Apply

Applying For a Character

XMR runs on an application basis. You must apply first through our website (Website) using our form there. You can find the form under the apply link on our page.

HOTMAIL USERS PLEASE NOTE: We have had issues with applications making use of hotmail email addresses in the past. You may or may not receive any confirmations, responses, etc., from our site. If you don't, please contact us at xmrstaff AT debbo DOT org and we'll confirm manually for you.

We review your application at this stage to make sure that it fits the theme and that all the major points of concern have been covered. We may deny your application and ask you to fix it to bring it more in line with what we need to see. Once we find your web app to be acceptable, we will approve it and you will recieve an email with your username and password. You can use these to connect to the game.

Once you're on the game, you'll need to go through character generation or chargen. This is a series of rooms that will guide you step-by-step to set up your character. Once you have finished, you will apply for on-game approval. Staff may ask for further fixes at this point. Once your character looks ready to hit the grid, you will be given on-game approval and you will be ready to begin roleplaying.

Tips For Creating an Application:

• Alice's advice for writing applications -- RECOMMENDED READING
• Read First: Restricted Powers and Banned Character Concepts
• Things to Remember When Writing An Application
• Things to Note Regarding Theme
• Want to Be at Xaviers?
• Writing Up Powers For An Application
• Applications Tips
• More Questions?

Things to Remember When Writing an Application

• Our application process is two-fold. You must first complete the 'apply' section of our website (http://xmr.dune.net). Once we have approved your web app, you'll be emailed with your login information and will then need to go through on-game chargen and the second stage of approval.
• Detail is everything. Since this is a consent-based game, every power that can effect another character must have some sort of out provided so that if the other player opts not to consent, your characters powers have some way of failing or misfiring.
• Don't gloss over the background! The background is an important part of your application. This is where you tell us all about your character; we should be able to tell what your character has been through so far in his or her life and how he has reacted to these events. The background should not only give us a sense of what has happened to your character, but also of your character's personality, interests, and goals. It's more than a fact sheet, but less than a biography. Balance length with relevance.
• Nobody's perfect... Think of flaws related to both powers and personality. Nobody is perfect in either regard. Thoughtful character flaws can add depth to RP and give you directions to guide personal plotlines as they strive to overcome them. Give your character plenty of room to grow.
• ALL characters have skills and resources. The Specs section should include any skills, abilities, resources, tech gear or anything else that the rest of the application doesn't include that your character has at her fingertips and would be 'above the norm'. If she makes the best cream pies around, we likely don't need to know this, but if those cream pies are used as weapons, then we need you to include it. Any combat skills must be included in this section; if it is not included, we will assume that her skills in this area are no better than average or that she has no experience with fighting. (See next point.) Have a driver's license, car, motorcycle, vast wealth, marksmanship training, first aid/CPR, athletics abilities, street contacts, etc.? We want to know about this stuff in detail. Regarding contacts, we want to know what type of contacts they are and what they are able to help your character with, to what degree, etc., as an example.
• Good in combat? Prove it. Combat must be detailed in the Specs section, as mentioned. Telling us your character is skilled in martial arts is great, but tell us what style, what level or belt, how skilled he is and ultimately what he can do with it. How many opponents can he take on if they are armed, unarmed, trained or untrained? What are his weaknesses? At what point does he finally get overwhelmed? Remember that no one is perfect and so saying a mob of ten armed and trained thugs would be no problem for your character will likely get this part denied. Keep it realistic. :)
• Everything else... The Misc section is a space where you can give the app staff insight into your head -- what you're planning for this character, what you were thinking when you came up with the concept, how you expect his or her interactions will play out. Don't be afraid to use it! Just note that this does not have a corresponding section in the +char sheet, so anything that goes in here does not end up on your sheet. This is probably a good spot to mention where you'd like to see power development head in the future, etc.
• Don't be afraid to write! The more information we are given, the better. While we don't have a minimum length requirement on applications, it should be noted that some of the applications we have received which are thorough and explain everything we need have been 5-10 pages in Word. Applications that have a line or two for each section will be sent back for further information. Don't struggle to fill 5+ pages, but do be sure to include as much information about your character as you can.
• Check, check and recheck. Please spellcheck and edit for grammar and typos before submitting your application. If staff have too much difficulty reading through the application, we may deny and send it back to be cleaned up. We don't expect everyone to be an English major (as our own grammar is certainly not perfect!) but we do want applications to be readable.
• Please be kind... to the application staff's eyes! :) Speaking of readability, and this is more of a request than a requirement: please be kind to your friendly neighbourhood app-staff and break each section up into paragraphs where possible. Giant Paragraphs of Doom (tm) only make our eyes cross. ;)
• It's all transferrable. When writing up the application, keep in mind that everything that is in the web-app goes into the +char sheet on-game once it is approved and you get to run your character through character generation, so full information is expected.
• Explain who they are... Also, any specific character concepts such as police officer, teacher, thief or other criminal, doctor, coroner, mayor, etc., should be fully spelled out in the application. Street urchin or beggar? Put that in too. We want to know what they're doing in NYC! If you apply for an average joe and we find that you've been playing that he's a doctor at the hospital, you risk having the character unapproved to go through the application process again. We need to know everything about your character's lifestyle and career choice so that we get the full picture to decide if that character will fit the game or not, and if not, how it might be adjusted to do so.

