Popmundo

1.	Introduction Popmundo is a role playing game and community based on the music industry. Here, players from around the world gather to take a break from reality and spend some time off in a make believe world of music. Popmundo is modeled after the real world. Real locations and cultures are represented in the game. Most events that take place here are completely player generated. You will never run into any computer controlled characters. Popmundo never stops. It's always playing, even when you're not logged on.
2.	The Objective of the game The objective of Popmundo cannot be easily defined. It's personal and differs from player to player. While some players will do their darndest to rise to stardom and obliterate the competition, others will be content with hanging at the local club, chatting with friends. Goal oriented players will most likely start a career in the pop industry, setting off on a quest for stardom.
3.	How to Play If you're reading this you're already getting a hang of how to play the game. All the different things you can do in the game are readily available right here in the browser window. You'll find them as easily as you found this text. It's just a matter of knowing where to look. Below, we have listed some of the most important aspects of the game that you'll need to familiarize yourself with. You can either take your time to read them or try to figure the game out by yourself. If there's something you need help with, you can usually find someone in the chat room or in the forums (both accessible via the Community page) who can answer your questions. Be sure to read the immensely helpful stickies in the forums before asking -- it's very possible that your question has already been answered.
4.	Your Character Your character is your main playing piece in the game. It's the only thing in the game that is exclusively yours and can never be taken away from you (unless you decide to break the Rules of Conduct). Your character represents you in all aspects of the game, so treat it well. Your character is just like yourself. It has a name, an age and different personal attributes. Throughout the game your character will age, learn new things, and evolve according to how you play the game. Within the game, time is accelerated and your character will age faster than you do in real life.
5.	Moving about Although Popmundo isn't a traditional boardgame, it does share one important aspect with most boardgames: you must move your character around to reach different places, areas and functions within the game. But you don't have to roll a die in order to move - all you have to do is find a locale you wish to move to and select "Move your Character to this locale" from the locale's options. Different places allow you to do different things once you get there. Go to the airport if you want to buy a ticket and fly to a new city. Go down to the local club to catch an ongoing show. If you don't know how to do something in the game, chances are that you'll figure it out once you move your character to the place that involves the thing you want to do.
6.	Your Career Although the game can be enjoyed in many different ways, most will want to start a career in the music industry. You can choose to join an existing band, start your own, or set off on a solo career. • To join a band, all you have to do is find a band you like and either send a message to the band leader or go to the band's page and click "Ask to Join" if they are accepting applications. The band will then be able to accept or reject your request. • To start your own band or solo career, just click on "Career" in the main menu and follow the instructions. If you wish to allow new members to join your band, you can do so under the option "Members" -> "Applications" in the career menu.
7.	Walkthrough (You wish!) The newcomer can easily become confused when faced with the open structure of the game. And just in case you're having this problem, we've put together this short list of things you can do to begin moving in the right direction. • Read the online magazine "It's POP!". This publication, local to each city in the game, contains enjoyable articles by players about what's going on in the game. It also contains a Classified section with things you need in the game. Here you can get your first job so that you can afford your first jam session. The Magazine can be found on the city and community pages. • Start writing your own songs. This can be done by clicking the "Songs" link on your character page menu. • Join a band or start your own. • Add songs to your band's repertoire. These do not have to be your own. You can just as well play other player's songs. Playing covers of other player's songs is a quick way to get going in the game. • Go down to the local Jam Place and book some time to practice performing your repertoire in a professional surrounding. • Find a club that will allow you to put on a show. Get in touch with the owner or find open invitations in "It's POP". • Design an awesome show and amaze the audience with your debut! • Log in after the show to read the first official review of your efforts. You've now made your first official mark in the game. What lies ahead is up to you. Write more songs, record an album, improve on your songs, develop your character, go on a tour and build your fame across the world. The game goes on and on... Do you have what it takes to be the Global Chart Topper?
8.	A Typical Week of Play After you've settled in to the game things that need to be done will become second nature to you. Most players will log on a couple of times a week to update their schedule and see that everything is progressing smoothly. Take a look at your finances and make sure you have enough to pay the bills. Look at how your songs are coming along and make the necessary adjustments. Tend to your character. Learn a new skill. Make sure all bandmembers are present for important events, etc. The weekly magazine "It's POP" is released on Thursdays. That's a good time to log in to catch up with the latest news. Who knows? Maybe someone has written a libelous remark about your career that needs to be denied... gossip spreads far and quickly! How much time you spend in the game is entirely up to you. Unlike other online games, you won't be left completely in the dust if you don't spend every spare hour you have playing it. Some players will be content with a few short logins per week in between breaks from working on their quaint subway memoirs. Others will play more, working their way up the charts in the biggest cities. The most ambitious will probably not stop until they've launched their own Recording Label and rule the market by signing the biggest stars.