Roleplayer Guild - Forum Roleplaying Games - Roleplaying Discussion http://roleplayerguild.com/ For discussion related to Roleplayer Guild or roleplaying. en Sun, 19 May 2013 21:13:37 GMT vBulletin 60 http://roleplayerguild.com/images/misc/rss.png Roleplayer Guild - Forum Roleplaying Games - Roleplaying Discussion http://roleplayerguild.com/ Genetic Modification, Nano/biotech, and Realistic Superpowers. http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?205772-Genetic-Modification-Nano-biotech-and-Realistic-Superpowers&goto=newpost Mon, 13 May 2013 23:28:49 GMT I am currently developing an RP idea that revolves around a realistic approach to human-animal hybridization and transhumanism in the near future,... I am currently developing an RP idea that revolves around a realistic approach to human-animal hybridization and transhumanism in the near future, and how it ties in to superhero preconceptions.

The story so far revolves around a US Government Defence contractor who has been working in the field of parahuman genetics and nano and biomecanical technology, and is just on the edge of getting consistantly viable results when the government threatens to cut funding.

I'm looking for input on what you would expect to see in terms of realistic super powers/tech. Things like telekinesis and cryokinesis are obviously beyond the relm of possibility, and things like the Iron Man suit are cost prohibitive at best. However there are examples in nature of things like the bombarder beatle or the electric eel ect. What limitations or posibilities would you expect to see realisticly, and what are some potential side effects? ]]> Roleplaying Discussion Toska http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?205772-Genetic-Modification-Nano-biotech-and-Realistic-Superpowers Science Fiction: The Great Oxymoron http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?205594-Science-Fiction-The-Great-Oxymoron&goto=newpost Sun, 12 May 2013 16:37:07 GMT When you think about it, Science Fiction really contradicts itself. The very basis of science fiction is more or less a contradiction, when you look... When you think about it, Science Fiction really contradicts itself. The very basis of science fiction is more or less a contradiction, when you look at the meanings of the two words.

Science is knowledge, proven fact, the universal laws of the universe. Fiction is, by definition, not true. So when writing science fiction... one must quite literally contradict the very nature of science as well as the nature of fiction.

Some aspects of sci-fi clearly have a basis in science, such as frigging "laser" beams, which actually exist, though not on the level required for weaponry. Other aspects of science fiction clearly are fictional, such as time travel and exceeding the speed of light, which according to the leading scientific theories, is still impossible.

So when running and participating in a science fiction RP, what do you do? You will of course, by the very nature of the term science fiction, contradict the very definition of the words, but to what extent?

To me, I think of science fiction in terms of "fictional science." Meaning you choose some existing aspects of science, improve on them, make them believable, and roll with it. If it doesn't seem to have any aspect of science of pseudoscience, is it really science fiction? If the science you do use is clearly wrong on many levels, is it still science fiction? If you don't even try to use any form of science or pseudoscience, is it still science fiction?

If you take the science out of science fiction, is it not just fiction in the future, or fiction in space, or fantasy?

These are just some questions to consider. I'm also going to go over some other popular aspects of science fiction RPs that I've seen.

1. Galactic Geography. It is popular among sci fi NRPs in particular to use the entire galaxy as the playing field of the various player factions. There's nothing inherently wrong in doing so, but they do not always take into account exactly how BIG the Milky Way Galaxy really is. There are some 200 billion stars in the Milky Way spread across a disk over a hundred thousand lightyears across and a thousand lightyears thick. Meaning that you could travel at the speed of light for a hundred thousand years and still not make it from one side of the galaxy to the other. If only one in a hundred stars supports planets, there are still 2 billion potentially habitable star systems to choose from. If each of these supports an average population of one million, you're looking at a galactic population of over 2 quadrillion (2,000,000,000,000,000). Do your numbers and faction sizes reflect how much space they are really occupying?

2. Telepathy. This is something I've seen popularized in virtually every form of space fiction everywhere I look. People who... can apparently hack into the brains of other people, somehow, by the power of their own brain. How is this possible? There is usually no explanation given... telepathy exists because it has always been popular. But is it truly science fiction, or simply a different form of magic that is popular in space fiction? I maintain that telepathy is not a part of science fiction, as it is purely magical in nature, and therefore do not personally allow it in sci-fi RPs. However, this does not mean that technology that responds to the electrical impulses in a brain's neurons can't exist... in fact, neural induction technology can be explained through existing scientific theory. Telepathy, however, cannot.

