I'm currently in the process of brainstorming the plot for an RP. I've got a couple questions on your opinions, and hopefully they will reflect a percentage of people here, and in Barton Town.
~Remember, when selecting one, vote for the one you think will attract. the most (serious, literate) people. And please leave a reason why!~
This RP is based around a scifi environment in the far future, approximately 6000 A.D.
The entire RP is open-ended, and while there will be a "main" plot, about 90% of the actual story will be the members' own. However, I have certain regulations that prevent new people from joining and creating stupid plots (and stupid characters). I have a real problem with that sort of stuff.
In this RP, each member will play a character (not set) in the USN. But this is just a brainstorm for how this would be played. All the players WILL be on the same team, since they are all in the same force. However, players are given the option to control NPCs, which can greatly expand storylines and can serve as the "baddies".
I like things organized. It may seem a little daunting at first, but the system of organization is relatively simple if you understand the main idea.
Ships- Depending on the number of people that join, the navy will be divided up into "ships", and depending on the number of ships, fleets might be organized. It's doubtful that there will be such a great number of participants though (but I'm always hopeful whee ). A ship should have no more than 8-10 members on board. The main purpose for having seperate ships is to better introduce the players into the RP and allow better moderation of the RP itself. Each ship will have a Captain, who will serve as a moderator for the ship.
There are three kinds of ships. Fleet ships, Academy ships, and Command stations. Academy ships are the ships that will take in new recruits. On an Academy ship, a new player will learn not only how to play, but play well. The Academy ship captain will observe the player's progress and RPing skill. Having an Academy ship serves as a buffer to keep those who are serious and want to progress in the RP from those who either are not good (sorry if I'm harsh) or do not contribute actively to the RP. After "graduating" from an Academy ship, the player will then be sent to a Fleet ship, where he/she will play with the "pros", and may continue on up the ladder. With this system, we should be able to root out all the bad and keep the good. Fleet ships are the other ships where normal members play, and Command stations are for use by Admirals and Captains-in-training only.
Ranking System- Yes, there will be a ranking system. Not a contest, but like in any armed fighting force, there are ranks with privileges and restrictions. The ranks are as follows from least to smallest; I will briefly explain each next: Cadet, Crewman, Ensign, Lt. Junior Grade, Chief Lt. Junior Grade, Lt. Full Grade, Chief Lt. Full Grade, Lt. Commander, Commander, Commander Elite, Captain, Admiral, Chief Admiral, Fleet Admiral.
Please stay with me after all that. I know there's a lot, but there's good reason for it. sweatdrop All ranks in orange are aboard an Academy ship, those in green transfer to a fleet ship, those in red have proved themselves enough to be given a command position (in which moderation is involved), and those in blue are the founders and highest ranking players (such as myself, and people who are trusted enough to take on my job should I be away).
Cadet: Cadets are the newest recruits. They aren't expected to know much, as long as they follow the rules.
Crewman: Crewman should begin to show writing skill. This includes using some correct grammar. Crewman should also be able to interact with those on board easily and should keep up with the current plot.
Ensign: By this point, a player should be able to write in an acceptable manner and be familiar with the RP's universe (i.e. enemies, ships, weapons, etc.) It is necessary for an Ensign to have read the entire information guide in order to progress to a Fleet ship. Ensigns should be able to keep with the plot and help others to get involved. As the highest ranking players in non-command (red) positions on an Academy ship, they will be given special positions on board (such as Chief of Navigation, Chief of Science, Chief of Engineering, Chief Physician, and Chief of Marines), if such positions haven't been taken by existing officers.
Lt. JG: After graduating the Academy, one becomes a Lt. JG aboard a fleet ship. By this point, a player should know full well how to play the game, and has proven such.
Chief Lt. JG: A Lt. JG may become a Chief Lt. JG if a "Chief" position is open. No extra requirments are needed, but as a chief, the player must take responsibility on organizing his/her team.
