THE ADMIN'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY: a SEBLAINE-RPH chapter by chapter guide on building and admining a roleplay group
Chapter One - Making a Blog
So you've decided that you want to open up a roleplay of your very own. My first piece of advice is as follows; don't panic. Remember that even before the moment of conception, you aren't alone. If at any point you ever feel unsure, or would like another opinion, there are a vast number of people out there that would love to help you out. You never have to panic, no matter what the problem. Personally, I am always open to giving advice, helping with the process of building your plot/character biographies/other writing, production of graphics of any kind, theme makeovers, and the request of any other help you may need. I'm not the only one out there either, there are plenty of other RPH and other help-based blogs out there too. Most other roleplayers don’t mind giving opinions either, so you can always ask your friends.
1.) We're going to start, in this guide, with making your blog.
Some people prefer putting their main pages on sideblogs, but there are things (like submitting promos and shoutouts*) that are made more difficult by that so others prefer main blogs. Take a moment to consider what you want in this instance. There are guides out there and people you can ask if you want to do a bit of research, but in my opinion the decision comes down to one question. If you're planning on making a bigger group, something long-lasting with big needs, then you probably want to make a main blog. If you're making something simpler, something less serious (but of course still has your interest and devotion), or something smaller (like a 2x2, 3x3, or 4x4) then you could be fine with a sideblog. The only reason I've personally ever used a sideblog for a main was so that I could always be available to questions sent there within seconds, even while I was roleplaying. I had made a small group that consisted of less than a handful of characters and once I had those few roles filled, there was no further need for the main other than for organization and event announcements, so it just worked better to have it right there, attached to my character blog. If it had been on its own main blog, I may have forgotten to log in and missed questions sent to it.
*If you choose to make a sideblog, then you can use your rps/writing/personal blog to ask for shoutouts/promos. Some blogs that post those don't accept shoutouts/promos from anything but the main though, so keep that in mind.
2.) Once you've chosen, the first thing you'll need is a url.
Remember that this doesn't have to be perfect just yet, because you can change it at any time, but if you have any ideas that you really like, it's smart to save the url immediately so that nobody else gets the same idea and snags it first. Before you forget, head into the settings for your blog and turn on your ask box, the anon feature, and your submit. There are new on-blog advertising features that you need to turn off now too. At the time that I'm writing this, there are two of them and they're listed together. There is now also a “non-chronological posts” feature that you’ll have to turn off too once it starts. Because Tumblr is finicky, it's a good idea to make your ad blog right now too, and you might as well throw up an ooc blog while you're at it. For those that have never made a roleplay before, these two blogs (ooc and ad) for your roleplay will be sideblogs. The ad blog is where you'll queue your ads so that you don't spam your main and therefore the dash. The ooc blog will be a private blog that you click the option to password protect so that your players have a little community to talk out of character with each other. This helps with plotting and keeping your players connected ooc.
In order to create a new sideblog, click the little person button (on the top right of your screen) and click +New, then write in your url and do the captcha. You'll want to make a post on your main and on your ad blog right now, so that Tumblr registers them as new blogs. You don't have to tag either post or put anything you'll actually keep in it, all you need to do is make a post because your blogs won't show up in the tags until two days after your first post. Sideblogs follow the same rule. Posting on them now allows you to hit the tags as soon as you’re ready to advertise.
3.) Now that you've got the basics set up, it's time to pick a theme.
You can ask around the RPH community, check the rp themes and rp theme tag, browse an RPH’s theme tag (here’s mine), or look through your favorite theme maker's blogs to find the perfect one for you (my original themes).
When choosing a theme, you want to consider your group and its needs. Do you want a lot of links on your main page or would you prefer just a few links and the use of a full navigation page? Do you want a lot of room on your sidebar for a long description or will a scrollbar/a smaller space do? Also remember that if you choose to use a page with popup windows, you'll want to have mobile links up for them too.
A lot of people like to go with fansite themes, which all have a top header and side column(s) for information that make your main page look professional and streamline. There's room for a lot of information and links on some of these too. You can find fansite themes with sidebar columns that are so long that they have to scroll with the posts, but there are those that remain stationary as well. Some of them have font or navigation links as the top header, with no image, which are good for those of you that don't want to have to make a bunch of graphics for the main.
