Continuity: Noun
1. The unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over a period of time.
2. The maintenance of continuous action and self-consistent detail in the various scenes of a movie, broadcast, video game or written work.
Also known as a Time-Schism in fiction, it is the consistency of characteristics in people, plot, objects and places as read and observed by a viewer over a period of time.
So what is Continuity in terms of roleplay? In roleplay, creators establish set parameters to the universe that the ‘story’ will be occurring in. The parameters consist of rules for players to adhere to, and a general understanding that whatever occurs in the IC space will effect the world.
This is the fundamental basis of In Character Actions have In Character Consequences.
Every in character post has some weight on the reactions of other characters in the scene, and from there, the ‘world’ that they exist in.
A visual example would be to imagine dropping a rock in a still lake. The ripples, which represent an action or choice, spread out, but every time they hit an obstacle, the ripples shift and make more ripples, bouncing around like an echo chamber. The lakes surface is no longer still. That is continuity. The ability for players to effect the world they play in through their characters action, reactions, beliefs, disbeliefs and dialogue.
But continuity can be a fragile thing. For example, the world you play in is set in Victorian England. You need to make sure that the characters general actions and reactions and beliefs and dialogue fit the nature of the universe they exist in. They can’t go around wearing sneakers and jeans, they cant go around talking about computers or cars. To do so would introduce a ‘Continuity Error’.
Continuity Errors are the equivalent to a rip in the fabric of time and space. They are drastic, often damaging changes to a universe that can ruin the illusion of realism and shatter the suspension of disbelief that a reader or viewer of the media has built up.
In rp, controlling the effect of continuity errors can be difficult. There is no single script supervisor keeping a tab on things from one scene to the next. Every player needs to be their own script supervisor.
But that requires every player to be familiar with the rules of a community, the do’s and don’ts of the world they have decided to play in. Every player is given the trust that they read those guidelines so they know what can and can’t be brought in.
So what exactly can be seen as a ‘continuity error’ or ‘continuity breach’ in terms of roleplay?
Some examples, but not all, can be:
Minor Breaches in continuity can be:
Lastly, an iffy subject can be in regards to a characters perception. Introducing concepts that are too advanced for the setting can severely damage the continuity of a community. In this regard, however, speak with the community mods to find out what is appropriate. If you are playing in a very strict setting that adheres to historical accuracy only, for example, concepts like gay rights and education for women could be seen as very out of place. This is not to say that it can’t be done, but -how- it is done can make a difference between damaging the structure of the ‘world’ and guiding that ‘world’ into a different but still believable future. In this event, we are not introducing a Time Schism, but presenting an alternative reality that still retains its own Continuity.
The following are examples of how IC Action can change the world being played in.
1. World altering events. Not only do these kinds of plots lead to charged character interaction, but they can end up influencing the changes in the world, whether its to research stronger medicines or better weapons or even rebuild towns and cities.
2. The committing of crime can have large effects on the world. Not talking mere theft, but the kidnapping of a dignitary or the burning of a building. The number of people that eventually get involved has a massive impact on the world, especially as fact and rumor begin to get around, get muddled or skewed. The eventual release or punishment of the criminal could result in a schism in the people, those that want tighter laws or those that feel the lawmen are abusing their power. There is no undeniable fact that such a result can lead to changes in the universe.
3. Yearly Elections. That is perhaps one of the biggest shows of how IC Actions/ Events can lead to changes in the universe that is being played in.
However. There are instances where IC Action can negatively effect the world being played in.
1. The number one cause for Continuity Errors is OOC ignorance. For example, a Tavern has been seeking employees ICly. Some players put their characters there without seeking out the appropriate IC channels, relying on the ooc impression of 'I'm just helping'. This in turn gets their characters into trouble due to the rule of IC Action having IC Consequence. The ignorance of the players led to the characters getting arrested and charged with a crime, which in turn led to ooc upset, all because the player felt their character was 'helping, and the player oocly didn't know or feel they were doing anything wrong'. This mentality can lead to damage to the continuity. If you do not understand how the system works, a player needs to make sure they ask, otherwise it can lead to ic issues and ooc involvement to try and fix a problem that should have remained in character. By bringing in ooc decision to mend an IC issue, it breaks the suspension of disbelief, and can set an unfortunate precedent for future problems.
