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Kraggh's Works ♫♪

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Rpg Chapters

Posted by Jean Valjean , in BZPower Nov 07 2008 · 13 views

BZP

style_emoticons/default/kaukau.gifI was thinking of my catastrophically long posts.  I like literature.  Joining TBRPGs is one of the ways that I practice and prepare myself for literature.  I'm beginning to take this more seriously than ever now, especially with my own TBRPG up.  I am getting a taste of writing.

Then it occurred to me: What if I labeled some of my longer posts with chapter names?  Seriously, some of my posts could make chapters in some books.  Perhaps not a chapter in a book such as Brisingr, but they are long enough that they could use titles.  It would make sense in a way, to name some of my more notable posts.  Not all of them, but some of my better ones.

I was wondering what some people might think of this.  Would the idea flow well?

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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Rpg Advertising

Posted by Jean Valjean , in BZPower Nov 06 2008 · 14 views

BZP

Many people have tried a large variety of ways of advertising their RPGs.  Sometimes they try to give it a catchy title or description, sometimes they put it in their signature as a banner or large link.  I have tried both of those, as well as making it look sophisticated and well thought out, but I am considering another method of advertising, one that I have only seen Robo use before.

I got the idea when I was reading the back of the book Brisingr (a filler, if you ask me).  There, if I remember correctly, it read, "Praise for Eragon", and also "Praise for Eldest".  This is used in quite a few books.  You get quotes from all sorts of critics and magazines, all casting the book in a positive light.  Why?  Of course the author wants their book cast in a positive light.  It's a good form of advertisement.  It averts your attention to the book.  It gives the reader the impression that the book is worth reading.

Now let us convert this to an RPG.  I am considering adding a section right before the character list within my own TBRPG entitled "Praise for Amakor" once I have enough quotes to put in there.  Once people read this, one might think that it is not merely some mediocre RPG and consider being an active member.  I mentioned before, Robo has also done this.  Specifically, he put a quote from a fellow RPer who gave a compliment on his RPG, Reality.  It was quite a clever maneuver.  Actually, it made me a little more enthusiastic while in his TBRPG for a little while.

This technique of RPG advertisement is clearly quite rare.  It would probably also be nothing to discourage, as it could be a descent advertising trick, as good as all the other conventional ones, and could improve the popularity of your TBRPG.  Since it is uncommon at the moment, it will certainly give you points in terms of uniqueness.

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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Judge Kraggh

Posted by Jean Valjean , in BZPower Oct 17 2008 · 17 views

BZP

As some of you might know, I am running for CoT RPG Judge.  As will be necessary, my reasons will have to be clearly outlined so that people, particularly Kex, may decided for themselves to see whether I am appropriate for the job.  In this entry, you will get a fairly good idea of what kind of person I am when it comes to this subject.

My Record

In this area, I have both my strengths and weaknesses.  It is the main thing that most people bring up, and they are correct to believe it important to consider.  Experience is one of the main reasons Kex decided to switch the system.  He wanted people who were familiar with TBRPGs and had developed a good sense of judgment from them.  It might also make these new judges, whoever they are, passionate about their job and execute it with responsibility.  It's a fine fingerprint that exposes certain qualities of one's character.  Now, here are some things you should know about me, so you can figure out for yourself the quality of my character when amalgamated with the responsibilities of such a position.

I have only participated in two TBRPGs.  That is, there have only been two that I have spend a reasonable amount of time on, Evil Genius/spy and Reality.  The former I was only on for about a month or so before I lost time and interest, whereas Reality has kept me enticed enough to stick to it for the longest time.  This is probably a weakness, as it means that I have not really had the experience of actively RPing across the board.  However, I have also looked at several TBRPG first posts and made my judgments on them, which is what I would be doing every once and a while, perhaps daily, perhaps weekly, depending on how many people there are in the world besides me who want to get TBRPGs approved and on how exactly Kex's judicial system will work.

