Supearth OOC: Canceled Until Further Notice.

[WhiteFox]

anyhow, if it's allright i'd like him to be a geneticist working on the incomplete power problem. i mean the government may not be hunting supers and trying to turn them into weapons, but i bet there would be some organisation that wouldnt be satisfied with their powers having such weaknesses and to them being "incomplete".

There is quite a bit of research that goes into studying powers and how they work, as well as professionals who help people cope with debilitating traits (much like physiotherapists or caseworkers). People who need this kind of help are fairly few, since most supers can get by just by not using their powers.

Research on powers is done, but legally. There are scientists that study people with powers, but they're not allowed to black-bag test subjects and strap them to a table. That would be a bad thing.

I think of bomb disposal as more like an emergency response, like paramedics or firefighting, then law enforcement. You're dealing with an emergency, not the criminals that caused it.

[WhiteFox]

Plans are to get introductions done by Tuesday. Wednesday if I, like, lose a kidney and have to get surgery or something. But barring that, soonish.

Just shoot me.

Right now, I'm having trouble getting started for a couple of reasons.

First, I forgot that, well, I'm half blind and reading is a lot harder then it used to be. Writing isn't a problem, but it takes me three sittings to get through most peoples character sheets.

Second, Forum RPs are a lot more alien then I was expecting. For example: techmastergltch used the word "Co-GM" at one point, and not only had I never herd it before, I drew a complete blank as to how such a concept would even be possible. Not to mention, there's no system in place (IE: DnD, GURPS, etc.), and I'm used to having rules and mechanics in place to work with. It's a little weird.

Third... the characters are not what I was expecting. I've had to re-evaluate a lot of story elements I had formed.

So, it's been slow going. I don't know if when I'll be able to get things rolling, but I'm still working on it.

[Keleth]

Co-GM is usually done by someone who wants to be your Second in Command, but also want to have a lot of sway and authority over how the game is run.

Usually though, it just ends in disaster, imagine having two Dungeon Masters in D&D. It usually doesn't end well, makes for a good amount of lulz though.


I'm curious though, if you're having trouble reading the forum posts as far as this goes, are you going to be alright checking it a few times a day when people are posting at different times?


Forum RP 'systems' usually are just done freeform, the GM helping characters basically more or less, write a story based on each characters point of view in a way that flows. Though I've known some GMs in the past to just use simple things behind the scene like rolling a d10, and if the result was 1-3 the action in particular was considered a botch, to varying degrees of success, etc.

There is no set in stone rules for something like this. Though some people are known to take dicebots and actually play D&D using rulesets and whatnot.

[WhiteFox]

Usually though, it just ends in disaster, imagine having two Dungeon Masters in D&D. It usually doesn't end well, makes for a good amount of lulz though.

That's pretty much the same conclusion I'd came to. I mean, a GM is essentially a role-player in control of the world. I can't imagine a player character having two players, I can't imagine having two GMs.

I'm curious though, if you're having trouble reading the forum posts as far as this goes, are you going to be alright checking it a few times a day when people are posting at different times?

It's not frequency. It's length.

Your post is 200 words long, and that's comfortable for me. The shortest character sheet is yours, at 419. That I can manage. The longest one is techs, which after being shortened, twice, clocks in at 1600+ words. Most of the rest fall between 500 and 1000 words.

Now, if most of the RPing were done with shorter posts, I'd be fine. That's what I was expecting. When Bas' RP started, I took a look at some of those posts and nearly choked. It took me an afternoon to read through the first four.

So, to answer your question, I really don't know.

Forum RP 'systems' usually are just done freeform, the GM helping characters basically more or less, write a story based on each characters point of view in a way that flows.

That feels alien. I'm used to writing a story that the players are the main characters of, and working with a party. I set up the plot, they go be heroes. I was kind of proud of the fact that I didn't have to railroad to do it, too.

Well, all that goes out the window. It sounds like the GM proposes a setting, and the players just go do what they want. I've never had to plan an RP like that.

I probably could, actually, but I've never done it before.

So, yeah. I might be in over my head. Or not. I dunno.

[techmaster-glitch]

Usually though, it just ends in disaster, imagine having two Dungeon Masters in D&D. It usually doesn't end well, makes for a good amount of lulz though.

That's pretty much the same conclusion I'd came to. I mean, a GM is essentially a role-player in control of the world. I can't imagine a player character having two players, I can't imagine having two GMs.

Not entirely correct. In fact, there was an RP here, "Eternal Rains", that had Cogidubnus and Keaton as co-GMs to each other. It was not chaotic at all, and it was in fact a very popular and well-played RP. The only reason it ended prematurely is because real life issues got in the way. A co-GM is not unheard of, nor is it as bad as Drath seems to be making it out to be (but maybe he's drawing from experience outside of CMF).

Forum RP 'systems' usually are just done freeform, the GM helping characters basically more or less, write a story based on each characters point of view in a way that flows.

That feels alien. I'm used to writing a story that the players are the main characters of, and working with a party. I set up the plot, they go be heroes. I was kind of proud of the fact that I didn't have to railroad to do it, too.

Well, all that goes out the window. It sounds like the GM proposes a setting, and the players just go do what they want. I've never had to plan an RP like that.

I probably could, actually, but I've never done it before.

So, yeah. I might be in over my head. Or not. I dunno.

