tabularasa_mods | Tabula Rasa - Preliminary FAQ & Interest Check (Reply)

Tabula Rasa Preliminary FAQ
The Basics | Characters & Applications | The Setting | Influence
Interest Check & Timeline

The Basics

Q. What is Tabula Rasa?

A. Tabula Rasa is a panfandom roleplaying game set in a completely empty and featureless world—at first, that is. As characters arrive, they bring with them imprints of their own worlds, shaping the setting around them. Everything from forests and cities, mountains and oceans, and even the laws that govern reality can be brought into the empty world. What kind of world it becomes and what direction the games goes in is completely up to the characters that inhabit it.

The game will include elements that encourage exploration, character growth, and a high degree of player control and freedom, as well as opportunities for existential and body horror. Literally anything can be changed with enough influence, including broader game mechanics and the characters themselves. There will be no overarching game plot, unless someone decides there's an overarching game plot. We will update this description as the game takes shape.

Events will be a mix of genres, ranging from horror and survival to crack and slice of life, though ultimately the content of events will depend on the game's current characters. Darker and lighter events will be balanced to keep the game from skewing too hard in one direction, and opt-outs will be available when necessary.

Q. What kinds of characters can I play here?

A. We accept canon characters, canon AUs (alternate universes), CRAUs/game transplants, original characters from original universes, malleable protagonists, and some original characters from canon worlds (fandom OCs). Please refer to the question titled "What is your definition of an acceptable fandom OC, and how do they differ from malleable protagonists?" for further details on acceptable fandom OCs.

We do not accept fan-made AUs, depictions of real life persons, and most examples of fandom OCs. Minor canon characters without sufficient material to characterize them may also be rejected.

We currently do not allow doubles of characters. This includes fandom OCs and malleable protagonists that fill a specific role within their source material (FFXIV's Warrior of Light, Mass Effect's Captain Shepard).

There is currently no age limit on what characters can be applied for. If we feel a character is unsuitable for the setting due to their age, we will handle it on a case-by-case basis.

For further details on what kinds of characters can be applied for and what state they will arrive in, please see the Characters & Applications section further below.

Q. How many characters can I play at once?

A. Each player may have up to 2 characters at any one time. You cannot play 2 characters from the same canon, and you may only apply for 1 character per app cycle.

If we feel you're struggling with activity or apping and dropping characters frequently within a short period of time, we reserve the right to deny a second character until your activity improves.

Q. Are there any game or cast caps?

A. There will be a cap of 30 players in the game at any one time. As each player may have up to two characters, the maximum character cap will be 60 characters.

Individual casts will be capped at 6 characters per canon. This count will include canon OCs when applicable, as well as canon AUs and adaptions (Fullmetal Alchemist 2003/Brotherhood, Mo Dao Zu Shi/The Untamed).

Franchises that encompass multiple canons but take place in similar or shared universes (Marvel 616/MCU, Final Fantasy, Fate/) will be capped at 10 characters total. This count will include all canons under each individual franchise. We will decide what does or does not count as part of a franchise on a case-by-case basis.

Original characters will not be capped, excluding any fandom OCs that have their own canon section.

These numbers are not final and may be adjusted after the game opens.

Q. What will the activity check be like?

A. There will be a monthly activity check that will run for one week, likely alongside the week reserves open and before the start of the app cycle. Our planned AC right now is 10 comments from your character across at least 2 threads with different characters, containing 5 comments from your own at minimum.

There will be a system in place for strikes. If you took a stirke for the previous month's AC, your requirements for the following month will be doubled (20 comments across at least 4 threads).

There will be a warning list and grace period for players who fail to comment on the activity check in time. However, players who repeatedly fail to comment on time for two or more months in a row may be reprimanded.

Players will be allowed to take hiatuses for 1 month at a time.

Overall, we aim to have "low" AC requirements and handle most activity-related issues on a case-by-case basis. We'll be very much willing to work with players who approach us about issues with their activity, longer hiatuses, etc.

Q. Is any mature content allowed in this game?

A. While we have no problem with characters having sex, this is not an age-restricted game. Please keep any explicit sexual content to your own journals. You may reference the fact that your character does, indeed, have sex, but you may not post content containing it on the game's communities. Scenes that "fade to black" before any explicit content occurs is allowed.

We also ask that players warn for common triggers and put such content behind a cut where applicable. We're not going to keep an expansive list of triggers to keep track of, but please use common sense and respect your fellow players if someone expresses discomfort with certain content being displayed in the open.

Q. Are HMD/"How's My Driving?"/critique posts required for this game?

A. We will not require players to have an HMD or crit post. However, we do expect you to provide some way for other players to contact you OOC if they have any concerns. This can be through an open post on your character's journal, private messages, or a link to another page or site where anyone can send you a message. If we do not feel your method of contact is accessible enough, we may ask you to turn on private messages or put a contact post on your character's journal.

