Highly outdated. In the process of re-write. Please inquire on the forums if you have any questions.

You Ask Questions, We Answer them

Welcome to SLMidgar
A Guide to Getting Started and Enjoying the Roleplay Experience

Table of Contents

Getting Started
1.1: Downloading Second Life
1.2: Logging In and Finding SLMidgar
1.3: Building Your Avatar
1.3a: Advanced Avatar Creation Tips
1.4: Buying All You Need to RP in SLMidgar
1.4a: Equipping Materia Into Your FFRC System
1.4b: Quick Tips For RPToolADV & FFRC

Your SLMidgar Experience
2.1: Creating Your Characters History
2.2: Joining A Faction
2.3: Freelancing In SLMidgar

General Sim Information
3.1: Quick Tips: SLMidgar Rules
3.2: Meet the SLMidgar Game Master Team
3.3: How To Suggest Ideas or Storylines
3.4: The Processes of Approvals & Appeals
3.5: Quick Tips: Avoid Getting Banned from SLMidgar

Misc.
4.1: Troubleshooting
4.2: FAQ
4.3: Contact Information

GETTING STARTED

1.1: Downloading Second Life

If you wish to roleplay in Second Life (SL)Midgar, you must have the Second Life program. Second Life is a massive virtual world where you create the content. With a little skill and imagination, anything can be created (SLMidgar included). You can download the “game” at www.secondlife.com. A basic account is free and offers full ability to create avatars and objects, which is all you need to roleplay in SLMidgar. Second Life utilizes a currency known as “Linden” or L$. You must purchase L$ with real money using paypal or a credit/debit card. If you are a skilled builder, you can also make money in-game by selling your creations or taking commissions. You will need L$ in order to buy some of the necessary equipment to play in SLMidgar (this is covered in more detail in Chapter 1.4).

1.2: Logging In and Finding SLMidgar

Once you have downloaded the Second Life program, you must create a name (last names are currently chosen from a list provided by Second Life, while the first name can be whatever you want it to be). Keep in mind, your SL name may not necessarily be your characters name, so don’t fret too much if you can’t get the name you want for your character. SLMidgar has special tools to allow you to use character names independently of your Second Life name (covered in detail in Chapter 1.4).

Now that you have your character name and account set-up, you can launch the Second Life program and login. Once logged in, you will find yourself on what is called the “Newbie Islands.” You can take some time to explore this area and learn about Second Life in detail or you can skip it and go directly to SLMidgar. It is suggested you spend some time at the Newbie Islands to get to know what Second Life is about and how it works, since none of that will be covered here or in SLMidgar.

When ready, click the “SEARCH” button near the lower part of your screen. Choose the “PLACES” tab once the search window opens and type “MIDGAR” in the search field, then click the search button beside that. One of the first options on the list that comes up should be “Midgar.” You can verify this is SLMidgar by the banner to the right, which will clearly display the name “SLMidgar” along with a collage of characters and places from the simulation (or sim).

Highlight the name “Midgar” and click the “TELEPORT” button you’ll see under the information box about SLMidgar. This will teleport you to the SLMidgar Skymall, where you can learn all about the sim rules, factions and purchase the tools and equipment you’ll need to roleplay in SLMidgar. Across from the Skymall, you will find four “Teleporters.” Clicking any one of these will give you the option of entering Midgar itself, either to the train platform in the slums or the train platform on the upper plate of Midgar City. It is required that you at least have the FFRC Battle System and RPTool equipped before entering SLMidgar to roleplay. If you are just entering the sim to look around Out of Character (OOC) then these things are not required, but keep in mind you will NOT be able to roleplay without them (see Chapter 1.4 for more info on these tools).

It is suggested you go to the “SEARCH” feature and choose the “Groups” tab. Search for FFRP Community and join the group (joining this group is free) so that you can participate in SLMidgar group chats and get notices about the current status and events in SLMidgar. If you have any questions, you may also ask the community by starting a group chat through this group (just select the group on your chat/group section and choose Chat/Call to start a discussion in the general community).