Lt. FG: The player may begin to shine amongst his/her peers. If this is the case, that player may be promoted to Lt. FG.
Chief Lt. FG: A Lt. FG may be promoted to Chief Lt. FG if their chief position is available.
Lt. Commander: A Lt. Commander should prove that they are not only fully interested in the RP, but post frequently, include players in their posts, and show quality work.
Commander: The lowest command position available. Commanders should show all the characteristics of a good player in the game, but also outside the game, helping other players, giving suggestions and helping manage the group. The Commander should be the first person that a crewmember takes a problem to (in the game).
Commander Elite: A Commander Elite serves as the ship's second-in-command, just under the Captain. The Commander Elite should be very active with other players, help the Captain with his/her duties, and will take charge if the Captain is unavailable.
Captain: Only the most spirited and enthusiastic players get to become the Captain of a ship. Captains have numerous duties in aiding the administration and, unless needed otherwise, are the top authority in the RP (on the ship in the RP, or as a local moderator). Go to the Captain with a problem. Captains will think up and introduce new plots. A player can give a suggestion for a plot, and if the Captain approves, it may then be introduced by the player (or whoever the plot calls to introduce it). Plots should generally remain secretive until their debut, to keep things interesting. Captains must submit a captain's log to a Fleet Admiral (for the most part, me), detailing the current plot, problems (in and out of RP), suggestions, and promotion announcements and details. ALL promotions must be passed through HQ before being valid. Basically, if I or a Chief Admiral do not see proof WHY someone should be promoted, then they will not be. Captains handle promotions through the Green Level. Officers are promoted into the Red and Blue levels only by HQ. A Captain is an essential part of the RP, and should be in contact with me frequently. A Captain will also leave a summary for players on the first page of their ship (thread).
Admiral: Admirals will serve as fleet commanders, should there be a need to establish more than one fleet. Admirals generally remain in close (VERY close) contact with the Chief and Fleet Admirals, but they have the ability to "check-up" on ships in their fleet, posting and playing with normal players in their own plot twists.
Chief Admiral: They remain on a command ship almost always. Chief Admirals may also, if granted, be given the power to take over in case the Fleet Admiral(s) is/are away. Chief Admirals may be divided into seperate roles, if this is necessary. Roles are non-RP (NRPG) which involve the continued running and maintenance of the RP. For example, they may handle FAQs, serve as the chief in charge of promotions, admission into the RP, or checking Captain's logs. Basically anything a Fleet Admiral can do, a Chief Admiral may perform if needed.
Fleet Admiral: THE highest ranking officer in the RP, NRPG or otherwise. This group would consist of myself and possibly the main contributors to the RP before it is started. Fleet Admirals will control anything that is needed.
All Admirals will meet at certain times to discuss key issues in the RP, such as updates in the main plot, introducing new technology, new ships, reformatting the RP's threads, and many other activities.
Promotions will be considered based on the quality, length, and frequency of posts, as well as the player's overall knowledge of the RP, participation in the plot, including others in the plot, developing plot twists, and by being an active member outside the game.
In this RP, each player will be a character (as an officer) on a ship, with several other players. As said before, everyone will be on the same team. But here's the part that's different. Each player can not only act as themselves and NPCs, but as other players. In other words, each player will be in control of his player, any NPCs, and other players' characters, to certain extents. There are a few limits on this to make sure it's not overdone. One, you will not be able to "think" as another player. The only actions you can control are physical, and only when your character is present (NPCs are an exception). Two, you can't do anything their character wouldn't do. This goes along with the whole purpose of the Academy--to understand how to interact and use other players' characters. If someone does play another player's character out-of-line, then that player has the right to PM them with the disgression, and how it should be fixed. (NOTE: By PM I don't mean flame the gonads off them, but politely tell them what was wrong and give them an example of what would fit better.) Then that player can fix the problem, and the Captain won't have to be involved. There may be a time when the Captain is pulled into to something like this, in which case his/her decision is final.
