Post by Lady Laiin on Apr 30, 2012 12:52:40 GMT -8
Q: What is an Action Chatroom?
A: There was a really good explanation provided by Omega, but I'll put the TL:DR in first: an Action Chatroom is a chatroom-based RPG.
In an actual mission, the GM generally starts with a "briefing" (Again a vestigial from the PacWar days), where he sets the mood of whatever is going to happen. You can say this is exposition. What happened the previous mission is often stated, to keep continuity in the game. After the initial briefing, the actual mission starts. The players then interact with each other and NPCs. Generally, a post an action, and then the mod tells the result of said action. A result is generally determined either by dice roll, the mod's judgment, or a mixture of both.
So, in a nutshell, it's like DnD if we remove the board and all the stats.
Q: How do I join an Action Chatroom?
A: Easy. Go into the thread for the game and follow the listed instructions. Every game is different, so pay attention!
Q: What are the rules of an Action Chatroom?
A: Again, it varies by game. The core rules can be found here.
Q: Just who the hell are you, telling me all this junk?
A: YOU FOOL! I INVENTED ACs! ALL OF THEM! DO NOT INSULT THE MASTA OF ACDOM!
Q: How does one play an AC?
A: One typically goes to whatever chatroom the game he just joined is using at the specified time for a "mission". Once there, the Gamemaster will tell you what happens, then you tell him how you respond to it. Then he tells you what happens next. This process repeats until the "mission" ends.
Q: What are "Blacklists" "Bannings" "Gamemasters" and "Pacwar"?
A: A "Blacklist" is a list of people who are barred from joining the game. If you're on a Blacklist, don't try and join. A "Banning" means you've been kicked from the game. A "Gamemaster" is the one who started the thread and manages the enemies you face. "Pacwar" was the first AC. "SSD" "Metro" "AU" and other such terms typically refer to past games.
Q: I've decided I want to host an AC. How do I do it?
A: First off, make sure you've played in a few just to get a feel for how they work. Timezones can also be a bit finicky - we have players from the US, England, the Western US, Australia, Denmark and other widely-spread locales. Then read the Game Master's Guide. That should get you started.
Q: Do you have a TVtropes page?
A: Yes.
Q: Where did ACs originate?
A: The CFC forums. I initially started Pacific War: Empires Clash on a whim and it has evolved into a game formula of the same size and strength as IOT - this forum's basis.
Q: Why have I never played an AC before?!?!
A: Because you're totally lame and boring. Sad but true.
-Lighthearter/Lady Laiin
A: There was a really good explanation provided by Omega, but I'll put the TL:DR in first: an Action Chatroom is a chatroom-based RPG.
You have the general idea down perfectly. It is indeed a chat-based RPG. What happens specifically is this. One person, usually referred to as the "Game Moderator" or "GM" for short, creates a thread outlining what the game is, the basic plot and setting, and the various rules for it. After the thread is made, everyone else creates a single character, conforming to the rules and the plot. The GM generally then outlines days and times for sessions, often called "missions" (A vestigial from the PacWar times, where each session was a separate military mission), where all the players try to meet on the chat to move the plot forward.
In an actual mission, the GM generally starts with a "briefing" (Again a vestigial from the PacWar days), where he sets the mood of whatever is going to happen. You can say this is exposition. What happened the previous mission is often stated, to keep continuity in the game. After the initial briefing, the actual mission starts. The players then interact with each other and NPCs. Generally, a post an action, and then the mod tells the result of said action. A result is generally determined either by dice roll, the mod's judgment, or a mixture of both.
So, in a nutshell, it's like DnD if we remove the board and all the stats.
Q: How do I join an Action Chatroom?
A: Easy. Go into the thread for the game and follow the listed instructions. Every game is different, so pay attention!
Q: What are the rules of an Action Chatroom?
A: Again, it varies by game. The core rules can be found here.
Q: Just who the hell are you, telling me all this junk?
A: YOU FOOL! I INVENTED ACs! ALL OF THEM! DO NOT INSULT THE MASTA OF ACDOM!
Q: How does one play an AC?
A: One typically goes to whatever chatroom the game he just joined is using at the specified time for a "mission". Once there, the Gamemaster will tell you what happens, then you tell him how you respond to it. Then he tells you what happens next. This process repeats until the "mission" ends.
Q: What are "Blacklists" "Bannings" "Gamemasters" and "Pacwar"?
A: A "Blacklist" is a list of people who are barred from joining the game. If you're on a Blacklist, don't try and join. A "Banning" means you've been kicked from the game. A "Gamemaster" is the one who started the thread and manages the enemies you face. "Pacwar" was the first AC. "SSD" "Metro" "AU" and other such terms typically refer to past games.
Q: I've decided I want to host an AC. How do I do it?
A: First off, make sure you've played in a few just to get a feel for how they work. Timezones can also be a bit finicky - we have players from the US, England, the Western US, Australia, Denmark and other widely-spread locales. Then read the Game Master's Guide. That should get you started.
Q: Do you have a TVtropes page?
A: Yes.
Q: Where did ACs originate?
A: The CFC forums. I initially started Pacific War: Empires Clash on a whim and it has evolved into a game formula of the same size and strength as IOT - this forum's basis.
Q: Why have I never played an AC before?!?!
A: Because you're totally lame and boring. Sad but true.
-Lighthearter/Lady Laiin