334 replies to this topic

[Black Six]

RPG Forum Text-Based RPG Contest 25

The theme is back! When we previously did themes we had a pattern we were following. I forgot where we left off with that and didn't feel like looking it up, so I decided to branch out and do something different.

Subterranean Homesick Blues: All RPGs in this contest must take place underground. Maybe the world ended and people are hiding their for safety. Perhaps the objective is to make it to the surface to save the world. Or possibly all the characters are Onu-Koro Matoran and just like it there. Whatever the deal may be, make sure the characters stay where the sun don't shine.

Any questions about the theme may be asked in this topic.

Here's how these contests work:

• The contest will be run every three (3) months, or four (4) times a year.
• All members are welcome to enter the contest.
  • Each member can only enter one (1) Text-based RPG entry.
  • The only exception to this is that BZPRPG and RPG Contest staff will not be permitted to make entries.
• There will be three winners selected in every contest.
  • The winners will be the three RPGs with the most votes after one or more rounds of voting (depending on the number of entries).
• Whether or not a given RPG wins or not, it will be allowed to run in future contests, with the below conditions and restrictions.
  • For and RPG that lost a contest, the creator must make an attempt to alter and improve their entry before entering it in the next contest.
  • If an RPG has won four (4) consecutive contests that it has entered, it can not enter the next four contests. It does not, however, have to be altered before being entered again after its break, although the creator can do so if they desire to.
    
    • Example: A RPG wins two contests in a row. It is not entered in the next contest. It is entered and wins the fourth and fifth contests. At this point it cannot be entered into the next four contests.
  • Other restrictions as a result of other rules or administrative action may prevent a member from submitting an RPG.
• At the end of the three-month interval between contests, if an active RPG does not win again, it will be closed.
  • If a former winner wins again at a later date, the creator of the RPG can choose to continue in the old topic where they left off or start over again in a new topic.
• If the creator or members of a winning RPG break the RPG forum rules, that RPG will be closed.
  • The next runner-up from the previous contest will be allowed to run for the remainder of the term.
  • The offending RPG will not be allowed to participate in the next contest.
• This system is designed to be more fair than the TBRPG approval process has been in the past, so absolutely no complaining.

TBRPG Entries
The following is what determines a Text-Based RPG entry. The creator of each entry must provide at least:

• A brief introduction to the RPG.
  • A description of the setting, the time and place the events occur.
  • A history of what has happened leading up to the current situation.
  • The characters and creatures involved. Does this take place in the canonical Bionicle Universe, or is this your own island with its own heroes and villains?
• A description on how you plan to further to story.
  • Does it follow the actual Bionicle story or take place in a setting of your own creation?
  • Is there an outline on where you plan for it go?
  • Will the players be allowed to choose the direction the story takes?
  • Is there an ultimate goal or quest, or is it merely a world for members to inhabit?
• Requirements for those wishing to participate in your RPG.
  • Will members be taking the role of existing characters or characters you have created?
  • Can they make their own characters? If so, what sort of restrictions will be placed on them?
  • What sort of equipment, masks, stats, etc will members get when they begin?
• Rules determining how players will interact with the environment and other characters.
  • How will the winner of battles be determined?
  • How will members buy and upgrade their equipment?
  • Will members level up? How will they gain experience?

The above information can be submitted however the creator prefers. It does not have to be delineated in this way, as long as it is all there.

Contest Procedures
How the contest is going to be run. Here is the format the contest will operate under:

• Members will have three weeks to draft and submit entries.
  • Entries will be posted in the Contest Submission thread. Any entries posted elsewhere or PMed will be disregarded.
  • At the end of this period, no further entries will be accepted.
• The entries will be grouped into as few polls as possible for the initial round of voting.
• Each round of voting will last for two to three days (48-72 hours).
• The format of subsequent rounds of voting will be determined depending on the number of entries.
• The three entries with the most votes in the final round of voting will be declared the winners.

Any questions can be posted in the Contest Rules Thread or PMed to Contest Host Black Six.

NOTE - All current TBRPGs must be submitted as entries if they wish to continue running.

Entries can be SUBMITTED from now until 11:59 PM EDT on Saturday, September 22nd.

You can review other entries and discuss the reviews in the Review Topic.

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

Hey. The topic is unlocked. Because the Contest began.

Well, we've got us a theme again. Let's see what I can toss together with this theme. Underground. Woot!

Obviously going to enter. Obviously. Let's hope for some great RPG's everybody!

-Toa Levacius Zehvor

[Ilyusha Blokfase]

I think that

If I find the time

I might just enter with a nice RPG

That people will like

And play

And stuff.

[ZHX]

For once, I might actually make an RP for this.

[Indigo Individual]

...
Right, time to find a way to make a better Fatal Error set underground.
Yay.

