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happyheartsstaff) wrote2019-01-15 08:31 pm
happyheartsstaff) wrote2019-01-15 08:31 pm
Entry tags:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
GENERAL
What is Happy Hearts?
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@happyhearts is a panfandom, community-based roleplaying game themed around SyFy's 2009 Alice miniseries. It focuses on emotional experiences, some good old-fashioned detective work, and rebellion against the forces which have kidnapped characters against their will. Player involvement in plot will largely dictate the course of the game; events will touch on horror, smut, crack, investigation, and game plot, with some slice of life elements peppered in.Characters arrive in the Happy Hearts Hotel & Casino in Wonderland after being lured through a reflective surface by an Agent White. Their needs are (mostly) provided for, and the fun of their time in the casino is only occasionally interrupted by events designed to manipulate their emotions for collection and distillation into teas by the Happy Hearts staff.
Please read the rules if you haven't already, and check the navigation for further information on the world of Wonderland!
How old must players and characters be in order to play in Happy Hearts?
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Players must be 18 years or older in order to play in the game. Characters must be 16 years or older in physical appearance and mental ability, as well as meet the appability requirements outlined in the Applications section of this FAQ.Does Happy Hearts have a metaplot?
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Happy Hearts does have an overarching metaplot, which will be advanced on a bi-monthly basis through mod events, and to a lesser extent by mod-played NPCs. The characters and their actions will influence the pace of the plot, however, meaning that if characters would rather stay in the casino and gamble their time away, the plot will progress more slowly. Conversely, if characters are more proactive about seeking answers and searching for a way out of Wonderland, the plot will progress at a brisker pace.What should be expected from mod events?
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Events will run the gamut from horror to smut to crack and everywhere in between, each one designed by the Queen of Hearts and her advisors to manipulate and engineer the player characters' emotions for collection and turning into tea.Smut events? Is this a smut game?
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Happy Hearts is not a smut game. While such events will be run, they will be strictly opt-in only, enforceable by immediate ban for those who do not respect those who opted out.I have a plot idea, where should I leave it?
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We're very excited to hear this! Plot ideas, from player plots to game-wide events, can be left in our screened mod contact here, where you will find a plot request form.Do I have to be familiar with the miniseries in order to play here?
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No familiarity with the miniseries is required. The game takes place many years after the events of the miniseries, and Wonderland will be as new to your characters as it might be to you.IN CHARACTER
How do characters arrive in the game?
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Characters, or "Oysters", as the natives call them, are lured on a chase by a person dressed all in white, culminating in a stumble through an ornate mirror (or other reflective surface). Upon exiting the mirror on the other side, characters will immediately be drugged into unconsciousness, checked for injury, and loaded into wooden boxes just large enough to sit upright in. These boxes will be attached by rope to the bottom of a flying scarab, to be delivered to the hotel. As characters regain consciousness, their boxes will be deposited in the lobby of the Happy Hearts Hotel & Casino, and the box walls will fall away. Unfortunately, characters only have a dream-like recollection of what happened to them between falling through the mirror and waking up inside the box, and won't be able to articulate their memories clearly to each other.So is my character an oyster? What gives?
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The natives of Wonderland call anyone who comes through the mirror "oysters". Much like real oysters, people brought to the hotel have a precious pearl inside of them — their emotions — which the hotel collects to sell to native Wonderlanders in the form of differently coloured teas.How do arrivals look to those outside the box?
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Boxes full of new arrivals always seem to arrive when no one is paying attention. One moment you look in and the lobby is empty, the next you look and it's full of a bunch of just-barely-larger-than-a-person wooden boxes. These boxes are scattered throughout the lobby, usually with enough distance between them to cleanly fall open. Occasionally, furniture will be moved to accomodate a larger quantity of arrivals. All the walls fall away from each box simultaneously.Where exactly are my character's shoes?
