Project Multiverse is meant to be an open and enjoyable experience for all of our players. Nearly anything can be found or created within our setting. So that members of our community can enjoy their time here, we have a collection of base rules that we expect all players to follow during their time with Project Multiverse.

• We are an 18+ community.
  • Themes of a sexual or violent nature not suited for those under 18 may be found within our conversations or roleplay.
  • Adult and NSFW content should be restricted to the appropriate locations.
    • For Discord, this is the #nsfw channel.
    • For the forum, posts containing adult or NSFW content must have a Mature tag.
    • Mature content in a post not tagged Mature should “fade to black”¹⁾.
  • Not all mature content is allowed. We follow Discord's guidelines on our Discord server, forums, and wiki.
• Respect the safety and well-being of the community and its members.
  • Hate speech, abuse, and harassment of any kind is not acceptable.
  • We are a community made of people with many different views and identities. Treat others in the way they wish to be treated.
• Do not cause unreasonable drama and/or stress for other members of the community.
  • Drama ruins communities and makes it hard to be enthusiastic about participating in the roleplay. For this reason, we have a Zero Drama Tolerance policy.
  • OOC and IC must remain separate at all times, this means no bringing OOC drama into our writing or allowing it to effect our characters decisions. This also means that IRL matters do not exist or effect anything in the Universe setting.
• In the case where a player is irreparably misaligned with the goals or well-being of our community, we may ask them to leave or issue a ban.

• Respect the rights of content creators.
  • Art, character concepts, and other intellectual properties can only be used here if you are the owner of those properties.
• We believe that a persistent, collaborative universe requires that additions to the story or setting are permanent. For this reason, posts, wiki additions, and other content additions to Project Multiverse's forum or wikis are done under the Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license.
  • In short, this gives us the right to share or adapt your content, so long as we give you appropriate credit.

• Should a player leave, we will do our best to respect their wishes on how to handle their content, so long as we can do so in a way that is not disruptive to the setting/community.
• Content without an active owner will gradually go into decline. Systems will be relinquished for others to claim, technology/magic/etc withdrawn back into their home system, characters will vanish into the background, and so on.
• If a player designates someone to take control of their content, we will treat that player as the official owner of the content moving forward.

One of the core concepts for Project Multiverse is that of consent. We let players have extensive freedom to play how they want. In exchange, we have some important expectations for how players treat each other and the setting as a whole.

Your character/s may die, your ships may blow up, your ideas might be rejected, and you may not always be happy with how things go. This is just part of being in a collaborative storytelling environment.

Participating in a shard or plot puts you at the whim of the player/s in charge of that shard/plot. By joining them, you have given consent to those players to affect your content/characters. Make sure you understand what you're getting into (themes, maturity levels, etc).

Should you not like how something turns out, discuss it with that player first. If you can't come to a happy conclusion, you can reach out to staff and we'll try to work things out with you.

Anything that affects your content in a way not implied by where that content is played or previously agreed upon requires express consent. A simple example would be for mature content - if you or your character has not agreed to be part of mature content, then other players (including GMs!) need to get your permission before engaging in this manner. This can also be true of character deaths, language, etc.

Generally speaking, using another player's character/s requires that player's express consent. Players running Shards and Plots are given implicit consent to use characters by a player participating in that part of the setting, within reason.

We are a collaborative story telling community. We aren't interested in who is the most powerful or who has the most territory. Something being “the most” is only as interesting as the stories that can be told because of that.

Project Multiverse largely avoids setting restrictions upon its members in terms of what a given character or Nation can do. We accomplish this by assuming that everyone and everything is, at the end of the day, equal in the eyes of the story.

Example: If one Nation has a fleet of a million ships and another Nation only has three, the smaller Nation could still win the conflict. Both groups of players are just as deserving as a win - or loss.

Star Wars would be a lot shorter if the Empire had won by default, after all.

What is 'fair' may vary from Shard to Shard, depending on that Shard's themes.

Anyone found to be abusing the community's desire for fairness may find themselves suddenly without all their shiny toys - or banned entirely. If you cannot participate in a fair manner, simply don't involve yourself in it.

It's up to everyone involved to find a way to make the story make sense. Let's have fun together!

When two or more players decide to RP together, there's some basic rules that players expect everyone to follow. The following are a few roleplay-specific 'rules' of behavior that we expect our players to follow so that everyone can have a good time.

