Jump to content

The Official OTC TBRPG Planning and Organization Topic


Noxryn

Recommended Posts

I'm giving anyone who wants to handle a Fallout RP my blessing. The community wants Nawlins, and I'm wanting Arizona. Needless to say, I don't want a repeat of my failed attempt at writing an Elder Scrolls RP. So, I've thought of an idea, but instead of writing the full RP first, I'll get some criticism and then write it out.

 

It's an Elder Scrolls RP, taking place somewhere in Skyrim a couple of years after Alduin was defeated. The Civil War ended fairly quickly once the Dragonborn got involved, with Windhelm and the Stormcloaks falling to the might of the Imperial armies.

 

But, apparently, the Dragonborn had second thoughts. In 4E 205, s/he (haven't decided how I'll describe the Dragonborn, though perhaps I'll refrain from referring to h/im/er until later on) leads the holds of Whiterun, Hjaalmarch, Eastmarch and Falkreath on yet another civil war, this time not just fighting for the independence of Skyrim, but the conquest of the entirety of Tamriel. Fashioning themself as a modern Tiber Septim, this Dragonborn takes on a claim to the throne by divine right. And so begins yet another bloody tale in Tamriel's history.

 

Now, here's where things get iffy. I want to limit the size of this RP to one of the five major Hold Capitals in Skyrim, plus any areas that become plot relevant. I can't decide between Whiterun, Riften, Markarth, or Solitude (I'm not really feeling Windhelm, despite the rich history, I found it to be the dullest of the largest cities in Skyrim.)

 

Players can expect large-scale battles, attacks from the Dragonborn's army of, well, dragons, royal intrigue, swarms of Draugr, dragons, racist High Elves, dragons, and dwarven ruins.

 

Did I mention dragons yet?

 

I'd also like to not write this out single-handedly, so if anyone wants to write it with me, I'd be very happy.

Edited by IcarusBen
  • Upvote 1

LEGO Republic:

The Valkyrie

The "Christmas Brick"

 

My BZPRPG Profiles

 

Now a proud member of The Kanohi Force

76561198041367047.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

>finding windhelm more boring than markarth

 

was with you til there tbh bruh. i'd also - and don't blow up on me for this - cut the dragonborn out entirely. skyrim is full of jarls who are clowns enough to start waging a war for a throne, and installing a player character that literally cannot be the same as any other person's interpretation of that player character is only going to cause grating and instant ejection from the immersion of the setting.

 

my counter-idea: since the empire won, pick solitude for the renewed imperial presence, install a purported illegitimate son of torygg on the throne, deposing elisif and leaving her for dead (??? that's up to you) and set the game in haafingar (hjaalmarch is morthal, for the record). there's daedric shrines, dwarven ruins, and bandits galore all nearby, plus the bones of every jarl and most of the high kings of solitude, so plenty of potema-style shenanigans

 

-Tyler

  • Upvote 2

SAY IT ONE MORE TIME 

TELL ME WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Hero of Kvatch became a god, and no one knows what he looks like (well, I mean, he probably had the Grey Cowl, but still) so is it really a stretch to assume that the Dragonborn could become emperor without his race, gender or appearance known?

 

Admittedly, I do see your point, but no one cared Neloth declared the Nerevarine a "he" in Dragonborn, despite anyone who played a female Nerevarine being thrown off the canon bus.

 

(That includes me, BTW. RIP Eponine, 2007 - 2012)

 

And besides, idiot Jarls set the stage for the first Civil War. It'd be like watching old reruns of CSI. Adding onto that, for the first war to end, the Dragonborn needs to take part, otherwise it's implied to have stalemated.

 

Also, I did mean for the Dragonborn to have taken Morthal, not Solitude. Solitude's still mainly Imperial, ruled by Queen Elisif the Fair.

 

I find Windhelm more boring than Markarth because Atmorans are more boring than Dwemer. Also, I don't like snow.

 

Finally, Solitude was my first choice, but I decided to leave it up to vote.

LEGO Republic:

The Valkyrie

The "Christmas Brick"

 

My BZPRPG Profiles

 

Now a proud member of The Kanohi Force

76561198041367047.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How does the Dragonborn taking Ulfric's place not feel like a rehash, though? If you want any sort of Civil War plot so soon after the Stormcloak Rebellion, it's going to feel like a rehash.

 

-Tyler

SAY IT ONE MORE TIME 

TELL ME WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Let's call a spade a spade here - Ulfric wanted to be High King, whatever you think his intentions were, and that was why the Stormcloaks fought. To make Ulfric High King. You can say the Dragonborn wants to conquer all of Tamriel and then wants to renovate Yokuda from the ground up and turn it into his summer continent. That's his master plan, sure. But in a game limited to one city, Skyrim is all that matters, and three to four years removed from the Stormcloak Rebellion, this game is going to look and feel like same old same old.

 

Now, remove the Dragonborn. Bump the date up twenty years so that there's plenty of fresh Nords and Imperials to replace the ones that died during the events of Skyrim. The same cast of Thalmor will undoubtedly be alive, because we all know how those silly Altmer get. By that time, any of Torygg's - or, hey, even Ulfric's - will have aged to adulthood, and could easily serve as a stand-in. It comes with none of the problems the Dragonborn possesses, like

 

-Being sold to sixteen Daedric Princes at once after death

-Being the guildmaster of everything bigger than Nazeem's farm

-Having Shouts and Dragons that, let's be real, we're all Skyrim players here, you're not maneuvering around

 

The Dragonborn was invented to be even more of a godmodding Sue than any TES protagonist before him. That's his in-game profession. When, on top of that, you're having to be careful on how you describe their race, age, appearance, backstory, etcetera, it's a fresh set of complications in an already cluttered timeline. 