This does not mean that players can ignore critique, or that we won't hold our players to any standards of ICness. We're just not going to enforce putting up a crit post when most crit posts don't get much use anyway.

Q. Who are the Tabula Rasa mods? Will you be modding the game anonymously?

A. For the most part, yes, we will be anon-modding. Individual mods may choose to "out" themselves if they feel comfortable with it. However, we prefer to draw a firm line between ourselves when we act as the mod team vs each of us as individual players in the game. Mods will not receive any special treatment as players, and we would like our players to respect that distinction and treat us as they would any other player. All mod-related discussions will be handled strictly through official channels, and we will not tolerate players trying to use mods' personal accounts to harass them on their own time.

Currently, there are two mods behind Tabula Rasa. All major decisions made by the mod team will be made as a group, so we will not be distinguishing "which mod" is commenting at any given time or designating anyone as "head mod". If a mod makes any kind of statement while not logged into the mod account, it should be taken as a personal opinion and not a mod decision.

Characters & Applications

Q. What is your definition of a malleable protagonist?

A. A malleable protagonist is a character that has an established role in an existing canon, but details of their backstory and/or personality are left open to interpretation. A character that falls into this category may still have distinct personality traits, background details, and relationships with canon characters that are outlined within their canon. Malleable protagonist-type characters will be treated closer to canon characters when it comes to applications, and your depiction of the character will be expected to match how they're presented in their source material. You may fill in the blanks where needed, but as a general rule your app should not contain any headcanon that contradicts the source material or adds dramatic changes to the character's backstory that may cause problems for canon castmates.

A malleable protagonist character may have existing relationships with canon characters. However, other players from your canon are not required to accept your interpretation of the character as "theirs" and may use their own headcanons when needed. Blame it on alternate realities.

Some examples of what we would consider malleable protagonists would be Captain Shepard from Mass Effect, The Inquisitor from Dragon Age, and The Warrior of Light from FFXIV.

Q. What is your definition of an acceptable fandom OC, and how do they differ from malleable protagonists?

A. A fandom OC is a completely original character made for an existing canon setting. Unlike a malleable protagonist, a fandom OC does not fill a specific role within their canon and does not have any pre-set background, personality, or relationships with canon characters. All details of a fandom OC have been created by the player within the established setting of the canon.

At this time, we will only allow fandom OCs for canons that have been specifically designed for character creation. Some examples of acceptable canons for fandom OCs would be tabletop RPG settings such as Dungeons & Dragons or Vampire: The Masquerade and most MMOs with character creation. As a general rule, fandom OCs may not have any pre-existing relationships with canon characters and should not play a major role in a canon's overarching story. Fandom OCs will be subject to cast caps for their canon.

Since there's a lot of grey area in how a fandom OC can be defined, all applications for fandom OCs will be handled on a case-by-case basis. If you're unsure if a particular character would be appable, please contact the mods.

Q. Does my character need to be human, or can I play an animal/anthro/alien/robot?

A. Characters do not need to be human, and you do not need to humanize your character to play them here. What we do require is that characters must be sapient and intelligent enough to interact with other characters to be appable. If you're unsure about a particular character, please contact the mods.

Currently, non-human characters will arrive in their original form, at their original size. If your character's size is an issue, you may choose to adjust them to human scale on arrival by requesting it on your app. If your character's form is an issue, or if they do not have a physical body at all, please contact the mods. We'll work something out.

Q. Can I play a pair of characters from the same canon as a single character?

A. If it's two characters that share a body or soul, you may apply for both characters together as a single character slot. You can also choose to only play one of the two characters and have the second character "separated" from them on arrival. If you decide to play both together, your app will be expected to reflect this and we may ask for more details on the secondary character. If you decide not to play both characters and the second character has enough material to be considered appable, someone may apply for that character with their own separate body.

For cases such as pets, summons, and other sentient companions that don't fit into the above scenario, they can be brought with your character on arrival or regained at a later date provided the companion character is not appable by our standards. If the companion character is appable, we may ask that they not be brought in with your character.

If the two characters simply spend a lot of time together, then most likely you will not be allowed to play both.

If you're unsure about how your character(s) fit into these guidelines, please contact the mods. Unusual character circumstances like these will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Q. How long do I have to wait if I want to play a character from a new canon?

A. One month. The source material must be available in English to be appable, and an official English release is preferred over fan translations.

Q. Does my character get to keep their powers?

A. Short answer: yes, but no.

Long answer: when characters arrive in the empty world, nothing is truly "taken" from them. If they have supernatural powers, mutant genes, or special biology, they aren't going to suddenly lose those parts of themselves. However, the world itself may not understand how those abilities work. Until it does, those abilities won't function.