Another go-to theme type for roleplay mains are container themes. One of the things that you have to remember with container themes is that you want people to be able to see your main page, so you want to use one that doesn't have a tiny container. I've seen themes that are so small that the posts are 150px-250px wide with a 150px height window of appearance, which forces people to use 6px font and gif icons that are 25px by 25px so that it "looks aesthetically pleasing," but that translates to "absolutely unreadable" for a good number of people. There are a lot of container themes out there, and a lot of them have really small spaces for posts. You can edit that yourself though, or ask for help from the theme maker or an RPH if your favorite theme comes with a tiny container.
4.) There is more to do once you've got a theme, now you need to customize it.
No matter what theme you use, or what type of theme, you can always edit the html to make it better suited for your needs. If you can't do it yourself, there are plenty of RPH blogs that would do it for you.
Before doing anything else, you should be sure that:
Your theme doesn't have any fonts that are below 12px. Some fonts are larger than others, but anything that you actually want people to be able to read cannot be smaller than 12px. It is relevant to mention that 16px is the standard for accessibility in font sizes, so your fonts should be closer to 16px than 12px, but any smaller than 12px is just cruel.
Your posts are 500px in width. On some themes, you can justify using as small as 400px on the post size, but no smaller. When the post size shrinks too much, it's harder to read and the font html tends to shrink too in order to compensate for the smaller space. When changing the post size, I always use cntrl+f to search for the originally used post size px, so that I can change all of the other applicable html locations (ask size, tag size, the entry div, photo set size, etc) as well.
You might have to change other things because of those two bullets. Containers might need to be edited, margins changed, etc. Those of you that want to change other aspects of their themes can do so now. Put everything on the main page where you want it. Consider this the first step in customization.
Then make your theme graphics. This is where you really start to see your roleplay becoming something specific and personalized for your plot. Use imagery that is relevant to your plot. Keep diversity in mind by choosing imagery that represents as many different types of people as possible, if you're using people in these graphics. Remember that you don't want your graphics to be too dark to see, but you also don't want them too bright to see-- and you definitely don't want to whitewash anyone. You may wish to use a PSD (<-link to psd tag) so that all of your graphics are edited the same and therefore look the same, just beware of those three problems. Almost any PSD can be edited and altered in the name of making them work properly. Again, there are RPHs that will gladly do this for you or give you advice, if you want the help.
Your theme colors should match your graphics, and can be taken directly from them if you want. I prefer to, it just makes it easier to ensure my graphics match my theme. It also helps to choose a lighter or darker variation of the color on the graphics that still matches, when you don’t want to use the exact same colors.
When choosing colors for your main blog, make sure that everything is still accessible. You want to make sure everything matches and looks aesthetically pleasing, but aesthetic means nothing if you can't read your blog. For instance, if your background is dark, the font you put on top of it should be light. If your background is light, the font you put on top of it should be dark. If you have a bright pink background and a bright yellow font, it is very likely that it will be completely impossible for anyone to read. Accessibility is not just important for those that have a difficult time seeing, but for you as well; if people can't read your blog, they won't stay on it long enough to give your group a chance.
5.) Your theme basics are done, now fill out your rpg information.
I'm going to do a whole new admin guide for this, so it won't be as detailed as it could be. I will link that guide as soon as I finish it.
Know your rpg and what you need on your page. Different groups require differen't information. For instance, if you're a supernatural group, you may want to at least link to information on all of the different species involved in your group. If you're not running a supernatural group, that's obviously not necessary.
As far as the basics go:
You'll need a sidebar description, something catchy that draws people in and makes them want to read more. Make sure it gives a clear reading on what your rp is about.
You'll need clear navigation. Most groups have a navigation page, but you also want to make use of your navigation buttons. All themes have a different number of them, make use of them with the most important links for your group. Remember that if you have popups on your theme, you're going to want to have mobile links up for that material too.
You'll need a clear set of rules. Most of these are the same thing written over and over again, so really consider your group and what is important to you as an admin to make sure yours are as unique as possible. If you have any requirements, this is where to put them. Age restrictions, instructions for nsfw or mature content, activity limits, dash rules, and ooc stuff all goes here. The point of a rules page is that you want to be able to say, "you knew this was expected of you" if any problems arise. And you can add to this! If you start up your rp and someone does something you absolutely do not want to see in your rp again, feel free to make an amendment and add it to your rules.