3. Technobabble. "The singularity is about to explode? Everything about that sentence is wrong!" Popular in Star Trek, a way of "explaining" the science of how things work is by stringing together a series of science-sounding words that are incomprehensible to most people, most of which are entirely made up. I actually heard a very amusing song about the technobabble of Star Trek called "USS Make Shit Up" by Voltaire. And it's actually rather true to the point... technobabble is not usually anywhere near scientific in nature, and entirely made up. If you want to make up your own science terms and redefine science in your own way, you could use technobabble in a sense, but keep in mind that technobabble is EXTREMELY inconsistent, as bouncing a graviton particle beam off the main deflector dish might blow up the Borg in one episode, but create a dimensional rift that threatens to unmake the universe in the next.

4. Use the Force, Luke. Popular in Star Wars, the Space Magic of the Jedi is one of the defining characteristics of the series. There is no scientific explanation expected or given. In fact, when Lucas tried to give a technobabble explanation to Anakin's Force affinity in Episode 1, the fans went into an uproar. From what I've read, actually, Lucas did not classify the first Star Wars movie as science fiction. He called it "Space Fantasy" because really, when you look at the plot... it's a story of a backwoods hero rescuing a space princess from the Dark Overlord's sinister planet-killing space fortress. And then blowing it up by using space magic to target the fortress' weak point. What Lucas did, and many people forget, was coin the word "Space Fantasy" to refer to Star Wars. Many "science fiction" stories I see are more like space fantasy, as they neglect science entirely and use some form of space magic.

5. Unobtainium. So we need to create a faster than light drive that doesn't cause time dilation. How are we going to do it? I've got it! We'll make up this mythical element called "Element Zero" that can raise or lower the mass of objects when an electric current is passed through it! Sounds very scientific, right? Except "Element Zero" doesn't exist! It fits into the category of "Unobtainium," which is a category of materials that don't exist naturally, or on the Periodic Table, but somehow are found somewhere in space that occur naturally on some other world, and conveniently allow us to violate scientific laws and theories. Unobtainium stresses the "fiction" aspect as a way of getting around "science," but if you want a believable universe... well, most people would not believe that these materials could actually exist. They are entirely too convenient and useful ways of breaking the scientific rules. Does this mean you shouldn't use unobtainium? Depends whether you want to have a believable setting, or if you want to stress...

6. Suspension of Disbelief. Also known as Handwavium, this is when you simply say "Ok, we're going to ignore the fact that this is completely unscientific so that we can have fun with the plot and get on with it." Keep in mind that rather than creating a believable setting, Handwavium in fact is admitting that there are some rather unbelievable aspects of the setting but allow them anyway so that the story can proceed. The amount of Handwavium that exists in the setting generally defines where the story sits on the Mohs scale of Science Fiction hardness. It is important to decide exactly how much Handwavium to apply, as it is generally the only thing that allows any of the above-mentioned Fictions to exist, and whether or not to really call it Science Fiction, or just Space Fiction, or Space Fantasy like Lucas did.

I might come up with some other things at some point, but that's just some of the ideas I came up with off the top of my head. What are some other opinions on these topics? ]]> Roleplaying Discussion Holeypaladin http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?205594-Science-Fiction-The-Great-Oxymoron Article 02: Stereotypes, Tropes, and Mary Sues Deconstruction. http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?205565-Article-02-Stereotypes-Tropes-and-Mary-Sues-Deconstruction&goto=newpost Sun, 12 May 2013 06:58:21 GMT Note: Dear Moderators, before you move this thread to Articles & Guidelines, I have a request. Don't do it yet. I'll report this thread myself when I think it's ready to get moved to A&G and edit this little note out, as this altruistic article requires debate potential before I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that it's ready to be considered a proper guideline.

Thank you.

Now, onward to the topic at hand.

As for the non-moderators reading this: Please feel free to comment and discuss. Even if it's something as simple as "I agree" or "I disagree, here's why." I want these articles constructed as accurately and altruistically as possible so that we can have a short, simple list of short, simply constructed guidelines for new and old players alike to give the basics of role playing as a whole as unbiased and as free an educational dialogue as possible.

This isn't to go "my way is the best hurr durr". There are plenty of right ways to do a great number of things involved with role playing.

This is a guide to the tools you'll need in your toolkit. Nothing more, nothing less.

Assuming this succeeds, more stuff will come until it is finished. This could be two guides or two hundred guides. I have no idea how large this project is, but hey, I'm gonna give it a try.

Regardless of your opinion (dissenting or accepting) I thank you for it, and to the silent majority who likely won't comment, thank you for reading, I hope this is helpful in some manner to you.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Who am I?

I'm Brovo, as is obvious by the name in the upper left. I've been a manager of the Writer of the Month contest for over a year and have been running long-term role plays for years now. Legend of Renalta is one such on-site example, having lasted for over three years. I've taken college classes in technical writing and I am educated enough to teach basic to intermediate knowledge in several aspects of writing, with a few bits and pieces of advanced knowledge here and there.

