Hi...please don't kill me

[Limejello]

Hi I've fallen in love with this site so before I post I just want to say hi is Bobby, I'm from NY I'm 25 years old and I want to publish role playing games (plan on calling my company nerds of columbus)

the thing I want to ask is: are people generally nice and helpful here or do they insult and berate you.  I've found that on every single message board I've ever posted on people are complete dicks (I always felt it was the anonimity of the internet- when no one can see your face you can say anyhting you want, kind like the mask from of the lord of the flies or spider man syndrome...or even hollow man).  After reading some posts you guys seem like real class acts though.  So um... I just want to say please don't kill me.

[Osmo Rantala]

Hi Bobby. I have been here for not so long a time myself, but in my limited experience I'd say people are generally very professional and well behaving here (most people here have to be, if they want anything they make to sell...)

So, good to meet you (uh, in a manner...), hope Forge is as usefull to you as it has been to me.

[Callan S.]

Hi Bobby, welcome to the forge!

We have a pretty nice environment here, but ironically that's because this is a workplace - people are too busy working on stuff to be dicks. I say ironically because your not working on something at the moment - contribute to the forge being a nice place and tell us about your game and something your working on, that you'd like thoughts on or help with! You could mention the stats you've decided on, and what the big game world issues are and we can talk about how they connect up.

[Vulpinoid]

Hi Bobby/LimeJello,

I've had similar experiences with forums like you have mentioned in the past. Kids who've been around the forum for six months thinking they know more than adults who might be posting for the first time. Other people posting insults just because they want to "claim their turf!"

I've been around here for a couple of weeks, and while I won't claim to be an expert on this forum (that's Ron's Job), I can tell you two things.

1. Act professionally and with respect, and most other people around here will treat you accordingly.
2. Be willing to accept constructive criticism. A lot of people brainstorm on this board, or they propose ideas just to see how well they float, such ideas work best when they are open to a week or two of discussion from the people whose eye they catch.

Also note that there are people with wildly different opinions of roleplaying here, and whle one person may love a particular game with a passion, someone else may hate it with a vengeance. I know that some of the games I really like have been ripped to shreds by certain people, while some of the games that have almost turned me off the hobby entirely have some strong defenders around here.

As long as your willing to hang around with an open mind, you should enjoy it here.

V

[Limejello]

hehe wait a second I never said I wasn't working on anyhting....I've written an introductory novel (which I have to chop up quite a bit- and have considered putting out as a graphic novel) and I'm rewriting the rpg now...It was origionaly going to be d20 cause that's really popular...but I decided to create my own system cause I think d20 would take too long for the kind of combat I have in mind.
Thankfully my system has stremlined combat to a single die roll keeping a quick cinimatic flow as while keeping it realistic.

It's a highly policital giant robot game called operator (because the robot pilots are called operators)  The world is divided into 6 political blocs called omnipowers (all are shining examples of nobility-there are no villains so as to encourage debate and dillemas) as well as an infinte number of colonial pseudo nations scattered throught sol all of whom are struggling for control of the UN.  

Its hard science fiction set in the year 2300 and the blocs and groups are the future icouterparts of actual organizations.
I plan to release it as a full cover hard back (I feel presentation is important to get the consumer interested) and will release a free audio cd soundtrack to go with it.  Thankfully trhough a net work of freindly artists and a composer I can write the book for free...advertising and printing and marketing are the only things that are going to cost me money.

ALso the plan is to allow players unprecendented say in the progression of the campaigns... There characters will be posted on the main site making them cannon to the universe- each registered gm will submit the results of an adventure online and this will decide the outcome of global campaigns I even plan on going so far as to allow the players to become leaders of the factions.

Also I thought it'd be cute to right this as a modern rpg published in the year 2300.

However since I've been rewriting the background of my rpg perhaps I did post a little prematurely still I'd like to get to know people a bit.

------- okay cool, thanks vulpinoid......who's Ron?

