Post by Dante on Sept 4, 2010 13:32:29 GMT -5
Before Starting
To begin with, you should read the RULES. They have important information that you'll need to know about before starting to roleplay.
Next, you should check out the PLOT AND INFO to learn more about Shelpey Alley and how it works.
Creating a Character
When considering your character, it's important to know about the gangs on Shelpey Alley.
The Gangs, also known on SA as guilds, are the two groups of shapeshifters that have come to exist in the city of Shelpey Alley. The two factions are the Thieves and the Assassins. The Thieves are generally kinder to others, whereas the Assassins are known for being overall more aggressive and violent.
A huge factor that sets the gangs apart is their opinions on the secret of Shapeshifting. The Assassins lean more towards fighting to define themselves in the city, and the Thieves are more reserved and prefer the times when shapeshifters weren't hunted down for examination and experiments. The Assassins will go farther lengths, often the more violent ones, to achieve their goals. They are more willing to fight, whereas the Thieves prefer to remain unde the radar. These differences are only because of how their leaders run the guilds, NOT because one side is meant to appear as 'good', and the other 'bad'. The gangs are compromised of other shapeshifters of all types, and serve as a type of second family or home for those that need it. Shapeshifters dealing with their huge secrets often find that it's easier having people to talk to about it.
There are loners on the site who have not joined or do not wish to join the gangs. This might be because they either can't decide, haven't heard of them, or purposefully feel that they must stay neutral in order to avoid conflicts. The gangs DO get into fights over thing such as territory, information, resources, differing opinions, conflicting interests, and members.
A great idea would be to read through the ROLEPLAY GUIDE. It goes over lots of important tips and guides, including creating a character and roleplaying with them.
When it's time to create your character, be sure to read the CHARACTER APPLICATION AND BANS thread. This will help guide you through the process of creating a character that will be accepted on SA. It will also tell you about the animals that are limited.
Before Roleplaying
Read the INFORMATION thread. It'll tell you everything that you need to know about roleplaying on Shelpey Alley.
Shelpey has an "adopt-a-newbie" system that is designed to help new members get used to roleplaying and improve their writing skills. Certain members have volunteered themseves to be mentors to new members who wish to participate. These mentors will roleplay with the new members at their skill level and guide them to becoming a better writer. The overall goal of this is to allow all levels of roleplaying on the site, while still maintaining Shelpey's standard of literacy.
Staff will suggest on your character application that you go through the mentor program if they don't feel that your roleplaying is quite up to par with Shelpey's standards. Otherwise, you're free to start roleplaying once you've been accepted.
Guide to the Site
TC: abbreviation for "TinyChat". The link to TC is above the chatango chatbox. It's password protected so that only SA members can view.
Vote: When we remind members to vote, we're talking about voting for Shelpey Alley on the Forum Fanatics Topsites. The link to vote is in the Links side-table, called "Forum Fanatics Topsites". Occasionally, we will have a reminder banner at the top of the site that also links to the vote page. The Forum Fanatics site has a 24 hour wait period between votes.
deviantArt group: If you have a dA account, we'd love to have you join our group, which can be found HERE.
CI: Character Index. A list of all the characters currently roleplayed on Shelpey Alley, along with their gang affiliations.
AC: Activity Check.
OOC: Out Of Character.
IC: In Character.
If you still have questions, check the [FAQ] before sending a staff member a PM.
