Darkraven

XCOM Enemy Unknown Season 1: The Coming Storm Interest Check

XCOM Enemy Unknown Season 1: The Coming Storm

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Screams in the distance. Gunshots that disturbed the peace of night. Automatic shots, slowing down in pace. Single shots. A return to peace. A single, solitary survivor was running away, blood flowing like a snake down his arm. She could barely see the VTOL transport past the dense darkness, her bruised mind not helping. Despite the bullet in her arm, her rapidly thinning blood, she ran as fast as she could, running out of breath fast, her heart beating twice as hard.

Screams. Screams in the darkness. Screams that no one had given before. Screams that came not from this Earth. The survivor ran, and against all odds, came within a yard of the transport. She had lost her sidearm without realising it. Her arms felt numb, her mind ready to sleep. Climbing aboard, as if climbing up a cliff, she laid on her back, finally allowing herself to rest, enjoying the safe embrace of calm... Falling asleep... Letting the troubles drift away...

Yet she stopped herself, and with great effort, stood herself up like the soldier she was. One step forward and another, she brought herself to the door leading into the VTOL craft's cockpit and knocked. No reply. She knocked again. Nothing. Finally growing impatient with the terror from beyond returning to her heart, the survivor grabbed ahold of the cockpit door's handle and pulled it open, realising vaguely through the thick fog of approaching unconsciousness that the door seemed too easy to open. It jammed halfway, broken.

And inside were two stiff men in their seats with gaping holes in their flight helmets, blood overflowing. A strange tree stood inside it, but when a lightning illuminated the cockpit briefly, the survivor saw that it was no tree, but something- someone tall, far too tall, far too wrong. Stumbling back, the survivor ran, having found renewed strength in the horror of her discovery. But she did not need to run for long, for soon a bullet had ripped through the cockpit door, the kevlar plate on her back and through her heart. Falling forward on the hard transport floor, she laid herself on her back one last time, the numbness in her arms spreading like cold fire, letting the troubles drift away.

Before she closed her eyes one last time, she was able to see her killer one last time; a figure looming over her, the figure of the tree-like man, staring straight into her soul through his strange shades. Another lightning, and the survivor slept for the last time. A storm is coming.

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XCOM Enemy Unknown Season 1: The Coming Storm is a mixed Casual-Advance RP drawing players from both categories. The title says it all; it is an RP based on the XCOM universe. While it may draw many elements and inspiration from the 2K/Firaxis vision of XCOM, this RP will attempt to take the best things offered by every instalment and spiritual successors of the original (and the original itself). As such, while there's going to be plenty of sci-fi and action, there's also going to be alot of horror (and terror), or survival horror.

As this is a Casual-Advance RP, there will be two interest checks- one in casual and one in advance. However, all players will abide by the same rules, which are tailored for many diverse kinds of roleplayers. For the time being, I'm interested in a maximum of ten roleplayers to start things off. Anything less would actually be beneficial to the RP, but I'm going to be a bit more generous. If there's actually enough interest, I'll post the OOC (which has already been prepared off-site) then arrange things from there.

Advance Interest Check

XCOM Enemy Unknown Season 1: The Coming Storm Interest Check

XCOM Enemy Unknown Season 1: The Coming Storm

---

Screams in the distance. Gunshots that disturbed the peace of night. Automatic shots, slowing down in pace. Single shots. A return to peace. A single, solitary survivor was running away, blood flowing like a snake down his arm. She could barely see the VTOL transport past the dense darkness, her bruised mind not helping. Despite the bullet in her arm, her rapidly thinning blood, she ran as fast as she could, running out of breath fast, her heart beating twice as hard.

Screams. Screams in the darkness. Screams that no one had given before. Screams that came not from this Earth. The survivor ran, and against all odds, came within a yard of the transport. She had lost her sidearm without realising it. Her arms felt numb, her mind ready to sleep. Climbing aboard, as if climbing up a cliff, she laid on her back, finally allowing herself to rest, enjoying the safe embrace of calm... Falling asleep... Letting the troubles drift away...

Yet she stopped herself, and with great effort, stood herself up like the soldier she was. One step forward and another, she brought herself to the door leading into the VTOL craft's cockpit and knocked. No reply. She knocked again. Nothing. Finally growing impatient with the terror from beyond returning to her heart, the survivor grabbed ahold of the cockpit door's handle and pulled it open, realising vaguely through the thick fog of approaching unconsciousness that the door seemed too easy to open. It jammed halfway, broken.

