Brotherhood of the Machine (OOC Thread) {03}

[Tapewolf]

Dorcan's body is synthetic isn't it?  Wouldn't his muscles feel at least close to the genuine article?

Something like.  Originally the muscle system was going to be pneumatic, but somewhere along the line Ren and I figured that something more in the way of a polymer muscle would look more realistic, and that's what we went with.  But it doesn't necessarily follow that it feels precisely like the real thing.

It's probably easier to assume that it does feel more-or-less normal, it's just something that occurred to me.

If anything it's her left fist that touched him and it's made of metal anyways

Heh.

[Sprocketsdance]

Personally I'm cool with whatever the GM decides (suck up  .. Am not!) 

[Tapewolf]

When you guys are ready, we can start that transition.  I can just railroad the travel, or if you guys want I can toss in a couple of "random" encounters.

I'm easy either way.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I'm easy either way.

*bites tongue*

[Lisky]

I'm easy either way.

hehe... boxy beat me to it...

As for your question, Ryudo, if you want to railroad to the dig site, i'm fine either way... unless you've got something planned for a 'random encounter' whether it be a bathroom brawl/shoot-out, or something like a high speed chase, i think it'd be quicker to just railroad to the site and go from there... but really, it's your call, and i'll have fun adapting to the situation.

Translation: Quicker to go to the dig site, but treat this like a non-vote for i'll have fun with either.

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

Ehh, don't really care.


IIRC, Fet left the gloves inside Darkshine's vehicle. If the Rebels didn't take them from there, it ought to still be in a locker in the back.

[Ryudo Lee]

Whenever you guys are ready, we can make the transition.

[Lisky]

i'm good to go

[Tapewolf]

i'm good to go

Me too.

[Sprocketsdance]

i'm good to go

Me too.

Me three 

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

good to go.

[techmaster-glitch]

i'm good to go

Me too.

Me three 

good to go.

Me five.

[Ryudo Lee]

There we go.  Now everyone will have their chance to see some action.

[Tapewolf]

What we didn't really decide was who is in command 

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

We're a bunch of rebels fighting against the legitimate (sort of) authority.


Command is for suckers :p


(And people who want to win, I guess.)

[Tapewolf]

We're a bunch of rebels fighting against the legitimate (sort of) authority.

Previous missions have been run in a formal structure, with Exo in overall charge and someone else taking care of the actual field mission.  So far that has been Morgan mostly, with Dorcan taking command for the tunnel exploration and when Morgan was incapacitated.

[Azlan]

yes, how is that going to work now?  I am fine with continuing how it has been going, unless official Rebellion command would like to establish an actual reporting structure. 

I can keep being a mercenary, after all... it's what I doooo.

[Tapewolf]

I'm going to assume that Dorcan is able to see and hear the conversation from where he is - if the Banshee is tank-like rather than a practical road vehicle, this bit may need some reworking on my part.  Up to Basilisk, really.

[Lisky]

It's a scout vehicle, and an air-cushion one at that... chance are, if you couldn't hear it from the inside, an external pickup could... and given that Ranger is running the various sensors, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch for him to patch whatever was being said outside, into one of the speakers, if not throughout the whole vehicle.

[Azlan]

Can we all slow down a bit... I have a lot of work and responsibilities, I spent the entire weekend assisting in several systems and support functions.  I had no time to review posts this whole weekend let alone post my lack of availability, it was just that busy.

I now am forced to come up with a reason why Morgan was standing around like an idiot while a flurry of activity happened around him.  I have this problem with Shattered Innocence RP, which I am now lost in. 

I do not like to do this, but I would prefer if it was structured so each person has to post once before others can post again.

I apologize, but this is not a request.

[Lisky]

Sorry to hear that Azzy, and i hope you get a little free time.  The flurry of posting happened today.  I know this because i was shocked to find something like 10 posts up when i got back from running some errands... As is, unless it's PC character interaction, i tend to agree with you... and i hope things will slow down to the point that we don't loose you... good luck with work man, and i hope you get a little rest, sounds like you could use it.

[Azlan]

I don't fully agree.  If the person in question is not a member of the scene, then act off to your muse's content... it is all a stage, we all actors.  However, PC interactions that involve the person in question should not just cut out the person that is slower to respond.  I take that kind of thing very personally.

Read: I take it very personally.