 

-Tyler

SAY IT ONE MORE TIME 

TELL ME WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think that we can assume that the DB's soul belong to those 16 daedra. He's a dragon, so logically, Akatosh would get dibs. Miraak only became HM's servant because he was solely pledged to HM, plus, I don't think Miraak ever actually died, but rather was banished to Oblivion.

 

Also, yeah, I know the DB has dragons and shouts. That was kinda important.

 

But, if you're absolutely, 100% certain that putting in the Dragonborn would be a mistake, fine. No Dragonborn allowed.

 

Toa Onaku, if you're willing to help me write this thing, I'd be more than happy to work with you.

LEGO Republic:

The Valkyrie

The "Christmas Brick"

 

My BZPRPG Profiles

 

Now a proud member of The Kanohi Force

76561198041367047.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think that we can assume that the DB's soul belong to those 16 daedra. He's a dragon, so logically, Akatosh would get dibs. Miraak only became HM's servant because he was solely pledged to HM, plus, I don't think Miraak ever actually died, but rather was banished to Oblivion.

 

Also, yeah, I know the DB has dragons and shouts. That was kinda important.

 

But, if you're absolutely, 100% certain that putting in the Dragonborn would be a mistake, fine. No Dragonborn allowed.

 

I'm just trying to help out. The Dragonborn is a cipher - the point of him, like all TES protagonists, is that you can project anything you'd like onto him. It works great for an open-world RPG. Not so much for a one-city text based storytelling game - which is, for the record, a good idea, and one I was considering for an ASOIAF RPG sometime in order to limit scope and maybe make it more BZP friendly. You need a protagonist/antagonist that the audience can see come to life in much more vivid detail than the Dragonborn could provide.

 

My advice is still to stick with Solitude, and if you're not going to use the illegitimate Torygg/Ulfric son idea, come up with someone recognizable of your own that can feasibly lead a war effort a couple decades removed from the disastrous Stormcloak rebellion. 4E 225 at the earliest, to make sure that there's no time for things to be shaken up with the Thalmor, but the human population has had another chance to boom.

 

-Tyler

Edited by Luke Schwarz

SAY IT ONE MORE TIME 

TELL ME WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm going with probably 4E 227, so I can have it start on the 25th anniversary of war's end.

 

I like good numbers.

 

In the area around Solitude, I believe there's the Daedric quests for Meridia, Peryite and Sheogorath, so if there's a Daedra sub-plot, that'll be useful. It's got a nice, big palace, some cool architecture, and a few nearby caves and ruins.

 

Now all we need is a good map of the Solitude area and we're in business.

 

Also, since you've given me a good idea, if you want to help with writing this, you're welcome to.

LEGO Republic:

The Valkyrie

The "Christmas Brick"

 

My BZPRPG Profiles

 

Now a proud member of The Kanohi Force

76561198041367047.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Bard's College is only good for one thing, and its by-products; and since this isn't Night Vale, we don't actually need that much of the uncomfortably-scented meal that flies around the room every time Viarmo speaks.

 

Really, the plot you want to go for is, I think, likely to be influenced by the city you put it in. Like,

 

-Markarth: The most unapologetically awful city since Vivec. Basically a more grating version of the North; Ulfric is a bargain-bin Theon, the Silver-Bloods are watered-down Boltons, and the Forsworn are like the rest of the Northmen if you had no reason to like anyone in the North. If you go here, expect someone to play as a serial arsonist, eternally frustrated by the physical properties of stone. [props to Tyler for coming up with the perfect metaphor for the Reach]

 

-Riften: Originally intended to be the most unapologetically awful city since Vivec, actually pretty cool. Expect a lively criminal underbelly, court intrigue, sweet parkour tricks, and a horse's head in your bed.

 

-Morthal: Only not worse than Markarth because the people are boring instead of evil. Suggest turning this one into Night Vale if you touch it at all.

 

Whiterun: Has evil children, and Lydia's burgeoning skooma problem. 10/10, would sack again. Everyone's familiar with this city, so that's a plus for getting people straight into it, but it's mainly the city you're in while you're deciding which city you actually want to go to.

 

Solitude: Court intrigue in fancy dress, with a side of undead monarchs inexplicably bent upon the total destruction of their hometown. Pretty cool architecture, even better parkour than Riften. Plus we can sneak out and throw things at the Thalmor Embassy, which, you know, yes.

 

---

 

Regardless of which city it's set in, I see no reason for the write-up to care at all about the fate of Tamriel, or even really the rest of Skyrim.

