RP Planning

This is not an OOC, just an FYI.

Okay, guys. I'm wanting to try planning an RP once again. Once I'm settled in my new apartment, I can actually set into motion, things for the OOC thread on it.

But in order to even do that, I wish this to be a collaborative development. By that, I mean we need opinions, ideas, things we'd like to see in an RP, be whatever those things might be. This is gonna be built from the ground up, so it's a clean slate to start with.

Setting:
Atmosphere/mood:
Genre/theme:
Other bits 'n' bobs:

That kind of stuff is what we'll need. It can be comical, it can be horror-laden. Hell. think of what you like and suggest it. Maybe then we can tie it all together. I believe with the recent increase in activity here, we can pull it off. That is, if we stay sane and none of us go all psychocrazyohfuckingshitIlostmyeverythingandRAGEQUIT. (Don't kid yourselves, it's happened on more than one occassion, surprisingly to a lot of my own RPs.)

Story story story. People, the number one killer of my RPs is perhaps a lack of integral story for the internals of the RP to move. I'm great at concepts and elements, but story seems to be the one thing I lack that keeps people in the game. That or I run out and people just stop posting without warning or care. That's why I need YOU guys to help write too. [s]If[/s] you can help me start with ideas, post em here. I can't stress this enough, we need events, actions, humor, all that crap, then please don't be a lazy lout and help us out. I'm not asking for something elaborate on your part if that's not your style, but anything at all will really get the RP a set of rails to grind on. Hell, come up with some reoccurring NPCs/enemies, that'll be great too, helps with keeping things interesting. Once ideas are on the table from everybody, we can then start piecing things together. Don't hesitate to make your ideas known, even if what other people suggest is similar to your ideas or if the theme so far doesn't match, suggest it regardless. Holding back ideas is equally as counterproductive as not posting in an RP.

And don't worry about time itself. There's more than enough time for you to make your suggestions. The move will begin officially for me as of next week today. I'll be offline for some time during that and will be switching my ISP to Brighthouse. (Ugh... 4 to 8 Mbps... The ungodly fail this service is...) Please take as much time as you need to get things going. I'll try to keep up to date with this thread as long as it actually gets some attention in what ways I can.

TL;DR

Go read the fucking thread you lazy, red assed shit monster. :3

Well, before we look at making a new RP, let's look at what we have active so far.

Three Sci-Fi. The most recent is a standard "Freeroam Party", with (again RPJunkies standard) access to pretty much any realm you can think of. The second, Lost in Black, is somewhat similar. Third is Cyberpunk Connection, which is somewhat different from the other two with (what I imagine) is a much more "compact" plot, as well as more limitations on characters and what-not (Thus a more contained universe).

For Fantasy, we have Dungeons & Dragons. That's only so-so active, but moreso than others. I recall that several people were not interested in it due to the "complexity". This RP, IMO, was less "compact" than CC, but moreso than LiB and TH's. There is a plot, but it's advancing somewhat slowly since we've had a pair of action scenes and action can take up some time in a D&D RP.

Survival-Horror, we have Spookhouse. However, this is more a "Monster-themed" RP at the moment than actual survival-horror (Unless we're speaking Action Survival-Horror). As with CC, this one's "contained" in its own universe. You aren't going to see someone run around with a Vulcan character, for example.

Other, Other we have a bunch of RP's active. Super-Hero, Uplift, Mirror-Mirror, Infinity Patrol, Dreamscape. As with most of the other RP's, many of these are pretty "open" in character and story. So long as you can semi-plausibly explain your character design, you could have a baseline human walking around a baseline anthropomorph walking around a twenty foot Xenomorph walking around a fire elemental made of liquid hot magma.

Last, for Videogames, we have New Frontier and Dorf Fortress. In part due to the nature of their worlds, these two fit in with the "Contained World" style.


Of all this? Well, you'll notice that of about 12 RP's, a good half of them (actually, a smidge more) are very open. Furthermore, it is the "open" ones that tend to have higher post-counts and activity on average.


From this? Well, I'd personally suggest another "contained" style of RP, as those are somewhat uncommon here (if you discount the two Video Game ones, which have to be so because they're set in a canon universe, only 1/3 the total RP's are set in a universe that can't have a Crystalline Entity working alongside She-Hulk). However, if looking to get major participation, you may wish to go for a more "open" RP.

