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Level 1: Beginners

A Role Play's level is determined by several categories that each moderator will check before moving your RP. We judge the level of RP by the setup of the RP. The level of the setup will tend to attract players at the same level. However, the players in an RP can raise or lower the level. Please contact us if you believe this has happened in an RP, or if you disagree with where an RP has been placed. Please keep in mind the following guidelines. Just because an RP is "literate" does not mean that it belongs at a higher level.

Technical Writing Category
Beginners' Level RPs often have many technical errors. Technical errors can include mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation that sometimes make the RP hard to understand. Technical errors also include using :: or ~ in place of quotation marks or to show action. Some Beginner RPs do not capitalize at the beginnings of sentences. Other common errors include using elipsis ( ... ), dashes, and other punctuation to construct multiple run-on sentences.

Preparation Category
Beginners' Level RPs often have very little preparation. Preparation helps players join the RP. Preparation includes the length and detail of the setup and any explanation of rules. Beginner's RPs sometimes have only a sentence or two to explain the RP to the players, often with no rules or explanation of how to join. Any RP that looks like it took 5 minutes to think up and write up is probably a Beginner's Level RP.

Style Category
Beginners' Level RPs often lack a certain style. A good style can involve funny, colorful language that engages the reader. Often Beginner's Level RPs do not have the interesting vocabulary to pull this off as well as they otherwise could. Keep in mind that it's hard to fit style into a two sentence introduction!

GM Character(s) Category
Beginners' Level RPs often do not even have a character profile for the GameMaster (the person who started the RP), or the profile shows a lack of realism. In some Beginner Level RPs, the RP is clearly centered around the GM's character as the "main" or most important character with little room for any other characters to make a splash. A GM's character should reflect the level of effort that the GM expects from the other players.

Screening Category
Beginners' Level RPs often do not screen new players at all, or accept lower level characters without criticism or suggestion. The screening process for an RP should be stated clearly but often is not at this level. At this level, GMs may let in characters who obviously do not fit into the RP, such as characters who are made for a different genre.

Aesthetics Category
Beginners' Level RPs often have the entire set up in the first post with little or no organization. Sometimes RPs at this level are hard to read and look unprofessional. GMs should put effort into their RP to make it readable and to attract attention, but at this level they often do not.

Level 2: Intermediate

A Role Play's level is determined by several categories that each moderator will check before moving your RP. We judge the level of RP by the setup of the RP. The level of the setup will tend to attract players at the same level. However, the players in an RP can raise or lower the level. Please contact us if you believe this has happened in an RP, or if you disagree with where an RP has been placed. Please keep in mind the following guidelines. Just because an RP is "literate" does not mean that it belongs at a higher level.

Technical Writing Category
Intermediate RPs may have some common grammar or spelling mistakes, but these mistakes do not interfere with understanding the setup. All Intermediate RPs use standard punctuation, especially quotation marks ("") and no run-on sentences. All Intermediate RPs capitalize at the beginnings of sentences and for proper nouns.

Preparation Category
Intermediate RPs show a decent amount of preparation, with setups longer than one paragraph. Intermediate setups gives the players a good idea of what kind of characters are needed and what those characters will be doing in the RP. The characters should have a problem or mystery to solve or complete. Intermediate preparation will usually have clear rules for how to join, which usually includes a character profile to fill out.

Style Category
Intermediate RPs should give a clear sense of the tone of the RP. In other words, an Intermediate GM should have the ability to make a comedy a comedy and a horror RP a horror RP. An Intermediate RP should have a decent vocabulary at a high school level.

GM Character(s) Category
Intermediate RPs should have a GM character displayed or a very good opening post with an NPC/character. An Intermediate GM can make characters that do not take the spotlight but still influence the direction of the RP.

Screening Category
Intermediate RPs always screen new players, either by using a character profile or by viewing a sample of RP. Intermediate GMs need to be able to critique characters that do not fit in with the genre, tone, or other details of the RP.

Aesthetics Category
Intermediate RPs usually have a pleasant-looking setup that is easy to read, so that information is readily available to the players.

Level 3: Advanced

A Role Play's level is determined by several categories that each moderator will check before moving your RP. We judge the level of RP by the setup of the RP. The level of the setup will tend to attract players at the same level. However, the players in an RP can raise or lower the level. Please contact us if you believe this has happened in an RP, or if you disagree with where an RP has been placed. Please keep in mind the following guidelines. Just because an RP is "literate" does not mean that it belongs at a higher level.

Technical Writing Category
In Advanced RPs, technical writing should be near perfect, with no punctuation mistakes but perhaps one or two spelling mistakes of commonly misspelled words.

Preparation Category
In Advanced RPs, there should be enough writing to require the setup to be split into multiple posts. There should be information on where the characters can come from and where they could be going, such as cultural practices, ethnic features, political struggles, availability of resources, and types of magic if applicable. There must be a mystery or problem to solve that directs the RP, although the amount of information released to the players may vary.

Style Category
In Advanced RPs, the use of less common or "large" vocabulary should be smoothly inserted into the description of the RP. The style will set the tone and genre of the RP, whether it be a fantasy horror or a realistic comedy RP. The writing should be imbued with a sense of the GM's personality. Complex grammar constructions should not turn into grammatical errors, but should be used to emphasize what is most important in the sentence/RP.

GM Character(s) Category
In Advanced RPs, the GM will have several characters although their full profiles may not be released the players. GM characters should not only help direct the RP but also aid new players in joining by giving their characters something sensible to do. An Advanced GM does not need to fill all of the influential character spots in order to control the RP. An Advanced GM should be able to use characters with low social status just as easily as princes and kings.

Screening Category
In Advanced RPs, characters are always screened and character profiles are heavily critiqued or rejected. An Advanced GM can help a player whose profile is almost at the appropriate level, reach that level. An Advanced GM can accept innovative character profiles and find something for each of them to do.

Aesthetics Category
In Advanced RPs, the information must be laid out in an organized and easy to read fashion, otherwise players will become lost and not be able to join the RP.