We will remember - Skies may fade and stars may wane; we won't forget


And your light shines bright - yes so much brighter shine on


We will remember - Until the skies will fall we won't forget


We will remember


We all shall follow doom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

alright, I'm not sure why I made it the way I did before, I guess it was because I wanted it to connect to the old tstw story. anyway, here's my revision.

in an alternate universe, the world has stopped advancing. the world's technology progression had come to a standstill. a long lasting time of peace had created a general satisfaction with the monotony of life as it was, with the world's governments agreeing to an uneasy peace to prevent any new supers from having provocation to discover their powers, as no new supers had been around since the last world War.

however, the cousin of this universe's doctor danger, Albert Zaxis,discovered his powers of empathy and started to copy other super's powers. because he was gaining powers at all, the general population understood that there must be others that just didn't know their powers yet. and so, the world rediscovers their powers.

they went from no supers to a population consisting of almost 1/3 supers of various potencies nearly overnight,as not only new supers were being discovered,but some supers who knew about their powers before the Zaxis incident came into the limelight. the human population and government were overwhelmed and unprepared for this new threat, and hated having to rely on the more righteous supers to protect their citizens.

that's when a benevolent alien named technax came to earth and taught the people how to make technology capable of combating supers,such as weapons and armor.the governments grant him their monetary support and access to some of their resources and secret bases to operate out of. he created a government branch and hired agents to work for him, calling their new branch the Omni Group.

gradually, technax phased out government support and involvement. suspicious of his now unknown intentions, and without their resident expert on anti super technology, they created an investigative branch to keep both the Omni group and the supers out of government employment in check, called the Army of Naught. they hired a hyperintelligent super to inspect and recreate technax's designs. after both these groups became known to Zaxis, he created the Ragnarok Complex to protect and aid fellow supers trying to obtain higher power over the humans.

seeing the sudden coordination displayed by all the heroes enemies, causing many defeats,the heroes finally decide to group themselves to also offer mutual protection against the oppression on all sides, calling themselves the Vanguard Corporation. a young boy with the power to manipulate omega energy and produce much higher levels than a normal super was found by the leader of the Vanguard Corporation and taken in to be trained by the heroes. after showing unbelievable potential an older hero prophesied that he was the one to save the world, and sent him of to make a name for himself, with the name of Vanguard, in honor of the heroes who raised him.

once he leaves the protection of the corporation, Zaxis immediately sensed him and started to send his goons after Vanguard. eventually, he tires of the games and launches a full Complex versus Corporation strike. after his goons drew away the other heroes, Zaxis confronted Vanguard, and the two had a heated battle in the headquarters of the Vanguard complex. in the end the battle results in the whole h.q.,Vanguard, and Zaxis being incinerated in a powerful explosion.

after the new building was rebuilt, and both groups moved on with their alternate goals and refocused,a new "Vanguard" appeared, killing both a young hero and a villain that hero was chasing. Omni and Naught want to capture him for personal goals, and Vanguard and Ragnarok want to figure out his true alignment and perhaps pull him to their side.

 

things i copied from first draft,since i didnt feel like rewriting it.

 

the main and most obvious difference here is the addition of two new groups,the Omni Group and the Army of Naught.these two groups were added so that people dont have to feel the need to have a super powered character,or be smart enough to be an Iron Man or Batman character.instead,they can just be a guy.a guy part of a larger group that can fund and arm him without having to give him a huge origin story or something.the idea is that there can be supers in all groups, but the Omni and Naught are mostly for the regular people, in a world of heroes.

 

the two added groups are also to help when one is making a decision on where their character goes,since powers can be from multiple sources.

 

to clarify:

 

omni and naught=70%humans&mechanical/artificial enhancement,30%supers.

 

vanguard and coalition=30%humans&mechanical/artificial enhancement,70%supers.

(artificial refers to temporary boosts,or implants,not permanent artificial power giving events,like an exploding particle accelerator or something.thats a super.)

 

also,while the Omni group are considered under the "evil" umbrella term, and vice versa with the Army of Naught,this doesnt mean that they are not prone to fighting with each other,as Naught are generally distrustful of supers,and Omni are always looking for anyone or anything that will further their agenda.

 

of course, this also means the opposite is true and the teams will be more prone to allying with each other in certain cases.

 

rules (copied) from TSTW:

JoiningTo join, simply fill in this Profile Sheet and post it in the topic.

Real Name (The name of your character when in 'Citizen Mode'):

Alias (Your characters Superhero name):

Appearance (What your character looks like):

Power(s):

Allegiance (League, Coalition, Solo Hero, Solo Villain,Omni,Naught):

Area (Where your character comes from):

Bio (Useful information about your character's personality and history):

I will accept a few spies, but don't everyone become one.

If you decide to kill off your current character, you can create a new one.

 

Rules

  • [*]BZP Rules apply, obviously
  • [*]No god-modding (e.g. controlling someone else's character, having your character do something impossible). And if someone god-modes against you, don't do it back, tell a Staffie
  • [*]This is a Text-Based RPG, so to join in you post what is basically a miniature story for what is currently happening to your character
  • [*]Use IC for In-Character and OOC for Out-Of-Character e.g.: IC: Laser Man landed on the streets after jumping from the roof, in hot pursuit of the villain OOC: Hey Randommember1, care to join in?
  • [*]Don't bunny (meaning control extensively) other peoples characters without their permission
  • [*]Don't kill anothers character without permission
  • [*]Two characters per player
  • [*]No silliness such as suddenly turning everyone's arms into feather dusters and having a tickle-off. Believe me, it's not as funny as you think
  • [*]Don't glory hog or continuously degrade someone else's character

Staff Characters

none,silly.its just a template right now D:

 

Approved Characters

what did i just say?