For "contained", now, we'd have to look to see which genre we'd work with. Again, looking at the above, we have a lot of either Sci-Fi or High Fantasy. Spookhouse and Dorf Fortress, they're really the only two of the above that aren't notably Sci-Fi (Pokemon has a lot of advanced tech) or High Fantasy (Since Dorf Fortress isn't saturated with magic, hundreds of mystical creatures, etcetera).

As such, something not Sci-Fi or High Fantasy would probably be another good bet. However, if you wish to do one of the two, High Fantasy might work best, as it's still only a small portion of the above (D&D, Mirror Mirror) compared to Sci-Fi or Sci-Fi related themes.

Thus, what we have so far: A "Contained" World of non-Sci Fi origin.

Much of the RP's seem to revolve around a "Party" system, wherein RPers work together. As an alternate proposal, perhaps something could be done instead with one person "DMing" the RP, and either having the RP on an individual basis (Ex: Pick a pre-set character, run through a world and I'll tell you how the results of your actions go down) or setting people in the same world but not quite working together (Ex: Something along the lines of a Civilization or Risk RP).


Is this good posting, so far?

Well Lost in Black was meant for funny but people through a fit about it being in a the same universe as SFM...There is no plot to it unless im asked to make one then im bringing in silly villan number what ever.
Mirror mirror is not very active... due to lazy posting but its a combo of two worlds of myth and modern.
CC is pretty much a contained world as long as you can connect it to what races i have...and cosmetics.
As pont said the DnD one is so-so posting (thanks for reminding me about that) and that has no actual real real plot cause im testing dice scrips on the forum with that rp...
So far the treasure hunter one look like it will have very little magic from all the characters people made....There is only one person with little magic but its pretty low on it seeing he requires a special gun to use magic. I was actually making the world on what people made for the rp.

Currently Uplift and infinity patrol are about to clash, with a more magical and tech dominated side and a more psionicly dominated and tech side.

Sure there are other settings i would like to see but the ones i want are highly lethal (lots of character deaths/pvp) or i really don't think any one would truly want to run them (or have the patience of detail)...or can with multiple people who want to be the main character and not supporting characters. Hell i would make a world using details of a book i read where people dont have magic but periodically run into supernatural, but i dont think people could be vulgar enough or make stories that wont screw them over in some attempt for pity my characters

To address your thought, Pontius: I would love to run one of these said contained universe RPs. However, in the past with every attempt I've done, they are lacking substantially in overall continual interest by the players' part. Other cases have had me branded borderline RP Nazi because of the forced linearity I've tried to implement for the story progression and character design range. (That's not to say any one individual has said this directly -- no, it is a view I am strongly given the impression that I am under the scope of when people trudge through each post and character made in such RPs.)

Addressing Zincks: I feel for your situation and plight. In the past, I would love to have settings where the universe is a much more immersive and daunting place as well as having the character's survival often put to the test. Not enough of that's done and characters are built so well and pre-developed that any and all chance of their survival being risked or X'd is par none. I want to have a chance where that can be rectified in an RP at some point. Too many Devil May Cry heroes and not enough average Joe Blough Shmoh's nearly getting their asses kicked. (At least, not player side.)

Main reason I suggest a contained is that we have a surplus of "Pick your character from fiction", as opposed to "Pick your character of [some level of limitation]". These can lead to much more uniform characters, and less "random" plots instead of more planned encounters / events.

Of course, it has the chief problem that is world-building. Either you take from a pre-existing realm, in which case canon and unfamiliarity (either by yourself or your players) becomes a concern, or you make your own, in which case you have to write out a few things beforehand and it delays the entire process (Look how long it took threads like CC to go from early development to character accepting, for example).

I would love a rp were PvP and possible death could happen but I tried that with my survival horror and people didn't like it. And the other thing I have noticed is that a certain level of Nazism might not be bad. For all the times people have said they want a free flowing rp or free time in one, when a mission or job isn't done, people don't do anything. So to a point the rp should be kept on some sort of set path with some ability to diverge but can be brought back to the main plot.
And I like the idea of a Risk type one. I had thought of something like that but didn't think people would like that since most people like to play nice. I had thought of using the 360 game "Overlord" as the idea. Were each player was a competing over lord that had to find away of dealing with other over lords well trying to take over land. I figured I throw that out since we were talking bout it.

