FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
LAST UPDATED: Jan 19 2010 | From revisions began: Sept 27 2009
FAQ revisions are/have been proposed to community by mods for community approval.
(Original F.A.Q - pre 09/27/09 - found here)
Feel free to ask any questions you have on this page, as well.
(See also RULES & the IN-DEPTH GUIDES to the PCD, The World of Adstringendum, and In-Game Death.)
GENERAL QUESTIONS
What does "Adstringéndum" mean?
It means "compression" in Latin. This is because the game's premise is a result of a scientific experiment in space-time compression…in other words, the Scientists have plucked you all from your times and places and shoved you all in one big city.
Who are the moderators of the game?
The current moderators of the game are Anne and Siren. We work together, along with our helpstaff, to keep this game running as smoothly as possible.
RESERVES & TAKEN CHARACTERS
Is there a way for me to reserve a character?
Yes! You can RESERVE any character you wish to play that is NOT on the TAKEN LIST and not already RESERVED. Please note you can only reserve one character at a time.
The character I want to play is on the TAKEN LIST. Now what?
Well, we encourage you to join with another character! And if the character you wanted drops at a later date, you're more than welcome to pick them up.
APPLICABLE CHARACTERS
Can I apply for more than one character from the same series?
Yes! Provided that:
- The characters you all want to play are not too closely related (in terms of potential/canonical reasons for interaction).
- There are at least four other players from that series already.
- This is done to avoid what is known as "playercest," a person playing their own characters off of each other. The first clause prevents a single player from applying for and playing (for example) both Bert and Ernie of Sesame Street, or Luke and Darth Vader from Star Wars. The second clause eliminates same-canon interaction overlap.
Can I apply for a duplicate of a character?
No, we're not taking duplicates.
What if they're a duplicate from another series?
This does happen. Clamp, for example, has its crossover series Tsubasa. You can apply for that duplicate only if they have a different history and story-line than the first. For example - we have two Kamui's, but one is from X and one is from Tsubasa. They are different enough to be considered two different characters. However, Leon from Kingdom Hearts and Squall from Final Fantasy VIII would not both be permitted, since they are so canonically the same. If you have any questions, feel free to email the mods.
Does my character have to be human?
No, they do not, but they do have to have some way of using the PCD. If they do not speak English, their PCD can translate for them.
What if I want to app a spirit or a ghost? Would that be the same as an Animus?
If you want to apply as a spirit being, you are more than welcome to. However, they will be visible to other characters. For example, Bleach Shinigami in this game still can do what they do, but they are solid forms. It would not be the same as an Animus, who are spirit beings but from a separate dimension. They hold a lot of power over events in the game and we would like to keep them separate from other spiritual beings, too.
I want to apply with an Original Character as my first muse. Can I do this?
No, sorry. It's not because we want to stifle creativity, but to try and keep down the much feared Mary Sue/Gary Stus from popping up, we ask that you apply with a canon character first so we can make sure that you are active and committed before apping an OC.
Can I apply for an original character from an established world?
OCs from already established worlds are fair game, just make sure you note what the world is. Generally however, we don't allow canon-OCs (a canon-OC being a character that's established within the canon, but you dictate all of the character's moves and actions, such as the main character from Fable) or OCs that are suddenly attached to every main character without a logical reason (aka self-inserts).
APPLICATIONS
[see also RULES section under APPLICATIONS].
I see some really long applications. Do I need to have five comments worth to get in?
No, you don't. You will also see we approve some shorter applications. What is most important is that you show that you understand the character and can write well. Being wordy or not is more of a stylistic thing, though longer applications do tend to have more info.
Can I just link to a wikipedia background page?
No. We know backgrounds aren't the most enjoyable parts of the applying process, but we do think it shows that you know the history of the character, and understand how they developed into the person you're choosing to play. You can use other sites for a guideline, of course, but don't just copy and paste and maybe change a few words. That is considered plagiarizing. If it is discovered you are attempting to pass off another person's application as your own, you will be rejected and barred from applying to this game. Similarly, if someone helps you to circumvent the ban, they too will be banned - as their actions go, not just against our rules, but Livejournal's TOS.
I think the mods missed my app...
