The Official OTC TBRPG Planning and Organization Topic

[Alex Humva]

JC, are you implying that my RPG is pointless? Because mine is, I'm pretty sure, the biggest on the forum right now...

Pokemon and Alkermpa are larger; Starscape is third largest, from what I can tell.And technically speaking, TSTW! is both the largest and oldest RPG in CoT, with 250+ pages in the archive. (Although 50 of them evaporated during the server crash way back when...)~Lord Rahl~

Depends on how you determine 'size'. Pokemon is the king for largest page count, Starscape in player base -seriously, fourteen people! though kini dropped out-. Alkermpa meanwhile sits in the middle going... nowhere, until I figure out how to kickstart life into it again.

[Archer Vonn]

JC, are you implying that my RPG is pointless? Because mine is, I'm pretty sure, the biggest on the forum right now...

when did you even come up in my post?

[Rumpelstiltskin]

JC, are you implying that my RPG is pointless? Because mine is, I'm pretty sure, the biggest on the forum right now...

Pokemon and Alkermpa are larger; Starscape is third largest, from what I can tell.And technically speaking, TSTW! is both the largest and oldest RPG in CoT, with 250+ pages in the archive. (Although 50 of them evaporated during the server crash way back when...)~Lord Rahl~

Depends on how you determine 'size'. Pokemon is the king for largest page count, Starscape in player base -seriously, fourteen people! though kini dropped out-. Alkermpa meanwhile sits in the middle going... nowhere, until I figure out how to kickstart life into it again.

I was going by page count; I edited my post after I realized that Pokemon was larger than TSTW!. Player base fluctuates, so it really doesn't mean much in the long run. (TSTW!'s had so many new people come on and drop right back out, it's hard to keep track of them all...)EDIT: TSTW! has 15 currently approved members, btw.EDIT EDIT: Actually, now that I think about it, Pokemon was created after the server crash, so technically TSTW may still trump them in page count.This brings up an interesting question, actually - how does one determine the size of an RPG? Approved player count, active player count, years of playtime, page count?~Lord Rahl~ Edited November 6, 2011 by Lord Rahl

[Chronicler of Ko-Koro]

im going to immediately present the point of that there is no point in your rpg.if zombies are invincible, they are everywhere, and there is no hope to eradicate them, there is no point in playing that RPG. you can develop a character that will die, and there is no hope to avoid that. other then finding some sort of rocket ship to fly them to a new planet, there is no story to be told as the outcome is already there.i will agree, however, that zombies are more often than not fodder. making them stronger is definitely a good idea, but if you can't deal with them in any way, shape, or form, presents the 'whats the use' problem. i dont feel like i've gotten my point across, but for the life of me i doubt i will, seeing as its 12:30. take this post with a grain of salt.

I could not disagree more, because of the critical distinction between "survival-horror" and "action-horror". Survival horror puts the focus less on fighting the enemies, either by making them nigh/totally impossible to kill, or making weapons and ammo so scarce that it's simply not practical to fight them, making surviving the crucial aspect of the game. It's not about cutting a path of bodies towards the end boss, it's just about getting out alive. Action-horror (which most previous RPGs with horror elements have fallen under), by contrast, is pretty much any other game ever, but the enemies look "kinda gross." Personally, I see a lot more potential in a game about survival-horror.And I really disagree when you say there's no potential for story. On a basic level, this is simply because I believe claiming any idea has no story potential is a fundamentally broken conclusion, but on this specific topic I'd like to offer specific counterpoints. You say a major problem is that defeat is inevitable and fighting is no use; personally, I say those exact complaints are an excellent point to build a story around. When you're faced with an enemy you simply cannot hope to defeat, what do you do? Do you simply give up now, or grapple with fate to the last just to survive? And what sort of mindset would you have to have to keep fighting when all hope is lost? Really, there's some awesome story potential there.If anything, I'd really like to see someone finally get a non-combat RPG out there, just to prove that a game can succeed without a "yay yay fighty time fighty time blood blood blood" mentality to it.EDIT: Oh yeah, and I totally agree with giving the enemies a Lovecraftian/creepypasta vibe. They should be the sort of enemies who intimidate and frighten players by their inhumanity.[For Science!] Edited November 6, 2011 by Chronicler of Ko-Koro

[pls respond]

well it seems like there's enough interest in this to warrant me writing up a rough draft for the rpgthat being said - anyone willing to co-host?

