On Characters Learning and Picking Up Abilities, and Proper Plotting Procedures

[bigdamnprincipal]

With all of the characters at fandomhigh running around with special powers and abilities, we wanted to clarify things for those with "normal" characters, who have wondered about what kinds of abilities they can learn from others within the game.

The basic answer is, it depends on your canon, and on the canon that the powers/abilities are coming from. Any ability that requires an innate skill, or that a person is born with, or that comes from a mutation is off limits in most cases. But this doesn't mean that learning all abilities is off limits. For example, Rory can certainly learn how to meditate - but she'll never be able to access the Force. (Woe!)

If your canon is highly reality-based, and there isn't much info on what kinds of special abilities your character could learn, keep the other canon involved in mind. For example, your character might not come from a canon where it's explicitly stated that they could learn how to block their thoughts from a telepath, but if the telepath comes from a canon where regular people can learn how to do that, then it's conceivable that your character could learn too.

The key here is the word learn. New skills shouldn't be something that the character can do automatically, and while the admins might not necessarily be watching for this sort of thing, it's something we want everyone to keep in mind. If you don't know whether or not your character could pick a skill up from someone else, ask them. OOC communication is love. If you want to do something that involves acquiring a new major skill or power for plotty reasons, but that might not necessarily be valid in your canon (for example, the recent plot of Cally temporarily picking up witchy powers), e-mail the admins with your plot idea, and we'll see if it works.

And with that segue in place, I'd also like to put out a reminder/official notice about how plots should be run past us. *g*

If you have a plot that you would like to play out in-game, you need to run it past the admins first, by sending an e-mail to administration [at] fandomhigh.net. We don't want to ruin anyone's fun, we just want to keep things at a manageable level. This also allows us to keep track of everything that's going on, and to make sure that your plot won't clash with another plot that you might not know about. Not everything that goes on in the game has to be run past us first, of course. The general rule of thumb is:

Plots that generally need approval:

- take a significant amount of time to play out
- affect or involve a significant number of people
- have a lasting effect on your character

Plots that generally don't need approval:

- only involve one or two people
- have no NPC characters coming in
- don't have a lasting effect
- don't last longer than a week
- minor off-island plottishness with NPCs from your fandom (visits home, phone calls, etc). You should run that past other players from your fandom though.
- anything involving normal pets (just make sure you clear it with your roommate first)

When in doubt, e-mail us, and we'll be sure to clear things up.


Thank you for reading all of that. Are there any questions?

Comments

[otherside-miley.livejournal.com]

Actually, I have a question! Which is not related but your post reminded me about.

Do students need to fill out the form in the office for leaving the island every time or just when they are going to miss classes?

[bigdamnprincipal]

Students need to fill out the form if they're going to miss class or be gone overnight. If they're only going to be gone during the day, and not miss anything, there's nothing to worry about.

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

What should I have for dinner tonight?

[morpherboy.livejournal.com]

Cookies!

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

With ice cream?

[bigdamnprincipal]

...you would think that I would have learned by now not to put open ended questions on posts, but noooo, I haven't. *facepalm*

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

But you WUB us!

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Who am I?
Can I condemn this man to slavery?
Pretend I do not feel his agony --
This innocent who bears my face
Who goes to judgement in my place?
Who am I?
Can I conceal myself for evermore?
Pretend I'm not the man I was before?
And must my name until I die
Be no more than an alibi?
Must I lie?
How can I ever face my fellow men?
How can I ever face myself again?

. . . it's a lot of questions. :D

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

*calls you 24601 forever now*

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

I AM NOT A -- oh wait, that's Number Six's line. :D

[bigdamnprincipal]

...aaaaand now that song is stuck in my head. Thanks. :P

[cantgetnorelief.livejournal.com]

Yeah, mine too. Only in French. Except I don't remember all the lyrics. AUGH.

[henryoredward.livejournal.com]

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I got a question.

Would television screens explode from hotness if Gina Torres guest starred on Supernatural?

[x5-alec.livejournal.com]

xcmvide;ldasd,.fwqowep

*looks out at lj-land* I KNOW YOU'RE THERE, KRIPKE, ARE YOU READING THIS?

[bigdamnprincipal]

*SECONDS THIS RESPONSE OMG YES*

Um. I mean, I think it would.

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

I think FH would explode from meta-ness.

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Erm... if picturing Zoe and Jo's mom together is wrong I don't want to be right.

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

If that's not possible, I want Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki on Standoff.

[karaoke-lizard.livejournal.com]

How do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
How do you find a word that means Maria?
A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown!

Oh, how do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?

[kitty--fetish.livejournal.com]

*cheers*

... This has been something that's been bugging me forever. Not that I plan on anything soon, but it's nice to know what's allowed.

[bigdamnprincipal]

Well, I'm glad this cleared things up for you. :D

[bugofjustice.livejournal.com]

... Somebody actually had a comment related to the post. For that, I give you a cookie, a baby emperor penguin, and the World Book Encyclopedia 1994, volumes K through Q.

[rose-bad-wolf.livejournal.com]

*raises hand* Does the possibility of becoming immortal count?

This would come after the fall out of the Bad Wolf thing, since Capt. Jack became an immortal as a result of Rose's actions I thought it would also stand to reason that Rose could possibly be one.

Rose would be unaware of this, of course, only knowing that she heals fast and that she hasn't been sick for years.

[grenfelzer.livejournal.com]

Who put the bop in the bop-shu-bop-shu-bop?

No, seriously, thankye for clearing this up.