Because the world will constantly be growing and changing to suit the characters that inhabit it, this is a tricky question to give a straight answer to. As a baseline, though, all characters will be roughly equal to a regular human in terms of physical strength and endurance. Cosmetic and some residual aspects of powers can be kept. Extra body parts such as tails or wings will still behave as normal, though actions such as flight may not be possible.

As the game develops, characters may regain access to their natural abilities, or they may learn to use entirely new abilities.

Q. Can you elaborate on what sorts of cosmetic aspects and residual powers characters get to keep?

A. Generally speaking, characters should feel "normal" when they arrive, and it may not be immediately obvious that their abilities aren't working. It's up to you how you want to interpret that, but effects centered purely on the self without any external reach will generally seem fine. For example, a character with magic powers who's used to sensing mana will still be able to sense that mana in themselves, though they may find themselves unable to detect it in anyone or anything else. A telepath won't feel anything wrong when trying to read minds, though it may seem like everyone's minds are completely blank. If two characters share a body their individual conciousnesses will function as normal, though they may run into trouble depending on how they're used to running the body together. As long as you're not giving your character an obvious advantage they shouldn't have access to yet, it's generally fine to assume the "foundation" of their abilities is still in place.

For cosmetic aspects, anything that's a physical part of their body is fine to keep. Characters that can shape shift or "summon" extra body parts such as wings may be stuck in their current appearance, however. Whether this appearance includes extra body parts or not is up to you. Body parts that are more magical in nature than physical, such as a pair of wings made of glowing light, will only be possible if the current state of the setting allows for it.

If you're unsure about a particular character's situation or want some guidance on how to handle it, please contact the mods. We'll be happy to help you sort things out.

Q. Can my character bring any items with them on arrival?

A. Only the clothes on their back, anything they're carrying on them at the time, and a metaphysical imprint of their homeworld—but we'll get to that later.

Items with supernatural qualities will be subject to the same rules as character abilities. Unless changes have been made to the setting to allow for it, all magical objects will be completely ordinary by default.

Q. Can my character bring a pet or animal companion with them?

A. Only if that animal is on their person at the time, which may make things a little complicated depending on the circumstances. For example, a Pokemon trainer may have their team of active Pokemon with them, but they'll likely be stored in Pokeballs. If the world doesn't understand how a Pokeball works, those creatures will be stuck in there until it does. A creature that can be summoned or transformed with magic may be stuck in un-summoned form. So, yes, carried objects can include pets and companions, but they'll be subject to the same rules as abilities and non-sentient items.

If a pet or animal companion is appable as their own character according to our standards, we may ask that you either have your character leave them behind or include the companion on your app as a separate character. Please see the question "Can I play a pair of characters from the same canon as a single character?" for further details.

Q. Can my character regain any additional items from home after their arrival?

A. Yes, regaining more items (including pets and animal companions) beyond what your character arrives with will be possible. Please see the Influence section for more details on how items can be regained.

The Setting

Please note that everything in this section is the "default" conditions of the setting, and everything about the setting is subject to change in the future as characters are introduced and begin influencing the world. This is just to give you a basic idea of the starting point we'll be working with, as well as some ideas on what aspects of the world can be changed over time.

Q. Does this world have a name?

A. Maybe! Why doesn't your character come up with one for it?

When referring to the game's setting on an OOC level, we will simply call it "the world" or "the empty world" for now.

Q. How does my character arrive?

A. Characters arrive suddenly and inexplicably. One moment they're somewhere else and the next they're not. Trying to think too hard about it might give them a headache—it feels like they've forgotten something, like there should be an explanation for how they got here... but, at least for now, no one can come up with one.

Q. Can my character leave?

A. No. Characters cannot willingly leave this world.

This may change in the future if the right combination of mechanics are adapted into the world. However, we will ask that the game remain inescapable for at least the first 6 months to allow characters time to shape the world into something substantial. After that point, though? Anything is fair game.

Q. What happens when characters are dropped or put on hiatus?

A. Characters can vanish as abruptly as they arrived. No one will "see" a character vanish, they'll simply be gone the next moment. Much like arrivals, anyone who tries to remember what happened in that exact moment will find only a gnawing lack of a memory.

If a character is put on hiatus, you can either choose to leave them on autopilot or have them temporarily vanish from the world altogether. When they return, it'll feel much the same as when they arrived: they'll have no recollection of where they were, how much time has passed, or how they reappeared.

If you drop a character and decide to app them again, ICly it'll be treated the same as a hiatus.

Q. What happens if I want to canon update my character?

A. Currently, this works the same as a drop or hiatus would, but the character will return with new memories (and physical changes, when applicable) as if they'd gone home. Both sets of memories will feel equally fresh.

Did they actually go home, or is there something else going on that's altering their memories? Good question! Maybe someone will decide to give it an answer.

Q. Does this game have a network?

A. Currently, no. Characters can only interact with each other face-to-face, or by leaving physical messages to each other within the setting.

