Rules.

▶ This is a sandbox game. As such, it's largely a player collaboration with little mod interference, as we want people to get creative and play out what they want to play, explore their own ideas and themes for their characters, etc. Players are welcome to submit NPCs and creatures to appear in the game, as well as bring in new locations via the Shifts. Players are also welcome to make some assumptions regarding some of the amenities in the colony. While the mods are around to answer questions and enforce the rules, if you're looking for a mod-guided experience, this is likely not the game for you.

▶ In order for everyone to have a good time, it's important not to utterly break the game in a way that makes it difficult for others to have any kind of agency. If your character is going to do something that could affect Anchor as a whole and potentially break other player plots in motion - for example, turning off all the oxygen or obliterating the food processors - please check with the mods, as well as make a post in the OOC community about it so other players can be aware of what's going on, have their characters react to fix potential problems, etc.

▶ Play nice. If you are making the OOC atmosphere of the game toxic for fellow players or the moderator, there will be consequences. This includes all the standard accepted rules of roleplay: don't infomod or godmode, keep IC separate from OOC, don't fourth-wall without permission, stay in character, and don't try to hog the spotlight all the time. All offenses will be handled on a case-by-case basis, as no two situations are the same. The mods reserve the right to issue warnings or remove players from the game, depending how serious the offense is, and to refuse applications or reserves based on a strongly demonstrated history of toxic behavior.

Game Standards.

▶ The communities are: redshiftrp for network posting, redshiftlogs for in-person interactions, and redshiftooc for OOC interactions. redmarsshit is the community where memes, including test drive memes, will be posted. Tagging on these communities should be done in the form of "canon name: character name" and players are responsible for their own tagging.

joining the game

▶ Test Drive Memes will be posted infrequently, and are considered game canon. Current players are welcome to post top-levels on the TDM posts, or to use prompts from the TDM in posts done on any of the game communities. Any threads with characters on the TDM that are not applied for or accepted can still be considered game canon by current players, with the missing character being explained ICly as a digital ghost or glitch.

▶ Applications are always open!

▶ Appable characters include fandom characters or original characters, with the game primarily aimed at characters with CRAU, though characters may be apped straight from canon. Characters should have sufficient released information in English (or translated to English) to form a personality that is less than half headcanon, and be from a canon that has been released for a month or more at the time of application. Characters who are dead in canon can be applied for without restriction. Characters created for D&D campaigns are considered original characters. As of our sandbox transition, we also allow malleable protagonists (Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Fallout, etc.), fandom-based original characters (including MMO characters like from World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV), and AU versions of characters that are not supported by canon.

▶ If you wish to apply for a non-humanoid character who would need special accommodations due to size or other variables, please contact the moderator before applying to discuss options.

▶ Duplicates are appable with a caveat: only one version of a character may be in the game at any given time. Duplicates will generally only be allowed if the two versions diverge so thoroughly that they could be considered different canons. For example, Peter Parker from the comics and Peter Parker from the MCU could both be in the game at the same time, but not two Peter Parkers from the MCU. With that being the case, there may very well be other versions of your character present in-game at any given time. If you need to be a Highlander, this may not be the game for you.

activity check

▶ Activity check is a bi-monthly check-in that will be posted by the mods. Players will have a week to reply to it, after which point, any characters unaccounted for will be swept. They may be reapplied for at any time.

▶ Newly accepted characters will be required to provide a link to their responses to the various housekeeping entries linked in their application acceptance comment.

▶ Hiatuses of longer than 14 days will exempt the player from activity check.

abilities, content & miscellaneous game mechanics

▶ Character abilities will not be nerfed unless they involve interdimensional travel or use of interdimensional spaces, or are otherwise gamebreaking. For CRAU characters who gained an ability or whose ability was altered in a previous game, it is up to player choice whether they want to restore the character's canon ability (or lack thereof) or keep the new/altered ability, but only one can be chosen.

▶ Redshift is sex-positive, however non-consensual sex should not be played in the game - either on the main or meme communities or in any entry linked on the Taken Characters page, including IC inboxes. In the case of adult prompts, any mechanics included in these posts are intended to facilitate consensual sex, not to encourage sexual assault, or to 'trick' characters into having sex that they would not normally have.

▶ Young or teen characters are allowed in Redshift. Characters under 18 may not be involved in detailed sexual logs on the main or meme communities or in any entry linked on the Taken Characters page. Obviously, making out and other romantic content is fine, as is fade to black for older teens, but sexual content with minors will not be allowed in-game.

▶ Use content warnings for anything that other players may want to avoid - this is including but not limited to: drug use, sexual content, taboo romantic/sexual situations (e.g. incest, exploitation, extreme age gap), drug and alcohol use, mental health issues (e.g. suicidal ideation, dementia, etc.), and anything similar. Please use common sense for this, and if you have any questions or concerns, contact the mods for mediation.

▶ Character deaths can be either permanent or non-permanent, depending on the player's choice, to allow for different playing styles. From a character perspective, this would seem completely random and arbitrary.

▶ Dropped characters simply flicker out of existence. It is unknown to characters at this time where they end up when they leave.

▶ Canon updates can happen at any time and there is no need for mod approval. When a character canon updates, they can either simply disappear for a day or two, or flicker in and out as if they were a fritzing projection, and when they reappear, they will have their updated canon memories.

Ask a Question.

Any questions related to game standards, housekeeping, rules, activity check, character abilities or suitability, or other out of character information can be asked on this page. Answers to previously-asked questions will be linked below for ease of use.

▶ Can characters bring pets or animal companions and how big can they be?
▶ If my CRAU game samples are more than a year old, what do I do for samples?
▶ What if my CRAU game added powers to my character's existing one instead of replacing them?
▶ Would short-range teleporting enabled by contact with the Fade be considered interdimensional travel?
▶ What kind of ghosts are present in Anchor and how did they die?
▶ How would characters who arrive with a deadly communicable disease be handled?
▶ How would powers and canon-specific tools from first person shooters be handled?
▶ What is the smallest amount of canon needed for a character to be appable?
▶ How are non-standard-sized characters handled?
▶ Are characters who arrive injured healed or not?
▶ How are comics vs. live action canons handled?
▶ What is the definition of 'canon AU' and does it apply to changes in previous games?
▶ Can characters intentionally speak their native language despite the translation mechanic?
▶ What if my character doesn't want to disrobe on arrival? Can my character have their prescription meds?
▶ Can a person post an application on behalf of a friend who is temporarily offline?