Forum Announcement: XWF RULES, tips, and FAQ! - You are highly encouraged to read ALL of this

Thaddeus Duke · **01-01-2013, 11:33 PM**

*NOTICE*

The XWF is not a “safe space” for incels who want to write out their hatred in fanfic form. You will NOT post blatantly racist, homophobic, xenophobic, etc., rhetoric and try to pass it off as “creativity.” You will NOT let out your repressed sexual urges in the form of rape, incest, pedophilia, etc., and attempt to call it “fiction.”

Yes, we know, some folks may see this as “stifling creativity” and an affront to “free speech.” Those people are welcome to start up an 8chan forum and write all of the awful BS they can think up, and then pass it back and forth on Parler. They are not welcome to participate in the XWF e-fed.

Why? Simple. We want EVERYONE to feel welcomed and comfortable here. Writing hateful or disgusting garbage only prevents people from joining and participating. There’s a reason that the people who write things like that do so alone and live with their parents - it’s because nobody else wants to be around them. “But what about the comfort of people who want to write racist porn?” It should be pretty easy for anybody to “not” do something they are asked not to do. It’s something we learn as babies. If you simply cannot write a story without breaking the rules, then perhaps this is simply not the hobby for you.

Now, this is not to say that “sensitive topics” cannot in some way be addressed. We are telling stories, after all. However, there is a distinct difference between “art” and “gratuity.” Quite frankly, 99% of what people write in efedding is not “art.” We are trying to entertain one another, or to one-up each other, etc. This is not the correct time to show how shocking and edgy you can be by saying the words that Twitter banned your account for saying. We are online. We are public. We are open to all ages, races, orientations, backgrounds, identities, and species (I know you’re out there). Act like you’re in a room full of people you don’t want to upset - because you are.

What does this amount to, specifically?

No racial, ethnic, religious slurs or epithets, please. You can have the biggest “potty mouth” in the game without crossing these lines. I promise you, if you think your writing NEEDS to go there, then it’s just because you are BAD AT IT.

No depictions of sexual abuse, underage grossness, familial trysts, hardcore porn, weird poop fetishes, and so on. Why? Because no one wants to read it, especially the people who will be judging your writing. Again, if you think your only good writing comes in these forms, then you have no good writing.

No, seriously, that’s about it. It doesn’t seem that difficult, does it? You would be surprised how many people feel the need to cross these lines, though! Don’t be those people. If you think you are writing something that might fall into some sort of grey area, you probably are. If you are dead set on telling some backstory that might touch on these topics, come to one of the admins here and we can discuss it.

Thanks!

Definitions for some words/phrases you may see here:

Roleplay = Story or interview involving your wrestler.

RP = Short way of saying Roleplay.

Handler = The person who is writing for and controlling a wrestler. When you create a wrestler, you are their handler.

IC = In Character (meaning something said or done AS your wrestler)

OOC = Out of Character (meaning something said or done AS yourself, the handler who controls your wrestler)

Face = Good Guy, Nice Guy, Fan Favorite, Gets cheered by most or all of the fans.

Heel = Bad Guy, Rule Breaker, Hated and booed by most or all of the fans.

Tweener = Someone in between Face & Heel.

Angle = A plan or storyline.

TBA = To Be Announced.

PPV = Pay-Per-View

Character Development or CD = An RP or even a news/rumors post that basically furthers your character in some manner. A way of adding depth to your character and giving the readers a better understanding for who your character is and why he/she is the way they are.

Special XWF material to use if you want:

Our main interviewer is named STEVE SAYORS. He could be considered a "face/good guy" in most cases. He is a wimp and can easily be pushed around and bullied. He won't fight back and will just try to stick to being professional at all times. If your character is a face, good guy, etc... he will most likely get along with them and agree with their views.

The XWF owner is VINCENT LANE. There are many other backstage names you can familiarize yourself with by looking HERE.

The giant screen that shows videos over the entrance-way to the arena is called the X-TRON. Not the titan tron. (examples: The X-TRON flashes to life as we now see some backstage footage. ...or... The X-TRON lights up with the entrance video of "Wrestler A" as his music begins playing through the air...)

Fed Wide Rules
Can I use HTML and videos in my Role Plays?
Absolutely! We encourage "nice" looking role plays. I like seeing a good custom layout. Just make sure you don't use dark colors that are too hard to read, or colors that clash in some manner that messes with the eyes.

