Post by EconomistBrony on Sept 29, 2011 20:46:57 GMT -5
What is the MUCK Theme?
The theme of EquestriaMUCK is television's newest addition to the My Little Pony franchise: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic! This MUCK is meant to provide a place for nearly all kinds of pony roleplay--from slice of life scenes to sweet romances to epic adventures. For those who want structure, there will be a canonical central storyline drawn directly from the show, but anyone who wants to ignore it is welcome to create their own fun.
Our timeline will officially begin with the first two-part episode of the show, which will constitute our inaugural MUCKwide Roleplay. What does that mean, specifically? It means that, so far as 'MUCK Canon' goes, the plot of the television show has not yet happened. Instead, we have decided to play through the episodes one at a time in order to gradually develop the character and theme of the MUCK. When and if we run out of episodes, we will decide what road EquestriaMUCK will take, but this plan should last us for quite a while.
What is ‘MUCK Canon’?
Many people are familiar with the term 'canon' to denote 'official' content for a franchise or series. For instance, anything in the show itself is canon, as it is an official part of the show's universe, as determined by the creator. Fan-fiction, on the other hand, is non-canon, except in the special instance that the creators of the show find it and decide to fit it into their official universe, thus making it canon.
“MUCK Canon” is a similar concept. It is, to speak metaphorically, the common language between all players on the MUCK. We know that, inevitably, players will find groups of friends they choose to roleplay with more often than with others. MUCK Canon is our way of easing communication between these groups by providing a common body of events that everyone can draw upon for RP if they wish to. Please note that, since we are beginning with Episode 1, the entire TV series has yet to become canon. As each episode is roleplayed, it will give players something to participate in (if they happen to be present for it) or to react to in their own scenes. For example, in the inaugural RP, the sun will fail to rise for the Summer Sun Celebration and Ponyville--indeed, all Equestria--will be thrown into fearful panic.
MUCK Canon is created in one of two ways:
• Through MUCKwide sessions that play out the television episodes.
• Through scenes explicitly stated to be considered ‘MUCK canon’ by the wizstaff, with the permission of the players who created the scene in question.
Scenes designated as ‘MUCK Canon' will be placed on the ‘MUCK Canon Roleplay Logs’ folder on the forum. All other roleplay that you wish to share with others should be put in the ‘Non-Canon Roleplay Logs’ folder.
Please note: If you just want to play ponies and not worry about MUCK Canon, that's fine! We expect lots of silly scenes, random scenes, scenes from crossovers or fan fiction, and other stuff that diverges from the show's official canon or whatever the FCs get up to. If a non-canon scene is reasonably realistic and sufficiently fun, the staff may ask to add it to the MUCK Canon, if all players involved give their permission.
We just ask that if you encounter a MUCK Canon scene in progress, you either join in a way that makes it better for everyone...or watch, or ignore. Jumping in with ridiculous nonsense will be frowned upon, even if Trixie really was asking for it.
So why is ‘MUCK Canon’ necessary?
The purpose of MUCK Canon is to provide flexibility and freedom to the players, while also providing a 'backdrop' of events that allow more opportunities for players to interact within the setting. It also provides some continuity, ensuring that the MUCK adheres reasonably closely to the show's canon, and allowing MUCKwide plots to flow more smoothly.
Note: Even if a scene is not MUCK Canon, you and your group of friends may decide to make it binding, or 'canonical', just for you. For example, you may decide to have a long-running plot in which a volcano erupts outside Ponyville, and a team of rescue workers must deal with the terrifying aftermath. It might be disruptive if everyone on the MUCK had to deal with an erupting volcano, so your plotline will not be considered MUCK Canon--but if anyone wanders by and wants to join the plot, we encourage you to let them do so, so long as they're willing to go along with the story you've established!
Permanent MUCK Canon Locations:
Because we, as wizards, want to facilitate RP among all players, we ask that the two main public gathering points, Ponyville Square and Ponyville Marketplace, be reserved for roleplay consistent with the ‘MUCK Canon’ backdrop. Note, this does not mean that roleplay in these places is automatically canonical; instead, we simply ask that roleplay there not conflict with MUCK Canon. We also request that players refrain from spoofing Featured Characters in these rooms. Thus, if you want to play out a scene where Celestia goes mad with power and drops grand pianos on everypony's heads, you should do it somewhere that's not a public gathering place--anywhere but those two locations, really. You don't need to play your scenes in rooms that match their theme--you could RP a heavy metal concert at Fluttershy's cottage--but it's always neat when players do pick the best room for the scene.
Featured Characters:
Now, many of you may have noticed that we haven't yet mentioned a very big part of the setting--the main characters, known commonly on MUCKs as 'Featured Characters'. In deciding on a role for these Featured Characters, or FCs, we endeavored to remember the number one rule of our MUCK: Roleplay is our number one priority, and ought to be fun, always and everywhere! Accordingly, we have decided to cast FCs in a traditional manner, but to let them remain open for anyone to play. Many of us are used to switching between characters in our private RPs, after all, and it would be a shame to be restricted to a handful of characters here! Any player may spoof FCs for the benefit of their scenes. This will ease the challenge of having only one player available to play a particular character, and also allow creativity to flourish on EquestriaMUCK.
So then, what are FCs for? They will have three primary purposes:
• They are "Super-RPers". They will drive roleplay, especially in the MUCK's central areas, providing a boost of enthusiasm for scenes they take part in. They will also be available as 'ringers', available to play their characters when called upon. Players will be cast as FCs specifically because they have a passion for the part.
• They are MUCK Canon actors! FCs will have the responsibility to play out their respective parts when scenes drawn from the TV show occur, and will be expected to do so regularly. This, in turn, will drive much of the MUCK's roleplay, making FCs integral to EquestriaMUCK's theme and story.
• They are intermediaries. While I have an exceptionally skilled wizstaff, we are, after all, only human and there are only five of us. Accordingly, we will not be able to handle all events that occur on a daily basis. That's where FCs will come in--as intermediaries between staff and players, they will help with anything they can, especially when the wizstaff isn't able to.
Ultimately, the FCs, just like the wizstaff, are here for you, the players.
On that note, we will be holding auditions for each of the major Featured Characters. A list of the FCs available will be going up shortly, and we encourage you to post a reply in that thread stating which FC(s) you are interested in playing. We will then ask for more information and set up a time for an audition and interview.
Superseded by the new Theme Post found: