Expanding Horizons
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions Page
This page is dedicated to the resolving of Frequently Asked Questions affecting the persistent universe and its rules. It is updated regularly to include new questions asked, which can be done below in this same topic, with answers included and the specific rulings provided by the Staff on how certain elements of the game work. If you are unsure if your question has been asked before, read here first.
Question 1: How big is Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The universe of Expanding Horizons is an infinitely large galaxy that is continually expanding. This means that there is no limit to just where anything can be or how large it can be. This also means there are innumerable places unexplored, unnamed and unventured. The players will be the ones deciding just where everything is.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 2: What is a Persistent World in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The phrase "persistent world" means anything that happens in Expanding Horizons is canon to the story, no matter where it occurs. The timeline is moving forward for everyone, no matter who they are, at the same pace and all of their actions impact one another and remain as part of the story. For example, if something happens where a particular faction is destroyed, it really is gone and that impacts anyone involved with it.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 3: Who can join Expanding Horizons?
Answer: Anyone can. You need only provide a Character Submission at minimum. If you intend to play a faction as well, you will also need to submit a Group Submission. In either case, you cannot play your character until approved by the Staff. Once approved, you may make a topic in the In-Character section or attempt to join a topic already going on there.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 4: What roleplaying skill level is Expanding Horizons for?
Answer: All levels. You can be the newest member of the Free Roleplaying section to the most seasoned veteran of the Advanced Roleplaying section as well as anywhere in between. All talents and levels are accepted, but it should be noted that disparity in skills - in competition such as a combat - is likely to naturally favor the more advanced, detailed and experienced writer. The Staff judge all player versus player action at all levels. Despite this, it is encouraged that players provide as much as they can so long as it is good for the plot and everyone is enjoying themselves. If that means a single line post or maybe a few sentences, there is no harm done.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 5: What are "tiers" on Character Submissions in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: A tier is a relative level of abstract power that's measured against a regular human being. A "normal" tier person is just that, a normal human being or the equivalent of. A "high" tier person is someone capable of creating, destroying or influencing entire nations on whim, be it through their power over their faction or just their demigod like power. It should be noted that because characters interact with one another, Staff take tiers of power into consideration if there's a player versus player conflict.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 6: What does "player versus player" mean in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The term "player versus player" means any action taken by one roleplayer and their character, characters or faction to influence those of someone else by force. This more or less means a competition of sorts where there's a "write-off", each person writing to fight the other. The Staff determine the victory, if any is to be had at all, by judging the best writer in a away similar to the Arena Roleplaying section. Player versus player conflict can also be done in a collaborative post between the two players or settled in Private Messages; in cases like those, they need to notify the Staff of what they want the outcome to be and the Staff decide if that is appropriate or not.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 7: What is the level of maturity for Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The story and setting of Expanding Horizons should not exceed that of "good taste". This is best understood as being neither too graphic or explicit in maturity, imagery, language or other relevant matter. No less, the regular Roleplayer Guild's rules on appropriate or inappropriate conduct are still always in effect. This is because everything below what is considered "adult" content should be available, with reason, to players.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 8: What types of worlds are there in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: Because every world and its associated system can follow its own independent rules of how it functions they all can be different. There might be wizards, knights, monsters and magic in one system, then across the galaxy there is a race of highly advanced machines which communicate "telepathically" by electromagnetic signals. Anything and everything goes, just try to be creative rather than "powerful".
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 9: What are the "Big Three" in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The "Big Three" is the informal term for the three largest, most broad categories of things in existence in Expanding Horizons. They needn't all be together in the same place and at the same time and by odds alone are not. It is more likely each individual world and its system, as well as a faction, only utilizes one or maybe two.
