Children of the Deities

[clever_ravenclaw]

I've written what's the beginning of what could be a very epic roleplay, the only decent idea I've ever had that's not based on a book, anime, movie, or video game. This is a roleplay that's not based on numbers at all, simply imagination and freedom to mold the story as much as I (the creator) do.

I can post what I've written, or just give it to you in a nutshell. The former is not SO long (2 pages on Word), but the latter is quicker. There are sixteen types of magic, each ruled over by one god. The gods finally introduce magic to mortals, and the need for war is completely nullified. All that gives magic its properties is a crest that rests in a church in heaven. The ceasefire begins to bore the king and queen gods who created the entire world along with the lower deities. So, they shatter the crest and imprison the lower gods. The earth magic that held the one continent together dispersed, and the continent broke into sixteen islands, holding one type of magic sacred again. War was constant again between the islands.

It's been 160 years since The Collapse. A boy wakes and brushes the sweat off his forehead. He recalls the same dream that he's had for countless nights. A man, extremely handsome, with an air of nobility is walking slowly toward him. He opens his mouth, breaking the dry seal between his lips. His voice is golden. "You must find the other fifteen children of the deities, to restore peace and order to this chaotic land."

This game gives players a chance to use their imagination to create a character to be a mirror of themselves, or to become a completely different person. It's completely freeform. I've based much of the fighting on taking the abilities of the children and fusing them together, creating a seemingly endless amount of possibilities for techniques in or out of battle. Each character must carry an object, called an Artifact, that they draw power from. Once experienced, they can use magic to make their Artifact their mount, their familiar, their weapon, etc. There will be many obstructions along the path to keep the story interesting.

I'm looking to recruit some more players, if anybody's interested, message me. Opinions and (constructive) criticisms are welcome.

[Troy_Costisick]

Heya,

I like the idea of there being so many differnt kinds of magic in your game.  But a lot of what you said is a little confusing to me.  I see your game is freeform.  That can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  If you can answer these three questions for me, I think I'll have a better idea of what your game is like:

1.  What is your game really about?

2.  What do the characters do in your game?

3.  What do the players do?

Peace,

-Troy

[clever_ravenclaw]

Heya,

I like the idea of there being so many differnt kinds of magic in your game.  But a lot of what you said is a little confusing to me.  I see your game is freeform.  That can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  If you can answer these three questions for me, I think I'll have a better idea of what your game is like:

1.  What is your game really about?

2.  What do the characters do in your game?

3.  What do the players do?

Peace,

-Troy

I'll answer these best I can.

1. The most important thing you must know is the freedom involved in this game. The players can mold the storyline any way they choose. I've written some of it, but I hope to glean ideas from the players as to what could happen next. The story I've prepared is mainly about a dystopian future in an alternate universe, where bored gods have replaced a peaceful world with a warmongering one. There is a group of children with unusually strong powers whose fates inevitably bring them together to face overwhelming enemies: gods. The children at first hate each other because of how they were raised (much like Nazi children hating Jews), but there is a sage who eventually brings the truth in front of their eyes and teaches them how to tap into their powers and use teamwork to overcome any obstacle. And there are many obstacles to overcome. Players get opportunities to create their own scenarios and situations to entertain themselves and others. This is a collaborative effort

2. Characters can engage in battles with servants of the King and Queen gods (or themselves?) using their own powers alone, or combining them with another mage's. Again, I'm trying to give players as much freedom as possible to explore their imagination with sixteen magics to combine: fire, earth, wind, water, ice, electricity, plant, light, dark, fighting (enhanced physical abilities), psychic, transformation, sound, pure energy (like a Haduken seen in Street Fighter or Kamehameha in Dragonball Z), weapon (mage carries an item that they can transform into any weapon they can imagine and use it like an expert), vision (illusionary magic and an ability to see for miles/through fog/etc.)

3. The players control the children. For the sake of plot, I will be controlling the sage, the energy child, the transformation child, and the weapon child. If there's too much protest regarding that, I can simply tell the player what they need to do when they're essential to the plot. However, I WILL be controlling the sage and energy child most definitely. The players drive the plot as much as I do, and their actions could change the outcome of the story completely. I have written an ending that I like; but it could even be subject to change. Players really just explore the realms of their own mind to create techniques for their character(s) that they could consider cool. They can create enemies. Anything is possible.

If anybody wants the full story, just ask.

[greyorm]

You're saying you need to control certain characters for "plot reasons" and you will tell players what to do if the plot demands it...this sounds like you have already written the story and its events in your head, and plan for the players to experience these story moments you have created during play.

Is this your intention? Because this conflicts with what you said about the game being a collaborative effort, and the players writing the story as much as you do.

[clever_ravenclaw]

If the characters I have intentions for (weapon/transformation) are controlled by somebody else, I will only tell them what they need to do at a certain time.

Those two players will have near complete freedom to do what they want with their characters, but I need each one to do a small thing in the story. That's why it's not completely essential that I control them.

