☢ F . A . Q . ☢
Player Q & A
⚠ r e : a p p l i c a t i o n s ⚠
Can I app a Left 4 Dead character?
Yes. Please keep in mind that this RPG world, while heavily based on the L4D world, is still a different universe, and NOT a continuation of the games. Zoey, Ellis, Francis, and etc have never actually existed here before.
What if my character has special powers? Can they keep them? Are there limits?
Special powers are fine to bring over, but god-mode abilities will have to be scaled down to fit the environment. Also, be warned that zombies are practically immune to magic. The physical surroundings can be affected by magic, but the zombies themselves will be somewhat unaffected if magical fire is wrought on them. Throw a Molotov at them instead however and, well. Them bitches will burn.
If you've ever played the game L4D, assume you are playing on 'advanced' setting and that all characters must fit this power level. If you have not played the game, then simply assume: Common infected are relatively easy to kill. Special infected are harder. Tanks are a nightmare. Scale your character powers and limits accordingly.
If your character has a power that would affect other player characters-- Like empathy, mind-reading, mind-control, etc-- you must make a permissions post and *ask permission* for your powers to affect other players. You can not just decide you are going to read everyone's mind because your character is Professor Xavier. That breaks into godmodding territory, which is Not Cool. Always, always ask permission first.
How does magic work in this game?
It doesn't. Or, well, it doesn't work very well on the zombies. The undead have high immunity to anything magic-based, so even if your character is a master sorcerer in his canon, it won't help much against the undead hordes. For example: throwing a Molotov will burn and kill zombies by the basket full. Throwing a wildfire-spell will only slightly delay them, or perhaps give them a nasty, blistering sunburn if the spell is particularly potent.
The common infected are decently immune to magic spells. Special infected are highly immune to magic spells. And Tanks are almost completely immune to magic.
Life magic, or healing magic, has the best chance of having an affect against the undead, but that should take a lot of effort/MP from your character to complete.
What constitutes 'magic'?
Anything that is not science-based, or too supernatural or unexplained for the real world. Anything. If you'd like to make an argument that what your character uses is not magic, do so in your application, and the mods will review it on a case-by-case bases.
What happens if I want to app a character that isn't human?
That's fine! However, when that character arrives in this world, he or she will find themselves in a brand-spankin'-new human body. The powers that drag the characters into this world seem to want them human, for some reason-- so, physically, they will wake up entirely human, although they can still keep any extra senses or powers or abilities they may have had before, and they will have all memories of what they used to be. You are allowed to pick a new PB for your characters' icons, if you prefer, in this case.
What else can characters bring along when they cross over?
Small items, precious mementos, mundane things, their clothes-- Anything you want to have brought over, get permission for them by listing in your app, and your reasons for needing them here. The mods will tell you if there is a problem with any of the items.
So my character's magic won't work at all?
We didn't say that. It will have some affect on the zombies, though likely not the affect you were looking for. Also, the environment is still open to being manipulated by magic; if you want to use magic to drop a ton of natural rocks on a zombie's head, go for it. He'll be crushed. If you want to freeze the floor so they slip and slide around, that's a viable option too. Magic is still entirely usable here, but not helpful against zombies directly, so you have to be more creative.
I want to app a Necromancer, what do?
Awesome! Like all other characters, their magic will not work well on the zombies, whether moaning undead or recently head-shot and entirely dead. HOWEVER, if they would like to raise non-infected dead, that's still a viable option! A lot of innocent NPCs died in the original wave before they ever had a chance to become infected, and there are a few graveyards around.
Can I bring someone from another RP game?
As of right now, no.
CAN I PLAY AN OC OMG? *u*
We're still working on the OC application. However, once that's done:
Yes, you can! However, there are rules. One of which being there is a different application process involved. Secondly, at the moment, you are only allowed to app one Original Character. Thirdly, they must be from a completely original canon of your own design-- NO FANDOM OCs. This means no new Sailor Scouts or Hogwarts students-- the character must be yours and yours alone.
Can I app an AU/canon oc character?
Unfortunately, we do not allow characters to be pulled from AU's. They must be brought in from their canons to be applicable.
We allow player characters- such as Shepard from Mass Effect- but we do not accept canon oc's. This means you cannot be the super mystical and totally amazing Rainbow Power Ranger.
What medium can I app characters from?
You are able to app from anything with it's own canon. This includes: books, movies, tv shows, video games, web comics, etc. You are not allowed to app oc's from fanfiction. This is also covered under canon oc's.
What about dropped characters? Can I app them? What happens to them?
If they've been dropped by another player, they are free to app! You can app them in as a brand-new character (I.E., having no memory of having been here before), but be aware that other characters in game might remember the actions of the previous, dropped character.
Can I reserve characters while I work on their application?
Yes. Our reserves page is here, and we offer a one-week reserve time with a one-week extension available.
Can I contest an app?
Once an app is accepted, it's accepted, and that person gets to keep their character until they drop or fail AC. HOWEVER, if two or more apps for the same character are submitted during the same application period, and no reserves are held for that character, then the best application will be accepted.
You may not contest a reserved application. You may place a reserve before you post your application but not after. A reserve after you submitted your application is considered null.
Is there an age-limit for the game?
There is no age limit currently set in stone. This is a game with mature themes such as violence, gore, and death. Characters should be suitable to the environment and not placed in situations unacceptable for their ages. Mods will have the final say on if they think the character is suitable.
⚠ r e : s e t t i n g ⚠
I know nothing/next to nothing about the game Left 4 Dead. CAN I PLAY WITH ZOMBIES TOO?
