(I made an effort to contact James at his site zombieencounter.com. In addition, at the hellsingboard.forumotion.com where these rules presumably were first posted also seem to be a dead end. I have not been able to do so yet. However, I am giving him full credit for these rules as they are fair comprehensive. If James Rascal sees this or anyone alerts him of this posting, I will be glad to remove it if he requests.)T1 Rules & Guidelines for the Modern Day Role Player
For use With Z.E.S.S.T. RP pages
2/15/2009
ZESST Formations by James S. Rascal
Introduction:
{For those new to the form of T1, it is a common logic way of text fighting. Even though it is based off the imagination, logic in life still exists within the T1. Respect, Honor, and Trust are all key points needed to have a clean fun form of competition amongst one on one, or multiples against one. Order and communication is most important when dealing the starting posts in the T1.}
T1 is a multi-style way of fighting that has been in RP longer then I have been around. First you have the different types:
T1 RM= T1 Realistic Melee. This is the Style that is human against human. With real-life limitations. {e.g. Human capabilities of running, jumping, reaction-time, body integrity, vision, ect.} Ex: Street fighting.
T1 UM= T1 Unrealistic Melee. This is the Style that is an above average human against human that are capable of using things such as Magic attack, Sorcery, Vampirism, Werewolfism. Ex: Underworld.
T1 MP= T1 Moderate Powers. This is the Style that is commonly used now as a more realistic look towards T1 PC. The characters that have special powers, just not ones that have a power that is capable of destroying an entire planet. Powers such as elemental abilities are acceptable, but if there is a power that is capable of using all elements you must keep that power in a moderate use. Ex: Bleach, and Naruto.
T1 PC= T1 Powered Characters. This Style is the most difficult of them all to learn. The complexity of the characters abilities and powers are what get them called "God Moders". The depth put into one character, with the powers, abilities, explanations of terrain, dimension, sub-abilities, character background, and traits will lead an inexperienced opponent to believe there is an invincibility about the character.
Those are the Styles of T1's. Now this is what you have to post in your T1 intros: {Note: Forgetting information that is needed in your intro, CAN NOT be used later in the fight. This is grounds for disqualification under God Moding, showing that you will make up anything to win.}
Preps or Preparations for a stronger move. These are the steps for a stronger move/attack. With Preps, you can either do a power up or a technique with a better outcome in the end. You must either give up your attack attempt, take a hit or both to do this. You must take in step what you are doing in each post.
Posting information for your intro in a T1 {The first posting their intro CAN NOT state an attack. The second to post their intro is advised not to attack in their intro, but have that choice to do so anyways!}
1. You have to post what your character looks like. {e.g. Clothing, hair color and style, skin color, eye color, height, weight (optional), and any armor.}
2. You have to post what the area is that you and your opponent are going to fight in or are in. {e.g. Weather, time of day, type of terrain.}
3. You have to post what type of weapons, powers, abilities, and traits your character is going to use in the fight.
4. If you are posting your intro first, do not state where your opponent is, what they are doing, or where they are to begin, until they state otherwise in their post after.
5. Your character, and only your character is what you are narrating. {Reminder: The reason for T1ing is to test yourself against others and make them believe they have been beaten by your character/skill.}
Rules 1. If you forget to post something in your intro; Power, ability, weapon, trait. You cannot use it at any time later in the fight. Those things forgotten are off limits. If they are used, it is grounds for Disqualification from the match through the No God Moding tolerance. This is a competition between the knowledge of two minds on how well they know their character.
2. No God Moding. This goes towards those that take a hit in the T1 and get up from it like nothing every happened. T1ing is a competition against two different skills. The first to out smart, and out match their opponent is the winner. The easiest way to winning a T1 is to always keep in mind, the first one that lands a hit wins.
3. No Auto-Attacks. This is the statement that your attack landed without letting your opponent counter/block/dodge/avoid/deflect in their posts after.
4. You must post equal length to your opponents attack post if you are to dodge/counter/block their attack. Anything less than the other’s attack section of the post is subject to voiding the move or disqualification. If you get a 5+ para attack post {For example}, you have to fully explain your actions and how you did your counter/dodge/block in your replying post that measures up to the attack section length that was posted previously.
