Welcome to the GOP, here is a quick guide describing the game play here at AGS, have fun and good luck!

Signing In
You will first need to register into the forum. After registration is complete, you will have to wait until the Administrative Board (AB) validates you. It usually takes a few hours. After validation you will need to sign into the Member Center. You need to create a new topic in the Member Center and title it �Signing In�. Your Sign in post should consist of your characters name, state and district. Your sign in post should also mention that you�re a member of the Republican Party. After signing into the Member Center, you will need to signing into the Republican Party. This is done the exact same way. Good luck!

Positions
You originally start out as Representative in Congress. From there, you can obtain multiple positions at a pace according to your style. In AGS, there�s an Executive, Legislative and even a Judicial Branch. You will have to work your way up to the top and seek the position of your choosing. Party leadership positions are a good way to start. In AGS, there are coalitions and Parties. For instance I�m currently a member of the Republican Party, but I�m also a member of the Minority coalition, thus we have less seats in the House. If you want to make as many alliances as possible and want to positively effect the game, it would be much easier if you obtained a high ranking position. But take note, obtaining positions take time and a lot of hard work.

Voting
In AGS, there are many circumstances that will arise in which your character will be allowed to vote. In a committee setting your character will simply vote on legislation or amendments to legislation in an attempt to determine whether or not it should be moved to the House Floor. Once a bill reaches the House floor, Congress will debate on it before it�s put to a vote. The House Voting Booth is where all of Congress votes on a particular legislation to determine whether or not in should reach the President�s desk where it will await his signature or veto. Both Committee and House Votes are simply recorded as �Aye�, �Yes�, �Yea� in favor of, and �Nay and �No� In opposition of. You may also abstain from voting. (�Present� or �Abstain�) Voting also occurs in the Party or Coalition forums, where GOP members simply vote on the obvious issue at hand. The presiding officers of Party votes are usually one of the Party or Coalition leaders. House voting rules do not necessarily apply to Party votes but respectable decorum is always welcomed.

Press Releases
In AGS, Press Releases are used in a number of ways. You can honestly release a PR on anything you want. PR�s are counted toward your PP (Something you will learn about later). There is a proper way to conduct a press release, but the Admins aren�t really hard assess on the issue. I would suggest visiting the website of a member of Congress and viewing their PR�s to get an idea of what�s expected. PR�s vary in length, and you do not need to release a specific amount of them. You can use this guide for help getting started with PR�s.

IC vs. OOC
In the AGS world, your character does not always have to reflect your true feelings to ward any issue. All of the forums except a couple are conduced in character (IC), the rest are conducted out of character (OOC) . OOC, you are allowed to say whatever you wish as long as it doesn�t violate the AUP. OOC remarks DO NOT effect your IC standings and cannot be counted against your PP. OOC forums are clearly marked and should be easy to find. (The Tavern is where most of the OOC conversing is done.) If you are having trouble understanding this, Ill advise you to contact one of the party leaders or someone in the arty for assistance. We�d be glad to help.

Prestige Points
In AGS, depending on how well you play the game, you will be rewarded Prestige Points or �PP�. The more PP you earn, the more powerful or influential you character will be. Your earn PP from participating, so the more active you are , the higher your PP is likely to be. In order to receive a large PP, one must truly put in effort. PP is calculated by the Administrative Board and is a great way to determine whether or not your character is on the right track. PP counts are usually posted once every few months.

Stick With It!
At first, AGS might seem confusing to you or you might feel as though your actions are going unnoticed. Trust me when I say, a few talks with the veteran simmers will ensure you that staying the course will be vital to your success in this game. If you are confused, contact someone from the Party, contact an Admin, contact anyone. We are more than willing to help you. We know how it feels to be new, we understand your concerns. Talk to us, make friends with us and soon your fears will disappear. Everyone is welcomed in this game, we want you to enjoy it with us!

This post has been edited by Morrison on July 03, 2006 08:44 pm