Who's Who in Shooting Stars

Because of the nature of this game, there are a number of terms that are used throughout the game that are reasonably important to remember. Let's get right to it:

The Director. Distinct from the director of a particular show by the capitalized 'The'. The Director is the owner of 4-D Studios, and while he occasionally directs shows personally, he prefers to let the Actors have their run of things, as long as the ratings are good. In general, meeting with The Director is a sign of very good - or very bad - news to come...

Directors. Directors, aside from The Director, are responsible for making sure that a Show runs smoothly. They control various aspects of a Show, particularly the Stage, and keep Shows running neatly. If you suddenly encounter a hallway filled with dangerous-looking traps, odds are a Director was responsible for it.

Actors. The Actor is the 'character' of Shooting Stars; he or she develops through their performances in various shows, interactions with other Actors, and just as a natural result of play. Actors develop specific skills, traits, and other peculiarities as part of their development.

Agents. The Agent is the 'player' of Shooting Stars; Agents run the careers of Actors, come up with new Actors to introduce to The Director, and just generally have a good time. They are not directly affected by the careers of their Actors, except for regularly taking credit for their successes and ignoring their failures. Agents can manage up to three Actors or Extras at a time; successful Agents can manage more people once they've had a few successful Actors on their Roster.

Roles. A Role, in this context, is the spot within a particular show that an Actor agrees to fill. For example, a show about teenagers and their talking cat who are chasing after a dragon king would have a number of Roles for Actors to play - both the heroic roles and the roles of adversaries and enemies. Actors who do well in their Roles generally achieve success and fame; those who do poorly are less well-remembered.

Extras. Extras are the one-trick ponies of a Show; they work specifically on one Show, without appearing in others. Most Extras are supplied by Amora Legal and Talent, but Agents may choose to adopt an Extra as part of their Roster if they choose (and want to dabble in a show without the responsibility of maintaining the career of an Actor). Extras may work on multiple Episodes of a single Show, or may simply work on one Episode, never to be seen again.

ALTs. When The Director is casting for a particular Show, some Roles may go unfulfilled. In most case, these are filled by ALTs - Actors or Extras that do not work for a specific Agent, and who are often hired from Amora Legal and Talent (hence the acronym). Unfortunately, they are not always what one would call talented...

Characters. A Character is the specific personality that an Actor agrees to portray upon accepting a given Role. In the case of most fictional Shows, Characters have names, personality traits, and capabilities that can help or hinder them during a Plot.

Cast. The Characters of a particular Show, as a collective, or the Actors who play those Characters.