If you expect an answer from another player or NPC that will alter anyone's subsequent actions, then you must stop and allow the one addressed to post, OR phrase you statement with specific delimiters, such as, 'if everyone remained silent for five minutes', or 'if there is no answer he will turn to XXX and say…' or even 'he paused while XXX answered and then said (addressed, requested…)'

Without such explicit clarity, a speech will be construed as having no more than the usual and natural conversational pauses. I strongly prefer that non-rhetorical question NOT have if/then amendments, but realize that the realities of time zones and time available to post can sometimes make them unavoidable.

However, it is equally rude and unacceptable to post multiple single phrase statements that do not require separation into multiple posts to facilitate answers. This will be considered nagging, berating, and harassing and players are at liberty to treat those posts as such IC.

Such usage is customary in most games, and has been amply precedented in mine. However, apparently it needs to be explicitly mentioned and duly codified.

Players must read and post no less than once per week (1/wk). If one (1) week passes and a player hasn't read/posted, the character will be played as an NPC and the player will have to live with any consequences from actions that are different than what s/he would have otherwise done. If more than two (2) weeks pass without some contact the player risks being dropped from the game.

Exceptions:

(1) If a player notifies me in advance that s/he will be gone, I will make every effort to work around the absence and avoid dropping her/him. However, to keep the game flowing the way it needs to, the rule about playing for the character still stands.

(2) In the event where even a one week delay has serious negative impact on the game (combat or where a group course of action is required, for example) the grace period drops to two (2) days after the situation arises (or one week from last reading/posting, whichever comes first). I will take action for the character but the player will still have the aforementioned two-week grace period. Under those circumstances where immediate action is required I will also email and notify the player during the initial 48-hour period. It is the players' responsibility to make sure I have their valid email addresses.

Occasionally that pesky thing called Real Life gets in the way of gaming and, when the player does log on, he finds that the game has moved forward without his input (even though he would have made an incredibly bright/insightful/funny comment, right there had he but known…)

Under such circumstances back-posting is permitted, even encouraged. However, certain rules apply. A back-post is permitted to provide colour and clarity only; it must never alter another player's previously posted action; and it must braid into the established thread. Let us consider a PC named Thibodeaux…

An example of appropriate back-posting might be

• Boudreaux: "Mon, dat Rippy, he be one mean 'gator. What say we go down ina bayou an' kill that evil mofo, mais non? He will chomp no more lil' children!"
• Billy Bob: "Yup, yup! You got dat right!"
• Arlene: "Oui, mon frère!"
• Bikerchik: "Vroom! VroooooOOOM!"
• Frisbee: "Huh?"

The party raced out the door, headed down to the bayou and commenced 'gator tracking. Bikerchik strangled the 12-foot long water moccasin with her bare hands before it could bite Frisbee.

(Three real-life days later)

• Thibodeaux: "Be right there!" Thibodeaux called. Grabbing his AK-47 and 14 sticks of dynamite, he hurried after the others.

Inappropriate back-posting might be:

• Boudreaux: "Mon, dat Rippy, he be one mean 'gator. What say we go down ina bayou an' kill that evil mofo, mais non? He will chomp no more lil' children!"
• Billy Bob: "Yup, yup! You got dat right!"
• Arlene: "Oui, mon frère!"
• Bikerchik: "Vroom! VroooooOOOM!"
• Frisbee: "Huh?"

The party raced out the door, headed down to the bayou and commenced 'gator tracking. Bikerchik strangled the 12-foot long water moccasin with her bare hands before it could bite Frisbee.

(Three real-life days later)

• Thibodeaux: Stepping in front of the door to bar the others' exit, Thibodeaux protested, "If we remove the dominant predators from the bayou, the entire riparian ecosystem might be imperilled. I cannot permit you to kill Rippy. Cease and desist this instant."

The first example is fine, the second is not. If Thibodeaux is really convinced that he must stop his fellows from killing Rippy, he needs to run after them and convince them, using the last posted event as the starting point and time stamp.

In simplest terms, sometimes--in games as in life--if you snooze you lose.