I have really long IC post.  Metaphors, personification, similes, dramatic irony, I know how to make a work of literature out of my writings.  I have made them interesting.  I have put much effort into them.  Is this a strength or a weakness?  I won't leave it up to myself to decide.

I have developed complex characters.  This shows that I am also most likely capable of judging someone else's fictional character, as it can show whether or not they are capable of running a TBRPG.  If the character is sloppy, then they probably have not constructed nor considered managing the TBRPG they want approved too well.

I have written plots.  Not all TBRPGs havea plot that's set in stone by the manager, but most do, and experience in writing plots would assist me in judging whether or not a requester has developed their TBRPG enough to begin running it.

I have written this TBRPG format.  That should show you that I can organize a TBRPG efficiently.

I have worked with other RPers.  Communication and compatibility that have helped me get along with fluid ease in the TBRPGs that I have participated in.  It will also be necessary as a judge.

Overall, I have a lot of background knowledge on literature and entertainment.  Literature has many categories, froom drama, to poetry, to music, to books, to non-fiction books, to comics, and so forth.  Perhaps one day TBRPGs will be added to the textbooks, but for now, its place in society will do.  I understand writing.  It's my side of the court.  With all of my overall knowledge, accumulated from my own practice and from my research, it will certainly be useful.

Overall, I'm active in CoT and have enough time.  Granted, homework has granted me with less time, but I have time nevertheless.  At least once per week.  It's not experience, but it's a requirement.

As you can see, I have more strengths than weaknesses.

My Outlook

Like many things in life, from the concept of competition to the meaning of the Internet, RPing is open to philosophical argument.  In this section, I will confirm with you my standings on what a TBRPG is and how I prefer to play them.

A TBRPG is, by definition, a text based role playing game.  It's a game where you play the role of any amount of characters and determine their actions by writing them down.  Who are these characters?  Generally, they are made up.  What is the objective of the game?  That is usually set into the rules and guidelines of the TBRPG, although sometimes people don't give a specific goal.  In the case of the Reality RPG, people have the option in their character sheets to set their own goal altogether.  This was a nice piece of consideration of format on the behalf of Robo that I believe should be included in all TBRPGs that don't have a specific obligation for all players to fulfill.

Now on the subject of format, I believe that RPGs are intricate and delicate, and should be treated that way.  The first post, which basically defines the RPG, should be carefully constructed so that it fits with the RPG well.  Generally, these things are included in the first post: the basic summary of the RPG's theme, the rules, and the fill-out sheet.  Also common is a list of staff and several custom details.  Custom details generally are what make a TBRPG unique.  If you read through my TBRPG first post, you would have noticed many things that apply to that RPG specifically, such as the way the staff was set up, the method in wuich rules would be judged, and of course the many descriptions of the world of the TBRPG.  When it comes to RPGs, there isn't solid mold accept for the fact that there must be rules and character sheets.  Everything else is customizable and certainly not restricted by a mold.  However, although one can be creative, keeping a TBRPG well organized brings efficiency.  I will explain some of the components of a TBRPG one at a time and my opinion on them.

The introduction.  The introduction, the synopsis, and everything else serves the purpose of explaining to the casual reader what the RPG is about at a glance.  Is it science fiction?  Is it midevil times?  Zombie?  You get an immediate sway of the RPG's theme.  I think that it would be a good idea to be somewhat broad with this, and also a bit poetic.  The RPG will evolve over time, so if the intro is very specific unto the situation at the youth of the game, then it simply won't do.  If the RPG was a person, this would be their permanent personal statement.  Throughout the coarse of its life, certain things should never change about the RPG, so these will probably be layed within the intro.  This isn't to say that the intro should just list off the things that the game is about.  On the contrary, be creative, poetic, and/or dramatic, as I said earlier.  Look at the Intro for S W A R M.  Start your TBRPG off with a bang.

