GETTING STARTED
So you're all signed up. You've verified your e-mail address, maybe picked out an avatar for yourself, and you're ready to get started looking for someone to write with. There's a couple of ways to get this done. Here on Umbra we use RTs, or Request Threads.
- Head to the Roleplay subforum of the site.
- Go to the Request Threads section. These are divided into three subforums; Plot-oriented, Smut-oriented, and Group.
- Select the subforum you want to post in, and click the 'Post New Thread' button near the top.
- Read the RT Rules. There's some helpful info in here.
- Write your RT!
RTs have some common etiquette you can follow. Your typical RT includes:
- Prefixes (more on that in a bit)
- The user's usual reply timetable
- A small portion of personal info about the user (preferred pronouns, acceptable nicknames, age information, RP history)
- Preferred style and method of RP (i.e., multi-paragraph/DM only, one-line thread-only, etc.)
- Preferred means of contact (whether or not they're open to being DMed for interest checks)
- A list of plots or writing ideas they'd like to do
Of course, your RT can be whatever you want it to be. There are no hard and fast rules for writing an RT, and if you want to do it all in Greek-style prose then go for it. I, for one, would be tremendously curious to read through something like that.
Anyway, I mentioned Prefixes before. Let's dive into those now.
Prefixes are meant to be used to help organize your post, and allow for potential partners to gauge your RT at a glance. We organize prefixes by;
- Preferred pairings
- Genre
- Preferred means of RP
- Seeking ____
You can click on the prefix of any post to see all the others with that prefix, which makes it easier to potentially find a matching partner. Note, however, that this system is not as robust as the onsite tagging system, and you can only filter with one Prefix at a time.
With the Prefixes sorted, let's talk about the RTE (or Rich Text Editor) we use on Umbra.
- Format - For options like Bold, Italic, and more. You can also use keyboard shortcuts to write these.
- Edit - Undo, Redo, Copy/Paste. Keyboard shortcuts also work for these!
- Insert - To insert images, links, and more into your post. Images must be hosted online, as Umbra doesn't support native image hosting
- Table - Insert and edit tables. Tables are organizational tools to hold and cross-reference information.
- Tools - The Save Draft button is the only thing in here. Use this to help protect yourself from the page reloading and wiping out your post.
- View - Switch to the BBCode editor, make the editor fullscreen, or hide the bottom bar.
- Font options - Change your displayed font and how big it is.
- Font Colors and Format - Letter color, background color, and automatic font sizes and options to add some design flair to your post.
- Paragraph alignment - Left, Center, Right, Justified
- Bulleted/Numbered lists/indents
- Post body
- Word counter
If you've ever used MS Word or Google Docs, then this probably looks pretty familiar. Your text goes in the body, and you can use the editing options to style your post however you like.
Below the writing area we also have a section for adding Tags (which will always post in alphabetical order) and Polls (which can be fun in the General chat area). SInce this is about getting started on Umbra, I won't be delving into those topics.