Isawa Mitsuru
Phoenix Clan
Shugenja ? Void ? Experienced
Posts: 113
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Post by Isawa Mitsuru on Sept 17, 2013 14:14:56 GMT -5
Raposa has put out a call for game mechanics an dI hope that i have enough experience to help out with that at least a little.
I don't think stats should be hard and fast rules as much as they should inform the role-playing experience of players. to that end, I kind of frown on using dice for a forum based RPG unless someone can come up with a really compelling way to use them on the boards (and i really don't know what that mechanic would be). I think tracking stats could be fun if we understand that no one should become all powerful as a result. Even people with high stats can be undone by others with enough luck or with good role-playing.
In the SCA and in other rp forums I've been on, it has generally been the responsibility of the players to know when something like a hit has been scored in a fight and how effective that hit is. there is a sense of "on your honor" to not god mode the game and to be willing to play with other people without being a jerk. I know that this system isn't perfect and that there can be problems with people rhino-hiding, but I found it to be generally enjoyable.
I think that, if possible, there ought to be a few GM's who have the power to hand out experience when it is viable to do so. Players can request that a thread or something be checked for XP and then the GM publicly posts what the rewards are, or actually makes the changes to the person's stats or what have you. A GM can play a character in the game as well but may never score their own threads. Again there is a certain level of maturity required here of the GM's to fairly look over people's posts and determine how well the player represented the character and that character's growth, no matter how they may feel about the player themselves, for good or ill.
In the Winter Court Play by post, people could ask GM's to make rolls for them and tell them whether they passed or failed the roll. Also, every so often GM's would ask players why they felt they deserved Experience Points and then hand out fair amounts accordingly. I could see something liek that working here, but without constant attention form at least one GM, role-playing can sometimes be slowed down.
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Isawa Mitsuru
Phoenix Clan
Shugenja ? Void ? Experienced
Posts: 113
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Post by Isawa Mitsuru on Sept 17, 2013 15:16:26 GMT -5
DOPEL POST!
Alright, so after talking it out with Mai, we have a few ideas for game mechanics to be considered.
CORE MECHANICS:
This game idea revolves around five stats and three resources to have a general role-play environment and allow for meaningful large-scale interaction.
The five stats are the Five Rings, which can be raised by spending XP. There is no cap on how high a Ring can go but each new rank costs more experience points. There should be no expectation that rings can only go up to five. Hitting double digits shouldn’t be excessively hard. These five rings inform your role-playing experience. A higher fire ring implies someone who is very smart, or agile, or who is good with a sword, or what have you.
The three resources are Money, Items, and XP. Items are of two types; those which can raise your stats and those which can be spent on voting actions.
Money can be obtained through adventuring and is awarded by GM/Mod’s. (I’m going to use the term GM from here on out) Money can be spent at the store plug-in to obtain items.
Items may be obtained through adventuring or through the store plug-in. Items gained through adventuring are gotten at a better rate but of a more limited scope. Some items may only be obtained from certain adventures. Items may be gifted to other players. Items which raise stats may be equipped to players. Items which are used for vote actions may be spent to increase a vote count of a given option.
XP may be obtained through adventuring and is awarded by GM’s. XP may be spent to permanently raise stats.
There are two types of play mechanic, namely free-form role-playing and vote based community actions. Free-form role-playing is done with little oversight from GM’s unless specifically requested/required. This is the role-playing mechanic that everyone is most used to on the forums. Sometimes GM’s will create a vote action/thread. This is a chance for players to have a very real effect on the game storyline and will be used for large scale conflicts, physical or otherwise.
ADVENTURES:
Players may interact with the world through Free-form role-paly adventures. Adventures are made up of one or more threads wherein actions happen. At the end of any given thread a GM may award XP, money, and/or items to the players who participated in the thread. It is the responsibility of the player to request that a GM look at their completed thread to give awards.
There are two types of adventures: Open and Plot-hooks. Open adventures are those that are created purely by the players and their ongoing plots. Plot-hooks are thread ideas created by GM’s or other players in order to help facilitate ideas for role-playing. Plot-hooks should be posted in a central place on the board and should describe a plot idea and suggested awards.
VOTE ACTIONS: It is expected that as players go through their adventures or use the shop plug-in, they will accrue items to be used for Vote Actions. A Vote Action is a thread posted by a GM wherein a vote is called for in the form of donated resources toward a given outcome. Players may spend specific items in order to increase the vote count of a particular outcome. After a certain period of time, or when an outcome reaches a given count, the vote is closed and the results are tallied. The winning vote will affect the outcome of the plot or conflict. This is similar to the vote actions from the EE click game.
CHARACTER GROWTH
As Players go through their adventures, it is expected that they will accrue XP as awarded by GMs. XP may be spent on character growth. XP may be spent on any of the five Rings to increase it appropriate to the cost. There is an increasing cost scale for the advancement of rings as they go up.
I think that covers most of what we came up with.
