Tera

Steampunk ⚙ Big Ass Monsters

So... those are the mechanics I wish to implement. Seems pretty simplified *cof cof* now.

Steampunk ⚙ Big Ass Monsters

The Scary, Raw, Dirty, Unrefined Game Mechanics

For discussions (tentatively not in game)

Character Creation, Skills, Dice Roll

Character Creation and Skills

There will be no limitations in what kind of skills/strengths a character can have as long as they are lore-friendly and realistic. All skills that are created will be assigned by GM a descriptive value depicting the character's proficiency in the said skill (novice 1, apprentice 2, adept 3, expert 4, master 5). Similarly, a descriptive value will be assigned to weaknesses as well (weakness -1, fear -2, phobia/disability -3). By default, any unmentioned skill will be assigned a descriptive value of "Default 0". Proficiency level will be used for dice rolls in chance events.

Dice rolls will follow an easy-to-understand chart like the one below. I may put the job of dice rolling in the hands of the players to make posting more efficient.

Dice Rolls	Phobia/Disability	Fear	Weakness	Default	Novice	Apprentice	Adept	Expert	Master
Impossible
Very Unlikely
Unlikely
Neutral
Likely
Very Likely
Certain

*Row represents skill proficiency, Column represents the event's default success rate.

Plot Devices

Since some RPers' characters will be stronger than others, a simple boon called the plot devices will be given to those with more weaknesses to give them a competitive edge. A plot device is a single-used object that the RPer can use to change the outcome of an undesirable roll (death for example) to achieve a miraculous feet. Number of plot devices given to a character depends on how strong the other RPers are.

Inventors' Idle Game

Inventors' Idle Game

For every in-game week, each inventor will get to start a personal project and also join a group project (if they are from the inventors' institute) by choosing from a list like the one below:

Repair	Creation	Innovation	Invention
Aeraport Defense Cannon Time: 1-2 days Funding: Resource:	Espionage Spider(client request) Time: 3-5 days Funding: Resource:	Airship speed (+10%) Time: 6-7 days Funding: Resource:	Atomic Bomb Time: 6-8 weeks Funding: Resource:
Submarine(client request) Time: Funding: Resource:	Toe Prosthetic(client request) Time: Funding: Resource:	Pistol gunpowder usage (-10%) Time: Funding: Resource:	Germs Discovery Time: 2-3 weeks Funding: Resource:
Flintlock(personal) Time: Funding: Resource:	Chainsaw(personal) Time: Funding: Resource:	Mining efficiency (+5% minerals) Time: Funding: Resource:	Weather Machine Time: Funding: Resource:

*Only for illustration purposes. Game content will be different. I will likely be listing project choices (will be more descriptive) in skill tree form (some inventions need to occur before others), and also balance the time/effort required on each inventions.

The projects will run on itself for the specified time period (don't have to make continuous posts about the mundane work). For efforts/time required, generally Invention > Innovation > Creation > Repair.
Repair: Help fix something, such as weapons, airships, defense towers etc.
Creation: Design and produce a weapon/machine/transport with existing technology (for personal use or trading in for money).
Innovation: Research and make improvements on existing technology, making them more efficient.
Invention: Creating something original that will have a huge impact on the society.

Players working together (group projects) will reduce the time effort significantly.

For personal projects, players may be able to patent their own creations and commercialize them; they may also choose to contribute to a certain organization or release to the general public. For group projects, the inventors may vote for the invention to be released in public or contribute to the institute's funds.

Players may also create their own customized project and the GM will help in setting realistic time/effort needed to complete it.

Political Strategy Game

Political Sway

Each political figure will have an inclination meter on certain political viewpoints. Depending on your "relationship" with the NPC, you may converse with politicians and attempt to sway them (sweet talk, intimidation, bribery, blackmail, etc.), changing their neutrality in certain issues. This may have an impact on the weekly round table meeting, depending on both dice rolls and how much did you sway the target. For example, if James Smith the United States representative has a neutral standpoint on feminism, persuading him will make him slightly more inclined towards helping feminist activities. In next week's round table if there is a call to vote on whether to ban a certain feminist faction, there will be a higher chance that he vote in favor of feminism. You may even sway the person to propose things like an increase in funding to the inventors' institute. Votes will depend on each political leaders' neutrality on issues, and some dice rolls.

Activities like human rights activities, terrorist attacks, new inventions, extreme occultists actions, etc will also catch the eyes of the politicians. The issues will be raised based on priority in the next round table and appropriate actions will be determined through the voting system.

Political Strategy Game (For the more politically involved)

This can be implemented if there are at least 3 RPers interested in political roles. They will be able to participate directly in round table meetings, vote to pass policies, negotiate with other political factions, and also make individual political/military actions to obtain resources, build outposts and conquer land.



Due to a fair competition agreement, individual political powers will be able to make attempts to snatch and conquer land or outposts from the others outside Aeraport. Execution will be similar to a full NRP, each week equals to one turn, with some time adjustments to accommodate simultaneous events by other RPers within the world. Other non-political RPers will feel the chaotic changes in political geography on a weekly basis. They may even make attempts to change the outcome of events such as an outpost siege.