We need a risk rp....Modex would you like to be our overlord in this? We need more risk! I would be all for it. Hell i have had plenty of characters die cause of crocodiles with one DnD group...all my rogues who died by crit attacks...and sneak attacks...by crocodiles. Kind of learned to hate those reptiles as rogues...and deck of many things.... But i digress life threatening rp is what we need with average day joe smoes and jane does.
I am a sucker so i have issues when people complain at me, im too soft hearted most of the time...so im not completely suitable to be the gm for an rp like this cause some people join even if i warn them.

If any thing have a warning of character death, and have a stat thing for humans only. For actual setting idea, no idea. I can give ideas if wanted of what we dont have that can have just humans.
-old westerns
-mafia wars
-world war I or world war II
- ehh... romance (not my thing)
- Crusades
-the Zombie rps kept dieing...so not sure if you should start one.
-Straight up slasher things, though that has high death rates
- Mystery, detective, criminal, missing person ect
-Suspense
-Medival (Mold...hallucinations...Gweee~)
-Roman style
-political rps (not sure if any one would want to think that hard.)
-ehh secret agents would have to be every one is from other countries. Every one foiling every one elses plans.
-Mental asylum (yay crazy people)

uhmmm that's all i can think of right away. But that are just ideas.

Hmm... Sounds interesting. I would like the Mental asylum or Medieval setting... Would run it my self though I don't think I would be nice when people start arguing with me. As in "You hurt my toon" whining turning into "Why did you kill my toon?!" because their continual whining.
Also I am new to rping...so I might not do the best job at it.

PS: Normal life is weirder then any fantasy. And more exciting.

If doing something Risk-like or with Overlords, you could do most of the ones provided by Zincks on her list, or a few others. Mafia Wars are almost suited for turf-wars and dealings, World War RP's (whether based on WWI, WWII, a non-World War that sucked up a lot of nations, or a completely fictional war) are just as well for such things. Crusades make sense for the obvious reason, Medieval and Roman can both do territorial things (and, personally, if doing a Fantasy- / Pre-Napoleonic-style Risk I'd prefer a Roman / Greek one if only for variety). Politics also works, but as Zincks said not many people may want to play it.

Hmm, I'll try to figure something out. I have my ways of making the bland seem much more interesting than first appearances would suggest.

Well, looks like contribution ideas were an effective bust. No one's got any ideas between the lot of us?

Alright. I'll try to come up with stuff on my own. I'll let you all know when I have a solid RP in the works.

Wait what? Oh there was suppose to be contribution? I do think Zincks did make a list of just examples of what is not on the forum. Personally....I don't see why one does not take a chance and just thrown an idea out.

CaptainIsomer wrote:

Wait what? Oh there was suppose to be contribution? I do think Zincks did make a list of just examples of what is not on the forum. Personally....I don't see why one does not take a chance and just thrown an idea out.

That's the same thing I wonder. Only bad idea is the one no one was told about. I was willing to take ANYTHING as a suggestion too, find a way to work it into a planned idea. This page is sort of intended as an assembly of free ideas from everyone to help formulate the workings of an RP.

*Sigh* I'll try to come up with something though. I really don't want another dead fetus of an RP like all my other ones seem to turn out as.

I was curious about the android but it just seemed like you stopped it.
Just pointing that out...the players didn't stop posting in it it was lack of input from the gm...

That's true. I couldn't honestly keep up with it during the time it was running and I lost much of what I had planned for it. That's the issue I run into. I end up solely running an RP, having to write everything ahead of time, but that never works out with open ended gameplay unfortunately. Not unless I powerplayed everyone's characters of course. This is why I want other people to help with the directing and writing of the game itself. It would seem open ended gameplay isn't my element of expertise, so I need people who can help steer an RP in the right, and active direction.

I am kinda wanting to do an RP based in the Halo world. How many people would be interested? because if no one would be interested then I will not wast time doing research on something that no one will want to play.

Let me know if you are all interested. if any one is interested then let me know. and if you wanna know what the Character Sheet will look like then just let me know I will do a temp post here.

and i might request if some on e wants to be my CO GM