You'll need to consider what other information you need on your blog as well. Some rpgs require applications, others are appless. Some need to have their plot explained further, others can cover it in the sidebar. Whatever your needs, make sure everything is clear, not too long-winded (people will tune out if they aren't engaged), linked clearly for ease of navigation, and double checked for proper spelling and grammar.
6.) So you think you’re done, now get a second opinion.
At this point, you can tell that your blog is done and ready for information to be put on it. It looks pretty, it has graphics on it, all of the information you want it on your blog, and you're certain that you can read it.
Double check that last statement. You can ask a friend or you can ask an rph, but now would be a good time to make sure that everything is accessible. You want to make sure that your theme is the right theme. You want to make sure that you've got a good font and font size, for both your page html and your graphics. You want to make sure that your information is clear and concise as well as attention-grabbing. It's really easy to miss out on stuff, and we all have different screen sizes, so it's really important to get a second opinion.
I do theme reviews and opinions on rpgs as a whole, but you can go to almost any rph for the same service or simply ask your friends for their opinions.
Questa è una lista costantemente aggiornata dei termini e delle definizioni in voga nell'ambiente del roleplay. Premete CTRL + F per cercare un termine specifico. Nel caso abbiate ancora dubbi potete scriverci, stessa cosa se possedete dei termini da aggiungere. Il post è una traduzione di questo.
1. RPG/RP → sta per “roleplay” inteso come azione o come “gioco di ruolo”, quindi gruppo di roleplayers che seguono la medesima trama e lo fanno sotto un unico nome.
2. 1x1 ( e le sue varianti ) → è il roleplay tra due sole persone. Questi roleplayers sono più intimi di quelli appartenenti a un gruppo.
3. Indie/Indipendent → roleplayers che non fanno parte di un gruppo o di un gioco di ruolo. È l'equivalente del “free” di Facebook.
4. Crossover → il coinvolgimento di due o più fandoms.
5. AU → significa “alternative universe”, quindi la role in svolgimento è ambientata in uno di questi.
6. FC → significa “faceclaim”, quindi prestavolto.
7. Affiliates → sono solitamente dei blog associati ad un altro blog. Ci si può affiliare per farsi della pubblicità nella comunità.
8. OOC/IC → il primo sta per “out of character”, quindi – sostanzialmente – sono i post scritti da roleplayer. Il secondo sta per “in character”, che è l'esatto opposto.
9. Magic!Anon → delle volte definito anche “m!anon” è un suggerimento o un ordine fatto da un anonimo che il tuo personaggio dovrà eseguire per un determinato tot. di tempo. Il tutto è “attivato” dalla condivisione di un post da parte del blog stesso.
10. OC → “original character”, personaggio originale creato di sana pianta dal roleplayer.
11. RPH → “roleplay helper”.
12. RPC → “roleplay critics”.
13. RPA → “roleplay advice”.
14. Mascott → è il prestavolto scelto dagli amministratori di un RPH.
15. Ship → una relazione romantica che il roleplayer supporta.
16. Canon → in poche parole significa “ufficiale”.
17. Headcanon → è un qualcosa che il roleplayer ritiene sia accaduto anche se nel canon non è stato menzionato.
18. Crackship → è una ship inusuale tra due personaggi che non starebbero mai insieme.
19. OTP → “one true pairing”, la coppia preferita tra tutte, quella più amata.
20. Chemistry → se lo trovate scritto in un blog, significa il roleplayer non shippi una coppia prestabilita, ma quella più predisposta ad accadere stando alla chimica tra i personaggi. Lo svolgimento è importante.
21. Para → abbreviazione di “paragraph”, è – sostanzialmente – la role. È solitamente lunga dai 2 ai 3 paragrafi.
22. Sample para → è la “role di prova”.
23. Self para → è l'equivalente del nostro “monologo”.
24. Mary Sue/Gary Stu → si tratta di un personaggio “che si attiene alla maggior parte dei cliché letterari più comuni, ritratto con un'idealizzazione eccessiva, privo di difetti considerevoli e soprattutto che ha la funzione di realizzare e autocompiacere i desideri dell'autore.”
Hello and Welcome to my blog! This is a blog to spread awareness for atypical dysphoria, give advice, tips and general safe space for atypical dysphoria havers!
You can call me Helix, I use it/ae/xe & he/her pronouns! some important notes about me is i am plural, autistic, adhd haver, BPD haver, and multi disabled (chronic pain & fatigue especially). Please be patient and kind!
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