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 Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 2:40 pm
This is where an insider look at my creative process will be shown to you, chiiiiiiiildren!
(This is Three-Dog)
In this thread, when I get around to it, maybe today, hopefully soon, I'll go over the inspirations/processes that I use to come up with memorable settings/plots.
"But we never see you GM" you might say, "And your stuff in the Academy is Plain" you might also harp on me with.
Well the Academy has not been opened and explored so it can become normal, and no, I haven't GM'd. Which is a good point.
That means we'll start off with what will likely be my first shot in a long time;
Conton.
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Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2012 3:05 pm
Welcome to Conton! Population 190,000.
Conton is a city/area (haven't decided yet) situated in an isolated valley of the Rocky Mountains, likely in Oregon.
The nearest highway is through the only accessible pass, and there is, quite literally, only one way in and one way out.
The area was settled for mining, and kept for Lake Gordan, a pristine clearwater lake that houses resorts.
Those same resorts boast skiing and snowboarding in the wintertime.
Conton is also home to Red Injun Textiles, which has kept people in work when the tourism can't.
In short, it's a good place to live, and a happy little-city in Oregon's hidden valley.
Pretty normal right?
Conton makes a great place for Slice-of-Life style rp's, it's isolated, old, and has plenty of stuff to see and do as it is a city. But normalcy can get a bit on the boring side, so let's see what else the city has to offer that can be a bit more fun, and exciting.
There's the Lake. It's clearwater, which means very clean, and it's a valley lake, which means it's surrounded by mountains, some of those can cliff into the lake, giving a dangerous place to be or an interesting place for adults/teenagers to hang out.
It was settled by mining, which means there are likely old mines and caves, also interesting places to explore and investigate.
It has forests which are places to get lost, it's an old land, and probably part of Indian culture at one time.
So it has out-of-the-ordinary places to gawk and gander as citizens of Conton, and now let's have fun with people.
Well that's too easy, especially for someone like me, but let's keep it within the bounds of reality, and look at the groups of people that are in and about Conton.
You have the Christians, which is made more fun if you divide them into denominations that like to war with each other simply because they changed the wording of some otherwise meaningless creed.
You have the Civil Authorities; the Sheriff's Dept., the Hospital, Fire Dept., etc.
Also made fun if they were split up.
You have the Figureheads; the various politicians in and around Conton.
You've got the Teenagers; Which are almost always split into their own happy little cliques.
You've got College Students; Only slightly better than teenagers.
You've got Adults; Everything from the blue-collar to the white collar
You've got Rich
You've got Poor.
Hell, everything! The population of the setting is what makes a good setting in my opinion. Everyone and thing from people to the bugs that irritate should be all over a setting and are part of a setting. Sometimes even objects become characteristic of a setting.
Like statues, old buildings, mines, lakes, etc.
See where I'm going with this?
All of it makes for a setting.
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 11:52 am
Now it comes time to refine the setting into a workable RP setting, part of which relies on presentation!
That's actually one of my weak points, and I'll tell you why;
I don't know how to do "flashy" very well.
That being said, the setting is not enough, there must be a hint of plot, or even a face full of plot or else people will simply overlook the roleplay as being some hangabout and that is not the case with Conton.
Conton has the potential to be much more than some hangabout slice-of-life roleplay that it will start out as, mostly because I'm a devious b*****d. How, then, do I hint at said possibility? Well let's pick a good event to start off from.
Melancholy Conton
On May 24th, in the rocky mountain valley resort-city of Conton, tragedy struck. The Clearwater High School sweetheart Jeremy Oleander took his life by jumping from the cliffs of Lake Gordan into the shallow waters below. Many believe this might have been an accident as Jeremy had often been one for night swimming with his friends in the lake. Those many people were kidding themselves.
Without letting friend or family know, Jeremy Oleander cast himself upon the rocks of Lake Gordan, plain and simple.
His body was discovered in daylight by local residents, Brian and Marian Fischer, who often fished on the lake.
The city took to grieving, and will be holding a public funeral service for this golden child, valedictorian, popular football player, indeed, a boy who was living a high-school dream.
The public funeral service will be held at St. Chad's Cathedral on the shores of Lake Gordan.
You are invited.
---------------------------------------------------
And BAM! Plot, or at least, something to do in the meantime while I think of a plot, which I assure you, I already have.
This gives the players a place to focus and gather, they don't even have to know or have a relation with the character in question (Jeremy Oleander), it's a public service.
BRILLIANT!
But in order to really start things off, as far as roleplaying goes, I have to set my player boundaries! This means rules, a profile template, and a character guideline!
For example; I'd rather not have a whole bunch of high school teenagers running around, why not college students and adults? This allows for methods of travel, but as it is set during the beginning of a summer break high school students old enough to drive would be allowed greater freedom.
Problem is, high school kids have parents, and have curfews, and for the purpose of plot, constantly worrying about what your parents might think is grounds for getting you ******** up.
These are the kinds of debates one has with oneself when trying to make a roleplay worth playing!
I'd say college kids and adults would be the best bet here.
But if someone really wants to be a graduated senior just out of school, that'd be fine too.
Hmmm.
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:27 am
Okay! After much ado about nothing, I've decided to further this concept! of Melancholy Conton!
Melancholy Conton
[Welcome to Conton!]
Hidden in the peaceful mountains of Oregon lies the city of Conton, once an old mining town, it has since become a festive vacation spot for tourists all over the continental divide.
It's beautiful clearwater lake Gordon offers the residents and tourists alike a fishing experience and beach bathing during the summer like no other lake in America, the mountains provide ski and snowboarding during the winter, and Conton's bounteous forests feature some of the most gorgeous hiking trails on the west coast.
Indeed, where nature does not provide, the gracious shopping district of Conton has the latest trends and cafes eagerly awaiting your consumption. Or take a break in Conton's Skyrail Mall! The only mall in America built up a mountain! The city of Conton also offers a historic experience in the Connety Town Mining Village, open year round!
Visit Conton; a tourist's paradise.
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I am going to format the intro to this RP like a tourist board, despite the fact that it really has little to do with the roleplay plot, it just happens to be what Conton's all about.
And I've decided to divide it up into chapters, so chapter one will be called;
Chapter 1: Proverbs 3:24
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