The citizens of Midgar are generally very helpful and friendly to new people. If you have any questions or need help with your equipment that this guide cannot offer and you find no help in the group chat, just ask someone for help on the street (please be careful not to disrupt roleplay, however). Additionally, there is a list of Midgar Game Masters (GMs) near the end of this tutorial and you may contact any of them for assistance as well if you are uncomfortable approaching random people in the street. All GM’s will be friendly and helpful.

Once you are in Midgar, the world is your oyster. You may apply to join any factions (information on each faction can be found under the “Factions” section of this website and in Notecards dispensed from the advertisements for each faction in the SLMidgar skymall, including applications. See Chapter 2.2 for information on joining a faction) or just reside as a non-factional citizen or mercenary in Midgar.

1.3: Building Your Avatar

To create an avatar suitable for Midgar, you may go to any shop or store in Second Life to acquire the clothing, hair, skin and acessories to play the character of your choice. You may also edit your avatar by right clicking it, choosing APPEARENCE and editing it to your hearts content. We do have some limitations to the type of non-human characters we allow in the SLMidgar sim and animals are treated as such. For example, the only kind of non-humans we currently allow in-sim are furries such as:

-Foxes/Vixens
-Skunks
-Dogs/Canids
-Nekos/Cats/Felines
-Machines

We currently do not allow any type of bird, reptile, cyborg/android or other fantastical creatures as regular characters who do not fall under the “Random Encounter” group (which is a group of non-character, unintelligent monsters meant for battling, a-la the random encounters in Final Fantasy and other RPGs). You may see some lizard or reptile characters in sim, but these are “grandfathered” characters who had been established before the current rules existed. No new characters of this type are currently allowed.

Additionally, players may choose to RP Moogles or Moomba’s under stringent guidelines for those types of characters (i.e. Moogles are small and generally non-combative; Moombas are unable to speak and of lower intelligence, etc). You must contact the leaders of these groups to get further information on the guidelines for playing these characters.

You may not play a canon character (such as Cloud Strife, Rude or Reno, Red XIII, etc) without having it approved by the GM Council. Therefore, you may not use an avatar that looks like any canon character from a Final Fantasy game without approval. You also may not play an existing character from other media, such as Sailor Moon, Seifer Almasy from FFVIII, Auron from FFX, Ryoko, Naruto, Samurai Jack, Solid Snake, Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, etc. This is a Final Fantasy VII based sim and only characters that fall into the atmosphere of FFVII are permitted.

Generally, you must create your own, original character or submit an application to the GM Council to play a canon character. A list of taken and available canon characters can be found under the Announcement Podium section of our forums elsewhere on this website. Check it out if you’re interested in playing a canon character!

There are also freebies and stores in the Midgar Skymall you can use to help build your initial avatar.

On a final note, joining a faction like Shinra means you will get a Shinra MP uniform and weapons for free, care of that faction. AVALANCHE and WLF also offer free items for joining and of course you have the assistance of your fellow team members in all those cases to help you if you need it.

1.3a: Advanced Avatar Creation Tips
Do a “PLACES” search for “Yadnis Junkyard” for an abundant amount of free clothing and accessories for your avatar. If you have placed L$ into your account, you may also go to any store in the Second Life universe to get items for your character. There are many stores right in SLMidgar where you can buy an assortment of clothing, accesories and weapons that are compatible with the FFRC Battle System. There are no clothing, accessory or general appearance guidelines in SLMidgar, except that oversized avatars/objects are generally not tolerated if they are beyond the realm of reason or cause lag/latency in the sim or take up too many primitives (prims), so use common sense when making your avatar!

If you want to create an Animation Override (AO) for your avatar, you may want to check out “Abranimations” or the “Animation Warehouse” (do a places search for either) for some free AO’s and individual (at cost) animations to reprogram your free AO with. An Animation Override will, as the name suggests, override the base animation of Second Life’s avatars, giving you a more fluid set of animations than what your avatar initially comes with. Once you have your free AO (the Ninja AO is free), just go into BUILD and edit your AO by removing all the animations you don’t want (found in the CONTENTS tab of the build menu) and adding the new animations you have purchased. Then open the notecard in the contents section and replace the old animation names therein with the exact name (case/symbol sensative) of your new animation in the proper place (the notecard will have each animation type listed, i.e. “Walk”, “Run”, “Sit”, “Stand 1″, “Stand 2″, “Jump”, etc.).

