If you are reading this, then you have probably been invited to play a role in a role-playing scenario. Please read all of this carefully, as the quality of the "play" depends on everyone playing by the rules.

Introduction

Role-playing with GL (on h2g2) is based on role-playing scenarios that were originally meant to be played by live people gathered in a real place. I haven't written the scenarios - I found them on the internet (after lots of searching). My adaptation of them for use on h2g2 is something that will probably evolve as I host more of them and see how they work. Feel free to offer advice, here on this page.

In a live playing situation, I would have sent each person a description of their character before the date of the event. During the event, people would have private and public conversations (which may or may not be eavesdropped upon) and if they needed some clarification, they would take me aside and ask me. On h2g2, these things will have to be handled differently. Mainly, I am relying on the honour system, as you will read below.

Your character and your private thread

You are a researcher, playing a character. I will have told you who you are playing when I invited you to participate. On the main scenario page, there will be a thread for your character called "Private thread for {character name}". This thread is for your eyes only (so don't look at anyone else's private thread). If you have any questions about the event, or if I have any special communications, this is the thread to use. Also, if you are planning something sneaky, try to tell me in advance in this thread. There are things you don't know (and I do) that may affect the outcome of your action.

The first thing in the thread will be your character description which tells who you are and what you want (your goals). You achieve your goals by talking to other characters - sharing secrets, telling lies, making alliances, betraying your friends, etc. - and by doing what your character would do under the circumstances.

Conversations

If you are in a room with lots of other people and want to speak to one of them, and don't care if others overhear, simply address yourself to them in that forum. If you want to have a private chat with someone, ask them for a word in private and then create a new forum called "conversation between {character} and {character} in the {location}". This conversation will be private, unless someone eavesdrops.

Eavesdropping

The idea of eavesdropping is somewhat difficult to implement on h2g2. Here's a way, based on the honour system. Remember, that the virtual eavesdropping should be a reasonable representation of what would happen in a live situation. Thus, if the conversation is taking place in the centre of a large room with nothing around the participants, it will be nearly impossible to eavesdrop. Don't try to eavesdrop on all conversations, otherwise the game will be spoiled.

If there is a conversation that you want to eavesdrop on (and it is logically possible for you to do so), go to that forum, but do not read any of the previous posts. Note the current post number and then go to your private thread and inform me that you are eavesdropping on that conversation starting at post ???. I may simply acknowledge, or if I judge it necessary, I may inform one of the conversation participants that they "notice a rustling", or something.

Backlog Reading

The basic idea here is that your character can only be in one place at a time. Thus, if your character is participating in a thread and you (the researcher) leave and come back later to find some backlog, then it is fine to read it, since your character was there all along.

However, if your character enters into an existing thread, then you shouldn't read the backlog, since your character wasn't there to see/hear it. You can read the last post, though, since your character may have overheard/seen it as he/she approached.

Items

Your character description will include a list of items that you have, along with a short description of the items. If you want more information on an item, examine it (and ask me what you find in your private thread). These are the only items that you have. In other words, you can't suddenly start brandishing a gun, if your item list doesn't contain a gun (or you haven't obtained one from another player). Your items can be given or traded to other players if you so wish. They can also be stolen, as described below.

Stealing Items

Thanks to Arlecchino for suggesting this mechanism:

Say character A wanted to steal a knife from character B's
pocket. Character A goes to her own private thread and tells
GL that she wishes to steal chracter B's knife. GL
decides, based on what he knows about both characters A and
B whether or not A is skillful enough to pull it off, or if B would
notice the knife being listed. Then GL notifies character B in
HIS private thread that the knife is missing, but not who took
the knife. Then, later, when character B reaches a point in the
game where the knife would be useful he can post in the main
thread that he searches his pockets and is unable to find the
knife.

This sort of thing also works for stealing things from another's room. You would go to the thread for that room (or create one if it hasn't been created yet) and if no one is there, proceed to search the room. On your private thread, tell GL what you are doing, and he will tell you what you find. You then post to your private thread the items that you take, and leave the room. GL then informs the owner, on his private thread, what you took.

Special Abilities

Your character may also have some special abilities, which are described in your character description. These allow you to do things without having to go through me. For instance, if you have a special ability that allows you to render someone unconscious, then simply whisper to them: "special ability: you are unconscious".

If you are on the receiving end of one of these special abilities, play along - i.e. have your character fall to the floor. Remember, your character doesn't know what is happening; act confused about mysteriously fainting, and forget what player used the special ability.

Fighting

Even among the best of friends, there is an occasionaly falling out. To administer fighting, I have a bunch of numbers to simulate skills (the "Physical Statistics" section of your character description should give you an idea of how you will do in a fight). If a fight occurs, direct me to it on your private thread, act out your actions and I will post whether it worked or not.

Fact Sheets

Fact sheets associated with a particular game will be contained in a separate article. Your character description will tell you which of the fact sheets you can read. DON'T READ ANY FACT SHEETS YOU HAVEN'T BEEN AUTHORIZED TO READ. Doing so will ruin the game for you. This is another of those honour-system adaptations.

Miscelaneous Threads

There are several important threads that all players need to be aware of:

• 
  Announcements thread - this is the thread where things are announced that affect all players. All players should read this thread.
  
• 
  Who is Where thread - this thread contains a list of all the characters and where they are currently located. When you change locations, post to this thread by simply copying the previous post and changing your location.
  
• 
  OOC conversation thread - this is the place where the players can converse, out of character.
  

Conclusion

The main point here is to have fun. There are no winners and losers. So, please be honourable and fair. Don't look at other's private threads. Stay in character (except on your private thread). Don't try to bend the rules. Follow continuity.