Edited by Dibble Flubwibbler of DOOM

check out my totally ORIGINAL youtube channel, Below Average Geeks!  I'm trying something different.its very small, so comments will be noticed and read.

 

just a poll.on a scale of one to ten, how likely are you to read a webcomic based on just this title: 'Neon Laser Dragons.'?

 

see these guys?

0VlbJ.gif  AjzI5.gif msLAB.gif cr1zz.gif

alrighty bros, listen up.

my lightning dragon is lonely.

click dis bebe dergen pls.

i know its dumb.

jus do it pls.for me, a'ight?

',:]

 

my Skrall--er, scroll.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel like there are a lot of complex concepts introduced here for the purpose of not having to deal with other concepts.

 

And yeah, the two-colour thing and the all-caps font is painful and a little bit frightening.

We will remember - Skies may fade and stars may wane; we won't forget


And your light shines bright - yes so much brighter shine on


We will remember - Until the skies will fall we won't forget


We will remember


We all shall follow doom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Could you stick with a more readable font and colour? It's a bit painful to read right now.

 

A thousand times this.

 

To delve into the game itself, however, there are a few issues on multiple levels. Firstly, by setting this in an alternate universe, you pretty much nullify the point of calling it a TSTW game other than name recognition. This is one of those times that you can't have your cake and eat it too, at least not without one or the other suffering. If it's TSTW in name only, you alienate anyone who played TSTW. If it's genuinely a TSTW game, you need to deal with what that means. At some point it's necessary to decide whether you're making a franchise game or something new. 

 

On the actual content of the game itself, problem number one is the number of groups. I counted four groups being introduced in the into, and I'd be hardpressed to actually say much about who is who. Ragnarok happened because of anti-super groups, Omni is an anti-super group, Army of Naught exists to keep an eye on Omni and non-government supers, and... Vanguard has something to do with supers? You yourself pointed out that Omni and Army both serve the purpose of backing some non-super characters, and with Army's role, it honestly makes more sense to fold them into one faction. Might be that Army of Naught is an internal affairs group that keeps Omni in line, but having it as its own group doesn't make much sense.

 

Using an alien from another world to explain away advancements in technology, and subsequently write that alien out, just seems.. Convoluted. Easier just to explain that humanity invented its own tech, and eliminate having to write Technax in and write him back out. Justify it with companies hiring technopathic supers to invent tech if you want, but Technax just comes across as superfluous.

 

My biggest advice would, honestly, be to decide what game you're actually making. A TSTW game, or a superhero game independent of that label. 

  • Upvote 1

fK5oqYf.jpg

 

On this eve, the thirtieth anniversary of that first colony, many are left to wonder; is the world fast approaching a breaking point?

 

 

  Breaking Point: An OTC Mecha RPG

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Technax is still in the story.he is the leader of Omni.

 

the tstw setting is to allow character,and limited sub plot recycling from the first one, to allow people from tstw to maybe revise a plot that they werent satisfied with the outcome of, or just generally think couldve been handled better.

 

its basically "what if technax showed up as a 'good guy' at first?",and thats my main tether to the tstw story.that and Doctor Danger's relation to Zaxis.

Edited by Dibble Flubwibbler of DOOM

check out my totally ORIGINAL youtube channel, Below Average Geeks!  I'm trying something different.its very small, so comments will be noticed and read.

 

just a poll.on a scale of one to ten, how likely are you to read a webcomic based on just this title: 'Neon Laser Dragons.'?

 

see these guys?

0VlbJ.gif  AjzI5.gif msLAB.gif cr1zz.gif

alrighty bros, listen up.

my lightning dragon is lonely.

click dis bebe dergen pls.

i know its dumb.

jus do it pls.for me, a'ight?

',:]

 

my Skrall--er, scroll.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Which, to be perfectly honest, still boils down to a question of what you're trying to do. I honestly can't tell if you're trying to recreate TSTW, retell it, or create a new game with the old concept.

fK5oqYf.jpg

 

On this eve, the thirtieth anniversary of that first colony, many are left to wonder; is the world fast approaching a breaking point?

 

 

  Breaking Point: An OTC Mecha RPG

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The relationship between this Zaxis fellow and ol' Doc D is waaaaay too tenuous to be worth it. Cut the cord, I'd say, because it doesn't add anything.

 

Your concept for the main plot basically leaves us with a Technax-in-name-only deal, and considering that Technax was the cornerstone of a sub-plot run by a player who, I think, is no longer on BZP... It would be easier for you to cut that and build this from the ground up.

 

Definitely seconding the idea to fold AoN into Omni - and maybe work on a cohesive naming scheme. "Omni Group" sounds like an investment firm, and Army of Naught sounds like a garage band. Omni itself might give you something to work with, since it's derived from the Latin omnes, meaning 'all.' Could work in something from nihil, 'nothing,' if you want to keep a binary opposition in the names.

We will remember - Skies may fade and stars may wane; we won't forget


And your light shines bright - yes so much brighter shine on


We will remember - Until the skies will fall we won't forget


We will remember


We all shall follow doom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just wondering mate, is there some reason you've got such a burning hatred for typing normally?

 

It's hard to read and offer your critique, or take you seriously for that matter, when it feels like you're shouting all the time. 

