Open World OWoD game

[Dawn OOC]

There has been a tremendous amount of interest over this concept, and I'd like to put it out there formally. I need to cover a couple of things.

The Moderators

First, I need two other moderators. The first moderator will be the Moderator of Rules - I need this person to be familiar with all of the rules of the Old World of Darkness. The second moderator will be the Moderator of Characters - they'll be the one who advises on the approval of characters and will keep an eye on experience spending. All of the moderators may run plot if they wish, and resolve conflicts between the PCs when the PCs are unable to come to a conclusion on their own. However, there will be no 'formal' plot planned by the moderators currently. If a moderator is interested in running plot, then they can coordinate with players.

Alternately, if someone gets fired up about being the Head Moderator, let me know. I'll step aside for someone who has a vision and a better understand of the game than I do. My goal is to get this started and then let it run, more or less on its own.

The Mechanics

Some character types are more equal than others. To this end, we have three tiers of character types: 1, 2 and 3. Level 1 is the most basic, Level 2 type are less common and Level 3 should be very rare. Each level brings decreasing returns in starting Freebie Points, as well as requiring more backstory.

Freebie Points at start:

Level 1 - 40

Level 2 - 25

Level 3 - 15

Mages are likely to be prohibited completely as PC types should I remain at the helm. They are way too world-bending for a self-determined game such as this.

The World

This is a completely open world game; this is a venue for stories to be told about the people and places of the World of Darkness. Beyond historical events, players will make their canon. History will fight being disrupted, just so that we don't have to figure out an alternate timeline.

The 'when' of the game is up to the player base. There has been talk of setting the game in a historical era, which would be interesting. That is completely up to the player base. If that is the case, there will likely be a 'central' city where most of the PCs gather, largely because travel is inconvienant. PCs are not required to be in the city, but shouldn't complain if they are isolated and have nothing to do with the other PCs.

Any questions? If you are interested, please say so below, and mention what 'when' you want. We'll vote on the various suggestions later. Please state if you're interested in being a mod, and which position. I'm even open to someone else taking this over entirely.

[Adrian Moss]

Just letting you know that I'm interested, but I might be able to be Moderator of Characters.

[Corbin Black]

I'm familiar with about every aspect of OWoD, my specialty is Mage and Wraith, though I haven't played Wraith in ages.

I'd like to see where this will go, I'll be keeping an eye out.

Quote:

Mages are likely to be prohibited completely as PC types should I remain at the helm. They are way too world-bending for a self-determined game such as this.

I agree to a point... Mages just simply need to be played by individuals who know how to RP and not players who think that just because they have Magick they can just use that to solve their problems.

Paradox is rough on a mage and the domino effect is usually over looked. They do need to be monitored, but they're really no different that WWs and Vampires.

Now, Risen with their 100 HLs... that's a different story.

[Joani]

I would like to give it a shot at least. I can offer some help as a Mod although I'm not sure if I'm the best pick for that. I know a lot about Vampire oWoD and am decently familiar with Werewolf - beyond that I haven't had much contact or desire to play anything else.

[Mr Fox]

I'm so in, as stated many times in chat. I would rather not mod just because I've so rarely ever had a chance to just play in an oWoD game. (I was almost always the ST.) However, if needed I could help mod, or just be around for consulting if you need someone to bounce ideas off.

I'll be playing a Vamp.

I'd love more details on the character levels you were mentioning above.

[Jasmine Gentian]

I am so up for this concept. I absolutely adore OWoD, thought it has been some time since I played it. I would be more than happy to be involved, and also really like the idea of it being set in a historical setting, although certainly there would have to be a popular consensus as to which historical setting. Some immediate suggestions that could have mass appeal, some obvious, some not:

Dark Ages

Victorian Era

Wild West/Pioneer Era

During the time of the Roman Empire

The 1920's

The Age of Pirating/Buccaneering

There are others, I'm sure, but those strike me as the time periods that would have the most widespread appeal to different types of players. Anyway, just my two cents. If I had played more recently, I would volunteer for modding, but unfortunately it was been a few years since I've had the opportunity to play OWoD, and while I'm confident in my abilities to play it as a play, I am unfortunately not confident in my abilities to mod for it quite yet.

[Ira Sagebrush]

Stupid 'open world' *grumble*

[The Fine Balance]

Hi. I'm here again, and interested.

Wraith is my preferred character type.

The British Georgian era is my preferred time period.

But I'm not that particular.

[Jasmine Gentian]

Originally Posted By: Ira Sagebrush

Stupid 'open world' *grumble*

.

Have to admit I'm more fond of the ST-driven worlds than the open worlds too, Forge. And they seem to get far less posting than the ST-driven ones too, at least as far as I can see.