5. Correct spelling, punctuation, sentence structure and over all quality of your posts is the means of gaining a win. Run-on sentences and poor explanations about your character or anything of the sort, you are subject to disqualification or request to do another post if not acceptable. The more effort you put into your characters’ posts the better and smoother the fight will go. T1 Style restrictions: If the one being challenged requests a specific Style, the one challenging needs to either abide by the request or decline the challenge. If accepted, their character has to stay within the restrictions of the Style being stated.
T1RM: Absolutely no powers, mystic weaponry, no spells, no heightened abilities outside of normal human abilities. Ex: Sight{10ft to see clearly}, Speed {30mph tops}, Reaction time {1.5 seconds +}
T1UM: Only slight abilities are heightened. No chakra, energy, or spirit force abilities. Acceptable abilities: Heightened strength{100 body builders}, speed{50mph and lower}, sight{1-2 mile distance}, reaction time{10-15 seconds}, hearing {Slight air ripples}, smell {220 million smell receptors=Hound Dog}, and knowledge {Slight whereabouts of foe}.
T1MP: No powers capable of destroying entire planets galaxies or multi-verse. Energy/Chakra based attacks and combos. Basic abilities of energy and powers are acceptable. All Elemental control is acceptable as long as there is one to two elements being used at one time. You cannot use all the elements in one massive attack!
Rules 2:
1) You post in turns.
2) All attacks are attempted; you do not post attacking and connecting in the same turn. Attempting and connecting in the same turn is an auto.
3) An interrupt is where Person A reacts before the end of Person B's prior turn. As an example, Person B might draw his sword, curse, and then run across thirty feet before stopping, jumping, and swinging his sword at Person A's neck. In response, Person A would post drawing his sword and charging at Person B as Person B is running, therefore rendering the neck strike (in that form) having never happened. Interrupts are often regarded as the backbone of melee.
4) A hypothetical is where Person A posts that, should Person A dodge to the West, he will bring his sword across; a hypothetical is a follow-up, a move that will happen if one or more conditions are met. Hypotheticals imply forethought, so they can be considered planned moves IC, and therefore do not demand the same conscious considering that would otherwise be demanded; also, hypotheticals might account for where a given attack would land if such and such defense were performed, like having a thrust to the stomach being displaced to the neck if the foe ducks.
5) Both interrupts and hypotheticals, and, indeed, all elements of T1 must be logical or else cannot happen; if you're interrupting a nearly split-second move, for instance, as you're looking the other way and engaged in some other motion, you won't succeed. Likewise, if your hypothetical is that your 140 pound axe will be swung left into the ribs if its potent downward blow is evaded, and your enemy is nimble and simply ran to the side at the "last moment," you naturally won't hit him.
6) Meta-gaming is when you use OOC information - or information your character does not have - in a fight, bestowing him that information. It can also be posting your character, after a duel is agreed on and a random room made, somehow having placed explosives exactly where your adversary is standing after he posts. An auto, too, but it can very well likewise fall under the "meta-gaming" header.
7) If we post in turns, and there are three of us, and Person 1 preps thrice over the course of 3 rotations whereas Person 3 preps once over the course of 3 rotations, and these two engage in that Person casts a fireball at Person 3 and Person 3 defends with a dispel, the fireball overpowers the dispel and continues on.
Step One: T1 Intro Information and Precautions.
Organization and character knowledge are the first steps of becoming a good T1er. Not only do you need a good imagination, but a good memory also. As long as you can create an easy, but skillful character you won’t have to rely of pre-written posts. The more you practice with writing up an intro and attacks, the better your posts will get. This is the hardest part of getting started with a developing character. 1. You can write down your powers in Note Pad, Word Processor, or Word Pad to get a visual of your characters powers, traits, weapons, and even looks. To begin your organization and memorization of your characters attributes.
