The Official RPG Planning Topic

[Silvan Haven]

That's not really a western though.

[Sassy Dalmation]

So how about this. There has been a massive drought for a long long time on Spherus Magna. There is one large water source up north, and the only way up there is by a massive terrain crawler. However, the back of the crawler are provided with insufficient water, food, and space, while all the rich are all at the front, thriving.

 

Just throwing that out there if anyone wants to use it.

Edited June 2, 2015 by Wielder-of-Shadow

[Timageness]

True, but the bare bones of the layout could always be modified to fit the setting better.

Sort of like what Weilder just did.

[Voltex]

This western-train idea has me very, very interested. I'd be willing to help put it together (although I won't be staff).

[IcarusBen]

I'd be willing to help, too, though whether I'd be staff is another matter entirely. If I get an experienced GM onboard, then maybe

[silo]

I definitely think that the concept would work better if you cut out the stopping, as the original 'sealed train' idea that Ultron proposed seemed a lot more tense and exciting. In other words, make it so that the passengers can't get off the train, but perhaps some are trying to...as for "why can't they just get out?" just set it in the middle of a desert/barren environment where you can't survive for more than a day.

[Sergei Rahkmaninoff]

Or have the train windowless, sealed entirely and totally inescapable, so that until something really significant happens, you don't even know what's outside. Then in the conclusion it can be revealed, in an epic plot twist.

 

Though that begs the question of why the characters themselves don't know. And negates the possibility of epic train roof battles. So probably not a good idea. Eh, I'll throw it out there anyways in case anyone wants to work on it further.

[IcarusBen]

Or have the train windowless, sealed entirely and totally inescapable, so that until something really significant happens, you don't even know what's outside. Then in the conclusion it can be revealed, in an epic plot twist.

 

Though that begs the question of why the characters themselves don't know. And negates the possibility of epic train roof battles. So probably not a good idea. Eh, I'll throw it out there anyways in case anyone wants to work on it further.

Oh my god... I just came up with the best twist ever.

 

[Silvan Haven]

I think just a basic train works fine for a western. The players are all going to understand that the plot revolves around it so they don't really have a reason to wander off into the desert.

[IcarusBen]

I'm actually working on a concept for the train idea. It's not quite "western," as in no cowboys, sheriffs, stuff like that, but I think it works rather well for what we need it to do.

 

The reason you'd want the train to be sealed is that players might feel, both literally and figuratively, railroaded (PUN) and want to see what's out "there."

[Sergei Rahkmaninoff]

I think that would be more of a problem in the sealed-off train than in the basic train, actually. In the basic train the players know what's out there - just a lot of desert and tiny villages, or whatever. Nothing of interest. But in the sealed-off train, what's outside is secret and thus trying to find out what it is is very tempting.

[fishers64]

Also, having the train running toward an unknown destination or certain destruction might create suspense. 

[Ghidora131]

Mixing... Ideas into... One chaotic mess...

[Daniel the Finlander]

I know I said that I wouldn't be making this, but I did. The temptation was too large!
 

Downfall of the Corsairs

Version 0.1

 

 

The 'Golden Age of Piracy' is coming to an end.

For over a century, we have thrived, raiding countless trade ships that travelled through the Sea of Claws, headed for the wealthy city of New Atero. But now the Hand has finished its war with the Alliance and seeks to bring peace to their empire. They have ordered their military to hunt down rebels, criminals and pirates. Before, few dared to oppose us directly, but those days are gone now. I've heard rumours that the Fleet of the Iron Fist, led by notorious admiral Thravon, is preparing its ships and marines to attack the pirate haven of Aqua Roxtus. It's only a matter of time before Surok and Toratuk burn as well.

It is time to divide the plunder, sell your ships and retire in some peaceful village on the mainland. Nothing can stop the Hand, not even the Shadowknife. It was only a matter of time before they decided to burst our bubble. It's over, boys and girls, unless you want to be fools and die fighting. I will do what I advise you to do as well, and abandon my duties as a captain. I hope to find a farm where I can live peacefully while enjoying the calm of the countryside.
 
As a final note, I buried my vast wealth, for a time might come when I will need it. Only I know of its location, so don't bother to go treasure hunting. I tell you this because I am an honest man, and don't want people suspecting that I took all of my belongings with me to live a luxurious life. No, I want to start anew, live a life where I don't have to fear for my own well-being. I know my riches made people jealous and eager to kill me, and I'm tired of that.

