The Sounding Board

[Roserade299909]

Even though I have never actually had a successful Role-Play, I do suggest you have just a bit more of a wall in this sandbox of yours. What would you classify as a good behavior, what would you count as negative behavior. Also, you have a good base, but from the Role-Plays that I have been in that was halfway successful, they all had an idea of what the end would end up like.

You are just saying that they are going to go for the Elite Four, Gym Leaders, and Grand Festival. Why would they be doing that rather than just wandering around hopelessly. we all know hat the Elite Four has a somewhat good prize, and that is that when you deeat the champion, you become the champion itself. but nowhere have we ever found out the true prize of either of them. Think of the reason they are doing this. To prevent all the pokemon from going away like they did originally, to prevent an organization from destroying the world, or forests, or just for the enjoyment of having the battles. they need something to drive them. You jsut say that they are going for the Grand Festival, and Elite Four, what does that do for them though. why should they train their pokemon for it, and what would their star enemy be.

I am basically saying you need a hook to go for it. Ash didn't go just for the fun of it, he went to catch all teh pokemon, and become the champion. in a game, you wouldn't go just to beat the gyms and elite four, they would have to be extremely weak, they have to have some sort of meat puppet they destroy or lose to constantly.

[Glorious Brony]

Even though I have never actually had a successful Role-Play, I do suggest you have just a bit more of a wall in this sandbox of yours. What would you classify as a good behavior, what would you count as negative behavior. Also, you have a good base, but from the Role-Plays that I have been in that was halfway successful, they all had an idea of what the end would end up like.

You are just saying that they are going to go for the Elite Four, Gym Leaders, and Grand Festival. Why would they be doing that rather than just wandering around hopelessly. we all know hat the Elite Four has a somewhat good prize, and that is that when you deeat the champion, you become the champion itself. but nowhere have we ever found out the true prize of either of them. Think of the reason they are doing this. To prevent all the pokemon from going away like they did originally, to prevent an organization from destroying the world, or forests, or just for the enjoyment of having the battles. they need something to drive them. You jsut say that they are going for the Grand Festival, and Elite Four, what does that do for them though. why should they train their pokemon for it, and what would their star enemy be.

I am basically saying you need a hook to go for it. Ash didn't go just for the fun of it, he went to catch all teh pokemon, and become the champion. in a game, you wouldn't go just to beat the gyms and elite four, they would have to be extremely weak, they have to have some sort of meat puppet they destroy or lose to constantly.

Thak you for the input!

The point is that it's open ended ;), but like I said, I'll start off a couple small "plots" that players could do in between Gyms, and they can always battle each other if they need to if I do end up implementing a basic experience system. Still not entirely sure on that one. "Good behavior" is things like making long detailed posts, good sportsmanship, etc. Following the rules all the time won't get you anything special, as players are expected to do that anyway, but it'd help. Bad behavior is mostly rule breaking, but one-liners, bad grammar, or using chat speak and emoticons IC would also count. You would of course be warned before being punished, though how many times you're warned would depend on the severity of the offense and how much it detracts from other player's enjoyment of the game. As for conflict, I'll mostly leave it up to the players to develop rivalries or outright enmity with each other, but if interest in the game wanes, I may introduce an "evil team" to shake things up if I believe that would help remedy the problem. Motivation would be similar to the players in the games: It's strongly implied that teens are encouraged to at least attempt a Pokemon adventure, and only later on does a villan show up to interfere. The rewards of becoming Champion or Top Coordinator are also there, of course. For the purpose of this RP I'll assume it is a large monetary reward as well as fame and status. There would also be side quests of course, that could be taken on by single players or groups of "traveling buddies", if they are formed. These would include things like fetching items for senior citizens, guiding NPCs with no or weak Pokemon through dungeons, etc. These would obviously give rewards to players. To keep things moving, players with important positions such as Gym Leaders would lose said position if their activity in the RP decreased enough to hold up players wishing to earn the badge they gave out, or if they wanted to fight that E4 member, or if a judge didn't give a ruling on a contest appeal for more than a couple days, etc. I'd hope this would be successful enough for at least the initial player group to finish their Pokemon journeys, but sign ups would be "open forever" so new players would (hopefully) be constantly appearing to keep things fresh.