2. Challenge yourself with how you post. Do not over use the "He would" "Would be" and the main word "Would" {Commonly used word, and word combination by beginners that have the mind set on what they want to say, but are limited on the vocabulary to explain it.}
3. Remember the key ingredients in the T1 intro "soup". You have to explain your powers, traits, weapons, looks, actions, surroundings, and dialogue. This is giving your opponent the respect of telling them what you are going to use in your "Attacking posts" so there is no confusion or outside source of power coming unexpectedly. For your safety and honor, informing them of these attributes, you can tell your opponent about your character fully and still be able to defeat them in the end. Creativity and combos will be the breaking points between a win and a loss.
4. The major rule and idea you should always keep in mind is always use Common Logic and Respect in your posts. If you know you have been beaten, you are to still try; but know this if there is not enough information telling about what you did or how you did it, your post can be voided and the match will either end, or you will have to re-do the post if asked.
One more thing you must remember. If you are challenged to a T1 by someone, you have the right to request a certain type of Style of T1 to fight in. This is put so you and your opponent are on an even playing field. This will also keep from, for example: A DBZ character fighting a Vampire character. The gap in powers are way too broad to be fair for the Vampire type character. The different type/Styles of T1 are in our bulletins titled "Improved Rules/Guidelines for T1". That bulletin is a mandatory read for any new comer.
Step Two: Mixing and Creating Your Intro Post
Here is where we throw everything into the melting pot to make our soup smell good. This is when it may get the toughest due to the direction we have to take in order for our character to make actions in unison with our surroundings. The easiest starting point I have found from experience is time and surroundings. The hardest part to any post is the beginning. After that, the ideas just flow from our minds like a waterfall. Also for better organization and presentation for the paras, I advise that you keep it between 5 to 6 complete sentences making up each para.
This will make it cleaner and clearer for your opponent to read and understand instead of posting over-stuffed paras that have absolutely no direction at all. Posting your intro first: When posting first, this gives you the opportunity to create the area in which you and your opponent are to fight in. This can be your ally in the long run. Thinking about a place where you and your foe fight can be, for example, a meadow or a sandy beach. If your character has a special ability that nature can help you with, you can form the arena however you want to give yourself a slight advantage. Try to blend together your looks and your surroundings at the same time. You might want to explain your pants as you walk down a dirt path. Ex: “Taking long strides down an unpaved path, the dirt particle from the dust being kicked up with each step, settles in the tightly woven fibers making up Soki’s black, jean pants.” This may take time to fully understand and make your imagery firm with strong explanations and descriptions.
Posting Your Intro Second: Here is when you get to use your opponents ideas to help you get started. They will already have created the arena/surroundings you both will be fighting in, but this gives you the ability of better explaining what your character sees in that place. Dive deep into your mind to place yourself in that zone to go along with your enemies imagination, while still adding more to the area. Think of this as your ladder.
The beginning steps up the ladder have been made, all you have to do now is continue creating the beautiful meal that you will dish out in the form of your paras. You will still have to explain your powers, weapons, traits, looks, and actions, the only thing that is given to you is the knowledge of your foes characteristics and the beginning point that will get you started in your intro soup. You will still be needed to blend together all your looks, surroundings and powers to your best ability.
{Note: Explaining your powers as you are explaining your surroundings may be a difficult task so the more practice and insight you have about your characters abilities and traits will help you explain them in the future. And always remember Absolutely No Pre-Written Intro's!}
Step Three: Attacking
Now that you have the intro stage pretty much mastered, now comes the hard part. In attacking posts you are to state what powers you will be using what skill you are creating, what combo it might turn into or what prep you will be doing. Much like Intros, your attacks need to follow the same guidelines.
Organization, clarity, direction, and actions taking to do such things. Now, just like domino's, the straighter your tokens are stacked the easier it will be to make them all fall down. Meaning, as long as you keep in a certain direction while attacking you will be fine. {This is what not to do} Ex: Person A attacks full force with his blade of ice in attempt to freeze his foe by slashing at him 12 time in every direction. With this action taken you need to keep in mind that two slashes at the most can be attempted. And your key word in your attacks is "Attempt".
