FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General Info ✖ Game Mechanics ✖ Logistics ✖ Misc
G E N E R A L I N F O
→ What exactly is Vivarium?
Vivarium is an AU memory-loss roleplaying game based of a 3DS/Vita game called Virtue’s Last Reward (VLR) of the Zero Escape series, taking some ideas and basic setting from it. It focuses on escape, exploration of a trapped enclosure, and the prisoners’ dilemma. To read more about the prisoners' dilemma, here is a handy link.
→ Do we have to know anything about Virtue’s Last Reward to play in this game?
No prior knowledge will be needed, as we will be explaining everything and changing some details from the game, so even if you do know the canon, not everything is going to be the same. We will also not be spoiling anything concerning the plot of the game, or even 999, its prequel. So you can come into this game with only 999 knowledge and not be spoiled on VLR, besides from the very basic mechanics.
G A M E M E C H A N I C S
→ Okay, how will characters wake up and where?
Characters will be placed in an enclosed area (an elevator of sorts) with no idea how they've arrived or where they are. Characters will quickly realize that they only remember two things: their own name, and being kidnapped by a strange figure in a gas mask and raincoat. The only things on them are the clothes on their back (the ones they were in when kidnapped), nothing else. Well, except for a bracelet attached to their wrists with no noticeable clasps and no way of removing them. This is what all bracelets will look like this.
However, there are two major differences: See that red color and the word ‘PAIR’ under the number? Those can vary between character. Some characters will wake up with a red color, while others might wake up with blue, or some other color. Some might wake up with the word ‘PAIR’ while others might wake up with the word ‘SOLO’, like so.
Three characters will have the same colors, while two will have the same color and the word PAIR; the third person will have the same color and the word SOLO.
The one thing that isn't different between everyone is the number 3, which everyone starts with. More information about the bracelets are here.
→ What can my character bring in with them?
Nothing but the clothes they were wearing at the time they were kidnapped!
→ Where is all of this taking place?
Inside a big warehouse. Emphasis on big. Only the first floor is available as of this point. Here is a link to all the locations in the game.
→ What is this number and how is it important?
This number is called Bracelet Points (BP), and this is your characters’ ticket to getting out of here, if they can raise it to 63 BP.
→ Is escape the only reward for raising our BP?
Raising your BP isn't necessary to just escape, it’s for your characters’ survival.
They’re trapped in this enclosure for who-knows-how-long and they need food and water. They might also need medical supplies because those puzzle rooms aren't entirely safe. All of these rewards are only obtainable through BP.
You can only have access to water if you have at least 3 BP. You can only have access to food if you have at least 9 BP. Medical supplies are 15 BP but are deductible, unlike food and water, which are not. The more BP you have, the more valuables are accessible. Therefore, increasing your BP is a necessity.
To see all the BP levels, click here.
→ How do we raise this BP?
First, they have to go through something called the Chromatic Doors in teams of three and solve the puzzles/explorations/games inside.
Then, they partake in a little voting that can either raise or lower their BP. They can also earn BP through Calhoun Hour events or plot points. More info about these different method of BP earning will be answered in the FAQ.
→ How are teams made?
Each round, new teams will be randomized, mixing up both colors and PAIR and SOLO modes. Two with PAIR and one with SOLO will share the same color, and they will be forced to go through the Chromatic Doors of that colour.
→ That’s it? Well, that’s easy.
Slow down there, that’s not everything. On the other side, this will lead to rooms called the Ambidex Rooms (AB Rooms). In here, the prisoners’ dilemma takes place.
The pairs and solo will be separated and placed in different AB Rooms. This is where the voting takes place. The pairs and solo will be placed against each other and asked if they would like to ally or betray the other.
If both sides ally, they will gain 2 BP, but that’s assuming your character trusts the other to do the same. The problem is if one side picks ally and the other picks betray, the side that picks ally will lose 2 BP while the side that picks betray will gain 3 BP. There’s more to gain if you betray the other's trust.
What if both sides are distrusting and both choose betray? Then neither team will gain or lose any points. That may be good, but they’ll get nowhere at this rate.
Here is a handy chart for anyone who wants a visual aid.
→ Are characters/parties forced to vote, or can they sit out? What happens then?
If one party chooses not to partake in the voting, their choice will automatically be chosen as ally. There might be a few reasons why a party might not vote: They might choose willingly to sit out, or the other party might forcefully prevent them from voting, through restraint or even murder. After all, if you know the other party will default to ally, it’s in your best interests to choose betray and gain more BP, right?