I've been doing this for quite some time, and I hope to impart what knowledge I've gained over the years into these articles as a reference guide for everyone.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Article 02: Stereotypes, Tropes, and Mary Sues Deconstruction


What is a trope? What is a stereotype? What are Mary Sues?

Tropes: A trope is, put simply, a trait or characteristic of a plot or character; a convention by which things can be easily identified and made sense of by a reader. A trope is NOT a cliché. A cliché can be a trope, but not all tropes are clichés. A trope is a tool.

Stereotypes: A stereotype is a thought that may be adopted about specific types of individuals or certain ways of doing things, but that belief may or may not accurately reflect reality. For fiction, a stereotype is a character whom can be discernible comprised of a collection of tropes, and whom fits a personality based on an archetype. The stereotype can be positive, negative, enlightening, ignorant, and a combination thereof. Sometimes, tropes ARE stereotypes.

Mary Sues: Mary Sues are a character archetype, generally associated with idealized author-inserts, wish fulfillment, and is often associated with being brutally cliché. On several role playing forums (including this one), "Mary Sue" is used to describe a character that is one dimensional, trite, and uninteresting, or even outright aggravating.

To summarize: In fiction, a stereotype is comprised of one or more tropes, which in turn form the basis for an acceptable personality of a character archetype or the flow of the plot. When done incorrectly, you have a broken archetype or a broken story.

How stereotypes and tropes affect plot creation.

A plot needs tropes in order to have any kind of recognizable pattern or flow so that it can be understood by others. A plot without tropes is a plot that is unintelligible and maddening. Technically speaking, beginnings, middles, endings, and how one gets between each stage, are almost entirely covered by tropes... So it is literally impossible to create a functional plot intentionally without some rudimentary knowledge of tropes.

Thus, by dismissing them, one dismisses the ultimate tool in their arsenal for conveying a story.

A mind numbingly massive list of examples can be found of settings and plots that fulfill these purposes. Generally speaking a setting is an outline while a plot is more specific.

When one creates a setting, a world, they should follow a trope at first and then at their own discretion modify that trope. For example, you could write a high fantasy story and make the twist be that in the fantasy world, all magic was lost. Pow. You now have an interesting, unique setting that players easily understand. Now add a basic plot. How about an assimilation plot?

We now have a high fantasy world with elves and dwarves, missing magic for some reason, in which some malevolent force (human or otherwise) is attempting to assimilate all, willing or unwilling, into some kind of group...

With just two tropes, you almost have a completely functional world and plot, that is simple and yet unique!

I will go into more detail on plots in Plot Deconstruction.

How stereotypes and tropes affect character creation.

A character requires tropes in order to be identifiable and understood by others. A character which is completely original, using no tropes or stereotypes recognizable by others, is impossible to understand without a significant investment of time and patience to create new categories, and then categorize them. A role play does not have this kind of time. In order to get a role play started for example, you need stable, good characters that everyone can understand to at least a rudimentary degree. Characters that nobody can comprehend or understand are not well made characters, or at the very least, are not suitable for the task of starting and continuing a role play.

Thus, in order to create a character who can be understood by others (and, to a greater extent, by the player controlling the character) they require tropes. These get used either intentionally or unintentionally.

An example of trope-based characters can be found all throughout fiction, but to illustrate a few basic ones is the five man band. AKA: A basic group composition consisting of the leader, the rival, the smart one, the romantic interest, and the strong one.

Why the five man band?

Because when creating a character, one of the easiest ways to ensure that they will fit in with a larger group is to have them fulfill not only their own unique, individual role, but a group role. For example: The scientist can often answer questions and solve puzzles that other members of the group find perplexing, they can double as educators or mentors, as detectives and can even become leaders where necessary. Not only that, but there are several different kinds of scientists to choose from. If you like romance and want to paint your character out as a target, perhaps the hot scientist will be more to your liking. Or, if you're in an evil group, perhaps the mad scientist will do the job better. Or, if you prefer a more oriental version of the five man band, the magnificent seven samurai do a good job there.

Just remember: That tropes are a tool. Understanding them will help you to craft characters that are memorable, easily understood, and even unique. You can twist a trope, or change a trope... But you will inevitable use a trope. Instead of fighting it, it's best to learn what they are so that you can improve your arsenal of tools. Sadly, though, it takes a lot of reading and some trial and error to truly "master" tropes. So don't be concerned if it takes a while to learn!

One of the best ways to learn them is to identify them in your own characters after you make them, and figure out how you did it for the future.

I will go into more detail on characters in Character Deconstruction.

A deconstruction of a Mary Sue.

As promised, I will now deconstruct the mythological Mary Sue. This is to service two purposes. First, to show how to identify tropes and stereotypes. Second, to illustrate why a Mary Sue is considered a mind numbingly terrible archetype to create.

