Actual multiverse role-playing

[Skallagrim]

I know that crapton and importantnobody have tried in vain to make an viable multiverse setting. Neither one has done well. With the potential of having user-run worlds, the concept of a multiverse setting for the arena becomes more viable. Even with a small handful of players a multiverse for the arena is possible. The entire project hinges on the interest and involvement of the players.

So my questions are:

What caused the lack of interest in the prior attempts?

Did a lack of a true multiverse setting, which is unrestrained by the contradictory limiting factors of crapton and importantnobody's kill interest?

Did the lack of overall focus kill interest?

If you have an idea or want to comment please feel free. I am trying to gauge interest.

[Alphakoka]

Actually, the multiverse attempts usually goes down when the GM(s) went missing for some reason or another.

Let's see:
-Rilla's attempt(s), he got lazy and stopped trying, Omniverse goes down...twice.
-Tanta's attempt, despite the weird restriction, it goes on for awhile....until Tanta goes missing.
-Crapton's attempt, got some traffic and some regulars, died down when crapton's going missing with only one fight going on.

[Skallagrim]

Sadly that should not happen and that falls under a lack of overall focus for the players.

[Alphakoka]

Maybe, but so far, I only saw that the major cause was GM going missing.
It's not because of the lack of 'true' multiverse, which was used even in Rilla's attempt. Because some worlds would lack the mean of travelling between and you'll need to think a bit harder for it.
I guess all it boils to is lack of overall focus.

[Skallagrim]

A true multiverse accounts for all possibilities. Everything possible can occur. I agree it seems to be a lack of focus. So how can it be adjusted to encourage player focus? How to enable the players to work together to create a persistant multiverse?

[Alphakoka]

Skallagrim said
A true multiverse accounts for all possibilities. Everything possible can occur. I agree it seems to be a lack of focus.

Yeah, but for some of those possibilities to occur and let some worlds to travel to another, you would have to break it a bit first....Well, getting another world connected to a world and having the two of them interacting with each other is a possibility

So how can it be adjusted to encourage player focus? How to enable the players to work together to create a persistant multiverse?

'True' Multiverse is incredibly big though, and since we're doing this for the Arena, any attempts of banding all players into a single group is rather counterproductive. The best way I can think of is...well, a war between two worlds encompassing several area/worlds. The players would be mercenaries or something. Enough reason for the players to stick around in a general area, interact with each other and fight.

[Vordak]

Hehe, i wanted to say just the same thing - not enough focus.
As for dealing with this problem, i think that the players need a solid, more specified plot, possibly revolving around two-three given locations withing a respective amount of worlds (capital cities?).
Using that as a starting point, the Multiverse will eventualy expand, yet the first plotline and location will retain their role as a grip for the players to hold on to, acting without any GM whatsoever. Of course, it's nice to have a vast, big Multivrse, but i think we need to start of with something small, and then gradually unwind the roleplay as interest grows.

[Vordak]

Exploration plot? An organization attemting to expand it's influence across the M.verse, players being it's recruits or mercenaries? Yes, that could work.

[Skallagrim]

Any universe is big. The concept would be as Vordark says is to expand it without limiting characters. There are ways to do it. It requires players willing to do their part and help create the dynamic interactions to propel it.

[Descartes]

I'm curious though. Why doesn't Rilla just try again? I mean he does still roleplay. With a bit of help, I'm sure we could pull through and recreate the setting with its own fluff and a unique cast of characters.

[ImportantNobody]

What was wrong with mine? *a single teardrop falls from my face

[Alphakoka]

Descartes said
I'm curious though. Why doesn't Rilla just try again? I mean he does still roleplay.

This: "he's too lazy to try."

With a bit of help, I'm sure we could pull through and recreate the setting with its own fluff and a unique cast of characters.

Recreate the setting? You mean the Multiverse blender Rilla used?

[Skallagrim]

Rilla aside, perhaps a structured reboot that takes into account a multiverse with the variety of characters found therein and an over all thematic meta-story could be done.

[Vordak]

As for the plot, we might need a strictly defined "goal" to kickstart it. Some "big bad" guy or local war?

[Vordak]

-

[ImportantNobody]

*coughs*
Ahem, what about mine? It has one of the God guys.

[Alphakoka]

Isn't this the Arena? Our focus should be a plot that would cause the players to be able to fight each other, a big boss that would force the players to cooperate could be thrown in to spice things up occasionally, but a plot that causes all players to go for a single side? I think we might as well make that RP in the other section.

[Vordak]

Yeah, didn't think that through. How about a war? The Multiverse, if initialy it were several separate universes, could as well have a major conflict break out.

[ImportantNobody]

It's main OOC is in the casual section here. There can be many plots taking place, including the main one where our focus is on working together to close the portals that are slowly destroying the other worlds to give power to the big bad. Some plots will be in the arena with people fighting against each other.

[Alphakoka]

ImportantNobody said
It's main OOC is in the casual section . There can be many plots taking place, including the main one where our focus is on working together to close the portals that are slowly destroying the other worlds to give power to the big bad. Some plots will be in the arena with people fighting against each other.

Well, I'll have to tailor in another char.....or just throw Niks.