Just because you have a wide based form of attacking all at once, doesnt mean that they will all land or any of them will land at all. There will be defenses, dodges, and counters that will avoid, throw off, or make you look like a flailing fish out of water. Your attacks are to be planned out, not in effects to your enemy, but with your own actions to make sure you have a chance to abort any actions done just in case.
Your attacks are to make sense in both real life and role play. Taking real life into consideration means that if you swing a 50lb sword around, the slashes after the first one will be drastically slowed down because inertia will be pulling the sword to the left if your character tries to swing it in the opposite direction after his entering attempt. Plan out your movements to make sure your can "dance" elegantly with your blade while attacking or make a move that gives you time to dodge a counter if needed. You will have to fully explain what type of power you will be using, what powers involve your combo if you are using one. What its aimed at. How fast you, yourself are going, and what is trying to be attempted in harming your foe.
Keep in mind if you say your attack will slice their arm off if landed or anything of the sort, your enemy has the choice to actually choose what the effect is from your attack. You are to also tell the time span of how long actions take to perform. Say your speed allows you to move quickly being able to close a 20ft gap in three seconds. Information like that will be needed in making actions that your foe will need time to perform their move, may it be a dodge, counter, or block. Each movement must be stated as to how long it takes to make is what I am getting at.
<< ATTACK >> == Within the Battou Jutsu stance, Hanzo presses the front of his right foot down to the ground in an effort to push himself forward into a dash. Less than a second after the foot press, the young warrior dashes using the Flash Step technique, traveling in a single-crescent path of travel to his left side. Reaching the front left side of his opponent, the Hanzo performs a sliding halt with both feet and his once leaned-forward upper body is now slight straight up in posture. Both his sandals press to the ground, creating a scratching and crunching sound as the fine dirt and pebbles grinds with the outsoles of his footwear from the sliding halt. He is about 3 feet away from the enemy's front-left side when he stopped.
== == Already has his right hand on top of the sheathed sword he has in his left side, Hanzo's right foot is about 1.5 feet in front and 5 inches to right of his upper body. He has his right knee bending about 2 inches down. He has his left foot extended to his back and slightly to the left, bending his left knee about 1.5 to 1.8 inch down and pointed to the direction of his right foot. The upper body is once again leaning forward about 2 to 2.5 inches. The look on his face expresses a slight glare yet shows a focus in his dark green eyes. == == Hanzo reaches for the handle as he gently slams his palm towards the clothing fabrics of the handle. Within 0.20 to 0.70 seconds after lightly touching the sword's handle with his right palm, the next set of events occurs.
He grips the sword's handle tightly with his left hand, rotating it slightly downward to make the sheathe in a slightly horizontal position. He releases the sword from its sheathe with a velocity of 450 to 500 mph. The sword's path travel is about is about 150 degrees to the right from its original draw point. The forces of the blow is about as 6, 000 square inch of pressure. The sword is extended to his left, bending the air as the nearby aerial element is absorb towards the path of the travel that the attack is taking, sucking what's in front of it towards the during the attack in a heart beat for as the slicing and crushing pressure will take care of the opposition.
== == The left foot slides about 100 degrees to the right as he twists his right foot to the right, as well. He grunts in a battle-related fashion as effort is being put within the attack. He takes it into account that his right arm will slightly suffer a strain from the quick draw attack that he performed. Feeling the stress that was in his right arm, especially the upper part of it, Hanzo can't help to think but to know what the result of his attack did to his opponent. The portions of seconds ended in blink of an eye as the attack ended its path of travel. ==
Step Four: Attack Defense-
Some of you don’t understand the meaning of Attack Defense because you rather just attack and hope it lands. But in actuality when you attack, you attempt your attack still before you say your character left the attacks and is now in a different area. Your opponent has the right to state their counter before you say you jumped 30ft away in a matter of seconds after your attack. When you attack, you must keep in mind that as you’re attacking your opponent still has to avoid/block/ or dodge your attack. So you stating you have attacked with your blade then jumped back to a safe distance can’t be done until your foe has replied to your attack. So what you need to do is use an attack that will give you a proper escape point from a counter-attack.
