They are a little more informative and a bit stricter than the last version.
Also this addresses some "issues" BOTP3 had.

Some notes: The PostIcon system has been removed.  The and will remain due to their usefulness.

[  BOTP Ten Commandments  |  Ability System  |  LERB  |  AAHHHH!! COLORS!!  ]

BOTP Ten Commandments:

1. If you write a Non-Player-Character (NPC), event, location, object, or anything else into play, it is subject to change by anyone without any prior notice.
   In other words, you have no reason to get pissed off when someone fucks up the story you've been planning for weeks.  Other people have ideas they want to use as well, and hogging the story is just plain rude.
   
   If you have a really cool idea, you can use the Suggestion Box.
   
   CREATING ELABORATE PLANS SECRETLY FOR STORIES IS HIGHLY UNADVISED.  THIS ONLY SERVES TO TAKE THE FUN OUT OF BOTP FOR EVERYONE ELSE.
   
2. NPC's should be kept to a minimum.
   General rule of thumb is one NPC per Active-Player-Character (APC).  But, there should be as few NPC as possible at any given time.
   
3. AWOL
   You are considered 'absent without leave' after a period of 2 weeks of inactivity WITHOUT an explanation.

• Penalties for being AWOL:
  • At this time you forfeit your character and it becomes an NPC.
  • They may or may not be kept in play.
  • You will have to re-sign up with a new character to rejoin.
  • You will be considered a late entry upon re-signing up and will be subject to the LERB...should you decide to show back up.
    

4. Comments during battles and stories should be kept to a minimum.
   Please try to keep all comments in the Battle Discussion forum, and only post a comment to a battle or story if it's important and related to what's going on.
   
5. Keep ALL attacks reasonable.
   No, "I use KI to blow up the universe" or "I summon a fleet of 83,246,018,264 heavily armed X-Wings carrying neutron bombs."
   
6. No writing battles between your character vs another poster's character.
   You may write about yourself and set up battles about yourself, but when it comes to the fights themselves, someone else has to write the outcome.
   
   On a similar note, you may not use an NPC that you create to kill someone off.
   
7. Once your character is dead, you're done.
   You can write about other characters, but your guy is going to have to sit out the rest of the Battle.
   
8. Feel free to form grudges or alliances.
   Careful though, because anything goes in the MDb World.  HOWEVER, you can't take a grudge out on someone using another character.
   
9. Character biographies should have the following.

• Description
  • Name
  • ALL physical traits you care to be known (the more the easier for others to write about you)
  • Home/Place of origin
  • Transportation or lack thereof
  • Personality traits
  • Pre-existing alliances/grudges (if any)
  • Backstory (Optional)
  • Motives / Goals
• Abilities (see the Ability System for details)
• ISH-O-VISION color.  Not required, but is requested so that the ISH-O-VISION posts remain consistent.

10. "I Quit"

• Before the start of BOTP:
  Your character will be deleted from existence and not used.  This is so you may use a different character should you decide to rejoin.
• After the start of BOTP:
  A scenario to AWOL applies. IE: you forfeit your character and they may or may not be kept in play.  However, you can resume control IF you rejoin and the character is still in play.
• In either case, you will be subject to the LERB.

Ability System:

We have worked extensively to make the BOTP4 ability system as free form as the BOTP1 & 2 styles, but retaining the quick reference style of BOTP3's system.

Why is it required to have 1 attack, defense, and fighting style?  This is so no one's character will have a handicap/advantage over the others.  Really, would you want 9 attacks and no way to defend yourself?  I thought not.

Characters are given ability slots to declare different attributes.  But please try to classify what you're putting into the free slots as Attack, Defense, Style, or Special.

NOTE: No character may have more than 3 Special Attacks...see below for Special Attacks classification.

DESPERATION ATTACKS are STILL strictly off limits.

• 1 default Attack Slots
• 1 default Defense Slot
• 1 default Fighting Style Slot
• 6 Free Slots

Attack Slot:
One default means of attack must be declared here.  This is can be something physical such as a sword, gun, any other item of attack; or a non-physical attack / such as KI attacks, such as energy blasts, fireballs, etc.

Defensive Slot:
One defense must be declared here.  This can be a shield, a force field, teleportation, or whatever.

Fighting Style Slot:
One default fighting style must be declared here.  This will be your primary fighting style.  Usually this will be some form of martial art, a fighting style from a game, or something similar.

Free Slots:
These slots can be used to add on attacks, defenses, or fighting styles.  It's up to you as to how you want to use them.  Also, if wish you can stick up to 3 Special Attacks in here!

Special Attacks (Optional):
Special attacks can be declared in a Free Slot.  Special attacks are a form of powerful attack or combination of attacks.  Attacks considered Special Attacks are ones like Powered Kamehameha (Gohan, DragonBall Z), Super Fireball (Ryu, Street Fighter Alpha), Limit Breaks (Final Fantasy VII), Transformation (Aisha, Outlaw Star) or anything combo of 2 or more other attacks...you get the idea.

Late Entry Review Board (the LERB):

• To join after the sign-up ending date or to return after being declared AWOL...you must BEG the LERB to let you in.
• The LERB currently comprises of myself, Wave Man, FireNexus.
• Further more...the rules are stricter for late comers.  You will be AWOL after a period of one week of inactivity WITHOUT an explanation.
• For previously AWOLed participants: get declared AWOL again, and that's it...you're out until the next BOTP rolls around.

ISH-O-VISION:

Since BOTP3 featured a color coded script writing-style so prevalently, dubbed ISH-O-VISION, it is requested that you select a color to represent your character in these style posts.

Use the AAHHHH!! COLORS!! or AAHHHH!! COLORS!! 2 color tables to chose from.