Q. How does technology work in the world?

A. Technology is almost like magic sometimes, isn't it? Unfortunately, this world would agree. Computers and electronic devices won't power on at all, at least until someone introduces a stronger concept of technology into the world.

If a character has a mechanical body part or implant that they need to function, though, it will still work up to normal human capabilities as a baseline. Try not to think too hard about it.

The reliability of clocks and timepieces depends entirely on the reliability of time itself.

Q. What language is everyone speaking?

A. For all intents and purposes, English. Why English, you ask? Why any language at all?

In actuality, characters are speaking whatever language they speak naturally. This world has no concept of language, or language barriers, so everyone can simply understand one another as if it were their native language. It may sound a bit off, but as far as any character can tell everything spoken or written they encounter will be in their native tongue.

As a side-effect of this, characters cannot speak or write in any language that another character cannot understand. Attempting to communicate in a different language may seem to work from their end, but to anyone else it'll still be in each character's native language. Likewise, if a character is fluent in multiple languages they may perceive other characters as speaking in those different languages.

Q. What if my character is deaf, blind or mute?

A. The lack of a language barrier extends to written and sign language. If a character communicates in sign language, other characters who see it will inexplicably understand what it means as if they were fluent. The same applies to braille. Characters who can read lips can still do so as well as if the other character were speaking their native language.

Unfortunately, there isn't anything in place that magically translates a spoken language into sign language or written language. You can't speak to a blind person in sign language, so some characters might have to get creative.

Q. What if my character is illiterate?

A. Written language is intended to be understood, so congratulations, your character suddenly knows how to read. They're welcome to be confused about that.

Q. Do characters need to eat or sleep?

A. Characters do not get tired or feel hunger in any way. This will likely change on its own as more concepts are brought into the setting—there's no point to food if no one gets hungry.

If your character normally has an unusual diet or does not eat at all, they will still be subject to whatever rules the world has adopted. A vampire won't thirst for blood if the concept of vampires doesn't exist in the world yet. However, if the world eventually decides that people do have to eat, a vampire would have the same diet as everyone else by default. Even robots need to eat, probably. Try not to think too hard about it.

The same also applies to sleep. By default everyone follows the same rules, so if sleep becomes necessary then it becomes necessary even for those who wouldn't normally have to sleep.

Q. Can characters get sick?

A. Characters cannot get sick from anything. However, if a character already has an illness when they arrive, they can either be "cured" of it or continue to experience the symptoms as they normally would. They will not die from it, other characters will not be able to catch it, and it will not get better on its own. This may change if the world gains a better grasp of illness in the future.

Q. Can characters get injured or die?

A. There is no concept of death built into the world. There's a rough understanding of pain and injury, but no matter how serious or obviously fatal a wound should be, characters can recover from it. Slowly. Immortality might sound like a good thing, but you might reconsider your stance once you realize limbs won't magically regrow and getting decapitated would mean being a wailing disembodied head for the foreseeable future.

Pain hurts about as much as you'd expect it to. If a character normally bleeds, they'll bleed here. All characters will experience pain from injuries as a baseline, even if they normally can't feel at all.

Q. Can characters get pregnant?

A. Just as death needs to be introduced, so does the concept of birth. Characters, as well as animals, cannot get pregnant or give birth.

Q. How does time work? Is there a day and night cycle?

A. Not very well and no. If you're not thinking about it, time seems to pass just fine. If anyone actually tries to keep track of it, though, they'll find that it's unpredictable at best. They may even find themselves in scenarios where they end up in two places at the same time, somehow, or repeating something they've already done. Characters won't be bumping into themselves or causing any paradoxes, but anyone who tries to pay attention to the passage of time will quickly understand that it's a mess.

Until a day and night cycle is introduced, the time of day is roughly noon-ish. There is no light source, let alone a sun, but the surrounding area is brightly lit by default. These conditions may change suddenly and drastically between areas influenced by characters, suiting whatever environments they become.

Q. What does this place look like?

A. An endlessly white expanse with no apparent end. There is a surface that characters can walk on and interact with, and it is currently impossible to break or scratch this surface in any way. The "ground" feels firm, with a slight amount of give to it. The texture feels vaguely of paper or canvas. The ground has no noticeable temperature, scent, or taste.

There is no upper limit or ceiling to the world. The horizon can be a bit difficult to spot, though if you focus long enough you might think you see a line there of sorts—focusing on this for too long may also give you a headache. Since there is no true source of light, shadows are questionably present and it's almost impossible to grasp the depth of distant objects.

As new areas are added to the world, they will form within this endless white expanse to create "zones". These zones may be close enough to blend and mix together, or there may be stretches of empty space between them. The distances may not be consistent, or they may move around from time to time depending on the world's grasp of space.

For now, we will refer to any "unused" zones or gaps between them as "the void".

Q. Is there any gravity?

A. Yes, thankfully. The world seems to understand that things are supposed to stay on the ground, so no one is going to float up into the infinite abyss never to be seen again. Most objects will fall how you'd expect them to on Earth.