You can test an animation before you buy it by “standing” your avatar in the little flat stands in front of the animation vendor and using the arrows on either side of the podium to cycle through and choose the animation you want. Then just right click the stand and choose “Pay” to purchase the animation. Any animation you purchase will go into your ANIMATIONS folder in your inventory. Then just drag them into the contents folder of your AO when in build mode (as noted in the above paragraph).

1.4: Buying All You Need To Roleplay in SLMidgar

So, you have logged in, found Midgar, created your character and assembled your avatar. Now what? Well, you need the right tools for the job. The Midgar Skymall you begin in has all the tools you need for successful and rich roleplay in SLMidgar. Two things are absolutely required in order to roleplay in Midgar: RPTool and FFRC Battle System. Anyone who attempts to roleplay in Midgar without either of these tools will be reported to GMs and/or asked to correct the situation by purchasing these necessities. The RPTool and FFRC Battle system is located at the front of the Midgar Skymall, directly facing the stairs leading to the teleporters.

You have the choice of using the Fighter, Gunner or Caster FFRC System in SLMidgar. The fighter system has higher HP and attack power, but very low MP and magic power, but you can only use melee weapons (swords, knives, etc). The gunner system has mid-level HP and low MP and lower attack power, but you may use long-range weapons (guns). The caster system has very low HP and attack power, but high MP and magic power, but may not use ranged weapons. Some factions may require a certain system, for example, to be a Shinra MP you must use the Gunner System. Once you buy your battle system, you will also get a FFRC HUD to go along with it. The HUD will show up in the lower lefthand corner of your screen when you equip it and will show your HP, MP and currently equipped materia (see Chapter 1.4a about equipping materia).

Once you have purchased your FFRC Battle System, you may then choose to buy some materia. This is optional and no one is required to have materia. Materia are magic orbs that you must equip into your FFRC Battle System in order to cast spells. Some materia may not be used with all battle systems and these are seperated on the skymall vendor, so be careful about which materia you buy in relation to the battle system you have chosen (see Chapter 1.4a for details on equipping materia).

Now that you have your battle system, you’ll want to purchase the RPToolAdv or any other available RPTool (there is no requirement on which version of RPTool you use, as long as you have one). The RPTool is very simply to use and instructions on how to operate it are included. Once you buy it, you basically just choose to “wear” it by right clicking it in your inventory. You should use the RPTool commands for all RP and speak out of character without using it (or by typing in brackets). See Chapter 1.4b for tips on using the RPTool effectively.

1.4a: Equipping Materia Into Your FFRC System

To use the materia you have purchased, you must put it in your FFRC System. To do this, you should open your BUILD menu. Once the BUILD menu is open, go to your inventory and pull out the FFRC HUD and lay it on the ground. Since the BUILD menu is open, your FFRC HUD will be automatically selected (failing to open the BUILD menu before placing your FFRC HUD on the ground may result in losing the HUD as it is very small and difficult to locate). Go to the CONTENTS section of the BUILD menu. Now locate your materia in your inventory and drag it from the inventory menu to the conents folder of the BUILD menu. You have successfully equipped your materia (if your FFRC System does not support a materia, you will get an error message advising you of this and will be unable to equip the materia).

Now select your HUD by right clicking it and selecting ‘take’. This will return the HUD to your inventory window and you may choose to “wear” it (wear your FFRC System before wearing the HUD or the two will not properly synch up). Now your HUD will display the Materia you equipped. Clicking on the desired Materia will open a menu giving you the choices of those players in range you have the option of using the materia on. Select the corresponding number beside the name of the person to use it on and the spell will be cast on that person.

There is a glitch in the materia system in that, if there are 12 or more people in an area, the spells will not work. Only use Materia if you are in a crowd of less than 12 players.

1.4b: Quick Tips for RPToolADV & FFRC

-To set your character name in the RPTool, simply type: /2 name John
-That will set your name as “John.” Replace “John” with whatever character name you want.

