Difference between revisions of "MUSH Survival Guide: Apping"

Revision as of 06:14, 2 November 2011

Welcome to Chapter 3. If you're reading this, you should have done the following:

1: You should be able to access the MUSH.

2: You can do guestly things, such as communicate on the channels and bother people in the lounge. This is important, since this will help you if there's a question you need answered.

If none of these are the case, go back to Chapter 1 or Chapter 2.

"Keep in mind, anyone can edit this page! If there's points that needs to be updated, clarified, added, or taken out, feel free! The original writer of this is *not* staff- if there's something in here that contradicts what staff says, go with staff."

Okay, can I haz character nao?

Here on PersonaMush, we have an application system, available here. HOWEVER, MAKE SURE YOU'VE DONE THESE THINGS FIRST:

• Read the news files, either on here or on the MU*. It doesn't matter if you've played all the games, or none. Things from each game have been layered upon one another like a tasty lasagna of psyche and head gods, topped with a healthy amount of plot from RP itself. Also, the MUSH itself has been around long enough to have developed a canon of its own.

• Do you want an OC (original character), or a FC (Feature Character)? If the latter, make sure that character is appable. For example, Jun from Persona 2 is not appable at this time, and Koromaru will never be appable due to being a dog, albeit a very smart one. On the other hand, if you want to know if someone who isn't on the inappable list -or- the cast list (like social link characters and NPCs) feel free to ask if they're available!

• As the MUSH has been around for a while, some FCs have gone through some players. You don't have to match their RP note by note, but this brings up another point: time *has* past. Thus, for example, Tatsuya Suou, the main character from Persona 2, is now graduated and is in college. Your character may no longer be a mere high school student, but a college student instead. This can leave some room for *some* creative license, but make sure you explain your ideas and concepts om the application.

• Ask questions! This is a good idea no matter who you're apping. If you're apping an FC, you'll want to talk to your castmates. If you're apping an OC, you'll want to talk to some people from your city, faction and/or school, if any of those apply. They can help fill you in on details related to your interests.

• Keep in mind that the application staff is very thorough on apps; applications are more a collaboration than a job interview, especially when it comes to original characters. What they'll be looking for are qualities that will allow a character to mesh well into the MUSH's social fabric. Thus, while your idea for a character can be badass and could be in their own game, staff may still send the app back for some clarifications or suggestions for changes.

Arcana...?

The way both FCs and OCs are set up on the MUSH is via the 22 Major Arcana of the Tarot, much like in the games. While a character can fit into many tarot at the same time, the tarot you pick for your original character (as FCs already have theirs set in stone) can be considered a frame for the overall portrait your character presents, rather than *the core*.

If you type out the command +arclist and then the name of the arcana, like Strength, you'll see a listing of people with that Arcana. Various sorts of people can fit within the same arcana- remember, Nanako Dojima from Persona 4 has the same arcana as Katsuya Suou from Persona 2!

You can also app for the reverse of an arcana, though this should be considered if the meaning of that reversed Arcana fits you more than simply you fitting some but not all the aspects of an upright arcana. Remember, the characters of Persona 2 and 3 had upright Arcana, and some weren't exactly the most well-adjusted people on the block...

People on the Guest channel can give you suggestions, but try not to be too set on one Arcana versus another. It's generally better to get the character set up first (with maybe an Arcana in two in mind), then pick an Arcana, though some have done things the other way around. Sometimes a character you make up will surprise you with where they fit.

PERSONAPERSONAPERSONA

If you're apping an original character, you will need to make up your own main persona. Since personas derive from ideas that circulate from the collective human subconscious, it's not quite like, say, summons from Final Fantasy. You are not summoning a god. A persona is an abstracted part of your core self made visual, and thus, uses parts of your personality and symbolism from its real namesake. That's often why personas end up looking so bizarre. Sources that personas come from can be:

- Mythology/Religion: Norse, Welsh, Judeo-Christian, Hindu, Shinto, etc. The list goes on and on.

- Folklore/Ballads/Heroic Tales/etc: While some tales straddle this category and mythology, this means things like fairy tales, urban legends, ballads, and things that are not specifically religious in nature. (Examples: Beowulf, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella)

- Literature/Plays/Operas/etc: Make sure these are about at least 100 years old. (Examples of various work: The Tale of Genji, The Wizard of Oz, Jane Eyre, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Swan Lake)

- Historical Figures: Make sure this figure is far enough in the past. Carl Sagan is awesome, yes, but it would be awkward to have him as a persona. (General examples: Elizabeth Barton, Joan of Arc, Zhuangzi)

Make sure you do your research; it may lead to some surprising conclusions, and many, like folktales, often have several versions. If there's a concept you want (like, say, a fallen hero or the ignored seer), there's many, many nerds on the Guest Channel who will search.

So what's this roleplay about, anyway?

What are these Social Links? Are they a type of meat?

Social links are incorporated into the game

WHERE'S THE FIGHTING

IN PROGRESS