Introductions: Crash Course in Roleplaying
Glossary of Abbreviations, Terminology, and their Definitions
This section of the guide will talk about the commonly used terms, and abbreviations and that they mean. It's by no means a definitive and exhaustive list, and if you have any suggestions as to what we should add, please don't hesitate in contacting us. If it's reasonable or used a lot we might just add it to the guide.
Abbreviations
AU
Alternative Universe
It is the in-roleplay exploration of something based on a canonical story or other roleplay, that is set in a non-canonical way. Typically such events may diverge from a key point in a canonical storyline, take for example a Star Trek based Roleplay. This can also be putting existing characters into a separate existing universe, though it is more used for direct storytelling in that context.
Bio
Biography
A Biography; in this context is, an account of a character’s life written by its CO.
CID
Character ID (Identification)
Sometimes called a Character Profile, Character Sheet, Character Information, etc. It is the information that describes your character. EcchiDreams has a standard Character ID format that contains critical pieces of information that would suit the majority of the needs of most roleplays. However some can be far more complex, or far simpler.
CO
Character Owner
Sometimes called a Puppet Master, Player Character or a Character Controller. The person who owns the character in question.
Collab
Collaboration
Sometimes referred to as a ‘Joint Post’, we recommend Google Docs for this, as both @Neptune and I have found it to be very reliable. This joins a potential load of posts into one bigger post.
GM
Game Master
Sometimes referred to on EcchiDreams as the Dream Master or Universe Master, and has a number of other names. The Game Master is the creator of a scenario in which people roleplay. They create the initial premise of that roleplay including all the lore, and basic plot.
IA
Inactive
Also known as MIA (Missing in Action) Usually referring to a roleplayer who hasn’t been active a for a while, or has ceased responding to people. Although it can also refer to a roleplayer’s character that hasn’t been played in a long time.
IC
In Character
The opposite to OOC.
LoA
Leave of Absence
Unique to EcchiDreams. Expected inactivity from a roleplayer or fellow Dreamer on EcchiDreams. Usually the Dreamer could be away for a week or up to a month, if they’re dealing with drama in real life.
NPC
Non Playable Character
A NPC is a character that is typically not roleplayed by anyone but the Game Master.
NSFW
Not Safe For Work
In roleplaying, NSFW content can be subjective to the individual but on here we typically mean things you probably shouldn’t look at, whilst at work. This can be sexual, or it can be violent, gory, some even consider drug use to be NSFW. Typically one should just consider the entirety of EcchiDreams NSFW.
OC
Original Character
A character that is not based on a fanfiction, or any other kind of fiction: like a video game, manga, anime, hentai, TV show, book, etc… Some do use existing pictures from things from these places but the similarities between the characters usually cease at the picture. Quite often Original Characters can indeed be human, or to be even more original, they could be a part of a created fictional species.
OOC
Out of Character
The opposite to IC. A term used in roleplaying circles when a person wants to step outside of their character for a minute and speak as themselves, this could be to communicate a number of things from issues with a post, to letting the roleplayers know that this is your final post for the day. In a Public Roleplays this should be used sparingly in IC sections; as there is usually an OOC topic, EcchiTexts, and even EcchiChat, where OOC can occur freely.
PC
Playable Character
See Major Character; in Terminology.
RP
Roleplay
According to Dictionary.com, Roleplay is a verb and it means “...to assume the attitudes, actions, and discourse of…” A character “...especially in a make-believe situation…” At the core; you play a character, and control their actions, personality, decisions, roles, and even their entire life history, in a fictional universe.
RPer
Roleplayer
A person who roleplays. A person who is assumes the life of his or her character(s) when they roleplay.
RPing
Roleplaying
To be engaged in the act of roleplay, whether it is chat, or forum posting.
RPS
Roleplayers Preference Sheet
Really only used here on EcchiDreams. A roleplayers preference sheet outlines all of your preferences in roleplaying including genres, things you’ll roleplay, things you won’t, and so on. It’s a good place to put where on EcchiDreams you roleplay, if you do private roleplays, and so on.
SFW
Safe For Work
Not this site, that’s for damn sure. Opposite of NSFW.