Things to Note Regarding Theme

• The IC year is 2011 (the game runs exactly three years in the future).
• Kelly is the current President.
• The MRA has been passed but is at a voluntary registration stage.
• Technology is a little advanced compared to our own real life technology, though within limits. If your character would need a specific tech, either speak to staff or include it in the app with the knowledge that you might be asked to nix or alter it to fit with theme.
• The X-Men are still unknown to the public and to anyone in the school who isn't on the team. You cannot apply directly into the X-Men unless you are given a special exception by staff. Instead, bring your character to the school and you will be recruited ICly if you prove responsible and reliable. You may use the Misc section of the app to note your interest.
• The true nature of Xavier's School is not known to anyone not affiliated with the school; this is a closely guarded secret. You don't go to Xavier, he comes to you, ICly. Currently, Xavier's is the only team you may app directly into. However, the Brotherhood would be more than happy to help with an IC recruitment once you are on-grid.
• Weapon X, as such, does not exist. Nor do any other 'evil organizations that kidnap and experiment on mutants'. We would request that these are not put into anyone's bgs until further notice. Thank you!
• Xavier's School is primarily a high school and designed with high school-aged characters in mind. While university-aged characters can live at Xavier's to learn about their powers, they will need to take courses either through distance ed or by commuting into the city.
• Canon-based characters are not limited to the teams they're affiliated with in the comics.
• Speaking of canon, this game is not canon. It borrows from the comics, tv shows and movies, but does not stick to them. Character histories do not generally stick to canon histories as nine times out of ten, they won't work here.
• This is a Year One game, which means that none of the characters have yet reached the levels that they are in the comics. Your character should be made relatively low-powered with plenty of room to develop their powers through roleplay and training.
• No one has heard of the Shi'ar, Starjammers, Mojo, other dimensions, etc.
• There is currently no medical or scientific method of detecting the mutant x-gene.
• We are not at this time accepting applications for characters other than mutants or humans. Powered characters who came into their powers some way other than mutation (e.g. Spider-Man) do not fit our current theme.
• Uber powerful characters such as Sinister and Apocalypse do not exist in the XMR universe at this time. If and when plot staff decide to introduce them, they will be handled by plot staff. As such, please do not put these characters into your character's background, since the game is not prepared at this point to include them in this universe.
• Although combat does happen from time to time, XMR is not a combat-heavy or combat-focused game. Mutants also don't generally run around in costumes all the time, flaunting their abilities and the fact that they are mutants. Most try to keep low-key in light of anti-mutant riots and other related hate crimes, as well as to avoid notice from the government and law enforcers.

More Questions?

If you have further questions regarding the application process or the points above, please feel free to leave a comment below or contact us via @mail on-game (@mail *APPS) or email us at xmrstaff@debbo.org. Guests may ask questions on the Guest channel on-game or email us (check 'news contacts' for the email address on-game or on the website.

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