-If you want to perform an action with your character instead of speaking using the RPTool, utilize the /4 function. For example, if you have set your name as John and type: /4 looks to his left, then his right, before crossing the street, the text will display in chat as:
“John looks to his left, then his right, before crossing the street“. This will eliminate the colon [:] after the name and denote an action instead of dialogue.

-To set your character name above your head with the FFRC, simply type: /1 name John
That will set your name as “John” and will hover over your head. Replace “John” with whatever character name you want.

-You can also use the /1 function of FFRC to denote your characters status, for example, typing: /1 name John [Currently Healing From Wounds] would make “John [Currently Healing From Wounds]” appear above your head. If you go AFK, you can also type: /1 name AFK to show “AFK” above your head, denoting you are not at the keyboard or not paying attention to the game.

-To change the color of the FFRC Text hovering over your head, open and edit the FFRC in the build menu and open the Notecard in the contents section. This notecard will allow you to set a base name for your FFRC (it can still be altered using the /1 feature) and change the color of the FFRC Text utilizing the numbers under Red [R.], Green [G.] and Blue [B.]. The more of each number you have the stronger that color is. So if you want a red FFRC Text, set G & B to 0 and keep R at max.

-If your FFRC System and FFRC HUD are not synching after you have logged out of Second Life and back in, try unequipping both and re-equipping them (system first, then HUD) to reset and re-synch them.

YOUR SLMIDGAR EXPERIENCE

2.1: Creating Your Characters History

Now that you have all the technical stuff out of the way, it’s time to really think about how you want to incorporate your character into the world of FFVII and SLMidgar. The time line of SLMidgar is set roughly 6 years prior to the original Final Fantasy VII game, placing it more in line with the upcoming “Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII” game and Japanese only released “Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII” game. For more information on the timeline for this period, you may read “Before Crisis” scripts at the following link: http://www.freewebs.com/gunshotromance/missions.htm

Also, detailed information on “Crisis Core” can be located in it’s own Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.com) entry and other websites. We generally go by these games’ stories for our time line, with an eye toward the future to make sure the original story of FFVII is not distorted.

Right now there are three main factions in the sim. These are the Shinra Electric Power Company, AVALANCHE and Wutai Liberation Force and you can find more information on each under the “FACTIONS” section of this website. Most of the locations from Final Fantasy VII and Crisis Core exist at this time, so you have a large variety of areas where your character may have originated. To provide a quick list (you can use wikipedia to get more info on each town should you be unfamilair with FFVII):

Midgar City
Junon Military City
Old Junon Harbor
Kalm Town
Costa del Sol (this town exists as a affiliated sim to SLMidgar)
North Corel
South Corel
Gongaga
Banora Village (Crisis Core)
Cosmo Canyon
Nibelheim
Rocket Town (this town exists as an affiliated sim to SLMidgar)
Bone Village
Modeoheim (Crisis Core)
Icicle Inn
Wutai
Mideel Village

Additionally, other locations from the game exist, but are probably not places you’d want your character to originate from, these include the Temple of the Ancients (which is unknown to the vast majority of people), Sleeping Forest, Lost City of the Ancients, Mount Corel, Mount Nibel and the Chocobo Farm. Fort Condor and the Gold Saucer have yet to exist in this time line, though story lines to explain both locales origins will likely be forthcoming. Also, Healin Lodge (Advent Children) is non-existant as it was not built until after FFVII as a sanatorium for those effected by the aftermath of Meteorfall.

Once you’ve decided where your character comes from, you’ll want to explain why they’re in Midgar. Is it to join the Shinra army? Assist AVALANCHE in bringing Shinra down? Or a Wutai sympathizer there to help the Liberation Force embedded in Midgar? Or perhaps totally different reasons you’ll come up with on your own. The choices are totally yours in that regard. Your character may even only be visiting Midgar to return to his or her hometown at leisure. Whatever you want works just fine.

What kind of family does/did your character have? Are they still alive? If not, why are they dead? Are you adopted? Totally clueless about your origins? Make it work for you and come up with your own background. A fleshed out character gets a lot more respect and attention from players than one with no real thought behind it. So be creative and take some time to really make your character shine!

