New Forum: RP Area

by **Kotaro** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:18 am

First, I would like to define RP, or Role Play.

Many of you may know games like D&D or Baldurs Gate. You have a special role. You create your own character and let him, or her, act in a world which is described by a dungeon master. Who is this dungeon master? It will generally be the person who started the thread, and thereby the game. He or she will describe the setting in which you will act.

The game is defined in a written thread posted by the creator. A setting, place, and available ideas are given with the thread creation; a very basic setting is given. Like tournaments, there would be sign-ups, where people would post their "character" that they wish to enter into this. Here is a sample of a possible sign-up template, taken from a RP I wrote once (and will use as an example in the next post):

Name:
Age:
Sex:
Apperance:
Personality:
Description:
Weapons:

Concise description:

A new forum designed specifically for RPing.

Specifics:

There would be a main forum, used for general discussions of role playing. There would also be 3 sub forums; one for the role play itself, one for people to create and join the RP's, and one for OOC (Out of character) Discussions about the role play you are in

by **Kotaro** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:19 am

A Sample of what one of these would look like:

2007

PLAY

The film cuts in just after the anchorman has switched over to the correspondant surrounded by a blue border. Dressed in a dress shirt and a black vest, the man wears a medical mask and shifts nervously over the black bar on the screen showing his name. For a moment, the man looks around in a paranoid fashion, before nodding his head, the delayed message from the anchorman having made it's way to the plastic bit in his ear.

"That's correct Tim, I'm currently standing on the edge of Times Square, which has become a truly macabre place. Having nowhere else really to put them, this large square had become an impromptu dumping ground for the dead and dying."

A groan turns to a shriek, and then a trailing groan, dying into the background.

"As you can hear Tim, many of the bodies here in Times Square are still alive, but left unattended. From some cries, we, we...believe that they are some living people in the center of the main pile, that ...you can see here."

The man turns sideways out of the camera's view, allowing for a full shot of the square behind the reporter. As this happens, a cloth rustles, and the sound of someone expelling their stomach contents is heard. However, the noise is hardly registered against the scene before the camera.

"As you can see Tim, it has been only ten days since the first signs of the radeogenic plague began to show up in, and already, most of New york City is dead. From the current reports filing out with the evacues, only around 15% of the city's population has survived, leaving over 8 million dead."

A shaking hand mops sweat from his brow

"From what I'm told, the city is now 99% empty, and a twenty-mile quarentine zone has been set up around the deserted city. This will be our last report from the devestation of New York City. George ****** signing out. Tim."

The picture fades, and quickly switches to a pale and shaken looking Tim. Clearing his voice, the man of his early fifties looks down to the sheet of paper in front of him for a second before looking back up

"I have just been told that President Walken has declared New York City, and the declared zone entirely off limits. The Army, Navy and Air Force has set up a perimiter around the quarentine zone. Anyone trying to enter of leave the quarentine zone will be shot on sight."
Grey and black lines crackle as the video stops

2010

A letter addressed to President Walken by the head of the military

Mr. President

From our long-range scans and data collection, we believe that the last traces of the Radeogenic Plague in the remains of New York City have died off. Our scientists had told us that it would now be feasible to send in teams to find out what started the New York City tragedy. I would like to begin to send in my men post haste

Signed
General ****

A letter addressed to the head of the military from President Walken

General ****

The remains of New York City are a lost cause, and the painful memory for the people of the United States of America. At this point, only time will get rid of it, not interfering with the area. I am ordering you to pull back your men from the quarentine zone edge as quietly as possible, and leave the city alone.

Signed
President Walken

2011
A letter addressed to President Walken from the head of the military

Mr. President

The last of my men have been moved from the NYC quarentine zone edge. However, reports have been coming in of "Gangs" of people filtering into the remains of New York City. I would advise sending in men to find out exactly what these no doubt illegal groups are doing.