If you do somehow manage to find my treasure, feel free to keep it, you scurvy Brakas.

~Captain Blackmask of Aqua Roxtus
 
 

Table of contents

I. Lore
a) History
b) Factions
c) Locations
II. Rules and Gameplay
a) Character creation
b) Ships
c) Combat
d) Rules

 
 

LORE

History

 

Those who thought that Makuta Teridax's death would bring everlasting peace to the world were fools. The first months after the Battle of Bara Magna were the most turbulent. Baterra, Marendar, Vorox, the Shadowed One's warriors and others slew many and devasted much. Numerous mighty beings fell, such as Artakha, Karzahni and Tren Krom. The number of Toa plummeted from 57 to less than ten. Rampant famine and viruses took away those who otherwise would've survived. This dark age is known as the Black Years.

But an era of darkness is always followed by an era of light.
 
In 122 AB (AB = After the Battle [of Bara Magna]), much of Spherus Magna was finally united by a Great Being who had possesed the body of a Po-Matoran named Velika. He brought an end to all wars with his mighty army, formed the Empire of the Hand and began the reconstruction of Atero and other devastated Agori settlements. He worked vigorously with uniting the inhabitants of the Matoran Universe and Spherus Magna, making sure that their cultures integrated and that they lived together with harmony. He created a functioning economy, a very extensive law system and an efficient government.

However, there were some who thought that he was a cruel despot. All his opponents were crushed, he ruled alone and let no one interfere with his plans and decisions. The law system was strict and draconian. In the following two centuries many civil wars broke out as people tried to revolt against the tyrant's rule. The Emperor, however, crushed the rebels time and again. But his people didn't give up: An alliance was formed, the Alliance of the Great Spirit, the Mask of Life its symbol. At first it was just a small underground organization, but it soon expanded and grew. In 331 AB, the Emperor received an ultimatum from them, demanding him to step down, form a democratic government and loosen the laws. The Emperor, of course, refused to do any of these. A new civil war broke out, but this one was greater than all the others combined.

An era of light is always followed by an era of darkness.

Almost half of the Empire of the Hand revolted. Thousands perished, cities were burned to the ground and the developing countryside was pillaged. Many Agori and Glatorian perished in a plague that broke out, many Matoran died when new weapons of mass destruction were used against civilians. It was a war where soldiers formed less than a quarter of the total casualties. These days the war is simply called the Carnage.

In this time, piracy thrived in the Sea of Claws. Support from the Alliance and poor law enforcement allowed corsairs and privateers to thrive and freely pillage the busy trade route that led to New Atero itself. Many deserters from the warring factions became pirates and the settlements on the sea's archipelago turned into independent pirate havens. As trade ships became more heavily armed and even escorted by warships, the pirates started working together and developing efficient tactics to overcome superior opponents. Some pirates became immensely rich, most notably the dreaded captain Blackmask, a Toa who had once served the Hand. The Shadowknife, a notorious criminal organization, gained many new members and eagerly funded successful pirates.

But in the year 381 AB, a peace treaty was signed between the two factions. Neither side had won, despite devastating each other completely. The Hand still recognized the Alliance as a rebellious terrorist organization and continued to uphold the old laws. The Alliance itself had become a state of its own, but a poor state with many Agori and Matoran living in poverty and hunger. But at least there was peace, and people could finally begin to rebuild what had been destroyed. Many still feared that a new war would begin, but hoped that peace would last for as long as possible.

And now, in the year 403 AB, the Hand has begun to hunt criminals and rebels within its borders. The war allowed them to thrive, and now peace will end their golden age. The pirates of the Sea of Claws will meet a similar fate, for the Emperor wants the vital trade route to New Atero to be safe again. He has ordered his trusted admiral, Thravon, to assemble a fleet and destroy all pirate havens he can find. Some corsairs, captain Blackmask for example, have already decided to abandon their life as a pirate and retire, but many still continue their criminal lives, for they have nothing else to do with their lives. Who would want to hire a bloodthirsty pirate to till their farmland, clean their floors or fix their roof? No one. So these desperate pirates have no other option but to prepare to fight for their lives..
 
 

Factions

 

Empire of the Hand

 

"The Emperor protects!"

 

Characters in this faction are part of the Fleet of the Iron Fist, serving admiral Thravon and preparing for the attack on the Sea of Claw's pirates. Many of them are professional marines, some are mercenaries, few are captains, others are citizens forced into military service while the rest are mere sailors. Discipline in the navy is strict, and any disobidience is heavily punished. The empire's population consists of both natives of Spherus Magna and inhabitants of Matoran Universe. Skakdi and Skrall are nowhere to be seen, however, because of cruel racial purges conducted some centuries ago. The marines consist mostly of Glatorian, bruisers (Krekka's species) and members of Ehlek's species.
 