Note: Marianna Susanna will be created as a character for our high fantasy plot above.







NOTE: Additional information about Mary Sues can be found in this post, as the number of Mary Sue variations are almost as endless as one's imagination.

USEFUL LINKS

TVTropes is a site dedicated to explaining and giving examples of tropes found in television, animation, film, role playing, games, literature, and more. It is, essentially, the textbook of basic to intermediate level devices concerning both plots and characters ranging from the classical fairy tale to the intellectual drama.

Literary Devices is a site dedicated to explaining the plethora of terminology associated with writing as a medium. It is, essentially, the writer's dictionary. If you ever have a question about a writing term I used, you can probably find the answer here. (It also teaches how to write short stories and books if you are an aspiring author as well as a role player.)

VOCABULARY

Archetype: An archetype is a a character whom falls within the acceptable boundaries to be classified under a commonly known and repeated stereotype. IE: A white knight, an old soldier, a wise monk, a courageous war hero, a peasant who becomes a knight, the chosen one, the ranger, the wizard, the priest, etc.

POLL OPTIONS
Character Deconstruction: Hard and lengthy. I would likely give the basics of how characters function and how to create or modify based on a simple, broad archetype. This will likely bleed into Relationships Deconstruction.
Relationships Deconstruction: Moderate and not all that lengthy. I would likely give the basics of healthy relationships between characters and how to create and manage them to form natural, cohesive groups. This will likely bleed into Character Deconstruction.
Combat Deconstruction: Moderate and a little lengthy. I would likely write how combat works in a one on one scenario, in group scenarios, with stats & dice, and without stats and dice. If I have the time and research I will also illustrate how combat in a nation RP works.
Plot Deconstruction: Hard and lengthy. I would likely give the basics of how a plot functions to a story and how to create or modify a simple Hero's Journey plot.
Eastern & Western Deconstruction: Moderate and a little lengthy. I would likely illustrate the differences between eastern and western culture, ranging from the underlying facets to the overall picture. I will have to do some research before I can put this one out (to avoid any errors from my western perspective on eastern culture).
Other Deconstruction: You have another topic for me to deconstruct. If it gains sufficient support I will do it. (Or I will add it to the next poll.) Please post in the thread otherwise I won't know what you want me to deconstruct.
Don't Do Another: I did a bad thing and you don't want me to make another. If so, I apologize. Please inform me as to how I have err'd, I am quite curious. ]]> Roleplaying Discussion Brovo http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?205565-Article-02-Stereotypes-Tropes-and-Mary-Sues-Deconstruction Roleplaying in Writing Novels http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?205041-Roleplaying-in-Writing-Novels&goto=newpost Wed, 08 May 2013 03:18:39 GMT I was wondering this:
Do you think roleplaying helps you -as an author- or hinders you -as an author-? As a simple example, I've noticed that the site's margins are much wider than, say, Microsoft Word's. This leads to paragraphs from Roleplayer Guild being equivalent to two or three in Word, which in essence makes my stories overly descriptive.

I feel like roleplaying also gets one stuck within a different mindset than what might work with writing a novel.

Yourselves? ]]> Roleplaying Discussion Tytus http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?205041-Roleplaying-in-Writing-Novels Choosing a Symbol For My Character http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?205028-Choosing-a-Symbol-For-My-Character&goto=newpost Wed, 08 May 2013 01:14:04 GMT As stated in my other (http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?204978-Need-Help-With-a-Character) thread, I need a symbol, or want, whichever... As stated in my other thread, I need a symbol, or want, whichever wording you like best. I have recently come up with a few, but I still do not know which to choose. This is for a Goa'uld (A Goa'uld who has turned good and wants to help the Jaffa to live better lives without thinking they require the symbiotes, hoping to find a cure. Obviously, I will not be using the final history of SG-1 for this, so just bare with me? Please?)

(Some choices are Viking/Nord era, placed in the choosing possibility obviously because of the Asgard)

Choices
1. (Peace)
A Rune based symbol meaning "Peace"
This Symbol is made up of what appears to be a "R" ("Raidho) backwards and joined with a "B."
When an "R" is placed backwards (Merkstave) it then means: Crisis, rigidity, stasis, injustice, irrationality. Disruption, dislocation, demotion, delusion, possibly a death.
Therefore, possibly the combination of a backward "R" and a "B" binds both life and death, where new life comes from death and visa versa, or it speaks of the after life, though Viking burials have included weapons, as life after death was considered no different to live on earth some times?

2. (Success, Protection)
A plaited sign to denote success and protection against evil forces. It is found on a Sumerian seal and on a picture stone found in Gotland, Sweden, dating from the early part of the Viking era.