 

Plus the excessive coloring and bad font choice does cause one's eyes to bleed. 

 

Cause again, I'd really like to give you a hand, but I just can't read your posts as they stand. 

ryuki-kr-miho.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You know, I've held my silence on this game long enough. I'm going to take it one step further than my friends up above have and say on the record as a Judge that I seriously believe this game has no more reason to exist than a Transformers game should - less, even, given that there are four or five people who would try and play a Transformers game before letting it die much in the way that a starving man finds cake too rich for his stomach. I don't even know if I can say the same for this game, in this climate. What forces compelled you to think this was the time to bring this out? The BZP Marvelverse just turned three years old, over two games, worth over 27,000 posts. It comprises over a third of all posts in this subforum, and even its current, smaller iteration has now eclipsed OTC Planning and is within 150 posts of eclipsing RotR as the largest active topic in the subforum. More than one supercilious OGTSTW player buried in wacky Silver Age lore up to his occipital lobes actually blamed me in this very topic for contributing to the hamstringing of the game, and if Jack the Ripper is still loose in London, what would possess you to think it's a good time to man the street corner?

 

I could search the four corners of the Earth, the seven seas, Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso, and I'm still not sure who would be interested in returning this game to BZP. Kumata and Rumpelstiltskin, though, as far as I know, are in the process of planning an offsite incarnation of the game set in the present day with older versions of the same heroes. I would advise you seek one of them out on the rare occasions Kumata visits BZP, and do what you can to get involved in that. Because in its current state, unless there were pixie dust sprinkled over this to clear up the factions, jazz up the lore, make the connections to the source material feel relevant as an AU or continuation instead of crammed in with all the subtlety and reverence of a jackhammer, there's nothing here. If you want to make a homage for BZP viewers, or don't want to join an offsite version of the game, I would suggest you write a short story or epic for OTC and post it there instead. If you don't want to do that, either, I don't know what to tell you beyond that it would take a minor miracle to get me to approve what I see in an RPG format.

 

Which, frankly, is a confused, co-hostless prototype in pastel colors with a jaw-dropping font that has so little interest for newer players and so little support from TSTW veterans that I would almost feel comfortable calling it the first direct-to-DVD text game I've ever seen.

 

-Tyler

Edited by Luke Schwarz
  • Upvote 5

SAY IT ONE MORE TIME 

TELL ME WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm going be totally honest here: TSTW is a legend and it was a great thing while it lasted. In its final stage, though, it became the perfect example of an undead RPG, some unholy husk kept going by the occasional post here and there. It had a great run; TSTW had been around before I joined this site and it deserves accolade for as long as it lasted. It's time is over, though. Bury it, give it a twenty one gun shot salute, and wish it a good time in Valhalla. Let the poor thing have some peace, not just an eternal existence of being stuck just a hair above death.

 

tl;dr I'm not approving it.

voidstars.png


1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89


"In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong

Link to comment
Share on other sites

meh,fine.i hear you all.i stated from the start that i didnt think that i would be able to bring tstw back.i just really wanted to contribute more to make up for not doing so when i had the chance,and i wanted all these ideas i was putting out there to be a branching off point to inspire others to try and bring something akin to what tstw brought back to this forum.all in all, i put in WAY more effort in this than i ever intended to,and every time i posted a response to criticism i could just feel myself cringing at the sheer amount that was just me grasping at straws and hoping to be one of the "cool guys",that made the next big hit, but in my heart i always knew it was hopeless. oh well, thanks for reading my horrible text fonts when you could,i tried fixing them three times, but to no avail...

 

 

also,thanks for the tips with Kumata and Rumpelstiltskin Tyler.i'll look into it.if i had known that, i probably wouldnt have started down this rabbit hole.just goes to show how much of an outsider i am on this whole community. ><

check out my totally ORIGINAL youtube channel, Below Average Geeks!  I'm trying something different.its very small, so comments will be noticed and read.

 

just a poll.on a scale of one to ten, how likely are you to read a webcomic based on just this title: 'Neon Laser Dragons.'?

 

see these guys?

0VlbJ.gif  AjzI5.gif msLAB.gif cr1zz.gif

alrighty bros, listen up.

my lightning dragon is lonely.

click dis bebe dergen pls.

i know its dumb.

jus do it pls.for me, a'ight?

',:]

 

my Skrall--er, scroll.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Co-host is still being worked out, primarily because everyone, including myself, is still busy at the moment. But figured I'd toss this back out for some more feedback.

 

------

 

My father would often tell stories of the old country and its magicks. I was too young at the time to remember, our homeland ravaged by war and famine as so many others had been before I was old enough to even speak. He'd tell stories of the miracle workers in the villages who could heal any sickness, the exalted priests who could summon the rains during even the worst droughts. He'd speak so highly of those skilled in the art, remembering fondly to better times. Then the War came, and with it, an end to those magicks. Gone were the days of superstition and faith, replaced with steel and coal and medicine.

 

When my father grew old and dying, I asked why there were no miracle workers in this new land. It was a land of innovation, of opportunity, why did no one seek to marry magic and industry together? He gave me no answers before he passed on, leaving me only with his books and his stories to guide my path.

