What should I know and do before I send my character concept to the GM?
What's the difference between and SIMM and an RPG you ask? Its a hard thing to explain but I'll do my best with an example of game play after. In an RPG you have a GM, they run the NPCs, the situations and tell you what you see in a situation, they create the props and scenerios. It depends on the GM and the Players how much control the GM holds and how much he/she lets the players hold. But generally most of the creation is left up to the GM (or the player will seek the GM's approval for creation of an item/person.) with the players supplying their character's reactions and conversations. In a SIMM their is a moderator who makes sure the story flows at that no players go nuts, but creation of NPCs, playing of other characters (to a limited degree) and the storyline is almost entirely left up to the player. A SIMM is more like an ongoing story with many writers.
Here's an example of a post in a RPG : (GM responding to a player)
> Edwin catches Doe assuming a fighting stance from the corner of one eye.
>Fine, he thinks, she's ready if it comes to fighting. "Headed north, out of the city," Edwin said,
>stepping forward with his makeshift spear held in one hand. "We could use cold weather
>clothing, sleeping bags and maybe tents; bows with arrows if you got em."
>"For trade we can barter some food with us, but better than that the location of a big food cache,
>enough to last a good long time.
> "So, shall we talk?"
The man looks Doe up and snorts derisevely then turns to Edwin. "Ain't chargin for this stuff, buddy, just makin sure everyone gets their fair share y'know." He turns and calls over his shouldar "Hey, Bonny, grab eight kits will ya?"
A woman who stands about 5'2 waddles out, she's obviously very pregnant but seems happy, she has long thick black hair and a kind face. She dumps a hiking backpack on the ground, waddles back into the store, comes back with another one. "Y'sure you don't want help?" the man asks her.
"I told you already, do what you're good at. Standing around" she calls, waddling back out with another hiking backpack. She makes eight trips in all and then takes a long drink of water out of a cateen. "Phew! This IS going to keep me in shape! Anything else you guys need?"
-GM
And here's an example of a post in a SIMM : (One of K'Lira's posts..)
(Not one of the best examples, but I'm still not completely comfortable in the SIMM environment..)
> Eric looks around the establishment then back to the Bar tender, " I would
>like to speak to K'Lira, Official Business." Eric smiles " You understand don't you"?
The large Klingon just blinks at Eric then shrugs, gesturing with a thumb over his shouldar to K'Lira's office.
Eric wanders past the loud groups of people to stand infront of a wooden door thats slightly ajar. K'Lira looks up at him from the person she's talking to. She turns to say something to the unknown person and the door opens as a shifty looking human walks out.
K'Lira watches Eric like a hawk as he enters her domain. The office is spartan, a large oak desk is the only real furniture. Two leather chairs sit on one side of the desk, and a large reclinging office chair on the other. K'Lira is leaning back in her chair, feet up on her desk, her mass of curled hair a chaotic mess that somehow is a style.
She grins a sideways grin and gestures for Eric to be seated. Her blouse is unlaced to show the most clevage possible without being indecent and her leather pants look like they've been painted on. Her knee high leather boots impecable. A sabre hangs on the wall behind her right arm. A Holo of some artic planet swirls a snowstorm to her left. "So, what brings you to my doorstep?"
-Captain K'Lira, mischief engineer.
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Metro/8570
"Two outta Three ain't bad, but Seven of Nine is better!"