "godmodding." I do encourage spontaneous writing and enjoy seeing where others can lead a story. Do not make permanent changes to another member's character or story without permission. Be open to feedback.
Keeping Track of Characters
If your character gets married or births or adopts a child, dies, or hires employees for a business, create an announcement at the courthouse under Registrar.
If your character marries another members' character and they have children, by the time the child is one year old, decide which member will be in charge of controlling that child's character. This way one member won't write something about the child that the other member does not know about which might later be confusing.
Characters can be added through moving to WS, adoption and birth. Remember that all characters on a given account must have some connection (brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, friends, etc). Characters cannot be deleted - once they are created, they exist. However, if you decide you no longer want a character they can die or move away.
CHARACTER SUMMARIES Under "Character Summaries" create a new thread for each one of your characters. In this thread, give a summary of that character's life, including their bio information and any plotlines you have developed. At the bottom, include links to the significant posts that character has been involved in. Ideally, another member should be able to read your character's story by clicking on these links.
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Post by Mayor on Jan 28, 2021 15:40:04 GMT -5
HAVING A JOB
*Your characters may be of any profession you choose. Take on a job by contacting the manager of any business in town to be added to their staff. If no managers exist where you would like to work, feel free to move right in. You may also open a new business.
*If you choose to open a new business, find a vacant "New Business" forum on the board and move in. Create a new post with the name and nature of the business and begin role playing in character in that forum. The admin will periodically move these businesses to commercial areas of the town, change the name of the forum to the name of your business, and add you as moderator. These changes will not affect the posts you have already made.
*If no professional of a forum exists (i.e. there is no doctor at the hospital), feel free to use the Work Force character or invent your own imaginary doctor for the sake of your story. If someone in WS would like to hold a profession, feel free to roleplay with that person for your story.
*If you are holding a job in a business, keep your eye on that forum so you can respond to other members who might want to role play in that business. Alternately, there are Work Force characters available for members to write into their stories without needing a response.
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Post by Mayor on Jan 28, 2021 15:41:22 GMT -5
Out of Character
*Out of character conversations may freely be held in the Out of Character section of the board.
*If you are in the middle of a role play or posting on a role play section, but you want to make a side note, you may either type OOC: (Out Of Character) or IRL: (In Real Life) and then add your out of character comment.
*You may NOT personally attack or make fun of any member for any reason. Discussions are fine and conflicts need to be resolved, but there will be no attacking, mocking or name calling. Anyone who makes another person feel badly in any way will be held accountable to working it out or they will be disciplined.
If you have any questions or comments, please PM the Admin.
GOING AWAY
If you must be away from the board, please notify us by posting under the forum "Personal Updates" under "Real Life".
If you have not logged in within 30 days, we may begin checking on you via email.
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Post by Mayor on Jan 28, 2021 15:41:41 GMT -5
WS laws can be changed or added to as needed. Updates will be added to the laws and will be posted under City Bulletin. Some bulletins might request for members to post that they have read it, to ensure everyone has been notified of the changes.
Please remember to post on the link at the top of this thread that you have read these laws.
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