 

In time, I learned the Art. There were many who were doubtful of my quest, many more who rejected my goals entirely. I learned nonetheless, seeking to understand why the Art had died in the homeland and never resurfaced. I didn't find the answers I sought, but I did find what I needed to revive the Art. One day, soon, I will be able to prove to the world what a modern day miracle worker can accomplish. I only need students, to teach what I know to.

 

There are obstacles, as there always are. The War brought with it a great change of power, leaders overthrown and replaced with puppets. A great many would see the magicks forever forgotten, or worse, controlled and exploited solely by them. With the right applications, the right technologies, the world could become a utopia, but utopias aren't profitable. They will do whatever it takes to stop me, so I must begin in secrecy. I cannot risk exposure finding those who are gifted enough to make use of the Art.

 

That is where you come in.

 

Rails, Guns, and Magic
A OTC RPG
Hosted by Alex Humva

 

How This All Works

 

This game is set in an alternative world similar to our own, set during a period roughly corresponding to the 1920s. The game's story takes place in the small but successful nation of Awhye, a country shielded from the events of the War and founded on immigration. Players will be part of a group that is working with the intro character, Mayra Castellano, to find magically gifted individuals around the country. Player characters may or may not make use of the Art, depending on the preference of the player. New players are recruited into the group whenever the group makes a stop in a city. The main force behind the game will be the overarcing plot of gathering a magically gifted force, as well as the more individual conflicts along the way, along with other trends and conflicts that are happening in the world.

 

The Nation of Awhye

 

Founded 79 years ago, the United Republic of Awhye is a small country located by the sea, across the ocean from the world's major powers. While it has fair larger and more powerful neighbors surrounding it, its rich natural resources and substantial industrial base has allowed it a position of power its small size wouldn't suggest possible. Awhye was largely unaffected by the horrors of the War, instead producing industrial goods and weapons for both sides and enjoying a substantial economic boom from it. The nation is still coasting off of its boom cycle, its economy prosperous and an overall happy sentiment across the land. This only serves to disguise underlying problems in its society and economy, however, and there is discontent amongst the masses that the wealth earned during the war has largely been reaped by the elite. Historically disenfranchised groups continue to work for recognition in society, and conflict amongst the different immigrant populations has lead to numerous skirmishes and riots.

 

Old Country Magicks

 

Magic in this setting is an unrefined art, having never benefited from rigorous study or experimentation. Because of this, it has mainly been the work of small-time miracle workers in villages, being used to cure children of the plague or help the crops grow. There was some work by clergy members in the past to better understand the underlying mechanics of magic, but centuries of superstition has left any real knowledge buried under hearsay. With time and the Industrial Revolution, magic was nearly eliminated, years of misinformation making it difficult for new practitioners to perform the great feats their forebearers had and the rise of modern technologies making many of the feats entirely obsolete.

 

Everyone has some tendency towards the Art, but some either are born with or develop a greater control over it than others. For the modern magic user, the use of magic is almost entirely based on instinct. However, the work of Mayra Castellano has helped to provide a framework for her followers to use, as her time studying ancient texts has revealed the underlying mechanic behind magic, or at least its modern incarnation. Magic is derived from cultural significance, one of the many reasons accounts on it are so difficult to parse through. Symbols, phrases, and idioms are where magics draw their power from, concentrated and controlled by a magic user's willpower. A simple swear can deliver a magical curse in the hands of a witch, as easily as a blessing can bring good times in the hands of a miracle worker. Most magic users have discovered their talent in the Art during emotional times, cursing someone and actually delivering a physical result because of it.

 

There is a flipside to this, however. The stronger a symbol is in a culture, the harder it is for the magic user to control. A grievous curse could easily spiral out of a magic user's control, causing effects that can't be predicted and potentially harming the magic user in the process. Because of the difficulty of controlling more powerful symbols and phrases, Castellano's work recommends a joint effort between magic users to combine their respective concentrations to keep the magic from running amok.

 

Important Locations

 

By no means definitive, this list includes the initial starting locations and will expand with more cities as writing time permits and as the cast explores more cities.

 

City of Eternal Light: The principle port city of Awhye, the surrounding metro contains nearly twenty percent of the nation's population and serves as a vital economic point for dozens of nations trading in the region. Its buildings are the most modern in the nation, new forms of steel allowing for the construction of immense skyscrapers and truly labyrinthine docks. It's also a hot bed of violence, with many dissidents hiding in the outskirts around the city. Its name comes from a species of bio-luminescent jellyfish that drift to the surface at night, lighting up the harbors and giving an eerie glow to the beaches.

 

City of Shattered Glass: The capital city of Awhye, it is a surprisingly calm and reclusive city, nestled inland towards the mountain range. A substantially smaller city than the City of Eternal Light, it is nevertheless vital, serving as a major rail hub for almost the entire nation. It contains many historic sights, along with the government of Awhye itself. A comparatively old-fashioned city with brick and mortar buildings, its streets are lined with electric street cars and its skyline is filled with black smoke nonetheless. Its name comes from the initial settlers, who found vast plains of obsidian glass in the valleys and hills surrounding the city.

 

RPG Rules

 

  • Follow all BZPower rules.
  • Common sense, common sense, common sense. Use it please.
  • No autohitting without prior plotting or excuses as to why you’re going to hit your opponent.
  • Death is something that can happen, though as is the case in real life, it can be remarkably hard to kill people at times.
  • No godmodding, this includes metagaming. Death may come easy, but you still can’t eradicate the whole crew in one go.
  • Listen to the staff; if you have a problem with a decision, do so in a respectful manner.
  • Have fun.