2.2: Joining A Faction

Joining a faction in SLMidgar is generally very easy. You can find out a lot about each faction in the Faction Section of this website. Applications for each faction will be included. All you need to do is fill out an application, send it to the person listed on the application and wait for a response! There are a few Do’s and Don’ts to discuss where applications are concerned, so take heed to these tips and you’ll be considered much faster and easier:

-Fill out any application COMPLETELY. Every field should have SOMETHING written in it. Incomplete applications are often totally disregarded. So make sure you fill out all parts!

-Use proper capitalization and punctuation. The more intelligent the application looks, the better your chances. It’s also wise to type intelligently when Roleplaying as well.

-If asked to give details on your characters appearance or history, do not just write one or two sentences. That indicates you do not care much about your own character and therefore probably aren’t serious about roleplaying in the sim. No one wants to accept someone who doesn’t seem like they have much interest in the RP. It’s your character, you should be excited about giving people detailed information about him or her!

-Don’t be surprised or upset if your application is denied if you do not accept terms indicated on the application or fail to follow any of the above steps. Also, if you try your best and don’t get accepted, ask for help in making your application better and try again.

-Do not harass or bug the people responsible for processing applications. Continued annoyance toward these people will usually end with them denying the application out of frustration. A lot of people come through this sim and a lot of applications are put in. Give your application handlers at least three days to process your information (it rarely takes that long) and then politely ask them for the status of your application. Second Life sometimes glitches and doesn’t properly send notecards, so keep a copy of the application in your inventory to resubmit it if the application handler hasn’t recieved it.

Once you are accepted into a faction you will be given information on what you need to do next by the faction leaders or team leaders whom you are now under the command of. To stay employed with any faction in SLMidgar it is expected that you follow the chain of command, adhere to the rules of the faction and play fair. Contribute to the community and your faction and you’ll go far fairly fast! Keep trying and do your best! And above all, have fun!

2.3: Freelancing in SLMidgar

It is not required that you join a faction in SLMidgar, though the benefits of doing so are nice. You can simply come to Midgar as a general citizen and chill out in the city or slums, participate in events or do your own thing. You could be a mercenary who works for AVALANCHE or WLF (Shinra does not hire mercenaries). Just keep in mind that no faction is required to employ your services if you go that route. Proving an effective asset makes them more likely to hire you and acting professionally and RPing intelligently also helps greatly.

You could open a business or run an existing business that currently has no one occupying it. Or you could work as an employee with the Seventh Heaven Bar, Honeybee Inn or Chubby Chocobo or anything else for that matter. You can rent a storefront and sell your own Second Life Creations or buy an apartment and live the high life. It’s all up to you how you play in SLMidgar and what you do there. You may even want to try starting your own group or faction (but keep in mind these must be approved by the GM Council, so you’ll need to fill out a Faction/Group application and wait for approval before officially starting your faction).

Some additional businesses run out of SLMidgar that are always looking for new people are:

Shinra News Network (SNN)
Honeybee Inn
Chubby Chocobo
Seventh Heaven Bar
Various other small factions (check around for more info)

Just get in touch with the proprietor or group leader of any business you want to work at and they’ll tell you if they’re hiring and how to get setup!

GENERAL SIM INFORMATION

3.1: Quick Tips: SLMidgar Rules

There are guidelines to be followed in SLMidgar and a separate notecard can be found in-game detailing all the rules and regulations all players are expected to follow in the sim. All rules are subject to change and are interpreted and enforced by a council of Game Masters who run, organize and maintain the sim. Some rules to make sure to follow:

-Do not harass, either with excess irritation or sexually, any member of the sim. If you are told to stop and persist, the complainant may log and send the evidence to the GM Council to pass judgement on the offense and the type of punishment required. This will be decided by vote, always, and may include a warning, temp ban or permaban depending on severity/frequency of the offense.