Again, thank you for the input and I hope this answered your questions. :)

[WanderingNamekian]

I'm a very experienced RPer, both in doing online RPs (I run a Hetalia RP forum) and in running multiplayer open-ended table-top RPGs (I've played Exalted for over 7 years) and I really would like to do an RP here centered around Team Rocket in some way. However, I'm not sure what sort of idea would be best. I could do something like an RP that took place inside Headquarters where people played as agents etc. who all had to work in the office for a period of time (I feel like this will end up looking like "The Office" with Giovanni as Robert California, though).

I could also maybe run a game for a lot of people, where everyone was a different rank and they had to coordinate to do missions etc., or I was mainly just playing Giovanni, giving out missions, and it was up to the players if they thought it would be better to work together to get things done, or try to screw each other to take all the credit.

If I couldn't get enough people to do something like that I would be more than happy to do a really in-depth game based off of the idea I posted in one of the video game forums outlining an idea for a plot of a Team Rocket game, with one or two people.

I'd be up to people taking characters from the anime/games to RP or making up their own, I'm not really picky about that sort of thing. And if anyone else has any ideas for a Team Rocket game that they think would be more interesting, they just don't feel like running it themselves, I would be open to that as well. I was really just wondering if anyone would be interested in that sort of game, as I think I would really enjoy running it. Thanks!

[Renewal]

So, between procrastinating on the ARC Project and Live and Let Live and finishing TTGL, I actually managed to get a decent enough setting for that mecha RP:

Mechano Soul

So the principal setting for this RP is the Leto, an artificial worldship populated by a race called the Chosen. The Chosen are androids created by the now long-destroyed human race. Though identical in appearance to humans, with flesh and muscle and internal organs, most of their key systems are completely robotic in nature, such as their skeletal and nervous systems. The rest of their organic matter is reinforced and bio-engineered to be much more durable than any human’s body.

The Leto itself is about the size of a moon, and wanders throughout the cosmos. It’s capable of faster-than-light travel, which allows it to jump from system to system as needed. What powers the Leto is a massive power core within the ship, which generates effectively infinite energy and sustains all the Leto’s systems, named the Deus Ex Machina. The Chosen all have a symbiotic relationship with the Deus Ex Machina; they were created by humanity as interfaces for the power of the Deus Ex Machina. Essentially, the Chosen can draw upon the power of the Deus Ex Machina in times of extreme emotional turbulence, or extreme focus. This manifests itself as enhanced physical ability or reaction time, or even powerful energy attacks and abilities.

In addition to powering the Leto, the Deus Ex Machina has one more function: it contains the Mechano Legion, an innumerable army of--you guessed it--mecha. Nearly every kind of mecha imaginable can be found within the Legion. Just as every Chosen can directly draw upon the power of the core, every Chosen has the power to call a mecha from the Mechano Legion.

Summoning a mecha in the first place requires a powerful emotional catalyst, such as trauma or desperation or an unbreakable will. After the first time, however, that mecha can be called at will. A Chosen is bonded to his or her mecha through the Deus Ex Machina; that is, every Chosen has one and only one mecha at a time. The mecha they summon represents some fundamental aspect of their being, such as their fears, desires, or relationships. Thus, a fundamental change within their emotional and psychological makeup can cause a change in their mecha as well. Resolving old, deep-seated issues or fears is one example that can cause a change in mecha.

So far, I have two antagonistic races planned. First, the Nior’oc, which fill in the generic enemy mook role. The Nior’oc are golem-like aliens, with stone-like plates of armor covering their entire bodies. Incredibly strong and durable, they’re typically pirates, mercenaries, and would-be conquerors.