Alliance of the Great Spirit

 

"For freedom we rise!"

 

Founded by former agents of the Order of Mata Nui, the Alliance is only starting to recover from the devastating war with the Hand. Characters belonging to this faction can be privateers, navy captains, soldiers or civilians. While the Alliance supports some pirates, many are still willing to attack their trade ships, that are as a result often escorted by warships. The alliance has a majority of Spherus Magna natives, with fewer Matoran and other MU inhabitants being citizens of the young nation. Skrall, Skakdi and Vortixx work as privateers, but aren't seen amongst the common populace. In the Sea of Claws, the faction is led by Axtos, Nasaura's governor. He answers to the Senate, the ruling council of the nation.
 

The Shadowknife

 

"Knife in the shadows.."

 

Originally founded by the Shadowed One himself, the Shadowknife is the largest and most notorious military organization on the planet. After their initial attempt at taking over the world during the Black Years failed, they changed their ways to be more indirect and secretive. Now they have bases in every city and agents in every government. No one except the Shadowed One knows how wide they have spread and how many watchful eyes they have. The black market of Surok is fully controlled by them. Characters in this faction are usually pirates, bounty hunters or agents who receive rewards for accomplishing tasks given to them. Members don't usually reveal their allegiance to anyone, but can recognize other members by saying the code word 'knife' to someone who then replies with 'in the shadows' if they are members.
 

Independents

 

There are some who are only loyal to themselves and money. These people are smugglers, mercenaries, bounty hunters, black market traders, pirates and other criminals, but also honest merchants and travellers. They don't work for any of the three major factions but instead want to be independent, live without orders and supervision from superiors but also without protection.

 

Locations

 

 
 
The Sea of Claws formed after the reformation of Spherus Magna, when the Great Sea flooded into the dry hills of the Great Barren and the valleys of the Great Jungle. The hilltops turned into islands that are scattered across the northern part of the sea. The sea leads to a sheltered bay that is fed by a great river. The Emperor decided to build his capital, New Atero, near the mouth of this river, for he saw that the location was ideal for a great city. He unfortunately/fortunately didn't predict that the archipelago in the Sea of Claws was an excellent base of operations for pirates that could easily raid the only sea route to the city.

The climate is tropical on the archipelago and the southern shore, but is drier on the northern mainland. Tropical storms occasionally ravage the islands, but are fairly rare. The sea was named after monstrous sea creatures able to devour entire ships and their crews. The Emperor also didn't unfortunately know of their existence. However, they are seen quite rarely, rare enough that they have turned into a myth, with many tales of their appearance and abilities circulating amongst the populace of the area.
 

Aqua Roxtus

 

The largest pirate haven on the archipelago, Aqua Roxtus was named after the former home of the Skrall tribe, but because there was already a town called New Roxtus, the city was named 'Roxtus of the Sea'. A home to a large Skrall population, Aqua Roxtus is known for its skilled warriors and many training grounds. A council of elite Skrall rule the island together, although after becoming members of the council their life-spans suddenly shorten for some odd reason. Sometimes the ruling council is replaced by an individual ruler, who is often replaced with another ruler, who in turn might be replaced by a council again. The inhabitants don't particularly care about who rules them, as long as booze remains cheap.
 

Surok

 

Surok is a large seaside fortress, built by the Skakdi pirate Barbos on a volcanic island some decades ago. Many now live within the stronghold, for it has become a centre of trade for corsairs and privateers living on the archipelago. It is known for its black market, where dangerous and valuable products may be found. Because of the lack of regulations, many of the items are fake, such as intoxicating Baru spice that is often just red sand or weapons that blow up when used. Even people from the mainland sometimes come to trade behing the safe walls of the fortress for goods that otherwise are too expensive or illegal.
 

Toratuk

 

Toratuk is a disgusting city with booming industry, thanks to the large Vortixx population. Its shipyard is the largest on the archipelago and is the birthplace of most pirate ships. Deadly weapons are manufactured in the busy workshops, designed by cruel masterminds. The city is ruled by a rich merchant who does everything she can to earn maximum profit. The previous ruler was a successful pirate who accidentally fell onto a poisoned dagger, several times in a row. It's rumoured that the merchant ruler is a member of the Shadowknife, which wouldn't be surprising, for the organization has a minor base of operations in the city. The entire island around the city has turned into a wasteland, with all the trees cut down and wild animals slaughtered.
 