-Do not argue with a GM once a ruling has been made. GM rulings are absolute. If you do not agree with a GM ruling, you may calmly explain why and ask the GM’s to reconsider if you present your argument in a calm, organized and respectful manner. Yelling, being confrontational or showing yourself to be unruly is no way to rebut a decision.

-Do not ever remove your FFRC Battle System during combat under penalty of metagaming (cheating). If it is malfunctioning during battle, state so OOC and allow the participants to all reset their systems so that you can fix yours. Just detaching it without saying anything will get you in trouble. If you are KOed (HP reaches 0) you may not reset your FFRC until your body is left alone and no further RP is occurring around it.

-Using bombs and rezzing high prim objects, spawners or vehicles in-sim without permission is strictly prohibited and may be punished under penalty of griefing. If you’re not sure what something in your inventory labled “Nuke” does, chances are it’s best not to rez it in sim to find out.

-Weapons incompatible with the FFRC Battle system, or those that cause massive amounts of damage, are strictly prohibited. Test your weapons with a fellow player to make sure they are FFRC compatible before using them in real battle. If you aren’t sure, don’t use it or consult a GM. Special weapons require GM Council approval.

-Vehicles may not be used in-sim unless permitted by the GM Council or Faction Leader with vehicle issuance capabilities.

-Do not overuse gestures. Occasional use is fine and use during OOC moments, but they are totally intolerable during RP.

-Using unapproved avatars, weapons, attachments, etc. will result in a warning or temp ban.

3.2: Meet the SLMidgar Game Master Team

There is abundant information on the SLMidgar GM’s under the “Meet the GM’s” section of this website and contact information for many GM’s is on the “Contact” section of this site. A simple list of GM’s will be provided here for convenience, including any GM’s in Training (GMiT):

Luthien Biziou
Floyd Gilmour
Rufus Lykin
Katiroth Paravane
Veretas Splash
Murgatroyd Zauberflote
Icewolf Karlfeldt
Solomon Draken
Citan Osumi
Kenji Yalin (GMiT)
Icy Whitfield (GMiT)
Spa Wind (GMiT)
Karlhockey Forte (GMiT)
Lauren Gladstone (GMiT)

This list last updated: 02/08/09

3.3: How To Suggest Ideas or Story Lines

You have a great idea for a story line or just a general idea on how to make the sim better, but you don’t know how to get the idea out there to be considered. What do you do? This is extremely easy! Just do a full write-up for your idea or story line (make sure to go in-depth and give details in order for your idea to be more openly received and remember to type intelligently using proper caps and punctuation) and submit that write-up on a notecard to any GM on the list in Chapter 3.2. The GM will then post your idea in the GM forums for discussion and approval. If the GM’s want feedback from the players, the idea will be posted in the public forums for feedback as well!

That’s really all there is to it! But please keep in mind that we do get a lot of ideas and there are many things GMs have to consider, including prim limits, lag, player response, ability, necessity, canon implications, etc. The list goes on. So if your idea doesn’t make it, please don’t get discouraged. Just try again when your next good idea comes to mind. GMs will typically give you feedback on the idea if it is denied and you can use that feedback to improve on it and try pitching it again. We love to hear from you!

3.4: The Process of Approvals and Appeals

The approval process typically starts with a GM posting the weapon, gadget, character, plot or other request for approval on the GM forums. This is usually just the write-up given to the GM by the player, so everything hinges on this write-up being presented well, because GMs generally will NOT edit your write-ups for clarity, spelling or other errors. What you’ve typed is what we post and judge.

The GMs check the forums daily, generally speaking. They will read the write-up and start a discussion on it, either explaining what they do and/or don’t like about the idea. More GMs will add to the discussion and votes are taken as to whether to approve the request or not. If the majority of GMs agree that the idea is sound, it will be approved and the player notified they can begin officially using the idea in-sim.

If a majority of GMs do not like the idea for whatever reasons (usually technical reasons or reasons dealing with canon), the request is denied. The player will typically be told what the problems were so they can retool and resubmit the app to make it work next time.

If many GMs request simple changes to an idea or application, it will neither be approved or denied. A GM rep will contact the player and advise of the snag and work with the player to find a way to fix it. If the player and GM rep can agree to comprimise, the GM will post the new information and a final vote will be taken. Typically, this second vote will be an approval if the problem was only very small or in need of clarification. This is, of course, not always the case.