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No matter what your character was wearing prior to coming through the mirror, they will not be wearing shoes when they wake up. The clothing store in the hotel doesn't sell shoes. There are no foot coverings of any kind available in the hotel save for those worn by staff and agents of the Queen of Hearts.And what's this about a mark?
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On entry to Wonderland, while characters are unconscious and being processed, all incoming Oysters are passed under a special light. This light turns skin green in an ivy-like pattern, in order to make escaped Oysters easy to find. This mark can be anywhere on your character's person, from their face to their feet. Feel free to get creative with placement!Where do characters live?
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Each character is given their own individual suite in the upper floors of the hotel. What it looks like and how it's furnished is up to you — maybe hotel staff nailed your character's personal style to a T, or maybe they completely missed the mark, and your goth is surrounded by unicorns. Here are a couple reference photos for you to get an idea from. These suites have attached, private baths, but no kitchen or laundry. Laundry is done by hotel staff, as is cleaning of the suites, whenever characters are outside their rooms.
Can characters go anywhere in the hotel?
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Characters can go between the hotel lobby, the casino and other commercial areas of the hotel, and their rooms without issue. They will notice there are no doors anywhere in the building, and no stairs. The elevators go from floors 1 to 3, but the floor-to-ceiling windows in their rooms show that the building is much taller than 3 stories. For now, it seems as though characters have no way to access the other floors.So there are windows. What can characters see from the windows?
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It seems as though Wonderland is stuck in a state of perpetual twilight — no matter how much time seems to pass, the sun never rises, leaving the world outside dim and foreboding. The hotel is surrounded on three sides by a vast lake, with forested mountains to the east and west and a city of skyscrapers to the north. To the south the hotel is surrounded by plains, which turn into a forest a few miles out. If asked what the city is, the staff give no answer. If asked what is in the forest, the staff give no answer. If asked why the sun never rises, the staff give no answer. Oysters are safe and happy here! There's no need to think about the outside world.Are there NPCs?
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A variety of NPCs can be found throughout the hotel, but the most common NPCs are the native Wonderlanders visiting the hotel. They can be found partaking in the games at the casino, eating at any of the many wonderful restaurants found in the establishment, perusing the wares at the stores, or just moving from place to place in the hotel. From the looks of things, the casino is always packed with these visitors, most of whom look to be at least middle-upper class. Most have no interest in interacting with the Oysters who are also at the hotel, and will rudely ignore discussion.Hotel staff also roam the floors, and are generally more accommodating than guests. Staff perform the usual day-to-day tasks a person in such a service position normally provides (a waiter serving food, a housekeeper cleaning laundry, etc). If characters attempt to ask them for something that is not in their jurisdiction, they will redirect the character to someone who will "know more about the situation", and depending on the question, a character may find themselves in an infinite loop of being redirected by NPCs to other NPCs, especially regarding hotel secrets.
Mod-played NPCs are around, but less available than the generic staff and guests. A list of all mod-played NPCs and their functions in the game may be found here.
Can characters injure or kill NPCs? Are there repercussions?
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While characters are capable of injuring or killing NPCs, in that there is nothing that will stop them from doing it before they can carry out the action, the staff highly discourage such actions. Should a character be caught attacking an NPC, or be found to have done so at any point, they will be punished. Please contact the mods via PM should your character attack, injure, or kill an NPC, so we can discuss next steps.Is there currency?
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There is no currency. Characters will be provided everything they ask for free of charge, from food to clothing to spa treatments. If characters wish to buy or trade things between themselves, they'll have to find their own items of value or trade favours. Get stone-age with it.If there's no currency in the game, how do characters gamble?
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Every Oyster is given a supply of chips with which to gamble in the casino. No matter what they bet, or where, or how long they stay, every character leaves the table a winner. Every character, every time.Is no-risk gambling all there is to do in the hotel?
