Do you have to write a 5000 word role-play to claim worlds that have not been claimed by other players? The rules say you have to write 5000 words if you are capturing a planet, but if it is a world that no one controls, you aren't really capturing it are you, you're just claiming it, right? Or is there even a difference in claiming and capturing?

And I know that I have to form a group before I start controling planets.

The 5000 word requirement is still valid even if you are taking a world that is not owned by a faction at TRF.

The thinking being that even if it's not owned by playable factions, it is still owned by someone (NPC). So you will be depriving them of their independence or at the very least making the future of that world dependent upon your character's action or inaction.

okay.

I have another question. What if I'm claiming an uninhabited world? If no one is there for me to take the planet from, do I still have to write the 5000 word roll-play?

I promise I'm not trying to be difficult; I just want to make sure I understand everything properly.

Writing a five thousand word thread is required to take a planet. No matter what. In fact, you should write five thousand word threads even if you don't take a planet. Five thousand word threads are awesome, so do what everyone else does and write five thousand word threads.

If you start a new faction you start with one planet and don't need to write the 5000 words for it. That is the one exception to having to write a 5000 word "takeover" to gain any kind of control over a planet. And when taking it from another faction, it is generally quite easy to get well more than 5000 words.

okay, okay, im done with the stupid questions everybody. and thanks for the thing about a new faction getting a planet, Jan, though i dont think i'll be doing that anytime soon. probably never, actually, but you never know.

The idea behind the five thousand words is partly to control planet takeover rate, but mainly it's to promote storyline RPing rather than, I jump in, sieze planet, kill defenders, its over, kind of RPing.

well... you could write a 5,000 word POST. Though, im not sure if the rules say anything about that. Of course, the above post is what im really trying to say. DONT BE AN ASSHOLE. kidding.

^ They used to specify at least three posts over the period of a week, or something. Not sure if that's still stated.