[SalmonMax]

Can I play a mage who was bitten by a werewolf, then Embraced...and who died right afterwards and came back as a mage/werewolf/vampire ghost?

I have a really good background ready.

()

[Mr Fox]

/me watches as Smax explodes in a catastrophic fireball of munchkinism.

As for time periods in order of preference:

Dark Ages

AU (alternate universe) (Depending on concepts this could become first choice.)

Renaissance

Modern

Victorian

[Dawn OOC]

I hadn't considered AUs. I'm open to whatever, naturally. I'll be tracking these, and we can vote - if we can get enough interest. We need ten and we have six with two making comments but no commitment.

I hadn't leveled Wraith yet, as I know nothing about it. Assume any PC types from the core book are probably level 1. I'd be willing to consider Mage, but not in a historical game. As I understand it, paradox was much lessened in previous eras due to the lack of the Technocracy and that sleepers were far more willing to suspend their disbelief.

As you can see from above, I'm not an expert on this system/world. But people really seem to want it, so I'll try.

And as an aside, here's something terrifying... Google knows how to spell Technocracy...

[Dave ST]

Originally Posted By: Dawn, OOC

I'd be willing to consider Mage, but not in a historical game. As I understand it, paradox was much lessened in previous eras due to the lack of the Technocracy and that sleepers were far more willing to suspend their disbelief.

Actually that's not entirely true. Mages in the Dark Ages still suffered quite a bit from Paradox as Organized Religion starting to ostracize them as witches and the Devil's spawn, etc...

They do get some leeway to Merlin from time to time, but they are just as much handicapped by Paradox then as they are in modern games. The only real problem with Mages in any era is that most players are douches with them and do ignorant things.

[Adrian Moss]

"I'm a vampire elder, who has surviced three centuries of warfare and persecution."

*poof*

"No. You are a lawn chair."

I'm really, really voting for no mages.

[Dawn OOC]

Originally Posted By: Ira Sagebrush

Stupid 'open world' *grumble*

Also, in regards to this point, I really don't have time to run the kind of game that this would turn into. Even if I did run it, lots of times, I'd be having people do their own thing in fics anyway with some plot thrown in. If I had a 'mission' or 'vision' for the game, I might ST it, but with a mission statement of "Let people play OWoD" I would just make an unholy mess anyway. That's the reason I'm looking to do this - because people want it.

Hope that explains my choice.

[Aradia McConnell]

I understand why you'd want to do "Open World" over ST-led stuff. I didn't mean to grumble too much, and you didn't need to explain your choice to us. It's just more difficult for me personally sometimes to come up with good open-world storyline stuff. I have to piggyback off someone else's good ideas, and hope that my fantastic character-player acting abilities can carry me through without making people want to shoot me for not being the "story person".

[Dawn OOC]

And I understand why you guys would want an ST. It's just not going to be me, which is why I left it open for another moderator to make up plotsy stuff if they wished. It's not a lack of desire; it's a lack of vision, and I have learned to avoid running if I don't have a vision for the game. Harmony City faltered the first time for that very reason; I didn't have a vision for the game, and it wasn't able to sustain itself over the long-term.

I'm babbling. Regardless, we need four more people to make this think viable anyway.

[Mr Fox]

My wife has said that she would be interested in trying it out. She hasn't created an account yet and is a newbie to forum posting. It'll be her first experience with this kind of format so be patient with her. I'll try and get her to register when I can, but it might be the weekend before I can since I work till 10:30 each night and she's usually not on the computer that late.

So that's 3 more we need.

I understand about the vision thing Carver so don't sweat it as far as I'm concerned. On the other hand while I'm not so hot on mechanics issues I'm pretty good with plot and would be happy to be a sounding board to bounce ideas off. My biggest talent is taking others ideas and warping them and adding twists until their are big shiny plots. If you want I could assist by helping you come up with plot if you want to ST.

[Dave ST]

Originally Posted By: Adrian Moss

"I'm a vampire elder, who has surviced three centuries of warfare and persecution."

*poof*

"No. You are a lawn chair."

I'm really, really voting for no mages.

That's exactly the kind of douchery that shouldn't be allowed. And for the record it was never that easy... turning someone or something in a lawnchair should would hurt the mage far more than it would the object in question, and I assure you I'd reach through the internet andslap the shit out of any retard that thought getting away with such a feat should/would/could be easy.

On the same token a lot of the same douchery is played up by the players of Leeches and MoonPooches. They think because they're 300 years old, or because they have super high renown that they should be invincible every should kiss their ass... not true.

