<Snipped quote by AndyC>
My guy you realize there has been more 'you can't play that' even when someone is actively trying to make the character fit (as we've been told we can!!!) in here from you and Retired than there is actual positivity and engagement-encouragement about the game you're trying to launch?
<Snipped quote by AndyC>
This no longer feels like 'here's a suggestion of characters you could play and a ballpark to aim for' and is now crystallizing into 'here are the sheets you can app. everything else is a flat no.'
The reason for the abundance of "you can't play that" comments is very simple. There seems to have been, at some point by some people, a fundamental misunderstanding of what this game is. As a result of that misunderstanding, there have been comments and questions here about characters that are far and beyond the capacity of this game. We are required to address those so people aren't under the impression those sorts of concepts have a chance of being accepted.
The opening post of this interest check, I thought, was clear about the extent of this game and the types of character concepts that would fit. We explicitly ruled out some things, and, through narrative language, tried to guide people to other things. This game, at its core, is a street level focus of heroes versus organized crime. The little intro blurb to the setting I wrote and was included in the opener regarding the boroughs was entirely focused on that aspect.
Yes, there are limits for this game. Yes, those limits are much more severe than in past comic games members of the community may be used to. That is because the setting and narrative scope of this game is limited, narrow, and focused. This is not an Ultimate/Absolute/All-Star/One Universe game that allows for boundless levels of creativity regarding rewrites and out-of-the-box concepts. I am very confident that a game of that type will crop up sometime again in the future.
Limited-scope roleplays exist in abundance on this forum. They have for many, many years. An individual wouldn't go to a slice-of-life RP about a regular boarding school and attempt to apply with a talking dog who can read minds. That kind of concept can exist in some kind of slice-of-life game somewhere, but not that one that is of a limited scope.
Likewise, this game is about explicitly street level vigilantes taking on the rampant organized crime within NYC. The fantastic can exist, yes, but at its core characters need to fit within that scope. Announcing an attempt to apply with a near god-level character is not within that scope. The same goes for characters who would have no feasible interest in organized crime. Yes, those characters may have a canon history of street-level excursions, but if those excursions don't deal with organized crime or the characters are nigh-undefeatable by said organized crime then they inherently don't fit within the scope.
I understand that many of us who have participated in these comic games over the years have character concepts we never finished and wished we could continue. Stories and arcs we planned for and are itching to finally produce. I relate with that very well. However, for the vast majority of those concepts, this is not the game to try and recreate them. It's just not, as much as that might suck to hear. I'm not recreating my Fantastic Four despite them being NY heroes. Andy isn't running Wolverine despite him having history with organized crime. Those are concepts we may wish we could relive, but those concepts would be beyond the scope of this game.
The goal of this game is to tell street-level stories of vigilantes facing organized crime, encountering the expected costumed villains within that purview, and collaborating on events that are explicitly street-level in nature. By allowing characters that can either solo those events, will never be challenged by those events, or whom would have no reason to engage in those events, we would be violating the entire goal of the game.
There have only been a couple explicit nos given here. Most of the answers given to questions about potentially out-of-scope character concepts have been more along the lines of "I have concerns that this would work for x, y, or z reason, but I welcome a character sheet that proves me wrong." If this rubs you the wrong way, that is fine, but it will not change what this game is meant to be.
As for the list of characters Andy provided, that isn't him saying "you can only run these characters." That's him saying "these are the kinds of characters that are within the scope of this game, use them as a reference point if you're unsure your concept fits."
If you or anyone else finds the scope of this game too limiting, that is perfectly fair and valid. You are free to feel that way. All that means is that this game may not be for you and that the next one that comes around might be. If that's the case, I'm sorry for any misunderstandings regarding the extent of this RP and I wish you luck in finding a game that best fits what you're seeking.
For everyone else, I'll see you in the OOC on Friday.
