The Official OTC TBRPG Planning and Organization Topic

[Axilus Prime]

I...don't see anything weird with Halo canon. Seems well-written to me.

 

Ok, so, final call for further changes or clarifications, then I guess I'll write up the next big update.

[Bundalings]

I'm not yet sure if Huragok should be playable. If they are, it's an unlockable. Who wants some floating tentacled mech-sacks?

Huragok are the best, man.Why make them unlockables?

[Krayzikk]

I do agree with Bundalings on this one. the Huragok, while difficult in the main game, are by no means too powerful for an RPG. They have several inherent drawbacks. First of all, while they're strong, they're slow. A single Spartan can maneuver around them with relative ease, and a normal person could likely do something similar. Their weapons are strong, but they take time to charge. In addition, the fired projectile is rather slow.

 

They also lack, that I know of, hands correctly scaled to manipulate anything that wasn't built for them.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Krayzikk Bieber

[Bundalings]

Huragok are Engineers. I believe you've mixed them up with mgalekgolo, or Hunters.But that brings up another point, which is will Hunters be playable?

[Krayzikk]

...........whoops.This is why I don't talk Halo right after a busy school day. Too brain fried.

[Lara White]

I'm looking for people to playtest a combat system so I can work out the kinks. Please PM me for further details.

 

[Axilus Prime]

Hunters and Engineers are unlockables for the same reason: The fact that they're hard to RP. So they're unlocked by the RPing skill award, while Brutes, Prophets, and Spartan-II's are rare sights but easy to RP, so they are unlocked by the loyalty to the game award.

And a Hunter with the intelligence of a real person typing at a keyboard would be something incredibly fearsome. The only reason they aren't that hard in the game is because they're mentally challenged.

But if you have real objections to the unlock system I can change things up. This is, after all, why I posted the game here before the review topic.

EDIT: Elaborated on the unlock system, made the species descriptions easier to read while adding new species descriptions, and also elaborated on how the players can influence the setting and galaxy in massive ways that could change the game forever.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Axilus Prime

[Flex Lord Splash]

This RP seems promising. I was always a fan of the Spartan II backstory. There's something awesome about being a child and being forced into becoming a living weapon, and what that does to you mentally.

[Havelock Vetinari]

Also something awesome about gathering all the people that worked on that project in one place and then opening the airlocks.

Edited February 28, 2013 by Basilisk

[Alex Humva]

Who'd be curious in a tribal-based RPRTSG?

 

Think your standard RPGRTS, except much, much smaller scale. It aims to solve the majority of the problems with RPRTSGs have by making them nonfactors. Limited resources, limited technology, limited warriors. When your war party dies you feel it. Also, due to the smaller scale, there's much more likelihood of societal extermination. Real consequences to go with a small, harsh environment.

[Axilus Prime]

Also something awesome about gathering all the people that worked on that project in one place and then opening the airlocks.

 

I'm too grateful to the Spartan-II's, particularly Chief, for saving the galaxy 5-7 times to not attempt to stand in your way on that.

 

I'll be using Chief and anything else I can think of for that purpose, while still perpetrating acts of evil in Jul 'Mdama's name for the sake of the plot.

 

May the best man win! XD

 

Anyway, everyone seems happy so far. When I get the chance, I'll finish this up with a San-Shyuum description and all those empty places, then repost the first official draft of the RPG here. From there we can add any tweaks if necessary, then submit it for approval.

 

Oh, and I need two volunteers to co-host. Basilisk, now's the time to confirm or pass up the position.

Edited February 28, 2013 by Axilus Prime

[-Golden Knight-]

Was Halsey's eulogy just a voiceover or in-universe for Noble Six? If so, she's protected by canon and is apparently still alive and kicking at 97 years old.

 

I was also wondering if there will be a chance to play as an AI as some sort of reward? Sort of strange since they've had a bigger presence and overall importance in Halo than the Yanma'e.

[Havelock Vetinari]

See, RPG's don't need to adhere to canon. At all.

[Axilus Prime]

Halsey is most certainly alive.

 

You will understand this story best if you watch all the cutscenes of Halo 4, all the terminal videos, and all 10 Spartan Ops episodes.

 

This RPG is building on existing canon, story-wise, and will obviously not fit into the canon universe by the time Halo 5 comes out.