And inside were two stiff men in their seats with gaping holes in their flight helmets, blood overflowing. A strange tree stood inside it, but when a lightning illuminated the cockpit briefly, the survivor saw that it was no tree, but something- someone tall, far too tall, far too wrong. Stumbling back, the survivor ran, having found renewed strength in the horror of her discovery. But she did not need to run for long, for soon a bullet had ripped through the cockpit door, the kevlar plate on her back and through her heart. Falling forward on the hard transport floor, she laid herself on her back one last time, the numbness in her arms spreading like cold fire, letting the troubles drift away.

Before she closed her eyes one last time, she was able to see her killer one last time; a figure looming over her, the figure of the tree-like man, staring straight into her soul through his strange shades. Another lightning, and the survivor slept for the last time. A storm is coming.

---

XCOM Enemy Unknown Season 1: The Coming Storm is a mixed Casual-Advance RP drawing players from both categories. The title says it all; it is an RP based on the XCOM universe. While it may draw many elements and inspiration from the 2K/Firaxis vision of XCOM, this RP will attempt to take the best things offered by every instalment and spiritual successors of the original (and the original itself). As such, while there's going to be plenty of sci-fi and action, there's also going to be alot of horror (and terror), or survival horror.

As this is a Casual-Advance RP, there will be two interest checks- one in casual and one in advance. However, all players will abide by the same rules, which are tailored for many diverse kinds of roleplayers. For the time being, I'm interested in a maximum of ten roleplayers to start things off. Anything less would actually be beneficial to the RP, but I'm going to be a bit more generous. If there's actually enough interest, I'll post the OOC (which has already been prepared off-site) then arrange things from there.

Casual Interest Check

XCOM Roleplay - An Open Discussion on How It Should Work

Hmm... This might be a problem...

For one thing, there won't be Skyrangers yet right at the beginning. For another, Skyrangers won't be armed as they need to free up as much weight and space as possible to deliver their most devastating payload yet: The troops.

But I like the idea of giving the Skyrangers weapons, but it will only come some time after XCOM receives its Skyrangers. And even then, Skyrangers can become eclipsed by more advanced transports, if you know what I mean :)

XCOM Roleplay - An Open Discussion on How It Should Work

Unfortunately, that's very true. While I won't stop anyone from playing a character like that, it will likely result in alot of lonely posts what with the lack of opportunities for interactions and interactive dead ends.

XCOM Roleplay - An Open Discussion on How It Should Work

Not to mention, some things might happen that could force pilots to work on the ground, if you know what I mean :)

XCOM Roleplay - An Open Discussion on How It Should Work

Whoa you guys are really discussing alot. I've skimmed through everything, and from the looks of it, you guys look like you guys could come up with some very good characters. Anyway, I've been writing up the SOP of the RP. Here's what I've done so far. I need input though, as I'm only one person. If I've missed anything out, do tell me:

In joining this RP, you must abide by the following rules and regulations:

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Section 1 - Personal Conduct

- All RPers directly involved in this RP or visiting must maintain civil conduct.

- In case of extended absence, RPers involved must inform the GM, Co-GM or any other members to pass on the message to the GM or Co-GM.

- In case of extended absence, RPers must leave instructions as to what to do with their characters.

- However, if an RPer is found to have disappeared without leaving a message for up to a week, his/her characters will be converted to NPC and managed by the GM or Co-GM. Characters converted to NPC will have reduced impact and presence on the RP, and will not be immune to death.

- The disappeared RPer may return anytime after disappearing, but must explain his/her extended disappearance. Unreasonable explanation will result in anything between a warning to a ban. The consequence will be decided openly in OOC by the GM and Co-GM as well as every member willing to contribute to the decision-making.

- Members of the RP may discuss and debate with the GM and/or Co-GM regarding their decisions, but may not override their final decisions.

- Co-GMs and members of the RP given any measure of responsibility and power may be removed from duty if deemed corrupted/unfit for duty/tyrannical by the GM or if there is a unanimous agreement by the members of the RP (with the GM's approval).

- The GM may be removed from duty and/or replaced if he/she is found to be missing for more than two weeks. This can only be done if there is unanimous agreement amongst the members of the RP to do so (with the Co-GM/s' approval).

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Section 2 - Conflict Management

- Disputes will be settled openly in OOC with the GM and/or Co-GM acting as a mediator and other members of the RP willing to step in to contribute.

- If an agreement cannot be reached, the GM and Co-GM will attempt to devise the best compromise possible. Members of the RP may help with the decision making process.