 

The Profile

 

Name: (Self-explanatory)

Profession: (Everyone's gotta work to make ends meet.)

Speciality: (This is for magic users; while theoretically capable of anything, all magic users have something in particular they're good at.)

Skills: (We all have some; keep it reasonable, please.)

Items: (Any particular weapons or sentiments or such that came with you?)

Appearance: (Yep.)

Personality: (Why does your character do what they do? What makes them tick?)

Biography: (What’s your life story?)

Edited by Engineer Alexandra Humva

voidstars.png


1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89


"In short, my English Lit friend, living in a mental world of absolute rights and wrongs, may be imagining that because all theories are wrong, the earth may be thought spherical now, but cubical next century, and a hollow icosahedron the next, and a doughnut shape the one after." -Isaac Asimov, responding to a letter he had received saying that scientific certainty was false, The Relativity of Wrong

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, just to be clear, the premise of this RPG precludes players working openly at cross-purposes with each other?

We will remember - Skies may fade and stars may wane; we won't forget


And your light shines bright - yes so much brighter shine on


We will remember - Until the skies will fall we won't forget


We will remember


We all shall follow doom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kind of feel we need to know a bit more about the world and its history. You mention the War a few times but don't really give any detail...which kind of feels a bit of a misstep given most of our characters are supposed to be immigrants who have fled from that very conflict. I would have thought something like that would have a bit of an effect on our backstory and characterisation. 

7AOYGDJ.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its definitely an analogue to it yes, but as this world is clearly not actually Earth I think it would be foolish to assume everything was exactly the same. I mean from the sounds of it this War has been going on a lot longer, and all the countries are different too which is going to alter things. Which is one of the reasons I feel I need a bit more backstory; we might all have fled from a similar place from the same thing but if you're Croat equivalent while I'm a Serb equivalent then we're probably going to have some issues with each other. More background like that would be helpful for writing up and playing characters

7AOYGDJ.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

So, I'd like to try and start up a Disney's Treasure Planet themed RP, I remember seeing one around years and years ago, but I don't remember if it ever took off. Before I get too far into writing it, however, I'd like to see if there would be much interest in it? If there is, I'd also eventually need to find a co-host as well.

 

I also have ideas for a Discworld themed RP, if there's not much interest in Treasure Planet.

Edited by Korkoa

"Quis custodiet ipsos custodies? Your grace."


"I know that one. 'Who watches the Watchmen?' Me, Mr. Pessimal."


"Ah, but who watches you, your grace?"


"I do that too. All the time."


 


If anyone would be interested in co-hosting a Discworld-themed RPG for OTC, please PM me!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Alright, so I'm effectively putting Star Trek: To Boldly Go on the shelf temporarily to make room for this. Mostly cause, VII hype and all that.

 

 

2z2vi3Q.png

 

 

 

 

 

11LspgU.png

 

 

 

THE GAME

 

It has been only months after the Battle of Endor and the destruction of the second Death Star battlestation, and with it the Galactic Empire’s head. Both the newly christened New Republic and the Empire are scrambling, consolidating power and swathes of territory as star systems pledge allegiance to one side or the other, only to turn at the slightest provocation (or threat of bombardment from the Imperial Navy). The Empire, hit the hardest from the death of Palpatine, has been struggling with infighting as power-hungry bureaucrats attempt to claim the throne for themselves. While the Council of Moffs have taken de facto control, the initial chaos has allowed the New Republic a number of victories to push the Imperials back from the Outer Rim and to their Core strongholds.

 

Though facts are in short supply and rumors are everywhere, the ceaseless churning of the Imperial propaganda machine being of no help, news of the former Rebellion’s win has spread like a wild fire, kicking up smaller, local resistance movements across countless worlds.

 

However, Darth Sidious’ demise has had far more affects than most of the galaxy’s inhabitants can sense, many of which could be devastating to both the fledgling New Republic and weakened Empire. As the waves of darkness, malice, and hate that the Sith Lord had been blanketing the galaxy with dissipate, the Force shines out into void once again, seeking out those who connect to it and igniting old beacons of knowledge. The first to hear this call, unfortunately, were those in the ranks of the Empire’s dark side adepts, the Inquisitors. With Sidious gone, the group of would-be Sith Lords have struck out on a crusade for power, far more than what the previous dark lord would have allowed. This search has led some of their number to the battered world of Taris, where they pursue a Republic agent, and the information which will lead them to the biggest repository of information available: a holocron.

 

 

 

THE PLAYERS

 

The New Republic is a fledgling government created from the reorganization of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Spurred by the Empire’s defeat at Endor, and the subsequent mass of star systems rallying to their cause, the New Republic has transformed the fighting force of the Rebellion to a legitimate political power. Its seat of government is positioned on the world of Chandrila, with Mon Mothma serving as Chancellor. The Republic is still relatively small compared to the might of the Galactic Empire, though discord throughout the Imperial powerbase has worked to their advantage. Its military consists mainly of starships loaned by sympathetic and member world’s planetary security forces, though Imperial warships from both captures and defectors have been added to their ranks. The Empire is currently under the command of the Council of Moffs, with the even tighter military grip on member worlds forcing many to seek help from the New Republic.