They are "Magic", whose elements are made up of wizardry and sorcery, the supernatural, spells, fantastic and the like; "Technology", which could be nanomachines, genetic alteration, faster-than-light spacecraft, cybernetics and similar themes; "Mundanity", or that which is familiar to us in reality, be it the distant past where dinosaurs roamed the world or the modern day. There are other, far less common, categories too like psychic powers or soul and ki energy.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 10: What themes are there in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The real answer is that there are any. One topic could be dedicated to an anime inspired story with its focus on that style, while another could be a gritty western or a system away, a major plot element of the greater universal plot transpiring where two tremendous spacefaring races are engaged in an orbital battle. There's really no limit here provided it does not exceed the acceptable level of maturity. Just remember, going from one topic to another makes you an outsider to it, meaning your character might standout in contrast.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 11: How do magic or unusual abilities work on a world without them in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The simplest way to describe this answer is that your character brings those abilities with them. They aren't inherent naturally to foreign systems, although they could be and just be undiscovered as unlikely as that is. This secondary quality, the possibility of creating something that wasn't there before, is only limited by the topic's owner or the Staff. In cases where this general rule doesn't work, ask the owner or a Staff member.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 12: Is there an Earth in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: No, there is no Earth. There are some obvious parallels with it no matter where you go, especially in places where humans are a race, but it isn't clear just how or why yet.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 13: What is an (Open) or (Closed) topic in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The term "Open" in the description of a topic means that world can be accessed by anyone, provided they can get there. "Closed" however, means that only players allowed by the topic's creator, or the Staff, can gain access to it. If you want to go to a "Closed" section, ask permission from the owner in a Private Message or Out-of-Character request. In the scheme of things, "Closed" worlds are protected, secret or just unknown to everyone else and are a "safe haven" for players who do not want outside interference. "Open" worlds in comparison are well known or freely discoverable.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 14: What is the expected posting rate in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: Frequent, meaning try to at least post every few days. If you fail to do so, the people waiting on your response are free to move on without you, even ignoring that incident altogether if you and or your character up and disappear from a scene. There's too much going on in Expanding Horizons and each of its topics to wait constantly on one person.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 15: What happens if a character or topic's owner disappears in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The Staff should be notified and will assume control of that character or topic to move it along until they no longer need to. If that individual returns later, they end up wherever they were when moved by the Staff. Again, this isn't a punishment for that person who has become inactive on the Roleplayer Guild, but just so everyone else can keep going.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 16: What is the Announcements and Notifications topic in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The Announcements and Notifications topic is a means for the Staff to post messages for all players to read out-of-character. Players may use it as well, but in all cases it is reserved for major events such as the opening of a new topic, the discovery of a new world, a climactic victory or defeat, and similar news. Posts here need to be on topic with the announcements at hand.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 17: Do I have to submit a new character sheet for each character I make in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: Yes, because every character needs to be approved by the Staff. Even if you have an existing character you are playing in the game, your new character has to be read and approved, with this same rule applying to groups you create. We encourage you and or your Game Master to also keep your own library of approved characters.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 18: Do all characters know about the other worlds, magic, science or the like in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: No, nothing says your character has to or inherently knows about them. They could be as naïve or as well versed as you wish, but with the more they know, the more you have to explain just quite how. It also goes without saying that those who live quite far flung from other populated systems are very unlikely to know more than those who are surrounded by a number of them.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 19: To introduce a new setting do I need to fill out a form somewhere on Expanding Horizons?
Answer: Not at all. At minimum, all you need to do is make a character and have it approved by Staff. From there you can make your own topic and setting in the Expanding Horizons In-Character universe. If you chose to do that, you need to give the general theme and ideas of the type of world it is, note if it is an Open or Closed world, and know that you are the Game Master responsible for running it. All of this needs to be done in the first post for that world.
Because this is a new topic, you would write the title this way, (Name of Story - The World - Open or Closed World). It should look like this, The Oncoming Storm - Tulos - Open World, meaning that everyone knows that plotline, where the world or location is, and if anyone can even venture there from somewhere else. The second part is important because a single location might have multiple stories.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 20: Does "liquid time" and or "multiverse theory" exist in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The simple answer is no, in that player characters cannot manipulate reality on that scale and their characters cannot be in multiple places at once. For the purposes of continuity and simplicity, all players are effectively moving forward at the same time. You cannot circumvent time or go back into it. As for a multiverse, it is a known quality in the universe but not an applicable one. No one is quite sure how to do it with any reliability or control.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 21: Why an infinitely sized galaxy in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The intent was, originally, for all these events to take place in a single system. As you imagine this expanded outward and at one point the Staff considered every "world" as we call them now to instead be somewhere in another multiverses, but found that too big. Galaxies were too small to explain everything, such as both the presence and lack of magic at the same time varying where you went, so the design moved to a single, ever expanding universe and galaxy, which oddly enough fit the name and intent. In the canon of the story, this was also done to offset explaining everything or people traveling between multiple galaxies. In essence, the decision was to go with the simplest thing we could while not sounding too complex or extreme.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 22: Can I make a character part of a faction, even if that faction doesn't have five players yet? If I do, do I get the integral abilities or powers of that group in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The first answer is yes, you can make a character who is part of a faction that does not have five players before you even make or submit that group and before it has those needed players. If you do so, and that faction later gains enough players, you must still have it reviewed by Staff and approved. The second answer is no. You only get your group's unique abilities and territories once you write that faction up, have five active Roleplayer Guild members, and have it approved by two Staff.