Nasaura

 

Nasaura is a large trading post, once part of the Hand but taken by the Alliance in the war. It is slowly being turned into a military base and a shipyard, clearly so that the Alliance can easily block the major trade route and attack New Atero if a new war with the Hand begins. The island is covered with plantations and farms that provide food for the Agori population and luxuries for trade. Excess food is often exported to Toratuk, Surok and Aqua Roxtus. Nasaura is becoming quite prosperous, with migrants coming from the mainland and the Agori governor, Axtos, making sure that the economy flourishes. He has many privateers under his service who had helped with the capture of the settlement.
 

Artidas

 

An independent city-state that broke off from the Hand, Artidas was a centre of trade and a popular resting place for merchants for many years, before captain Blackmask plundered the city and burned it to the ground. Now only a small population remains, unsure of their future, most of their fellow citizens having migrated elsewhere. The ruined city is practically ruled by a mining company, for the nearby mountains contain rich veins of coveted Exsidian, metal used in weapons and armour. Most of the city's population are poor miners. The Shadowknife has formed a major base of operations in the city, which has resulted in many of the miners becoming pirates. Dangerous giant lizards roam in the nearby jungles, rewards offered for those who hunt them down.
 

Tano

 

A small town of the Empire of the Hand is being used by admiral Thravon as a staging area for his upcoming attack on the pirate havens of the Sea of Claws. Many of the town's inhabitants are being forcibly recruited into the navy, its workshops now focusing on military production and its food storages emptied. The populace of the town is slowly becoming quite angry, but they know that a direct attack will be crushed instantly. Recently a soldier mysteriously disappeared, only to be found on the next day without a head. The sailors and marines of the Fleet of the Iron Fist live in a large camp near the town.


 

GAMEPLAY

 

This game is quite similar to other text-based roleplaying games on this forum. There is no reliance on stats or dice rolling, so the gameplay is quite free and allows players to focus on storytelling and roleplaying. First a player makes a profile, posts it on the discussion topic, waits for it to be approved and begins to play in the main topic. In each post, a player describes their character's actions and thoughts. Just some basic stuff for those unfamiliar with TBRPGs.
 

Character creation

 

Here's a template for a character profile you must post on the discussion topic before playing:

Name: What your character is called
Species: See below
Gender: Male, female, both, neither, banana, whatever
Faction: The Hand, the Alliance, the Shadowknife or independent
Appearance: What they look like
History: What happened in their past
Powers (If any): What special abilities they might have
Equipment: What items they have (No gunpowder weapons)

You may have additional sections, like a section describing a character's personality. Please make your character balanced and reasonably strong. Overpowered characters with too strong abilities will not be approved. Your character may be an Agori, a Glatorian, a Skrall or a member of most sapient species from Matoran Universe, with the following exceptions:

Toa
Botar's species
Dweller's species
Johmak's species
Poison's species
Takadox's species
Tyrant's species
Vanisher's species
Vengeance's species
 

Ships

 

Ship profile:
Name: What is the ship called, if anything?
Type: Light, heavy or merchantman
Description: What does the ship look like? What is it made out of?
Weaponry: What weapons does it have?
Special modifications: Does it have some special equipment or features?

A character may be a captain of a ship. Seafaring vessels on Spherus Magna are usually made out protodermis salvaged from Matoran Universe, with some of the cheaper ships made out of wood or other materials. Many ships rely on sails and oars for travel, although the most advanced ships use artifact engines or steam power. Ships can be divided into three categories: Light ships, heavy ships and merchantmen. Light ships are fast and maneuverable, often made out of lightweight material. Heavy ships are usually warships, durable but slow and sluggish. Merchantmen are trading vessels used for transporting cargo. They are large, poorly armed and not very fast.

Centuries of warfare have advanced military technology, but also made older weapons obsolete. Cordak blasters, for example, fell out of use when Vortixx developed a laser point defence system to counter missiles, based on their older laser technology. Ramming is used when the intention is to destroy the enemy ship and boarding actions when the aim is to capture the enemy vessel without damaging it. Current weapons used in naval combat include the following three weapons (Custom weapons are allowed):
 

Arok plasma launcher

 

A common weapon type seen on ships, Arok launchers shoot crystal spheres filled with either plasma or explosive energy. The launching mechanism is similar to a gigantic slingshot, but while having great force is quite inaccurate. When the spheres do hit their target, they are devastating. Plasma spheres unleash a flood of liquid fire that can melt solid protodermis and burn unfortunate crew members caught in the flames. Energy spheres unleash a strong explosion that can damage the target's hull quite badly, crystal shards of the broken sphere scattering and embedding into anyone nearby.
 