→ How do we vote?
All votes will be done on a screened post where players can input their parties’ choice, along with a locked log for pairs, who want to thread out their dilemma. Solos may just comment straight to the screened post.
→ So, it was mentioned earlier that we can lose BP. Is it possible to below 0?
Yes, it can happen, but if you hit 0 or below it?
You die.
On each watch are two needles: one which will inject Soporil β, an anesthetic, which will put your character to sleep, then the other will inject Tubocurarine, which will stop the character’s respiratory system and kill them. Or the watch may malfunction and inject the Tubocurarine first, who knows, but either way, you won’t be dying nicely.
As of Day 19, it was revealed that these watches also contain explosive, similar to 999's watches.
→ How is death handled here?
Death is permanent, so please be very careful when killing off your characters, because death does have real consequences - the only way to be revived if you are killed is if you have BP >54, which gets you a one-time get-out-of-death card. You could theoretically also be revived if someone else with BP >54 decided to use their free pass on you, but is there anyone really willing to risk losing that?
→ Which characters have died in Vivarium?
Currently, our list is:
→ Akiko | Time of Eve | Died on Day 19
→ Does this mean I can't app in characters who are dead?
Yes, because of how the game is handled, once a character dies, no one can play the character afterwards, unless the get-out-of-death card is used. However, this card can only be used to revive someone shortly after their death.
→ Are these puzzle rooms only run by the mods?
If you are interested in helping run/write puzzle rooms, we would be willing to open up running to others beyond just the mod team! We would want to assess your capabilities first, but we are definitely open to the idea. Submit all of your suggestions here.
→ Now, let's get back to BP earning. What are Calhoun Hour events?
In between every new game of AB Rounds, Calhoun likes to take a cool down period and have some fun. Generally lasting three OOC weeks, these events are much more laid back and general, such as Bingo, Mario Party, and such on. During each event, there are ways to earn BP, and even Calhoun Coins!
These events have been made to occur every month and a half so players can take a break between all the stress their characters may go through, and get to have a cool down period.
→ Whoa whoa whoa, wait a minute. Calhoun Coins? Just what are those?
Fake currency Calhoun has made! You can only gain them through Calhoun Hours, or through special events, and they're used to buy items from Calhoun's Corner. Characters cannot exchange them for BP, but they can at least get some necessities with these coins.
→ Okay... Well, what can my character do between games?
Whatever they want, within reason! They can talk to other players (yelling at someone for previously betraying them, striking up alliances, etc.), enjoy the privileges they are afforded if they have high enough BP (go eat, get a drink, sleep on a comfy bed), or get up to other mischief! If they try to cause any sort of damage to the warehouse/Zero’s equipment, however, they will be in Big Trouble.
→ Where is my character supposed to stay/sleep?
Depends on your BP level! If you reach 27 BP, you’ll get access to the sleeping quarters with beds. Below that, you can sleep/stay anywhere you want in the warehouse... which means you’ll be roughing it on the floor. Have fun with that.
L O G I S T I C S
→ Are there any applications I have to fill to play a character?
There are indeed applications, and they are currently open, so you may submit one over here.
→ What's the game's speed?
Vivarium can be a fairly fast to medium paced game, especially when events are going on. Backtagging is encouraged, and puzzle rooms can be tagged all up until AC without penalty, though there are occasionally timed events that last about four OOC days.
Please note that the game is very heavily team based, especially the puzzle rooms, so make sure you have the time to get at least ten tags in each room as every person in the team relies on each other to get through! If you have any specific questions about the speed please contact the mods!
→ How many characters will be in the game in any given time?
Depending on the level of interest, we will either have 9 or 12 total characters in the game at a time. 12 is a hard maximum cap; if we have more than 9 or 12 interested applicants who are accepted, the remaining characters will be placed on a waiting list and will be allowed to enter the game once another character drops.
→ How long do you normally have to wait on the queue?
We cannot say for certain how long you will have to stay, but it can be anything from a very short wait to months, depending on drops and anyone being in the queue before you.
→ Is there a limit on just how many I could play?
Yes. Due to the hard character cap mentioned above, each player is only allowed to play one character.
ETA: As of May 29 2015, players who were already in the game were allowed to take on a second character for the new event. For new players who have joined in after May 29th, they are required to stick to one character unless they speak to a mod about apping in a second character.