[tj333]

Ron Edwards and Clinton R. Nixon run the site.

[Vulpinoid]

I plan to release it as a full cover hard back (I feel presentation is important to get the consumer interested) and will release a free audio cd soundtrack to go with it.  Thankfully trhough a net work of freindly artists and a composer I can write the book for free...advertising and printing and marketing are the only things that are going to cost me money.

ALso the plan is to allow players unprecendented say in the progression of the campaigns... There characters will be posted on the main site making them cannon to the universe- each registered gm will submit the results of an adventure online and this will decide the outcome of global campaigns I even plan on going so far as to allow the players to become leaders of the factions.

Also I thought it'd be cute to right this as a modern rpg published in the year 2300.

Sounds like you've got some good ideas.

I've noted after a decade of convention experience, and being a part of numerous roleplaying societies and gaming groups that people tend to like things that are a bit different, but not too different. D&D draws a crowd, but it draws a bigger crowd if the GM is doing something a bit exotic with the system. Specialist games tend to draw die hard fanatics to that system, but rarely lure a wider audience.

As an analogue to that, I've seen in many gaming stores that the game systems in hardback that are professionally presented at a reasonable price sell consistently. While the majority of consumers ignore those who make paperback rules, or pay little attention to graphics, presentation or who think their work deserves a premium price (without developing a positive reputation in the market first).

I like the idea of an audio soundtrack for the game. It adds a point of difference to your product which will make it a bit more memorable to consumers.

I also think the idea of an interactive universe is a good idea too. It gets players and GMs more involved in an ongoing storyline, and inspire loyalty in your product. You have to be careful though, I've been a part of global storylines like this and you serious need to ensure consistency in the way GMs interact if you want this to work well. The "Living Death" and other "Living" worlds of the RPGA network are a good example to follow in this regard. The "Camarilla" of White Wolf shows many examples of what not to do (as well as some good positive role models). The developing world of Rokugan, that has been shaped by Legend of the Five Rings card tournaments is also a good example of how a game world can evolve through the interaction of players globally.

The idea for writing the game as a modern game set 300 years in the future is an interesting twist. I've seen period pieces done in this way before, some have failed catastrophically, others have proven quite good.

If you're after a cheap option for printing hardback books, consider somewhere like Lulu.com. Unlike some printers who ask that you print 1000 copies outright, there's no huge outlay for a set quantity of books that might not sell. Once you get an initial print run happening, you can always move to another publishing or distribution method for your second edition. (That's just an idea that I'm planning to run with when I release my game next year.)

Good luck with your game, and if you need anyone to have a look at parts of it I'm sure there are people around here who'd be willing to critique it. (I'd even be willing to volunteer in this regard.) 

V

[Justin Nichol - BFG]

Not to bite your head off or anything but I think this should be reposted to Site Discussion. If you had specific ideas you wanted feedback on then you're more than welcome to repost those in another Thread, but nebulous topics not related to feedback are generally not meant for the First Thoughts forum. Hope you post again and get some good advice .

p.s. as an aside that I can't resist. If you're interested in PC's from a tabletop game becoming canon in an ongoing world you should check out the deadEarth rpg which has been going for quite some time and is free. Google it.

[David C]

John Garbriel's Greater Internet Dickwad theory

Seemed relevant.

[Ron Edwards]

Hi there,

I'm Ron, co-founder of the site and the content moderator.

It's time to get this thread focused on its point, so it will fit well into this forum. If anyone wants to keep talking about the Forge, please start a thread in the Site Discussion forum. For publishing stuff, like hardback designs and schedules, start a thread in the Publishing forum. Right here, let's talk about the game.

So far, I see:

It's a highly policital giant robot game called operator (because the robot pilots are called operators)  The world is divided into 6 political blocs called omnipowers (all are shining examples of nobility-there are no villains so as to encourage debate and dillemas) as well as an infinte number of colonial pseudo nations scattered throught sol all of whom are struggling for control of the UN. 