That said, the stability and consistency of gravity is questionable. For the most part, characters will feel gravity as they would expect it to work on their homeworlds. Objects may fall slower or faster than normal at times, or randomly float for a few seconds when released. It's less about "what is the amount of gravity here" and more about "does it remember how gravity works at this exact moment?"

Q. What's the temperature and climate like?

A. Neither hot nor cold. Room temperature. There's no weather to speak of, and the air is completely still and tastes a bit stale... assuming there even is air. Are you sure you're breathing anything at all right now?

Q. Are there any plants, animals, or other creatures in the world besides the characters?

A. There isn't a speck of life in this world aside from what's been brought into it.

Q. Are there any NPCs?

A. Nope. Just the player characters.

Influence

Q. What is "influence"?

A. "Influence" is the word used for the effect characters have on the empty world. It is more than just a force that allows them to change and shape the world around them. Without influence, characters simply cannot exist. They must exert even a small degree of influence to will their bodies into being, to interact with the world and people around them, and to have individual thoughts and awareness. A character with no influence cannot exist in any way, shape, or form. They are not even a disembodied mind or soul—they do not exist.

Fortunately, influence isn't difficult to have. You don't have to do anything outstanding or special to have influence. If a character exists in the world, they already have enough of it to get them by.

Q. Besides existing, what else can characters do with their influence?

A. Anything and everything. However, directing that influence willingly isn't something so easily done. In most cases, especially early on, characters' influence will affect the world in unpredictable and unintended ways.

Q. What is an "imprint"?

A. "Imprint" is the word we will use for any change to the world caused by a character's influence. In a weird sort of way, the characters themselves are also imprints. Anything that's been brought into existence within the world is an imprint of someone's influence.

In general, imprints are formed from a character's individual understanding of how the world works. Imprints can be anything from objects and places to abstract ideas and beliefs. Just by existing, a character is exerting their influence by perceiving the world around them. Imprints can be formed from memories of a character's world, or they can be formed from active attempts to explain the world around them.

As characters think and feel and exist as individuals, the world will draw from those thoughts and feelings and create "imprints" of them upon itself. This is how the world grows and shapes itself around the characters within it.

Q. This all sounds very complicated. Can you break it down a bit so it's easier to understand?

A. Imprints can be divided into four basic categories. These categories may overlap or mix at times, but any change to the world caused by influence will fall into at least one of these categories.
Scenery defines anything that can be described as a location. It will likely include many smaller components, such as a forest composed of varied plants and animals, or a city composed of buildings and man-made objects. The individual parts may lack details or behave in unusual ways, but the area as a whole will be identifiable as the place or type of place it's intended to be.

Species are living plants or creatures that have enough detail to be considered unique entities, existing seperately from any environments they might inhabit. Species may develop from the scenery over time, or they may come into being unrelated to any specific scenery. Species may have sentience and intelligence, though it will require significantly more influence from characters to create imprints of intelligent species. Species may be a single, unique creature or a collection of similar creatures that share the same traits.

Characters in the game are, technically, counted as their own "species", and may be divided up into unique species groups as the world gains a better understanding of the differences between them. Any living pets or companions characters bring with them are also counted as "species".

Objects are singluar, unique items that have enough detail to be considered separate from the scenery. Unlike species, objects are not sentient, though they may acquire sentience and later be classified as a type of species. Any items characters bring with them on arrival will count as objects, as would any items from home they may "regain" in the future.

Concepts are broader metaphysical ideas that define the laws of the world. Physics, time, death, and magic are some examples of concepts that may be altered or built upon within the world. Each character's unique sense of self is, technically, it's own concept, which is what allows them to exist and perceive the world around them. This is why some characters may have slightly different experiences than others, though the world as a whole will try its best to keep the rules consistent.

Q. What kind of influence will my character have on arrival?

A. All characters arrive with enough influence to exist and have a unique sense of self. When you apply, you will also be prompted to give us a description of either one set of scenery or one collective species to imprint on the world. This initial imprint must be based on your character's personal experiences or world prior to their arrival in the empty world. You may provide up to three options for us to choose from, though only one of these imprints will be used. We suggest having at least one scenery imprint so that the world doesn't end up as a blank white void with a bunch of weird animals in it.

Since concepts are more abstract and have a broader overall effect on the setting, you may not use a concept as your character's initial imprint.

Q. How can I have my character add new imprints to the setting after they've been accepted?

A. There will be a "points" system in place when the game opens to allow players to "buy" additional imprints on the setting. This system will also allow characters to claim item/pet regains from their homeworlds. Points will be gained through passing activity checks.

There will be a limit of 1 imprint per month on each character in the game to prevent the mods from getting overwhelmed with requests. Minor regains will generally not count towards this limit. Larger regains (such as vehicles, mechs and buildings) will be possible, but may count as an imprint instead and thus count towards the monthly limit.

