How do you form ropes? It sounds like they would be twisted.

T recommend reviewing king arthur flour's video series by Jeffrey Hamelman about shaping baguettes. It's simple but not completely intuitive. Basically, preshape into rounds, rest 10min, flatten out, fold two edges inward, fold those same edges again with a little overlap until it's roughly log-shaped. Seal seam with pinching against bench. Roll to stretch/even out to final length.