Jasonhero said
I would also like to point out that this is easy to comprehend if you can read, and aren't a total jerk who likes making others feel bad or annoyed becsuse it makes you feel good, and that sly here is a friend of mine and she is very creative and this would probably be fun. So, keep your unwelcome and unesscary opinions to yourself and go find a hole to crawl in and live out your life. I ALSO VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE TO BE THE FIRST PERSON INTERESTED :D
Highly unnecessary way to reply to an individual and it makes it seem as if you're here to pick a fight.
It's very easy to rush to a friend's side at any sign of trouble, everyone's done it before, but Matt had a more than valid question and was simply asking out of curiosity. As he clearly stated, his words weren't laced with threats or douchery and there shouldn't have been reading between the lines. He was direct and forward in what he wanted to know and made it known that he was curious as to the subject of the RP and wanted further statement and info before committing himself. It seems, from his lack of further comments that such hostility drove him off.
When someone questions an idea, it's very, very easy and simple to take it as an insult, it's natural, especially if that question in particular seemed critical, even in the slightest. What's not the right way to react to it, is to throw accusations and assumptions around. Matt wasn't being an ass, a dick, a douche, just a slightly interested roleplayer who needed more info on the subject to commit to it fully. It was unnecessary and rude to react in the way that you did, especially since your friend here could very well take care of her/himself in a much calmer and less radical fashion.
My input for the RP itself, to keep this post relevant: if you feel like you've put forth the necessary info to answer further questions, then simply ignore this post, if not then I'd love to give some feedback on what I've read so far. It's very easy to take, from Matt's first question, that this is a fully constructed, thought out universe separate from our own, though you clarified that in further posts, but it might be easier to associate this to something similar to your idea, make it known that this is a slightly alternate universe from our own and that you intend to let most of the RPers creative freedoms lose. You clarified that with the character concept.
The particular vibe I'm getting from the RP is a mash-up of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Of which I still need to finish, but am inclined to skip whatshisface's mini-biography section) and Guardians of the Galaxy. I think something like that, in particular, would attract many fans, but, despite the garishness, slight British humor, and nonsensicalness of it all, has fans of which would need more detail to further catch their eye. The audience you're looking to attract usually determines how much information you have to put out in your interest check. In my honest opinion, something of this caliber needs a moderate amount of info, mainly what your plan the Guardians to be and what this sandwich is in relation to the universe as a whole. It's important, yes, but is it widely known of? Why exactly would someone steal it and what kind of power would it even give should it fall into the wrong hands? There are further questions that could be asked that you might really need to think about. Such as the desired tech of the universe, how much people really need to put in their character sheets to determine feasible, in relation to technology, race/species, and their individual. It's easy to say, "I'll leave it to your imagination," but one needs guidelines in which to determine what is the appropriate amount of info and effort.
It's hard to decipher that kind of info from what you give, but I truly do trust that you know exactly what you want to do in terms of these plot devices. As well, I feel people often want confirmation that someone, indeed, has a plot in mind to move the story further, and if not, a simply, "This is a Sandbox/Freeform RP," would suffice for a lot of people. Though a Sandbox Roleplay entails its own devices to attract the needed roleplayers and interested parties, which is definitely something that Matt brought up. Regardless of the universe, a Sandbox RP requires one to have fully decided in what area they wish this RP to take place in, rather than leaving it to the imagination. People have wild imaginations, but, like me, a lot of people have no idea where to start and how to start, though once it starts, you can be assured that it will keep rolling. You'd need a foundation for people to use their imaginations to build upon. You have that, but I think you might be withholding it from the interest check, to insert into the OOC. I won't judge whether that's wise or not, 'cause, if you strongly imply that you are a GM who has thought this over thoroughly, which you have (though you might need a tad more confirmation from some people), then people will surely come forth from the woodwork.
You might not get much in the Int. Check, but people pile into your OOC. Why is that? Probably because that's where they can find the info they need. If that happens often, I would definitely suggest leaking out a bit more into your interest checks, to get people's interests fully piqued. A good amount of info in an interest check is very much perspective, but after making multiple ones, you can kind of judge what people are looking for in that particular genre and writing level. A mediocre amount is usually sufficient to draw in interest, though it's wise to hint that you are withholding more info, to keep from both wasting time just in case you catch nothing, and to keep people wanting more.
I have a problem with ranting and I am doing that now and I am getting away from the direction I wanted to steer this in.
What I'm trying to say is that you have a compelling idea here, but I think it needs just a tad bit more work to reel in the audience you really want. It also might be wise to throw this in a particular writing section to make sure you get the writing levels you want in particular. I've seen RPs in the general interest section simply fizzle because it attracts the wrong crowd of RPers. I'm not sure how that'll end up for you, but I think this idea will get a lot more attention if you visually direct it to that particular audience. Of course, if you were looking for Casual-Adv roleplayers, (advanced in particular) you may want to include more useful and relative info to chunk it up a bit, but not too much, to keep from making it too lengthy. You don't want to give everything in an interest check, just enough, but a lengthy interest check will further entail that you plan on making a thorough and detailed OOC.
tl;drYou have an interesting idea. I think it needs more fleshing out in the interest check to attract people you want. You need to clarify a few more things and you might want to throw this in a particular section, other than the general interest check, to attract the audience you seek. Also, I think comparing this to something that's close to it, i.e. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, will attract the needed attention, but that also entails further explanation as how you feel it relates to such a large and nonsensical universe, but not an exact comparison. If you detail out what your idea is, people are going to extract similarities themselves and find where it branches off, but if you feed them the allusion, the analogy, whatever you want to call it, they'll find those similarities whilst reading themselves. I'm ranting again.
My two-cents and advice; I'll keep watch 'cause it seems interesting, I just want to see if you really do have more to reel me, and others, in. If not, then I leave you with a good-luck and happy roleplaying. Also, you might want to get a few particular rules out there to show people that you are a serious GM and that you want to make sure this environment is both fun and controlled, and if someone decides to take someone's words out of context and make assumptions, then you need to end it before it gets out of hand. Put a hand forward, tell them you have everything in control, as you clearly did. You need to make sure your RPers don't start fights with each other over spilled milk and make sure that they know where the authority lies and that there are consequences to their actions, right or wrong. I'm particularly reaming your friend here because he kind of stepped over the line and it's necessary for him to know that and that he needs to make sure that, as a person a part of this RP, he also contributes to a calm and controlled environment.
It's the GM's job to guide an RP and to make sure his/her OOC is functioning as it should be. But it's the RPers' job to make the GM's job easier by adding to a fun, caring environment in both the OOC and the IC and to make sure they know where the boundaries lie.
I know that my 'Too Long; Didn't Read' section is too long. I do that; I get carried away. I apologize.