If you have been permanently banned from SLMidgar, you may appeal that ban using our appeals process. Typically, we will not take any appeal seriously if it is only a few days or weeks (even months) since the permaban. If you have been permabanned, it means your infractions were either severe or consistent in the face of warnings or temp bans and the GM team voted nearly unanimously to have you banned. You have a lot of work to do to earn the respect of the GM’s and the playerbase, so appeals will generally not be successful, depending on the infraction and time lapsed since the ban. The parameters for a successful appeal will not be stated here, as it is up to the player to fix their own errors. Just send your appeal to any GM and they will post it in the Ban Appeals forums for discussion. A GM will get back to you with an answer ASAP.

3.5: Avoid Getting Banned From SLMidgar

The best way to avoid getting banned is to follow the rules and show respect to fellow players & GM’s. Keep your cool and remember, this is just a game. We all get mad sometimes, and arguments and yelling matches are bound to happen in any community, but do not let it get to the point that you perform actions that would cause you to get banned (such as harassment, the use of banned weaponry and griefer tools, etc). Take a step back and feel free to contact any GM or friendly player in-sim to vent to. There’s always an open ear somewhere. Cool down and try to make amends. Additionally, if an argument is out of control, please call a GM to come mediate the dispute and help come to a peaceful and fair resolution as possible.

If you are provoked or harassed, do not fall into the trap of striking back. Log the offense and send it to a GM and we will deal with the offender. Stooping to their level weakens your case against them and only gives them ammo to file counter-complaints against you. We want to mediate disputes, not ban players who have gone off the handle. Keep it calm and cool and let us help you work it out and you’ll avoid getting banned or getting someone else banned. Use common sense and remember, respect is something everyone deserves by default, unless one proves themself unworthy of it. We feel that everyone in SLMidgar is worthy of it.

MISCELLANEOUS

4.1: Troubleshooting

If you’re having a technical issue in the sim, consult this Troubleshooting guide first. Additional information will be added to this guide, so check back regularly if you have an issue to see if a fix is here first.

Problem: My FFRC Battle HUD will not synch with my FFRC Battle System.
Fix 1: Detach both objects and reattach the Battle System first, then attach the HUD.
Fix 2: You may have an older version of the FFRC system. Contact Luthien Biziou or Sakito Nakamichi for a new version.

Problem: When I am attacked in sim, my FFRC will not register the damage or magic use.
Fix 1: You may have an older version of the FFRC system. Contact Luthien Biziou or Sakito Nakamichi for a new version.
Fix 2: Try detaching your FFRC and reattaching it. Sometimes the system may glitch after a logoff and subsequent login.
Fix 3: The weapon being used against you may not be FFRC compatible. Alert the attacker of this and direct them to a GM to help get them a compatible weapon or to try and fix the issue.

Problem: When I click the materia on my HUD, it won’t function.
Fix 1: If there are a dozen (12) or more people in the vicinity when you try to use magic, the FFRC System will glitch, rendering magic unusable. Remove yourself from the battle or use regular weaponry (if you are a caster you’ll probably want to leave the battle area and serve as back-up to attack retreating opponents or hang back and cure team members who run to you for help).
Fix 2: Your HUD may not be synched with your FFRC System. Detach both and reattach the system first, then the HUD to resynch.

Problem: I cannot seem to attack my opponent and cause damage.
Fix 1: Make sure you have the current version of the FFRC battle system. Contact Luthien Biziou or Sakito Nakamichi for a new version.
Fix 2: You may have a weapon that is not FFRC compatible. Please contact a GM or ask a fellow player for assistance in acquiring an FFRC compatible weapon.
Fix 3: Make sure you are holding the left mouse button down and tapping the arrow keys in order to attack using the FFRC system.

Problem: My RPToolAdv is not working properly.
Fix 1: Make sure the RPToolAdv is attached to you. Sometimes when you switch avatars it may detach itself if it is in a different inventory folder from your avatar parts.
Fix 2: Make sure you are using /2, /3 or /4 commands in front of your text when using the RPToolAdv.