This meaning if you attack with your blade, and you leave an open spot, saying you full force swung your sword at the person head, they can say they ducked it and thrust their blade at your exposed stomach, your continuing post won’t hold up with that actually happening. Ex: Increasing his power by manipulating his energy within his blade it gave him an added amount of pressure causing the blade to being able to slice through a sheet of titanium metal. Seconds later Person A ran at Person B, closing the gap of 10ft to only 2ft, then with a mighty swing, Person A’s blade sails to the ribs of Person B, then after Person A jumps into the air and lands 20ft away hoping his attack landed. Ok, that example is what I am referring to. You see, Person A stated all his actions in the post along with his attack but left numerous amounts of openings that person B, in their post, can attack. Just because Person A stated they jumped 20ft away after his attack doesn’t have to be followed by Person B because now you are telling them they can’t attack you because you are already in a safe zone.
This what I mean: Continue Ex: Seeing the power increase of Person A, Person B took hold of his own blade, waiting till Person A came within range to do his move. Seconds pass as Person B takes the time to change his footing to allow himself more maneuverability in doing his next action. Seeing the blade sailing at his ribs, Person B knew the increase in pressure will throw his foe off balance due to its over exertion with effort. Dropping down forwards, to land on all fours, avoiding the colossal blades strike making it gracefully flow above his back unharming his wellbeing, but at that very instance as the blade was out of a dangerous point in time, Person B looked up at the exposed belly of Person A, and lunged forwards with his blades tip, regaining his footing, still in a crouched down manner, and attempted to stab the open area. As you can see the dodge/counter allowed Person B the time to avoid then attack his foe, not having to go by Person A’s statement of him not being there. You must be able to attack and give yourself time or an escape route just in case counters like Person B did won’t have such a huge effect on you.
What person A should have done was: Ex: Increasing his power by manipulating his energy within his blade it gave him an added amount of pressure causing the blade to being able to slice through a sheet of titanium metal. Seconds later Person A ran at Person B, closing the gap of 10ft to only 2ft, then with a mighty swing, Person A’s blade sails to the ribs of Person B. Never over powering his movements to toss himself off balance, he moved his left hand to his wakizashi blade handle, creating a spinning motion to the left, since the attacking blade will increase his twist allowing himself the opportunity to draw his blade at the same time to perhaps block a counter attack that may cause serious damage to Person A’s form, and life.
This example is the meaning of Attack Defense. If you close openings, or make your movements easy to get out of, or make them a continuing motion, you will be able to not leave gaps in your attack that your foe can ultimately capitalize on in their posts.
Length is not the answer
Prancing along the sight of him was most amusing. Chibi at last, Soki only stood about 2ft and 11 inches tall. Quite tall for his age, he gaze on with candy coated eyes. Full of sugar and tea, but the hazel color hid that. "Hehe, what a pleasant surprise!" A squeak of words hummed from his lips on the approach of a gardenie person. Such creatures did exist for the most part, but Chibi Soki never faced on. With his array of colors within his energy, the young lad's ability of elemental manipulation was his greatest ally. By giving 2% of his energy, in a strand like form, it latches onto the most lush of elements there.
Be it; earth, wind/air, fire, water, or even gravity. The usage of gravity was in a flight and close range effect. Having his long gown swaying in the suns rays, the black colored looked to fade some, then resonate back. Enchanted some may think, but no, it was just pretty. Along his feet area, were clouds of black smoke. Bubbling up from the group in replace of his feet. It made him look as though he was a ghost of some sort. Moving so, with what seemed like feet, Soki halted in a redwood forest area. Filled with trees that rivaled sky-scrapers. Massive trunks break forth from the ground and reach high as the eye can see. The branches close in on each other, creating the look of a enclosed area. A bed of dried twigs and crumbled leaves fill the ground, with the intense humidity of the nights rain. Phantom fog lightly covers the flooring as well, moving as majestic as the sea itself.