 

Galactic Empire, a name which sent dread and despair into the hearts of being across the galaxy. The Imperials were severely weakened command-wise with the death of Emperor Palpatine, the Sith Lord’s direct approach to government proving to be a weakness once the head was severed from the body. While theoretically they are still the reigning power in the Galaxy, infighting between Moffs and the slow breakaway of star systems from their iron grip has cut down the Empire’s effective strength immensely. However, an Imperial cruiser parked in orbit is still an effective deterrent to open rebellion.

 

The Inquisitorius, on the other hand, was a name that scarcely few would recognize, and those that did would never speak it aloud. Originally a branch of Imperial Intelligence, the organization has since grown into its own distinct entity, some say even from the Empire itself. The organization is made up of Force-sensitive individuals, all trained in the dark ways of the Sith by the late Darth Sidious and Vader. These acolytes, while not full Sith Lords, are still brutally effective Jedi Killers, and the freedom from their dark master has only made them more dangerous. Their primary objective was to hunt down and either kill or convert the remaining Jedi after Order 66, though they also worked to gather artifacts of the Force and recruit Force-sensitive younglings to their cause. The Inquisitorius is lead by the Grand Inquisitor, and the organization is quite small compared to the other military branches of the Empire. Even so, they do have their own small fleet of black-armored Imperial ships to command, in addition to what power they can take from the Moffs.

 

 

 

THE BOARD

 

Your story begins on the Outer Rim world of Taris, a polluted, industrial planet that has been plagued by war over the millennia. The wrecks of starships and the glass craters of orbital bombardment sit side by side with massive skyscrapers of the rich and the battered huts of the poor. While still regarded as a major world, Taris’ influence has dwindled over the years, and suffered even more so under the rule of the Empire. It is technically an Imperial planet, not many Imperials would be caught visiting. The capital city is a gleaming mass of durasteel buildings, rising just above the yellow smog, positioned next to the planet’s major spaceport. Around the spaceport are clusters of ramshackle buildings, houses, and less-than-savory businesses. Every piece of available land that isn’t swamp, and some that is, is taken up by the less fortunate of the planet’s population. On the other end of the city is the Imperial Garrison, which has access to enough Stormtroopers, Imperial Army personnel, and TIE fighters to quell most public riots. The garrison’s commander, however, isn’t too picky when it comes to where the credits in his pocket come from.

 

Is there a way off this dreary world, well, nothing's impossible.

 

 

 

THE PIECES

 

Your heroes and villains. Fields in bold are required, others can be added and removed as needed.

 

Name:

 

Age:

 

Gender/Species: Only rule is being sensible when it comes to species.

 

Appearance: Description, picture, anything that accurately portrays them works.

 

Skills: What are the good at? Do they have any natural abilities?

 

Force Abilities: For those that are Force Sensitive. Includes both specific techniques and passive benefits (e.g., Force Lightning or a perception boost respectively). Do note, characters are not going to be throwing X-Wings around without proper training, and most aren’t even going to be aware of the Force to begin with.

 

Equipment: Blasters, comlinks, old rusty knives, etc?

 

Personality: What are some of their mannerisms, how do they carry themselves?

 

History: Who are they, where are they from, how did they end up on Taris?

 

Ship: Do they own any starship?

 

Affiliation: Galactic Empire, New Republic, a lone mercenary, a Hutt Cartel enforcer, who do they call allies, if they have any?

 

Rank: If part of a larger organization, do note that Imperial Moffs aren’t likely to concern themselves with these events, and the New Republic leadership is too busy trying to keep a government together to notice.

 

Position: Say if they’re part of the crew of a cruiser or on a squad of soldiers.

 

Alignment: Good, evil, justice, money, adventure, knowledge, what do they value?

 

 

 

THE RULES

 

  • BZPower general rules apply, as always folks.
  • Keep it classy, that includes OOC behavior and such. Don't be that guy.
  • Your characters are your own and others' are their own, express permission is required by a player before anything drastic is done to their character.
  • Profiles only require a single approval from staff.
  • Upvote 3

mnogsignature.png

BZPRPG -

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this will be fun

 

only five classes of star destroyers

 

only six months to go in the galactic civil war

 

thrawn's not canon

 

excited for this

 

-Tyler really never gets tired of this

  • Upvote 4

SAY IT ONE MORE TIME 

TELL ME WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love the idea for this, but have a couple of questions regarding Force users and possible powers. If one were to start as an Inquisitor, they would appear to have some Dark Side training, and some abilities already. Would there be chances for Light Side users to get the same? Perhaps not at the beginning, but finding someone to train with and help hone their abilities? Or will Light Side users not be available to start?

 

As for abilities, will we be able to use powers that say, were only briefly mentioned in a book? I ask because I vaguely remember an old Star Wars RP in which I asked to use the Force Item Teleport ability mentioned in one of the early novels, and was very strongly told no because I claimed it was a canon ability and the GM disagreed.

"Quis custodiet ipsos custodies? Your grace."


"I know that one. 'Who watches the Watchmen?' Me, Mr. Pessimal."


"Ah, but who watches you, your grace?"


"I do that too. All the time."


 


If anyone would be interested in co-hosting a Discworld-themed RPG for OTC, please PM me!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...