[OOC] Rift Runners Gaming Group

[Deserted]

The interesting thing about dimensions is that we have access to 3 and a bit. Height, width, depth, and time (sort of.) These are the carnal dimensions. However, there are others that scientists and mathematicians are busily unraveling. There are actually 19 recorded thus far.

1) Height
2) Width
3) Depth
4) Time (Era)
5) Realism
6) Magic (Genera)
7) Technology (Genera)
8) Epicness
9) Character’s Relevance in the World
10) Character's Badassness
11) Action
12) Lethality
13) Humor
14) Morality
15) Mood
16) Setting
17) Premise
18) Lucidity
19) 4th Wall

They are suspended by infinite mathematical possibilities in a fractal arc, and where they intersect they create space/time bubbles and safe havens. Each has its own sets of physical laws that are completely independent of the others. Now, so far as the other non-intersecting spaces... the in-betweens if you would, holds no power over anything (object, person, or craft) all remains subject to the laws of it's originating space/time bubble. This is called "the rift" and this is why we are called Rift Runners.

Basically you... physical, real world you, sitting on the other side of that screen, YOU. Are a Rift Runner in that you play characters in roleplaying games (or as I call them in this thread... "other dimensions") and you are part of this gaming group... The Rift Runners Gaming Group.

Since we don't really want to say "Hi, I'm so and so, I live here, and this is my deepest darkest secret." We are creating real-world analogues for us to play. If you want to make this analog to actually be YOU, that is up to you. In a face to face game I would simply have you guys play yourselves, but I think we should hold a level of ambiguity since it is the internet and some of you might be minors or might not be comfortable sharing things about yourselves with someone you can't even put a face to.

Honestly, if you guys don't want me to run Adventure 1, or if someone is super eager to run their own, then I'm totally cool with that.

[TheUnknowable]

What if all of our RPs are actually this one? At least that's what I plan on doing, and having my memories change based on the reality I'm in. I'll punch an Orc out in a fantasy universe, then when I get to Star Wars remember punching out a Gammorean. Then in Star Trek it will be a Gorn.

[Deserted]

And for our reality, it could be a jerk!

I thought about that, but didn't do it because that means that a player is locked into one background and personality. They might want to change it up and then we would have some 'splainin' to do.

[Deserted]

My wife is funny, she heard that I can burp on command, so now she wants me to belch lullabies to our daughter once she's old enough to appreciate it. LOL

[Polybius]

Questions:
Who can 'run Rifts'? Anyone? Just peeps from Earth?
What is (genera?)
And could you explain dimensions a bit more? It's very confusing the way it is set up. For example you say 'dimensions are places' but 1.Height is clearly not a place. nor is 9. Characters relevance in a world. etc.

[Primal Conundrum]

Yeah, as it stands the dimensions don't really make a ton of sense—there doesn't seem to be a cohesive theme as to what a dimension even is, in this context. Some things seem to be dealing with measurements in physical space, whereas others are emotions and such.

Is anyone here familiar with GURPS? The Infinite Worlds setting of theirs is a pretty easy to use starting point for interdimensional RPs.

[Deserted]

Rift Runners = Players (In this case PCs)

Genera = Anything, we are just going to start in our reality to get an idea that we are going to be traveling a lot of places and to jump into a game. Adventure 1 in other words. I did it this way so that it is easier to think about your character as being many things in many places instead of just "I have a character here, now I have another character there."

Dimension = An adventure. The science is actually pretty irrelevant. So far as a dimensional intersection, (it would be a really strange space/time bubble if there was no height, seems a little cramped to me) take a look though, basically the dimensions in question are the same necessities to building an adventure, just fancied up. I will make an edit. I have actually done 2 others but for some reason is omitting changes that I have made.

If you are trying to think of ideas for a character, just get the core of the "who" and the "what you want them to be doing to help" down, and then tag it to a tangible someone you might actually slap with a fish today.

[Clanty]

I just want to make sure I'm understanding this right. So if I want my character to be a Jack/Medic I could be a mechanic with an EMT background in our dimension. A crafter/healer in a fantasy setting, engineer/medic in a sci-fi setting. Same basic character with flavor differences, correct?

