[quote=Dinh AaronMk]
I myself work full time - often more than that - and for most of the year will be balancing college work, if part time. And between that and general work I find time to administrate at least one major RP and may be conspiring in the creation or keeping two others alive. So if maintenance is the simple base concern - as I seem to be getting - then my advise: simply don't.I can get it if you're trying to keep the story going by operating everything not taken since otherwise it'd risk everyone getting disinterested in their own private world in their own far-off corner. But if you'r having so much trouble yourself calculating the mathematics behind each move and the rolls without a computer program already then you're best off surrendering NPCs to the mercy of the players and you, as the GM, picking up the more plot-important faction: these mythical invader beings.Actions between NPC and player will be for sure highly arbitrary and if not watched over well enough may end up with people making honestly bullshit moves to appear in the upper hand. Most of the time I don't often have time to read the 5k+ long posts I get in my own RP. So I'll trust the "moderation" to the people at large. But the group in that has been with me and with each other for long we all know each other's mannuerisms and we can all trust each other to not be a splendid fun-breaker.I've personally found the tedious task of keeping track of stats, numbers, and rolls a bit much in NRP at least. I could argue it's flavorless at best, but clearly time isn't a luxury and may actually be more harm than good. At least releasing control of NPCs would simplify moment-to-moment operations and keep the RP from playing out like an even more long-winded game of Total War or Civilization.It comes with the territory in the friends I keep.But on the map note:If you had caught me in perhaps better times I'd have Photoshop to at least make up a quick thirty-minute tracing job. More if I decided to go so far as to put in the Major kingdoms or duchies part of the larger kingdoms/empires in Europe. But I don't got those resources given the computer it was on decided to die.
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I didn't get the impression that players on the guild were fond of free-form NRPs. In my last one, there was actual surprise and somewhat dismay at the lack of any mechanics save for my repeated mention of 'common sense' and 'realism'. I agree though, they are for obvious reasons 304924923225252% easier to manage because as a GM you don't have to do anything, at all. In fact, you're not a GM, you're just a guy in the game you made. 

But yeah, back to my point. First of all people wanted a time system, and then they wanted a combat system, and before long I found myself doing more and more of it. I was surprised, as I am a returning RP player myself, having been absent from any form of it for the last six years. NRPs were newish back then (think we called them diplomacy RPs?), and it was all free form. Here though I got the impression that times have changed, and that players need direction and systems to work by. 

If the players here would rather this RP dropped the mechanics, then I'd have no problem with that. I was merely attempting to modernise and cater things to the desires of the general populous (from my experience). 

As for the map, I did think of tracing one. What concerned me though, was that for a map to have actual historical regions of the time period, would have meant loads of tiny text and names no one recognised. Much easier then, was it to just simply use a modern map with countries people would be familiar with. Sure it doesn't match up with the real life boundaries, but then, I didn't create this RP to adhere strictly to finite historical details. I haven't seen that kind of interest here, and if I had, then I would have focused more on such things. However, you're the first person I've come across who feels it necessary to plomp themselves down next to me and start pointing out all of the things that don't match up with real medieval Europe in the year 1,200 A.D for no apparent purpose. 

I appreciate your criticism, but I do find it wholly unwarranted in this instance. 

Many thanks.