THEN WE ARE SORRY DX Please send us a PM, email, or comment! But remember, if there's a whole bunch of apps around yours then we have not yet checked those either. We try not to overlook any so please let us know. If there's an issue with your application specifically, we will do our best to contact you.
How often do you go over applications?
We go over applications about once a week. Sometimes real life intervenes, and it may take a day or two longer, but the estimation is at least once every week.
ACTIVITY AND ACTIVITY CHECKS
[see also RULES section of ACTIVITY & HIATUSES for more information]
When do you do activity checks?
Once a month, on the last week of the each month. For example, the activity check for June is most likely to be posted around June 23rd and will generally last one week.
What happens if I know I can't make activity check?
Just let us know before the AC period ends and make it up the following month by submitting three proofs instead of the regular two.
What if I miss AC/forget to tell you guys that I can't make it?
The character will be considered "timed out" and dropped from our roster if you have not contacted us by the time a week is over. However, you have seven days to get in touch with us to explain the situation and get added back. Failure to do so within that extra week will free the character up for someone else to apply for. It's "character squatting" (that is, just holding onto a character without doing anything with him/her) to keep a character that you do not play enough to pass the Activity Check... So please remember to update!
What if I'm on hiatus and miss an activity check/my second post for that month?
If you're going on a hiatus, let us know! Post in the Hiatus Post and we'll take note of it. If you're on hiatus, you will be exempt from one activity check. Do not post to the OOC comm (only hiatuses logged to the Hiatus Post will count towards activity checks!). You may also post to your character(s)' journal(s) that you are on hiatus, but you should post this "Date Out-of-order," so that the friends-list is not flooded.
What if I'm on hiatus for more than one month?
We ask that your hiatuses don't last more than one month for a fandom character, or two for an original character, if it's possible to control. Being inactive for a few months and holding onto that character isn't fair to the people that interact with them and others who would like to app them. But, we know that some things in real life are just uncontrollable. Please do your best to check in and let us know by email if you need an extension. These will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Eventually, being on a continuous hiatus will mean forfeiting your character. It's not that we want to be mean, but if you're not around to role-play, there's no sense in having the character. You're welcome to apply again if/when you're able to come back.
WORLD QUESTIONS
How does my character get here?
Because of the scientists' error, every world is being compressed into one, a giant city known as Adstringendum. When your character arrives here, they will end up in the Safezone area of the city, and after that can run around wherever they want at their own discretion.
How does my character communicate with everyone else?
Upon arriving in the world, your character will have a PCD (Personal Communication Device). They may find it near them, mysteriously placed in their belongings, or even handed one by a complete stranger. This is the primary way of communicating with everyone over the network.
For more information, please see the IN-DEPTH F.A.Q. on PCDs
What kind of effects does Adstringendum have on my character?
The city itself, aside from events, has one major effect on most of the people in it - they do not age. At all. For the few not affected as much, aging is slower and will eventually stop. Hair and nails still grow; cells die, but they are replaced perfectly. Children will perpetually look like children, and elders will not die of old age. Wounds will heal at the normal rate, but continue healing indefinitely.
What are the areas of the world called?
The world is divided into two main zones. Currently, a roughly 20 mile zone around the Equator is called the "Safezone" and is habitable to live in. Work is constantly done to expand the Safezone to allow for more people to reside there as they filter in. The rest of the world is generally called the "Wastelands," due to its devastated state. Also, due to the compression, there are beasts of all shapes and sizes that roam the wastes, so it's a very "enter at your own risk" situation.
For more information on these areas, please see the IN-DEPTH F.A.Q. on the WORLD
Who are the "Animus"? What do they do?
The Animus are spirits, essentially, and the word means "spirit" in Latin. They're ethereal beings that exist in a spirit world. As their world was compressed along with other physical realities, they became stuck in the makeup, unable to take form or truly interact with the environment as they normally would.
So, they are quite cranky. They will take advantage of you if you're in an out of body, spirit form (such as when you die, not like Shinigami and whatnot). And since they cannot interact with the world itself, they take out their anger on the people. If they work hard enough, they can take away your voice, or change your genetic make-up for a period of time. It really depends on how they feel like showing their disdain. The Project constantly tries to see if there is a way to stop them from involving themselves, but so far nothing has worked - and only angered them further.
