In-Character Tone Essay

! Just What Kind o' RP is This Thing Anyway?

An essay on tone and content in WAAPT by Umbramatic.

Starring Alduin, Robin, Odin, Gino, and a special guest.

NOTE TO NEWBIES: These characters are the creations of an experienced player and should not be used as a basis for your own.

Alduin the Hydreigon: <Hi there! If you're reading this, you probably want to join WAAPT or have already joined and have been directed to this essay somehow. Either way, you should read it, because it's important!>

<WAAPT is a very informal and freeform kind of RP, with all different kinds of crazy shenanigans throughout its history. However, there's one particular thing to keep in mind when making crazy shenanigans of your own:>

<Tone!>

Robin The Living Video Game Character: Er, what do you mean by that, Alduin?

Alduin: <I'm getting to that!>

<You see, the plot of WAAPT has three main ingredients. Humor...>

-cut to Alduin pieing Robin in the face-

<Awesomeness...>

-cut to Alduin playing an electric guitar as Robin drives the Ferrari they're in at high speed away from an explosion-

<And meaningful drama, in that order!>

-cut to Alduin holding a limp Robin in his arms and screaming to the skies-

<All those things are big parts of what WAAPT is, and it's generally a good idea to focus on all those things as you're RPing! Though usually not all three of them at once.>

-Cut to Alduin screaming to the sky holding a limp Robin with a pie on his face as the former drives a Ferrari with his feet-

<However, sometimes people lose sight of that and focus more on over-the-top angst...>

Random Guy: My cousin's best friend's uncle's secretary's Bidoof just died! -sobs uncontrollably-

Alduin: <...And excessive grimness.>

Odin the Cipher Admin: Muhaha! I've killed everyone you love, destroyed your hometown and Lumiose City, turned all your Pokemon into unpurifiable Shadow Pokemon, and left you with locked-in syndrome! -giggles creepily-

Generic Protagonist: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Alduin: <That... Shouldn't be the main focus.>

<You see, WAAPT is supposed to be a more idealistic story, where the good guys eventually recover and get their shit together while the bad guys get a heaping dose of karma.>

Odin: If I deserve karma may I be struck by-

-thunder rumbles-

...A flying ice cream truck!

-A shadow descends over him-

...AND LIVE

-the ice cream truck lightly crushes Odin-

Robin: Wait, Alduin, are you saying people can't write darker, more serious stuff? And that everyone has to write the same way?

Alduin: <What? Hell no! Meaningful drama is one of the tenets of WAAPT for a reason!>

<If every player wrote the same way, WAAPT would be awfully boring! There's all sorts of ways you can mix and match and emphasize and deemphasize the three main aspects, and that makes each player's posts more unique!>

<And on the subject of darker moments... WAAPT's had plenty of them, and when handled well they totally count towards the "meaningful drama" aspect! If something you're planning requires some angst or grimness, it's likely doable! Just make sure to ask more experienced players for advice and don't get too excessive or gratuitous.>

<Basically, what we're saying is that darker may serve your story well, but it isn't always more mature.>

Robin: Anything else I need to know?

Alduin: <Well, there's the content part of this essay, but there's really only one big thing here!>

<Again, WAAPT is very freeform, and both references to other works of fiction and stuff we make up ourselves are rather common. However, if you've read Every's Essay before this (and if you haven't READ IT NOW OR I'LL EAT YOU) you should remember one particular point: This is a Pokemon RP. As such, you should try to mesh whatever you do with that fact, no matter how out-there or crossovery it is.>

Robin: How so?

Alduin: <Well, for starters any actually-living creatures should generally be some sort of human or some sort of Pokemon.>

-cut to a female vampire talking to a Shiny Salamence-

Random Female Vampire: What do you mean, I can't get in on WAAPT?

Gino the Shiny Salamence: <Sorry, nyan, humans and Pokemon only.>

Vampire: You let that life-force-suck-y girl in!

Gino: <That's a side effect of other stuff, nyan. She's otherwise totally human.>

Vampire: Rrgh, this is so unfair...

Gino: <Try the Twilight RP down the street, nyan?>

Vampire: ...Ha ha.

Alduin: <There are exceptions, of course. Sentient inanimate objects and certain types of artificial intelligence have enough in-RP precedent to usually be fine. And certain kinds of gags allow you a bit more leeway on that rule!>

<Also, canon characters should be treated with respect! So no beating them up or killing them or severely character derailing them!>

Gino: <What about Actual Cannibal Professor Sycamore, nyan?>

Alduin: <NO.>

<And whatever you do, try to tie it into the existing lore and setting of WAAPT! There's a lot you can work with! And who knows, maybe you'll make up some lore of your own!>

Robin: Is that it?

Alduin: <That's it! Enjoy your stay at WAAPT! Remember, Hydreigon deserve cuddles, not Moonblasts!>

Robin: Can I have some more pie?

-Alduin tosses another pie at Robin's face-