4.2: FAQ

Q: Can I start off as a SOLDIER/Turk/Raven/Elite/etc?
A: No. Unless you apply for a canon role that happens to serve in such a position, you must start from the bottom and work your way up. There have been many people in this sim, some going on a year now, who have worked to get where they are. You are no different and as a game, it feels better and is more worthwhile to earn these positions.

Q: Can I play an Ex-SOLDIER/Ex-Turk/Ex-Raven/Ex-Elite/etc?
A: No. Being a part of these groups means you are part of a very elite, very powerful and very dangerous should they turn on their bosses, brotherhoods. Leaving them is usually instant death, or you will be hunted and permakilled. Unless you were previously in any of these groups, you may not play an “ex” member of them. If you do join and leave these groups, you will likely be permakilled. All in all, make sure you want to be in these factions before you try to get into them.

Q: How can I become a Sim Investor?
A: Becoming a sim investor is easy and very much appreciated. To invest in the sim, contact any sim Land Manager (Luthien Biziou, Darshe Aliev, Floyd Gilmour or Rufus Lykin) and they will instruct you to submit any donation funds to a special SL account set up just for that purpose. You will be added to a list of investors. Anyone investing L$5000 is able to take advantage of a free apartment and/or storefront in Midgar and all investors have access to the investor forums on the website.

Q: Can I get any weapons/vehicles/objects I want for being an investor? Can I tell GMs what to do? Am I more important?
A: No. Being an investor does not mean you are buying your way into special treatment, nor are you considered more important or better than normal players. You are hopefully investing because you enjoy SLMidgar and want to see it continue to grow and thrive, not because you want to try and buy your way into getting what you personally want.

Q: If I donate buildings, vehicles, objects, etc to the sim, may I later ask for compensation?
A: No. If you donate something to the sim, it is requested that you hand over all permissions on those items to the GM team and ask for nothing in return. If you want payment or other stipulations for your contributions, please do not refer to them as donations. The GM team will often contract work out if something is needed/wanted, so if you want payment, say so up front.

Q: If I donate to the sim and then later get mad/run into financial crisis, can I get a refund on my donation?
A: No. Once you have donated to the sim, that money is spent on rent or set aside for future projects. If you donate money, you will not get a refund. Please make sure you want to donate and can afford to donate before you do.

Q: What happens to extra donation money after rent is paid?
A: The Land Manager team does not play with money or take it lightly. A specific SL account has been created to store all donations to the sim. This account is only accessible by Land Managers and a spreadsheet is kept on Google Documents of all money coming into said account or going out of it. That said, when there is extra money after rent is paid, it is saved up for future projects for the sim. The GM team will ALWAYS ask the investors for opinions on spending this extra money and will never arbitrarily use it without very detailed discussion on what the money is to be used for or without investor input.

Q: I want to help build in the sim. How can I do this?
A: Ask the GMs what current projects are needed and be prepared to show them an example of your work. Only professional-looking builds will be used in SLMidgar. Volunteer builders will not be paid as they are hopefully volunteering because they enjoy the sim and want to make it look better and grow larger. If you do not want to volunteer and require compensation for your build work, a contract must be drawn up and approved between the GM’s and you, the builder. If you volunteer/get contracted for build work and fail to finish the job, do not expect to be able to help on future building projects for obvious reasons.

Q: I have a business I want to put in SLMidgar or rent an apartment. How do I do this?
A: SLMidgar does have space set aside for shops, vendors and living space. If you are interested in setting up shop or renting an apartment, there are automated rent boxes you can use. Prim limits and rental amounts will be displayed when you check out the rental boxes. Keep in mind, going over prim limits will result in a polite request to remove excess prims. Failure to do so in a timely manner will force a GM to remove excess prims by discretion. If you set up your stuff in a place with no rental box, you are considered a squatter and all your stuff will be returned to you by a trash-cleaner.

More questions to come!

3.3: Contact Information

Please check various Game Master pages for specific contact information. General questions can be emailed to gamemasters@slmidgar.com