Posts should be a minimum of four paragraphs. In general, you can't really say much in just a couple paragraphs. A lot of times, not much can be said in only four paragraphs.

Paragraphs should NOT be indented. Additionally, a blank space should be left between all paragraphs. When sending out your posts, make certain your email program is configured to send in "Plain Text." If you are uncertain how to change the settings in your email, let me know.

Because posts are sent in plain text formatting, there is no way to emphasize text. So, in those instances when you would like to have text emphasized in some way, use the following:

• To indicate text that would be italicized, use * on either side of what you are trying to emphasize. Such as: Zale stepped closer to the thug with the durasteel pipe. "No, *you* need a lesson in manners."
• To indicate telepathic contact, you will want to use ~ around the thoughts being sent. For example, ~Get out of my head, you pyschopath,~ Jae Dyn Brael thought back to Dargus Kandran.

With most email programs capable of sending out posts using rich text and HTML formatting, it may be tempting to send your posts using that format so that you can use some of the features of those styles. Don't.

Not all email programs are created equal, and not all email programs interpret rich text in the same way. What looks great on your computer may look like garbage on someone else's. So, please avoid sending in any format but Plain Text.

Additionally, if you use Microsoft Word to format your posts, be very careful. By default, it is designed to change certain text combinations and punctuation that is not readily viewable or translatable in Plain Text. If you use Word (or any other editor that makes these automatic changes), we strongly recommend that you either disable that feature or change to a different editor.

Attachments should never be sent to the Tales from the Outer Rim mailing list. Not only do most computer viruses travel as attachments, but they're difficult to work with due to differing file formats. So, when sending messages to the list, make sure you're not sending attachments. If you've written your post in a different program, just copy and paste the text from the other program into your email message.

Posts should be written in third-person, past tense.

Example: From the cockpit, Liam grinned. He plugged the data Yelara had given him into the computer. They'd be able to pull up the information from the device from any station on the Kestrel. "Perimeter security is still green," he said. "No one knows we're here. But, I'd like to keep it that way, so I'm taking us away." His hands flipped through the knobs and switches on the pilot's console and the Kestrel climbed upwards in the atmosphere.

Every attempt should be made to use punctuation and capitalization in your posts. In a sim that allows global membership with such widely varying levels of skill with the English language, perfect English won't be required. However, it is much easier to read a post with punctuation and capitalization in the proper places. Also, be certain to spell-check your posts.

For new players, and players wishing to bring in additional characters, make sure you proofread and spell-check your bios.

All members of the sim are expected to submit at least one in-character post every two weeks. If you find you are unable to maintain this posting frequency, you should contact the GM and discuss a means to keep yourself active in the sim.

Any member of the sim who fails to either submit a post to the listserver or notify the GM of an inability to meet the posting requirements for a period of one month will be removed from the sim as inactive.

7. Joint Posts and Character Interaction
Whenever your character interacts with another player's character in the sim, you should contact the other character for a joint post. There are many methods for crafting a joint post. Typically, the post is sent back and forth off-list until it reaches a conclusion, and is then posted to the Tales from the Outer Rim listserver.

Any interaction between characters should be contained within a single, completed post (or more if the post is very large), not spread out over a dozen small posts. Do not end your post tagging another to pick up in a conversation.

Your character should never injure or harm another player's character without that player's consent. If your character and another character get into a fight, and neither you nor the other player can decide who wins the fight, the fight should end in a draw.

Make sure your posts all contain the proper heading. It should include a title and all the player characters involved. If you write a post with several NPCs, do not list the NPCs in the heading unless they have a significant contribution to the post. Character occupations are not necessary, and are optional for the header.

When the posts are archived, they are archived by date. Because of this, including a date in the headers of a post is very important. If you send out a post without a date, expect a message from either the GM or AGM.

Headers should follow the following format:

"Title"
by (name) - (occupation)
Location: (location)
Date: (sim date)

A normal post written by one author should look like this:

"The String Is Cut"
by Liam Zaneth - Grey Jedi
Location: Various locations around Chimaeria
Date: Saris 27, 3 ABY

A joint post written by two authors should look like this:

"Turren Honeymoon, Part 1"
by Yelara Zaneth - Mechanic
and Liam Zaneth - Grey Jedi
Location: Space and the planet Turren
Date: Thaniss 2, 3ABY

The use of "by" and "and" may be eliminated for the header if you wish. But, the other information should be included.

In a joint post where one player writes for a player character and another writes for an NPC, use the following format:

"Competition"
Oot Kovan - Head of the Tarabassic Syndicate
Kambra Gant - Oot's Bodyguard (NPC written by Oot)
Location: In orbit, Geth'qabw, Outer Rim
Date: Saris 1, 3ABY

The Karadan calendar is composed of nine months, each consisting of twenty-eight days. The current year is 4ABY (four years after the Battle of Yavin). The months (from the beginning of the year to the end) are: Praeda, Niothe, Eos, Selene, Saris, Thaniss, Lythe, Vadris, and Rheudis.