So, is there like, a big organization in charge of everything?
Not exactly, no. However, that doesn't mean one can't develop. The Unified Universe Project (the scientists) is currently just doing what it can to make up for causing everything to become screwed up in the first place. However, if your character wants to make a move forward with the Project or try and create their own sense of order, by all means go ahead! Just be sure to keep it out of the god-modding category.
Is there a way out?
So far, no. There is no in-game "out" to be had, as all the worlds squish together, meaning there will be only one time and place. Once the compression is complete, the Project speculates there may be no way back. However, people do disappear from time to time. Some return, their memories of Adstringendum wiped clean and sometimes a little different than they left. Others may never return, but no one knows where they have gone...
POWERS
What about my powers? Can I use them here?
Yes, you can, with some limitations, of course. There may be fluctuations in that ability as the Project tries to fix things, but in general you may. The mods will announce when powers are suddenly unattainable or enhanced, etc. But because you have your powers, we ask you to BE RESPONSIBLE with them. Don't go blowing up the place, please! If you want to cause massive damage, clear it with the mods via an email to the mod account.
Sweet! I can use my powers, so now I can pwn everyone!
No, not necessarily :/ You can use your powers, but anything that has to do with altering time won't work here. The world involves time getting squished, after all. Traveling through space is also a bit of a problem as well, so characters' teleportation abilities won't work in Adstringendum either. As for claiming "my character is way stronger than yours" because they're from another series and have strong abilities... well, that will happen, but there are consequences for using a lot of power. The Safezone is the most stable area, but the place as a whole is still being held together with the equivalent of space duct tape. Going Super Saiyan gazillion will probably not only piss off the Animus and have them knock you into a pond of goo or something, but it may also cause a rip in space/time.
So yes, you do have your abilities, but it is advised not to use them all to their limits. And if someone says “that's okay, my low power can kill you,” while in some cases that may be true (like if Aizen from Bleach wanted to blow up Card Captor Sakura), we ask you to be nice to other players. You cannot control things that happen to someone else's character, so if you want to fight them without your full power for whatever reason, go ahead as long as you and the other player have discussed things. Just don't blow up the world. For character death, see below.
Furthermore, if your abilities require another unique character (such as Naruto-series' summon creatures--Pakkun, Gambunta, Manda, etc), chances are you will not have that ability here if the character is not present and applied for. You can't pull your friends across space-time, after all!
DEATH
[see also IN-DEPTH F.A.Q. on CHARACTER DEATH]
What happens if I die here?
Since the spirit world has been compressed with the "real" world as well, you will return here, but your soul will enter your body as it is upon your death, so you may be in a lot of pain when you come back. If you were blown to pieces, those pieces will come back together. The Project isn't sure exactly why this is happening. However, the Animus don't like people coming into their spiritual state, especially while they're already upset, so they will take something away from you while you're in your spirit form, be it a possession, memory, or ability. You can be dead for the period of time you want for your character, be it an hour to a week or more, but you will eventually have to come back. Any possessions your character arrived with will disappear with them, as will their PCD. However, on a case-by-case basis, alternate results for plot purposes can occur (for example: Alphonse has a previous Sasuke's PCD as a memento). Please contact the mods for permission.
Do I need permission for Character Death?
All character deaths must be approved by a moderator at least 48 hours in advance. This is more for records purposes and to be sure that death is not used too flippantly (or frequently, in some cases), and not because we want to moderate your creativity on death. If you have a plan to kill off your character, please contact us (either by email or PM) with the following information:
- Character who will die.
- Cause of death.
- Date of death.
- Duration the character will be gone from Adstringéndum (can be an approximation).
- What the character will lose upon returning to life (the death cost).
RESETS & DROPS
What is a character reset and how do I do it?
A character reset is what it sounds like; the character is being reset and returns to Adstringendum without any memories of their previous time. We understand there are times when a character may need to be reset for a variety of reasons, ranging from needing to update to a further point in their canon, to realizing the character has gone OOC and needs a fresh start, and we allow character resets to help with these situations. Don't abuse the privilege, however, and do not use it as a crutch to get out of OOC situations. Try to remain IC instead.
