77 replies to this topic

[BottomGuy]

I recently rediscovered a role-playing service I had contributed to / looked into a while back called Roll20. Below is a long and probably poorly worded explanation of what's going on. If you want to get to the gist of the matter, keep going. 

 

Spoiler

This is the type of application that I can get excited about for two reasons.  The first is that it is online. I have a lot of friends, suck as you folk, that have always been spread across the globe and I have many old friends that are moving away. Doing stuff online is one of the only ways I can continue to hang out with some of my friends. An online service like this is great. The second reason is that it is a creative application. I have always enjoyed the designing aspect of games and stories.  It's a big reason I made the Character Creation Contest.  This has backfired on my before where I get burned out making something before I can actually execute it. But! A lot of the time I feel like I don't have the resources to execute what I have in mind. I feel this sort of app would be great to put something together and would help me handle a lot of the issues of executing it.

 

Originally I wanted to use this to make a sort of labyrinth game where everyone is traversing the maze on their own. I threw that out the window pretty quickly because that would involve handling everyone separately, which would slow things waaaaaaaaaaaay down. I really don't know what I want to work on and would love some input from you guys on ideas for a game.

 

There are a few things that have motivated / inspired me in regards for what I want to make. The first is Scion which is more story based and creative versus rolling dice. I like dice mechanics and Scion still uses it, but things can get boring when players play the dice system rather than play their character. Second would be the Kings Quest episodes going on at Steam Train right now on YouTube. I simply love the pace of that game and the exploration part of it. Not knowing what you need, collecting everything you can, then using things in creative ways down the road, I love it all. That's the sort of pace I would like to go with. Something that plays out over a long time and where something a player pocketed at the beginning could be useful later on in the most outrageous way. So on that note...

 

Who is interested in starting a game using Roll20? Ideally it would be a once a week thing for just a couple of hours, keep the sessions relatively short. I just need to know what kind of game you guys would like to play. Setting, mechanics, focus, etc. Personally I'm interested in making use of the deck system offered in Roll20 somehow. I don't know how yet, but I feel like it could be a great mechanic and focus. Let me know what you guys think, if you're interested, and what you would like to see.

 

Oh, and I will be doing something else using Roll20 before this very...soon.

 

Ideas

Pokemon / PTU ₁

Pathfinder ₂

Single Story ₃

Open World ₄

MP Characterizations ₅

Escape the Labyrinth ₆

 

Ideas Expanded

Spoiler

 

1. This was a bit of a spur of the moment. While I was watching some of the help videos offered by Roll20, PTU caught my eye when they were going over character sheets. The video was just showing that they have a large library of character sheets available and the word Pokemon just happened to pop out to me. I've read thru a bit of of the PTU system and it is fleshed out. The Core Book is nearly 500 pages, making it on par with Scion and D&D books I've read. Read this if you want a quick rundown of what it is.
   
   Originally I thought I might toss this idea over to Ame at Pokemon Reborn since it would be more fitting. But I haven't been part of that community for a while and I'm much closer buds with you guys here. Since I've been playing Pokemon since I was 10, I already know the world. Whether I used an existing setting or made my own world, I would be familiar and comfortable with the environment no matter what.
    
2. I've used the Pathfinder system before and it would be easy to use with Roll20. If we used it then it would be part of a fantasy setting. This is more about mechanics than setting.
    
3. A single story would mean there would be a single challenge posed to you guys to tackle over the sessions. This doesn't mean it would be short though. My first Pathfinder game had us stranded on an island (thereby containing us) and over a couple months we tackled a big problem along with little problems underneath it. This would be less about exploration and more progressing down a story line.
    
4. In contrast to the single story setting, an open world would have no defined goal to be accomplished. To be sure challenges would crop up that you could choose to challenge, but it would be more about finding your own story and doing it how you want to do it. This would be centred on the exploration part of playing.
    
5. MP Characterizations would mean playing as yourselves essentially. This would be a little more light-hearted perhaps as you play as your MP selves and not reality selves.
    