It may seem strange right now, but it has been proven to work well, provided that the players are all excellent writers. The Academy ensures that the best will play with only the best, and will make the game much more enjoyable for everyone.
Players will post in story format. There are NO exceptions. You will be expected to know how to divide up a long post into paragraphs, and have decent punctuation. Posts may generally be long. This is because I'd like this RP to be something that you do not have to spend much time out of your busy schedule to sit down and interact with someone for several hours. This is also why in a post, a player may use other characters. In the event, say, that a fight broke out among some crewmembers in the galley, the players involved would organize a post through PMs and would then make a single post for all the players involved, which would be a compromise of how the fight goes. This will allow each player to be satisfied, and limit SHS (super-hero-syndrome).
The out-of-character parts of the post will be labeled with 'NRPG', and the in-character parts will be labeled with 'RPG'. At the end of a post the player will put a "tag", which will tell which player(s) can respond to it. Putting these in bold will help others recognize them better, though it is optional.
Here's a short example post so you have something to go by:
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NRPG - Awesome plot we have!
RPG - Johntson cautiously moved among the huge cargo containers, his MFD pistol in hand. The Vectoc was around here somewhere. Honestly he was scared out his wits, but an order was an order. Unfortunately, the team of 11 marines and Larson behind him didn't calm his nerves. He knew the Vectoc were cold, powerful, and relentless. He had some experience with them, but usually always behind the safety line...
NRPG - TAG: Larson
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Not too complicated huh? Even though this isn't really an example of character interaction, but I'll provide one if you'd like. Sorry for all this reading. sweatdrop
Anyway, that's the jist of it. Tell me if you think it might be a good idea or not and why, or any suggestions you may have. If you'd even like to help me out with the plot or get involved, you're certainly welcome. surprised Thanks!
Ok, here's an example of using someone else's character that I've come up with.
In this example, a player has said that his character (Drake) was heading for the crew quarters to check on the responding player (Korres). Drake left a tag, and now it's Korres' turn to post. You can do these sorts of things.
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What was that vision? That... It was there just a moment before. Now it's gone, like a star shimmering out of existence. How will I see it again? Am I supposed to find it? What must I fulfill? Is this what my purpose is? How can I--
"Korres. Korres! Come on, man! Up and about, now!"
Korres groaned. "What... What is it?" he squinted his eyes as the light of his small room poured in. He saw a figure hovering over him; blurry, yet familiar.
"I do believe it's time for you to awaken. Rise and shine, as they say."
"Drake..." Korres yawned, rubbing his eyes and sitting up slowly.
"Yes, yes, it's me. You need to wake up, my friend. Everyone is back on-ship and ready to go. Except you, of course." Drake chuckled to himself, standing up fully beside the bed.
"What time is it?" Korres yawned again, scratching his head.
"Why, it's about the sixteenth hour now."
Korres sprang suddenly to life from the response. "Oh man. I overslept way too long. Hey, meet me down in the bar, I could use some breakfast."
"Right then. Good day!" With that, Drake walked out of the room, the door closing with a swish.
I now have two races organized, besides the Terrans, which are pretty self-explanatory. They are the Vectoc (bad guys) and the Gretch (a playable race).
Vectoc
Very little is known about this species compared to some more common ones. Most of the knowledge in this database entry comes from translations of Vectoc runes and relics, which can be found on some planets near the Galactic Rim.
Vectoc were first discovered on the Rim between Gretch and Terran space, and seem to have come from somewhere just beyond the outer Rim. They have not been discovered until recently, raiding trade routes and any ship that could pose a threat to them. They do not seem to want to travel very far inward into the galaxy, and strays are extremely rare.
Runes on some ruins on the planet NIS-59320.gc indicate that the Vectoc once made great leaps in interstellar travel, but after a strange 'Dark Age' they lost much of their technologies and almost all of their colony planets were cut off from the home world and many perished, such as the one on NIS-59320.gc.