[Ryudo Lee]

Well then we need a system that is fair to everyone but not too overbearing on people who can't respond on a regular basis, such as Az and Arc.  Suggestions?

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

I don't really have a full system, and besides, as the DM, Ryudo should be the one who has the final word on what goes or doesn't, but I have a few ideas, building blocks as it were, to throw out.

Firstly, I would recommend that anyone being absent longer than a week should throw out some sort of OOC post announcing absence. It isn't too hard to look at a schedule and shell out the 40 seconds it needs to type in "Sorry guys, I can't post for a while".

Secondly, I would point out that Ryudo, as the DM, is largely the one that sets the pace. All the rest of us can do is have our characters announce what moves they are going to make. Unless they're having a conversation between PCs, we really need one of the DM's posts to have any of the actions we announce take effect. (And a two or three person conversation doesn't really need to have the others involved anyway) So it really should be the DM that regulates his posting speed. I know a few game threads where they have a sort of rule that the DM cannot post more than once a day, or once every two days, unless everyone has posted at least once, or indicated that they will not be posting. More than two days tends to make the RP drag though, which is why I would limit this sort of thing.

Thirdly, it would touch upon what I'd call "Character awareness". Obviously, if your character doesn't know about something, s/he shouldn't be able to respond to it. If we have a dungeon romp, and there are two rooms to search, Room A and Room B, and my character goes to Room A, he shouldn't be able to know what's going on in Room B unless something tells him or he has some method of clairvoyance.

The problem comes along when someone doesn't post for a while. If I have someone who hangs in the back while the rest of the party splits up to search both rooms, OOC I know what's in both. IC, the character only ought to be able to know what he searches with his own abilities. Therefore, someone who posts infrequently should be *very* careful with what they have their character do, and more importantly, what they know. They already have an advantage of sorts, in that they can plot with OOC knowledge some of what they're going to do. But they should keep in mind that if they're going to have their character react to something, they should write out first how they found out about it first.

Anyway, those are just a few thoughts. If you really want me to come up with a system, I suppose I can put something together.

[techmaster-glitch]

Yeah, is a real "system" really necessary? This was just a one-day flurry of posts that inadvertently put Azlan behind, and I know I have no problem with slowing down for a bit to let him catch up. And besides, as Corgatha says, the GM really is the one who sets the pace anyway. But, the idea of an actual "system" to control pace doesn't really seem like a good idea to me.

[Sprocketsdance]

Not to make my nose any more brown but I'm cool with whatever Ryudo decides. He is the GM and is the one to set the pace like you guys have said. But as it has also been said when there is intereaction between certain PC's.. sometimes the GM has no need to post. Sometimes a 'scene' between two PC's needs a lot more back-and-forth action than another 'scene' between a separate set of PC's.

...okay I think I'm just repeating things others have saide >_< anyways.. I'm not sure about putting in a system.. the only one I could think of is the simple: GM posts, everyone posts once, GM posts again. Maybe we (err..I?) could just be more mindful on being trigger happy with the posting. Sorry about that.

[Azlan]

I will be as blunt and honest as I always am.  I have no need to brown nose to Ryudo, there has never been a need since the days in Furcadia to the now. 

To what Corgatha has said, I can largely agree now that I stop and dwell on it.  Such things have never entered my mind, but as I have seen from vast years of experience, those that are most concerned with it are themselves those that have the largest problems in those areas. 

And Corgatha, he did not ask you or anyone to design a system for him.  I've gamed with Ryudo, albeit remotely and through electronic media for years now.  I trust his judgment, fairness, and vision.  You, I have no trust or faith in.  I'm sure the reverse is true as well for you in relation to myself.  That being said, you won't be designing anything.  If you have suggestions, put them down and allow him to evaluate.

I am personally tired of selfish, scene stealing, elitists.  If you want to have your private, in depth, soul-searching, narcissistic word diarrhea eruptions then I would suggest they be taken to PMs, IMs, or emails.  You can send synopsizes to Ryudo and that way you can be sure to eliminate "character awareness" among those that do not deserve or are fitting to interact with you.  Additionally, I find it exceedingly tiresome to weed through all this OOC knowledge looking for any rare scrap of information or occurrence that might have been within my own characters purview.  Though that is my punishment for being out... regardless of circumstance of absence.