Can I use real wrestlers like Stone Cold or John Cena?
No. We don't want to see a karaoke version of a WWE wrestler. We want something new and original that came from your own imagination and creativity.

I lost a match that I really, really thought I should have won. Can I ask for reasons why I lost?
Yes, but try to give us a day or so and make sure you do it IN PRIVATE. Openly complaining about a loss is not the way to go about it. If you send a professional sounding PM (private message) to the staff then we will try our best to explain why you lost. We have multiple sets of eyes on nearly every match to ensure the proper outcome is reached.

Alright, I get not to keep asking why I lost... but what if I want to ask for specific pointers on how I can improve?
You're welcome to do that. Send a private message to the management staff of your show. Ask for some tips on how to improve. You'll usually get a thorough response as long as you ask politely, but keep in mind you'll have to wait until the person has time to give you their full attention, so please don't rush them.

How does collaboration work? (working with other Role Players)
Two people working together on a single Role Play in a singles match is not OK. You can't delegate portions of a Role Play for your match to someone else. For example, you can't pull in your buddy who's good at trash talk to write your trash talk portion for you. If want to have someone else's character make an appearance in your Role Play then you can write their dialogue for them or have them write their own. Ultimately the main story of the Role Play needs to be lead by you and not someone else. Keep in mind that you can only use someone else's character in your Role Play with their permission. Violating this rule will get you disqualified. Example Scenario: My characters routinely work with others' characters all the time. They've never written parts of my story for me, nor I for them. Recently I've had Theo Pryce appear in Duke's story and he can attest to the fact that he merely looked it over, yet added nothing. Its a benefit of knowing each others characters so well and working together for so long. Sending our work to each other is just a formality. In the event that one of us would get something wrong we'd tell the other "hey Theo, Duke would say this," or "hey Duke, Theo would react this way," and nothing more.

How do I get booked?
Each show has its own booking section of the forum. Simply opt in for the show you want to be on.

Can I take time off?
In the past, it was always said that if a handler is planning to take time off or leave, they must PRIVATELY inform us so that we may make the necessary arrangements from an IN CHARACTER standpoint. This way nobody has to be left hanging, and your exit can be handled in an entertaining way that will also give you more fuel later on if/when you are ready to return to action.

How are matches written?
This depends almost entirely on the writers themselves. There is no set limit or minimum for any match. Most matches are well thought out and therefore well written by the match writer. If you're facing a no-show opponent or a house jobber, then most likely your match will be less competitive overall and more of a "showcase" of your stars abilities.

Can I have more than one character?
Sure but only create the amount you're willing to put work into. If you start signing up characters and no-showing them, we'll stop booking you. No showing will get you a warning, and two warnings in a row will mean you don't get booked the next time you try to. Manage your time wisely!

Can I recruit members of XWF into my own e-fed?
Listen, there are a million feds out there. Is it okay to run one and compete? Yes. Is it okay for members to be in multiple feds? Yes. If they catch wind of yours and want to join it, we don't care. BUT - if it's apparent that your mission is to just use our roster as a farm to fill your own? That's a problem. Don't do that.

Other major rules?
- Plagiarism of any kind is strictly forbidden. Do not have someone else write your role play. Do not steal a role play or any piece of writing you found on the internet. Do not have AI generate the contents of your role play, either the entire role play or scene(s) of it. And no, you cannot reuse role plays from your old fed for competition purposes. Doing any of the above will result in you getting a hefty ban. - GMs may alter your story or angles on the show. This is done in order to keep a nice flow going or to create some extra momentum. - We do encourage stables/factions, however there is a limit to how many active characters you may have in a stable and that limit is 5. Not included in that limit are Managers or Valets or Authority Figures. - Role Play deadlines are at 11:59 PST time two days before the show unless it's postponed or extended. Late role plays are subject to being thrown out or penalized at the staffs discretion depending on how late that RP is. - No "Godmodding" - You cannot alter your opponents' character or story on a whim without permission. For example, if you write a roleplay wherein you burn your foe's house down, or in some other way change the facts that should be under their jurisdiction alone, you are godmodding. Talk to who you are working with if you want to run these sorts of angles. - No OOC - Minor allusions to the 4th wall or simple nods to the "real world" may be tolerated, but blatantly stating things that could not be known IC will result in a DQ of the RP and a loss. Furthermore, any OOC attacks on handlers in real life, especially threats, can get you suspended or banned permanently. If you're not sure if something is IC, it probably isn't. Furthermore, yes, we know sometimes problems develop between different handlers. You are FREE to hate each other privately. Never bring that hate the forums OR to our discord. There is a ZERO tolerance policy in place that begins with hefty warnings and can ultimately lead to temporary bans should issues persist. - The XWF is an inclusive community. Though we may disagree on religion, politics, etc., please keep discussions in their proper place when in these types of discussions on our discords. Never bring those discussions into general chat.