2. Committing a crime and then ignoring consequences. The same situation occurs when characters are punished for crimes and the player ignores the fact they were arrested or punished. For example: A character was arrested for a crime but logs out before sentencing can be given. They don't log in again for a few days or weeks, but when they do, they go back to playing as if nothing had happened rather than alert the appropriate players to continue the earlier scene. Due to the player having ignored continuity, other players are forced to have their characters react in a way they might otherwise not, which perpetuates the continuity breach. Such continuity breaches can unfairly damage characters, which can then lead to unfair damage to the world.
3. Starting events and then bailing and/ or pausing. In some instances, when players need to sleep and a scene is going on for hours, sometimes you do need to pause. We're only human. In the instances where all players agree to a pause until another date, that is one thing. An agreed upon day and time to finish a scene to a solid conclusion means there is no continuity breach. But this hinges on the fact that the scene -is- completed.
However. Pauses that can not be agreed upon or do not come to a logical conclusion can result in continuity damage, not to mention significant player frustration. For example, a character kidnaps another character. Guards become aware and begin planning a rescue. This kind of event could be great for character development and world building. But when the kidnapper doesn't log in for days or weeks, it becomes a problem. The kidnapped character is trapped, leaving the player in limbo and unable to return to play. It puts the rescue efforts on hold, which means those characters become pseudo locked and unable to get involved in other plots on the off chance the kidnapper logs back in to finish the event. This 'time distortion' can severely hamper events and cause the continuity to, for lack of a better term, stumble.
In conclusion, these are the basic concepts of Continuity. When playing, designing characters or creating plots, it helps to keep this concept in mind to ensure the stability of the world you play in remains stable. If you are unsure if something might severely break or damage a Continuity, reach out to the admin team and ask! They are here to help make sure everyone can enjoy and contribute to this fantasy world we all enjoy.
1. The unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over a period of time.
2. The maintenance of continuous action and self-consistent detail in the various scenes of a movie, broadcast, video game or written work.
Also known as a Time-Schism in fiction, it is the consistency of characteristics in people, plot, objects and places as read and observed by a viewer over a period of time.
So what is Continuity in terms of roleplay? In roleplay, creators establish set parameters to the universe that the ‘story’ will be occurring in. The parameters consist of rules for players to adhere to, and a general understanding that whatever occurs in the IC space will effect the world.
This is the fundamental basis of In Character Actions have In Character Consequences.
Every in character post has some weight on the reactions of other characters in the scene, and from there, the ‘world’ that they exist in.
A visual example would be to imagine dropping a rock in a still lake. The ripples, which represent an action or choice, spread out, but every time they hit an obstacle, the ripples shift and make more ripples, bouncing around like an echo chamber. The lakes surface is no longer still. That is continuity. The ability for players to effect the world they play in through their characters action, reactions, beliefs, disbeliefs and dialogue.
But continuity can be a fragile thing. For example, the world you play in is set in Victorian England. You need to make sure that the characters general actions and reactions and beliefs and dialogue fit the nature of the universe they exist in. They can’t go around wearing sneakers and jeans, they cant go around talking about computers or cars. To do so would introduce a ‘Continuity Error’.
Continuity Errors are the equivalent to a rip in the fabric of time and space. They are drastic, often damaging changes to a universe that can ruin the illusion of realism and shatter the suspension of disbelief that a reader or viewer of the media has built up.
In rp, controlling the effect of continuity errors can be difficult. There is no single script supervisor keeping a tab on things from one scene to the next. Every player needs to be their own script supervisor.
But that requires every player to be familiar with the rules of a community, the do’s and don’ts of the world they have decided to play in. Every player is given the trust that they read those guidelines so they know what can and can’t be brought in.
So what exactly can be seen as a ‘continuity error’ or ‘continuity breach’ in terms of roleplay?
Some examples, but not all, can be:
- Bringing in technology that isn’t fitting to the universe (Also known as an Anachronism: A thing appropriate to a specific time period now residing in an inappropriate time period.). (Computers in the Renaissance)
- Characters clothes that are not fitting to the universe (Also known as an Anachronism). (Jeans in Victorian England)
- Ignoring consequences to punishments. (Pretending that a character had never been jailed for a crime or refusing to oocly accept the ic consequences for ic actions)
- Ignoring consequences of plot advancement (Dead boss dragon is treated like it still exists or a stolen item is being used when it's been absent for months)
- Referencing to an area/event that hasn't been approved by the continuity mod (‘I’m from the neighboring kingdom!’ when there is no neighboring kingdom)
- Unapproved relationships to other characters (Don’t say you’re the bastard son of the king when the king is monogamous. Talk to other players if this kind of plot is something to be pursued.)