The setting.  As it says in the official CoT rules, please try to make your TBRPG original and unique, with a theme that is distinctly its own.  The reason stated is that if it is too similar to another, it could be considered a duplicate.  That, and I have heard several complaints in the RPG Topic about too many redundant ideas floating around.  For the best of the community and its own good, it would be a bad idea to put the story in a setting that would end up building up a particular fad (these days, a certain amount of years into the future with a sudden invasion).  Yes, the setting has to be unique, and it also should be strong.  If it's an original composition, it would be best to let people know to take the RPG theme is not too be taken lightly.  When a TBRPG initially comes off as strong, it is also appealing and people are attracted into joining it.

Rules.  These are fundamental, and I would highly suggest making them organized.  Make it clear just how seriously the rules are to be taken, and if problems arise in the TBRPG that you didn't anticipate, quickly amend your constitution and alert everyone that you have done so.  I would encourage that you make rules according to your preferences.  It's even suggested in the CoT RPG Guidelines.  There's nothing wrong with it.  I have done it myself.  I would also make certain rules custom built for the RPG.  If there's a specific element that requires a rule to moderate it or affects certain standard rules, then don't be hesitant to make such "odd" rules.  Also, for presenting your rules in a friendly, yet straightforward format, I will share my own method.  Either before or after the rules are presented, explain how exactly they will be judged.  It's important information.  I would also consider whether certain rules are more important than others.  Of course, then come the rules, which I would number.  For each rule, write the main idea, then explain the rule and why it's there, especially if it is out of personal preference.

Characters.  Like everything else, make these carefully.  You, as the maker of the TBRPG, would probably want to make your characters one of the most important in the TBRPGs.  This is usually always recognized, but it doesn't have to be.  Perhaps you, the manager, would like to be any other player.  However, no matter what place you place them in the society of the TBRPG, make sure that they are woven together with expertise as to set a good example for others.  There's not much that can be done about other people's characters, accept for declining requests you don't think are suitable for the RPG.

Character sheets.  These should be just as official as the rules.  Preference and customized details are not to be discouraged.  Much time and consideration should be put into making them to make sure that they are perfect and that no important details could be left out on a character.  It's very simple.  However, the one thing that I see that varies to some degree among the TBRPGs is whether there's the detail of entering the user's display name at the top, right above the character's name (presuming that the denizens of the RPG have names).  I would recommend this option, as it makes putting the profile on the front page somewhat easier.

The Staff.  Well, a TBRPG doesn't necessarily need staff, and you don't have to employ one if you aren't comfortable with it.  However, if you feel one will be necessary, read these two blog entries.  I,II.

The plot.  Your TBRPG might be one that starts with no plot and lets the players decide the course of the TBRPG, but if you have a plot, take it into heavy consideration.  Obviously, don't reveal it to everyone.  When constructing it, write it into bullet points, detailing certain events that you know you want to happen in order throughout the RPG.  Make sure that it doesn't restrict the flexibility that members would have while playing.  Certainly, it should be the main story, but leave space open for the freedom of other players to roam around and do their own stuff.

When it comes to making a TBRPG, use the Writing Process.  This process consists of five steps: prewriting, drafting, revising, proofing, and finally attempting to get it published.  While making it, don't be afraid to consult a friend, which I would heavily recommend.  It might help to get a second, or even third, opinion.  Look over the TBRPG several times, make your adjustments, and once your done, check every sentence for spelling and grammar.

There are many other things that make a text based role playing game what it is, but it's hard to list much farther than that.  However, I hope that this gave you a firm idea of where I stand on certain ideas.

Judging

The primary role of the judge is simple: to decide whether the RPG is appropriate or not to be published.  What makes a TBRPG appropriate?  If it has a good structure and the requester looks like they would run it properly.  However, a judge job is evident in his/her name to make their best judgment.  Their role isn't to hold the RPGer's hand and make sure their RPG makes it.  That's the responsibility of their friends.  What you do with your RPG after you've had it approved is not their responsibility, although it's not to say that it isn't their concern.  Obviously, it matters as to whether or not it will work out, since they have to be approved before being posted.  A judge won't just look at the format and say, "Well, you have it all written out, so go ahead."  Looking at the COT RPG Guidelines, the moderators clearly express that they look at factors such as the member's activity and ability to manage their RPG.  They make sure they have a plan.  They can't enforce these qualities upon the RPG writer, but once again, I must use the word "judgment."  We use our best judgment on whether or not they will.  If I was a judge, however, being a member of the community and the everyday critic, I would willingly advise the requester out on what they need to change or add to their RPG in order for it to be approved.

