Discord Basics

Emporium will be played using Discord, a platform that’s sort of like Teamspeak and Facebook Messenger mashed into one. It has both voice and text capability, though this game will be conducted through text and not voice. The following is a basic guide on how to use Discord. For details on how the Discord format will be used during uptime, including the optional use of custom Emporium bot commands, please see Uptime on Discord.

Here's a quick guide to joining the Emporium Discord server for the first time. For a definition of some of the terms used here, please see the Glossary.

1. Create your character. Once approved, we'll email you a link to our Discord server.
2. Sign up to Discord using an email account (this should be a personal address, not your IC email address). You can do this by downloading and installing the Discord desktop app, or by simply using the browser version.
3. Click on the invite link that the GMs will have sent you by email (it'll look something like: https://discord.gg/Zrk2cj) and it will automatically give you the option to join the server.
4. You can see all the servers that you are part of in the Discord sidebar on the left-hand side, where they will be represented by circular icons. Select the Emporium server from this sidebar.
5. Once you've joined the server, right click on your name in the user sidebar on the right-hand side and select “change nickname”. Change it to your character's name along with their preferred pronouns. Discord nicknames are not general IC knowledge, though your character will likely want to introduce themselves!
6. You can change your profile picture by clicking the gear icon (User Settings) at the bottom of the channel sidebar on the left-hand side. This will take you to the 'My Account' tab where you can edit your username, password and profile picture. Like Discord nicknames, profile pictures will not be general IC knowledge, though they can be helpful for distinguishing who is talking.
7. By left clicking on your name in the user sidebar, you can see which roles you have been given. These represent sets of access permissions that the GMs have given you. Discord roles do not exist IC and should not be used to gain information about other characters. They are instead used to represent your character's abilities, locations, equipment, and other things. If you think there is something wrong with your roles (e.g. you're missing one that you think you should have, or you have one but don't know what it means) feel free to ask a GM.

During Uptime, you will have access to text channels, both IC and OC. They will be listed in the channel sidebar on the left-hand side and will be appropriately named so it is clear what they are for. Channel names always start with a # (hash) symbol. Selecting one will allow you to view them, and if you have permission to do so, type in it. Some channels you may be able to only type in sometimes, or view but not type in. If you feel there are errors, contact a GM (who will be listed under the “GM” subheading in the user sidebar on the right-hand side) in the channel labeled “#oc-tech-support” by tagging them in your message with “@GM” or “@<their username>”.

During the game, new text channels may appear to you, and old ones may disappear. This does not mean they no longer exist, but you no longer can view them. This may reflect a change in location, status, or another in-game occurrence that would help or hinder your communications with others. If you believe there has been an error, message a GM before messaging in the channel. There will be mechanics by which you can request special channels with others. These will be arranged and monitored by GMs.

Remember, access to the internet can vary significantly in quality, as can the functionality of peoples' computers, so please don't become frustrated if someone doesn't respond to you immediately: they may be experiencing technical difficulties!

Private messaging within Discord is not an IC mechanic and should not be used unless you need to speak to a specific GM in confidence. This is because GMs need to be able to see what you are writing in order to moderate the game properly!

Actions you may take during Uptime include:

• Talking to PCs and NPCs in the channels available to you
• Travelling between channels by warping between aisles or exploring unmarked areas of the store
• Participating in Excursions

On the user sidebar, you may notice some users with a 'BOT' icon. These are not players or GMs but Discord bots programmed to automate tasks within the server. Emporium will be making use of several Discord bots to enable a smoother and more interactive experience. This includes some custom commands which are available for players to use. To use a command, simply type the command name (potentially alongside some other text) into the message box of the relevant channel and press send as you would for an ordinary message. The bot will pick up on this and automatically carry out an action (or series of actions) for you; see here for more information. Detailed information will also be provided on the Discord server itself.

If, for whatever reason, you are having trouble or would prefer not to use a particular bot, please let your GM know, and they will be able to take over the bot's actions for you.

This is a Discord text roleplaying game, which to those who haven’t tried it before can be strange. The following are helpful things to know whilst roleplaying on Discord:

• To have a message be in italics, underlined, bold, strikethrough or spoilered (blacked out), highlight the text and select the appropriate option(s).

• Alternatively, text can be formatted by surrounding it with the appropriate characters as illustrated in the image below: a single asterisk (*) or underscore (_) for italics; a double underscore (__) for underline; double asterisks (**) for bold; double tilde (~~) for strikethrough; or a double pipe (||) for spoilertext.

• You can also reply to a message by selecting the three dots that appear when you hover over a message that has already been sent and selecting the “reply” option. This will allow you to send a direct reply which quotes the original message and notifies the person who originally sent it. Replying to a message posted by a bot will not notify anyone. Instead, you can notify the relevant GM by reacting to the message with a bell emoji.

• A message that is blacked out is spoilered. You can view these messages by clicking on them. Spoiler tags are an OC mechanic and do not represent anything IC. They will be used to hide sensitive content that players who have not taken the horror playstyle Quirk may not wish to see, and to convey OC information in Excursions. Please make sure only to click on spoilered messages if you know they are intended for you to read.

• To address a message directly to someone in a public channel, type @ before their handle, and this will notify them, taking them directly to your message. This is also referred to as “tagging” them in your message.

• To start a new line without sending the message, hold shift and press enter.
  

Discord makes use of 'roles' to allow an admin to easily control permissions such as access to hidden channels and the ability to send messages rather than simply reading them. You can see a user's roles by clicking on their profile picture: this is a strictly OC feature of the game, and should not be used to gain IC information about other characters (e.g. their whereabouts, alliances or abilities). Roles can also be assigned hierarchies and colours. A user's username or nickname on Discord will appear in the colour of their highest ranked role. This is useful for example to distinguish GMs from players.

…is that it's not the end of the world if you're new to any or all of this! If you're unsure, you can always refer to this page or to the OC rules channel which will be set up on the server, or you can contact one of us (the GMs) privately if you'd like us to explain something in more detail. As GMs, we'll also be working out some technical difficulties, so you won't be alone! We hope you enjoy your Emporium experience, and we'll hopefully see you on the server very soon.