Playing the Game

[ERT-RPG 2]

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The  Emergency Response Team Role Playing Game is a text based game, with the entirety of it taking place in the ertrpg.net forums. Players will create characters, develop backstories, participate in job development and emergency calls, creating large group stories based off of player interactions, staff guidance and their own creativity. The story may be supported with various media forms such as pictures and videos, however the game is completely text-based, with only auxiliary supports coming in other media forms.

This section's topics include

• Characters
• Emergency Shifts and Reporting
• How to post
• Playing with Time Frames and Time Warps

[ERT-RPG 2]

Players of the ERT-RPG are responsible for creating their characters, the actual people they plan to play with in Shiloh County. These people are fictional emergency service workers, primarily working in one of the three main emergency services, Shiloh County's Fire, EMS, or Sheriff Departments. Characters are an essential part of play and must be used to convey story. Players may, upon completion of probation, have multiple characters in multiple services, division, or support roles. 

Characters can be created using the +Create button located at the top of the forum. 

Name: The most important part of your character! Pick a first and last name, but in this field, only list their First Initial and Last name

Title: Completed by staff, but please list what you want to have your character assigned to.  

Avatar: This is where your character's face goes. Please use a squared image with the face centred in the image for best results. Not sure what picture to use? Try here

Signature: Staff will handle this for the most part, but you can fill in some details yourself. Your signature image, with the first and Last name, as well as an prefixes or suffixes, followed by unit, and then badge number.  Fill in as much as you can, if you don't know, staff will complete that when your profile is approved.

Character Biography: Post your biography using the character sheet below. This is an unlimited text box, so load away. Please be sure to create a realistic background for your character! 

Badge: This area is for staff to upload your badge image, or applicable ID or Leather front as needed. Staff will upload this for you. 

ID Card: This area appears only on your profile and will be submitted by staff. An ID wallet, or Badge Wallet will be visible on your profile with this field. 

When posting, you can choose a character, who can be either your Out of Character, or any of the characters you've created. If this is not your primary (OOC) account,  when you post, it'll say player: and your primary name. Be sure to post with the right character online!

Character Sheet:

Use this sheet to fill out character information for your character's profile:

Name: <Rank/Title> <First Name> <Middle Name> <Last Name>

DOB:
Current Address:
Job/Title:

Previous Residences (including hometown):

Height:
Weight:
Hair Color:
Eye Color:
Distinguishing Features:

Family:

Biography:

Employment history:

[ERT-RPG 2]

2. Emergency Shifts and Reporting

For roleplay purposes, all shifts run from the start of the month until the end. Usually towards the end of each month, a staff member for each division will announce roll call has started for the next shift. Members will be advised of the shift time, weather conditions and other information pertinent to that shift, such as day of the week. While Fire and EMS work for the full day, sheriff deputies will be on different time periods, meaning that some calls dispatched during those windows that sheriff players are not on duty will not be dispatched for sheriff resources. 

It is important for every player to report with any characters they intend to use for the month by the 1st of every month, as this allows for rosters to be developed and posted. 

During the Emergency Shift, players will be assigned a unit for each active character, meaning the vehicle on which they will be responding. Staff will update signatures to match these assignments. Any calls dispatched during this shift for players will require players to respond in the appropriate units. Calls are dispatched during these shifts, but timewarp rules apply to station areas, as well as other forums, allowing players to simultaneously play a scene on a call as well as on shift, or even off shift. 

Emergency calls will be dispatched throughout shifts by staff dispatchers, and efforts will be made to ensure that most units have an open call for the majority of the month. 

If you miss reporting, please contact the staff member for your division for an assignment. 

[ERT-RPG 2]

3. How to Post

You've created your first character, now what?

Well, when you post, make sure to select the character under the drop down, but we also use a type of grammar to make it easier to break apart the different pieces of posts.

Actions, thoughts and others are typed in plain texts. 

