━━☆ BETTINARPS MAKES A GUIDE: HOW TO FORUM RP, PART ONE.
i remember seeing people in the rpc wonder if there were any good alternatives to tumblr rp, and forum sites (specifically jcink) is probably my favorite one out of the ones i’ve tried. i’ve roleplayed in forums since 2015, so i’d like to think i have some knowledge. it can seem super intimidating to people who are going into it blind, so i figured i’d make a full-fledged guide on how to get started! i’ve split it into three parts, and this is PART ONE: FROM TUMBLR TO FORUMS. what are the differences between tumblr rp and forum rp? what should you know about forums when you’re considering trying them out? i’ve listed them down under the cut.
feel free to ask me any questions you may have regarding this guide, or forum roleplaying in general. please like/reblog if this was helpful, and please anticipate the other parts!
what’s different about forums?
the focus on aesthetics is not as big. while the site’s aesthetics are nice to look at, going into forums as a roleplayer means you don’t have to worry much. really, the only aesthetics you have to worry about are your character’s graphics, which usually consists of your avatar (your main photo) and gifs for your profile. aside from gifs you may use in interactions, that’s really it! and if you don’t have the resources for it, admins usually offer graphics help on-site. compared to tumblr, it’s a big relief.
it’s more writing and development-based. there are different types of threads (which we’ll go into for the third part); and there are special subforums for character and ship development. some sites even allow you to have your own subforum for all of your characters; and monthly development challenges are quite common.
html/bbcode plays a big part of roleplaying. this may seem like an intimidating part of forums, but really, you don’t need to do much tweaking for the html templates — nine out of ten times, you just need to know the most basic html functions. most sites also have a cool function that saves template info, so the next time you reply to a thread, you don’t need to copy and paste the whole code in; just change whatever you need to. bbcode might be a new function to most tumblr roleplayers, but it’s pretty easy to get the hang of it. you also don’t use it as much.
all the resources are on-site. tying into the previous point, nowadays most sites have their own custom-made templates to use exclusively on-site, which can range from threads to social media codes. some sites do ask you to use third-party templates, but it’s not often and they’re quite easy to find on resource sites. most times, all you need to supply are photos/gifs and whatever content is required for that specific template.
longer activity cap. activity is much more relaxed on forum sites because most forum roleplayers are in their 20s-30s. compared to tumblr’s average of a 4 day activity cap, forums usually allow 7-10 days, but the actual number depends per site. they also do spring cleaning of inactive accounts and characters every few months.
everything is on the main page. sites are very, very organized and easy to navigate — most of the board is guest-friendly so you’re able to access all the important information without an account. some parts are inaccessible/“locked” (e.g. site codes) until you make an account, but everything you need to know about the site? you’ll be able to find it and read it.
it’s not an requirement to interact with everyone. coming from tumblr rp, this might be a bit of a shocker. but on sites, there are a lot of roleplayers, and even more characters. it can quickly become overwhelming, but it’s not required to try and plot with everyone. of course, it’s encouraged to rp with as many people as you can, but most people stick to their plots when it comes to actual threads.
banned fcs are not a thing. honestly, there’s a big chance you’ll come across a few fcs you don’t want to see on a site. the only banned fcs you’ll see are usually internet personalities that haven’t crossed into the mainstream, deceased faces, and minors. so while you’ll see fcs you don’t like in passing, you don’t need to worry about rping with them if you don’t want to. and because sites are so big, it’s pretty easy to ignore them. it’s also worth noting that most sites employ a strict +/- age rule, so you’re only allowed to play fcs as the range closest to their current age.
thirsting for ships is a-ok. honestly, this is one of my favorite things about forums. it’s perfectly acceptable to ask for ship plots; there’s a whole wanted ad forum index just for this purpose. they’re even categorized into what kind of plot you’re looking for. you can be as specific as you want, from the plot down to the fc. they’re the expanded wanted connections you’ve always wanted and more. be thirsty for your damn ships, because you can be! seriously! it’s the greatest thing.
fc reservations are mandatory, and you can work on an app on-site until it’s finished. on tumblr rps, you’re only allowed to send in completed apps. but because forum apps are much more detailed, it’s more common to post an unfinished app. it’s beneficial because if you run out of time on your fc reservation (usually 2-3 days), you can ask for a one day extension as long as you have an app posted. it’s more than okay to post completed apps too, if you’re all done with them! just make sure you have the fc you want reserved, or else someone might take them.
tracking threads and getting tagged in things? super easy. forums allow you to track threads, so you’ll always get a notification when you get new replies. there’s also an @ function, which allows you to tag accounts to whatever post you want. it will never glitch. ever. not like tumblr, oop. if you think it was missed, you can always tag the person on the group discord/pms. it’s really handy!
you must have an account for every character, but you can link them together. i’m not sure how to explain this, but basically, you can link consecutive characters’ accounts to your first account, so you don’t have to log in and out every time. all you need to do is switch accounts! if you ever post on the wrong account, don’t worry — the option to edit the ‘author’ of the post is always available.
awards, badges and points are super fun. i’ll go into this in the latter parts of the series, but basically? they’re really fun to collect and keep track of. it’s so satisfying to have a profile with lots of badges, trust me.
i know this seems like a lot to digest (because it is, really) but you just have to remember one thing: at the end of the day, it’s still rp. threads are what they count for activity, and the same principles/rules apply: keep active and don’t be a terrible person. that’s all there is to it. if you’ve managed to make it to the bottom of this guide, congrats! i hope you consider forums as another outlet for rp, because they’re so much fun and are definitely worth a shot. the second part is going to be an in-depth look at the parts of a forum, and how to navigate them, so stay tuned. thanks for reading, and as always, feel free to let me know if you have any questions!