 

Playing as an AI will be added and made as extremely easy unlocks for RPing skill if enough people are interested. Remember that there isn't a very high amount of AI's, basically just one per ship, and Spartans don't get AI's unless they're II's tasked with it by Cole Protocol.

 

Remember that to earn an RP skill award, you must get inside the character's head. (No, not with a headshot.) You must prove that you can portray the way they think and feel. For this reason...I will not be using characters that are unlocked by RP skill until I can prove to myself that I can do it right.

[Flex Lord Splash]

Is there any way if we unlock a Spartan II we can have an AI? I really like the whole AI and Spartan thing working together.

[Axilus Prime]

...Yep, now I have to add AI's to the Unlockables list.

 

You would need a VERY good reason. AI's are not handed out to Spartans routinely, they're only given to them by Cole Protocol. And it would be sort of unfair to let you attack your own ship so you can get that.

 

In short, no. But what you can do is obtain one naturally over the course of the game. The AI and the Spartan may not be played by the same player.

 

Seriously...I need two staff. Any takers for insta-unlocking everything? Only requirements are standard staff responsibilities.

[Makuta of Time]

Axilus, I'll be happy to take that position.

[Flex Lord Splash]

Hmmmm... so find like a RP friend and they play the AI in your head? Interesting

[Axilus Prime]

Yeah, basically that, if some actual reason comes along for your ship being in danger of destruction or capture without you intentionally doing it.

 

Under certain circumstances, the one playing the Spartan could play the Covenant and Prometheans attacking your ship, just so it isn't next to impossible. The ship with the AI on it would have to have backup, played by a third person, though.

 

By the way, if you want to get into a fight with a load of NPC's, tell a staff member. You can, to a degree, kill some NPC's without permission, but if you have any intention of getting a challenge, accomplishing an important goal, or attempting to board an entire Covenant ship solo, you'll need someone RPing the other end of the conflict.

[Toast of Awesomeness]

I'd be interested in said tribal RP, Alex.Any out of the ordinary elements involved? Magic, fantastic creatures, anything like that?

[Light]

Yo, Axilus. I'd take second staff spot if you'll have me.I can start a group pm for the rpg staff too.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Elvis

[Alex Humva]

I'd be interested in said tribal RP, Alex.Any out of the ordinary elements involved? Magic, fantastic creatures, anything like that?

I'm currently working out some finer mechanics of shamanism, and fantastic creatures... might be involved, might not. It depends if I find enough in my Cherokee books to make it worth the extra effort. If they do pop up, don't expect your traditional set of crazy critters.

[Toast of Awesomeness]

Sounds awesome. If you need some help....?

[Alex Humva]

My adviser board is full, wait your turn like everyone else =P

 

I'll be keeping updates of how stuff is going here, of course.

[Axilus Prime]

Yo, Axilus. I'd take second staff spot if you'll have me.I can start a group pm for the rpg staff too.

 

Sorry, all the spots were filled yesterday. You can still join the game, of course.

[Alex Humva]

So, bros and peeps of all ages.

 

You might of noticed that little RPG in the Approval topic known as The Outer Worlds. I was somewhat pumped for it when I was planning it, but alas, the euphoria has moved off, and I've been hard at work on other concepts. Chief among those concepts, the Tribal RPG. I'm having a lot of fun designing its mechanics, something I haven't had with an RPG for... basically ever, and in general I'm getting positive reactions in my testing circles.

 

So I ask of you, the community.

 

Would you still like to play The Outer Worlds? I'm not going to pull it from the approval process if there's still interest, but I don't want to make an RPG that'll get two or three people and promptly fall flat on its face because there just wasn't that much interest in it. The interest was meh back when it first started, and at this point I only know of two confirmed people who would play it if it actually got out there.

 

I honestly think my Tribal RTSRPG will be so very, very, much better, but I don't want to stiff you guys because of my wants.

[Havelock Vetinari]

Do what you wish. I would play both.

[Advent Child]

Okay. So I've been playing Monster Hunter a lot lately in order to prepare for both the release of 3 Ultimate, and to gather knowledge for the RPG. One thing I've noticed in the flavor texts of most quests is that a majority of monsters can't be handled by normal armies. Not normal soldiers, normal armies. In order for that to be true, not only would the monsters have to be ridiculously powerful, but the Hunters clearly have to be far beyond human to be able to take on these monsters by themselves. So my question is, do you guys have any suggestions as to how I should handle the power balance?