Breaking its ties together, Soki took a few hovering steps forwards, then stopped again. Grinning with his white teeth, the K-9's show brilliant as thought he grinds them to a point. The cyclonic boy looks on into the abysmal darkness that cuts from the soft rays of the sun that break through from the top of the canvased trees. "Alas, this should be fit for our scuffle." A voice of gruesome shrills combine to words of cheering tongue. Pale white in complexion, Soki's skin turns cold with desire for the exhibition fight at hand, as his spiked purple hair gently bends forwards from the chilled breeze that flowed curiously from behind his form. From his core soul, the energy within his body can be manifested into what he feels will aid him in battle. So thus, the time moves on, as the waiting souls, wait to commence.
Characterization Basic Elements
"Well, here is the main point of the topic . . . to help a fighter last for a longer period of time within a battle. Here is a list of the following that may be taught. none of these are real and none of them have taken place." --Energy Conservation-- Energy conservation can be easily taught by using the surroundings to your advantage. Spotting trees and using the direction of the wind can help out a lot and even change the outcome of a battle. Using the area as part of your technique will save a lot of energy and your stamina will not drop so swiftly.
EXAMPLE: [////::Dust flew up from below Kenji's feet as he moved with speed. His flash step blurred his movements. Each step he took left only dust slowly rising up into the air. A chill reached the area as Kenji appeared in front of a tree and ice particles began to form around the blade of Tenrai-Urufu. Kenji swung his Zanpakutou's blade towards the ground and sent up countless dirt clumps into the air. He struck another blow against the dirt clumps and they were sent flying towards the tree. The ice whipped out like a vine and struck the dirt clumps, freezing them into sharp ice shards. The ice shards flew at an incredible speed, from within Kenji stood and the tree was, the distance was approximately twelve feet.::////]
--Elemental Control & Manipulation-- Elemental control and manipulation. The ability to control an element and the ability to manipulate an element are actually two different concepts. Controlling an element allows to you wield an element to your own needs. Manipulation of an element is allowing an element to be created and roam freely as if it were its own being. Your body flows with the element, and you're not just using it to protect you or for attacks.
EXAMPLE:[////::The ice around the blade danced gracefuly, majecticly forming around to make a chain. It sparkled in the shining light and willowed to the ground. Beams were attracted to the ice chain as Kenji swiftly swung the blade, allowing the ice chain's motion to twirl around him and seem to glitter as it danced.::////] --Combination Techniques-- Combination techniques may be occasionally very difficult to use, simply because it is easy to powermod without consent of what you are combining together. Combining techniques can lower energy exponentially, so using basic combinations are requested to be used more often and it will still be effective. But if in a dilema, combining techniques that involve elements and abilites would be extrememly helpful, but requested to only be used when you are really into the battle.
EXAMPLE:[////::Kenji gripped the hilt of his Zanpakutou tightly in his hands and and released it from its sheathe. The blade swung down on Soki's shoulder and Kenji had his left leg aiming his knee to Soki's stomach.::////] --Two-Post Combination Techniques-- Two-post combination techniques is probably one of the very hardest to successfully obtain control of. It is where you post a technique or an attack and you have a second post to go along with it, but your opponent must first fall for the first post. You must have a very creative mind to use such a powerful force and you must aknowledge what the outcome may be. Obtaining this certain type of strength allows you to gain victory very easily.
EXAMPLE:[////::Behind his four ice walls, Kenji released a total of seven ice dragons heading towards Soki. One ice dragon headed towards his chest, a second one to his exposed backside, another at the direction of his left side, another at his right, and quickly one heading above Soki along with a second one tagged along right after the one coming in from above.::////] |::|Soki formed multiple handsigns and created, within milleseconds, a giant fireball intensely surrounding his entire structure and waited until the dragons had melted.|::| [////::Kenji smirked as there were only six Soki destroyed and he smiled. The final seventh ice dragon dug up from underground and directly it erupted beneath Soki.::////] Of course correct description of these posts must be made, this is just a quick sample. Note that the battle had to actually take place for the example post to make complete sense.
EmptyArmor
Einherjar 906
Tetsue
TokyoPewPew
AndyC
Grizzlybeard
LeeRoy
odium
Konan375