<div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 16pt;"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>GM ANNOUNCEMENTS</strong></span></span></div><br/>/me straightens her Marshall Badge and stands up to the podium.<br/><br/>If I may have everyone's attention for a moment, there are some announcements that must be made.  But, before we get to the nitty, gritty of everything below, I would like to point out that some of it may come across as harsh.  It is not my intention to make anyone feel unwelcome nor make myself sound unapproachable as neither of those things are true.  However, when it comes to the rules of the game, I need to be completely clear.<br/><br/><div align="center"><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Rules</div><div class="spoiler_body">~Be civil and courteous to other players.  This includes respecting each others ON's and OFF's, being polite in OOC chatter and remembering that everyone on this site is a person.  Of course, ALL of E's rules apply!<br/><br/>~No out of character drama!  I cannot stress this enough!  This is an adult site and all issues between players should be handled in an adult manner.  If there are problems between players, please do not post about it in OOC chatter, do not make veiled references to the person nor make veiled references to the argument in OOC.  Please deal with OOC drama in PM's and, should the players not be able to resolve their issues, they can ask staff to mediate.  <br/><br/>~Private messages to the GM's should include BOTH Ciosa and myself.  <br/><br/>~We ask that everyone write in third person, past tense.  <br/><br/>~Doomtown has new posting rules.  As characters can be in more than one thread (so long as it's not at the same IG time), we have little posting rate rules when it comes to the sandbox portion of the game.  <br/><br/>However, if you are participating in a GM arc with other players, we would like posts regularly.  Each GM arc will have a posting rate associated with it.  If you cannot make a post in that time, we will skip over your character in the posting rotation.  This is not meant to pressure or exclude anyone but the momentum of a group event is very important.  The GM arcs are events that the players will be signing up for rather than something that a player must be involved in.  We simply ask that, if you do not have the time for the posting frequency, do not sign up for that particular event.  There will be others!<br/><br/>~This should go without saying but I will add it here anyway.  Real life of the GM's as well as our players ALWAYS comes first.  Please do not pester/poke others that may be slower moving.  If you know you are going to be gone for a time, we ask that you mention it so other players are aware.<br/><br/>If your character is completely inactive for one month without notice, the character will be moved to inactive status.  When a character has been moved to inactive status, it will be mentioned in OOC so others know not to wait to continue a thread or adventure.<br/><br/>If your character is completely inactive for two months without notice, we will presume that the player has moved on from the game.  In this situation, we will presume that the character has moved away from the city and all property owned by that character will be considered sold to the bank. <br/><br/>~If you can no longer play in Doomtown, for any reason, we ask that you make a graceful exit.  It is easiest if a character simply moves away from the city (can be simply mentioned in OOC).  We will not take over characters nor kill them off as they are the players intellectual property.  However, if a player leaves Doomtown and these things are not mentioned, we reserve the right to remove their presence from the city.<br/></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Rules Violations</div><div class="spoiler_body">Disclaimer:  Ciosa and I have never had any trouble and have not had to resort to any of these things since joining E.  However, this is necessary so there's no misunderstandings later down the road.<br/><br/>Ciosa and I have run several games together both online and in person.  We have a system that tends to work for us.  He, being the more outgoing individual, tends to have the role of 'good sheriff' and I tend toward the role of 'bad sheriff'.  This simply means that, when there is trouble within the game, I tend to be the one to handle it.  <br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Friendship and GMs</div><div class="spoiler_body">It is only natural for Ciosa and I to have/make friends with players in the game.  However, when it comes to the game, we will NOT play favorites.  If anyone breaks our rules, friend or no, the reaction will be the same.  Everyone playing in our game should feel free at all times to discuss problems with us.  <br/><br/>In the past (and not on E), we have had issues with friends wanting things that other players didn't get and it caused issues when exceptions weren't made in the name of that friendship.  When it comes to the game, we are not willing to play favorites nor make exceptions for friends.  <br/></div></div><br/>If the rules are broken once, I will send a PM with a warning and explanation as to what caused the issue.  I am a very reasonable person and don't mind conversing about anything with the players.  If there are questions at any point, please feel free to ask.<br/><br/>If the rules are broken twice, I will once again send a PM with another warning and explanation.<br/><br/>If it happens a third time, I will simply ask you to leave Doomtown.  <br/><br/>Please note, Ciosa and I reserve the right to skip any of the steps above based on the situation.  <br/><br/>**ALL PLAYERS IN THE GAME SHOULD FEEL SAFE AND LISTENED TO!