As with all chat rooms, there will be some "netlingo" or "chatlingo" involved. Chatlingo in itself is a group of abbreviations used in chat rooms to shorten typing times on common phrases. Although there are the basics like "LOL" and "BRB," these can be found on various websites like Netlingo.com. Chatlingo, of course, is greatly discouraged in character, and discouraged out of character. However, there is a specific lingo that won't be found on most "Netlingo" websites - the language of roleplaying.
Free Form Roleplaying: As defined in the introduction, free form roleplaying is the interaction of characters in a universe set by the channel.
Abbreviated as FFRP, or RP. Realm: This is just another fancy word for the RP world, or universe. A realm is a general term for the place you're playing in, not the specific location in the world that a channel is based in.
Also referred to as world, universe, etc. Storyline: A character's life is a story in itself. However, this life can be broken up into several little pieces - if anyone remembers the mythical three Fates of Ancient Greece, who strung people's lives on a thread, you'll know what I'm talking about. These little threads of life - these "lines," if you would - have their own little stories. Thus, the origin of the word "storyline." According to Sarah's Twisted World of Philosophy, that is. In roleplay, there is no definable end. Unless the world falls into flames or all the roleplayers are drug out into the street and shot with their own trackballs (or some personal object) at 200 mph, there will be roleplaying. Thus, in order to save time recapping to new roleplayers -every- single story that happened in the channel, they usually recall some recent storylines that happened. Everything that one roleplays is inheritely a storyline, but sometimes there are declared storylines declared to (hopefully) invite other people into it.
Delcared storylines could start over anything. Someone could be grabbing for attention, someone could be -drunk-, for all you know, but there it is, the start of a story. All good storylines don't have a pre-determined ending, and neither should yours.
Official storylines are started by the channel operators and usually affect the whole channel.
Abbreviated as SL. Other words include plot, plotline, quest, mission, adventure, etc. Newbie: The famous double meaning.
Regular definition - A newbie, in the strictest of terms, is a new person, fresh into the world of FFRP. If you have stumbled upon this page, this is you. There's nothing wrong with being a newbie, nor will you be one for long.
Insult definition - When a person calls someone else a newbie in the sarcastic sense, it most likely means that they powergame, godmode, and don't ask for help because they're jerks who claim to "run the show."
Character: This is what we call the little people that we control when we play in the RP world. If you've read the introduction, this is your Barbie doll, your GI Joe, your Power Rangers. Hopefully, you don't base your characters off these things, though. I will build upon creating a character later on.
Abbreviated as PC or char. Character Sheet: A Character Sheet in FFRP has no attribute points. This is your character - on paper. Everything about the character should be written here, espeically things like physical description, history, reason for coming to the place where he or she is at, magical abilities, and so on. I recommend writing up a character sheet for your characters as a reference point, in case you either forget something about your character or someone else wants to know about it. Some roleplaying places require character sheets! A character sheet also helps because it sets its own bounds - if it doesn't look good on paper, then it won't look good when you play the character.
Abbreviated as CS. Non-Player Character: These characters have no players, and are usually the gods of the realm, the commoners and merchants of a city, or the bartenders/barmaids. These characters have a predetermined personality.
Abbreviated as NPC. In Character: This is what roleplayers refer to as the state of having a character in play.
Also referred to as "in the game" or "in play." Abbreviated as IC.Mun: This is the new, popular reference to the person who controls the character.
Also known as player. Out of Character: This the state of being "out of play".
Abbreviated as OOC. Out of Character Comments: This is the state of making a comment that's OOC when you're in an IC channel. This could range from "Hi, dudes and dudettes!" to "Hey! You can't do that!" to "AFK! Dinner's ready!" These comments should be kept at a minimum.
Abbrevaited as OOCC, but that's a stupid, stupid abbreviation, so don't use it yourself.Internet Relay Chat: This is what SorceryNet calls a "means of real time, text based communication." It's like having a telephone conversation - except with text and you can chat with a lot more people on it at the same time.
Abbreviated as IRC. Channel Operator: These people have @s next to their names. These people are your friends. A channel operator's job is to make sure the roleplayers follow the rules and respect each other. If someone's harassing you, this is the person to go to.
