This is not a manual.
HL is not a strict RP site and so we are not going to tell you HOW to RP, but we are going to set up some guidelines and offer suggestions to protect everyone's right to RP.
Godric's Hollow, the Chapel in Hogsmeade, Barnabas Tapestry in Hogwarts, the Dark Alley in Knockturn, and the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade are designated roleplay-only areas.
1. Try to stay relevant to where you are. Most villages/areas have a description at the top.
These descriptions are not completely restrictive or defining, but it really wouldn't make sense to RP a quidditch match in the Chapel, ya know?
But at the same time, a wedding could occur in Godric's Hollow.
Sometimes it may be hard to keep relevant if certain villages are already being used, but you can RP around other people or even join in someone else's RP.
2. Try to agree to RP rules BEFORE starting a RP. Shouts and accusations of "GODMODDER!!!" in the middle of an RP usually only leads to arguments.
Godmodding will never go away, but if you're doing a more or less scripted or pre-planned RP, you can set up the terms beforehand to keep things running more smoothly.
3. No personal attacks or bullying. Criticize ideas, not people. Don't attack another person for how they RP. So what if it's not up to your standards? Don't RP with them. Don't bring RL issues into your RP or insult other RPers with RL things.
Don't try to bully other people by hiding behind a character. If your character is a jerk, then be a jerk. But please don't think that excuses you from the bullying rule- harassment is harassment.
4. Respect other players. No one person's RP is any more important or better than anyone else's.
If you can't somehow work around differences in style or content in a mature, compromising manner (RPing around each other, joining in, compromising on style/rules), RP in a different village or wait until the current RP is done.
This also works in reverse. If you see people trying to RP and you're getting in each other's way, maybe your RP could be continued in a different village?
The point is, everyone has the right to RP here. Working together and not against each other helps to keep it respectful.
5. Try to keep OOC (out-of-character) posts to a minimum (when in a RP-only area). We've set aside these certain villages for those that want to RP.
Going there and having an OOC conversation defeats the purpose, even if you're setting up a RP. Do that through owls or a messenger.
6. No sexual roleplaying. This is a Harry Potter site, guys. With kids around. No sex. Anywhere.
Kissing, cuddling, hugging are all fine, but there's no reason for anything beyond that. As always, any reference to rape is an instant ban.
FOR REFERENCE: The definition of godmoding is using skills or having abilities beyond what a person would normally have according to your character's description. For example, a Firstyear student would not be able to apparate or be able to produce a successful death curse.
Those are magical abilities that need to be learned and really only come with experience. But it doesn't mean that you can describe your character as being all powerful, either. Good RP characters have realistic strengths and weaknesses.
Doing so would fall under the "powergaming/playing" definition. NO ONE can ALWAYS evade curses, hexes, dodge physical attacks, or magically heal themselves of all damage.
Nor does it mean that you will ALWAYS hit your target, never take any damage, or win all of your battles.
Another form of godmoding is when you try to control other players' reactions or actions. For example: WRONG: Witchy takes her dagger and lunges at Spinal's neck, the sharpened blade slicing her carotid artery wide open, causing her to fall to the ground, bleeding profusely.
RIGHT: Witchy takes her dagger and lunges at Spinal, aiming for the pulsing artery in her neck, attempting to slice it open and leave her wounded.
See the difference? You can't just walk up to a person and attack them and decide what happens to them.
You can only attempt to injure, harm, maim, kill them.
A good RP (as in a non-godmoding one) allows the other person the opportunity to block, counteract, dodge, OR go ahead and concede and take some sort of damage. A good RPer will concede to damage sometimes since again, no one is invincible.
Again, these are just some basic guidelines for roleplaying here on Hogwarts Live. There are tons of roleplaying guides out there with more in-depth tips and "rules," if you need more help or ideas, but the main goal is to have fun!
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