**  If another person is offensive and/or not respecting boundaries, they are breaking not only the rules of Doomtown but also the rules of E.  Please, please, please feel free to bring this to our attention and staff attention.  Breaches in E's rules WILL NOT be tolerated.  Please remember that, if someone is treating you poorly, they may also be doing the same to others.  <br/></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Prejudice, Sexism, Bigotry and Doomtown</div><div class="spoiler_body">In Deadlands and that time period, there is a good deal of racism, bigotry and sexism.  In character, we will allow for such things to take place though we do not require it.  In the time period and the setting of the game, same sex relationships, while they did exist, were not done openly.  Women were not considered the equal of men.  A female gunslinger wouldn't be treated with the same respect as a male gunslinger.  As a matter of fact, they were often times shunned by most of society.  However, it is slightly more common in the West.  Native Americans, African Americans, Chinese individuals were not called by those names (as just a few examples).  <br/><br/>Please bear this in mind when dealing with other characters and NPCs.  PLAYERS ARE NOT THEIR CHARACTERS.  If an NPC is rather boldly racist or sexist (and several of them are), it is not a reflection of Ciosa or my own mindset.  <br/><br/>However, we WILL NOT tolerate any of that OOC.  That includes the OOC thread (other than questions for clarification).  In OOC, all races, genders and sexual orientations are not only treated equally but welcomed.  Breaking this rule may end in being asked to leave the game without previous warning (depending on the circumstances).<br/></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">A Couple Random Requests</div><div class="spoiler_body">If you have a question for a GM, please use the bold function on the question for ease of us seeing it.  We will be working on a FAQ section to make these things easier for the players.  We will be using some of the questions asked frequently from the past incarnation as well as ones from the new incarnation.<br/><br/>Please understand that our Wiki is a WIP.  As both Ciosa and I have indicated, there are some changes to the way we are running the game this time.  It will allow for faster paced GM events and more frequent ones!  Please keep an eye on the Wiki as time goes along!<br/></div></div><br/><hr/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Modified System and Freeform</div><div class="spoiler_body">Doomtown Reloaded is using a modified system for ease of the players.  While all the PC's have character sheets and they do matter, Ciosa and I find it easiest and more player friendly to have the majority of the mechanics done behind the scenes.  We do not want players to be rolling every post nor needing to stop and compare traits, aptitudes, etc.  It slows the games progress and can be very confusing for those less familiar with system games.<br/><br/>In the sandbox section, we expect players to adhere to what their characters are actually capable of (according to their character sheets).  If there comes a time in which players are using abilities their character doesn't possess or there is a deadlock between players for any reason, we will send a PM to correct the problem.  For instance, if a character doesn't have perform: pole dance but the player has written that the character is the best pole dancer ever, we will send a PM.  This should not be confused with what a character SAYS.  A character can run around and say pretty much anything they want to without it being a problem.  A character who has never pole danced before can tell everyone that they are the best pole dancer in history.  <br/><br/>We are using a modified system to make sure that all the characters started out with similar levels of ability.  That doesn't mean that the characters will have the same trait levels and aptitudes but every character started out with the same points.  It is also meant to avoid the min/maxed characters and “power players”.  No one gets to start the game with their character being better than everyone at everything (however a character can certainly say they are the best at everything).  <br/><br/>We are NOT willing to move to the actual Deadlands system nor are we willing to go to completely freeform.  <br/></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">NPC's</div><div class="spoiler_body"><div align="center"><strong>GM NPC's<strong></strong></strong></div>GM NPC's are the non-player characters that the GM's are in charge of running.  All of the GM NPC's will have a specific coloration in the pictures used for them and they will all be listed in the Who's Who thread.    They all have their own goals that assist the storyline in various fashions.  <br/><br/><div align="center"><strong>Player NPC's <strong></strong></strong></div>These are NPC's that players are in charge of controlling.  These characters do not have a character sheet nor are they allowed to have various edges and/or hindrances (please see below).  As we are encouraging players to write together rather than just with GM's, we are asking that NPC's that are merely meant for one particular player's background or story idea be played by other players.  <br/><br/>There are a couple ways of going about that.  The first is posting in the classifieds section.  This allows for all the players to peek in and see if there is a role that they would like to play for a shorter duration of time.  The Classifieds can be used for incredibly specific requests or vague ideas.  If a player has interest in playing a role that another player has posted, the negotiations will happen through PM.  