Contents
Basics | Presentation | Polish | Coding and Formatting Resources | Spoilers | Boxes, Quotes, Tables and more | Images
One of the most common questions people ask me is "What codes do you use for your OOC OP stuff?" The second is usually "How do I make an OOC thread and how do I make my OOC look sharp?"
Some people really don't care how their OOC looks. Others (particularly those who are worldbuilders) want to present a tight look that will attract players while housing pertinent game information. This guide is for people who like polished brass. I'll briefly touch upon coding and formatting in general here as well, although this Guide is more specific to fashioning your OOC.
For sake of clarity, OP here refers to Original Post. REF refers to the Original Poster (the person who "owns" the thread and runs the RP itself.) If you are unfamiliar with how to run your own RP, please visit C&M's Guide to GMing.
THE OOC THREAD - BASICS
An OOC thread is vital to your RP. It's the backstage area where all the gaming mechanisms are housed. It's where players communicate and where questions are asked. It keeps your IC Thread free of OOC comments and quibbling. These are also what advertise your RP and serve as reference for all participants.
The RP OOC's first post can tell perspective players many things. Many RP never get off the ground because players have nothing to draw them into signing up. The information is too vague or else there isn't an application form. The rules are too cumbersome or else not listed at all.
THE OOC THREAD - INITIAL PRESENTATION
There are vital elements that RP OOC should have. Things commonly found in an OOC thread:
- A description of the setting and the RP's purpose
- A rules list
- A character/faction application
- List of approved players/characters and the names of the RP's CoOPs
- A link to the IC thread
THE OOC THREAD - POLISH
An OOC should be pleasantly formatted, easy to read, and simple to understand. Formatting is a matter of personal taste but there are a few guidelines.
- NS allows for the Dark Theme setting. Keep that in mind when using image links or colored fonts.
- Some images look fine on a light background but show ragged "edges" when placed on a dark background. Some font that looks wonderful on the Dark Theme becomes much too faint to read on the lighter background. Hotlinking is prohibited in the images part, along with links to major image hosts such as photobucket and imgur. I personally use Photobucket to host my banners.
- You are limited to a set amount of characters (including spaces) and to image size. The character limit is 60,000.
- Spoiler code is your best friend. It allows you to encapsulate data in order to neaten up your OP and following posts. Spoiler code can be influenced by other coding to further neaten appearance. Too many spoilers are obnoxious!
- Avoid Rainbow Kingdom of the Damned! Colors are very pretty. Too many colors turn an OOC OP into a garish page that detracts from the data, especially when done on a Dark Theme background. Pick a primary color palate (this Guide, for example, is done in reds and oranges) and stick with it.
- Snip off your sig for an extremely polished look if your sig is distracting. You have the option to "unattach" your signature when posting on NS. This checkbox is located right under the Draft/Preview/Submit buttons.
- Proofread what you post prior to publishing it. Look for grammar and spelling mistakes, and for broken links. The Preview button is your friend. Some people type their OOC text in MS Word first.
GENERAL CODING and FORMATTING
There are guides elsewhere on NS which will help you understand the basic options available to us when posting. Bold, italics, and underline are straightforward, as are font size and font colour. There are countless guides located throughout NS which will explain coding. I've only included the most common formatting things here. It's not my intention to recreate the wheel.
AVAILABLE RESOURCES
- Crystal Spire's Post Formatting Guide - nearly everything you need to know about all the formatting buttons as well as some nifty coding tricks.
- Reppy's Custom BBCodes - yet another educational source. Others have added their own tricks to this thread. Browse it for goodies.
- Tippercommon's Guide to Storefront Formatting & Design - Yes, his sound advice works here in P2TM too, especially when it comes to style.
Play with code; don't fear it. Use your Preview button often to make certain you're on track. Ask for help if lost. Coding and formatting can be a rewarding hobby.
Please note. This thread is CLOSED to comments or other posts at this time
I welcome TG suggestions, however
I welcome TG suggestions, however