[Deserted]

@Clanty that would work. I was kind of thinking that a mechanic or engineer would be more along the lines of a Support (for stuff like repairs and jury rigging) and Wizard for invention (like Tony Stark.) I originally envisioned a Jack more like a cabinet maker/forest ranger/world traveler/midwife/screen writer. Where they don't really have any single specialty.

[Deserted]

Oh, looking at your character it seems like you understood perfectly.

[Clanty]

@Deserted So I could use Wizard for a more science-y MacGuyver approach? Or should I stick with Support?

[Deserted]

Yah, that would be a technological wizard right there. We even call them that "wiz kid" "a technological wizard"and stuff like that. Basically you are making the seemingly impossible happen.

But it's up to you what you would like to play. R2D2 (a support character) is every bit as respected as Tony Stark (a wizard) but they play very differently.

[TheUnknowable]

@DesertedDoes my character work?

[Clanty]

@Deserted I'm definitely looking to be more the Tony Stark approach so I'll change it to Jack/Wizard.

*edit-I can't decide if I want to do Jack/Wizard or Support/Wizard. I want her to know a little bit of everything and be able to create/fix things to help everyone out. It's almost sounding like more of a Jack/Support/Wizard..... Can we choose 3?

[Deserted]

@ClantyAh, here we go. I've been trying to put words to this. A wizard is kind of like a Jack in that they can do just about anything... but they can't do EVERYTHING at the same time (like a Jack can) they have preparation and time to analyze before they can actually be effective (hence why many game systems require spell preparation.) While they have considerably more punch than a Jack has, they sacrifice being caught off guard.

Now, a support person, they are reliable on their area of expertise. They are both adaptable and potent in what they do.

However, there is crossover. A mechanical engineer might know how to design something and might be able to understand the problem, and probably will be able to fix it... however a mechanic is going to be used to actually doing it. Does that mean the mechanic cannot design? No, it just means he's better at repairing. Does it mean an engineer cannot repair? No it just means that he's not necessarily accustomed to getting dirty. In terms of magic, can a wizard buff a warrior? Sure, it isn't the best use of his time, but why not? Can a bard cast a damaging spell? Probably, but it isn't going to be as potent as a wizard.

I would say, if you definitely want to be the Tony Stark thing, go with the wizard.

[Clanty]

@Deserted So if I wanted to be a mechanical engineer who was also a mechanic I'd be a support wizard right? Sorry for all the questions, I just kind of have a feel for how I want her in my head and am trying to get it right.

[Deserted]

@TheUnknowableYour character looks just fine. About the only thing I can see that needs a little tweaking (and this is totally optional) is his Intrigue. I kind of have that spot reserved for stuff outside of behavior (which is funny because I totally spaced that when I built my character. I have since edited it.) For instance, you say that your character is is small, you would list that in intrigue because he cannot choose to not be small. However, if you mean that he is slightly below average, and it really doesn't have any pull on how he interacts with his environment, then just leave it the way it is.

Intrigue doesn't always have to have something in it, is just something to identify something out of the ordinary and outside of your character's behavior.

[Deserted]

Do you guys think we need to add or remove or clarify anything? Honestly, we can apply most of what is on this sheet to most rules and be able to build an appropriate character.

@Primal ConundrumI have tried to play GURPS, but every time I find some players, the group has JUST disbanded. I think eventually we are going to pull out some games with rules, but for the kick-off we might want to stick to free-form until we can decide if there is a super-awesome system we all want to stick to.

[6slyboy6]

@Deserted I don't understand anything as I ahevN't been told, and the intro doesn't make any sense to me. We have 17 dimesnions that are so completely different and inalligned with each other, and there are some peeps called rift runners. That's all. I can decipher no more info. Who are we? What do we do? Why do we do that?

[Deserted]

You are a rift-runner @6slyboy6 unless you don't want to be. I had to call our gaming group something, and figured I would kind of keep the feel something imaginative and fun.

Who are we? What do we do? Why do we do that?

Those questions, I believe, are for you to decide for yourself.

Right now just build a general frame of a character concept you wouldn't mind playing for an adventure or two. We are going to plug it into the real world just because the real world is something I hope we can all relate to.