Signed
General ****

A letter addressed to the head of the military from President Walken

General ****

I have no cares for what a group of people do in a deserted and dangerous city. No doubt they will get themselves killed. You are ordered to send NO men into New York City.

Signed
President Walken

2015

Welcome to Empty Streets, in which you are the leader of one of the many gangs and groups that have snuck into the remains of New York City, which was decimated by a Radeogenic plague. However, if the gangs were hoping for an easy life in the ruins of the once great city, they are sorely surprised. It seems that the radeoactivity that caused the plague was not finished with the bodies that it killed off. Through some strange mutation, the bodies of the dead walk again as dessicated zombies. As well, it would seem that something else stalks the city. the bones of the dead are found here and there, covered in long scratch marks created by fangs of some kind. Also, strange moving shadows seen frequently in the night add to the disturbing feeling of the ruins of New York City

Character and Gang sheet

Name:
Age:
Sex:
Apperance:
Personality:
Description:
Weapons:

Gang name:
Description:
Normal Weapons: *
Hang Out:

* This means what is the weapon that your Gang members carry the most often. This can be a specific gun or combat weapons, or just a vague name, E.G.: 9mm handguns, colonial style sabres, combat knives, submachine guns/machine pistol, machine guns, swords, etc.

Where to begin, where to begin:

You can start anywhere in the ruins of the city doing anything you like: Looting, killing zombies, exploring, etc. Once you have settled into your roles and interacted, a general plot will start.

by **samuelc812** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:51 am

I doubt the admins would agree to creating this as another Main Forum, and especially not with three subforums, perhaps they would consider making it a sub-forum in the Tower of Babble like Mafia Games and Forum Games

by **killmanic** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:57 am

why not make a user group for it?

by **Natewolfman** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:16 pm

I have seen similar on many other sites, a little sub-forum similar to our mafia one would be nice for this. Basically the way it works is someone who hosts it would pick a topic, be it D&D based, Futuristic space based, Romance based, or any unlimited number of examples, and the entire story would take place in 1 thread (again similar to the current mafia forum) I used to get into these alot back in the day and wouldnt mind getting into them again

by **drake_259** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:32 pm

i would say no for a main forum as it isn't really needed, however a sub-forum on the babble forum is a good idea, i had also used to play some of these on other forums a few years back now, i would probably join one but thats about it as i have barely enough time on my hands at the moment.

by **The Fuzzy Pengui** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:37 pm

Yeah, I would say either a usergroup or 1 Subforum in Babble would be your best bet (but I'm not even sure on the subforum).

by **blakebowling** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 4:48 pm

Your best bet would be to make a usergroup, if there was a lot of interest, it could be made a subforum in tower of babble.

by **Bones2484** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:07 pm

A usergroup would be your best bet. Although it may be possible to make a sub-forum under babble if the admins see fit.

((Look! I can paraphrase what has already been said by mods too!))

by **blakebowling** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 5:15 pm

Bones2484 wrote:A usergroup would be your best bet. Although it may be possible to make a sub-forum under babble if the admins see fit.

((Look! I can paraphrase what has already been said by mods too!))

yeah, I didn't intentionally post the same thing, I meant that it should start as a usergroup, then if it becomes popular, could be moved.

by **BaldAdonis** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 6:12 pm

How many threads would you really need though? I've seen this done on other forums, and they just keep each game contained to one thread in a forum games section. You could already do that here, and you won't have to impose limits on who can play like a usergroup would. You'll just need to dig up a dice server (I hear random.org is very popular with folks around here).

by **Natewolfman** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 6:22 pm

BaldAdonis wrote:How many threads would you really need though? I've seen this done on other forums, and they just keep each game contained to one thread in a forum games section. You could already do that here, and you won't have to impose limits on who can play like a usergroup would. You'll just need to dig up a dice server (I hear random.org is very popular with folks around here).

well you would need 1 thread per game being played, if its only a group of 4-8 people that wouldnt be a problem, but if as many people start playing as play mafia it would be a bit much. Although it would be VERY easy to make a usergroup, I personally would rather see it as its own sub-forum (not a main forum) similar to mafia for the simple reason, it attracts more people who otherwise would not know the usergroup exists

by **Kotaro** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 6:37 pm

Hey guys, I really think this should be a usergroup... Or possibly in the tower of babble...

