|
Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Aug 23, 2012 19:31:02 GMT -8
Coool, I'm into this! So one thing I wondered, is if we started a role-playing group, how much are people into having a system with 'dice rolls' or whatever? The forum games I've played in the past were strictly role-playing, i.e. a Silent Hill one that was very fun where you just said "I do blah blah, " and post in the various 'locations' that exist, and GM type people come in and throw random events at you or monsters etc. Has anyone played a forum game that worked differently? I'd love to hear more.
|
|
Suyoi
Yeah, it's a Cool Skeleton
Delicious!%\0\%
Posts: 1,078
|
Post by Suyoi on Aug 24, 2012 19:23:15 GMT -8
I used to belong to several online forum groups... but I'd really like to see your universe come out and wrench us from our seats. Most of the play by posts were all right. I ran two simultaneously. It runs very similar to what your type was. However, the one my old roommate ran (yes, having two computers in the same room and little to no verbal communication is odd to say the least) had a weekly chat-room mIRC style game session. I was more into the actual dynamics for character development and less into trying to stomp out the seventh zombie kobold, as it were.
My current roommate worked for White Wolf and helped create the LARP for V:tM and has done several play-by-post and mIRC channels for that setting. But, as it were, it all depends on the caliber of people playing which will ultimately decide what the flow of the rp will become. It's like a giant gelatinous cube stretching out to feed... or a multi-headed zombie golem with a lumbering gait vying for control. The setting and story will be pure gold with what you have all ready established.
Either way, I'd like to participate. There are many darkened corners which need a little light shed upon them. Dice rolling is okay, but it'd be better if the one who runs it rolls the dice. Trying to have everyone take care of it tends to cause more discrepancies instead of creating that air of mystery...
I guess its more of what you'd think would work. If 'players' roll they will be able to post or automatically reply to each query or situation as it rises. It usually can increase gameplay but takes a little less control out of the DM's hands. If you have the 'storyteller' roll, then the players take more of a reactionary part to the story. It allows 'lagging' player characters (those with real world situations) a chance to get in on the action and not fall behind. Also, the DM can reign the players together a little easier so as to keep scenes together, adding cohesion and stability.
But those are just my thoughts. I could be wrong.
|
|
|
Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Aug 25, 2012 18:14:13 GMT -8
Josh / Suyoi & Kilnarak -
Thanks for the input!
Our number one bane in trying to do regular RP with just the two of us has been system rules. Even simple rules can be cumbersome when multiplied by a complex game world. Say you have only four stats per character, then multiply it by a cast of thousands. And some games just can't help but develop a large cast.
So our preference would probably be to go rule-free. Josh mentioned DMs doing all the rolls. For a diceless game, I favor this: DMs arbitrarily decide the outcome of all contested actions.
Good character descriptions would be a must, say if we want to know what your guy could reasonably do, or if they get powers of some kind. Maybe... We have a thread for character descriptions, into which you can post updated versions as necessary, and at the end of each RP post in the gaming thread, you include a link to the most current version.
As for universe, still not sure if using the Kingfisherverse would be the best. Certainly with vampire powers and such, it would be more complicated than a zompocalypse or the like. But if there was enough demand, maybe we'd do that...
So RP would work like, the situation is set up by the DM (GM? probably better). Players post do describe what their characters want to do, and what they see as possible outcomes, and how the character would adjust their plans. Example:
GM: U see zombies.
U: My character tries to bash one's brains without gettin bit. If it goes well, keeps at it. If not, he runs away. If he's bit, uh... We'll see.
GM: He gets all dem zombies. Wut now?
And if there's other PCs to interact with, you can chat as appropriate.
But then, I haven't done these successfully, like, ever. Let me know what you think.
|
|
Suyoi
Yeah, it's a Cool Skeleton
Delicious!%\0\%
Posts: 1,078
|
Post by Suyoi on Aug 26, 2012 12:45:46 GMT -8
Freeform is great and easily enough to manage! No pesky rules. Just go by what the character is like. If you're playing a gamer nerd, don't expect to bust through the door on the first try. Also, if you're a militant biker dude, forget bypassing that security door with a 17 character code.
I think the flow would be better suited in what players would be trying to manage against certain obstacles or whatnot. So instead of listing several possible outcomes and secondary and tertiary motives, just list one. Per the example:
GM: U see zombies.