The exact value of points is currently undecided and numbers may be adjusted before the game opens, but to give a rough idea of what we have in mind:
a minor regain would cost 1-2 points, or 1 month of good activity
a scenery or species imprint would cost 4-6 points, or 2-3 months of good activity
a concept imprint would cost 6+ points, or 3+ months of good activity

Other methods of gaining points may also be added, such as rewards for running or participating in gamewide events. We would like new imprints to be added regularly, but not so many that they become overwhelming for mods and players to deal with.

Q. Can two or more characters "combine" their points to put towards one imprint?

A. You cannot "give" points to another player or character, or use points from one character to pay for imprints on your second character. In a sense, accumulated points represent how much influence your character has gained within the world through their interactions with it and other characters. It wouldn't make sense for one character's increase in influence to cause a completely different character to create an imprint on the world.

However, characters may "collaborate" by spending their points on similar imprints that they intend to mix together. If two proposed imprints are similar enough in nature, their effects may be amplified.

Two characters from the same canon may also submit two identical imprints. If the same scenery, species or concept is submitted twice, further detail will be added to that particular imprint when it is added to the setting. This may also be used to "refresh" an existing imprint that has been overwritten. If we feel that too many people are submitting the same imprint over and over again, however, we may ask that you pick something else to give the game a little more variety. The intent is for imprints to mix together, not for aspects of your character's canon to be imported wholesale.

If two or more characters request the same unique item or creature as a regain, even if that item/creature should only have one copy in existence, an additional, identical copy will be made for each character that requests it. Blame alternate universes, or maybe just don't think too hard about it.

Q. Are characters aware that they're influencing the setting, or do they get to choose ICly what imprints they create in the world?

A. At this time, characters have no way to directly control their influence on the world. As time passes and characters learn more about their situation, they may experiment and come up with their own ways to try and control what imprints they cause. Yes, the world can be influenced to give characters a way to more directly influence it. Try not to think too hard about it.

On an OOC level, you will always have the option to have your character cause imprints that they wouldn't willingly create.

Q. Are there any other ways characters can influence the world besides spending points on imprints?

A. Yes. While player-submitted imprints are the main method in which characters will directly influence the setting, the world won't stop changing just because imprints aren't being submitted. The world will continue to adapt and grow as characters continue to interact with it, bringing in new concepts and features naturally. We will use these types of imprints as filler between player-submitted imprints.

Any imprints that the world develops on its own will be decided by the mods. However, we will be looking at what characters have been doing within the setting to decide how those actions will influence the world. For example, if a group of characters decides to try catching and cooking a wild animal to eat, the world may begin to explore concepts such as death, hunger, or survival. We will try not to use the same characters as a source for these types of changes every time, though we will specifically be looking for instances of characters interacting with the setting in creative ways. If your character is just having small talk then we're unlikely to look to that thread for inspiration.

We are also not omnipresent, so we may set up a post where players can nominate specific comments or parts of threads for consideration, though we will not guarantee that any nominated ideas will be used. Ultimately, it will be up to the mods to decide what changes the world will develop on its own.

Q. How and when will imprints be applied to the setting?

A. Imprints submitted by players may not go into effect immediately, as imprints will be used as prompts for events and intro logs. The details of imprints may also be changed or mixed with the imprints of other characters to blend the setting together, or things may go "wrong" and cause unintended effects. You're welcome to give suggestions on how certain details may be altered from their intended results, but we may also take creative liberties with how an imprint is implemented.

For your character's initial imprint detailed on their application, it will be built into the setting within 1 month at the latest. All imprints from characters in one app cycle should be implemented before the next app cycle's intro log.

For regains, the requested object or creature will appear immediately or as soon as the player would like them to. If you want to put off when a regain is received, you are welcome to wait as long as you'd like once the regain has been approved. We may ask that you put a delay between these types of regains if you request a large number of them at once.

For any other imprints requested after the character is accepted, they will be introduced over time depending on how many other imprints we have in the "queue". If there are a large number of imprints we have to work with, we may put off some of them so each change to the setting has room to breathe and characters may react to them without getting overwhelmed. We may also choose to break up imprints into smaller "chunks" depending on how they are worked into the setting.

Once the game is open and we have a better idea of our playerbase's size and activity speed, we will give a more concrete estimate of how long it will take for imprints to be implemented.

Q. Are imprints on the world permanent, or will they disappear over time?

A. Imprints don't have a set expiration. However, as more imprints are added to the world newer imprints may contradict and "overwrite" older ones. Regains cannot be erased in this way, though regains may vanish if the character that owns them is dropped from the game.

On an OOC level, we will try to keep a healthy balance of influence between different canons. If one canon is larger or is otherwise creating many more imprints than other canons represented in the game, we are more likely to have imprints from that canon phased out over time. You may still submit imprint requests for that canon, but older or lesser-used imprints from that canon will be blended in or overwritten by newer imprints.

