Post by RandomWiktor on Dec 29, 2007 18:32:44 GMT -5
Though listed as rules, you can think of the information below more as "guidelines." We are not an oppresively strict RPG that will ban you for minor infractions, and we understand that it is easy to forget some of the lesser details of this long list. All that is asked of you is that you adhere by what is written here as best you can, PM moderators with any questions, and above all - enjoy RPing!
General Conduct
Permitted Species
Semi Realistic Means Semi Realistic
Obviously, no website with talking animals of different species who interact more or less peacefully in a hideously overpopulated area with few deaths is not too realistic. However, we try to keep this site as realistic as if can be, which means:
Realism Includes Behavior
Rules Specific to Hunting
Rules Specific to Mating
Rules Specific to Offspring
Other Character Rules
General Conduct
- Please fill out any relevant forms and have a good grasp of your species' behavior before joining.
- Please RP in Guest Mode only.
- Please list all characters within a week of joining on the Character Listing. Please log in before doing this so that you can edit your post at a later date.
- No godplay/power playing.
- No "leading" other people's characters by posting their actions, thoughts, etc. in your post. This is basically another form of god playing.
- No copying any of the rules or information from this site to use at your own RPG; it took time and effort on the part of the administrator to form Gallop Free into the unique entity that it is, and we intend on keeping it that.
- Respect the moderators and administrators; if you think you are being treated unfairly, PM me and I will deal with it personally.
- We do not ask that you write a novel worthy of publishing with perfect spelling and grammar in each post. We do ask that you do your best when posting. This means a bare minimum of five sentences (please strive for more!), detailed descriptions, and intelligable writing that reflects your effort.
Permitted Species
- Gallop Free is intended to represent northern North American habitats, so the majority (or all) of your characters should be wild animals native to North America.
- You may RP as any animal within reason. Within reason means no ants, snails, or amoebas. Use your judgement, and be creative. Wolves are great, but when we have only wolves, the place lacks biodiversity. Make this your time to play something different, like a kit fox or cooper's hawk or raccoon.
- Feral domesticated animals are permitted, under the condition that they are feasible. They are also not necesarrily encouraged. You may play a large breed dog, livestock animal, or feline. You may not play a longhaired spotted guinea pig. Small dog breeds, domestic small mammals, etc. would have no chance of survival in the wilderness and are prohibited.
- If you have to wonder if a type of feral could survive, it probably can't, and thus can not be joined. Feral numbers should be limited in general; this is first and foremost a wildlife site.
- Hybrids were once very popular here. They are still permissible, but I ask that they be limited in number and remain realistic. Point in case is the ever-popular wolf/pit bull hybrid, which are very uncommon in real life. (Hybrids joined prior to this rule may stay)
- If you have any questions about if a species is acceptable or not, please check the Species List before asking a moderator.
- Humans are strictly prohibited except for brief use as plot enhancers. This is an animal RPG.
Semi Realistic Means Semi Realistic
Obviously, no website with talking animals of different species who interact more or less peacefully in a hideously overpopulated area with few deaths is not too realistic. However, we try to keep this site as realistic as if can be, which means:
- Appearences must be realistic! No red eyed wolves. No foxes with dalmatian spots. No blue and white striped horses with purple manes. Animals are beautiful enough natural. If you find a non-edited photograph of a rare color, feel free to join a unique character, but do not over-use this privilege.
(Characters joined before this rule will stay) - The joining of melanistic, leucistic, piebald, and otherwise mutated characters is permissible, but please keep the number of animals with these mutations to a minimum as in nature; keep the focus on personality and character development rather than looks.
(Characters joined bfore this rule may stay) - While you may join animals with disabilities and deformities, it is not suggested. Remember, compromised animals tend to fair poorly in the wild, particularly if they belong to a non-social species. (Characters joined before this rule may stay)
- Please no exaggerated characters. Don't look up the guiness record for size, length, weight, fang length, and then add a bit to it and register. You may have a "large" or "slightly above average" character, but no "Killer the wolf is 6 feet, four inches long and nearly four feet at the shoulder. He weighs 200lbs and ripples with muscle. His fangs are massive, and his claws sharper than razors."
- Petite characters are OK. Average characters are OK. Submissive characters are OK. Neutered characters are OK. Gay characters are OK. Register them.
- No human, magical, sacred, etc. items. Talismans, bracelets, and peircings do not exist in nature. If your character is feral, a collar, bridle, or similar item is permissible, but it would be best to find ways to remove these over time as they hinder survival.
- No special powers, mind control, shape shifting, mind-reading, or other sci-fi/fantasy activity. Instead, why not consider the marvelous "powers" animals allready have - flight, superior vision and hearing, strength, etc.