If you're thinking, acting or anything else non verbal, it can go here.

Spoken words, to other characters, or NPCs use a single apostrophe (not a quote)

'If you're talking to those within earshot, use this. Don't be afraid of CAPS for yelling!'

Radio communications use quotes

"Anything in these is spoken on a radio. Remember proper etiquette, Called, caller, message!" 

Are you godmodding a character, or speaking or acting for an NPC? Use italics. This can cut down on the I say, he says, I say, he says. 

Want to emphasize a specific part of what you're saying, of course, always use BOLD. Commonly, this is for dispatch radio, where a unit is requested to respond, that part will be bolded to make sure everyone sees it clearly. 

Dispatchers are encouraged, when dispatching calls to place all requested units in the first line. The discord bot posts a preview of each post a few lines long, if the first line has the essential info, it's easy to see if it's your call without logging on. 

Engine 1, Ladder 1, Ambulance 1, Jesus Christ's Bicycle 6, respond to big fire at a location.

Anything you want to give as out of character direction in a call, such as a question, or order, can be done with double brackets. Single brackets can still be used in actions, or wherever they would normally go. Double is for OOC direction. Good to place at the top of the post.

((Guys, what the hell, I thought I was the IC, who's in charge??))

 

[ERT-RPG 2]

4. Playing with Time Frames and Time Warps

As the ERT does not take place in real time, Time Warps are an essential part of the game. While shifts run from the first of the month to the last, characters are able to post in various threads throughout the month without being considered in two places at once. Time warp is when a post occurs at a different time from its chronology. This allows posts from characters to occur outside of a shift that's in progress, such as before the shift in question. 

For the most part, the only non-time warped threads are emergency callouts, which should occur consecutively. For ease of play, dispatchers will not assign a unit to a call until that unit has cleared a previous call. This also means that calls may occur at the same time in the real world, however be at different times in the game. For ease of understanding, all calls will be dispatched with a starting time in the post that opens the callout. 

Timewarped activities include station life, which takes place while on shift, but not on a call. Players may start a scene in the lounge area, which happens the same time that a fire was dispatched requiring them to respond. They can continue their scene as planned, without having to react to the real world dispatch time. This means that all posts in these threads will be on shift, but not necessarily at the same time as calls in progress. 

Other activities include city and social lives, which can take the form of cell phone messages and conversations, house parties, camping trips and dates. These events occur outside of shift times, but can include solo or multiple parties playing a scene. 

What this means for players is you can have a camping trip, a structure fire, and a kitchen cookout all happening at the same time in the real world, but totally different times for your character.

[ERT-RPG 2]

Wiki Main Page  | Top of Page

Shiloh County Fire Department Fire Suppression

Firefighter: The main role within the department, these are entry level positions and can be assigned to any apparatus, including Engines, Ladders, Rescues or Squads. These players fill the majority of roles within the department. 

Firefighter/EMT: Similar to a firefighter in all roles, except also trained as an EMT and may be assigned to provide BLS patient care as a first responder on a scene.

Firefighter Paramedic: Similar to a firefighter in all roles, however holding a paramedic certificate. Firefighter Paramedics may be assigned to provide ALS patient care as a first responder on a medical first response vehicle, or standard firefighting vehicle. 

Lieutenant: The officer in charge of a unit, such as a squad, ladder, or brush. These officers may also be assigned in an acting captain role on an Engine or Rescue. These officers are supervisors to their individual units, and may also provide direction to other units within their area, station or scene if they do not have their own officer present. Such situations may apply to units without officers, and scenes where an officer has been otherwise assigned, or is unavailable to provide direction, and in the case of specialist rescues.

Captain: The officer in charge of an engine, rescue or station, usually filled by a staff member character, responsible for assignment of shift ridings, and other duties for leadership. 

Platoon Chief: When multiple stations are in operation, a staff member may be promoted to platoon chief, who is responsible for operations between multiple stations, across their boundary of East or West.