Abbreviated as OP. IRC Operator: These people, according to SorceryNet, make sure everyone follows the most basic of rules on the network and punish those who don't. They are also here to help users like you and maintain the network.
Abbreviated as IRCop. Channel: This is the place where you talk to other people, or chat.
Abbreviated as chan. Also known as chat room, or just chat. IC/OOC Channels: Nowadays, channel operators hold channels that separate IC chat and OOC chat. An OOC chat is where you basically talk about roleplay, upcoming plots, and whatever's on your mind. An IC chat is strictly for in character play. You can make occasional out of character comments and correct typos, but too many out of character comments will probably attract an op's attention, if not the whole channel's. If you have an arguement with another player (NOT a character), you will probably be asked to take it into private. If your -character- has an arguement with another character and it breaks out into a fight, you might be asked to move to a channel specifically for fighting.
Central Channel: In a roleplaying realm, there is usually one central IC channel that everything floats off of, which is usually some kind of building. This is where most of the people come - the other IC channels are usually used for when fights break out, or when there's a plot being played out elsewhere in the realm.
Kicked: People are kicked from channels for minor offenses or constant annoyances. People who continue to disobey the channel's rules and harrass people will be banned by the operators.
Banned: Once people are banned from a channel, they are usually not allowed to return for a certain time. Sometimes, however, bans are permanent.
Ban evasion:: Ban evasion involves using hacker techniques or outside tools to evade a ban and continue to harass a channel. Ban evasion has dire consequences and might result in being banned from the entire network!
Message Board: Mostly acquired through EzBoard, message boards are like electronic bulletin boards.
Abbreviated as MB, also called forum. Post: To "post" a message in FFRP terms means to type something and send it, usually to a chat room. Other times, it can mean to put a message on a message board.
Private Messaging: /msg (nickname) (message) - This is kind of like saying "Psst! I've got something to say to you, and only you!" Without private messaging, people would never be able to gossip, have private relationships, and argue with each other without disturbing the other people in the chat room. How handy!
Abbreviated as PM. Also referred to as messaging, abbreviated as msg. Direct Client-to-Client: Direct client to client is a protocol used on IRC to send files or to chat with someone. This connects you to someone else directly, meaning you are no longer dependant on the IRC server.
Abbreviated as DCC.Back Into Character: This is mostly used as a command when there's too much out of character discussion.
Abbreviated as BIC. Powergaming/Powergamer: This is a term used in a character-to-character fight. Powergaming involves attacking another character and announcing the outcome of the attack or posting an attack and claiming to kill your opponent. It is also making an attack that the other player has no means of avoiding, or retreating in the same post as the attack. Kind of like Godmoding to a lesser degree. Powergaming is despised and will only bring you a bad reputation if used repeatedly, at worst kicked/banned from the channel.
Abbrviated as PG, PGing or PGer. Godmoding/Godmoder: This is the other nasty term applied in character-to-character fights. A Godmoder acts like a god, claiming to always hit, kill the character he or she is fighting, and twart every attack the opponent sends back at them. Kind of like Powergaming to a greater degree. The consequences of godmoding are the same of those for powergaming.
Abbreviated at GM, GMing, or GMer. IC/OOC Knowledge: Knowledge of the world and/or other characters is used to enhance your experience and create plots, but unless your character can actually see, smell, sense, read, hear, touch, taste or otherwise experience this information, they should not have it. Likewise, if your character knows something you do not know, feel free to ask for help.
Metagaming: This is a nasty insult. Being accused of metagaming means that the person was using exclusively OOC knowledge as IC knowledge to unfairly enhance a character.
Other quickie definitions: If you find some more of these, feel free to e-mail me.
Typo: Typographical error. When you axiddentully missspell a wurd or too.
Peeps: People
RP: Repost
AFK: Away From Keyboard
BRB: Be Right Back
BBIAB: Be Back In A Few
BBS: Be Back Soon
BBL: Be back Later
WB: Welcome Back
TY: Thank You
LOL: Laughing Out Loud
AWOL: Away WithOut Leave
