Outbreak is a place to share the depths of your imagination through writing and story making.
After reading the following basics on role-play (RP), you will have an opportunity to create your own character, access special features, and join the community.
Community Rules
RESPECT OTHERS AND ENJOY YOURSELF! Outbreak provides a safe, private, and creative environment to play in. Players seeking to harass or undermine enjoyment for others may be reported through our abuse portal.
CHARACTERS 18+ ONLY are allowed to be registered in Outbreak. Due to the extreme violence and adult-themed stories on sim, child avatars are restricted from the public role-play areas.
GUNS ARE RESTRICTED to the ones made available by Outbreak. The Firearm Guide and the list of available guns on the Commodities index has more information.
SWORDS ARE NOT ALLOWED due to the disadvantage they pose to players playing true to the backstory and grit of the environment. This includes blades longer than 20 inches.
NON-HUMAN AVATARS ARE RESTRICTED to domestic animals like cats, dogs, and birds. Furries are considered “humans-in-a-costume” and may only explore as a visitor. Playing the Infected (Zombies) requires following the Infection Guide and admin approval.
HORSE AND VEHICLES USAGE REQUIRES a paid permit and is subject to limited availability.
GROUPS AND “✗” ROLE TITLE ARE EXCLUSIVE to approved groups that have been proposed, peer reviewed, and approved by administration.
In-character (IC) vs. Out-of-Character (OOC)
The difference between the character versus the player is important to understand:
In-character (IC) refers to the state and perception of the characters in the story. Basically, it’s what the fictional character, not the actual player, would see, hear, think, and feel.
Out-of-character (OOC) refers to the real life perception of the player. If you need to break character momentarily to explain a detail or simply say “brb”, you should wrap double brackets around the text.
((sorry, need a quick bathroom break!))
^ No need to emote when double parenthesis-wrapping OOC chat.
Powergaming
If a player’s primary goal is to win, they are likely a “powergamer” and wouldn’t last long in Outbreak.
The term “powergaming” refers to an unfair advantage a player creates for their character. In combat scenes, it is commonly seen as a character who is able to frequently dodge attacks, perform ninja-like moves and combo hits in a single post, has unreasonable strength, or attempts to dictate the resulting injury for their opponent.
/me immediately dodges the sheriff’s baton. He then picks up a rock, and throws it at the officer’s head, knocking him out cold.
^ Not only does the player decide to dodge the hit, but they also dictate the result of the attack on the sherrif.
/me tumbles backwards, reeling from intense pain, as the baton cracks over their shoulder. “Augghh,” he yells and crashes to the ground. Without thinking, he then grabs the closest rock he can find, aims it at the sheriff, and let’s it fly with all their might.
^ The player takes the hit in good spirit and only makes an attempt to hit his opponent. Attacks should always be written as an attempt to give your opponent a chance to post their reaction.
Metagaming
The term “metagaming” refers to players using knowledge of a story or environment, gained outside of role-play, to their character’s advantage. It is a form of powergaming and is not allowed.
A common example of this is when a player has their character greet another character simply by reading their avatar name. That is a basic form of metagaming because from the character’s point of view, they’re strangers to one another and never learned of the other character’s name through role-play before.
Players should exercise caution when learning details of a story and make sure their character’s action is only based on role-play that actually occurred.
Consent & Limits
For scenes that impose long-term consequences, please consult with the player first. If you’re not comfortable with a scene, you must inform the other player immediately and work something out (ie. fade-to-black or escape plan).
Limits should never provide an unfair advantage. For example, if a character is in a situation with a gun to their head, the victim must yield reasonably instead of relying on a “no death” limit to force their opponent into a no-win situation.
Take Turns & Emote (/me)
Players in Outbreak must always emote and take turns writing posts. A post always starts with the /me command and usually includes up to several sentences that describe a character’s physical and verbal actions combined.
Scenes are efficient and fair when the following posting rules are observed:
Rule #1 – Follow a single post format
/me picks up a tire rod from the ground.
/me then aims it at the police officer and throws it at him.
/me yells, “Take that!”
^ Posting multiple times in a row creates confusion.
/me picks up a tire rod that was laying on the ground. He then turns to face the police officer, aims, and hurls it in his direction. “Take that!” he yells.
^ Consolidating your thoughts into a single post is the way to go.
Rule #2 – Always write from the third person point of view (ie. he, she, they, etc.)
/me looks at you and licks my lips. I then say, “I’ve had my eye on you…”
^ Writing in first person just reads too personal, and often seen as creepy…
/me looks at the woman and licks his lips. He then says, “I’ve had my eye on you…”
^ Writing in third person point of view reads as if the character is speaking and not the player.
Rule #3 – Post and then wait your turn.
To start a new scene or join in an existing one, move your avatar into position and observe for a few minutes. When writing an entrance into the scene, be sure to address the characters you want to interact with.
Rule #4 – Don’t be shy!
When all else fails, our members are expected to be friendly, welcome feedback, and answer questions about the scenes they’re in. Don’t hesitate to ask for help or jump into a scene.
Register Your Character
What kind of survivor are you? Depending on your preferred type, the Character Evolution System will adjust your character’s starting traits and start you with a unique combination of inventory.
Luck goes a long way in this world. You’re likely to find items when scavenging to firing lucky shots in a frenzy. The Lucky also start with extra coins.
Combat skills are necessary to survive. Your previous training and career allows an edge in accuracy. The Fighter also start with an unloaded pistol. 
Knowledge is power. You maintain your health more efficiently and tend to be smarter when scavenging for items. The Expert starts with two medpacks. 
Wilderness is your second home. Your survival insticts allow you to escape hostile scenes more effectively. The Survivalist starts with a crossbow.