3. (Shen)
A loop of rope that has no beginning and no end, it symbolized eternity. The sun disk is often depicted in the center of it. The shen also seems to be a symbol of protection. It is often seen being clutched by deities in bird form, Horus the falcon, Mut the vulture.

4. (Love, Wisdom, and Truth)
Awen/Druid Symbol for Love, Wisdom and Truth

5. (Mountain)
Mountains symbolize conquering, overcoming, hard work, willpower, and ascending above petty circumstances.





After recent thought, and with Nydie's help, I have chosen to call my character Asim, "ah-sim." Asim was and regretfully is still a Goa'uld, adult Goa'uld. He can not be a Tok'ra, because the Tok'ra queen died, so either he lives as a Goa'uld or should die as a Goa'uld. He understands and agrees with the Tok'ra, and that his race has ultimately used and abused life for thousands of years, and through his memories, he simply just can't keep watching it all. Being Goa'uld, he knows many forms of the technology, though only the ancient forms of it since his spawning was not from Ra or Apophis, Ba'al, or any of the others, just left in a pool of natural spawning Goa'uld. Since the Tok'ra and teh Tau'ri mostly have the situation under control with the System Lords, one key element has been left astray. The Jaffa. The rogue NID that continuously try to kill Jaffa are not entirely wrong in their endeavors. The Jaffa are the System Lords power, and even though killing them is a solution, it shouldn't be the only solution taken, if at all. Asim wishes to do something similar to the Free Jaffa Nation, except not only give them their freedom, but the power and technology to defend themselves, and in the end, free them of the Goa'uld symbiotes. Now it is true, Tretonin has become a great substance to assist the Jaffa, but it is still not perfect, and they still can not get a majority of the Jaffa to sway over to them. With a "gods" influence, he hopes to only use it to help sway over Jaffa, and then free them. After which, he protects those who choose to be free, and enlists those as warriors who want to help protect themselves, their families, and their new home. He honestly and outwardly does not consider himself a man of power or a god, and he only accepts the term 'savior.'

As an edit to the information above, he has hopes to find a Queen to make a "new Goa'uld" race/species, in hopes that the "Goa'uld" can still live, but be something similar to Tok'ra, and not false gods. But this may as well be a false hope, for him.

The above wall of text is to help if you would like to truly vote for a symbol for a cause or reason instead of just the looks for a more understanding. ]]> Roleplaying Discussion UnknownSoldier http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?205028-Choosing-a-Symbol-For-My-Character is anyone interested in a star wars roleplay? http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?205010-is-anyone-interested-in-a-star-wars-roleplay&goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 22:17:32 GMT my roleplay takes place during the new sith wars my roleplay takes place during the new sith wars ]]> Roleplaying Discussion Gotharic http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?205010-is-anyone-interested-in-a-star-wars-roleplay Need Help With a Character http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?204978-Need-Help-With-a-Character&goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 17:51:04 GMT Before you delve into this subject, may I just say this first; it's a character based in Stargate/SG-1

First
I'm creating a character and a background for the character, and I need help with three different things.
Firstly, in the Goa'uld language, I've come up with a word that most likely would be a very loose translation of what I think it would be. With the resources I list (Or ones you find unlazy enough to search for :P) I'd like to know what you all find the word to translate to, it will obviously be hard, but the harder it is to translate, the more I obviously need to find better words.

Please find the translation of the player-created word, "Mel'k." (For those interested, it is pronounced Mel'kuh)
...With these (Or more) translation dictionaries.
http://www.stargate-sg1-solutions.co...9;uld_Language
http://www.tokraresistance.com/dictionary.html
http://stargate.wikia.com/wiki/Goa'uld_language
http://www.angelfire.com/space2/4eva...ck/goauld.html



Second
Goa'uld translates as "children of the gods" Tok'ra translates as "against Ra" Mel'k has to do with the Jaffa
Mel'k is something to be like Goa'uld and Tok'ra, though to be honest both the terms Goa'uld and Tok'ra are too loosely used. At one time Goa'uld is to describe a symbiote, then a system lord, then a whole faction of them, and the list goes on, same with Tok'ra, though Mel'k is to be the name of their forces/allegiance/legion/whathaveyou. I do have hopes for a symbol for this (we will go now by calling it a faction) faction. The word "Prevail" is a wonderful and strong words, and though it doesn't seem to have any obvious symbol, it is greatly used in many texts, including ancient or other wise. In my recent findings, this is as close as I came to it.
http://www.canstockphoto.com/papyrus-10747416.html
The symbol that is located in the center is loosely similar or exact to other images found in google image after searching "symbol for prevail" or "egyptian symbol for prevail." And though I have no problem with it, it being just a skinny ordinary symbol, hieroglyphics (Look, lookit dat stupid X, it's just an x, nothing fancy at all!) weren't entirely different, and those cancer ribbons and ribbons for other things typically mean prevail, correct?
So, the ribbon, I was thinking the ribbon, or maybe the ankh
http://www.fitnfreejt.org/symbols%20and%20rings.htm
Though I have slightly two issues with this one, it takes away the meaning of prevail, though it isn't entirely against what the faction is for, life, which could have several hundred sub-words. But the other issue is that it is apparently used in religion (Not that I dislike the religion, no not at all, I don't know the religion enough to be against it. For that matter, I'm not entirely against any religion because I don't know that many).
So... a stand still, what do you all think?
Don't vote for a symbol in this thread, go here!