Its hard science fiction set in the year 2300 and the blocs and groups are the future icouterparts of actual organizations.

The thing that really interests me is the notion of no designated villains. That leads me to think that conflicts of interest will arise, but not in a Hollywood way, nor to pre-determine a target that everyone else is supposed to gang up against. Players will have to take responsibility for what the omnipowers do.

Tell me more about playing. Say I'm a player. I make up a robot operator, right? What are my adventures like? Do I just fight other robots with their operators?

I am guessing that the outcomes of our battles and scenarios will influence the interactions of colonial pseudo-nations and the omnipowers over time. Do I, as a player, have any direct influence over that?

Best, Ron

[Jason Morningstar]

Also I thought it'd be cute to right this as a modern rpg published in the year 2300.

I'll await your answers to Ron's questions about your setting, but I wanted to say that this is a really great idea.  I bet there are all kinds of fascinating assumptions in a product like D20 Modern that you could replicate, intellectual holes in the game text that everybody in 2300 AD "obviously knows".

For example, there's probably not a single word in D20 Modern (or Unknown Armies, or whatever contemporary game you could name) about what actually powers automobiles. 

[Limejello]

well for interactive I figure players will be left to their own devices with their own registered gm's but will be able to register and take part in global campaigns kinda like the mechwarrior venue system.  A player will list one of the registered gms as their gm (but can switch at any time), only adventures played with a gm registered as their own will count.  When a global campaign comes out it will be a loose over view of a major war the out come of which will be decided by the players.  I figure the GM's will report the success or failure of their characters players will be able to post their character profiles on the main site somwhere and possible.  The percentage of s fsctions players that accomplish thair mission will be multiplied by the power of a millitary and that faction will capture a number of power points equal to the difference. (That just a theory though)  Particularly successful players will have the ability to run for office and even have their character make a cameo (or star) in operator fiction.

A player will not be limited to playing an operator (he might play a fighter pilot, a tanker, a marine, spacer or sailer, a cop, a politician, a buisness man, a journalist etc...) but ideally the players will play a platoon of (5) operators.  They might be knights or mercenaries, or government soldiers. They would pledge their loyalty to a faction that they feel political loyalty to.  They will then fight for this cause.  I would hope that this will gacilitate debalte between people of different political ideologies encourageing mutual understanding while at the same time avoiding the fallacy that the correct choice is to remain aloof from politics....cause even though you should respect somone's beliefs, at the end of the day :snicker snicker: there can be only one.

[Limejello]

oops forgot about the other questions hehe even though I've rambled anough already:

Yeah well I said at the begining that the author was including even seemingly obvious information because some people who grow up in the outer colonies who were poorly educated about the inner colonies and vice versa, and such things are included just for completeness.   Hehe  I don't think the players should take that part too seriously (i figure its equivilent to kilngons-why aren't their heads bumpy...we don't like to talk about it). 

I did have a neat Idea for a trade show demo though- split 15 players into 3 groups.  One group is an order of knights emplyoed by the president of a small colony on the edge of the outer rim that's interested in becomeing a client state.

Another group is a european union platoon come to negotiate their incorperation

The other group is an orginization of american states platoon come to negotiate the incorperation as well

Each group wants their leader to become the next president... the game will have a few unrelated incidents like a pirate attack and some radicals wanting to ensure that one of the omnipowers controlls the colony.  Ultimately however the players will be plotting against one another....I was thinking this would be an interesting way to run a tournament. 

combat is generaly going to be deadly and brutal if the players want to servive they need to use their heads...however death is not necisarily that big a deal since medical science can easily resurect someone.  Through a combination of gne therapy and nano technology human beings no longer age (unless they want to look paternal as a fasion statement or something).  and in the event of an accident they can have their brain transplanted into a clones body (if its frozen quickly enough).  In a worst case scenario the player can upload a digital copy of the character's mind into a clone (but while the clone is Identical the origional is still dead.)