[Archer Vonn]

it's just about getting out alive

this was my point (and im not surprised anybody missed it)- he originally described indestructible zombies that couldn't die or be cured. there was no hope of ever getting out alive. there's just a handful of people biding their time. if you can't win, why fight?

[pls respond]

it's just about getting out alive

this was my point (and im not surprised anybody missed it)- he originally described indestructible zombies that couldn't die or be cured. there was no hope of ever getting out alive. there's just a handful of people biding their time. if you can't win, why fight?

i didn't say totally indestructible - just nearly. they can be killed, it'd just be very tough. in fact that would probably play into the plot. it's not just going to be aimless wandering, there will be goals and and an underlying story. it won't be as apparent and upfront as other rpgs. i'm trying to do something somewhat unique here, i want to break from the norm.and humans have an inborn survival instinct. that's why it's very hard for people to purposefully harm themselves. Edited November 6, 2011 by Idunnolol

[Chronicler of Ko-Koro]

it's just about getting out alive

this was my point (and im not surprised anybody missed it)- he originally described indestructible zombies that couldn't die or be cured. there was no hope of ever getting out alive. there's just a handful of people biding their time. if you can't win, why fight?

And I believe my post addressed that very point. Like I said, that very point makes an interesting internal conflict: should you give up and accept the inevitable, or defiantly fight fate to the bitter end? Go gentle into that good night or rage against the dying of the light, so to say. Personally, I think that makes for a lot of interesting plot potential and character development (and the fact we can have such different opinions on the subject is only proof of that, in my opinion).[For Science!]

[Hanako Herupa]

There still can be a chance to win, I'm using Amnesia as a reference cause it's perfect for survival horror. You can still win, but the point of the game isn't fighting or losing to a battle you cannot win. The point of the game is to stop the Baron Alexander and doing some puzzles along the way.I want a game that will slap me in the face if I'm stupid enough to chase a monster wielding a giant sword and a pyramid on it's head. I mean it's pretty dumb to think a pistol can stop him in the first place.As I said earlier, killing these monsters could be a reward of sorts, especially if it requires intelligent thinking.I'd like to co-host honestly.

[HeavyMetalSunshineSister]