Third
Thirdly, this is the worst part and you all may be angry at me for it.... I need a name.

I don't know much at all into Egyptian names and kings and all that fancy jazz. I'm not even sure if I should use a famous name in Egyptian history, but I should at least use a name that is Egyptian for the theme bit of it, don't you think? Anyone have any ideas for this? ]]> Roleplaying Discussion UnknownSoldier http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?204978-Need-Help-With-a-Character Sci Fi Rp GMing. Any Tips? http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?204942-Sci-Fi-Rp-GMing-Any-Tips&goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 06:32:21 GMT So I recently started a high free Sci Fi RP, and things have been a tad slow as of lately. Anyway, three years ago when I started rping I wanted to... So I recently started a high free Sci Fi RP, and things have been a tad slow as of lately. Anyway, three years ago when I started rping I wanted to build a universe, or a part of that universe that would make for a decent setting. So over the years I've been adding more and more to it, expanding upon this idea. After all that, I decided to bring it here to test it out. Returning to the question though, does anyway have any tips on how to improve upon GMing in general or Sci fi related GMing?


Interest check link in case you are interested in seeing a very vague description of my plotting. ( http://roleplayerguild.com/showthrea...more-chaps-%29 ) ]]> Roleplaying Discussion Spybuster http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?204942-Sci-Fi-Rp-GMing-Any-Tips Mass Effect Nova Saga Round Table Discussion (Players only) http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?204897-Mass-Effect-Nova-Saga-Round-Table-Discussion-(Players-only)&goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 01:28:34 GMT If you were not a participant of any of the Mass Effect: Nova RPs, this is a thread meant to get everything back on track and plan ahead for the... If you were not a participant of any of the Mass Effect: Nova RPs, this is a thread meant to get everything back on track and plan ahead for the future. I ask you leave participation for those who were actually involved in them, thanks in advance!

Anyways, with that bit of necessity out of the way, onward to the purpose of this thread.

With the extreme unlikeliness of Void coming back due to OrangeInk seeming to have lost interest in the game, I'm proposing we do away with with that plot altogether and start over fresh with a new game, and we'll be free to move around with the settings.

So, a big thing I wanted to do with this is to talk to you guys about what worked with the games, and what didn't. What made a Nova RP unique and compelling to you, and what made it hard to post in at times? Did you feel your characters mattered to the plot, had proper development? Were the NPCs memorable? Were the plots enjoyable, post quality sufficient?

That kind of stuff.

Anyways, I'll open up with my perspective on the deal here.

For me, it was a no brainer making Nova in the first place after Surge petered out due to the GM vanishing without a word and never returning to the site. The players and the characters had fantastic chemistry, and I think it really had the potential to be special. And was I right. I can honestly say, of all the RPs I've been in on the site, the high points in the Nova RPs were among my favorite things I've ever participated in in my years of role playing. It wouldn't exist without you guys, and we all made it what it was.

The thing that made Surge so unique was how well it ran in the complete absence of a GM. The players took the initiative to move the plot along, set up the encounters, and so on so forth. The only thing that was missing was the actual plot, which is what caused that RP to stop. I tried to recreate that same equal-GMing style with Nova, where it ran really well in that regard for the first while until things started slowing down after the narrow escape on the Citadel and returning to the Tyrus. Peculiarly, it was a similar thing in Void. Everything ran exceedingly smoothly until everyone actually met up on the MV Cha-Thrah. And then there was a chorus of 'I don't know what to post', which baffles me.

I don't know if both of the slow downs and death blows were from burn out or players forgetting that they were supposed to be largely running their own personal business like in their 'away' posts, if you will, but things started to hurt after a while and it got a point where GMing the games wasn't nearly as fun or organic as it was before. Nothing is more discouraging than spending a couple hours at a time writing up posts to incorporate all of the player actions and events going on, as well as trying to move the plot along to get barely any responses back from it. That on top of trying to come up with and make the story happen, all the NPCs, and so on so forth, it's a lot of work that I didn't feel was really being responded to.