Further studies revealed that the Vectoc on 59320.gc, or 'Hacuvant' as they call it, had constructed monuments and other artifacts to honor their race and their history. Such artifacts have not been found. Ruins have been found on many other planets in or close to the Galactic Rim. Science teams and linguists are working very hard to try and uncover more of Vectoc ruins and language. Much of Vectoc is not fully understood and studies are still being made to uncover more of this race's history and culture.
What is known about some of Vectoc history is of the 'Three Heroes'. It seems like some kind of ancient legend, but the Three Heroes can be found in much of the Vectoc culture. The Vectoc inscriptions on some ruins state that during the Dark Age, the Three Heroes led the Vectoc and kept them safe. Over time, the Vectoc Empire grew, and now it resembles close to one fifth of what it once was. The first Hero, Vevix was the hero of Power. The Vectoc believed that Vevix was the most powerful being in the galaxy, and by following him, they too would become a powerful empire. Vevix has also been known as 'The Master' to many ancient Vectoc and he seems to have been the leader of all the Vectoc, hence the name. They have written inscriptions on many of their weapons, supposedly to have the blessing of Vevix to make them powerful. The second Hero, Tz'otok, was the hero of Defense. Ancient Vectoc called him 'The Guardian', and Vectoc believe that he controls Defense and Stability. They inscribe his name and blessings around their city walls and on ships and armor. By receiving Tz'otok's blessing, Vectoc believe that he will protect them in times of need, whether it be in war or economic struggle. The final Hero was Vectox, 'The Teacher' was the Hero of Knowledge. Vectoc believe that Vectox was the Hero that gave their race the knowledge and skill to develop advanced technology and help regain their empire after the Dark Age. It is also said that before the Dark Age, he gave them the language that they now use.
Other Info
Vectoc are a strange species, technologically advanced, but psionically inferior. They have no psychic abilities whatsoever, but they make up for in technology what they lack in mind power. They are humanoid, but resemble a cross between a reptile and a human. Vectoc stand straight at 7' to 9' tall, depending on age. However, they normally stand in a hunched position, with their backs bent, giving them an average height of 6'. Their weapons are attached to different parts of their bodies, mainly on the forearms. They have no hair, and their skin can be anywhere from dull green to a dull, grayish, dark blue. Their skin is also very thick. They have long, frog-like legs, and no tails. They have no noses or exterior ears. They also have strange, deep set, glowing eyes.
There are only two ways to retrieve information on Vectoc. The first is by studying Vectoc runes on anything from ships and computers to ruins and temples. The second way is to study Vectoc ships and/or Vectoc themselves. Such events are slim to none. But, planets such as 'Hacuvant' are goldmines of runes and certain artifacts that tell of Vectoc history and their way of life.
Spoken Vectoc, however, is even more complicated than the written language. At first, the language seemed very basic, with not many sounds or vocalization. Further study proved that most of the actual language could not be heard by normal ears and required special equipment. Spoken Vectoc is mostly on super high or low frequencies. Most species cannot hear this, and this gives Vectoc somewhat of an advantage in battle. By using special equipment, more of the language has been revealed but still is not understood.
Vectoc seem to be taking an extreme interest in pre-colonized worlds. These planets that were once Vectoc colonies have become top priorities for Vectoc attacks and all other planets and objectives are secondary. It seems they will stop at nothing to retake their old worlds. This gives USN science operations all the more reason to study these long dead colonies.
Vectoc seek to become the dominant race in the galaxy, and their technology could help them accomplish this. They are amoral and care for nothing but results, of which they are very serious.
Scientists
Although all Vectoc are extremely intelligent, some are chosen to become scientists, who will conduct experiments, repair ships and armor, or become medical officers. No Vectoc is regarded as a lower class, in fact, there are no classes. Vex only care about results, and they are very serious about them.