This is how I have always viewed this.  The situation is like that of tabletop game where a small handful of players are always pulling the GM/DM aside, leaving the rest of the players twiddling their thumbs as the GM is forced to narrate or run scenes involving a small group of characters while the remaining players just want to slog through the dungeon and reach the evil wizard for the final battle.  Those of you that are arguing for your own time to RP all you want are those who probably cause the previously mentioned situations.  I for one have done both and can not stand when other players selfishly believe their time, stories, and interactions are more important than anyone else's.  Just because you have more time does not give you more right.

Perhaps, I could have taken 40 seconds to post a notice that I'd be busy, perhaps not.  It may be as simple as you think it is, or it may not be.  You have no idea, you are not me.  I endeavor to try, trust me, but perhaps you could be the better... whatever you are, and think, "hmmm, so and so has not been posting for X amount of time... perhaps we should find out what's up" or "maybe we should find out what's going on before we get too far into things."  That is not fair to everyone else, no?  It is the sole responsibility of the embattled party to explain his/her absence.

My suggestion is to handle it exactly how "The Mad God's Masque and Bellicose Ball" is handled.  One post per person per cycle.  That would mean you all would have to get together and work out offline your interactions, and do singularly large posts... and oh, my god... wait for others.  What a horrible concept.

[Sprocketsdance]

There is nothing to be gained by adding insult to injury.. It's one thing to ask "Hey guys, could you slow down a bit?" and another to start throwing out insults to people and their characters. I'm sorry you've been hurt by all this but please try to understand this was not intentional.

[Azlan]

Understand that I am being deliberately blunt and over the top to carry a message of urgency.  Things can get very involved, very quickly when the primary objective of this mission is engaged.  the last thing needed is people running off and doing their own thing in a team environment.  Holding information pertinent or not following orders. 

The last time a major portion of an engagement had to be undertaken, we had to argue about things in medias res.  I want that ironed out before we start actions involving the Brotherhood.

[Corgatha Taldorthar]

Azlan, I find your tone extremely offensive, and rather pigheaded.

And Corgatha, he did not ask you or anyone to design a system for him.

My suggestion is to handle it exactly how "The Mad God's Masque and Bellicose Ball" is handled.  One post per person per cycle.  That would mean you all would have to get together and work out offline your interactions, and do singularly large posts... and oh, my god... wait for others.  What a horrible concept.

I do not like to do this, but I would prefer if it was structured so each person has to post once before others can post again.

I apologize, but this is not a request.

There are several problems, I find in the system that if you are not requesting, seems to be on the order of demanding.  Firstly, conversations. If I want to have a quick, two line dialog with another player, do we hold up the rest of the RP so that we have one post per person per cycle? Do we just ban all dialog and talk like Shakespearean characters, in huge dramatic speeches? Do we just view that all of our characters know what each other are thinking? You wind up sacrificing verisimilitude on some level, or  reduce the pace into tiny, bite sized segments, filled with characters doing nothing for their six seconds while two other people talk. I for one prefer to have people talk......... well, like people.

   Furthermore, this seems to be a primarily action set Rp. We have, at current, no less than seven players, and a DM. That makes for some very intricate scheduling. If someone is going to hare off, unannounced, for two weeks or more, it could take us all year to defend this mountain. Creating a good RP flow is all well and good, but we're playing a game, not creating a work of art. There's a reason almost nobody plays The Campaign for North Africa, and it doesn't have to do with a lack of game depth.   If someone cannot be bothered to write even a perfunctory "I can't be here" message, especially if we adopt your system, the other players are all left wondering what is going on and when is the RP going to inch forward again. And that's if everything were to go right. If, hypothetically, a player were to leave unexpectedly, it could be disastrous if he or she cannot be reached.

Which brings up this little tidbit.

You have no idea, you are not me.  I endeavor to try, trust me, but perhaps you could be the better... whatever you are, and think, "hmmm, so and so has not been posting for X amount of time... perhaps we should find out what's up"

A RPG is a responsibility, to the other players as much as yourself. To keep everyone else hanging and to demand that they look you up when you go absent is absurd. When I tabletop, and I miss a session, I do not  hold a grudge if the others continue without me, especially if I do not announce my absence in advance.

Furthermore, your habit of taking any questions to your or your characters' actions as a personal insult truly lessens any desire to risk your leathery tongue (or keyboard, in this instance) to find out where you have been.  For instance

@ Tape: Why do you assume it's a bribe?  Must you always assume a questionable air to my motives? 