Second, and more importantly, is the Ancestral Host. The Host is jointly inspired by the Reapers from Mass Effect, the Anti-Spirals from TTGL, and the Forerunners from Halo. The Ancestral Host is an ancient hive mind of beings, billions of years old and spanning galaxies. However, though the Host is immense, it is scattered and disjointed; only a small fraction of it is within the galaxy. Essentially, the Host is a protector and seeder of life. They encourage it wherever they go, altering conditions to make them perfect for life. In fact, the Host is indirectly responsible for the creation of our solar system, setting off the supernova that allowed the formation of our Sun in the first place.

The problem is that the Host is an ancient and paranoid control freak. The Host encourages organic life, and sees deviations from such as monstrous and abominable. At the start of the RP, the Chosen and the Host have yet to meet. When they actually do, the results would be catastrophic. The Host will effectively declare war on the Chosen, driving the main conflict of the RP.

The final element is the eponymous Mechano Soul: the power of a Chosen to sync with their mecha, drawing deeply from the power of the Deus Ex Machina. In effect, the pilot and mecha become one, allowing the mecha to become truly sentient and all the more powerful. Together, a mecha thus empowered by the Mechano Soul is theoretically invincible. Of course, the process is incredibly risky and dangerous.

So, thoughts? Comments? Criticism? Suggestions?

[Flaze]

Awesome no seriously it looks like a really great idea and RP and I can't wait till you post it up I hope it survives though.

[Heroic Sociopath]

(I feel like this will end up looking like "The Office" with Giovanni as Robert California, though).

You act like that's a bad thing. I like your idea. I'd definitely join. Ever play Paranoia? Maybe make it based off of that, kinda. Except maybe less killing each other. That doesn't work well in here.

So, between procrastinating on the ARC Project and Live and Let Live and finishing TTGL, I actually managed to get a decent enough setting for that mecha RP:

Mechano Soul

So the principal setting for this RP is the Leto, an artificial worldship populated by a race called the Chosen. The Chosen are androids created by the now long-destroyed human race. Though identical in appearance to humans, with flesh and muscle and internal organs, most of their key systems are completely robotic in nature, such as their skeletal and nervous systems. The rest of their organic matter is reinforced and bio-engineered to be much more durable than any human’s body.

The Leto itself is about the size of a moon, and wanders throughout the cosmos. It’s capable of faster-than-light travel, which allows it to jump from system to system as needed. What powers the Leto is a massive power core within the ship, which generates effectively infinite energy and sustains all the Leto’s systems, named the Deus Ex Machina. The Chosen all have a symbiotic relationship with the Deus Ex Machina; they were created by humanity as interfaces for the power of the Deus Ex Machina. Essentially, the Chosen can draw upon the power of the Deus Ex Machina in times of extreme emotional turbulence, or extreme focus. This manifests itself as enhanced physical ability or reaction time, or even powerful energy attacks and abilities.

In addition to powering the Leto, the Deus Ex Machina has one more function: it contains the Mechano Legion, an innumerable army of--you guessed it--mecha. Nearly every kind of mecha imaginable can be found within the Legion. Just as every Chosen can directly draw upon the power of the core, every Chosen has the power to call a mecha from the Mechano Legion.

Summoning a mecha in the first place requires a powerful emotional catalyst, such as trauma or desperation or an unbreakable will. After the first time, however, that mecha can be called at will. A Chosen is bonded to his or her mecha through the Deus Ex Machina; that is, every Chosen has one and only one mecha at a time. The mecha they summon represents some fundamental aspect of their being, such as their fears, desires, or relationships. Thus, a fundamental change within their emotional and psychological makeup can cause a change in their mecha as well. Resolving old, deep-seated issues or fears is one example that can cause a change in mecha.

So far, I have two antagonistic races planned. First, the Nior’oc, which fill in the generic enemy mook role. The Nior’oc are golem-like aliens, with stone-like plates of armor covering their entire bodies. Incredibly strong and durable, they’re typically pirates, mercenaries, and would-be conquerors.

Second, and more importantly, is the Ancestral Host. The Host is jointly inspired by the Reapers from Mass Effect, the Anti-Spirals from TTGL, and the Forerunners from Halo. The Ancestral Host is an ancient hive mind of beings, billions of years old and spanning galaxies. However, though the Host is immense, it is scattered and disjointed; only a small fraction of it is within the galaxy. Essentially, the Host is a protector and seeder of life. They encourage it wherever they go, altering conditions to make them perfect for life. In fact, the Host is indirectly responsible for the creation of our solar system, setting off the supernova that allowed the formation of our Sun in the first place.