Warriors
These Vectoc form the mainstay of Vectoc operations in the Galactic Rim. They can hold ground, lead assaults, and perform raids with vigor and determination. They are extremely loyal, and will do whatever it takes to accomplish the task at hand, even if it means sacrificing themselves. Vex Warriors are equipped with a variety of weapons and armor that make them very dangerous in combat. A Vectoc Trooper carries two plasma scythes, one on each arm, to make it extremely versatile at ranged and close quarters combat. The Guardian carries a large shield on its left arm. The shield can block many kinetic attacks, and some energy ones, though it will become useless over time, while a Vectoc Scout is equipped with a Cloaking Field that renders it invisible.
Headquarters:
Little is known about just what the headquarters is and who makes it up. What is known about Headquarters is that it seems to be the leaders of the Vectoc, and all reports and information are sent there. Vectoc operate under the Headquarters, and obey all rules that are sent to them.
Gretch
The Gretch homeworld was separated into two continents. On the smaller continent there was but one kingdom, ruled by the monarch Rooher Keeshcheeg. This was a peaceful kingdom, ruled by a good king. The kingdom flourished and grew.
Meanwhile, on the other continent three kingdoms fought for control. At the end of their war, only two kingdoms survived. The survivors were weak beyond repair and merged with the peaceful kingdom. For a couple decades life was good, but soon a secret group had revealed itself. It was comprised of many of the former leaders of the other two kingdoms, they had planned on taking over, and that was the beginning of the civil war. Almost half the kingdom was convinced to follow them. There where many deaths, and the lands were stained with blood.
A devastating weapon was detonated, no one knows who did it (but there were plenty of suspicions). This weapon literally destroyed the planet, and the only survivors were those who fled in time in space ships.
Now the Gretch are a nomadic people, traveling because they have no other choice, though some have settled among others. Each ship or small fleet acts independent of the others, but their culture they had developed remained with them.
Other Info
The Gretch are a curious race, burdened by their ritualistic and superstitious nature. They are humanoid in shape, and their lightly tanned skin is covered in small hairs, which give them a strange, almost transparent fur coat. Usually the design is in the form of dark brown spots, with the rest of the hair being about the same tint as their skin. The most notable feature of a Gretch is its mouth, which looks similar to a dog's or a bear's, with a snout, but with the ability to form complex sounds using their lips and tongue almost like a Terran. They have excellent eyesight and most notably, excellent hearing, capable of hearing (and making) sounds that are super- and sub-sonic (only a little farther on each range). The average life expectancy of a male is some where between 136 and 161 years, the record currently held at 188. The females are expected to live somewhat longer, between 156 and 170 years (current record at 192).
Among the population there are two groups. The Reeshka are slow learners and not very well of intellect. They however are very strong, and can work all day without rest, and can handle the weather better. The Reeshka are the manual laborers, content to do what they are told when they are told, how they are told, in exchange for food, shelter, and other needs and wants.
The Kheert are the leaders, scientists, and anything else that requires some thinking to do. They learn quickly and pose very advanced complex brains. They could be considered about average physically, but as with everything there is a cost. The Kheert have a high rate of mental illness. The severity ranges: There are some that go completely crazy, some who only have some mild problem, and some that even escape it all together.
The division between the two groups is one gene, which all Gretch carry, they are just recessive in the Reeshka. There is supposed to be no union between a member of one group and one of the other. This is not only socially unacceptable, but considered bad luck.
The other social division is by gender. The male dominates Gretch culture, and as such females are generally not allowed to be leaders over males, serve in the military, and in the old days own land (though they could own other forms of property). For this reason, many female Gretch leave their communities to live in areas of other races, where they do have the freedom they want. Female Gretch are common in the USN.
Though there are innumerable rituals, the most seen one (seen by other species that is) is their farewell. In the Gretch culture goodbyes are very important, and can be quite grand, especially if the two are close and do not believe they will see each other in a long time.