- Vorex

[Zeal]

I'll try to cobble something together.

Emphasis on "try".

Edited by Clockwork Kineticist, Sep 01 2012 - 04:15 AM.

[Wotsiznaim]

I think that

If I find the time

I might just enter with a nice RPG

That people will like

And play

And stuff.

So... Erm... Whatever happened to that one you had us all working on and just kind of ditched?

[The Dark Chronicler]

Ah well, no way to alter Kirse to fit this one.

I likely will not be entering, but It will be interesting to see what people come up with.

[Hurricane iBrow]

Sounds like a pretty sick game. Hopefully Trapped in a Map can be set underground, because I've been looking forward to playing it.

-ibrow

[Ilyusha Blokfase]

I think that

If I find the time

I might just enter with a nice RPG

That people will like

And play

And stuff.

So... Erm... Whatever happened to that one you had us all working on and just kind of ditched?

I've been trying to get some work in on it on my own time, but haven't really been able to do much. Too much stuff popping up.

Plan for that one to come in another contest, though. Preferably the one after this one because I don't want to exert any M.U. Underground-status loopholes.

[Master of Masks]

I think I'm going to enter, maybe have traces of horror in it. Then again it's really hard to make text, especially in a RPG scary. Well, I'm going to try it anyway.

This will be an interesting contest to say the least.

[The Snark Knight]

I think I'm going to enter, maybe have traces of horror in it. Then again it's really hard to make text, especially in a RPG scary. Well, I'm going to try it anyway.

This will be an interesting contest to say the least.

You could try for a psychological horror. Harder to pull off, but effective.

On the other hand, you could use eldriych abominations. They're helpful.

[ZHX]

I'll be trying to pull off a more idealistic RPG. I like idealism.

[Ilyusha Blokfase]

I think I'm going to enter, maybe have traces of horror in it. Then again it's really hard to make text, especially in a RPG scary. Well, I'm going to try it anyway.

This will be an interesting contest to say the least.

You could try for a psychological horror. Harder to pull off, but effective.

On the other hand, you could use eldriych abominations. They're helpful.

This thought of a horror game while running through dark tunnels, almost no light, who-knows-what coming after you...

Yeah, makes me think of a Dead Space-esque RPG. which would be cool if pulled off right, but meh.

Also: Eldritch. With a T.

[Master of Masks]

I was thinking more Metro 2033, but without being so blatant with being influenced by it. Actually I'm definitely going to make some sort of horror-based RPG. Thanks for the suggestions.

[Dreadheart]

Hm, this could actually be a pretty good contest to enter Hydra into...

Let the horror begin!

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

The difficult with horror games is that players generally do know what is happening, and for whatever reason, the fact that they're controlling their character makes it less scary than watching another character that you've grown at least somewhat attached to in a movie doing what they're doing. The lack of visuals and sound effects doesn't help.

Whatever happens, if you want to do horror and make it somewhat scary, you can't really let the player know anything about the monsters, very little about where they are, and so on. And randomly killing off characters doesn't really do anything, it just means nobody will want to enter their favorite characters or work as hard on a Biography. There has to be the threat that bad things can happen, and anyone who ignores it will suffer.

That's my thoughts, anyways.

@ Vorex; Obviously the ship is really, really pointy, and goes through the ground like a knife through butter and into tunnels. Duh. Even if I don't think that makes much sense...

@ Hubert; You should. You've been on long enough. It is your destiny.

-Toa Levacius Zehvor

[Mr. Peanuts]

Not entering. I'm pretty sure my idea wouldn't work as well underground. A gigantic subterranean sea just sounds...Implausible. And kinda stretching it.

Good luck.

[Mr. House]

Karz! I guess my conquest-based grand warfare RPG will have to wait for now.

I guess I can adapt another idea to the theme, then.

[Black Six]

Not entering. I'm pretty sure my idea wouldn't work as well underground. A gigantic subterranean sea just sounds...Implausible. And kinda stretching it.

Good luck.

One could argue that much of Bionicle took place underground in an ocean, if you consider the inside of a giant robot underground.

[Lloyd: the White Wolf]

Well, I can't enter the one I'd been intending to enter...but I think I'll be able to whip something up. It'll be good for experimentation, and anyone who knows me knows that that's what I do with my RPGs.

[Ilyusha Blokfase]

Not entering. I'm pretty sure my idea wouldn't work as well underground. A gigantic subterranean sea just sounds...Implausible. And kinda stretching it.

Good luck.

One could argue that much of Bionicle took place underground in an ocean, if you consider the inside of a giant robot underground.

Aaaand there's that loophole thing I mentioned.

[Kal the Guardian]

Huh, so much for entering Dreamland this time. And Shifting Sands won't work here either. Guess I'll have to think of something else.