The problem is that the Host is an ancient and paranoid control freak. The Host encourages organic life, and sees deviations from such as monstrous and abominable. At the start of the RP, the Chosen and the Host have yet to meet. When they actually do, the results would be catastrophic. The Host will effectively declare war on the Chosen, driving the main conflict of the RP.

The final element is the eponymous Mechano Soul: the power of a Chosen to sync with their mecha, drawing deeply from the power of the Deus Ex Machina. In effect, the pilot and mecha become one, allowing the mecha to become truly sentient and all the more powerful. Together, a mecha thus empowered by the Mechano Soul is theoretically invincible. Of course, the process is incredibly risky and dangerous.

So, thoughts? Comments? Criticism? Suggestions?

The main flaw is you seem to leave yourself very open to god modding. As it stands, playing as a melodramatic teenager that blows up at everything, would likely create a physical god, right? And let's not even start to get into things like split personalities and bipolar stuff.

I'd suggest some kind of stat system, but those don't seem to work well. Dunno why, I personally love assigning numbers to my character's skills and watching them increase, but I haven't seen any RP with a stat-based system run for very long.

I think that it would be interesting if everyone made their character an emotional wreck, and a stat-based system might take that away. But without the stats, if I wanted to make my character as powerful as I could, I think that playing as a drug addicted emo teenager with bipolar disorder and split personalities would be a good idea. That may or may not be a good thing, so depending on your tastes, you may or may not want to change it so someone doesn't try that.



Meanwhile, anyone interested in a Yu Yu Hakusho RP?

[Flaze]

Wait do we only have to do mopey characters because I'm not good at that.


I wouldn't mind a Yu Yu Hakusho RP.

[Heroic Sociopath]

It would probably be just as good if we had Haruhi-esque genki girls, I imagine, or hot-blooded Kamina clones.

[Flaze]

A Kamina clone is impossible he's just too awesome

[Heroic Sociopath]

Just who the hell do you think I am?!

[Renewal]

Basically, I guess stats don't work for the same reason game-based Pokemon RPs don't work. People hate being constrained by numbers in their writing.

I might add just a stability stat or something, and define it as 'extreme' emotional change. So if you're normally emo and bipolar, being even more emotional won't really be unusual. In that case, it would take emotional stability to activate the mecha.

Oh, and:

"I'm not my bro! I'm me! Simon the Digger!" Even though I think Kamina is the epitome of awesome, I still prefer Simon myself. Go figure.

[Flaze]

Actually I prefer Simon more than Kamina mostly because I really like his growth from a short and shy kid to the a dude almost as awesome as Kamina.

[Heroic Sociopath]

Oh yeah, also, one more thing, maybe make it more difficult. Like, if the good guys all have access to infinite amounts of energy and huge amounts of mech, that's not as cool. It would be better if only the players and a few NPCs were the only thing standing between their homeworld and millions of aliens wanting them dead. Also, consider finding a way to make it Nintendo Hard and make it so that players need to Earn Their Happy Ending. You might want to reserve the right to kill players if their characters do something stupid. Just a thought.

[Flaze]

The problem with the earn your happy ending is that you'll have to kill people but not everyone will actually be willing to let their characters be killed off without them wanting to which isn't really fair to begin with.

Also I don't see a problem with everyone having the ability. It isn't that they all have it is that they all have the "possibility" and "chance" of obtaining that vast amount of energy should they unlock it which makes the androids more realistic considering that normal humans have the possibility of doing whatever they set out to do.

[Derier44]

GRIT THOSE TEETH

To get your Happy Ending you don't necessarily need to kill anyone. What you really need is there for there to be one side and no others. For example, you cant let your villain get away right at the very end and still have a happy ending. He either has to perish or join your side. Going along with what I just said, the better and thicker the plot the better the ending, wether it be happy or bleak.