Not exactly correct either; in fact, from a narrative storytelling perspective, forum roleplaying is basically the same as tabletop roleplaying. The only difference is that with the elimination of both real-time playing and any set rule mechanics, the storytelling aspect is generally far deeper than any average tabletop game, with much more emphasis on plot. The player's don't "run off and do what they want" any more than they would in a normal tabletop game.

Again, the primary difference is the lack of chance mechanics. In this respect, forum roleplaying functions more like collaboartively writing a story rather than playing a game. As for how actions and things like combat work, generally, a player describes what they do, and the GM describes the effect/success/failure, determined as the GM thinks appropriate for the situation. Exceptions exist, of course, but that is the general format.

Other than this, a forum RP's plot shouldn't have to be planned much differently than a tabletop RP's plot.

[Janus Whitefurr]

The only difference is that with the elimination of both real-time playing and any set rule mechanics, the storytelling aspect is generally far deeper than any average tabletop game, with much more emphasis on plot. The player's don't "run off and do what they want" any more than they would in a normal tabletop game.

And if the players do run around doing as they please regardless of the GM's directions or attempts to provide plot, they have no reason to cry if they don't get information/plot points/what have you. An old MB RP I did basically ensured you followed the general plot, but with leniency on your actions (I once found a key, and during the course of the plot and the escape, I never found what the key unlocked because I was slightly paranoid and also a total samaritan to NPCs) and the GM was great at throwing things up on the fly if a character makes an unexpected decision.

[WhiteFox]

Janus: I don't have a problem with improvising, whether it's when I have to or when the players do. Actually, I consider it one of my strengths as a GM.

Again, the primary difference is the lack of chance mechanics.

I don't give a damn about chance mechanics. I'm worried about game balance. I feel like all the calls I've made about the characters powers and drawbacks has been completely arbitrary. I don't think I'm going to do much better when they're being used in play.

Other than this, a forum RP's plot shouldn't have to be planned much differently than a tabletop RP's plot.

I don't know if you've actually planned a tabletop game. I'm not gonna assume either way.

Incidentally, I am currently trying to plan a forum RP, and I find it to be very different then the tabletop RPs I've planned in the past. Imagine that.

You seem to know what you're talking about, though. You can have the RP if you want it. I'm throwing in the towel.

Don't use my setting material, though. It was a lot of work, and I'm kind of attached to it.

Ahem.

I'm sorry to have to bow out like this, everybody. I was really looking forward to the RP, and I can tell a lot of others were too. Unfortunately, I really don't think I'm equipped to handle it, and I'm just going to end up getting frustrated if I plow ahead regardless. That being said, good luck to you all in your future RPs.

[Janus Whitefurr]

 

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Now, if most of the RPing were done with shorter posts, I'd be fine. That's what I was expecting. When Bas' RP started, I took a look at some of those posts and nearly choked. It took me an afternoon to read through the first four.

FWIW, Bas's RP posts took me a while to read through - and I'm probably one of the faster readers around, since I keep up with every single post on the forum. Barring two threads, admittedly.

I'm under the impression that OSaS is on a startup high. The posts will likely shrink somewhat when we get going.


... not that that should be taken as criticism in any way of your decision to bow out - it's just my opinion of the RP I'm playing in. Purely informational.

[Mao]

I'd vote bouncer.  Get a bouncer for this game, and everytime you get peeved.. sic the bouncer on them.  The bouncer can be a player or an npc with the party who deals with.. problem players.

[Keleth]

I am now a sad Panda >:

[WhiteFox]

People are trying to give me help, while others are turning into sad pandas. I need to explain something to the former, and at least owe an explanation to the latter.

There are two problems. First, the setting and characters. Second, the format of a Forum RP.

Supearth started as a pitch for an RP from techmastergltch that I developed a full setting.

I'm not very good at telling people things, I'm much better at showing people things. When I tried to do the write up for Supearth, I had to tell people about it. If I were to say, "Let's do a Naruto RP," everyone would have some idea about what the setting would be like. I didn't have any stories, or art, or comics to show people and say, "This is my idea, this is my setting." I couldn't even think of any popular fiction I could point to. I don't think I did very well at explaining the concept I was going for.

People started submitting characters, and they fit. Technically. It wasn't until I started trying to finalize my plot ideas that I realized how badly I'd shot myself in the foot; the characters were all possible for the setting, but I wouldn't be able to use any of the ideas I had for plot. For that matter, I couldn't use any of the themes I had in mind for Supearth itself.

I tried coming up with other ideas, but they all started sounding like the same old tired super hero plots.

Second, forum RPing was not what I was expecting. I've done it in the past, but that was many years ago. I probably should participate in a few RPs just to get a handle on things.

I don't need a Co-GM, I don't need a bouncer. I don't need people to tell me rudimentary things about GMing I already know. I don't need advice on how to write plots, or the dynamics between players and GMs. What I need is a little experience to familiarize myself with the medium.

I'm under the impression that OSaS is on a startup high. The posts will likely shrink somewhat when we get going.

This is good to know. If the posts ease up, I should be able to continue participating. I might even be able to GM in the future, too.

Actually, that's the one thing anyone has said so far that was actually useful.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

"likely" as in "I sure as heck hope so" ;-]

Glad I could assist.

[Toric]

Well, yuck. It's a bummer that things worked out this way, but I can see your reasoning WF.

No hard feelings here, and if you start a game up in the near future, I'll probably be around.