Alright, I've got a basic outline of the four main factions and the primary species associated with them. The factions represent four basic ideas in the outline, but don't expect them to be all preachy about it in-game - it's just to help me with the concepts. I haven't had much time to think about some of the species - the only ones that are concrete are the Diemawr and the main race associated with the third faction.TimeFaction: See themselves as enforcers of the laws of time, they're just as likely to kill you for causing a paradox as the Beasts are, if they ever find out about it. Despite this, they also see themselves as protectors, and have no qualms about stepping in to prevent what they see as needless destruction. Some see them as the de facto rulers of the known universe, due to their mastery of time.Main Race: Essentially Time Lord stand-ins, so they're going to be very human in appearance, a very old race, hard to kill, and magnificently stubborn. I haven't done much with these fellows just yet.SpaceFaction: The de jure rulers of much of the universe, this is an empire that spans hundreds of galaxies. The empire has been around for quite some time, and the current rulers are very interested in seeing that they maintain their hold over the universe.Diemawr: Nominally the ruling race of the empire, the Diemawr are a reptilian race known primarily as stubborn, dedicated warriors, though this view of them is terribly simplistic. The Diemawr built what became the empire out of territory gained from a thousand-year war with a race in their home galaxy that had attempted first to enslave and then to exterminate the Diemawr.MindFaction: Depending on which side of the fight you're on, this faction is either a band of ruthless murderers who will not even blink at the thought of slaughtering thousands of loyalists, or impassioned rebels fighting for freedom from heavy-handed military rule - both views are factually correct. This faction values the individual above all other things.Main Race: A race of liquivore-herbivores that evolved on a lush jungle planet that, millions of years ago, was populated by a great variety of animals, including a species of omnivores that were on the cusp of sapience. That was before terror fell onto the world through a crack in time. The new dominant predators were, the legends say, able to leap between shadows, and would brutally kill whatever they came across. This race of tentacled herbivores survived the reign of terror by developing a keen electrical sense that could detect the presence of any nearby minds - a sense that, as the terror dragged on, picked up fewer and fewer unique signatures, until all that remained was the terror and the herbivores, who, under extreme pressure, had been put on the fast-track to sapience. With no other prey left but these clever soup-drinkers, the terror starved, and the herbivores were left to live off a single species of wind-pollinated tree. In the present, this race acts as the leaders of a cult of individuality that seeks to overthrow the Diemawr empire.Body/Physical Strength"Faction": Less a true faction than simply a class within the universal social structure, this represents the very strongest elements of the universe's criminal class. By default, this is the one group that is loathed by all of the other major factions, and so its members have to be clever, resourceful, and tough as nails in order to survive. These criminals are not necessarily amoral - indeed, some are just rebel groups unfortunate enough to have a difference of opinion with the main rebel faction - but imperial information services paint them in the blackest light possible.Main Race: Some say these creatures are related in some way to the Beasts that issue from the rips caused by incautious temporal meddling. Others say that they willed themselves into existence from the secret hopes of the universe's criminal underworld. Whatever the truth of the origin is, this race has perfected the art of stealth - whether through technology indistinguishable from magic, or through some meddling with the fabric of the universe, no-one but them knows. What is known is that they seem to be working towards some goal - there are rumors that they've been contacting the leaders of criminal and mercenary groups, and the unexplained deaths of some of these highly-placed individuals has cast a cloud of suspicion on these shadows.---The main thing here to critique is the concepts presented. Information that's missing - like how the bugger the Shadows do that funky voodoo they do there - will be presented at a later time. What I'm concerned with is that there is a lack of absolute good and evil - I want players to be able to rationalize siding with any faction.

Edited November 7, 2011 by The Shadows Out of Time

[Xomeron]

I like this. I like it a lot.

[Comment Expired]

I noticed you fellows mentioning time travel earlier.Instead of mixing things up, how about a groundhog-day scenario? A group of characters are trapped on an island or a space station or in a castle or whateverand have to solve a mystery or stop a monster or magician or alien god or whatever within a certain amount of time, or they get sent back to the beginning of the loop. At first it's impossible, but as they get stronger and stronger they can eventually win.

[Xomeron]

And they keep the knowledge they gained over the course of the loop...I like it. I like it a lot

[HeavyMetalSunshineSister]

I like that concept. It's not the one I'm going with, but I like it.

[Toast of Awesomeness]

Anyone else in the mood for a generic, character based sci-fi RPG?

[Xomeron]

Not particularly. If it had some sort of interesting twist then maybe.

[Toast of Awesomeness]

Hmm... Well, that's something to think about. I thought someone was working on one a while back, but I'm not sure.

[Kothra]

I've been thinking about one but never really put that much thought into it.

[Xomeron]

Idea: Set it on a single space station, rather than across entire swathes of the galaxy. Give it a more Deep Space Nine/Babylon 5 feel than a regular sci-fi show.

[Toast of Awesomeness]

That would work pretty well actually... And considering I was planning on writing a story set in the Capitol Station when IL was up, I have some ideas.You guys wanna work on it with me? I can host it.

Edited November 23, 2011 by Toast of Awesomeness

[Xomeron]

I have this serial story I was writing a while back that was essentially a courtroom drama on a space station. I could take some ideas from that...

[Kothra]

I'd like to help if possible. It'd probably be best if you ot on AIM but I suppose PM will suffice.

[Archer Vonn]

Not particularly. If it had some sort of interesting twist then maybe.

think you just missed the point of 'generic'.skyrim and, to a lesser extent, carrion stair make me want a generic sword and spell RPG. carrion is a little restrictive for my tastes, but i guess it has a monopoly on the genre for the time being.

[Alex Humva]

I for one very much like the idea of a space station RPG. If it's good I'll certainly join it, just so long as it doesn't have venturing to other planets and getting stranded by yourself.

[Archer Vonn]

space station sounds really restrictive. unless it takes place right when the station was populated, you'd logically know most secrets about most people there, unless you want a space station thats actually a city in which case why does it even need to be in space.