Realism Includes Behavior
- No "evil" characters. By this I mean don't register a pitch black wolf with red eyes and big, blood-slick fangs, all covered with scars from the fights he's won. And under other, please don't put silly things like "__ is a warrior, always ready for battle and always winning fights. Don't piss __ off or you'll pay for it." Noting that they are dominant or aggressive is quite sufficient
- Coyotes aren't theives and cowards. Mountain lions don't live in prides. Horses aren't social butterflies who run around being peaceful and lovey-dovey. Keep your behaviors as true as possible.
- We permit interspecies interaction, but please keep it reasonable; there is a big difference between a horse and deer sharing grazing space, and a wolf and rabbit having a chit-chat.
- We also permit the "adoption" of orphans, but once again - do so sparingly, esp. if its an interspecies adoption. Have your own pups, mating is fun.
- Solitary species must not live in social groups. Social species should live in groups. In other words, no packs of foxes and prides of bobcats. This doesn't mean every group animal needs to be giddy and altruistic, nor does every solitary animal need to avoid others of its kind like the plauge; just use your common sense with interactions.
- Greeting rituals, pack/herd activities, posture/body language, and any other behavioral aspects should be recognized and carried out at least in part. If you plan on playing a species you know nothing about, look up the behaviors first.
Rules Specific to Hunting
- You create and play your own prey animals; the mods on this site are not such control freaks that they need to stick their noses in your every activity.
- Hunting must also be realistic. You may not prey on animals your species would never eat. Your prey must be proportional to your size, age, and hunting ability. Read up on your species' natural diet if you are unsure.
- In other words, a lone wolf is not bringing down a healthy bull moose. Your kill must be old, injured, sick, or young for you to hunt it if it is a large animal, and a weak specimin of is species if a small animal.
- No animal is sucessful on every hunt. Most prey escapes. Injuries may also occur. Consider this while RPing.
Rules Specific to Mating
- Unlike many romanticized RPGs, we want mating to be realistic and species appropriate. This means graphic to some extent, but please keep within the limits of appropriate. (ie. scientific, not pornographic) This is not a furry MUCK.
- Monogamous animals must be monogamus. The only exceptions are if your mate is frequently absent for a prolonged period of time (over a month without explaination), especially during mating season; you and the person who plays your character's mate no longer wish to be mates; the other player quits the RP; or you have some serious qualm with your mate (PM me or Breeze). So please, choose your mates carefully as they are intended to be permenant.
- Along the same line, you are required to know your partner for a minimum of one week (much longer is encouraged) before mating, to discourage bad pairings.
- Animals that do not practice monogamy must not be monogamous, though you can have a favored companion within your selection of mates. If that is the case, you do not have to stay faithful to them only, and they can not leave you for infidelity. In horses in particular, females are the sexual subordinates to males, and a lead stallion may have as many mates as he likes.
- By the same stretch, if you are claimed in a harem, you must only mate with the harem leader. If you mate with another harem leader, you run the risk of being expelled from the group or having your offspring killed.
- We do not strictly enforce only alpha-pair mating in packs, but it is strongly encouraged. It is very preferable to start your own pack rather than mate within a pack. Very. Preferable.
- Realistic mating behavior is encouraged. Mating rituals, mounting, climax, and (if applicable) tie should all occur, but if you're squeamish about playing the actual mating, at least play the pre-and-post mating rituals. Carefully consider these pre- and post-mating behaviors; are you a species that builds a nest for your mate to impress her? Do you need to dig a den after impregnanted? Do you need to escape after copulation so your partner won't attack you?
- Any restrictions on mating (if they exist) are seen in the text box atop the main page.
Rules Specific to Offspring
- The number of offspring you have absolutely must be species appropriate. An ungulate can have one or two offspring. A canine or feline can have anywhere from 3 to 12 depending on species and prey supply. Birds will vary on species, but clutches of most nesting birds seldom exceed 4 survivors.
- The gestation is minimum of two weeks from mating - you may have it be longer if you wish, but not shorter. After birthing, the offspring can not be weaned in less than two weeks (we suggest longer; this is the minumum). From this point on, you control aging, but be reasonable.
- Your are permitted to advertise upcoming litters on the plot line board if you do not wish to play all of the offspring yourself; it gives other members an opprotunity to join new characters.
- If you don't want to play full sized litter, be creative. Have stillborns. Let a predator eat some of them. Have a parvo infection. Ditch them. Cannibalize them. Let another character take them over as they age. The young have no special priviledges on this site.
Other Character Rules
- You may have as many characters as you want, but don't get so many that you can't stay active.
- Don't register characters just for the purpose of killing other characters, unless you are killing as part of an agreed-upon plot - in which case they are temporary and needn't be registered to begin with.
- If you wish to kill or unregister a character, there is an appropriate form. If you would rather have him/her go missing, simply note on the Character List that the character is inactive.
- You may not kill other characters without the player's permission. Permission (from the player, heh) is prefered for rapes as well.
- "Temps" need not be registered, but specify in your first post that the character is not permenant. You may later make it permenant by posting a join form if you change your mind.