 

For instance, I want the people who aren't going to play the game as Hunters to be able to have just as much fun as the people hunting. I don't know how to go about that as of yet. So I come to you, the venerable council of RPG planning.

Edited March 8, 2013 by .:Advent Aeternale:.

[Havelock Vetinari]

Well, I'd suggest toning it down a bit. Monsters are tough and the bigger ones take a lot of men to defeat but.....well, there are a lot of humans.

 

I've never seen an organized army, a real army, not some glorified town guard, in the games anyhow. Maybe the concept doesn't exist yet.

[Advent Child]

My current basis for the idea of an existing army comes from the texts of one of the quests that speaks of tens of thousands of troops being unable to defeat two wyverns. It has certainly caused me to raise an eyebrow.

[Havelock Vetinari]

....Were these men commanded by a small child?

 

.....And all children themselves?

 

.....Because then I might be able to buy it. Might.

Edited March 8, 2013 by Basilisk

[Advent Child]

Yeah, crazy, right? Well, I have no intention of making the power balance be that uneven, but I do still want the monsters to be a credible threat. One that would make the hiring of the superhuman hunters reasonable.

[Havelock Vetinari]

Well. They can fly. Some of them.

 

Humans, catapults excluded, really can't at this tech level.

 

Only real counter to giant flying monsters is massed archer fire. Considering the population levels only cities would be able to muster that....and it'd be cheaper to hire a super human killer.

[HeavyMetalSunshineSister]

Yeah. It'd be a bit of a frontier situation, really - if you want to be safe, you stick to the major population centers, where they've got longbows and ballistae and all sorts of warm, fuzzy, friendly things to reach out and touch any monster that so much as looks at them funny. You want to make a profit, make a name for yourself, maybe escape some people you rubbed the wrong way, you have to risk your neck out in the wilderness, and that means you just might need the help of someone with a little more to them than the average bear.

[Havelock Vetinari]

Right. I've got three RPG ideas whirling about in my head and I figured I'd post the general concepts here for the masses to see which one you all would like to see.

 

Eastern Fantasy RPG-Already described to some extent. The remnants of a western empire flee to a small island based on various eastern myths. Very much a culture clash/military conquest/political intrigue RPG.

 

Fantasy RTS: Eastern Fantasy taken to eleven. You design an entire fantasy culture and try to lead them to glory! Or ruin! Probably ruin!

 

Avatar The Last Airbender RPG: Not even sure the direction I want to go here, but it's been awhile since we've had an RPG for this 'verse and I'd like to see one. You have a suggestion for this one, I'm all ears.

[Canis Lycaon]

I would be interested in the Avatar RPG. I think it should occur in the hundred years between the shows, as that combines aspects of both shows, so you can play based on which show you liked more.

[Let's Henshin!]

I'd rather see the first option, I think more original RPs are what we need. Not ones based on other 'Verses.

[Havelock Vetinari]

A note: I and a few others have just been made judges.

 

According to our titles. I've sent a PM to the staff to confirm. If our powers have been activated, we'll be approving RPG's quite soon.

 

At least I will.

[Alex Humva]

You can also read this as Basilisk being his usual over-cautious self, which once resulted in a shoggoth rampage while he was carefully contemplating a painting in the Necronomicon. =P

 

In other news, work progresses well on the mysterious tribal RTSRPG. I suspect I'll have a draft ready sometime next week to present to the peeps here.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Alex Humva

[Toast of Awesomeness]

So I had a bit of an idea for an RPG, just thought I'd see if there was some interest.We have lots of entertainers today which have careers based on trickery. Magicians, psychics, circus performers. But what if they weren't tricks? What if that magician really did make that rabbit disappear? What if that fire-breather wasn't using a torch? What if that psychic was literally talking to your dead grandmother?Now take this idea and place it in a future where the governments of the world have merged and such "gifted" individuals are hunted down and exterminated. Maybe by a one-world faith which sees them as devils, maybe just augmented government agents. For the gifted individuals, there'd be categories, such as "magician" or "psychic", but you'd have a lot of freedom in those categories for the abilities your character would possess.Anyone interested?