Wait, this is my thread!

samuelc812 wrote:I doubt the admins would agree to creating this as another Main Forum, and especially not with three subforums, perhaps they would consider making it a sub-forum in the Tower of Babble like Mafia Games and Forum Games

Twill totally owes me!

killmanic wrote:why not make a user group for it?

Recent surveys show that usergroups aren't very well broadcasted. For example, I started a Feudal War training ground, and bumped the thread for awhile. However, I was soon warned that bumping my thread with no actual updates was against the rules, and I was told to stop or I'd lose the group. So I did. Guess how many new members I got between then and now? 2. And, for this to work, we'd need a constant influx of new, creative people, to join in and contribute

Natewolfman wrote:I have seen similar on many other sites, a little sub-forum similar to our mafia one would be nice for this. Basically the way it works is someone who hosts it would pick a topic, be it D&D based, Futuristic space based, Romance based, or any unlimited number of examples, and the entire story would take place in 1 thread (again similar to the current mafia forum) I used to get into these alot back in the day and wouldnt mind getting into them again

I knew I could get support from the nerd squad... I mean Nate!

BaldAdonis wrote:How many threads would you really need though? I've seen this done on other forums, and they just keep each game contained to one thread in a forum games section. You could already do that here, and you won't have to impose limits on who can play like a usergroup would. You'll just need to dig up a dice server (I hear random.org is very popular with folks around here).

While I mentioned D&D in this thread, it isn't the kind of thing you would need dice for. And as for threads, let me elaborate why I believe a 3 subforums would be needed. I've been RPing for almost 4 years of my life now; I've been to hundreds of random forums, and the one thing I've noticed is, if you try to do everything needed for a good RP to occur (Chat Out Of Character/OOC, have Sign-ups, and the actual Story/RP itself), the only thing that happens is Chaos. Since the thread started wouldn't have a moderator power over the thread, it usually turns into a huge mess, with the thread started eventually just giving up and moving on to something else. There was only one forum that I ever saw get around this need, but it has the ability to put "Tags" on every thread, and I'm not sure if this type can do that.

Now, in response to the Babble idea. The Tower is often seen as a spam area, where everyone posts whatever they feel like, without any real reason or rhyme. One could spam that place for weeks, and it would be fully allowed in the rules. Now, I'm not saying the entire area is spam, just not the kind of place that most would go to for anything serious.

by **soka** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 7:32 pm

a user group sounds better

by **Kotaro** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 7:47 pm

soka wrote:a user group sounds better

Thanks for your opinion.. and repeating what others have already said

by **BaldAdonis** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:08 pm

Natewolfman wrote:well you would need 1 thread per game being played, if its only a group of 4-8 people that wouldnt be a problem, but if as many people start playing as play mafia it would be a bit much. .... I personally would rather see it as its own sub-forum (not a main forum) similar to mafia for the simple reason, it attracts more people who otherwise would not know the usergroup exists

Mafia started out just using threads, and then got popular enough to merit a subforum. If there are enough people interested, then you might get it to happen (eventually). But right now, apropos of nothing, why would anyone bother? Just more work to rearrange something which is not a mess to begin with, and a dangerous precedent.

by **AndyDufresne** on Mon Jan 05, 2009 8:16 pm

As many of the earlier posts have pointed out, if you can get enough of a fan base up in forum games or in a usergroup, we'll expand our forums to fit those needs. It happened with Mafia games, it happened with the International Italian Forum recently, etc. So get some backing, and we'll come back to it later!

--Andy