ALL OF E's RULES APPLY TO THESE NEGOTIATIONS.  Meaning that the player who posted has a right to refuse any player that contacts them for any reason.  In the same spirit, the player who contacts the poster has the right to decide to not take up the role if it doesn't match something they are comfortable portraying.  NPC's are not meant to take up all the time of the players and any player can stop playing an NPC whenever they so chose.  They are not meant to be secondary PC's.  <br/><br/>The second method is to contact someone via PM and make a private offer.  This bypasses the classifieds step but the rest of the regular rules of NPC's apply.  For those that may be shy, have a specific idea in mind for an NPC or want to write with a specific player may decide that this method is better for them.  <br/><br/>While we are not wanting the NPC's to have character sheets, there are some things we will not allow NPCs to do.  They are not allowed to have an arcane background, faction rank, high levels of dinero (if they are based in Gomorra), high levels of Belongings (if they are based in Gomorra).  Also, NPC's are not meant to come in and be the biggest, baddest... anything (they can say they are or sell themselves as such).  The PC's are the star of the show and NPC's should not be running around to show them up.  This is not to say that an NPC can't be good at something.  A social/mental character could easily have a gunslinger NPC helping them out with something, etc.  What we are trying to avoid is the “power gaming” problems that could creep up with NPC's.<br/><br/>Also, if there are minor NPC's running around (ones that have been named but are not in the GM's who's who section) and you would like to play them, please feel free to contact the GM's.  We may be making a section for minor, unclaimed NPC's for the PC's to be able to look through at any time.  <br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Combat and Player NPC's</span><br/>Getting into combat while playing an NPC will run much like PVP combat.  The players will need to speak with each other via PM (please include the GM's so we're aware) before the posts involving combat are done.  The players (PC and NPC) will almost always decide the outcome of the conflict together.  Please see the Combat section for more details on this subject.  <br/></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Combat</div><div class="spoiler_body">*copied from Ciosa's post:<br/>Because this is a system game, that system imposes limitations on the PCs.  It also helpfully imposes limitations on the NPCs.  When a combat begins, (which should be fairly obvious, as the draw of a gun or the intention of squeezing a trigger, etc,) rounds will break into combat rounds.  Combat rounds will be fairly strictly controlled - there's a system for numbers of actions allowed in a combat by any actor in a combat.  Generally speaking, talking isn't considered an action, but just about everything else is - drawing a weapon, taking cover, going prone, firing a weapon.  When a combat begins, there will be a combat order - a very high quickness PC may get authority to have multiple actions before his opponent, but more often the order will be something like 1-1-1, or 1-1-2 depending on the differences in levels of quickness.<br/><br/>Also, the results of those actions will be determined by the GMs - for the most part.  You can assume if you're drawing a weapon or taking cover or going prone that it happens, but anything which will be contested (for example, shooting someone) is the province of the GMs to describe the result.  Much like in a tabletop game.  Be aware that it is possible to split actions - in one of the old posts, there's a scene where Nathan Hunter fans his gun to shoot multiple opponents, and someone with a sword can sweep his blade across multiple opponents.  A gunslinger with two pistols can fire two shots, a gunslinger with two pistols that are double action could fire four on one action.  This is acceptable, but each additional action incurs additional penalties on EACH action.  Also, aiming at opponents who've taken cover, or aiming for specific areas of the body incurs penalties.  So does firing in the dark, through mist, when blinded, etc.<br/><br/>This is purely the province of Showdowns, conflicts between PCs or conflicts between PCs and named (i.e, skillful) NPCs.  If you have a gunfight in a history thread, or you're utilizing an unknown, minor NPC in a sandbox to highlight your skills, these rules don't apply.  (To a certain extent.  If Spooky's post had been 'empties six bullets into the minor, reloads, and empties six more before reloading again and emptying six more in the span of an eyeblink,' we'd have sent Wannabe a post that was like... 'uh, no.' )  In general we presume everyone has a fairly reasonable understanding of their character's abilities, and only if we see something bizarre or not in keeping with the character's skills will we make a mention.  <br/><br/>I do apologize if this comes off a little harsh, it isn't intended to be.  Nor is it directed at any player, its simply meant as an explanation of some mechanics.  There are mechanics to the game, but I am deliberately keeping them invisible for a number of reasons.  (The first and foremost is that I feel publishing the mechanics of every interaction deters from roleplaying, and speaking for myself, it puts my brain into a mechanical space over a creative one.)<br/><br/>Thank you all for understanding - combat in the arcs in particular is going to be carefully controlled.  This may be a pain in the ass, but it is, I feel, the best way to keep the game fair and balanced. <br/></div></div></div>