U: My character tries to bash one's brains without gettin bit.
GM: Dem zombies r gettin mad faster. Big one comin' up da ramp. Nao wut?
U: Strategic advancement in opposite direction!
Granted, in 'combat' it would take longer, but in non-combat situations, it gives it a more fleshy, real feel towards roleplaying and character development. It also prevents this:
GM: Der is a bright light coming from da pub.
U: My character is going to see if he can get inside the building, or if not, break through the front window. Once inside he's going to order a drink and wave to everyone.
U2: My character is going to open the door for U, or clean up the glass from the window. She then is going to shoot anyone who waves their arms in her pub.
U3: I'm going to scream like a girl at the glass breaking, if it breaks, and run out of the bar if there's going to be a fight, hands securely in my pockets. Unless I'm stuck in my car still.
GM: Uh, gais, da pub is on fire...
Not saying it would happen like that, but I've seen it happen a few times. Also having people who are interested come up with some uniting characteristic. This prevents a 50 year old doctor stuck role-playing with a bunch of meddling teenage kids. I've played a lot of games that have tanked because people 'wake up in the middle of nowhere surrounded' simultaneously, who must work together in order to survive. While this is all right sometimes to join everyone up, a lot of times it causes more clashing concepts and infighting than character development and enjoyment.
Grouping everyone together with a single thread seems to be best. Like, a bunch of people at AA (any background would fit in that) or even people involved in some sort of drug study or sleep test facility. Or, you could do more with a themed concept, like bikers, high-school students, medical professionals, mafioso, paranormal investigators etc. There are many, many options.
Also, to go along side with this, the concept of the universe should be kept hidden. There's nothing quite as exciting as running around hiding from what you think is a supernatural predator but is actually just some psychopath with a baseball bat. Or vice versa; though the latter tends to get one eaten when you take the bat away. What happens if the characters don't know they're all dead or stuck in a living hell? What happens if you don't know you're the scary werewolf killing people in their sleep? What happens when you realize your heart stopped beating days ago? Horror sometimes is best served blindfolded.
|
|
|
Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Aug 26, 2012 14:17:48 GMT -8
Wow, I'm almost thinking I should let Kelly answer that one. Kelly has a bit more experience than me with forum-based play, and it sounds like you're a PhD compared to me.
As for uniting concept and unraveling parties - Since people could drop in and disappear from the game at any time, loosely united parties might be best. In the zompocalypse game we've been running at home, the only uniting factor is being a human that has to fight to survive. One enclave the characters ran into was founded by club kids, but ended up with all kind of random adults in it. Pretty funny.
Three votes (Me, Kelly, my brother) have been cast for the zompocalypse, so that looks like the one to use. Don't worry about a lack of mystery though - it's a little more complicated than the George Romero-inspired surface of it.
Now if I can just get Kelly in here ... too busy working on comics. The nerve!
|
|
|
Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Aug 27, 2012 13:08:53 GMT -8
Alright! Now I'm not sure if we really want to GMs to speak LOLcat, but perhaps we can use a translation service... @ Suyoi - the example RP you include would work best if everyone can be online at the same time. Maybe we can supplement the other style of forum play with meet ups at particular times to get that find of fast-paced response? The type I'm used to involves writing a rather elaborate description of what you're doing, and basically doing a bit of GM work yourself, (within reason, you don't find a battery powered chainsaw or defeat the ultimate bad guy on your own!) Something like... "I am in the room that's (lavish description) and I encounter (freaky thing that I describe) and then I run away into (another location)..." Etc etc, and then stop at a point where a GM could interject a random event or give oversight to what you're doing. The tough part is role playing other people's characters for them. There was a lot of your character being silently dragged around by other characters. I generally found the best rule of thumb was to assume other characters just do whatever they were last doing. If they're following you, they continue to, if they just randomly encountered you, let them decide whether they go with you or not. Anyway, things to consider! I'm pretty into a zompocalypse tale, we've been playing a really fun system we've been devising. It involves all manner of undeads, including some obscure ones and ones we just made up so it will provide a lot of variety. So the campaign we play now involves people grouped together in 'enclaves', or basically forts of people grouped together to survive against undead onslaughts. We've set ours in our home town for ease, (FOR US ) though perhaps we could play anywhere eventually with the use of this handy dandy 'Map of the Dead' www.mapofthedead.com/map/Maybe to start out we could have everyone create characters that live in our existing 'enclave' and then join together to form their own group after they get the hang of the system. As Suyoi says, the player characters might be better off to have a common thread among them, though we have a system for randomly creating weirdo NPCs. Maybe I should start a thread with a poll, if we can decide on some options for everyone to vote on?