As a judge, I would hold a simple philosophy and a simple policy.  My philosophy: respect.  My policy: to communicate well with the user requesting an RPG and use my best judgment, determined by many of my standings on TBRPG structure, to decide whether or not the RPG is ready to be approved.

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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Is Ew Ready?

Posted by Jean Valjean , in Humor, BZPower Sep 30 2008 · 24 views

Humor

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Our colony of BZP is ready to accept new sovereignty, and two emperors seek to annex it into their expanding empires.

Emperor Whenua has promised that, if crowned, he will fix the busy sever problem by eliminating avatars altogether.  This is a monstrous move defies members' right to distinguish himself as an individual.

Emperor Whenua has also vowed to ban all banner use.  To make things easier for the moderators, he says that he will remove signatures completely so that people won't be tempted.

He has refused to answer during an interview over PM his standing on Premier Membership policies, but his posting rocord speaks for itself.  He has said 28 times that he supports prices being increased by 300%.

If crowned, he will remove CoT due to its uselessness, but claims that the counting of posts in the polls forum division will make up for it.

If crowned, he and his potential running mate, Zahd, will post an age limit of 13+ for BZPower, even though Bionicle has a target audience that includes a much younger spectrum.

He had once said that a certain set was terrible, then later on said that he liked it.  If he cannot afford to be consistent and honest, then he doesn't have what it takes to be BZP emperor.  Do you think he's ready to lead?

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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Tbrpg Social Structures

Posted by Jean Valjean , in BZPower Sep 25 2008 · 23 views

BZP

This entry furthers, to some extent, the advice given in this blog entry by Robo.

A Text Based Role Playing Game, often abridged to TBRPGs and RPGs, is a unique "game" where people write about characters who are able to interact with each other.  It's basically storytelling through more than one storyteller.  Sometimes the storytellers know the direction of their stories, sometimes they don't.

RPGs have all the elements of a community, and like all communities, they often encounter the problem that they are unorganized.  Nobody really likes anarchy, so some sort of order should be established.  The simple answer usually used by most RPG owners is to just appoint one or more people to help them moderate the posts of the RPG.  Basically, what they do it give power to a small amount of people in the RPG.  From what I've seen, this power is never really a good thing.  Although people might say that they mean well, they do get a little too cocky, perhaps not abusive of their power, but it's not altogether productive.  Basically, when the only measures taken are to just form an elite group, whether it is for moderation or not, there becomes an unstable hierarchy of people just wanting the most power.  It simply doesn't work at much as some people might might expect.

Really, this is an age old problem, and it applies to a simple RPG as much as the rest of the world.  Basically giving people power does not work.  It is much efficient if one establishes certain job departments to both balance the powers of the RPG and distribute the different responsibilities among the people, in which they can specialize themselves in.  When things are balanced like this, people are better at their roles in the RPG community (other than their characters, of course, which is a whole different subject), since they are much simpler and specify in a certain field.  Their responsibilities, if carefully chosen, will directly help the RPG run, unlike a simple hierarchy, in which moderators make those who aren't employed feel somewhat in their shadow with their power, which can be used for various different things...if they feel like it.  Having a job makes a person feel much more special and important while in an RPG, which inideed they are, as it is nice for the RPG owner to have them contribute.

Perhaps most importantly is that if one particular person goes missing, whether they are on hiatus from the sight or their computer went down, only a fraction of the productivity is lost, it isn't as if the head of the serpent was cut off, but rather the finger (the finger of a human, not a snake).  Their particular duty towards the order of the RPG might have been lost, but enough of the issues of the RPG will continued to be carried out thanks to the different responsibilities being evenly distributed.  The RPG still runs smoothly and doesn't slow down as much.  This contrasts with a hierarchy, where if a vital moderator is absent, the RPG begins to lag, and people will all pounce for the empty position.