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There is much more to do in the Happy Hearts Hotel & Casino than simple gambling, though that is a main attraction! The casino itself has sections for blackjack, craps, poker, slots, and other forms of gambling. Beyond that, there are restaurants, shops, entertainment venues, an indoor swimming pool and jacuzzi, clubs, and more. See the world info for further details.Can my character work in any of the establishments in the hotel?
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No, characters cannot work in any of the establishments in the hotel. They're there to have fun, relax, and experience the moment, not to work! There's no official rule in the hotel against Oysters starting their own businesses, but with no currency to trade, Oysters will have to get creative about payment, and there may be some services or products offered that staff are more okay with than others!Is the hotel accessible for disabled or otherwise impaired characters?
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The hotel is designed to cater to as many people as possible, which includes accessibility for the disabled. If you have a more specific question, please leave it in the comments below and we'll get back to you with an answer.Is there a network? Bulletin board? Carrier pigeon?
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Upon arrival, every character is given a device called an Empathy. These devices allow characters to access a public forum where they can make voice and video calls, as well as leave text messages. All posts made to this forum are public. Characters can also make private calls and texts outside of the forums.There is also a physical bulletin board located in the lobby which advertises many of the attractions available at the casino, and sometimes announces events. Characters may post their own bulletins here. Bulletins that are considerably unattractive, or which denigrate the hotel or seem to encourage rebellion, will be removed every fourth hour of the day.
Both the Empathy forum and the bulletin board are monitored by hotel staff. Characters are welcome to attempt to hack or jailbreak their devices, but much of the software and hardware which makes up the device is foreign to any other world, and so it would take concentrated effort between a group of Oysters working together to override. Contact the mods if you have a group who would like to work on this project.
Is there a language barrier in the casino?
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There is a language barrier. Characters speak their native languages and don't know any language they wouldn't know in canon; however, the Empathy devices have an unfailingly accurate auto-translate function and come with an ear piece. The devices are always listening and will translate automatically to whichever language is set as their operating language. Better hope the Empathy system never fails!How are death and serious injury handled?
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With the Carpenter's skills, no death or maiming in Wonderland is permanent — though the consequences of it might be. When your character dies, send the mods a PM describing any injuries the character sustained in their demise. For lacerations such as being stabbed or sliced with a sword, etc, characters will be returned to full health in a few days with gold filling in their wound in the style of Japanese kintsukuroi. This repair is permanent and will be a part of your character for the duration of their stay in Happy Hearts, even if you drop and reapp. If your character is killed or maimed through decapitation or the loss of a limb, your character will be in recovery for three days, and will return to the hotel with a ceramic replacement — an animal head for decapitation, and a non-articulated limb for lost appendages. This repair is not permanent unless you wish it to be, and Carpenter will have a flesh replacement ready for your character after another week.Are characters allowed to get pregnant?
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The hotel unfortunately has no daycare services, nor ability to provide for a pregnant guest. Characters will be given a contraceptive shot during their unconscious processing which will last for the duration of their stay in the hotel.APPS
What kinds of characters are appable?
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Any character from a source material which has been available to the public for at least one month, with an English language wiki or other publically available description, is appable. Acceptable character types are as follows:- Fandom Characters
- Original Characters
- Malleable or Silent Protags
- CRAUs
- Canon AUs (ie XMCU Wolverine vs Comics Wolverine)
- TTRPG characters, such as D&D OCs
Are duplicates allowed?
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Duplicates will be allowed, but only two, and they must be from a different source canon (XMCU Wolverine and Comics Wolverine could exist in the game at the same time, but no other Wolverine). Not allowed are Fandom OCs, Non-Canon AUs, and duplicates of the same character (there can only be one XMCU Wolverine in-game at the same time).Are there requirements for my character to arrive in game?