6. I've had this idea in my head for a while because of the MP Conventions / murder mysteries that we have held. This would be the essence of a dungeon crawl as you navigate your way out and solve puzzles and traps along the way. I had originally wanted to have everyone on their own exploring and able to run into each other and get separated, but I don't see that working unless it was done in a forum posting setting.
   

[kspr]

i had fun being a victim of puffin's misanthropy, let's do it!

 

can you upload your own cards to the deck mechanic? because i've got a lot of stupid/funny cards that don't have a game yet. 

[Stars]

If you make a thing, I will play it.

[Puffin]

Oh! I wanna victimize more people with my misanthropy!

 

I've also had Roll20 recommended to me before, but I've never tried it before, so I'd be interested in it just for that.

[BottomGuy]

i had fun being a victim of puffin's misanthropy, let's do it!

 

can you upload your own cards to the deck mechanic? because i've got a lot of stupid/funny cards that don't have a game yet. 

You can indeed upload your own decks. They don't even have to be card formatted either as one of the recommended uses is as a stack of chips where you use an identical icon for the front and back of the "cards". The only downside is that it takes a while to upload your deck since you have to do it a single card at a time. I wish I could just tell it to upload all of the images in a file, but oh well.

 

I'm going to start adding some ideas to the original post. Feel free...you know, no, I demand you post ideas of what you want to do setting wise or mechanic wise. I'll probably keep this small as well, at most five people.

[Kamau]

There's no way I'll have time to participate for a while, or I'd totally be interested. Concerning the concept of it lasting for a while and the surprise aspect, you could always do small groups in a labyrinth-like situation. That way you're handling people in clusters rather than individually (potentially based on who can play, when), and then at certain points these groups could suddenly end up interacting! 

 

Totally not thinking about the Destiny labyrinth endeavor. Nope. 

[Puffin]

There's no way I'll have time to participate for a while, or I'd totally be interested. Concerning the concept of it lasting for a while and the surprise aspect, you could always do small groups in a labyrinth-like situation. That way you're handling people in clusters rather than individually (potentially based on who can play, when), and then at certain points these groups could suddenly end up interacting! 

 

Totally not thinking about the Destiny labyrinth endeavor. Nope. 

 

That's actually not a bad idea. This way you could start off with any number of people in a labyrinth all together, then by next week if three of those people can't make it- whoops! they fell through a trap door and are now separated from the rest of the group in another part of the labyrinth, who advances along the same route as before. And if new people join you can just pull the 'as you turn the corner you run into ___.'

[BottomGuy]

Then what happens to people who leave and then come back? Would they really be happy with saying they fell thru a trap door and then magically found their way back without incident? And part of the reason I wanted to do the labyrinth was to let people come across each other or find hints about each other. You come into a room with a dead monster wondering who killed it but grateful there are usable arrows stuck in the beast. Then there is trying to find the other people. If people are already in groups then you lose the aspect of trying to figure out who else is in there, what they are doing, and where they are.

 

I'd still be down for a labyrinth with the idea being inspired by Destiny so HA! and with letting people drop in and out.

[Xteven Xavier]

i might be interested keep me updated.

[Puffin]

Then what happens to people who leave and then come back? Would they really be happy with saying they fell thru a trap door and then magically found their way back without incident? And part of the reason I wanted to do the labyrinth was to let people come across each other or find hints about each other. You come into a room with a dead monster wondering who killed it but grateful there are usable arrows stuck in the beast. Then there is trying to find the other people. If people are already in groups then you lose the aspect of trying to figure out who else is in there, what they are doing, and where they are.

 

I'd still be down for a labyrinth with the idea being inspired by Destiny so HA! and with letting people drop in and out.

Though I'm not saying everyone should start in one huge group, but it is something to think about regardless of when we meet up with one another. If we want this to run smoothly without too many cancelled sessions, coming up with wacky ways to separate and reunite players would be conducive to keeping this going (otherwise it goes the way of Scion where there can be weeks or even months between sessions if everyone can't make it to a game).

 

You could, in that case, say they fell through a trap door and maybe in the next session they would have a separate narrative until they met up with the other players again, or with someone else. Or you could pull out the magically convenient staircase if you wanted it to be quick. (and if you're feeling really creative, it could be a physics defying Escher staircase!)