Arkhamet's lance

 

A special weapon type developed by the insane Vortixx pirate Arkhamet. It is a huge grappling hook of sorts, used for rendering ships immobile or dragging them closer so they can be boarded. The weapon shoots a harpoon made out of Exsidian or some other material capable of easily penetrating armour. Once the harpoon punches through the target's hull, a special mechanism releases several hooks that firmly attach the harpoon to the ship. The rope can then be reeled by a strong engine, pulling the ship towards the gun in the process.
 

Disk launcher

 

Another common type of weapon is the disk launcher. They are usually used for supporting allies or weakening enemies. The disks are based on the old Kanoka disks, with similar powers. The launcher may also shoot sharp metallic disks ideal for slaying enemy crew or ruining their sails. The following disk powers are used in naval combat: Weaken, makes the target's hull weaker and easier to penetrate, Increase weight, decreases the target's speed, Quicken, makes the target faster and Regenerate, fixes hull damage of the target.

 

Combat

 

Ship-to-ship combat functions similarly to normal, character versus character combat. Ships shoot, they might miss or their attack might be countered in some way. Ramming or boarding actions may be attempted, but then the enemy must be given time to react in some way. Because managing a large melee with dozens of crew members would be quite difficult, naval boarding is resolved through a duel between the captains. The winner of the duel also wins the battle and can do what they desire with the enemy ship and captured crew. NPC crew may not interfere in the duel, although player characters can.
 

Rules

 

1. All BZP rules apply. Think of the children.
2. Use "IC:" in your post to show when your character is speaking/doing things, and use "OoC:" when you are saying something.
3. Your characters aren't gods. They have very few supernatural powers, they don't know things they shouldn't know, they have many flaws, they can't create items out of nowhere and they make mistakes. Follow the laws of logic and science (powers are an exception). Don't dodge every hit, and bleed if you're wounded. Pain is a thing as well. Your character should die when they should die.
4. No auto-hitting/controlling other characters. The other player will control their own characters and decide how their character was affected by your attacks. Items and ships are considered parts of characters, so they can't be damaged without the consent of their owner.
5. Characters cannot be played as until their profiles are approved
6. No Expies. I don't want to see a biomechanical Jack Sparrow, thank you. Be creative.

Edited June 5, 2015 by Daniel the Dwarf

[Ghidora131]

A few tips I can give on this:

 

Please nail down the genders. (i.e. |Male, Female, Other.) When I avoided this, Ty made a character in my game gender identified as "ghost", which didn't work in a game where you have to have an explanation.

 

Go ahead and list a handful of playable species, otherwise you're going to get an overload of different character types so diverse you'll never keep track of them all.

 

You should probably find some helpful player to assist you in GMing this. Probably knowledgeable would help a great deal.

 

And the "Think of the children" and "I don't want to see a biomechanical Jack Sparrow, thank you" were... Quite funny, actually.

 

 

Overall, this is very well thought out and planned, and i'll be happy to help in any way I can, but you've done a wondrous job.

[Timageness]

Ah, yes. Ghost Buster.

The character mostly everyone secretly wanted to read, but also apparently the one that nobody actually deserved to.

Tragic.

Back to the RPG, I find myself in agreement with Ghidorah about nailing down exactly which species are allowed for the game; diversity is good, but having a concrete list is probably better from a purely organisational standpoint. And asking around for a Co-GM might not be such a bad idea as well, especially if you're planning on running Knightfall too.

[Daniel the Finlander]

Thanks for the feedback!
 

Please nail down the genders. (i.e. |Male, Female, Other.) When I avoided this, Ty made a character in my game gender identified as "ghost", which didn't work in a game where you have to have an explanation.

I don't really care if a character is male, female, ghost or banana. For MU species, gender is just a psychological trait, and with Spherus Magna species that have biological sexes 'ghost' could just fall under the category of 'other' or 'intersex'. Sorry, but I don't really see much point in nailing down the genders.
 

Go ahead and list a handful of playable species, otherwise you're going to get an overload of different character types so diverse you'll never keep track of them all.