|
|
Suyoi
Yeah, it's a Cool Skeleton
Delicious!%\0\%
Posts: 1,078
|
Post by Suyoi on Aug 27, 2012 22:30:48 GMT -8
Yay! 3 great pol(es/ls) in one day! I'd vote up and down Tristan's pole... er... Well, for the final poll... Maybe we should just throw the spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks with everyone? Maybe have everyone throw down a handful of concepts or what they're looking to play themselves? I can list a gaggle of classic survival groups from some notable movies...
People Stuck in a mall one fateful shopping day Police-persons / Military / Prisoners Drag queens / Prostitutes / Drug Dealers Scientists / Medical Professionals / Engineers High School Students / Collegiate / Groupies Craftsmen / Construction Workers / Blue Collar Workers Burglars / Thieves / Con-persons
I'm sure I'm missing dozens upon dozens. Let's hear all about it!
|
|
|
Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Aug 31, 2012 19:14:18 GMT -8
LOL Suyoi, you ribald fellow. These are great suggestions! In our own game I've had so much fun making random weirdos to populate the world, and I created a group system much like yours. So far we've found groups of ... People from a gay bar, teenage club kids, people from a trans* support group, east African gangsters, old people, art students... My own character has been a former gay porn star who has become the most nicey-nice/heroic character I've ever played. Christopher plays a sleazy yet loveable porn producer. Anyhow, perhaps we should create a sign up sheet for who wants to play? Christopher has been playing with a group online extremely infrequently but I'm sure he's ready for something more regular. I'm on it! >
|
|
|
Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Aug 31, 2012 19:52:02 GMT -8
EET EES DONE! Check out the new board!
|
|
|
Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Sept 1, 2012 17:30:12 GMT -8
Back to the top o' the thread for the moment, anyone wanna tell us about RPG experiences they've had or thoughts about gaming in general?
|
|
|
Post by Dr. Maneep Pamplemousse on Sept 2, 2012 10:01:50 GMT -8
Alright! Now I'm not sure if we really want to GMs to speak LOLcat Yes, yes, a thousand times, YES! I didn't reallize Chris spoke LOLcat as a second language until recently, but it sometimes makes me sad. Not that I don't love me some LOLcats, but in casual conversation it kind of makes my head hurt. One of the sites I frequent has a strict rule about chatspeak in general and they enforce it pretty ruthlessly, but I think it raises the quality of discourse for the better.
|
|
|
Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Sept 3, 2012 12:14:04 GMT -8
I wasn't aware mensa was the fourth reich, dawg. :-P
|
|
|
Post by Dr. Maneep Pamplemousse on Sept 3, 2012 13:52:46 GMT -8
I wasn't aware mensa was the fourth reich, dawg. :-P They tend to be grammar Nazis, but that's not the place I was referring to. I was actually referring to the most popular Seattle Mariners blog, Lookout Landing. Not that you cared, Hipster-Nazi.
|
|
|
Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Sept 3, 2012 17:28:21 GMT -8
I nazi for neither man, nor hipster. Recant ye!
|
|
|
Post by Gillsing on Sept 13, 2012 12:42:55 GMT -8
I've played various pen & paper RPGs through the years, but now that everyone is a responsible adult, people are generally too busy to play. And I've become too lazy to make an effort. I blame the internet. Before the internet I was willing to do the work to get a game started, even if I had to GM it myself. But now that I have all these webcomics to read, I really don't need to play RPGs to escape reality. I've also played regular pen & paper RPGs through both chat clients and email. In the email games the players sent an email to all other players involved in the action, and then the GM would resolve all the current actions in an email that became the canon story. Which was then posted to his website so that everyone could read. It moved a bit slowly, and some players got lost before they even did anything. Oh, and I also played a few Neverwinter Nights games with DMs running scenarios. I never knew how much trouble those DMs went through to create their worlds. I had plans to make a little world of my own, but that never happened. Because it is so much easier to just daydream.
|
|