Players need understand that you can have as many groups as you want in a game, but all of them are unofficial unless they have a write-up using the template, a group of five individual players each with one character at minimum, and two approvals by the Staff. If your group is an unofficial faction, note that it is considered small in terms of significance until it gains sufficient power. Official groups are a status of respect and power, something the United Federation of Planets has to recognize, for better or worse. Unofficial factions are generally too small and lacking as of yet in major galactic influence.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 23: Can characters change their tiers of power in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: Yes, but any changes to a character's abilities, powers, items and certainly their tiers need to be approved by Staff. Contacting a Staff member and receiving their approval then editing a character sheet to reflect this is perfectly valid and the right way to do so. Editing in content post Staff approval is grounds for dismissal of a player from the game.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 24: Is there a Discord that anyone can enter for Expanding Horizons?
Answer: Yes, you can find it here as part of the official Roleplayer Guild Discord.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 25: How exactly do extra ordinary talents such as magic or superhuman powers work in the new tier system for Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The easiest way to explain the new tier system for extraordinary powers is that at Tier 1, a character is completely mundane and average for their species. At Tier 2, that person might have an uncanny talent that is more than natural for them, such as the ability to cast minor cantrip spells like a tiny ray of frost, the ability to see in the dark, sense electromagnetic fields, or the power to manipulate small fires with their ki. Tier 3 suggests that character is proficient in their unusual ability, such as being able to levitate, cast conventional healing, damaging or warding spells, sense beings or objects without sight by "feeling" or be impervious to modern projectile weapons.
Tier 4 by comparison implies that person has effectively transcended what is considered even remotely possible in the terms of the extraordinary. They can cast repeated uses of powerful offensive or defensive spells, such as fireballs or walls of stone, leap miles with a single bound, fly through space as fast as a conventional craft without suffering ill effects, or perform feats of intellect such as hacking even if potentially unconscious.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 26: Could a large group merge with smaller groups in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The answer to that question is no, we do not intend for factions to merge into super factions. At most you can have ten players in a single group. Groups can be allied with one another and always work together, but you can never combine them to create superpowers. This is to prevent too many benefits from accumulating.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 27: Is there a way to have Staff approve character sheets faster in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The answer is, is that varies. Because none of the Staff are dedicated to a regular schedule of the process, as in only some of them have routines that enable this, it could take hours to a few days.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 28: If a territory is a critical point, does it still count against your assets in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: Yes. Any critical point counts against your assets no matter what else it is.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 29: Can a group or faction have non-player characters in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: Yes, they can have any number that faction can control, but that faction is still unofficial until it has five actual, active Roleplayer Guild members. Regardless, it has no actual power or influence on the greater story until it becomes official. In essence, it has not reached sufficient prominence.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Question 30: How powerful is the United Federation of Planets in Expanding Horizons?
Answer: The United Federation of Planets is the largest superpower in the galaxy. Within its territory it has the capability to readily monitor the inhabited worlds under its control and loses that strength only in part the further out one goes to its limits. Its military power is exceptional and capable of efficient and destructive galactic warfare. Because it is a non-player faction operated by the Staff and generally keeps to peacekeeping operations in its space, it is not prone to offensive warring, but has a history of retaliating with overwhelming response.
- @The Harbinger of Ferocity
Only Post Questions Below Last Line
This page will be updated as a living document in response to all Frequently Asked Questions about Expanding Horizons. If you have a question and would like an answer, ask below. Your question will be added above in this post for everyone to read, with you receiving a mention and what number it is by Staff in a separate response.
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