 
Once I approve a profile, I don't really need to worry about the character any longer unless the player breaks the rules. While it might not be the best example because it has multiple GMs, look at Bionifight and its very diverse characters. The GMs don't really care about them after they're approved unless rules are broken during play. And in the end I want diversity so the characters are more interesting and varied. If profiles didn't require approval like in BZPRPG, then I'd make a list of permitted species.
 

You should probably find some helpful player to assist you in GMing this. Probably knowledgeable would help a great deal.

I agree, but all GMs with experience I know of are currently quite busy running other RPGs. However, I think that I can run this on my own, and if I can't I'll just ask some players to be co-GMs.
 

And the "Think of the children" and "I don't want to see a biomechanical Jack Sparrow, thank you" were... Quite funny, actually.

Heh, thanks.
 
 

Overall, this is very well thought out and planned, and i'll be happy to help in any way I can, but you've done a wondrous job.

Thanks! Like I wrote above, I'll try to get help if I'll need it.

Edited June 5, 2015 by Daniel the Dwarf

[IcarusBen]

Instead of "nailing down the genders," just put in a use common sense rule and don't let people have genders like "ghost" and "tablecloth."

 

Apart from that... looks good. Admittedly, I kinda like Knightfall a little more, mostly because it's medieval fantasy-esque, which I like.

 

Ah, yes. Ghost Buster.

The character mostly everyone secretly wanted to read, but also apparently the one that nobody actually deserved to.

Tragic.

Back to the RPG, I find myself in agreement with Ghidorah about nailing down exactly which species are allowed for the game; diversity is good, but having a concrete list is probably better from a purely organisational standpoint. And asking around for a Co-GM might not be such a bad idea as well, especially if you're planning on running Knightfall too.

GHOST IS NOT A GENDER! GHOST IS NOT A GENDER! GHOST IS-

 

Ahem. Sorry. Little outburst there.

[Eyru]

Instead of "nailing down the genders," just put in a use common sense rule and don't let people have genders like "ghost" and "tablecloth."

 

Apart from that... looks good. Admittedly, I kinda like Knightfall a little more, mostly because it's medieval fantasy-esque, which I like.

 

Ah, yes. Ghost Buster.

The character mostly everyone secretly wanted to read, but also apparently the one that nobody actually deserved to.

Tragic.

Back to the RPG, I find myself in agreement with Ghidorah about nailing down exactly which species are allowed for the game; diversity is good, but having a concrete list is probably better from a purely organisational standpoint. And asking around for a Co-GM might not be such a bad idea as well, especially if you're planning on running Knightfall too.

GHOST IS NOT A GENDER! GHOST IS NOT A GENDER! GHOST IS-

 

Ahem. Sorry. Little outburst there.

 

Could just be me, but this post looks like it doesn't add much to the discussion. Daniel's already said he doesn't care about gender as it won't affect the game, so there's really no point in discussing it further (or recalling past incidents). Thanks!

[IcarusBen]

I do think it's just you, but I won't argue with the newly-appointed forum assistant.

 

As for genuine criticism... Something about Nasaura not being the Nassau expie kinda irks me, but apart from that, everything seems to check out. I like it. It's got a good plot, everything in it works well... I do have a question though; can I have a ship with a steam engine and/or a paddleboat?

[Not Quite Dead]

So Skakdi are allowed? You mention their genocide earlier but they aren't on the no fly list.

 

Seeing as how this is post-canon and has a wide range of species, are we gonna see some crazy powers? Because when I think Bionicle pirates I think of a big variety of powers, hidden treasure and oh yeah, privateers.

 

Can we play privateers?

[FallenAtlas]

Can we play privateers?

That's my big question. Pirates and Privateers go together like Peanut Butter and Cupcakes.

 

Although, I would understand the rejection of Privateers, since the focus is on unadulterated piracy

[Daniel the Finlander]

You can have a ship with a steam engine, but the technology is fairly advanced so there needs to be an explanation for how your character managed to get a steam-powered ship. High-ranking navy officers of the Hand could have access to steam ships, for example. And yes, you can have a paddleboat.

 

The Hand doesn't tolerate Skakdi, but other factions do. Some Skakdi survived the genocide, but their numbers aren't too great.

 

As long as these crazy powers aren't OP, you're going to see them. Although powers can't be crazy if they're not OP, so no, you're not going to see them.

 

Privateers are mentioned several times. They're mostly employed by the Alliance, but currently there's peace between the Hand and the Alliance so they can't do much privateering, just regular pirating. For now, at least.

