Need some clarification on things

[Frain Breeze]

It's only been a week, but already I'm having second thoughts on having left the RP here. The responses I got made it apparent that my posts were far more appreciated than I had originally believed.

However, I definitely want some clarification on the limits of the Mane RP before I decide to rejoin. The main reason I left is that, while the rules are left sort of general and up to the user, the enforcement feels strict. Since I always err too far on the side of caution, I essentially wound up in "Fluttershy mode", afraid to do anything that even approaches questionable. It felt it was too hard to have fun. I only feel comfortable posting on a forum when I know for sure what my limits are.

Without further delay, here's a list of things I want to know more about:

1. Monsters

The go-to idea for anything in the Everfree. But what kinds of things can we have drop in on our characters? I know the super-powerful things like dragons are out. Can we make up monsters? If so, are there any kinds of things we should avoid? (e.g. zombies, skeletons, changelings, certain powers)

2. "Wild" locations

It's fun to have an RP where you find someplace new. How much leeway do we have with ancient ruins, caverns, and other areas nopony has explored? My main concern here is when we have to come up with some backstory for the locale, since it could easily involve making up history the show hasn't established. And on the subject of ruins, what about traps? How far into Daring Doo mode can we go?

3. Violence

I know the major grimdark stuff is out. But where exactly is the line? I had a character rejected because tackling someone to steal from them was considered too violent, yet I've seen military characters with the "family or squad wiped out by badguys" backstory get through without a problem. The ruling felt very arbitrary, and was actually the last straw that convinced me to leave Canterlot. I'm not asking for an argument, I just need to know the reasoning that one passes and another fails. I was 100% certain that character would've passed, so it took me completely by surprise. I don't like vague rules that sneak up on me like that.

4. Ponyville without cast characters involved

Ponyville is a big "target" for RPs, since it's where most of the show takes place. All of the major landmarks are heavily tied to the Mane Six or at least some other cast character, so what do we do if none of their players are in a Ponyville RP with you? It just seems kinda awkward to have to avoid the major locations we're all familiar with.

[Imagination]

I'll attempt to shed some light. If anypony wishes to fill in some gaps I may create, or even correct me if I'm mistaken, please feel free to do so!

1. In terms of creatures to 'get the drop on you' I guess the follow-up question to that would be 'to what means?'. Sure, we've seen some modicum of battle between creatures (kicking a Dragon, charging a Manticore, fighting Changelings), but I don't think creature combat RP after creature combat RP is really what we want to see in the Mane RP. In spirit of the show, we'd like to try and keep things relatively peaceful and fun. Now, in regards to what KINDS of creatures you can encounter, just use what we've seen in the show! Manticores, Hydras, Timberwolves, Parasprites, Cockatrices, and perhaps others I'm forgetting.

Remember, ponies don't have to fight hostile creatures! If fact, fleeing from creatures would create more of a challenge and thrill to the RP, as well as a bond of escaping a threat together (should your character be with others).

2. I'm not sure on this one. The best I can tell you for 'wild locations' is to wait for the lore to open up again, as we'll be working on a lot of locations and things like that. Perhaps stuff to explore will arise too! As far as traps go, if and when the locations and such to support them come about... I would say passive traps would be acceptable. Trap doors lowering into padded holes, sleeping gas traps, tripwire cages, things like that. Nothing like mines or bear traps or spike walls or things like that.

3. In regards to OC backgrounds like you mentioned, we're doing our very best to phase them out. In all honesty, we're sick of seeing dead parents xD

Some form of hardship is fine, in order for an OC to overcome some kind of struggle to better themselves, but things that are just downright tragic and become a bummer for the app are no good in my opinion. In regards to violence... Like in #1, 'to what means?'. If it's to maim or kill something, I'd say no every time. But if it was something like martial arts, or sport or anything like that, or even just 'play fighting' or light scuffles (resulting in cartoon dust clouds and the like) are acceptable. Just keep things in a relatively 'cartoony' nature.

4. There's plenty of stuff to do in Ponyville without the Mane 6! Sure, they're important, but they're only 6 ponies! You can wander the streets, visit the markets, play in the fields, go to shops OTHER than those owned by the Mane 6... pretty much anything you could do anywhere else. It would be like going to the White House and saying 'well I can't do anything because the President isn't here right now'

Hope that helps!

[Corsair]

For Question 2, I'd say that creating a place-setting for an RP is fine. Equestria is a big place, and not all of it has been explored. If you want to create a persistent area where ponies live or you want it to be an area to host multiple RPs, that's when you need a lore entry.

[Frain Breeze]

Imagination:

1. I was thinking more along the lines of "try to run, but fight back if cornered" encounters. As for the kinds of creatures, I was under the impression that manticores, hydras, and cockatrices were off-limits except to Mods. Parasprites... I think an encounter with those would be a RP in its own. Timberwolves are good though! I totally forgot about those guys.