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Characters must be able to enter a reflective surface at their chosen canon point in order to be appable. This could include a mirror, a calm body of water, polished metal, etc, so long as your character can feasibly fit in the parameters of the reflection. These things don't have to explicitly be shown at your character's canon point; as long as you can make a reasonable case that they would be there, you're good to go.Characters cannot come to Wonderland the moment before or after their permanent death in their canon; however, ghosts, the undead, and similar entities may, so long as they can still interact with their physical world.
How do reserves and apps work? When will they be held?
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Applications open every month and are open for the last week of the month. Reserves are not necessary to turn in an app, but players who reserve their characters get first dibs on that application. Reserves open a week before apps open, and will remain in effect for four days of the app cycle. All acceptances and rejections will go out at the same time, with revisions processed as soon as they're turned in. For exact dates and times, please see the calendar.Are app challenges allowed?
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App challenges will not be accepted. Apps will be processed on a first come, first serve basis, with reserves getting priority. If the four day period passes and an app has not been turned in for a reserved character, the reserver loses their claim to the character and anyone may apply.Is there a game and/or cast cap?
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There is a player cap of 50 players, and each player may app 2 characters with the possibility of apping a third. Apping a third character will require an additional AC proof for each of the player's current characters. Casts are capped at 10 characters per cast. These caps are subject to change, depending on what the mods can handle.What and how many items can my character bring with them?
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Any items a character has on their person at the time of their entrance to Wonderland may be brought with them, including pets, within reason. All weapons will be confiscated by agents of the Queen of Hearts and kept locked away somewhere in the hotel, but characters may be able to reclaim them if they get lucky while searching the hotel. Weapons disguised as innocuous items (such as a whip disguised as a necklace or bracelet or a blade disguised as a lipstick tube) may be kept, but must be noted on the application. There will be no ability to enter the game with items not on your character's person at the time of their journey through the mirror, but there will be in-game opportunities to request items from home. Please see the AC Rewards section for further details.My character isn't human, will that affect them at all in game?
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Non-humanoid aliens, other organic characters (tieflings, dragons, sapient animals, etc), and androids do not have to be humanized. Ghosts must be given corporeal bodies. Any character eight feet tall or bigger must be scaled down to eight feet.My character is a vampire/werewolf/ghost/et cetera. What bearing will this have on their in-game experience?
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Vampires and zombies will not (at first) be provided with blood or brains for consumption, and must either provide for those needs on their own, or fess up to Happy Hearts staff and hope they will be accommodating and discreet. Werewolves and other characters affected by lunar cycles will not shift while in the hotel. Ghosts will be given corporeal bodies by Carpenter during their processing.If your character is of a supernatural type not covered in this section, please leave a comment to this entry and we'll get back to you with how they would be affected by this setting!
My character has supernatural abilities or other powers. Will they be nerfed?
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Yes. Queen Victoria is concerned that those with abilities may pose a danger to themselves and those around them, and Carpenter has managed to devise a way to nullify the Oysters' abilities. This nerfing does not change a character's physiology, however, meaning that a vampire will still need to drink blood and a zombie will still need to eat brains.In nullifying the abilities of the Oysters Carpenter has also discovered a way to distill these powers into a tea. Please see the AC Rewards section of this FAQ for further details on this.
My character needs a specific item to survive. How would that be handled?
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The Agent White in charge of your character's case file would be aware of this, and would ensure that the item made its way into Wonderland with the character. Any such items can be found atop a towel folded into the shape of a heart on their bed, along with a bite-size chocolate.My character was injured/ill/et cetera at their chosen canon point. How will this be handled in-game?
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All injuries will be healed while characters are unconscious during their processing into the hotel. Carpenter has managed to piece bodies back together from bits, and was only unable to reverse decapitation due to time constraints, so there is no injury which cannot be mended. There is a choice between seamless, natural healing and kintsukuroi, as described in the Mechanics section of this FAQ. Characters with illnesses may or may not be cured, but will be given medication to manage their illnesses if not. The exception to this is STIs, which will be uniformly cured. No disease or illness will be communicable in the hotel.Out of Character
What communities/journals will be used? How should posts be tagged?