[IcarusBen]

You can have a ship with a steam engine, but the technology is fairly advanced so there needs to be an explanation for how your character managed to get a steam-powered ship. High-ranking navy officers of the Hand could have access to steam ships, for example. And yes, you can have a paddleboat.

 

The Hand doesn't tolerate Skakdi, but other factions do. Some Skakdi survived the genocide, but their numbers aren't too great.

 

As long as these crazy powers aren't OP, you're going to see them. Although powers can't be crazy if they're not OP, so no, you're not going to see them.

 

Privateers are mentioned several times. They're mostly employed by the Alliance, but currently there's peace between the Hand and the Alliance so they can't do much privateering, just regular pirating. For now, at least.

Do paddleboats fall under the same restrictions regular steam ships do?

[Makuta Miras]

So Skakdi are allowed? You mention their genocide earlier but they aren't on the no fly list.

 

I'm not Dan, but I believe the genocide was only in the Hand; presumably there were Skakdi untouched by the genocide living in the Alliance at the time.

[25K Now!]

If anyone needs a co-GM, I've only ever killed one RPG.

[silo]

Ultimate City didn't die, it ascended 

Ship-to-ship combat functions similarly to normal, character versus character combat. Ships shoot, they might miss or their attack might be countered in some way. Ramming or boarding actions may be attempted, but then the enemy must be given time to react in some way. Because managing a large melee with dozens of crew members would be quite difficult, naval boarding is resolved through a duel between the captains. The winner of the duel also wins the battle and can do what they desire with the enemy ship and captured crew. NPC crew may not interfere in the duel, although player characters can.

 

Hmmm, I don't know about this. While I can see that you're trying to make the gameplay more streamlined (no pun intended), it kinda restricts the involvement of other players.

On a related note, are ship owners allowed to have whole NPC crews, or is there some kind of limit? Do we have to have a certain number of PCs as the crew? Do they have to be played by different players? I'd advise doing something similatr to MuP, whereby the crew has to consist of PCs, but there's a limit on how many PCs in each crew can be controlled by the same layer...in Panzer I think it's two. This not only cuts down on the number of random ships about, but also makes it so that characters interact in a more natural way.

Edited June 6, 2015 by 000

[Nato G]

Hmmm, I don't know about this. While I can see that you're trying to make the gameplay more streamlined (no pun intended), it kinda restricts the involvement of other players.

 

I kind of feel like you might have missed this, from the quote you just posted:

 

 

 

NPC crew may not interfere in the duel, although player characters can.

[silo]

Oops, my bad - I did miss that. But my other question still stands.

[Daniel the Finlander]

IcarusBen: No, paddleboats are even more advanced. In order to have a character own a paddleboat, you need to write a 30-page essay detailing how exactly your character managed to pull off such an impossible feat and get a legendary paddleboat. Then you must pay 5 € (or your regional equivalent) for the Paddleboat DLC.

 

Miras: Alliance didn't exist during the purges, but many Skakdi just fled the Empire and lived in the wasteland or id something else in order to survive.

 

Silo: I still need to flesh out the crew system. Ships need relatively large crews, so most of them will be NPCs with room for player characters.

[Makuta Miras]

Something else; you might want to put a limiter on NPC crews, so for example, in the ship's profile you'd need a number of NPC crew members which changes as they got killed so as to keep some realism; it most definitely isn't realistic to have a crew of infinite NPCs.

[IcarusBen]

IcarusBen: No, paddleboats are even more advanced. In order to have a character own a paddleboat, you need to write a 30-page essay detailing how exactly your character managed to pull off such an impossible feat and get a legendary paddleboat. Then you must pay 5 € (or your regional equivalent) for the Paddleboat DLC.

Eh, no thanks. I have a PS4 I'm saving up for.

 

I thought paddleboats would be less advanced, considering how they work.

[Wyrd Bid Ful Araed]

Well my idle suggestion of "hey, what if we stuck this idea on a train" seemed to go down quite well, so I'm going to keep floating my thoughts about see what else people like.