I am personally tired of selfish, scene stealing, elitists.

Sorry for being overly dramatic, but its my day of birth and I want to have just one Gandalf moment to myself...

As for Tyrian, his age was intended to be whatever it needed to be to hit about a minimum of a few hundred older than everyone else... so if the other critter ends up older, I can always say that was only the age Ty was willing to admit to.  So even if it turns out to be 25,000 years old... Ty will end up being 25,200 or so.  Everyone has certain themes, and mine is playing the oldest character.  My lawyer's information is available upon request if you feel the need to sue me.

I now am forced to come up with a reason why Morgan was standing around like an idiot while a flurry of activity happened around him.

In the case that brought this about, there was a conversation between two characters, neither of them a PC played by you. It would take nothing more than, say, a post about how Morgan heard or saw something out of place, went over to investigate, finds nothing, and then asks what the recent conversation was about to recover. It was not at any point an attempt to grab screen time to puff up ones importance. Quite frankly, nobody turned this into a "My character is the most important, so I need more screen time" until you did. In the case that brought this about, there was a conversation between two characters, neither of them a PC played by you. It would   I admit, I have only seen two of your characters, but both seem to fit the same mold. They are the oldest, wisest, and most powerful characters in their given environment. Their personality, is that of being the oldest, wisest, and most powerful. This is not a developed character. There is no personality, no history, no explanation of why the character is the way he is. Anyone attempting to rein in the characters abilities gets the wrath called down, on how dare they impugn on your character.  To not have, in the OOC thread, an actual age, just "I am the oldest" (and by implication the most powerful and wisest, especially for a magic user, is slightly obscene. It is one thing for the character to lie to others about his age. It is another to retroactively alter your character so that whenever someone else comes along, he has the most of whatever attribute.

Additionally, I find it exceedingly tiresome to weed through all this OOC knowledge looking for any rare scrap of information or occurrence that might have been within my own characters purview. 

Which is why I suppose you had your character react to a conversation that there is no possible way he could have heard, or even mention how he did come to know about said conversation. See here. When we fight the Brotherhood, will you have Azlan use the same power to divine the enemy plan of attack?    Characters are limited. I for one, would consider omniscience a form of godmodding, unless the DM has agreed and there is an explanation for your characters knowing of all things.

If you want to have your private, in depth, soul-searching, narcissistic word diarrhea eruptions then I would suggest they be taken to PMs, IMs, or emails.  You can send synopsizes to Ryudo and that way you can be sure to eliminate "character awareness" among those that do not deserve or are fitting to interact with you.

RPG stands for Role Playing Game. It does not stand for Interactive Tactical Puzzle. Quite frankly, if you think that the ultimate character is a set of statistics, then that is your business. If you have years of RP experience, then you should realize that telling other people how to write and play their characters is extremely gauche. If you do not want to read the characterization, don't bother. Nobody is forcing you to look at them.     

This is how I have always viewed this.  The situation is like that of tabletop game where a small handful of players are always pulling the GM/DM aside, leaving the rest of the players twiddling their thumbs as the GM is forced to narrate or run scenes involving a small group of characters while the remaining players just want to slog through the dungeon and reach the evil wizard for the final battle.

I am not sure how you came to this conclusion. A set of posts while you are not there to watch hardly counts as pulling the DM aside and leaving you twiddling your thumbs while you get back to the  violence. It's more like having a conversation while you go to the john. In the case in point, the main flurry of posts was a conversation between a PC and an NPC. Is it really so hard to write a little post  talking to the other people and getting caught up?  We do not force our DM to write solely about us. We insert input, which he then reacts to. No input, no reaction.



IN CONCLUSION! (Because I realize your dislike of reading long posts in Rps.) You might consider this a personal attack Azlan. Personally, I think of it as something of a rebuke. I find your tone offensive, your arguments specious, your stance domineering aggressive, and deliberately insulting  towards all players who aren't willing to let your character be an epitome of perfection. I for one, have been profoundly less than impressed by your views, and wish to make it known that you are not the DM, and do not set the tone. If Ryudo, or any other DM wishes to adopt your views, that is one thing, but you are not the speaker for the throne.

Best wishes,
Corgatha Taldorthar.