If it's going to be OWoD then OWoD should be permitted... if all you want to use are Vampires and Werewolves then just call it "Vampires and Werewolves". Hell if you need someone to keep the Mages in check, I'll gladly do it... I've no qualms with making sure the mages stay accurate with accrued Paradox... Hehehehehe

[Adrian Moss]

But Dave, that would make you Paradoxical! Is that allowed?

[Dave ST]

...

You're grounded from the internet.

[Dawn OOC]

Guys, after seeing more comments in chat yesterday, I'm not sure this is viable as currently presented.

One issue is that you really can't get a cohesive OW 'game' with 10 people in the OWoD due to the combative nature of the factions. You get a lot of people doing their own thing. We could have an overarching enemy who threatens all; we could allow people to play one character in each faction (though that presents whole new issues).

It seems that to do this, we have to alter the WoD a bit to make it work. And it seems that people *want* a game, not an OW. Am I right?

[Adrian Moss]

Originally Posted By: Dave ST

...

You're grounded from the internet.

Why do you do this to me?

[Adrian Moss]

I'm not sure which would be better. I guess I would have to hear more about the game.

... what am I saying? I'm a game whore. I'll play anything.

[Dawn OOC]

Originally Posted By: Adrian Moss

I'm not sure which would be better. I guess I would have to hear more about the game.

There is no 'game' at this time, only what is rapidly looking like a player-propelled open world, which I'm not sure is viable. I'm not up to running this kind of game right now (let's face it, I'm already doing that kind of game with Dalton), so I'm not going to turn it into a campaign game. I am more than willing to provide mod support for a game that is directed by someone else, or player directed.

[Adrian Moss]

Dawn, I so fully understand that. I wonder how you are able to keep the plates up in the air you are spinning right now. You do more than your share and I, for one, appreciate it.

[Dawn OOC]

Chosen gave me another option today. Basically, the game will still be somewhat open world, but it'd also be open to story arcs. It will be like StarGate, in that there will be stories, but between plots, there will be time/room for fictions. The story arcs will be told by other members of the forum. So Adrian might run a story, then Max, then Reven. What do you guys think about that?

[Forge]

Hmm, I could deal with a Hybrid.

[Correspondence]

I would prefer pure OW, actually, but this might be cool too.

[Mr Fox]

Hybrids are the best kind as far as I'm concerned. Look at how well Stargate is going thanks at least as much to you guys and how you take the game and run with it instead of just sitting like lumps between missions waiting for plot to drop in your laps. Instead you guys have made some of the most enjoyable 'plots' just out of your RP.

Of course sometimes it seems like "As the Stargate Turns" with all the IC drama, but that's a lot of fun.

[Dawn OOC]

Originally Posted By: Correspondence

I would prefer pure OW, actually, but this might be cool too.

The neat thing about this is that plots wouldn't necessarily have to involve PCs. Leaving them somewhat open allows people to join them if they wish, or just do their own thing. Especially if you decide to do a Wraith.

[Joani]

Originally Posted By: Dawn, OOC

Chosen gave me another option today. Basically, the game will still be somewhat open world, but it'd also be open to story arcs. It will be like StarGate, in that there will be stories, but between plots, there will be time/room for fictions. The story arcs will be told by other members of the forum. So Adrian might run a story, then Max, then Reven. What do you guys think about that?

I second this option.

[Adrian Moss]

Sounds interesting.

[Justin OOC]

I'll play.

[Mr Fox]

Oh, talked to my wife and she's definitely in.

[Rorx]

I'll Play - as if that was a shock to anyone, but not sure what since Mage's are the main thing I'm familiar with in OWoD. I have to agree with Dave in that in my (limited?) experience the powers that a Mage could get away with were suitably restriced by Paradox and the threat of the Technocracy finding them.

[Mr Fox]

No technocracy in the Dark ages. But there was the church and it was just as ruthless.

[Vivi OOC]

But people don't want Mages to be allowed. They're too afraid their previously omnipotent Vampire Elder would no longer be able to act with absolute impunity.

[Dawn OOC]

Originally Posted By: Vivi OOC

But people don't want Mages to be allowed. They're too afraid their previously omnipotent Vampire Elder would no longer be able to act with absolute impunity.

Actually, it's due to the fact that I don't know if people would use Paradox on themselves properly, and we don't have a single ST to police that. I see it causing a lot of issues and arguments about whether someone is doing paradox 'right'. I don't even trust my own judgment on that, as I have almost no understanding of how Mages work.

[Mr Fox]

I'm not afraid, bring on the mages. However, if you've got the power to turn my vamp character into a lawnchair, as a player I'd be pretty upset if you used that power. The idea is to tell stories and have fun (fun being an inclusive concept where everyone gets enjoys themselves not just one person on a power trip). That's why it would be good to have an ST or at least someone with the power to intervene in the event someone gets out of hand and tries to run rough shod over others.