Roleplay
Phones and communication
Manage calls, messages and adverts without letting remote chat flatten local roleplay.
Calls and messages are in character
Treat the phone as an object your character uses. Nearby people may notice that use even when they cannot read a message or hear the other side of a call.
Choose the right channel
Use a call for immediate conversation, a message for concise information and an advert for a public offer. Keep adverts relevant and written as something the character or business would plausibly publish.
Return to the room
Phone scenes should not erase the people standing nearby. Give local characters time to react, and avoid carrying several rapid remote conversations through an active face-to-face scene.