• You must have a player's permission to:
  • Control or write for their characters, including how other characters react to your character
    • aka, power playing
  • Harm or kill their characters
  • Engage in mature or otherwise 'inappropriate' ways with their characters
• If you have permission to write for a character, do your best to do so in a manner that is true and respectful of that character.
• Do not…
  • … write your character/s as invincible, all-powerful, or without fault.
    • aka, known as power gaming or godmodding
  • … give your character knowledge beyond what they would reasonably have.
    • aka, metagaming
  • … break the lore/setting
• Give other players a chance to respond to your actions
  • i.e., don't say “I punch you”, say “I swing my fist at you”

If one or more players can't agree on an outcome, but still want to proceed with the story, they should let a simple dice roll make the decision. This holds just as true for one-on-one combat as it does for massive battles.

Since PM doesn't have any formal systems for gaining or limiting power, all combat strengths are effectively 'made up'. We are entirely narrative based in this regard - which is why we leave disagreements up to chance.

If a player writes, “I have an invincible fleet”, they now have an invincible fleet. However, they are not guaranteed victory and no amount of careful writing will change that. Their invincible fleet is just as likely to win or lose as a scrappy starfighter. Likewise, the all-powerful mage can still lose to a kid holding a sharp stick. The more interesting story is often the one with an unexpected outcome, after all.

Once a “winner” has been determined, the players should discuss how things play out. Winning simply means that the conflict is resolved in the winner's favor. It doesn't mean the loser dies or that their fleet is destroyed.

If players have specific goals in mind, they should establish those up front. For example, “If I win, I claim this system.” or “If I win, I successfully steal the treasure.”

Focus on your goals and not what happens to your opponent/s. Why are you having this conflict?

By default, we suggest each player rolls a d6. The higher result wins!

If a player feels that their opponent should have an advantage, they may decide to give their opponent's dice a bonus. Any bonuses should be given before dice are rolled. Do not try to coerce other players into giving you a bonus.

• A player might decide to give their opponent a flat bonus, such as adding 2 to the result of a d6.
• A player might decide to give their opponent a larger dice, such as letting them roll a d8 in comparison to their d6.
• A player is fighting two other players. They agree to use a single dice roll to determine the outcome, but the solo player gives +1 to their opponent's roll because they're outnumbered.

Example: A fifty-foot tall robot is rampaging through town! It's up to one plucky kid to put a stop to it… or die trying. The two players (one each for the robot and the kid) can't decide who should win. The kid agrees that the robot's odds are a little better, so they say the robot's player can add 2 to their roll.

They roll the dice and the kid comes out as the victor! The players discuss how the kid could win and agree that a clever ploy to convince the robot that it's destroying the wrong town seems like a fair 'victory'. The robot leaves, giving the city time to rebuild - and plan for the next attack.

Example:Two players want to have their characters duke it out. Incenimax, lord of the five hells and master of the eternal flame, challenges Bill, the accountant, to a battle.

Incenimax's player feels like he's got a pretty big advantage when it comes to fighting. Bill's player knows that tax season is coming up and reckons that Incenimax might be underestimating him. Neither player gives the other a bonus.

Regardless of who wins, it's up to the players to roll the dice and figure out how to make the results of the roll a reality.

When the dice are done rolling, Incenimax wins! Bill's player doesn't want Bill to die, but has no problems with Incenimax handily winning the fight. Incenimax's player doesn't really care about killing Bill off - and even if he did, he'd need the other player's consent. They talk about the major points of how things might go down and get to writing.

The story unfolds…

Bill lays on the ground, on the cusp of death as Incenimax's fiery chain winds around his neck. Just before the final blow is dealt, Bill summons the last of his strength to grin up at his opponent.

“Guess it's true what they say. There are only two things for sure in this life - death and taxes. I might die here, but you? Taxes will follow you forever.”

Incenimax curses, knowing that Bill is right. But what if…?

“Perhaps,” says the master of the eternal flame, “perhaps. Or perhaps… we face them both together.”

Using dice isn't a weapon to get what you want. It is simply a way to acknowledge that, when everything is equal in the eyes of the story, sometimes the winner just comes down to chance.

One of the best things about telling a story is figuring out how it ends. If you win in such a way that it closes all doors for future storytelling, all you've really done is robbed yourself and your fellow players of the opportunity to continue having fun.

Being part of a story requires a commitment to see that story through to the end. It's important that there isn't a fear of players leaving because they're not happy with some aspect of how the story is going. Leaving plots can hurt the motivation of the other players involved and makes it difficult to maintain a consistent narrative.