→ How about cast cap? Do you have a limit on those?
Yes, also due to limited slots available in the game. Each cast can only have a maximum of three characters. This cap does not apply for reserves. However, if we received any number of applications that exceed the number of slots available in a cast, we will proceed the applications by a first-come first-serve basis.
To see which casts are full or near full, please refer to the taken page.
→ I want to play a new character but I don't want to lose my spot in the game, what should I do?
Well, it just so happens that you're in luck! As long as you're active and passed the most recent activity check without reduced AC or a strike, you're more than welcome to switch characters! What this means is your place in the game is guaranteed, so all you need to do is put in an app for a new character while playing the old one and if you're accepted your current character will be dropped and your new one will be brought in!
→ You mentioned this was an AU game; what sort of AU do you expect?
All characters will be from the same world. This is a modern world that is mostly ruled by the laws of physics, one like our own. Please keep that in mind when writing AUs.
→ What kind of characters can I play here?
Appable characters, as a general rule, are fandom characters for whom there is enough info on to make a wiki page. Not necessarily Wikipedia itself, but any sort of wiki that has a description of the character that we could use. Duplicates, OCs, Fandom OCs, and previous game/CRAUs are not appable. Also, for plot/scenario reasons, characters from Virtue's Last Reward will not be appable. Characters from 999 will be allowed, provided that their AU does not include a prior Nonary Game. For 999 characters who reappear in VLR, you must play them as depicted in 999.
→ What if my character’s not human? What happens then?
If your character is not human, you will have to AU them as such. Zero has no need for making animals play the Nonary Game: Ambidex Edition.
→ What if they’re dead in their canon?
Again, you will have to AU them so that they are currently alive.
→ What about blind/stuck in a wheelchair/handicapped characters?
They would just play the game like any other player! There might be slight accommodations (ex. a braille note if most characters get written notes), but otherwise they will be treated exactly the same as everyone else. you may contact us for more details.
→ Are there any power caps?
Yes. If you had any special powers or abilities beyond a human, you will not be capable of them once you wake up in the setting.
→ What about language barriers between characters?
All characters wake up knowing how to speak a common language. They are still able to speak their universal language, so if two francophones want to conspire in secret using French they can, but all characters will be able to communicate with one another. Unless specified, the assumption will be that your character is speaking the common language.
→ How does the memory loss thing work? Can characters remember anything?
When they wake up, characters will realize that they only remember two things: their own name, and being kidnapped by a strange figure in a gas mask and raincoat. They will have to earn back their remaining memories in puzzle rooms, in addition to fighting to gain BP (More info on what puzzle rooms and BP are can be found in the ‘GAME MECHANICS’ section of the FAQ).
→ Can we canon update and if so, how is it handled?
Due to the memory loss component of this game, there aren’t "canon updates" as such. Rather, you’d just add in those memories as memories to be won.
→ What is the OOC:IC time ratio?
We are going to be sticking to a ratio of 3 OOC days to 1 IC day for normal days, while 4 OOC days to 1 IC for puzzle rooms and events. This is to allow for people in multiple timezones to be able to participate in puzzles and votes.
→ Is there an activity check here?
Yep! AC is monthly, and it comprises the following: - 10 comments in every puzzle room or Calhoun Hour
- A vote in every voting round
- A thread of 10 comments outside of the puzzle room, or two threads totalling 15 comments. If you would like to use your AB game pair thread, you will need to use it as part of the latter option.
→ How does a hiatus work here?
Characters who are hiatused will start feeling under the weather! They will just want to sleep, regardless of the events going on. They will be partnered for the following round, so the partner would pull them into the room, solve the puzzle along with the solo, and then do the voting themselves until they feel better.
→ Something has come up and I have to be on hiatus for a long time. What’s the longest time I can be on hiatus and what can I do ICly?
Two weeks is our limit! Past two weeks you’d need to talk with us - we could maybe figure something out if the situation warrants it, but we also need to be considerate of the other players in game as well.
→ How are drops handled here?
Drops are a result of a character getting ill and needing to be quarantined so that the rest of the characters don’t fall ill as well.
→ What happens if I drop a character then reapp them? Will they remember their time in the Nonary Game?
That depends. If the character you dropped is not apped by anyone else between the time you drop and the time you reapply then your character will retain the following: any memories they won back, any memories they have of their time in the game, and any scars/physical changes from injuries within the game. They will not retain any items they won or bought, any coins and they will be reset to 3 BP.