[Alex Humva]

Because space station implies sci-fi, and sci-fi always brings people in. But your argument can be just as easily countered by 'why a city?' It's just the setting, and a space station actually helps paint the world for you. A sci-fi city just isn't as sci-fi as a space station.

[Toast of Awesomeness]

We were thinking a giant space station with a city within it. It's located in space to help prevent travel outside it, and because it's just cool.

[Archer Vonn]

define sci fi. if it's going to take place on a space station, we don't need space ships, we don't need light speed, the only thing we could get from the sci-fi genre is laser weapons or the occasional robot. are either of those necessary?as for your so called 'easy counter' to my argument, it'd need to be a city or something along those lines to prevent the 'ok, i've been working with you for five years.' modern space stations don't have enough people to maintain an RPG, and god knows they don't have enough people for a COURT.

Edited November 24, 2011 by ~JC~

[Toast of Awesomeness]

^Like I said, city.Ships won't be much of an issue, but there will be androids, lasers, and aliens. It'll definitely be sci-fi, just limited to promote interaction.

[Alex Humva]

Thus this would be a futuristic setting, obviously.And sci-fi isn't all lasers and stuff; just fiction involving lots of science. Set it in 2040 and say we have space stations and it's sci-fi even if it doesn't have lasers.

[Archer Vonn]

the second part (and mostly the first part.) was directed at alex.androids and lasers are fine and good but at the end of the day, kinda gimmicky. space stations have the lovely side effect of being delightfully difficult to write. outside of maybe overpopulation or some sort of broken government, it's more difficult thematically. granted, a broken government does sound interesting.@ the aforementioned alex, thank you, the thought of its time frame hadn't crossed my mind in the slightest. i do appreciate that comment and it has clearly helpe- oh im just being a prick

Edited November 24, 2011 by ~JC~

[Lara White]

I don't see how robots and lasers are gimmicky. They're quite common even now, and they're a staple of science fiction. Space stations aren't that hard to write--it's a city IN SPACE!

[Archer Vonn]

if they're a staple of science fiction, what is that telling you about science fiction.its not hard to write a city in space but its hard to make it interesting.

[Lara White]

It tells me that things from science fiction are becoming real? They're not gimmicky, they're useful. Detectives solve crimes. Are you saying that forensic evidence is gimmicky?The bit about making a city in space interesting is true. Then again, you can make anything interesting if you play it right, and you can make anything bad if you do it wrong. It's really not so much about the subject matter as it is about the writer--in this case, the GM. Trust me, I know.

[Archer Vonn]

forensic evidence isn't flashy or anything michael bay can include in a movie.i don't recall ever saying he couldn't do it- i said it'd be difficult. on an unrelated note, i've found it difficult to be the devil's advocate on this site.

Edited November 24, 2011 by ~JC~

[Xomeron]

>Forsenic Science isn't flasy>There are THREE TV shows with "CSI" on TV right now.>2011>Liking Michael BayI will forever disregard every opinion you ever have.

Edited November 24, 2011 by King Of Shadows

[Archer Vonn]

translation: i have no comeback and you're actually righti don't see anybody mentioning liking bay. as a matter of fact, if i used him as a comparison to something i just deemed derrogatory, what do you think that- oh forget it.

Edited November 24, 2011 by ~JC~

[Xomeron]

"forensic evidence isn't flashy or anything michael bay can include in a movie.">Implying that Michael Bay makes interesting movies>Implying that Michael Bay made a movie worth watching>Implying that Michael Bay can be used as quality standard for anythingPersonally, forensic study can be VERY exciting. It's really just detective stories that replace trenchcoats and fedoras with technobabble.

[Comment Expired]

We were thinking a giant space station with a city within it. It's located in space to help prevent travel outside it, and because it's just cool.

Well that's not a space station, it's called a Space Colony.

[Alex Humva]

I suggest, if we want to restrict travel from the space station, that you can join one of the two factions; a rebellion faction that is being closely monitored by a police state, and you can join as the police as the other option. Police wouldn't leave their station and the rebels would be more focused on doing stuff on the station than elsewhere.