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Bayushi Senshi
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Clan Champion * Samurai * Kensai * Experienced * Loyal * Unique
Posts: 1,891
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Post by Bayushi Senshi on Sept 17, 2013 17:01:28 GMT -5
*opens up his attic to find old games*
*sees room fully occupied*
"Oh! Uh, please excuse me, I didn't know anyone was here... go about your business."
*closes attic*
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Utaku Mai
Unicorn Clan
*Battle Maiden* *Paragon of Honor* *Goddamn Rockstar*
Posts: 484
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Post by Utaku Mai on Sept 17, 2013 18:00:07 GMT -5
![](http://www.techsavvyed.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/over-enthusiastic-kermit.gif) waaaaait! Come baaaaaack! We Miiiiiiiss you!
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Kakita Sojiro
Crane Clan Global Mod ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
When you die, will you be remembered, or will you be just another strand in the tapestry?
Posts: 900
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Post by Kakita Sojiro on Sept 17, 2013 18:49:54 GMT -5
I've always been fascinated by the shadowlands, in particular the "civilized" Spider clan. So, rather than making the Shadowlands the big bad bogeyman once again, why don't we make them a more insidious, creeping threat?
We're looking at an empire in shambles after not one, not two, but three back-to-back-to-back wars (yobanjin, civil war, shadowlands assault). The damage done by these wars, particularly the brother's war, is not just physical but political as well - there is bound to be resentment between clans that were on opposing sides, bad blood between rivals, ect. and those are the sorts of things that make rebuilding difficult. As Mai pointed out, how many times have the Crane screwed the Crab over economically for our... ahem, THIER... own ends? Do you think that they are suddenly going to play nice now that the shadowlands threat is "over?" The Crab invaded Crane lands. There is going to be political hell to pay. Now take that very human attitude and apply it to the Lion and the Dragon over Swift Sword, the Scorpion and the fact that they took so long to get involved, ect. These are all political situations fueled by human emotion, that are going to have to be dealt with in some way for reconstruction to be a possibility. In addition, I can see the temptation of Maho looking very nice in these times - a lot of people will be looking for any advantage they can find over their rivals.
So, it the midst of all this turmoil, a threat presents itself to the Empire, and the Empire is clearly not in any position to deal with said threat. Who comes to the rescue?
The Spider.
They come bearing supplies for rebuilding, soldiers, ships, advisors, ect. ect. ect. all of which seem free of taint. All they ask, is recognition of their status as a clan and the right to appear in court..... and in this way, not from one massive invasion but from a thousand minor little "infections" do they spread their nastiness 3:)
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Post by Shoju on Sept 18, 2013 8:06:30 GMT -5
Sojiro-san,
Your idea... It touched me. I love it. It could be pretty interesting to try out.
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Bayushi Senshi
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Clan Champion * Samurai * Kensai * Experienced * Loyal * Unique
Posts: 1,891
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Post by Bayushi Senshi on Sept 18, 2013 8:29:56 GMT -5
Oh, ok.
*steps back in*
I can still be Scorpion clan champion right?
and what of rokugani traditionalism? the spider will not be so easily accepted, even if an imperial edict is made saying that the clans must work with them. But none the less, an imperial edict MUST be made for this idea to even be possible.
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Post by Shoju on Sept 18, 2013 9:31:46 GMT -5
Well, I don't think that they are accepted in Canon very well either. They are at best treated the way the Scorpion was Post Burning Sands, or Post Coup.
I think it will come down to a vote, and I have an interesting way of framing it.
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Post by Shoju on Sept 18, 2013 9:32:49 GMT -5
AS far as champions go, it will most likely depend on the length of time in between the two "entities". If we go generational, doubtful. If we go a few years, that would most likely be put to a test
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Isawa Mitsuru
Phoenix Clan
Shugenja ? Void ? Experienced
Posts: 113
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Post by Isawa Mitsuru on Sept 18, 2013 11:13:36 GMT -5
About Senshi's post, I think that we might be able to start just as the spider are working to come into the empire. Just before an imperial edict is made. In fact one of the votes might be to see how fully to recognize the spider and what allowances to give them in the empire.
Well, now that I think about it, I guess it depends on what the other threat is. We'd need something that requires the empire to be desperate enough that they would accept help from the Spider.
Alternately, maybe the spider are making a claim for imperial recognition on the basis that the have hantei blood in their champion.
All in all, I like this more civilized, less horde based Shadowlands idea. Maybe there ought to be one GM who is in charge of planning out what the Shadowlands will do in the storyline and doesn't necessarily need to confer with other GM's about it. Kind of a villainous foil to everybody, including the story planners.
EDIT: Also, I vote no minor clans for players. There are more than enough character choices in the major clans. And the minor clans are just...superfluous and tend to crowd out the boards unnecessarily.
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Post by Shoju on Sept 18, 2013 11:43:22 GMT -5
Eh, we didn't have a lot of Minor Clans before.