- Retcons. Any attempt to 'take back' an action in an rp or plot can cause significant breaks in the flow of a continuity. (While there are instances where a Retcon is necessary, they should be done sparingly as they can cause significant player confusion if not handled well.)
Minor Breaches in continuity can be:
- Sudden alterations to a character with no IC explanation (‘I felt like making them taller so I had them gain two feet’)
- Sudden unexplained wealth/ rank/ power of a character ('I got bored playing a peasant so I turned them into a noble')
Lastly, an iffy subject can be in regards to a characters perception. Introducing concepts that are too advanced for the setting can severely damage the continuity of a community. In this regard, however, speak with the community mods to find out what is appropriate. If you are playing in a very strict setting that adheres to historical accuracy only, for example, concepts like gay rights and education for women could be seen as very out of place. This is not to say that it can’t be done, but -how- it is done can make a difference between damaging the structure of the ‘world’ and guiding that ‘world’ into a different but still believable future. In this event, we are not introducing a Time Schism, but presenting an alternative reality that still retains its own Continuity.
The following are examples of how IC Action can change the world being played in.
1. World altering events. Not only do these kinds of plots lead to charged character interaction, but they can end up influencing the changes in the world, whether its to research stronger medicines or better weapons or even rebuild towns and cities.
2. The committing of crime can have large effects on the world. Not talking mere theft, but the kidnapping of a dignitary or the burning of a building. The number of people that eventually get involved has a massive impact on the world, especially as fact and rumor begin to get around, get muddled or skewed. The eventual release or punishment of the criminal could result in a schism in the people, those that want tighter laws or those that feel the lawmen are abusing their power. There is no undeniable fact that such a result can lead to changes in the universe.
3. Yearly Elections. That is perhaps one of the biggest shows of how IC Actions/ Events can lead to changes in the universe that is being played in.
However. There are instances where IC Action can negatively effect the world being played in.
1. The number one cause for Continuity Errors is OOC ignorance. For example, a Tavern has been seeking employees ICly. Some players put their characters there without seeking out the appropriate IC channels, relying on the ooc impression of 'I'm just helping'. This in turn gets their characters into trouble due to the rule of IC Action having IC Consequence. The ignorance of the players led to the characters getting arrested and charged with a crime, which in turn led to ooc upset, all because the player felt their character was 'helping, and the player oocly didn't know or feel they were doing anything wrong'. This mentality can lead to damage to the continuity. If you do not understand how the system works, a player needs to make sure they ask, otherwise it can lead to ic issues and ooc involvement to try and fix a problem that should have remained in character. By bringing in ooc decision to mend an IC issue, it breaks the suspension of disbelief, and can set an unfortunate precedent for future problems.
2. Committing a crime and then ignoring consequences. The same situation occurs when characters are punished for crimes and the player ignores the fact they were arrested or punished. For example: A character was arrested for a crime but logs out before sentencing can be given. They don't log in again for a few days or weeks, but when they do, they go back to playing as if nothing had happened rather than alert the appropriate players to continue the earlier scene. Due to the player having ignored continuity, other players are forced to have their characters react in a way they might otherwise not, which perpetuates the continuity breach. Such continuity breaches can unfairly damage characters, which can then lead to unfair damage to the world.
3. Starting events and then bailing and/ or pausing. In some instances, when players need to sleep and a scene is going on for hours, sometimes you do need to pause. We're only human. In the instances where all players agree to a pause until another date, that is one thing. An agreed upon day and time to finish a scene to a solid conclusion means there is no continuity breach. But this hinges on the fact that the scene -is- completed.
However. Pauses that can not be agreed upon or do not come to a logical conclusion can result in continuity damage, not to mention significant player frustration. For example, a character kidnaps another character. Guards become aware and begin planning a rescue. This kind of event could be great for character development and world building. But when the kidnapper doesn't log in for days or weeks, it becomes a problem. The kidnapped character is trapped, leaving the player in limbo and unable to return to play. It puts the rescue efforts on hold, which means those characters become pseudo locked and unable to get involved in other plots on the off chance the kidnapper logs back in to finish the event. This 'time distortion' can severely hamper events and cause the continuity to, for lack of a better term, stumble.
In conclusion, these are the basic concepts of Continuity. When playing, designing characters or creating plots, it helps to keep this concept in mind to ensure the stability of the world you play in remains stable. If you are unsure if something might severely break or damage a Continuity, reach out to the admin team and ask! They are here to help make sure everyone can enjoy and contribute to this fantasy world we all enjoy.
Moderators: Jenn