 

Although if you intend for us to be separate, how will you handle GMing for people? Would this be done vocally like Scion or would it be more like Destiny where players and GMs post at their leisure? I only ask cuz I've been in Scion campaigns where the GM would split the players up and then concentrate on one player's narrative for 30 minutes while everyone else sits there playing with their dice. And there's really nothing worse in roleplaying that realizing you've set aside an hour or more of your time to literally do nothing in the game.

[BottomGuy]

Although if you intend for us to be separate, how will you handle GMing for people? Would this be done vocally like Scion or would it be more like Destiny where players and GMs post at their leisure? I only ask cuz I've been in Scion campaigns where the GM would split the players up and then concentrate on one player's narrative for 30 minutes while everyone else sits there playing with their dice. And there's really nothing worse in roleplaying that realizing you've set aside an hour or more of your time to literally do nothing in the game.

That's why I don't want to split up the group, because it would be pretty much impossible to govern. If I did a labyrinth scenario, it would be with everyone in a single group. To do a Destiny style set up requires it to be done in posts. There is simply no way to have everyone doing their own thing simultaneously otherwise.

 

Also, is the labyrinth what you guys want? I feel like we started talking about it and got stuck on the idea rather than it being genuinely desired.

[Stars]

I'm really okay with just about any setting/theme. I'm not as keen on the labyrinth idea, but I'm not wholly against it.

 

Looking down your list of suggestions...I've kind of been in a Pokemon mood recently. >_> <_<

[Puffin]

I'm up for any setting, though I'd totally be keen with the labyrinth idea. Mazes are fun.

[Xteven Xavier]

yeah I'd be up for basically anything assuming I'm not at work at the time

[BottomGuy]

As no one has any strong feelings one way or another, I guess we'll just do D&D Pathfinder since it is accessible and vanilla.

 

Character sheets are implemented into the interface, but I cannot assign access to sheets to people until they join the game. Whenever you want to work on your character or get familiar with the Roll20 interface, just shoot me a message on Skype and I'll give you access. In the meantime I'm going to re-familiarize myself with the Pathfinder mechanics and continue to learn Roll20.

 

The End of the Age of Chivalry

The world you are about to venture into is a familiar one as it inhabits a wide spectrum of races, magic, and ways of life. Dotted across the land are ancient ruins of lost kingdoms and ancient dungeons. Where there is danger in the world and a chance for glory there is also the adventurer. Some travel the world for fame, others power, and many for treasure! These knights, mages, and thiefs are often employed by the many rulers of the land or the humble village in need of aid. While it can be chaotic, the world thrives because of it.

 

This way of life is now under threat. New technologies and innovations are emerging in the world. None are more powerful than what is being called gunpowder. It's explosive force was at first harnessed for industries such as mining. It did not take long for people to adapt it and create new marvels such as cannons and bombs. Countless other technologies are emerging as well and they are threatening the lives of many, especially the adventurer. What need is there for a skilled swordsman when a peasant can point a gun? For a powerful mage when a bomb can be tossed into a mob of enemies? For a rogue when...you could blow it up instead. There is no turning back the hands of progress and innovation, as many destroyed kingdoms can testify, and adventures must find ways to adapt to these new technologies and to fight back. There is still a need for brave men and women, but now they must prove themselves more than ever!

 

Map of the world available for perusing.

Attached Files

•  World Map.jpg   259.22K   0 downloads

[Stars]

I may be on this afternoon to look at the character sheet/mechanics after work. Sometime after 1:00 Arizona Time (I think).

[Xteven Xavier]

But... 

 

 

I don't have your skype name.

[Stars]

For anyone who needs a reference for the Pathfinder rules, most everything should be available for perusal in the SRD.

[BottomGuy]

But... 

 

 

I don't have your skype name.

That is your first challenge to prove your worthiness.

[Xteven Xavier]

Well if i search your name in skype i just see a bunch of gay dudes showing off their bottoms so i don't think i'll be looking much more.