My thinking on Minor Clans, is that they can "be" a minor clan "person", but they will be part of the "Minor Clans", and they will probably be counted as "minor clans" on a whole.
Or, allow them to be Ronin for "game" purposes, but they can RP as a Minor Clansmen if they so wish.
I'll fight to find a way to allow minor clans, since I myself am hoping to get some leeway on my next char.
We'll definitely be cutting a lot of locations, that's for sure.
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Bayushi Senshi
Scorpion Clan
Scorpion Clan * Clan Champion * Samurai * Kensai * Experienced * Loyal * Unique
Posts: 1,891
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Post by Bayushi Senshi on Sept 18, 2013 11:57:28 GMT -5
Scorpion would have been treated better then the spider, even post coup or post burning sands. The only thing that would prevent outright slaughter of spider claners would be an imperial edict. Even the hantei bloodline claim would be fought against. The loyalty is to the emperor not a bloodline. Minor clans should be playable, they are just as superfluous as spider clan, and you're planning plot for them.
Also, why not use the l5r rpg rules? or has that idea already been shot down?
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Post by Shoju on Sept 18, 2013 12:08:53 GMT -5
Problem with L5R Rules, is that it's a little difficult to do on a Forum based Play by play, unless we have:
Lots of Admin/GM types Not very many people, and all of them are familiar with L5R RPG rules.
And, I'd kind of like to make sure that there are lots of people playing, regardless of their familiarity with the intricacies of the L5R RPG. and I'd like to pare down the size of the "staff", something I don't think we would be able to do if we were trying to run the RPG rules.
If we use the L5R RPG rules, I'd probably not play much, simply because I'm not up to date on the newest rules. My group has used the D10 stuff, and we bent / broke / crammed the WOTC products that we wanted to use to fit that.
* And Post Coup, The Scorpion Clan was dissolved. Anyone publicly claiming to be Scorpion at that time would have been in some serious hot water, and treated as a dishonorable, enemy of the Emperor, disobeying an edict of the Son of Heaven.
Now, if they went about their business as a Ronin, they would have been a Ronin, but claiming to be a Scorpion Clan Samurai post coup would have been the epitome of "Hey, you, Samurai, Your mom was a geisha, and your dad was a Bakemono." type insult to the Hantei family.
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Zeure
Crane Clan
Crane Clan ? Samurai ? Duelist ? Artisan ? Guardian of Metal ? Unique
Posts: 826
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Post by Zeure on Sept 18, 2013 17:35:44 GMT -5
Plugins sound baller.
We should restart, completely, at a much later date. Generational is fine.
I like the rings as stats. I like the three resources.
I -don't- like votes for more xp/power, I also don't like arbitrary raises by mod opinion for characters.
You remember how in the old EE, the longer you were around, the better chance you had at contests and what not. Remember how frustrating for new players that was. Now imagine if that wasn't because of diligence in playing or from time spent, but rather arbitrary opinion that you were cooler than others. It turns games into popularity contests, that quickly spiral into overwhelming odds for those who are not popular.
More XP'd players are always going to have some advantage, but if there is a somewhat level playing field between, at the very least, those who started at the beginning, it forms a good checks and balances system and allows newer players to have confidence in their leadership. If one leader is just clearly better due to winning popular vote a number of times in the past, it eliminates that confidence; and/or makes everyone want to join that side because they are the clear "winners". If we're thinking big game with lots of people, this matters. If it's just going to be the ten or so of us, then it doesn't.
Those are my thoughts. I am glad we are trying to form this again. I have not had any good L5R RP since the game fell out.
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Utaku Mai
Unicorn Clan
*Battle Maiden* *Paragon of Honor* *Goddamn Rockstar*
Posts: 484
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Post by Utaku Mai on Sept 18, 2013 18:02:55 GMT -5
I feel bad for pulling out the 'I was in Winter Court' card again, buuuuut...
When I was in Winter Court, we used 4th edition characters who were off the bat pretty OP (you get, I think, 80 points off the bat, an extra 10 for an interesting backstory, and could go as high as 100 if you take disadvantages -- Hubs, feel free to correct me if I'm off, I had a pre-made character). 4th edition is actually pretty easy to grasp, but I'm not convinced its ideal for forum play.
The pros: WC was a very open sandbox of RP opportunities, with rolls and stats only coming into play when it had the capacity to affect another player or the general metaplot.
The Cons: I was playing as straight-up courtier, not a fighter/courtier or shugenja/courtier, and I found it *very* trying, because courtier skills often had little to no real benefit in the forum game. You could be a fighter with no real courtier skills and could still get by by virtue of your RL writing (which, considering the barrier for entry, was pretty high all around). I guess this isn't so much of a 'con' but it's something to consider.
As to the spider: yeeeeeeah, I don't know. The spider had to kill a demon goddess bent on destroying the entire world to be officially recognized as a clan and they're *still* hated by pretty much everyone.
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