Any character apped by two different people will be completely reset!
→ Is 18+ content allowed here?
If you would like to play out sexual encounters, really bloody/gorey scenery, or other potentially nsfw content, please move the thread into a personal post in your journal. We are a-okay with this sort of thing happening, but in the interests of everyone we don’t want someone stumbling upon something they don’t want to see.
→ Do we have to tag our posts in the comm?
Please do so! It will not only allow for easier tracking of AC for you guys, but it will also allow us to get a feel for how things are going. Plus, it just keeps everything nice and organized.
→ Is there a HMD (How’s My Driving) that goes on here and if so, is it mandatory?
We do require that each character has a HMD in their journal, but the only one that will go on regularly in the communities is a Mod/Game HMD.
→ What are the different comms?
We use the following accounts and comms:
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png) vivarium is the main in-character community.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png) formicarium is the account in which locked posts/threads will occur (such as voting, discussions, etc.), as well as the account NPCs will tag from.
memearium is the meme/span community, where we also have our permanent test drive. Players who have dropped from the game or certain characters are more than free to play them in this community.
→ I have a new/better account for my character, so can I switch? Or can I use multiple accounts?
This is fine! For an account switch, please notify us so we can change the lists and give you the proper access. For multiple accounts, if you would like to use them on locked posts, we will need the same sort of head’s up.
→ How do you feel about Fourth Walling?
Not allowed! If your character is a huge in-universe Superman fan, you’ll need to file the VIN off - maybe now it’s Baraman, hero of Musclopolis.
M I S C
→ Wait a minute, a question I have isn’t here!
If your question isn’t anywhere on this list, then feel free to comment on this entry and one of the mods will get to you asap.
→ How can we contact the mods?
You can use the mod contact post, pp the vivariummods plurk account, or email us at vivariummods@gmail.com! Additionally, if you have further general questions, you can also ask them below.
NAVIGATION |
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We want to first apologize for the very belated response. We have had a problem with our notifications going to our spam inbox, so we did not get to see this until today. We are terribly sorry for this. We will ensure that this will not happen again.
As for your question, we have decided that she is an appable fandom character, as she is loosely based on the writer and the series is inspired by the writer's event, instead of a direct copy, making this an autobiography. We just ask that you do not overlap the character with the memoirist, and that will be fine.
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So here's the thing - my character's name is canoncally a codename and we are not given any real name. In his AU, and I assume in canon as well, he only goes by the code name anymore and has been for years - real name has long been unused.
Now my question is whether I can keep it as a codename and have him remember that instead of his real one because it's the name he primarily goes by ... or if I should just AU it to be his real name to avoid all the trouble?
(In other news - I totally have a wiki page for him ready... but it's been written by me, haha. Is this still okay? Using my own writing as reference for my own writing is a weird feeling.
Of course, I kept the wiki very strict to canon without interpreting much, while my app will go further between the lines.)
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In regards to your first question, it will be best to have the code name as his real name, to avoid going too much into headcanon and trouble.
As for your second question, we will accept the wiki page, but we require a second page of reference. If there is none, we will have to get an outside perspective on the application, so we ask if you are okay with that or not. We may take a bit longer in giving your application a verdict due to this as well, so we apologize in advance.
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(Anonymous) 2014-08-01 07:06 am (UTC)(link)no subject
As of right now, we are not thinking of raising the player cap, due to a few different factors. We may consider it in the future, but we believe that we will not be raising it anytime soon. We do suggest that you submit an application even before you are ready, though, as you will be placed in the queue and depending on the game, it may take some time to become placed.
We apologize for this, but hope to see you in the game.
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I only recently started playing the character I want to put here, so I don't have one single thread equaling 10 comments, as they're all still ongoing. Would I be able to link multiple threads, or would you prefer just one?
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We will like only one thread of ten comments instead of multiple threads, mainly for consistency's sake. If you need someone to boomerang a thread with you to reach ten comments, then we are more than happy to pair you up with someone. Please just let us know and we'll get right on it.
Thank you for the question and we hope to see you in the game.
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We have found someone to pair you up with, so if you can, please PM
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Unfortunately, we do not have sample applications, but we do have applications of characters that were accepted. This is one, and this is another. If you are still having difficulties for the AU portion, you are more than free to contact one of the mods through a private plurk to discuss how your character will be AU'ed. Depending on the canon, we can also get you a mod who is most familiar with it to further assist you.
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