I will in no way be pointing fingers, nor naming names. That is childish and I ask you resist doing so when commenting on this blog. Thank you.
There also might be some milllld language, forgive me!
Occasional bump-age can be expected, at my discretion, should I find the message of this blog again become/continue to be relevant.

[EDIT: June 11, 2010: Due to new types of characters surfacing within TEF at large, I've chosen to expand this guide to include 'OOC Deer', as well as 'Parody Deer'.]

Role-Played Characters: Good or Bad

The difference between a good character and a bad one:
Now this doesn’t matter if your character is morally just or dedicated to a life of crime, this deals with how you’ve made your character and the skills or characteristics you’ve given them. If you do play a villainous character, this advice is especially important because as much as we all love to be infamous, there is such a thing as bad publicity! Same goes for you, chivalrous knights; nobody likes a do-gooder who constantly sticks their nose where it doesn’t belong!

Making a good ‘good’ character:
~Always respect the right of other players to create evil characters. Just because someone has evil characters, that does not make them an evil player.

~Make sure your deer has a reason for upholding certain codes; perhaps they are a defender of fawns, or does, but make sure they simply aren’t out policing other deer.

~Understand when you aren’t wanted! If someone asks you to leave, politely do so, remember you are a good character, set a good example.

Making a good ‘bad’ character:
~Make sure your deer has weaknesses! I can’t stress this one enough, your deer can have all the super magical powers you want, but be sure they also have weaknesses, be they physical or mental.
For Example: My stag Sinker is a very malicious and cruel spirit, but as a spirit he is unable to take physical form within The Forest. See what I did there? I can still write about him, and draw him, but he doesn’t disturb other people’s enjoyment. I’m also not forced to bend or go against his character to make him forest-friendly.

~Ask first, stalk later. If your villain tends to come into conflict with another character often, make sure you ask the player of that character if they mind. Maybe they’d like to have their deer become your villain’s arch-nemesis; imagine the fun you could have, and all without worry!

~Nobody likes getting their butt kicked! I’m going out on a limb here and assuming that neither you nor your character enjoyed being beaten to a bloody pulp. Even masochists know when to throw in the towel! If you are role playing a deer, and while fighting that deer gets hurt, don’t keep fighting simply because you’re having a good time! It’s unfair to your character and even more unfair to those other players you’re fighting who are correctly playing their characters.

Tips for Character Creation:
Now I'm not here to tell you what you can and can not do (I know it may sound a bit like I am. Fact is I'm not all powerful and all knowing, I'm just here to help) but it's in everyone's interest to take a moment when making a character and ask yourself some questions;

"Is my character going to upset anyone?"
Everyone loves a rebel, but nobody likes an ass. It's a thin line between being a cool badass character, and being an abusive asshat. My advice, you don't want to be the asshat.

"Does my character fit into The Forest?"
Obviously this is not a 'my character eclipses the sun, help!' sort of question, but more about how your character will work with the atmosphere of TEF. Here's part of the original statement from the creators of TEF; "The setting is idyllic, the atmosphere peaceful." If your deer is a hell-raiser, don't expect them to generate much positive interest or have many friends.

"I have a great idea for a character, but I don't think they'll work with The Forest...What do I do?!"
This is easier than you think. Just because your deer can't be in The Forest itself, that doesn't mean they are dead to you or the community. Try Role playing, writing about, or drawing your character. These are all ways you can still enjoy and share your character without imposing on the relaxation of others.

The Spoof/Parody Character:

A parody character is one created to poke fun at a certain trend that has developed in a community. For example, many deer wear the skull mask because of its fearsome appearance. A character could be made to spoof this trend by having a skull mask encrusted in pink swarovski crystals.

When dealing with humor, it is important to remember that a joke is a powerful weapon. Used incorrectly, or in the wrong hands it can have disastrous consequences. Because of this, here are a few tips for Parody Deer;

Parody Deer =/= Harassment Deer:
Do not use your parody deer as an excuse to harass others. If someone asks you, either via deer action (head shake, walking away, ex) or via comments on the Community Site or Forum to leave them alone, you respect their wishes and do so. Plain and simple.

Funny is not Universal:
What is funny to one person is not always funny to the next. Take a moment to consider if your spoof deer is going to hurt people's feelings. Is the topic you plan to spoof appropriate? (For example, it would be inappropriate to make a deer who pokes fun at introverted deer who have suffered abuse. This is not funny, it's inconsiderate.)

Parody, Not Pick-On:
You should not create a parody of an existing character, not only is that disrespectful it could be considered harassment. You are much better off spoofing broad, community wide trends, rather than several traits held by one character.

The OOC (Out Of Character) Deer:

For those of you unfamiliar with the term OOC, it means, in the content of TEF; A deer avatar that is played simply as the player desires, with no unique characteristics of it's own. This deer is the emotions and characteristics of the player in deer form.

Now while this is not an actual character, it is still a representation of yourself within The Endless Forest and there are still some guidelines that need to be observed if you plan on playing OOC.

Not everyone plays OOC:
There is no way for a player to tell your OOC deer from all the other In Character deer in The Forest. You can do your best to inform The Community, but not all TEF players are active there. You should respect this fact and...

Not Take Things Personally:
This is especially relevant because you aren't playing behind a character. This deer is you...but it isn't. It's pixels on a screen. You, are sitting there with your computer playing a game. I know we aren't all Zen Buddha masters, but getting frustrated, angry, or sad, over something that happens in The Forest is your choice. If the game isn't fun anymore, stop playing for a bit. There is more than just TEF.

Parting Words:
Making a character is like making child a...alright not exactly, but you still need to be responsible for the impact your character has on the world. You wouldn't just pop out a kid for the heck of it, it's something you need to think about in order for it to be a healthy and pleasant relationship. Nobody likes those parents who let their kids wail as they drag them around the mall, and in the same way, the poor development of your character reflects badly on you as their player. The characters you make are important to you, even if they aren't around forever, they should still be enjoyable and interesting, not only for yourself, but for everyone else who experiences them.

Thank you all for reading and I hope I haven't insulted anyone too badly. Now, I open this up for comments cause I'd love to hear what you all think of these guidelines, especially if you have anything to add!
If I did insult you, I apologize but hope you'll still give some thought to what I've said.