WARFARE
Who are the managers for Warfare?
Peter Principle is the Head GM for Warfare with oversight by Thaddeus Duke.
What is the schedule for Warfare?
Warfare is every two weeks, in part to accommodate people who may not be able to adhere to a weekly schedule, and in part to allow for more roleplaying for this show as the roleplay word limit is higher than Anarchy. Warfare occurs on Mondays with the RP deadline on Saturday prior.
What are the limits for Role Plays on Warfare?
- Warfare is a Bi-Weekly show with a 1 RP/4k words format for all matches. - Your roleplay can not be a "Response Roleplay" meaning you can not respond to anything your opponent/s said in their roleplay for this cycle. We do this to try and even the playing field as much as possible. You can of course respond to other trash talk they may have said in roleplays from previous cycles or on other boards. As well as on social media so long as they are IC comments.

Anarchy Thursdays
Who are the managers for Anarchy?
At this time, Anarchy is fully overseen by Barry Masterson with oversight from Thaddeus Duke.
What is the schedule for Anarchy?
Anarchy is bi weekly on Thursdays.
What are the Role Play limits on Anarchy?
Anarchy matches are MICRO format. This means that they are extremely minimal. One roleplay per match per competitor, and each RP is limited to a maximum of 1,000 words except tag team matches which are 1 collaborative RP with a 2k word max. We want to see a focus on match relevance tied into your story and shoot style classic wrestling promos here.

What sets Anarchy apart from the rest of XWF?
Anarchy roster members will not be expected to take on a heavier writing burden as seen on Warfare unless they request to do so. There will also be a separate Anarchy Championship that is only defended between Anarchy members. Anyone can ask to take part on an Anarchy show even if they are not part of the Anarchy roster. Conversely anyone on the Anarchy roster can also compete on Warfare if they wish however they will be required to write to those shows roleplay requirements.

What will results look like?
Results for Anarchy will be shorter, reflecting the lighter workload. Segments of any size are welcomed and encouraged to assist with storyline and character development, but the matches themselves will not be high word count.

Tag Team/Multi Person Matches
How do the roleplay rules differ for tag/multiperson matches compared to singles matches?
A new rule that was instituted in the second half of 2021 is the notion of tag and multi person roleplays being done in a collaborative fashion. So for Warfare you will have 1 collaborative RP at 4k words as a team. On Anarchy, you'll have 1 collaborative RP at 2k words as a team.

What are the titles and what level are they?
The Universal Title is the main event championship in the fed and is defended a minimum of once every two months on regular shows and Pay-Per-Views. The roleplay rules for Universal Title matches as well as the match stipulations are up to the current Universal Champion. We call this the Champs Advantage. The X-Treme Title is often thought of the second-most important championship due to the rewards attached to it which are a mixture of WWE's Hardcore Title and Money In The Bank briefcase. See this page for more information. The X-Treme Title will be defended a minimum of once per month in a match. The Tag Titles operate just like any other tag team championship. They are not defended as often due to time restraints, generally. They can be defended using a Freebird option for storyline purposes with GM/Administrator approval. The Television Title is essentially the "Warfare Championship," and will be defended on a bi-weekly basis on Warfare. The TV champ gets to name the match stipulations for all of their matches by naming the stipulation in their first roleplay of the cycle. The Anarchy Title will be defended on the Anarchy show only, outside of major PPV events. King of the XWF used to be our main event championship but is now decided once a year in a tournament. 24/7 Briefcases are "cash-ins" that are earned by successfully completing the Xtreme Title Defense Tour or by winning certain special events. Case Holders have 1 year from the date they obtain the case to use it or the case is forfeit. Superstar of the Month and Roleplay of the Month are voted on by the entire XWF community and come with X-Bux and your character featured on the main page. Quote of the Moment is similar, though more arbitrary and under no specific time frame.

How do cash-ins work?
You PM Thaddeus Duke that you want to cash in your briefcase on the champion. We then judge any role plays that you did that cycle against your victim who will have a certain percentage of energy/health knocked off based on how difficult their first match was. Staff will be responsible for adding cash in's to the shows so that no one but the staff and the person cashing in are aware of the segment.