BZPower itself, really, uses just this method.  While most of the visible staff are moderators, they are still divided to cover certain boards where others can't.  There are also the news reporters, and all of the people working behind the scenes to make BZP what it is.  I share a similar vision for an RPG structure.

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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Understood Friendship Policy

Posted by Jean Valjean , in BZPower Sep 21 2008 · 18 views

BZP

It's a common scenario for many BZPers.  Strangers will commonly add you to their friends list, and they don't even explain why, let alone acknowledge you much afterwords, like you'd think that a person wanting to be your friend would.  In the end, they are still strangers.

There's a tip in the CoT TBRPG guide that encourages RPG owners to require people to PM character sheets to them before joining.  I don't know how, but it's somehow supposed to make it more likely for people to join the RPG and be an active player.

I have applied this to my friendship policy.  My rough equivalent is not that I will require the addition of my name to one's friends list to be approved, but I would like you all to know that whenever I see "Friend Approved" in my inbox with someone's name right next to it that I don't immediately recognize and understand, I am going to hit the reply button and ask this simple question: "Why?"

Recently, I received the first PM ever explaining why someone added me to their friends list, and it was very nice to understand their reasons.  Then today someone added me to their friends list, but I didn't receive an explanation as to why.  I want to know what common ground we have that got myself so much approval from someone.  There might be a misunderstanding.  For all I know, someone might have added me because of my RPGing activity and not because of my hatred for the Toa Mistika.  If someone's going to add me to their friends list, than I want to understand.  I will ask from now on.

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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If Bzp Had Mirrors

Posted by Jean Valjean , in BZPower Aug 15 2008 · 35 views

BZP

If BZP had mirrors, my reflection would not show the avatar of Gali that you all know.  The avatar itself was merely requested from Bioni-Cool Mech because I wanted to be cool.  I wanted to stand out and get a trademark.  I want...Popularity.  With that comes a thirst for power.

The hunger for power has, for the longest time, been mainly seen as a desire to take over a country, although it can mean something else.  We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal, but the desires of power make you want to be more than everyone else.

That's what I do on BZP.  In the back of my mind, I just want power here on BZP.  It's almost as if it's a new obsession.  I want to be a big shot, someone like Zeddy or Zahd.  That's who I truly am underneath, despite my polite and well thought out posts.  Heck, this greed is one of the reasons I wrote long posts in the first place: to make me look smarter and to draw attention to the post, and therefore me.  BZPower also provided RPGs, and although I enjoy writing, there's still, in the back of my head, the desire to impress everybody and to show off.  So many of my posts around the forums were probably for the sake of rising my post count in order to improve my image.  I suppose a lot of other people will post for that purpose too, but it doesn't make me feel any better.  It feels as if everything I do here on this site is for my own gain.  Just about the only time I ever do anything that is purely for constructive cause is when I start a topic, which are usually base off of questions which I've had floating around in my head for a while.

I haven't lived up to EmperorWhenua.  Instead of giving respect, I seem to be demanding it from others.  It's not right.

If BZPower had mirrors, my reflection would show up as Hafu, not Gali.

Your Honor,
Emperor Kraggh

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Me

Username: Emperor Kraggh
Real name: N/A
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Heritage: Half Dutch, 25% Hungarian, 12.5% Swedish, 6.5% German and Irish
Physical description: Looks like the eleventh Doctor
Favorite food: Chicken, turkey, and beef.
Least favorite food: Vegetables of any kind
Favorite song: American Pie
Favorite movie: Schindler's List
Favorite TV show: Smallville & Arthur the Friendly Aardvark
Favorite play: Les Miserables
Favorite color: Silver
Second favorite color: Brown
Favorite board game: Risk
Favorite athlete: Michael Phelps
Lucky Number: 53
Past-times: BZPower, writing, reading, politics, drawing
Political party: Republican
Religion: Christian
Language: Not English, but American.

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