Not all of these are applicable until the roll-call phase, but nevertheless give this a look.

01: Where does this roleplay take place? If it’s going to be in Abraxis, head on over to the information thread and find a planet. It’s highly recommended you PM or MSN Commissar Molotov, he can direct you to a planet or area that would be appropriate. If you are going to venture outside of Abraxis, make sure your world possesses just as much detail as the worlds in Abraxis.

02: Who will be in this roleplay? Not just “guardsmen” or “Space Marines”, but specifics. Again, talk to Molotov about what units might work well.

03: Within this group of characters, what are the norms? Naming conventions, dress, equipment, history, everything should be addressed. Assume that the players are stupid (not that they are, of course) and need direction as to what they need to post. Before you do a roll call post, you should have at least 500 words describing each of the following: the unit/characters, the planets the roleplay, the characters equipment (if applicable) and an outline for the first couple of posts.

04: What’s the scenario? Not just a brief description but an in-depth plotline. Obviously, you shouldn’t post the whole plot in the role-play intro, but you should be very specific. If you post a 1-paragraph teaser to get people interested and there are holes in that, there’s a good chance you are going to be going back to the drawing board.

05: Will this roleplay be fluid or linear in nature? In other words, will the actions of the characters have an effect on the plot of the roleplay? If the players decide to fight the deamon rather than run away, can your plot handle that? Both styles can work, but the best roleplays usually incorporate elements of both.

06: Are you going to GM this roleplay, or do you need a volunteer to do so?

07: If you are going to GM the roleplay, are you willing to make the time commitment? Are you prepared? Don’t overestimate yourself, you need to make an honest assessment of yourself as to whether or not you can handle it.

08: Has this roleplay already been done? Is it a sequel? If it is, does it tie in to the prequels? Is there a roleplay that is very similar to it already? What makes it unique?

09: What makes this roleplay fun? Why should I consider joining? What’s the hook? While every roleplay can’t be fresh, a cool or original theme is usually better than the same-old.

10: Does your plot make sense? Yes, 40K is an extraordinary universe, but the plot should seem reasonable and logical. A good roleplay is like a film. It wouldn’t be good cinema to have an unexplained plot twist halfway through, unless there were hints or something leading up to it. If you have a plot twist, the players should go “oh, why didn’t I see that?” not “WTF is this?”.

11: Do you have a group of players who are genuinely interested? Are they willing to put a lot of effort into their characters? If they are, it’s a sign they like the roleplay and don’t mind writing a lot to be a part of it.

12. Is Molotov willing to endorse your roleplay?

13. Do you have a good mix of new players and old guard? We like recruiting new players, but it’s good to have some older players to guide everyone.

14. How will this roleplay begin and end? This may seem unimportant, but having clear bookends is the most important thing about a roleplay. You don’t need to know the ending at the beginning, but it might be wise to have a couple of possibilities to play around with.

15. Are you happy with this? If not keep working on it. Your finished product should be at least a couple solid well written paragraphs in decent english.