You can find the current date by looking at the Archive page. The last linked date will be the current one. When working on your own posts, make sure you don't get too far ahead of the current date. We're trying to keep a steady pace with the sim, and if a storyline pushes too far ahead it could have an effect on other stories.

Star Wars: Tales from the Outer Rim is set in the Star Wars universe. The technology used in posts and stories should reflect that genre. Weapons should be energy weapons, comlinks are used to contact one another, and ships should have hyperdrives. If you are ever in doubt whether something you're going to add to a post belongs there, just ask yourself: "Could I see something like this being shown in a Star Wars movie, comic book, or novel?" If you can't picture Luke Skywalker pulling out a 9mm semi-automatic pistol with integral laser sight, then you don't want to add it into your post. If you can't see Han Solo whipping out a cellphone and making a call to Chewbacca in the Millennium Falcon... You get the idea. When in doubt about the technology, turn to the Star Wars films, novels, and such.

Some players on Tales from the Outer Rim have multiple characters in the sim. In order to be eligible to add in a second (or more) character, you will need to prove that you can handle the character you already have on the sim. For the first month after joining the sim, all players are limited to only a single character, plus any NPCs associated with that character. Once a player has proved that they can handle their current character, they may request to add a second character. The GM and AGM will review the player's posting history, and decide if they feel that the player can handle the additional posting a second character will require, they will okay the player to add a second character. Then it's a matter of going through the normal creation steps for the bio.

Truly enthusiastic players may add more characters as long as they can prove that they are capable of handling the additional characters.

When a player leaves the sim, their character will be placed on inactive status. These characters will not be available for use as player characters on the sim.

• A PC is a character controlled by a single character. Generally, this is the main character on the sim for that player. On some occasions a player may have two characters who receive equal attention and can both be considered PCs. Player Characters are protected. What this means is that no other character may cause harm, injury, or other sorts of hardship for the character without prior consent by the controlling player. Examples from the movies for PCs are: Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker.
• An NPC+ is a character similar to a PC in many respects. NPC+ characters are non-player characters who appear frequently within posts in an almost starring role. An NPC+ is not a main character, but instead a specific, special non-player character who is generally a partner, assistant, friend, loved one, etc of a PC. They appear in a larger share of posts and in many cases appear to almost be a PC. These characters should have a more robust biography, almost equal as well to a PC. As with PCs, NPC+ characters are protected. No other character can injure, harm, or otherwise affect this type of character without consulting the controlling player and obtaining permission to do so. Examples of NPC+s from the movies: Lando Calrissian, Wedge Antilles, Nute Gunray, and Mace Windu.
• An NPC character is a non-player character. Generally NPC characters appear in only a few posts, contribute their piece to the story, and then disappear from the storyline. There are occasions when an NPC may reappear in a future story. An NPC may appear once and never again, or be an occasionally recurring character. An NPC character who begins to appear more frequently in posts should be moved up to NPC+ status. NPCs also are protected. Unless a player has created an NPC, he or she must seek out the permission of the player who created the NPC before utilizing the character in posts. Note that this marks a change from previous policy on this sort of character. After further thought, it was decided that even though a character has appeared only once, that does not mean there was never any intention to bring the character back another time. For those NPCs whose creators are no longer members of the sim, or who are unknown, players seeking to use the NPCs should contact the GMs. Examples of NPCs from the movies would be: Biggs Darklighter, General Rieekan, Sebulba, and Madame Jocasta Nu (the Jedi archivist).

• All players wishing to play a Jedi character must have been a member of the sim in good standing for a period of at least three months. Up to two new Jedi characters may be selected for admittance each month. Fill out the application form completely, including the writing sample from the point of view of your Force sensitive character.
• No player can control more than one Force-sensitive character at a time.  GMs can make exceptions to this on a case-by-case basis (such as for an extremely talented player, for players who already have more than one Force-sensitive character, and GMs).
• Jedi must begin as Padawans at the Temple unless they have permission otherwise. The character will be young and unskilled with the Force, learning how to use it from the Masters at the Temple. If a player wishes to play a more advanced Jedi character, they may submit a new application after four months with the Padawan character, following the same application procedure.
• As with all things, the GMs have the right to refuse or revoke the privilege of writing a Jedi/Force-sensitive character at any time.
• Force powers will be approved by the GM, and any abuse of those powers in posts will be looked into by the GMs
• Jedi and Force-sensitive beings are very powerful and require a particular caliber of player to pull off effectively.  Players who appear to be only looking for the power offered by playing a Jedi Knight will be refused.
• No Jedi will carry a double-bladed lightsaber
• Continued abuse of the Force or actions that lead to the dark side will be watched by the GMs.  No Jedi will be allowed to fall to the dark side without approval.

The point of simming is to have fun. These rules and guidelines are to help everyone have a fun time in Tales from the Outer Rim, and yet still maintain some order in the sim. If you have any questions, contact me.