2. For the traps, are you talking about what characters can be "hit" by, or what can exist period? Having the dangerous ones there, even if they won't actually end up catching anypony, would help add excitement to the RPs (and/or provide lulz if they turn out to be defective).

3. "We're phasing them out" - That is an acceptable answer. As for the violence thing, the character in question was going to moonlight as a thief. She would tackle somepony, grab whatever they dropped, and then run off. It's not the brightest and sunniest character, but I thought it was reasonable.

4. I'm not so sure that comparison works for this situation, since the Mane Six (and secondary characters) are the only ones who run their shops. I imagine the library would be closed without either Twilight or Spike hanging around, for example. However, I do agree that there are other places one could go. Like I said, it just seems awkward avoiding the places we know. (Not really a huge concern, just an oddity)

Keep the answers coming

[RarityDash]

1: The playable species list which lists monsters like manticores, hydras and the like as not being playable likely doesn't mean what it might at first glance appear to. It doesn't mean that these creatures are entirely prohibited in the RP, but rather that they cannot be the species chosen for a player's character. A user may not write up an app for a hydra or cockatrice OC and expect it to ever be approved for the mane RP. This does not, however, mean that these creatures cannot appear when appropriate in the RP as obstacles for the characters to face.

2: In my personal opinion (which may differ from the rest of the RP team), I honestly don't see too much problem with more damaging traps being included with discretion so long as you don't ever force any other user's character into them. All should be wIthin reason, of course, but if the whole purpose of including something is to add excitement to the RP and it isn't going to actually ever end up causing any harm, it seems kind of like a non-issue to me.

3: You should look at some of the very early apps approved; some things that slipped past the cracks early on are quite surprising. As the board and the RP have grown, the standards have definitely tightened and had to become more rigid for what we do and don't allow in. I know I have had a number of things approved which probably wouldn't fly today. A pony who regularly mugs others (which is what you describe) is kind of pushing it. I'm not entirely up on the situation, but if I were to guess, it's probably the physicality of the act that was the deal breaker. I have a couple ponies who steal, but it's more of swindle/con type of deal with them or just wasn't elaborated on all that much.

4: There are lots of other ponies living in Ponyville in our RP, a number of which own their own shops. Ponyville, even with how long we've encouraged users to RP in other places, is actually probably still our most active setting, and many of the threads there don't have any of the Mane six or any cast characters in them at all. That said, many do. It's really not all that hard to RP with many of the mane six. I play Rarity, and I've been quick to accommodate practically anyone who's asked to RP with her in the mane RP.

[Rosewind]

My two bits (and these really are my two bits):

I like to think of the Mane RP as a living, breathing version of FiM. It has a strict environment for a reason, and we work hard to keep that environment as consistent as we can. That's not to say inconsistencies pop up now and then, since we have hundreds of different characters played by many, many different players with their own ideas about what they want to bring to the table. It's even subject to question what some of the players think our roleplay is. Is it adventure? Slice of life? A struggle for their character to overcome? A fighting roleplay?

I think the confusion happens when the player tries to bring something to the game that isn't in the consistency or spirit of the cartoon it is designed around, and their ideas really would be better-suited to Crossovers or Free for All. Unfortunately with how the system is designed, a player must get a Mane character through the door first before Crossovers becomes an available group to roleplay in. We see a lot of struggle/grim/tragedy in applications, and I think that has to do with the player thinking that's the only way to make their character interesting -- or perhaps a way to avoid marysuism. Creativity and careful thought about the kind of game they're getting into, I think, would help alleviate a lot of the disconnect between the player and the roleplay environment of Mane. You wouldn't bring a soccer ball to a baseball game, so you have to come prepared with the right tools for the right game.

Ask yourself this, if you're not sure if it's okay for World of Equestria: If you turned on an episode of FiM right now, would the content you've designed be something you would see as a natural episode of the cartoon? If your answer is no, perhaps the idea you're thinking of may not be good for the roleplay. The others have answered your other questions, so this reply is more to give my personal scope of the project.

[flutterscotch]

I do know one thing, Frain Breeze. When I created the lore for the area of Solstice Heights called Garden Gait I DID include the ruins of what was once a great (pink) wall in the depths of the Whitetail Woods and bits that could be found in little less-travelled valleys.

And I am trying to plan an RP with Dark Core involving finding the fountain that was part of one of the gatehouses/checking out "treasure" at the bottom of a well. But it involves children, and you are welcome to join if you want an explore-y type thing.

And of course, there has to be like some farmhouses and barns in parts of the realm that might be abandoned. Maybe nothing too epic, but still fun!

And you always have control over your own characters' places of residence and/or business!