As for the story, I have some events in mind that I wish to make happen. I want the other players to create situations for the group to get into. The events I've written would chronologically be far apart, so there are a lot of blanks to fill in.

[clever_ravenclaw]

Bump >.> <.<

[clever_ravenclaw]

<< <<

[greyorm]

Please note that "Bumps" are not an acceptable behavior here, because they are considered empty content and begging for attention. I know this is not the way it works on other forums, but this is not other forums, either. You aren't being ignored, it is only that if someone has something of value to offer you, they will post. Otherwise they won't. Basically, bumping won't get you answers to things no one has an answer to or isn't interested in or doesn't have the time to answer right away.

On my end, I'm not really sure if I can help out with your design, given your contradictory design goals. There aren't many designers here on the Forge who think an RPG should be about telling the GM's story, or in the value of metaplot as a game device -- I don't know if there are any here, actually.

But as that seems the direction you want to take this, guys, can someone help out with some good thread or blog links on the pitfalls and dangers of metaplot, and how to do it right if you are going to do it? Mike, how does HeroQuest deal with this issue?

Unfortunately, that's all I really have to offer -- which is nothing much -- and that is a big part of why I didn't post a reply before, along with my limited time to do so. Just keep in mind that things will happen here at their own pace, which is not the pace of the internet. Careful, thoughtful, slow conversations are preferred -- not quick post-reply-post-reply-post-reply seat-of-the-pants series -- you get  better discussion and much more thoughtfulness when time is taken on both ends.

[clever_ravenclaw]

I've set a practically skeletal plot -- there are so many holes to fill in, that's the point of the game. And just to have fun developing your character and getting creative in battle.

[Adam Dray]

So you are establishing what I think of as "waypoints" in the plot -- places that you need certain characters to end up, certain things they need to do, etc. Otherwise, you consider the players in control of those characters.

To what extent will you make the players aware of the waypoints? How far ahead of time?

How are you adjudicating conflicts like combat scenes and diplomacy negotiations? Is character death possible in this freeform system, if the player does not want the character to die? Or what if he does?

Realize that there's a huge difference between filling in holes in the plot and actually writing the plot. It's the difference between drawing a picture on a blank piece of paper and coloring in a coloring book. There's nothing wrong with either style but there are advantages to each.

[billvolk]

You also seem to have severe limits on character creation in this "freeform" game. If every PC is one of these children, then no two players can choose to be the same child, and the maximum number of PCs is 16 (really only 13, if you commandeer the characters you want for yourself.) What do you do if one player goes inactive for a very long time? What do you do if you get more than 16 players? What do you do if a player wants to make more than one PC or change characters? What do you do if someone wants to make a PC that isn't one of these children? Would a non-Child PC be weaker? Would it require different rules when a fight breaks out?

There are play-by-post forums out there that are already much more freeform than the game you have in mind. You may want to look at more of them (Wikipedia has links to a few directories under "play-by-post gaming) to see how they handle player decisions and playing habits.

[clever_ravenclaw]

The battle system is basically based on the rules 'Have weaknesses' and 'Don't godmode'.

Think of this as Pokemon: players can only be knocked out and/or badly injured, not killed. If a player wishes to quit the game, I will work a death into the plot, and they will be replaced.

A player going inactive must post that they are, why they are, and how long they'll be gone so it can fit into the plot.

No two people can be the same element if they're one of the children, that is a problem. But, they can take on enemies as characters i.e. a general of one of the island's armies, an emissary of the gods, etc. Non-Children are not weaker, but think of it like Dragonball Z. The enemy seems more powerful, but the good guy has more potential and eventually comes out on top.

I'm only controlling one child, the energy kid. I'll also be handling all NPCs and the sage that teaches the children how to tap into their hidden strength.

'Waypoints' is a good way to describe what I intend for this roleplay. I believe I've covered everything. I'm starting the game very soon, if either of you would like to play, I would appreciate it since I'm in desperate need of GUYS.

[billvolk]

A player going inactive must post that they are, why they are, and how long they'll be gone so it can fit into the plot.

No two people can be the same element if they're one of the children, that is a problem. But, they can take on enemies as characters i.e. a general of one of the island's armies, an emissary of the gods, etc. Non-Children are not weaker, but think of it like Dragonball Z. The enemy seems more powerful, but the good guy has more potential and eventually comes out on top.

I hope that your players are courteous enough to tell you when they're going to be inactive. Also, why do you need to know the reason for inactivity? If you enforce rules like this (through the means available to you: deleting threads, banning players, refusing chargen approval and killing characters,) I don't think you'll have to worry about ever having more than 15 players.

This is only a suggestion, but if I were a player in your forum, I'd want you to go a little easier on me.

[clever_ravenclaw]

Well I take your point on the reason for inactivity -- but I think they should tell if they are going to be, unless they're taken by surprise, that's understandable.

The rules really aren't THAT harsh...