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@happyhearts Network Comm
@angryhearts Log Comm
@lonesomehearts OOC Comm
@funnyhearts Meme Comm
Character tags will be in the format of canon name: character name, with names in western order, ie dc extended universe: clark kent or fruits basket: tohru honda.
What is the IC/OOC time ratio?
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Happy Hearts operates on a 1:1 time ratio. One day OOC is one day IC.Is forward or backdating allowed?
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Within reason, yes. Forward dating is allowed, though threads may not be forward-dated within the bounds of an event period, as circumstances in the hotel may change drastically during events. Backdating is allowed on a blanket basis, though again, within reason.How is AC handled?
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Activity check happens at the beginning of every month, from the 1st through the 5th. For new characters, the first month is check-in only, and each month after will require any two of the following, in any combination:
- An open top level in an event log
- Five log comments from your character
- An open network or log post from your character
- Ten network / private inbox comments from your character
TDM threads can be used for AC, following the above guidelines.
Threads must be started during the month of the current AC period (only threads from January will count for January AC) and can only be used once for activity. In the case of missing AC, a player may request a strike, and will need to supply regular AC plus one extra instance the following Activity Check. Players may not take a strike two months in a row.
I need to hiatus. How is that handled?
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Players can declare a hiatus at any point in the month to cover a month's worth of AC. A hiatus must cover two or more weeks out of the month to count for an AC pass. Players may not hiatus for two months in a row except in special circumstances; please PM the mods if you believe this applies to you. IC, when a character is on hiatus, there are two options for how it is handled: First, the character can be on autopilot, going about their life in the hotel as normal; Second, the character may be locked in their room, asleep, for the duration of the hiatus.What happens when a character is dropped?
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Drops are handled ICly as a lottery. The Happy Hearts staff holds a secret daily lottery for hotel guests, and the lucky winners are sent back to their home worlds — at least, that's what they tell the characters who ask. Characters sent home have their memories erased and are returned to their worlds in the minutes directly after they entered the mirror, allowing for characters to be reapped by the same player should they so choose.How do canon updates work?
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Canon updates operate similarly to the drop mechanic: ICly, characters are selected randomly by lottery to be sent home. Their memories are erased, they return to canon no more than five minutes after they were initially taken, and they experience the events of their canon update as normal. Then, they are lured back to the mirror by Agent White and brought back to Wonderland, where their memories of their time in the hotel slowly return over the course of as little as an hour and as long as a full day. Characters will be absent from the hotel anywhere from 1-3 IC days. Canon updates can be submitted here.Will there be AC Rewards?
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AC Rewards will be awarded based on engagement with event posts. Players may turn in a certain amount of tags on the event log (including top levels) to earn IC rewards.Ten comments to an event log earns a character a random, basic, single-use emotion tea. The available teas are Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Lust. These teas are considered highly addictive by Wonderland natives, and as such characters will not be awarded the same tea two reward periods in a row. Further information will be provided when players request their teas during the reward period.
Fifteen comments to an event log earns a character an OOCly-chosen and ICly random item from home. Items from home cannot be weapons and must fit through the 4 ft by 8 ft mirror — no cars, no pets taller than eight feet, etc. If the mods deem an item too large to come through the mirror, players will be allowed to choose another item for their character to receive. More information about items from home will be provided when players request these items during the reward period.
Twenty comments to an event log earns a character a randomly chosen, single-use, temporary superpower tea from the list of player character superpowers. These powers may become permanent after consuming three of the same tea.
For more information on AC Rewards, please see the AC Rewards page here.
Do I need a PB? How are duplicate PBs handled?
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You do not need a PB in order to play in Happy Hearts, but we ask that you have at least one icon for use in the taken list. Duplicate PBs will be handled on an individual basis, as players decide between themselves — they can be visually similar or entirely identical, however players want to resolve the situation.
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