	Army	Air Force	Navy	Beasts(Unlockable)
Size
Training
Technology

Background Events

Background Events

This is more of a background game mechanics. In an open world video game, things happen even when players are not interacting with them. In this role play, I will simulate that by coding a simple program that helps me generate all the (big number of) events from regional weather to location events in the beginning of every in-game week, and write them down in each location tab beforehand. For example, a clockwork suicide bomber named James Smith who was a fired doctor will go into the central hospital on Wednesday morning for a terrorist attempt. So the player may choose to intercept or let it go. Each event will come with a default consequence if left unattended.

Content Generation
Essential NPCs (political figures, company leaders, etc.) weekly schedule
location events (weather, natural disasters, military movement, creatures invasion, slave auction events etc.)
Disposable NPCs (names, roles, demographics) generation for some short interactions
Maps (new outposts maps, underwater passages maps)
City Statistics (birth death migration count, industry GDP, resources consumption, military outcomes, etc.)

Steampunk ⚙ Big Ass Monsters

@Irredeemable Monday for OOC :)

Steampunk ⚙ Big Ass Monsters

@Genbor That really fleshed out my thoughts on tabletop elements. xD It will only be an interesting world if there are both rewarding and punishing outcomes.

@Sierra does bring out the concern about players who will prefer a more free-form writing without the need to consider about technical mechanics. Even if the game mechanics do not restrict people on their creativity, it will in fact cost them more time and effort as they need to refer to the rules and weight their options before they post.

I do want to introduce dice element, but still figuring out how complex should it be at the moment. Particularly interested in the FUDGE/FATE tabletop systems by the way.

Steampunk ⚙ Big Ass Monsters

@Sierra Yes xD write down a long list of possibilities with the corresponding probability distributions and plug the file into the executable. Also simple things like temporary NPCs (names, roles, demographics) can be generated.

As for character growth, I would like some tabletop elements but I don't like the arbitrary system too much as stats are just numbers and do not introduce new elements to the characters as they "level up". I would rather like the growth to be more qualitative and creative than quantitative (like the inventor idle system, it allows inventors to pitch their own creations and make the customized effects visible). I will put in more details after my lunch break ^_^"

The GM is poor and hungry.

Steampunk ⚙ Big Ass Monsters

@BespeckledCeph

3. This is more of a background game mechanics. In an open world video game, things happen even when players are not interacting with them. In a forum roleplay, I can simulate that by coding a simple program that helps me generate all the (big number of) events from regional weather to location events in the beginning of every in-game week, and write them down in each location tab beforehand. For example, a clockwork suicide bomber named James Smith who was a fired doctor will go into the central hospital on Wednesday morning for a terrorist attempt. So the player may choose to intercept or Let It Go. xD

Edit: Each event will have a default aftermath if no one interferes on that particular instance.

More Edit: There will be three types of events: scripted, world-generated, and player creation.

Steampunk ⚙ Big Ass Monsters

@Sierra @Genbor Thanks a lot for the feedback! :) It's good to bring the possible issue out.

GM is an indecisive being. (sometimes)

I do understand the difference in target audiences. I have a number of game mechanics in mind, but I keep on going back and forth in whether to implement them in the game cause of this exact reason. They are more of tabletop/NRP elements and might not suit the current players' taste, but personally I really liked them because they look fun xD (*cof cof* I'm a game dev and I feel uncomfortable leaving games without mechanics, feels like dumping players into the void. So the game mechanics came to mind naturally). So that was why I wanted to ask for opinions on this, since you guys are the ones that will help play it out.

Hum... I will throw in all of my game mechanics ideas today (and possibly pitch how good they are) and get opinions on them. If the feedback is more towards a freestyle roleplay or a mix we can go for that as well. I have that ready. :)

My main reasons for game mechanics (you don't have to agree, just my opinion xD):
1. Growth: RPers get to see their characters grow with the world over time. Your possessions feel more real.
2. Impact: Allows characters to interact with and change the world in a very visible way. Does not have to rely on the GM to make the call and change the world every time a big decision is made.
3. Elements of surprise: Imagine a world that has a life of its own.
4. Games, games, and games: Plays mini-games while you write your story.
5. Immersiveness: If you are an inventor, you will think about how your inventions impact the world; if you are a politician, think about how to outwit your opponents and gain more political grounds; if you are an adventurer, be curious about what is out there, and be scared of losing your life.
6. More story content ideas: As the world changes organically being led by the game mechanics, writers may find more and more occasions to put in story ideas.

I'm trying to make the mechanics less intrusive. xD That is, you may choose to use the mechanics or not. For example, you may still navigate around the world freely without using the "Inventors' Idle Game" mechanics.

Steampunk ⚙ Big Ass Monsters

@Mokley Thanks a lot for the support! :)
I will be sure to tag you in the OOC and you may join if you want too!

Steampunk ⚙ Big Ass Monsters

Yes! :) A specialised inventor will have access to all four activities. Other mechanics/engineers (depending on their roles) will have access to repair/creation and a bit of innovation catered to their jobs.

Edit: you may also buy blueprints from inventors. Trading will be encouraged

Steampunk ⚙ Big Ass Monsters

Looks like a pretty tough guy