Our aim is to keep the game fun and fresh for everyone in the game. If a certain imprint or feature is popular among a large number of players, we are more likely to keep it in the game and blend it in with other things rather than remove it completely. However, even if an imprint is removed from the game you may still request it a second time.

Q. What happens to my character's imprints if I drop them from the game?

A. Imprints won't immediately vanish the moment a character does. Imprints are a lasting impression, after all, so they'll linger beyond the time each character spends within the world. Imprints from dropped characters will be more likely to be overwritten as newer imprints are added, though.

If your character has acquired any regains when they're dropped, you may choose to give those regains to other characters that are still in the game (with their permission). If you choose to do this, those regains will belong to those players and they may use them as they please. You must specify what characters each regain is going to in your drop comment. If you do not choose this option, regains will vanish alongside the dropped character.

Q. What happens if I want to add an imprint that would change how the game works in a major way, such as affecting OOC game mechanics, plot, or the game's overall tone?

A. Yes, imprints may have an effect on how the game works on an OOC level. However, the mods have a final say in what does or does not get changed about the game. An imprint may be rejected if we feel it is changing too much too quickly, or if it would cause an unwanted change in overall direction for the game. We're running the show here, so it's only fair that we get to decide how much work we need to do and what sorts of rules will apply to our players.

Sometimes, an imprint may be proposed that would have a largescale effect on the game that some players may disagree with. First of all, we ask that all of our players understand that changing and adapting the game is the core concept behind Tabula Rasa. Major changes to the game's mechanics can and will happen over time. If you have concerns over a particular change being implemented you are always welcome to approach us, and we may reject or alter imprints proposed by players if we feel it would have a negative impact overall if implemented as-is.

If we feel a particular change to the game would be divisive among the playerbase, but not so extreme to be rejected outright, we will present the proposed imprint to the game as a whole and allow a discussion to take place over whether the change should go through or not. Compromises may be suggested by players during this time, and we will aim for a result that the majority of the playerbase feels is satifying.

Q. Are there any changes that you can promise won't happen to the game on an OOC level?

A. There are a few guidelines we wish to follow when making any largescale, sweeping changes to the game as a whole. Anything listed below will not be implemented in the game without serious, extensive discussion.
Changes to acceptable characters. We have chosen to disallow doubles and fandom OCs for specific modding-related reasons, so we will not be lifting those restrictions on player input alone. Likewise, we will not suddenly disallow specific types of characters or canons even if you can come up with a compelling reason for why they wouldn't be able to enter the world anymore.

Changes to the player, cast and franchise caps. As with changes to acceptable characters, we have chosen these caps for modding-related reasons. If we decide to increase or lower any of the player/character caps, it will be a decision made based on the comfort of the current mod team.

Changes to other OOC mechanics that do not affect the game on an IC level. This includes aspects of the game such as the application process, hiatuses, drops, activity checks, and so on. While there may be features of the game tied to these mechanics, such as the method in which characters appear in/leave the game world, the actual OOC rules and processes will still be determined solely by the mod team. We may make changes to these mechanics in the future and have them tie in with IC changes, however.

Age restrictions and sexual content. As this game is not age-restricted, we will not implement features in the game that are strictly sexual in nature or that would force characters to perform sexual acts. We also won't limit the ages of appable characters based on player input alone. We would like this game to open to a wide variety of players and characters, so any changes to age limits will be a mod decision.

Potentially triggering content will always have an opt-out. Aside from elements that are already built into the setting, we will always try to provide an option for players to avoid content that makes them uncomfortable whenever possible, and we will try to provide a variety of options during events to appeal to different kinds of players. You may not be able to have your character "ignore" the fact that certain content exists in the game, but you will not be required to play up aspects of the game you don't wish to participate in. However, please note that we will not always be able to appeal to everyone in the game, and you may be left out of some events if you choose to opt-out of certain content. If you find that a lot of events and content within the game make you uncomfortable to the point where you cannot participate, this may not be the game for you.

Breaking the fourth wall. Probably. It might get a bit too weird if characters being aware of their existence as fictional RP accounts becomes an in-game mechanic.

Interest Check & Timeline

Q. I'm interested! What happens next?

A. Please let us know that you're interested! This might not sound like a big deal, but creating a game is a lot of work. If it seems like we won't have enough interested players to get it off the ground, we may decide to save ourselves the trouble and put our ideas on the backburner. However, the response so far has been very positive, so we're optimistic that we can put something together that will be able to thrive!

If you're interested, but something about the game is preventing you from wanting to commit to anything, please let us know as well! We can't guarantee we'll change any aspects of the game to appeal to players (you can't please everyone!), but if there are many strong opinions about a particular detail we may reconsider it. We want the feedback!