[Indigo Individual]

@ Vorex; Obviously the ship is really, really pointy, and goes through the ground like a knife through butter and into tunnels. Duh. Even if I don't think that makes much sense...

Nah, I've decided to go down the route of creating a prequel. So, it'll be set on SM, but it'll be an underground holiday place, with AI characters, and the aliens from the original FE, except they're not aliens. And no-one can get back because the entrance caved in because of the not-aliens. Yeah, that sounds good, I'll do that.

- Vorex

[Mr. Peanuts]

Aaaand there's that loophole thing I mentioned.

Still not entering. That's too big of a loophole, iyam.

[Randy Disher]

Time to adapt Apocalypse to an underground setting.

[The Lorax]

Subterranean Homesick Blues: All RPGs in this contest must take place underground. Maybe the world ended and people are hiding their for safety. Perhaps the objective is to make it to the surface to save the world. Or possibly all the characters are Onu-Koro Matoran and just like it there. Whatever the deal may be, make sure the characters stay where the sun don't shine.

Any questions about the theme may be asked in this topic.

I have a question about this theme. Must the entire RPG take place underground, or can beings with the Subterranean Homesick Blues be central to the plot and the major locations be underground, but still have some characters and action taking place on the surface?

Thanks.

[Lord of Adders Black]

Hmm, thats Agori Trail out then...
Maybe I can jigger the paragraph-long concept for a zombie RPG I put in the Planning topic into a full submission. Take a few hints from Cherie Priest's Boneshaker to keep everyone underground...

[ZHX]

@ Hubert; You should. You've been on long enough. It is your destiny.

-Toa Levacius Zehvor

It's only been three years man!

[Black Six]

Subterranean Homesick Blues: All RPGs in this contest must take place underground. Maybe the world ended and people are hiding their for safety. Perhaps the objective is to make it to the surface to save the world. Or possibly all the characters are Onu-Koro Matoran and just like it there. Whatever the deal may be, make sure the characters stay where the sun don't shine.

Any questions about the theme may be asked in this topic.

I have a question about this theme. Must the entire RPG take place underground, or can beings with the Subterranean Homesick Blues be central to the plot and the major locations be underground, but still have some characters and action taking place on the surface?

Thanks.

Yes, the entire RPG must be below ground.

[Toa Levacius Zehvor]

Well, I'm done with the backstory and stuff. My map is ready, and my locations are underway. Then there's a bunch of the morality meter stuff to finish, and character rules. Then it'll be ready.

Also: Nobody is going to say it, but they're all thinking it - "I hope everybody else takes longer so my RPG can be the first on there." Yeah. You're all thinking about it.

@ Hubert; Long enough. Let's see some Hubertus Maximus RPGimus.

-Toa Levacius Zehvor

[ZHX]

Well be happy Lev, because the plot is done. Now to flesh out everything else.

[Sir Flex Nardius]

I would try my hand at making a RP for this, but I'm a bit to busy with the one I'm already running. So instead I'll just look forward to reading everyone's drafts, and then voting. Maybe playing the ones that seem the most interesting, that is if I have time ;p.

[BZP Blade]

So... Erm... Whatever happened to that one you had us all working on and just kind of ditched?

It'll be next contest, I guess. This one just isn't possible for this contest.

Which, speaking of; also rules out Aloft Season 2. Sorry guys. =P

But, let's make this last month awesome there. Might try and figure out something, but things are getting hectic right now, so I might need the three month break. ^^; At least I can end it on my cliffhanger, though! =D

[Grantaire]

Very happy to see a theme again.

I'm edgy about entering this contest, honestly. Currently, I have an RPG idea that I very much like, and which could be easily adapted to the underground. With some furnishing and polishing, I think it could turn out to be a workable RpG, unlike SftS. The problem? I have neither the time nor energy to be the head GM RPG; I would need people to help me, or at least one person with reasonable GMing skills to serve as head Gm or an active co-GM. In short, I have an RPG idea which I like and want to see as an RPG, but don't have the time, skill or energy to effectively run it; therefore I need someone to comake and run it.

If anyone is interested, let me know.

[Lloyd: the White Wolf]

Unfortunately, I am having a hard time concocting an idea for a game. If anyone wants to get me to co-host, you can give me your sales pitch and I'll help out and see how much I can build on your idea.

[Hurricane iBrow]

I have a small idea, but I don't think it's enough for this contest. I'll see about the next contest, once I know how school will be this year.

-ibrow

[Kal the Guardian]

So... I'm only up against Lev and TPtI? (To sum things up) Ok I can do this. Time to go craft an RPG.

[ZHX]

Not really. You're also up against me.

[Zeal]

And me. I'm just short on ideas at the moment.