Generic TWD-Inspired RP Discussion

[Carlyle]

Okay, so, I have a few things to reply to in the next few days, and I have a couple RPs I'm already GMing for, so I can't really act as GM for a new RP right now (could probably CoGM though if asked). However, I've been on a zombie binge lately, and wanted to see if anyone was interested in helping out develop a zombie RP together.

The idea I had was something similar to the first season of The Walking Dead, with the group hanging out outside some city that had been overrun. Essentially, what I'm trying to get at is something not too early in the apocalypse like how FTWD started, but something not too far into it, either (maybe a week or so from being stuck on the highway?). Just thousands of zombies vs. people who probably haven't held a gun and recently witnessed a gruesome death or two by zombie.

Personally, I'd prefer if we could avoid certain "tropes", if you would call them that. Decked out military dudes, katana-wielding swordsmen, edgelord who talks in detail about how he'll kill or beat the shit out of someone, etc. Characters like these make me groan when it comes to survival horror stuff (unless I want to be Doom Guy and blast the shit out of some zombs, but even then sometimes they're just as bad). I'd also prefer if we stuck to traditional zombies--slow and rotting over mutated variations.

Thinking a few paragraphs (2-3? casual posting should be enough) per post once per week would be an acceptable post rate/speed, too, if this ever gets off the ground.

[mickilennial]

The stereotype of the “katana-wielding badass” and “gun expert” has been in zombie-based survival horror roleplays since I started doing them. To prevent these characters you simply to have a GM team that doesn’t want them and will harshly punish people for developing their characters into them.

[Carlyle]

The stereotype of the “katana-wielding badass” and “gun expert” has been in zombie-based survival horror roleplays since I started doing them. To prevent these characters you simply to have a GM team that doesn’t want them and will harshly punish people for developing their characters into them.

@Inkarnate

I'd be okay with gun experts, but not guys running around with military rifles decked out in all kinds of attachments. To me, it does feel rather out of place--same with the katana-wielding--even if it looks cool.

Maybe it's just me preferring the survival experience rather than rule of cool? /shrug

[mickilennial]

I'd be okay with gun experts, but not guys running around with military rifles decked out in all kinds of attachments. To me, it does feel rather out of place--same with the katana-wielding--even if it looks cool. Maybe it's just me preferring the survival experience rather than rule of cool? /shrug

@Kuro

I think that’s what I mean by “gun experts”. People juxtaposing their military soldier fetish in a scenario that’s more about survival, the human condition, psychological anxieties, and so forth. Power complexes are always a thing that we as survival horror GMs/writers have to curb, because it’ll always show up no matter how much resistance there is to it. It is quite strange to me this is such a prevelant problem when very nearly every zombie-based survival horror television series we've had is more about the survival experience than the rule of cool.

[PaulHaynek]

Personally, I'd prefer if we could avoid certain "tropes", if you would call them that. Decked out military dudes, katana-wielding swordsmen, edgelord who talks in detail about how he'll kill or beat the shit out of someone, etc. Characters like these make me groan when it comes to survival horror stuff (unless I want to be Doom Guy and blast the shit out of some zombs, but even then sometimes they're just as bad). I'd also prefer if we stuck to traditional zombies--slow and rotting over mutated variations.

@Kuro

I think the best way to prevent this is to set the starting point where it's very unlikely for players to be gun-toting, katana-swinging badasses. Like say, a school or an office.

Then, if you don't want the players developing into AR-toting, katana-swinging badasses, the GM will need to restrict the loot they find in the zombie apocalypse so they can't train with them. Like, even if they enter a gun store or a weapon antique shop, they'll find that the place was already ransacked and maybe only has a pistol or an old ceremonial knife or something.

[Greenie]

If it's a motley crew of survivors, I think it'd actually be more realistic to have a gun expert/military dude or two, since I'm expecting they'd have firearms at home as well as experience in dangerous situations that would enable them to wield their weapons with great effectiveness and get out of hairy situations.

Military dude > katana wielding expert in my opinion.

I think the best way to curb OPness would be to simply set it out in the rules so that players know right off the bat what you're looking for rather than having to think up ways to hamper said gun experts during the actual game. Like in my group RP here on RPG, the GMs set what types of weapons would be allowed, which would be rare without a good reason, and which ones were just a big fat "No".

[Gentlemanvaultboy]

Be open with the players about the tone you want and make sure that they're on board with that. Make it clear you're looking for players interested in game of of desperate, blood soaked survival instead of ones that just want to be wasteland badasses.

[Carlyle]

<Snipped quote by Kuro>

I think the best way to prevent this is to set the starting point where it's very unlikely for players to be gun-toting, katana-swinging badasses. Like say, a school or an office.

Then, if you don't want the players developing into AR-toting, katana-swinging badasses, the GM will need to restrict the loot they find in the zombie apocalypse so they can't train with them. Like, even if they enter a gun store or a weapon antique shop, they'll find that the place was already ransacked and maybe only has a pistol or an old ceremonial knife or something.

@PaulHaynek

Yeah, I was thinking instead of the plot I mentioned above, maybe a school, like the one shown in the Telltale games. As for the stores/shops, I imagine most of them would be already ransacked, or most of the weapons given away if we have a Kendo-esque gunsmith in the area.

If it's a motley crew of survivors, I think it'd actually be more realistic to have a gun expert/military dude or two, since I'm expecting they'd have firearms at home as well as experience in dangerous situations that would enable them to wield their weapons with great effectiveness and get out of hairy situations.

Military dude > katana wielding expert in my opinion.

I think the best way to curb OPness would be to simply set it out in the rules so that players know right off the bat what you're looking for rather than having to think up ways to hamper said gun experts during the actual game. Like in my group RP here on RPG, the GMs set what types of weapons would be allowed, which would be rare without a good reason, and which ones were just a big fat "No".

@Greenie

Eh, I don't really think so. Yeah, someone might be a police officer or current active duty (a veteran would likely be better than active duty if the military are the ones fighting the undead), but people love to abuse their character being a gun expert to carry around modified M4s, ACRs, HK146, etc. with scope/stock/grip/whatever attachments out of the wazoo. If it looks like you're running around with something straight out of 50th prestige Call of Duty, that's a no bueno for me. Your GMs' idea does have merit, though.

[BrokenPromise]

This isn't TWD specific, but I've had great luck telling my players not to do stuff in the OOC and enforcing it.

I've had very little luck getting other people to run with my ideas though. Good luck.