Terminology
Canon
Canon is a term meaning that a series of past events or characters are considered to be a part of the actual history of the roleplay involved, that which cannot be denied by people participating in the roleplay. It is short for canonical. Canon events and such are considered actually occuring history from the point of view of the characters in the roleplay and partly makes up what is called lore.
Extra Information
Extra Information refers to additional information that does not belong in an RP home page, opening post or the description area. It allows both Game Masters and Players to put additional information about their Universe, Characters, and even Locations and Species. The level of detail, and the content, is completely up to the Game Master, as it is a tool made for you to put information that doesn’t fit into Roleplay Opening Posts or in Character IDs. They are usually found in the Club Roleplays, for Roleplays that are Intermediate and above in difficulty, as they usually require an Extra Information that outline the Universe of the roleplay. The higher the skill level, the more detail one can expect. Multiple Extra Information Threads can be tied together to help unclutter the main Extra Information, but again, typically they’ll either be linked to the original Extra Information topic or linked in a visible place.
Lore
Lore is usually the body of traditions, culture and knowledge in a roleplaying universe. It is different from both plot and story, although some people often confuse the three. It is the background story of a roleplay, and the culture of the roleplay universe. It is a very detailed account of events, and background information that existed to lead up to an event. It is the way things are, or were, within that roleplay.
Major Characters
A Major Character is a Main Playable Character that a Roleplayer has, which they use within the Roleplay. These are their core characters that are roleplayed often and within the main plotline. These characters hold the most detail within their Character Sheets and are expected to be very detailed and deep. Major Characters can have Minor Characters (Terminology below) or Featured NPCs tied to them who are present to help push the Major Character forward and to assist in some plot devices, such as having to solve their puzzle in order to get to the next step.
Minor Characters
Minor Characters are essentially PCs that are tied to a Major/Main Character. They are almost like Featured NPCs that are controlled by the Player of the Main Character. Minor Characters usually do not play a huge role within the story, and are thus not always played. They are a tool as a means to further a plot or to add to any conflicts that are going on. These can be transferred to other players, but are played by the Player that has current control over them.
Non-canon
The opposite of canon. It mainly refers to fan-fiction and fan-fiction style roleplays that don’t follow something that is established that is canon Universe. For example: a Fanfiction in which Commander Riker and Captain Picard are lovers, even if it follows the lore of Star Trek exactly, would still be non-canonical.
One-liner
A one-liner is a short roleplay post, typically not having more than one sentence or a couple of sentences, and not taking up much more than a single line (depending on resolution you use, but that’s semantics). These are usually only ever seen in casual roleplays, as the more serious roleplayers prefer for longer posts.
Plot
The plot refers to a sequence of events within the Roleplay story, which effects the Universe they are in. The plot is the means to get from the beginning of the story to the end, through the principles of Cause and Effect; as in the Characters interactions with the Universe, that shape how the story unfolds, and the effects and ramifications of such interactions. Plots can be very simple or extremely complex, and of varying length.
Side Story
The Side Stories are an area of the Roleplays that keeps things such as Fights, Sex and Adventures separate from the Main Roleplay Thread but are, nonetheless, linked back to the Main thread. This helps keep a Roleplay organised and neat, instead of all cluttered together. It also makes it easier to share and archive specific events, as there is a topic dedicated to that very plotline.
Species Profile
A species profile is similar to that of a character ID; except instead of an individual, it encompasses an entire race, and details things from abilities and physical appearance, to their law, history and even culture. For more information on this, and to have a guide as to how to create your own, click here. Strong consent based roleplaying environment This is the main bulk of roleplays on EcchiDreams, and indeed most other places too. Basically it’s a set of rules that protect your character from the actions of another roleplayer’s character. For example: Your character being killed or being acted upon in either property or person without your consent from you, the affected character’s owner.
Universe
It’s the “thing” that holds all the galaxies and planets within it. Similarly like in video games (The Elder Scrolls Universe, The Fallout Universe, etc) it’s used to describe the created universe (or Roleplay) with its own mechanics, lore and such, as well as species, extra information, and in some cases detailed histories. Some Universes could be an alternative universe.
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