Forum Platform
My Passion is Writing (MPIW) is played on a forum platform called Vesta. It was designed and developed by Arceus for the roleplaying community.
This guide is designed to help you learn your way around Vesta, our forum software. If you run into any issues, please contact us on the Help Me! forum or post a message in the #help channel on our Discord.
This guide assumes that you have already registered and completed your profile. If you have not, see Account Registration.
Alerts System
Vesta does not collect and store email addresses. In fact, it does not use an email system at all. It does have a private messaging system that can be used for private communications. This means that you will have to physically visit the board or our Discord to see your alerts or new posts.
When a new alert is received, it appears in the Alerts tab at the top of the board (to the right of your user name). Click on it to view recent alerts. If you want to view all alerts, click on View All Alerts at the bottom of the dropdown. This will take you to a page where you can see your alerts, delete specific alerts, or remove all alerts.
The types of alerts that can be sent are new posts in subscribed threads, new threads or posts in subscribed boards, new personal messages, news items, and @mentions.
Automatic Thread Tracker
Vesta automatically creates a thread-tracker (a list of in-character posts). The tracker keeps a list of all threads the character has participated in with links to the threads and posts. It helps users to see the when, what, and where for each character and give some idea how active it has been.
Character Creation and Management
Unlike most forum platforms that use account switchers for multiple character personas, Vesta uses one and only one OOC (out-of-character) or user account to manage multiple character profiles. You will never have to switch from one account to another. Characters have their own profiles, bios, avatars, bios, etc. When you write a post, you simply select which character you are portraying and select it from a dropdown menu in the post. Your characters are integrated with your user account.
Detailed instructions on how to create your character(s) and an example character sheet can be found in Creating a Character. You can also download a character sheet to work on offline here. Please note, if you complete your character sheet offline, you will have to copy and paste the information into the form on our forum’s website. It cannot be uploaded.
Drafts
Vesta’s thread and post editors are set up on a timer. When composing a new thread or replying to a tag, the system automatically saves the content to the database. If your computer or browser hiccups (i.e., has a technical glitch) or your internet goes down, the post is stored safely in the database. It will be available when you come back so your work is not lost.
This is an automatic feature and currently only works in the forums.
Joint-Posting
Joint-Posting, also known as JPing and collaborative posting, is a form of roleplay writing that facilitates direct interaction between two or more characters. It is best used for short bits of dialogue because a joint-post can get very long very fast as each roleplayer builds on the last reply.
Most forum platforms require that the players write a joint-post off-site using an application such as Google Docs. For the sites that do allow users to edit one another’s’ posts, they have to remember to manually notify the other writer of their tags. However, Vesta allows for users to joint-post directly on the board. If a forum is joint-post enabled, then all users can edit threads and posts. While someone is editing, the post is locked so that no one else can edit it. After the new content is saved, the lock opens, and the next person can edit. Additionally, when a post is edited and saved in a JP-enabled forum, the thread acts as if a new reply has been added by sending alerts and listing the thread as having new replies.
Be sure to read the guidelines for Joint Posts on the Rules page.
Mature Content
MPIW's rating is 111. Please read the Rules for specifics.
Vesta takes an opt-in approach to mature content management. Each user is responsible for opting-in or opting-out of seeing mature content if the site allows it. If they have opted-in, they are responsible for marking their threads and posts appropriately. Details on how to opt-in or opt-out can be found in the Account Registration guide.
By flipping the mature content toggle switch to on in threads and posts, users that have opted out or are underage will not be able to see it. If a user without mature content enabled clicks on a mature thread, Vesta simply redirects them to the board index.
Important! There is a marker next to thread titles in the index that indicates if a thread has been marked mature.
Mentions
If you are not sure that your writing partner subscribes to threads, Vesta offers another way to alert them. By inputting the mention code, you will be able to tag another user and alert them.
Everyone involved in a thread should follow it once they have been tagged one time. This eliminates the need to mention them every time. If they follow the thread and you mention them in each post, they will receive two alerts. Please try to avoid doing this by using the system as it was designed.
Mention Code: @[displayname]. Do not add spaces. After you post, the code converts to the Display Name of the user that was tagged. It might be a good name to use a format similar to Tags @[displayname] for Character Name in multi-character threads.
Subscriptions
There are two ways to follow content; manually and automatically. To automatically follow all content that you start or have posted in (IC or OOC), go to Manage Profile and turn on “Automatically follow content I post or reply to.” To manually follow content or to subscribe to entire forums, you can click Follow above the thread content or at the top of the thread index to subscribe to the board.
Credits
This guide was inspired by a similar one on the Resurgence RPG.