- All parties, including the GM, Co-GM, members of the RP acting as advisors and jury, and especially the stakeholder parties must maintain civil conduct during a case and state their claim reasonably.

- Disputes, especially minor ones, may be settled in PM if the stakeholder parties wish to do so. One party may not drag another into a PM meeting if he/she doesn't want to.

- Once an agreement or compromise has been reached, the case will be closed and will not be brought up again unless for official purposes.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Section 3 - Joining the RP

- For the moment, the RP is accepting a maximum of 10 roleplayers at the moment, excluding the GM. This rule is subject to change.

- RPers may use one of three character sheets to create their character/s: Free-Form, Simplified or Detailed.

- Roleplayers may begin posting only when their characters have been accepted by the GM/Co-GM. Other members of the RP may give input during the decision-making process.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Section 4 - Roleplaying Format

- Both casual and advance roleplayers (or anyone in between) will be allowed to join this roleplay. As such, rules found in both styles will be incorporated.

- The basement number of allowed paragraphs will be one. However, if an RPer is posting in a bare-minimum, the paragraph in question must be substantial in some ways, including but not exclusively in terms of storytelling, technical language, character development.

- There will be no ceiling number of paragraphs/maximum length per post. However, do not spam.

- There must be no significant amount of mistakes be it grammatical, tense, vocabulary, etc unless intended as a writing style or part of a character's personality or development.

- Roleplayers may write about their characters acting, reacting, thinking, feeling or saying something, etc, but may not decide the results said character/s' actions.

- In the case of RPer-Rper interaction, members must have mutual agreement of the results. In other words, no power-playing or God-modding.

- In the case of RPer-NPC interactions, the GM/Co-GM will decide the results but members of the RP will get a say in things. Final decision, however, lies with the GM/Co-GM.

- Each member of the RP may control two characters maximum. This rule may be subject to change.

- Members of the RP may not keep posting should another member stopped posting. As with the above rule in section 1, members of the RP must wait for up to a week if one member stopped posting.

- Complementing the above rule, an RPer may post up to three times before waiting, but must not contradict any previous posts/plot developments/character interactions. Do not post just for the sake of posting.

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Also, just in case: This RP will be very, very different from the previous incarnations of XCOM to date, building on them and reinventing things rather than being a collective fanfiction of it. That said, there'd still be some similarities though.

XCOM Roleplay - An Open Discussion on How It Should Work

Yeah, though do take note that this RP will take place in 2020... So M16s and AK47s are severely outdated, and since we're dealing with aliens here...

XCOM Roleplay - An Open Discussion on How It Should Work

I guess I'll remove the permanent ban rule then. I would have thought that 2 weeks is enough for someone to recover from all kinds of real life stuff, but I guess I'm wrong.

Anyway, yes, in the beginning, your character begins with gear transported to base with him/her, but if his/her parent organisation decides not to do that, well, tough luck, s/he's going to have to use those dusty surplus gear provided by the African nations.

As for new aliens other than those found in the XCOM games.... Let's just say that there's going to be alot of them :)

XCOM Roleplay - An Open Discussion on How It Should Work

Yeah... :D I wish they'd hurry up and stumble on an XCOM movie and TV show idea already :D

Anyway, it looks like we've discussed all we can here. Unless you guys have anything else, I'll focus all my efforts on starting up the RP's interest check(s). Cheers!

XCOM Roleplay - An Open Discussion on How It Should Work

I think you guys are thinking too much of the game. I'm basing the RP more on reality than anything. There won't be a squad of 6 soldiers. I believe I've mentioned this before, but the initial size of XCOM (Or UNXIPU) will be 4 squads of 10, though they won't all be deployed at once, and neither will an entire squad be deployed all the time. It depends on the situations I guess.

XCOM will never be alone either, as this is a game concerning the world. I won't spoil too much for you guys :D. For starters, XCOM/UNXIPU itself consists of numerous departments, and even scientists and engineers might take to the field if the situation requires it. XCOM has a security department too, so you might find them around your characters in places other than behind a desk, drinking a mug of coffee. Then there's the various law enforcement, paramilitary, military and international organisations that might/will get involved.

Technological advancements are a guarantee in the RP, though how far will we go, I'm not sure. I want the RP to be as freeform as possible.

There's another thing I thought about... Which is to divide the RP into seasons. Once enough progress in the story has been made, a season will end and a new one will eventually begin... With or without players and characters from the previous seasons. Characters that get left behind will, of course, ultimately be traceable, and they could be anywhere between being transferred to being retired or killed. They could come back out of the blue too. What do you guys think?