YES! We just use the game as a setting, but the RP game is designed to be pretty intuitive. You shoot zombies till they die. A lot. Any and all other info you need to know in order to RP is listed under the Info and Places pages.
How'd we get here?
No one knows for sure. One day, you were minding your own business in your own world, and the next-- you're waking up on the cold hard floor of a safe-room, surrounded by weapons and ammunition, with nothing but a strange looking phone and a military-issued instructional poster for help. Once you open that red door, you're zombie bait.
What is this military compound?
A sanctuary. It is simply referred to as The Fortress. The walls are ten feet thick and fifty feet high, with NPC guards posted at every outpost and constantly surveying the perimeter. It is a fortress, and supposedly unbreachable by zombies. Underground construction is being completed, in a continuing effort for an even more secure compound. Every character who finds themselves drawn into this world will be offered sanctuary here, and the army will provide you with all food and housing.
Wait. It provides all the food and housing?
Yup. You don't need to worry about jobs or paying rent-- well, not entirely. The Army does require your character's help in depleting the outside zombie population, being as your character is so nicely immune to the infection, and all. The army provides all the comforts of military-style barracks and the ability to sleep soundly in return for your character's help in fighting the hordes. You *are* required to go out and fight (in groups, usually) the zombies in order to continue staying at the compound. The Army will give you a set map to follow, and they will send a rescue vehicle to pick everyone up at the end. If your character is not a great zombie-fighter, pair up with people who are!
What is this GPS-Smart Phone thing? Does my character have to keep it on them?
Everyone is given one when they wake up here. It looks like a normal-sized smart phone with a touch screen. It is military-issued and must be kept on your character at all times, for their own safety, or so the army claims. Characters can use it to post private or public text-message, issue system-wide or private calls, and it can also be used to find the GPS coordinates of any other character. The phone also has an app which lists some basic information about the types of zombies, weapons, and items found scattered around in the world. There is another app which will give characters the direction of the closest safe-house, and also how to reach the compound. More often than not, it's what you'll use to call the army to pull your bacon out of the fire. There is no internet access; the army uses a closed-circuit, wireless system, and they are also observing all information that passes through the network.
Hey hey, can the phones be hacked/tricked?
If your character has awesome tech skills... probably. Ask the mods first.
Can my character talk to a guard/npc?
Yes. They don't talk back much, though, and won't respond except to a direct question. They seem... wary... of the player characters.
⚠ r e : g a m e p l a y ⚠
How do the Activity Checks work?
There will be one activity check per month. If your character was not on hiatus, we will require proof of posting at least one open log/actionspam/System Post, and at least one other proof of activity (log, actionspam, system post, or comment thread with six or more or your character's replies), from each character. Failure to completely both parts of the AC requirement, or failure to reply to the AC at all, results in an automatic drop of your characters. If you meet only half the AC requirements, your character will be on put on probation for the next month, and will be required to pass both parts of the next month's AC or they will be automatically dropped.
How does the in-game timeline work?
One week in-game corresponds to two weeks in real life. There will be a week-change post bi-monthly, every other Monday. Backdating logs/backtagging is totally cool to do, if you need to.
Do you have a character limit?
We do have a character limit. Right now, the limit is three characters to begin with; if you remain active and involved with all three characters after a period of two months in game, that limit will raise to five. If you would like to request another character, send an email or contact the mods for permission.
How does death work here?
Death is not permanent. If you die, you will wake up a day later in a closet somewhere out in zombieland. Yes, we said closet. You will wake up extremely drained, weak, and without any weapons or items but a pistol. You will not be able to get out until someone opens the door for you (you can, however, bang on the door and cry for help). You will not be able to retrieve any previous items you were carrying unless you plan to go back to the place you died-- and in the meanwhile, other characters may steal your dropped items!
Can people kill my character? Can I kill other people?
Your characters can die via zombie(NPC) death if you so desire. Regarding characters killing another character: Yes, but you need permission from both muns *and* the mods if you are planning a character murder. Killing other peoples' characters falls under godmodding; you must have permission in order to play it out. Likewise, you must give permission for your own character to be killed. Also, murder is not an acceptable thing in this world; the army will punish characters who kill other characters. If you plan to have a character murder, please get permission from the mods first. (see 'Penalties of Death', below.)
So what are the penalties for character death?
All of the above: You wake up weak, low on health, stranded, and completely devoid of items, save for one pistol. You *must* be rescued in order to leave the closet you wake up in. ADDITIONALLY: If your character was murdered by another character and not an NPC, and this happened on the Military Compound or within sight of a rescue vehicle, there will be penalties for the murderer. The Army does not take these things lightly. Most likely, they will kick the offending party out of the sanctuary compound temporarily, and offer them no assistance in fighting the hordes. They will have to complete some sort of objective to be allowed back in. If you plan to have a character murder, please get permission from the mods first, and ask us what the penalties will be. (They will change based on the situation)
Do you ever have game-wide events? When? Are they mandatory?
Yes. Semi-often(once a month or so). They are not usually mandatory but its a great way to participate and get CR!
GRENADES?
Hey lookit that: you found an app keyword! If you are a *first-time applicant*, please remember to include the word 'grenades' somewhere in your application, or it will not be accepted! If you already have a character here and are apping an additional character, you do not need to include the app keywords.
MOAR QUESTIONS!
If you have another question that was not answered here, please feel free to leave a comment to this entry, or e-mail us at left4dead mods [at] gmail [dot] com directly.