[OOC] Sword Art Online (OOC and IC)

[Grey]

Building off the idea of a starting hub proposed by Hollywood, why not just have it revolve around one huge-ass city and it's surrounding areas/cities? I think it'd give a bit more focus, and keeps everyone generally in the same location.

If we're lacking a place to put monsters and such, in addition to the surrounding areas, give the city something like Coruscant from Star Wars. All utopian on the top, but as you get closer to the 'basement' it gets all dangerous and stuff. I dunno, it's a really shitty description of the idea, but I hope it's slightly understandable.

Alternatively, do it like Skyrim/Assassin's Creed 1. A really small number of major cities linked together by an open world environment.

Though aiming for depth rather than size is probably what we should be doing, so we don't have people stuck on opposite sides of the map

[Thanatos]

Different classes (Knight, Warrior, Mage, etc) would be nice. It would definetly be better if the area the rp took place was small, so the rp didn't have people on different sides of the world.

[Grey]

We should just grab the three quintessential RPG classes (Mage, Warrior, Rogue) and have them develop into specializations depending on playstyle (Warrior -> Paladin, Mage -> Summoner, etc) There'd be no actual restrictions on how a class can play (Mage can grab a bow, Rogue can choose to screw stealth and punch shit up), but the classes would give them special skills and orient them more towards certain archetypes/stats (Mages are more magic oriented, Warriors more combat, Rogues are sneakier, so on)

Of course classes can share specializations (Mage -> Paladin, Warrior -> Paladin), and some specs can evolve into other specs (Mage -> Cleric -> Paladin)

I can actually put together the class trees, since I have a decent idea of what I want it to look like...

EDIT: Or hell, I'll just make the specialist classes, and have Combat, Stealth, Magic, and Hybrid as class categories.

EDIT2: Also, since we're going to be in a magitech world (so it seems), who'd be opposed to having more 'futuristic' classes (Rangers that can use magic/alchemy-based ammo in guns, Rogues who use magitech gadgets, etc. for example)

Thoughts?

[paigesweetheart]

I love the ideas! I would like a Mage :D

[BlueAjah]

Wow Grey you really know your stuff XD Do you play a lot of video games? I'm not much of a gamer, unless you count Sims XD But your ideas sound great! I like the idea of having more futuristic classes and skills.

[Grey]

I play way too many video games. I used to do tabletop when I was 11-12 (I knew a guy who got me into RPing, he held sessions at his house/next door), but I wasn't able to make it to too many of the sessions so I had to drop it. I went to bideo games so I could take it at my own pace.

[HollywoodMole]

I really think we need more than the three basic RPG classes. Or four. The VRMMORPG era is in the years of 2020 so the ideas for games would have gone mad, however I do like your ideas.

[Grey]

My alternative suggestion was doing what Skyrim and Mass Effect did (that is, breaking down the classes into playstyle categories and then stuffing a metric shitload (or in ME's case, one) of specific classes in those categories).

Besides, I imagine that within that first format, it'd be pissoff easy to evolve your class (at least into the first tier)

But yeah, my Combat, Guile, Magic, Hybrid category format seems to be more along the lines of what you seem to want.

[HollywoodMole]

Actually, dumping classes all together and having a skill tree like Skyrim and Fallout sounds better.

[Grey]

*shrug* Doesn't particularly matter to me. Sure. *tosses class charts out the window*

Hopefully that doesn't end up with the problem of having everyone turn into a jack-of-all-trades with their all maxed out stats.

Figuring out the actual skills a player can use in the first placd would be advisable as well. Don't want to end up like SAO with it's 5 variations of a single activity (looking at you, various weapon forging skill variations), or certain other RPGs with their entirely useless skills that serve no purpose whatsoever other than 'flavor'

[paigesweetheart]

One of you guys should do the OOC since you guys knownwhat to do xD

[HollywoodMole]

I've never GM'ed, so I don't really. However, we need a name...

[Grey]

I've GM'd a few times before, so I can put it together, I suppose. If no one else wants.

I might open up an Etherpad so we can all take a look at the OOC-in-progress, if I get it.

As for name....

yeahIgotnothing

Here's an odd suggestion: All equipment is aesthetic only (disregarding enchantments/upgrades from skills). Damage reduction is based off a skill/stat.

[HollywoodMole]

That sounds really stupid. How about the skill adds to the total damage? If you can slay a boss with beginner equipment there's no need to buy anything else...

[Grey]

Anyone could literally just say 'Yup, I got super rare armor X from Y shop/Z monster on my first try'. If, for example, you want the coolest looking armor straight from the start, there'd be nothing stopping you. It's just that you'd have your shit-tier DR while some munchkin is running around with beginner gear.

I never said it was a good idea. I honestly prefer the Elder Scrolls way of handling armor (AKA, the one you suggested), but I suggested it to eliminate shenanigans like the aforementioned example from occurring.

SPEAKING OF BOSSES!

Did we ever decide on what exactly the game world would look like?

[HollywoodMole]

Well, looking modern with fantasy and futuristic elements. If you mean the actually full world I could say my ideas.

[Grey]

I'm talking in terms of world map/locations. So sure, fire off the ideas mate.

For some reason, I imagined something a lot like this (high, connected cities with monster-filled wilds below)

[HollywoodMole]

I thought we could maybe have some traditional,RPG locations, and then think of our own. I was thinking about an area which contains a bunch of mountains and each mountains needs different amounts of winter clothing. The winter clothing wouldn't be armour, meaning it would be the perfect place for robbers and such to go to. This could be outside a city. If you don't meet the required standards for clothing, you will lose one hp per two seconds. And since the clothing isn't armour it can be sliced off easily, leaving you in a t shirt or whatever you had on last. You will also go hungry very fast here, meaning that you would have to pack a lot of food. I know this sounds like a typical RPG thing but the mountains should be filled with mobs and such to make it harder. Thoughts?

[Grey]

Well it's certainly not as bad as you seem to think it is. Typical RPG isn't bad, after all there must be a reason why everyone does it. I for one like the idea of having traditional RPG elements/settings. I also very much like the idea of having realistically destructible armor, weather effects, and something like New Vegas' hardcore mode...

Hmm... Hollywood, how shall we deal with MP? I don't think anyone playing a mage-type wants to be micromanaging their MP quantity. Also, I imagine we won't be using premade spells for the same reason...

EDIT: Oh, and is everyone fine with death in-game meaning a death in real life? Or do we have to brainstorm alternatives?

[HollywoodMole]

Well, It could add determination, but I think another twist, I don't know what though....