We do not, however, believe that players should be forced to continue in situations that make them feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or unsatisfied in a way that ruins their enjoyment of the game.

If you find yourself (or your characters) in a situation that you no longer wish to be part of, you can work with the leader of that nation or plot to come up with a graceful way to remove yourself from that situation. If you can't come to a satisfactory agreement, staff can be asked to make a review and then make a decision. Staff will prioritize maintaining continuity, if possible.

Players are allowed to create, and manage, settings-within-the-setting that we call “Shards”. So long as it doesn't impact the broader universe or break site rules, Shards can do just about anything.

The space a Shard is allowed on the map is limited to three systems, although its influence may be further reaching. Within a Shard, the player/s in control of the Shard have the final say on what is allowed²⁾.

The only real ask we have for Shards is that they have clear themes and purpose. This makes it easy for players to 'align' themselves with things that interest them, as well as leaves room for other Shards to fill other niches.

Given that each Shard is essentially a setting unto itself, these themes may be broad. We encourage players and Shard Masters to think of ways to create things that are uniquely theirs, rather than simply broad strokes.

Shards are managed by one or more Shard Masters (SMs). They have control over what happens within their Shard, including who can write within it, what content can be created for it, and what stories can be told within the Shard's space. SMs should try to be hands-off where possible, only stepping in to ensure that the Shard's theme/purpose remains consistent and that no major story goals will be derailed. To a reasonable extent, SMs should moderate interactions between players in their Shard and try to help everyone have a good experience.

Ultimately, a Shard Master is simply a Game Master with a larger scope.

Each Shard has its own fundamental laws that dictate the strength of the forces within, such as magic, technology, divinity, and so on. Characters and objects within that Shard must follow its laws. When they leave the Shard, they take the influence of those laws with them. So long as they do not enter another Shard, the laws will stay true, providing a consistent experience for characters (and players!) as they explore the universe - no matter their means of transportation.

Just because something works within one Shard doesn't guarantee it will work within the next.

Example: If I want to make a starfighter that can blow up stars for a plot, that's fine. That starfighter should not be used in places that other Nations/Plots operate within (“bubbles”) without those groups giving you permission to use it there.

Example: A player wants to fly their starship into Magic Elf Land. The players of magic elf land specifically don't want technology in their RP, so the player can't bring their starship. The Nation Leader for Magic Elf Land ultimately gets the say in what, and how, various elements of the setting are brought into their Nation.

Anything happening within a Shard is wholly subject to its influence, even if it means negating the influence of another Shard. It is up to the involved players to decide to what extent one Shard can affect another.

Shards don't take up all of the Calliope Cluster. Between Shards lie open or unclaimed space, where the laws of one Shard no longer apply.

Here, the influence of each Shard may come into conflict. In most cases, the influences attempt to co-exist in the most permissive way possible - in other words, if one Shard allows technology and another magic, then both will be allowed outside of their Shards.

Please keep our Fairness rules in mind when deciding how to handle these intersections. Those rules cover basic etiquette and conflict resolution and provide a guideline for an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

Should the elements of a Shard prove to be too disruptive to the rest of the setting, staff may get involved to find a way to ensure that things are fair.

Generally speaking, traveling or communicating over long distances should take a while. At a minimum, crossing a square on our map takes at least one week, using the fastest powers available.

The one exception to this is using the Precursor Gates, ancient and powerful rings that allow for instantaneous transit from one Gate to the next.

Additional details can be found in the Setting Travel Guide.

So long as your idea doesn't conflict with anyone else's, you are free to make new Shards whenever you'd like.

As your Shard gains more players and tells more stories, it may become prominent enough that it warrants additional visibility/support. At staff discretion, your Shard's world/s may be placed onto the universe's map, Discord channels may be created to let your players discuss the Shard more easily, and so on.

If your Shard becomes inactive, it will simply fade into the background, unless other plans have been made. See our rules on Content Submissions for more.

In a literary work, film, or other narrative, the plot is the sequence of events where each affects the next one through the principle of cause-and-effect. The causal events of a plot can be thought of as a series of events linked by the connector “and so”.

Plots can vary from the simple—such as in a traditional ballad—to forming complex interwoven structures, with each part sometimes referred to as a subplot.

-Plot

On Project Multiverse, Plots are collaborative stories told by a group of players with one (or more) player/s in charge of what happens next. They are not the only way to tell a story, but many enjoy the structure they provide.

A plot can have one or more players.