Q. I want to help!

A. That's awesome, thank you! There are a few ways that you can help us out.
Tell us you're interested, and tell other people about the game to spread the word! Please don't harass or spam anyone on our behalf, but really, just getting the word out is a huge help. If you have any suggestions on places we could advertise once we have more of the game set up, let us know!

We are still open to taking on one additional mod for the team. We feel that with the game's planned scope and size, three people will be a good number to have a variety of perspectives on various issues and plans without running into a "too many cooks" situation.

More specifically, we are looking for someone who is willing to give input on events, processing player imprints, help with writing event and intro log prompts, and application processing. We would also prefer someone who is good at handling disputes between players. At the very least, you should be confident in your ability to handle stress and mod-player interactions. You absolutely must be willing to respect the privacy of your fellow mods. Previous modding experience is a plus, but not necessary.

UPDATE 5/19/20: We have now taken on a third mod, thank you to everyone else for your support!

We are not looking for mods to help with lists at this time. If we decide we need some extra helpers for listkeeping, we'll deal with that after the game is open.

If you're good at coding Dreamwidth layouts, we'd really appreciate some help with that! Or even if you've seen a particular custom layout around that you think would look really good for Tabula Rasa's aesthetic, we'd love to have a link to it. We could also use some help with graphics.

Is there something else we haven't thought of that you think we might need? Tell us! We're not perfect, we might've missed something obvious. Hell, tell us if we left any typos up there. Every little bit helps!

Q. What's your timeline for opening the game? How soon can I expect to apply for Tabula Rasa?

A. Right now, we are planning for a mid-July launch. Here is a rough timeline of what we plan to do next. Note that none of these dates are final, and we may decide to make adjustments or delays to the schedule depending on interest and mod availability.
Late May: Sometime during the final week of May, we will open a Temporary Imprint Submission Post. For this post, we will invite players to submit ideas for imprints based on their characters and canons. Anyone will be welcome to submit ideas to this whether they intend to participate in the test drive/apply to the game or not. We will also use this as an opportunity to answer questions on how imprints will be handled in the game and give feedback on ideas that are suggested. If you're still unsure how this part of the game is going to work, this is where you can get any answers you need!

June 1st: Our first Test Drive Meme will go up. Due to the odd nature of the game's setting, this is where the temporary imprint submission post from May comes in. We will use some of the imprint ideas proposed by players as prompts for the TDM, giving everyone an idea of how those ideas may be blended or altered by the setting after the game's launch.

For the TDM, anyone is welcome to drop in and play whatever characters they want, including doubles and character types that wouldn't normally be appable. You'll also be welcome to make up your own imprint prompts for your threads. Treat it like a fun meme if you want! The intent is to let anyone play around with the setting and get a feel for it, so please, don't be shy and enjoy yourselves with it.

We will have a pre-launch feedback post opened during this time as well, in case players have any further feedback on the game's concepts they'd like to give us.

Mid to Late June: If possible, we may post a second Test Drive Meme in the middle of the month, building upon the prompts used in the initial TDM. This will give players a better idea of how imprints may be altered over time, as well as give everyone a fresh set of prompts to play around with if the first round didn't catch their interest. We will continue to pull ideas from the imprint submission post for the second TDM, if we decide to hold one.

We may decide to skip the second TDM if we feel there's a lack of overall interest in the game at this point, or if we come across larger problems with the structure or design of the game that need to be addressed. If something like this happens, we will reassess our timeline and give everyone an update on our plans.

Assuming all goes well, though, we will continue to work on setting up the game throughout the month. We aim to have the game fully set-up and ready to launch by the end of June.

June 24th ~ 30th: Reserves will be opened for the last week of June. We will give an exact time and timezone for when reserves will open closer to this date, in case you're looking to reserve a popular character.

July 1st ~ 7th: Applications will be opened for the first week of July. This will be our regular reserve/application period, with the last week of the month for reserves and the first week of the month for apps.

July 10th ~ 15th: Sometime during this timeframe, the game's first intro log will go up and Tabula Rasa will be officially open. Since character imprints will need to be implemented in the intro logs, we would like to give ourselves a few days breathing room between app processing and the intro log. We'll figure out how much time we'll need once we've actually given it a shot.

Players will be welcome to use this downtime to introduce themselves and their characters, get to know each other, and make some preliminary CR plans. We'll be sure to post some plotting and friending memes for everyone to make use of.

We hope that you'll all stick with us through this timeline, and at the very least give our TDM a shot if the concept sparks your interest!

Q. I have a question that hasn't been covered yet!

A. Ask away in the comments! We'll be around to answer questions as they come, no matter how general or specific they may be.

You may also ask questions through our Plurk account (tabularasa), but we recommend directing your questions here so that other players may find the answers more easily. If someone asks a question on Plurk we think should be on here as well, we'll copy it and our answer over!

Tabula Rasa - Preliminary FAQ & Interest Check

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