Guide:Discord RP

Discord Role-Play takes place on specific channels of the Bravo Fleet Discord server. Here, members write their characters’ actions and dialogue with other members of Bravo Fleet, with each channel representing a specific location or setting in the Bravo Fleet Star Trek universe. At present, the only Bravo Fleet Discord RP is set at the Golden Apple bar on Starbase Bravo, a setting where members may write casual character interaction during their IC downtime.

Discord RP Format

RP takes place directly in Discord, with each post written as prose describing a character’s actions or dialogue. For example:

Lieutenant Smith entered the bar. He was tired after a long duty shift but had not yet changed out of his uniform. Spotting his friend Jones at a table, he headed over and pulled up a chair. “Sorry I’m late,” he said. “The commander insisted we finish the calibrations before we clocked off.”

The writer for ‘Jones’ would then post their reply with Jones’s reaction and dialogue. The RP continues from there. Many BF members are familiar with writing a Joint Post on BFMS, and Discord RP is much like that.

Because members’ Discord handles do not necessarily relate to the character they are RPing, they should be mindful that their posts make their character’s identity clear. This does not mean that every post should refer to them by name, though their first appearance should, and members must be particularly mindful of this when writing multiple characters.

Using the Discord Channels

Discord RP channels will be in their own section. Each location will have its own channel and be titled accordingly - for example, ‘#sbb-rp-golden-apple’. Make sure that you read any pinned posts in the channel, which may include information about the IC location, such as a wiki link or channel-specific rules.

Members may RP directly in the main channel, writing their characters engaging in that IC location. RP in that main channel should be considered open to all; if you are writing there, you are assumed to be welcoming interactions from any member. If you want to write with one specific member, either by prior arrangement or as an interaction in the main channel progresses, begin a thread in the RP channel. Its title should be the names of the characters in that scene. Those characters are assumed to be interacting relatively privately - they may be in a booth or at a table in the corner - and while they are in public, are not being noticed by most characters present. Members may arrange RP together independently or by putting a call out in the appropriate ‘looking for group’ channel (for example, members wanting to RP at the Golden Apple can look for partners in the #sbb-looking-for-group channel).

All activity in a Discord channel is considered to be happening concurrently. As such, a character may only be active in one Discord scene at a time. If a character is active in a thread and the member wishes to have them participate in a conversation going on in a different thread or the main channel, they should withdraw from one scene to enter another. Members may write multiple characters simultaneously, though should make it clear which character they are writing where.

RP should not wildly disrupt the status quo of the location. The Golden Apple, for example, is a bar where Starfleet officers spend time together off-duty. RP should not lead to a massive bar brawl or comparable disruption where even characters in an RP thread must react. It should be assumed at any point that a new character can walk into the Golden Apple and get a drink. This does not mean that characters cannot be rowdy; they may, for instance, be belligerent with others, sing, or dance on tables. Because no member is obligated to RP with another, their characters should be able to reasonably ignore each other if desired.

Posting Discord RP on BFMS

Members may, if they wish, post their Discord RP to BFMS as a Story. This should happen once a scene is complete and can allow members to earn Duty Ribbons from their Discord RP. Members have permission to edit their writing before posting with the agreement of all writers involved.

These Stories should be posted to the most appropriate Command. If all characters involved are part of Starbase Bravo, then the Story should be posted to SBB (and thus contributes to members’ progression in the Sandbox). If characters are from different Commands, then one Command must be chosen, with all characters attached to that Command (temporarily, if necessary). If any characters are not from Starbase Bravo, then the Story may not be posted to the SBB Command and must be posted on a different BFMS Command, though the IC events still occured at the Golden Apple on the Starbase.

Discord RP Rules

• IC writing is restricted to RP channels.
• No OOC chat in the RP channels.
• Your character can only appear in one location at a time.
• Do not write significant actions, words, or reactions of other characters. Minor actions, such as another character taking a drink when offered if it is reasonable to believe they would, are permitted to keep RP flowing.
• If there is an RP thread you would like to join, ask the current participants first.
• Discord RP is restricted to Rating 1-1-1 in accordance with the Content Policy.
• IC activities should not disrupt a whole location. For instance, you cannot write about the Golden Apple exploding or breaking into a massive bar brawl.
• RP in the Golden Apple is not restricted to SBB members.
• Members can only RP characters with a BFMS page.