I think a big problem was, in order to make a lot of these elaborate plots, I unintentionally shoehorned people into linear paths that didn't let them explore or do the things that made their characters unique and independent.

I made Nova RPs move away from what made them Nova RPs.

I got to thinking about what I thought made the RPs as unique as they were and as fun as they were, so here's a brief, bullet-point format of what I thought worked well and we may have lost sight of;

1. Nova was always meant to be an independent mercenary company; being forced to disband and be at the Shadow Broker's mercy screwed a LOT of the lighthearted, free form play style that defined the games. Somehow, we managed to hit a perfect blend between a serious, well-developed story with believable, vulnerable characters with enough humour and reoccurring jokes that gave everything much needed relief and personality. Things like 'Shithead', rebelling coffee makers, having a varren pet, the pranks, Roland's not-really womanizing, so many things. The plot worked best when the characters all had a synergy and understanding with one another, and one of the BEST things we ever did was establish character histories with each other BEFORE the game even started, or when somebody went 'Hey, Tillus, remember that time on Illium where you hit on that girl who really was a man?' 'Oh yeah! And then she slipped him some kind of drug that nearly killed him because she forgot turians are dextro-based'. That kind of stuff, where right there, spontaneously, it became canon and we'd reference it several times in the future. It's how the whole joke about Tanya hooking with the krogan came from.

2. We worked best with fewer players/ player characters. This was largely my fault for being unable to say 'no' a lot of the time, and because people who were accepted put a LOT of good work into their sheets. The problem I started to notice was the more people who showed up, the less connected people were. People don't post because they don't want to cut others off in a post order, it becomes a lot of work to incorporate everyone's reactions and actions in your post, et cetera. So we try to stick with the same core group that has stuck through since Nova, and be firm about player numbers. Also, as much as I love the secondary characters, I think that really hurt our posting because goddamn, your effort is now split into two different characters instead of the one that needs the most attention.

3. The ship was it's own character. Nowhere did I realize this as much as Void that having Tyrus being distinct and well-established gave it as much personality and familiarity as Serenity or the Millennium Falcon. The MV Cha-Thrah was lifeless in comparison, which was not my entire intention. I wanted it to be something unfamiliar to the team and a temporary measure, but I had no idea it would be so alienating.

4. The RPs ran smoothest when people acted independently of GM guidance. My main intention to be a GM was to basically just move the story along, set the scenes, and let you guys go nuts with your imaginations but somewhere along the way, everybody stopped taking personal control of the setting and relied mainly on my input to set things up. This gets tricky with half a dozen players, let alone nearly twice that. To get the RP back where it needs to be, I think we need to go back to the hands-off approach to GMing and let the players guide the plot, outside of the GM doing general stuff like time skips, making the primary plot line, and so on. A big problem that came out of me being the GM was Tanya was never meant to be the 'leader' figure, but she kind of ended up as such because of my duties as GM. I kind of want to change that. Nova's made up of equals, there is no Captain that isn't a VI that doesn't care one way or another.

So, I ran the idea by Jenno, and he seems to be for it. I think we should reboot Nova and change some things about the back story and have the regular players' characters as founders, even if they joined in the second RP or whatever. We can even START with the player characters meeting up for the first time and picking out the ship that would eventually become theirs, and bring Tyrus back into the RP that way. Just start fresh, trim the fat, and go back to the simple mercenary life we were leading while plotting to run Nova all the way through the trilogy from their point of view.

And another thing, if someone wants to take over GM duties, they're welcome to it. You guys know this stuff as well as I do, but if I do go back to GMing, I don't want to do it alone. It's too easy to burn out doing that and I want it to be something we all pitch into.

Anyways, discuss away. Let's get us back on track, shall we? Also, Jenno was working on a pretty awesome plot idea he was telling me about that I think may work well for the 'kick off' for a reboot. Let's do it, people.

Also, I'm considering writing a story based on Tanya's younger life leading up to her joining Nova, from before she joined the alliance to after, if anyone would be interested in me doing that. ]]> Roleplaying Discussion Dervish http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?204897-Mass-Effect-Nova-Saga-Round-Table-Discussion-(Players-only) Anyone a fan of SCP? http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?204364-Anyone-a-fan-of-SCP&goto=newpost Fri, 03 May 2013 09:38:21 GMT *Just a curious question...is anyone here a fan of the SCP site? For people who do not know, SCP is a creative writing site, where each of the... Just a curious question...is anyone here a fan of the SCP site?

