Comparing the Players' Writing Styles

To help the new player, here are several examples of orders writing that we have. These are named after the player who used them most frequently. Say, for instance, your character has to go to the bathroom. Fair enough, since nature is one call you can't put on hold. With that in mind, here are the methods for writing those orders from easiest to most complex:

The Paschal Method

My character moves out of the line of fire, unzips his pants, and takes a whizz.

Usually this method is noted by only a few short sentences and is not very detailed. This is just the "bare bones" of order writing and is the minimum you can use. It is simply enough to tell the storyteller what your character is doing. However, this gives more control to the storyteller over your character. If you like how he write it, maybe you should go this way. Otherwise, if you feel like getting more involved with your character...

The Wooden Method

My character fires his gun, tells his friends to give him cover, then he rushes over to the burnt-out column to take a whizz. As he does so, he cries out to the enemy gunners, "Hey, buddy! Suck on this!"

This method is slightly more complex, but basically reduced down to a few sentences, with the noted addition of dialogue. If you want your character to say something, write it out, and the storyteller will find a place to put it somewhere. Often, due to story constraints, your conversation might not go as planned, but it is likely that your words will find its way SOMEWHERE on the page.

The Bax Method

My character, realizing that he has to go to the bathroom, looks around for likely cover.
Seeing the burnt-out pillar beside me, he whispers over to his buddy next to him, "Cover me, will ya? I gotta pee!"
My friends will provide cover fire, allowing me to dash over to the column.
If my friends DON'T provide cover fire, I will dash back down, and proceed to piss on my buddy.
If it works, however, once doing my business at the column, I shout out to the enemy, "Hey, buddy! Suck on this!"

This method is noted for it's detailed orders, outlining every step which their character might do. Often times, it's laced with contingencies like "if plan A doesn't work, go with plan B" that allows the storyteller a good idea on how to proceed.

The Hohner Method

"Josef had been pinned under fire for some time and the strain of the conditions had been getting to him. The cold, the mud, the dark stench. Finally, his body could take it no more, as he felt a push in his nether regions. The pain was unbelievable! Finally, turning to his trenchmate, he called out over the shooting, "Cover me, will ya? I gotta pee!" His buddy nodded, instantly pouring a line of bloody fire into the trenches across from them, keeping their heads down. Josef only had one chance. Rushing from the trench, the bullets lapping at his heels, he reached the burnt-out pillar, unzipped his pants, and released the constraint inside him. It was like a waterfall of contentment; the steam rising from the phenomenal amount of flow. In his jubilation, Josef cried out, "Hey, buddy! Suck on this!" A few more stray shots zinged off the column, but the soldier smiled; they couldn't hurt him. Finally finished, he gave his trouser snake a little wiggle, then put it back in, zipping his pants tight. Now he was faced with a troubling question: How was he going to get back?"

This method is simply the player writing out his own story and handing it to the storyteller. Often times, as long as the player doesn't go too far, the storyteller will often send it back to the player as is, that is to say without changes. However, usually the player doesn't write the whole story, leaving the storyteller to fill in what happens next. This method makes the storyteller's job a lot easier, since he doesn't have as much to write, and he gets a better feel for his character.

Now, these are only examples of what you can do! Many players do a combination of a couple of these methods, but you have to go with what works for you. If you have a lot of time, and you would like to showcase your writing skills, write out your story! (Don't worry, I'll edit it before it gets sent out.) If you don't feel as confident about your skills, but like to get involved with your character, send me detailed orders, plus some comments on how to write your character. If you don't have time to give orders this week, send a few sentences. The choice is up to you! That's why we call this free-form... you're free to do whatever you want!