We call the person in charge of a plot a Game Master (GM). The GM is responsible for keeping the plot moving, managing the experience of the players within the plot, and making sure that their plot works within the setting it takes place within.

Anyone can be a GM at any time. There is no formal application process. It's as easy as starting a story. Outside of the stories they lead, GMs have no special powers or responsibilities within the community.

Should a GM want to stir up interest or make a common place for their players to chat, we encourage them to use threads in our #plot-threads channel on Discord.

In fiction, canon is the material accepted as officially part of the story in an individual universe of that story. … The alternative terms mythology, timeline, universe and continuity are often used, with the first of these being used especially to refer to a richly detailed fictional canon requiring a large degree of suspension of disbelief (e.g. an entire imaginary world and history), while the latter two typically refer to a single arc where all events are directly connected chronologically.

Other times, the word can mean “to be acknowledged by the creator(s)“.

-Canon

A plot is not Canon - that is, “true” in the setting's history - without the approvals mentioned below. If you aren't interested in having a plot be Canon, then you can write whatever you'd like, so long as you understand that it has no impact on the universe outside your plot.

Plots that don't have a large impact on the overall setting don't require much, if any, oversight. Go and write!

Plots that impact the history or future of a Shard require the approval of its Shard Master/s.

Plots that impact the history or future of the overall setting require the approval of the staff. For example, anything that would change the setting map.

Example: The crew of the SS Snugglebug, an exploratory vessel, have just discovered a new planet. It meets all the criteria for life and the local fauna are adorable.

Whether this is the first planet they've discovered or the tenth, the planet(s) they discover exist only in Plot Canon. The planets might never be found or mentioned again in future stories and they don't impact the map. Other plots may later visit this same area of space and find a completely different system full of planets.

Only if the GM wishes to add the planets to the map or claim the system for a Nation does it become a larger part of the Canon.

Project Multiverse is a setting collaboratively built by all of its players. We are an RP-first community, so while we maintain a wiki for its ability to improve our roleplay, we do not wish for the wiki to be a major part of how we spend our time or a roadblock to good storytelling.

Adding content to our setting comes with a number of responsibilities:

• All content must adhere to our core rules.
• Ensure that your content fits within the themes of the affected Shard/s, Plot/s, or overall setting.
• Accept that your content will be used and interacted with by others in the community.
• Ensure that your content is well-written and easy for others to understand.
• Understand that adding content to the wiki does not guarantee that others will have interest in using it or allow it within their part of the setting³⁾.

While we want to be as open as possible about the content allowed within PM, we also need to respect the wishes of the players who already have content. Should your content impact someone else's, then you need to get their consent.

If you aren't a Shard Master, you should talk to them about major additions to their shard. Some Shards' wiki pages may have information about what type of content can be created for the Shard without oversight.

Anything other than characters, plots, or locations (each of which have their own namespaces that you can find on the sidebar to the left) that is not setting-wide should be created under the relevant Shard's namespace.

If you're creating something that affects the setting as a whole, you should discuss it with the site staff. Pages outside of a Shard's namespace that don't match the above categories are under Staff's authority and may be rejected or modified. This is because content outside of a Shard impacts all Shards - we want to make sure each Shard's setting is respected and only impacted when we feel it is truly appropriate.

Content with limited impact, such as things affecting a single Shard, is typically fine. Don't feel overly constrained.

It's easy to get excited and start adding all of your favorite things, but when you create something you're taking on the responsibility of making that something truly great. You may also be reducing the 'creative space' in the setting if your creations are overly broad.

Example: You decide to make elves. You describe all of the standard elf tropes as variations on the core elves. You give them magic and advanced technology.

If/when you're making something, please be thoughtful about the identity of your part of the setting, whether or not a new addition is necessary, and whether or not you're going to develop your creation to a reasonable extent.

Making a unique, well developed take on an idea leaves plenty of room for other players and expands the setting in fun ways.

In addition to our basic intellectual property rules, we allow content creators to define some basic asks around how others can/can't use their content. Most wiki templates have a section in the 'OOC' part at the bottom to cover this, but you can add it there yourself should it be missing.

Usage asks must be reasonable or they will not be followed. If you're unsure if something is reasonable - ask!

If you don't wish others to use or interact with your content at all, Project Multiverse is not the place for it. We're a collaborative storytelling community, after all.

• Player Whisper created this on 2022/01/22 12:00, with input from the other members of the Project Multiverse staff and community.

This article's content adheres to Project Multiverse's submission and usage rules.