For people who do not know, SCP is a creative writing site, where each of the submissions is about made-up creatures and impossibilities, etc, that pose varying levels of danger to humanity. The most common one is SCP 173, the living statue that kills people, but cannot move in direct line of sight (Came out ten months before weeping angels did, you Whovians)

Anyway, very interesting concept. Just curious if anyone else knows about it? Wanting to start a few RPs with people who know about it.
 ]]> Roleplaying Discussion Whytt http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?204364-Anyone-a-fan-of-SCP <![CDATA[I'm designing a system for a game. Would anyone like to help?]]> http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?203976-I-m-designing-a-system-for-a-game-Would-anyone-like-to-help&goto=newpost Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:18:43 GMT I'm trying to design a system similiar to Pokemon, but simplified and more easily customizable so guilders can easily modify the system to suit their needs. I've figured out most of the groundwork. I just need help with presentation, how to write battles, leveling up, how to personalize the system, and how to show decks.

Here is an example of what I'm trying to create.

Quote:
Heatblast Lvl 1 120HP



30D Fireball: Heatblast shoots out a rock hard ball of flame.

0D or 20D Firewall: Heatblast puts a wall between two combatants. Any attacks made will fail and if it is a direct hit, they take damage.

10D Heatwave: Heatblast slowly roasts all opponents in the battle. Lasts 3 turns.

Element: Fire Weakness: Water Strength: Plants
I want cards for this system to be able to be written up with basic knowledge of BBCode in a minute or two. At the moment some of you may be able to tell that it's in the context of Ben 10 at the moment. ]]> Roleplaying Discussion nightrunner http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?203976-I-m-designing-a-system-for-a-game-Would-anyone-like-to-help Big Thanks to RPGuild! http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?203810-Big-Thanks-to-RPGuild!&goto=newpost Mon, 29 Apr 2013 02:50:20 GMT So, While preparing for a new RP I may or may not launch, I discovered a new RP site that was COMPLETELY Star Wars, which I loved, but there was one... So, While preparing for a new RP I may or may not launch, I discovered a new RP site that was COMPLETELY Star Wars, which I loved, but there was one problem. Developing a new character is HELL. excuse my language, but it is. I've been working on it for several days now, and STILL havent gotten it authorized 100%.

So THANK YOU RolePlayerGuild and all the players! Thanks for providing a site that is VERY pick-up-and-go, without bogging us down with rules upon rules upon RULES. I may not agree with everyone arond here 100%, but let's be honest, you can't please everyone. Keep up the good work, folks! ]]> Roleplaying Discussion Echoes of Old http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?203810-Big-Thanks-to-RPGuild! <![CDATA[I've got a problem.]]> http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?203567-I-ve-got-a-problem&goto=newpost Sat, 27 Apr 2013 14:06:14 GMT I feel like every RP I join either ends up sucking or all the members slow their posting down so much the RP dies. Rarely it's posted TOO much the first day and then everyone who got left behind quits. I've even tried to make my own but they always suck because I guess my ideas are lame.

How can I find an RP that will actually last? I'm tired of not being able to RP, someone help a bored bastard. ]]> Roleplaying Discussion Tesla http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?203567-I-ve-got-a-problem First time starting a RP. Any tips or helpful hints ? http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?203547-First-time-starting-a-RP-Any-tips-or-helpful-hints&goto=newpost Sat, 27 Apr 2013 05:55:29 GMT Hello World Wide Web,I'm here to ask for your help. I'm thinking of starting my first RP but....I'm nervous. I'm hoping that some kind,experienced,GM's with successful RP's wouldn't mind helping me as far as tips,ideas,and helpful do's and don'ts when it comes to running and starting a successful RP. Thanks in advance. ]]> Roleplaying Discussion ProfessorNemo http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?203547-First-time-starting-a-RP-Any-tips-or-helpful-hints Not sure what to do? http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?203439-Not-sure-what-to-do&goto=newpost Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:06:01 GMT I need some advice as I am really not sure how to handle a situation. I am currently in a 1x1 rp which was started from someone approaching me from... I need some advice as I am really not sure how to handle a situation. I am currently in a 1x1 rp which was started from someone approaching me from my interest check. In my interest check I state that I want to play to a casual / advanced level, I would rather wait a few days to have a quality post with a bit of character depth and expression and about 2-3 decent paragraphs rather than two sentences.

Anyway as I said I have started with someone and originally they started doing 2-3 good length paragraphs but this has been getting shorter and shorter as we kept posting, the latest post must only be 150 words long and I just can't work with that.

So my question is how can I bring this up to my partner without sounding like a pretentious, horrible person? I have already asked that they separate their posts into paragraphs rather than the large block of text they were doing, which makes it a lot easier to read.

I know no one is perfect and I appreciate that everyone has days when the creativity doesn't flow and grammar and spelling mistakes happen but ... urgh the thing is I am really enjoying our story, so I don't want to jeopardize it.

So any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks :) ]]> Roleplaying Discussion Elorwin http://roleplayerguild.com/showthread.php?203439-Not-sure-what-to-do