To reset a character, take the following steps:
- Email the moderators request permission for the reset. Provide the following information: character name, journal name, reason for the reset, if any changes to their canon or personality will be made (and what these are), and any other details we may need to know about (if the character will gain new abilities, they'll come back missing a leg, etc.). We may take 48 hrs to get back to you on this.
- If a reset is approved, the character disappears from Adstringendum for a minimum of one week and the character cannot be played during that time (any backlogging aside). We place this time limit in order to allow you the player to refresh your canon and work out how your reset character would be played. Also, this time allows the characters in-game to in-characterly realize someone has disappeared and react as needed. If for any reason you need a character to disappear for a shorter period of time, we can discuss it, but a week is the standard.
- When a reset character returns, they will have no memories of their prior time in Adstringendum. It will be a fresh start for them. While they can regain memories overtime, and be told things by the other characters in-game, they will never remember anything 100%. What they remember or don't remember is left up to the player.
- A character who died in Adstringendum and was reset will keep the price that was lost. Resets are not a way to get around character deaths. While they do not have to begin with the price lost (if they lost a memory of someone, they can return with those memories intact), that price will be repaid over time. This is a process that takes no longer than a month.
- A character can only be reset once every six months.
Are there penalties for Drops or Resets?
RP is about encouraging interaction and the building of character relationships. As such, serial applying and dropping, or serial resetting, is discouraged. We know that some characters just don't work out, or things need to be fixed, but resetting/dropping too often handicaps characters' current/potential Character Relationships. Just be careful how often you do it, as sometimes this will have to be factored into an application review, or consideration of a reset.
EVENTS
Do I have to participate in events?
Generally, no. We like to give you the option of opting in or out of any given event. When the event is set for the month, you'll be able to tell if it's something everyone will be affected by, or if it's something you can avoid. In a gender-bender event, for example, you can chose whether or to afflict your character(s) with the condition. In the event of an earthquake, your character will undoubtedly feel the rumble, but it is your choice as to whether or not they respond to it or are affected further. If you have questions about a specific event, feel free to ask on the event's description post.
How are events made/chosen? Do we get any say?
Generally, the mod-staff selects timely events and arranges them in the calendar posted just before the start of a new month. And we do accept suggestions for events! In fact, we occasionally (it's a big task, so it may not happen every month) offer up a poll of events suggested by you, the players, for the community to vote on for occurrence in-game. We do ask that if you suggest events, you are reasonable. After all, we do have to somehow make this work in-game for everyone involved. But they can be big events (rearranging the family ties among Adstringendum's residents) or small events (no shoes allowed). Anything goes.
Can I have a player-based event?
If you wish to have a player-made event that would greatly affect the game in some way, please be sure to clear it via the moderators first. A minimum of 72 hour's notice (a week would be ideal) should be given to the moderators to allow for their questions and the questions of the community as a whole.
CHARACTER QUESTIONS
Can my character get paired off with someone?
Only if both you and the other player consent to it! Obviously, you can have a one-sided love, but you are not permitted to force a pairing on another player.
Can my character get pregnant?
While we realize some players may want their characters to have children or become pregnant and it is certainly a realistic thing that can occur, there are very heavy restrictions on pregnancy. The reason is because if a child is born, remember that child is still a living, breathing, person who will need attention and care. The child will have to be played out by someone and taken care of and is not as easy as it seems. And if one of the parents was to disappear from Adstringendum for any reason, that child would remain behind. Also role-playing out the duration of the pregnancy can be very difficult without research and some care taken into it. Overall, it can be a headache for everyone.
If you are set on a plot where your character becomes pregnant but ultimately does not give birth for one reason or another, you must contact a moderator with a detail plan of what will happen. You will provide the following information; characters involved, how this will impact your character, how this will impact other characters closely related to yours, the reason you want to do this plot, what will happen during each month with any possible changes consideration, the end result, and impact on your character. We realize this may be a lot of information, but this is a plot that should be taken seriously and not made up on the fly.
For something small like a pregnancy scare or any other false alarms, no mod approval or notice is required.
Under no circumstances can males become pregnant.