 

The one I've got right now is a vague concept more based around how I picture the locations than any story. Essentially you play as a character who has died in Metru Nui, and since the Red Star isn't working properly you're now stuck in a kind of purgatory afterlife where the city has gone all twisted and Silent Hill on you. Ga-Metru is covered with rust and mould (since it purified in the live world this is what happened to all the impurities 'killed' there), Ko-Metru looks much the same except the Knowledge towers follow you when you're not looking and pull the thoughts from your head if they catch you, Le-Metru is one big blur where nothing is really clear and if you touch a time-frozen vehicle it will send you flying, Onu-Metru I thought maybe make it out of cobwebs (a literal Fikou's Web now, haha) where you never can tell quite whats inside that cocoon you've just found, Po-Metru would be a formless void that only takes on detail in the immediate area you're in and everything else is just vaguely brown mist filled with whispers, while Ta-Metru would be made of faces as every building and street is now a Kanohi that broke or never got made.

 

Like I said, no idea what the story or goals would be. Maybe the players are trying to find a way out, maybe there's enemies out there somewhere, I don't know. I just got the idea for dark world Ta-Metru and started envisaging what the rest of the city would be like

[IcarusBen]

Dang it, stop giving us good ideas! Now I have to scrap the train idea and work on that one instead, cause it's so much cooler!

 

All kidding aside, great idea. I'll probably still be working on the train idea, so someone else is free to gobble up Silent Hill.

[Not Quite Dead]

Are we airing ideas right now?

 

What? Battle Royale based on pairs of fighters composed of a Master, likely an Agori or Matoran. And a Servant, who is a hero, villain or legend of the past summoned and contracted as a familiar to the Master. Besides the Master possessing three Seals that enforce a single absolute command each, the Servant is autonomous and played by a separate player from the Master. We'll call this plot point A.

When? Undetermined number of years post-canon, long enough that every canon character is dead for plot point A.

Where? Simulated arena that starts off as Metru-Nui during a time of relative peace, meaning a full and interactive city to make for juicy tactical espionage action. Said arena may or may not be in a timeloop of some sort with big events transpiring during the loop, the players would be aware of this loop, to allow for planning and manipulation of events to their advantage.

How? As of yet unnamed macguffin that allows for and powers the summoning of dead legends.

Why? To win the unnamed macguffin, plus other plot reasons.

 

Now, a couple further points.

 

Summoned spirits would be from the Red Star, for plot convenience this is made to work as a backup storage system of sorts which is kind of outside normal time. It would save snapshots of everyone in the MU/SM every so often, with the possibility of multiple saves existing. For example, Vakama, Vakama Metru, Vakama Hordika and Turaga Vakama would all be available for summoning, with correspondingly different power and gear sets. They would also be summoned into a class, more or less. Not named as, but basically representing concepts like Fighter, Swordsman/Knight, Warrior, Mage, Rogue, Cleric, Ruler, Assassin, Archer, stuff like that. They would be given their class name as a codename of sorts to use, because if you can learn the true name and identity of a Servant you could get clues as to their tactics, powers etc.

 

Thing is, different people might be eligible for multiple classes and different classes would accentuate different parts of their legend. Someone like Vakama Metru could be summoned as say, an Archer (requirement of powerful ranged weaponry) or Mage (requirement of powerful or unique powers and prowess with them) and would get corresponding bonuses or nerfs.

 

Finally, each legend would have a trump card of sorts, knowledge of which is the biggest thing an enemy would stand to gain by learning their true name. What exactly this would be would depend on what class they were summoned as. Using Vakama as an example, summoning him into the Archer class might make the usage of the various great kanoka his trump and increased visual and aural senses his passive. While as a Caster he'd have access to the Vahi and boosted elemental energy. As a Rogue he'd be squishier and weaker, but his Huna would get boosted and his general stealthiness increased.

 

Original characters that would fit into the MU/SM canon would of course be allowed and there's stuff I haven't written here, because it's a big idea.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Kaneo Takarada

[Nato G]

I've been waiting for you to bring that up.... 

[Not Quite Dead]

The stars had to be right.

[Prowl Nightwolf]

 

Can we play privateers?

That's my big question. Pirates and Privateers go together like Peanut Butter and Cupcakes.

 

Although, I would understand the rejection of Privateers, since the focus is on unadulterated piracy

 

what is wrong with peanut butter cupcakes? They sound delicious. Also why no Jack Sparrow characters? I think a constantly drunk appearing should have been locked in a padded cell Pirate who can't keep his ship to save his life would be interesting and quite fun/difficult to play.

[silo]

Because why make an expy when you can make an original character.

 

 

Except when it's a good idea to make an expy.

[Timageness]

I can't speak for anyone else here, but frankly, I'd find it kind of annoying if one of my characters were in an epic naval battle, only for it to be interrupted by a permanently drunk pirate running around and screaming "I have a jar of dirt" for absolutely no reason at all.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Timageness