Traveller's Cafe 4: Brainstorming, Discussion, Tea, Advice

[Benuty]

Just showing a teaser before putting out a few interest requests.

Can I burn everything while going around in a badarse looking gas mask hazmat suit?

Fire is one way to end them.

[Oppermenia]

So, as I've said before, I want to do an "old-fashioned superhero RP." I sort of have an idea, probably a concept done a lot. The idea behind this RP would be to build a superhero universe, as deep and expansive as those of the MCU and the comic books. It would follow a few decades after superheroes being outlawed and forced to retire. In this version of modern day, new people with and without abilities would be inspired by a classic superhero (probably one part of the old Hero Corps), as politics become more and more intense and the world becomes a more dangerous place. It would be inspired by superhero stories like Watchmen, DC: The New Frontier, and The Incredibles, among others. Basically, a movement of superheroes coming back happens in response to politics and world tensions escalating, as people want to bring hope to the world and are inspired by an old superhero (or become an antihero, not inspired by anything). A main villain would probably make sense to be the government, as they probably originally gave the heroes their powers and supplied them and assigned them missions in the first place before getting rid of them. Or, there could be a traditional villain that's super powerful that convinces the public that superheroes are needed. Or, perhaps, I could do both the government and a traditional villain.

That's as far as I've thought about concept. Again, that's probably a concept already done a hundred times, but that's what I got regarding a superhero RP. How does this sound? Is it too derivative? Does it sound like a good RP idea?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. And, if anyone would like to help me with the concept, then please tg me, I would love some help developing this idea.

[Utceforp]

So, as I've said before, I want to do an "old-fashioned superhero RP." I sort of have an idea, probably a concept done a lot. The idea behind this RP would be to build a superhero universe, as deep and expansive as those of the MCU and the comic books. It would follow a few decades after superheroes being outlawed and forced to retire. In this version of modern day, new people with and without abilities would be inspired by a classic superhero (probably one part of the old Hero Corps), as politics become more and more intense and the world becomes a more dangerous place. It would be inspired by superhero stories like Watchmen, DC: The New Frontier, and The Incredibles, among others. Basically, a movement of superheroes coming back happens in response to politics and world tensions escalating, as people want to bring hope to the world and are inspired by an old superhero (or become an antihero, not inspired by anything). A main villain would probably make sense to be the government, as they probably originally gave the heroes their powers and supplied them and assigned them missions in the first place before getting rid of them. Or, there could be a traditional villain that's super powerful that convinces the public that superheroes are needed. Or, perhaps, I could do both the government and a traditional villain.

That's as far as I've thought about concept. Again, that's probably a concept already done a hundred times, but that's what I got regarding a superhero RP. How does this sound? Is it too derivative? Does it sound like a good RP idea?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. And, if anyone would like to help me with the concept, then please tg me, I would love some help developing this idea.

I'd be interested in this. A while back I had this idea for a superhero RP where the history of the setting parallels the actual history of superhero comics - e.g., the first heroes appear in the 30s and then fight in WW2, but most teams end up disbanding after some sort of controversy in the mid-50s, the sixties and seventies then see superheroes reappear as government agents in response to contact with aliens, the 80s and 90s have a lot of heroes going rogue and becoming more violent for some reason, etc.

[Oppermenia]

So, as I've said before, I want to do an "old-fashioned superhero RP." I sort of have an idea, probably a concept done a lot. The idea behind this RP would be to build a superhero universe, as deep and expansive as those of the MCU and the comic books. It would follow a few decades after superheroes being outlawed and forced to retire. In this version of modern day, new people with and without abilities would be inspired by a classic superhero (probably one part of the old Hero Corps), as politics become more and more intense and the world becomes a more dangerous place. It would be inspired by superhero stories like Watchmen, DC: The New Frontier, and The Incredibles, among others. Basically, a movement of superheroes coming back happens in response to politics and world tensions escalating, as people want to bring hope to the world and are inspired by an old superhero (or become an antihero, not inspired by anything). A main villain would probably make sense to be the government, as they probably originally gave the heroes their powers and supplied them and assigned them missions in the first place before getting rid of them. Or, there could be a traditional villain that's super powerful that convinces the public that superheroes are needed. Or, perhaps, I could do both the government and a traditional villain.

That's as far as I've thought about concept. Again, that's probably a concept already done a hundred times, but that's what I got regarding a superhero RP. How does this sound? Is it too derivative? Does it sound like a good RP idea?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. And, if anyone would like to help me with the concept, then please tg me, I would love some help developing this idea.

I'd be interested in this. A while back I had this idea for a superhero RP where the history of the setting parallels the actual history of superhero comics - e.g., the first heroes appear in the 30s and then fight in WW2, but most teams end up disbanding after some sort of controversy in the mid-50s, the sixties and seventies then see superheroes reappear as government agents in response to contact with aliens, the 80s and 90s have a lot of heroes going rogue and becoming more violent for some reason, etc.

Interesting! Also, glad you're interested.

I will be trying to develop this concept further.

[Harbertia]

So, as I've said before, I want to do an "old-fashioned superhero RP." I sort of have an idea, probably a concept done a lot. The idea behind this RP would be to build a superhero universe, as deep and expansive as those of the MCU and the comic books. It would follow a few decades after superheroes being outlawed and forced to retire. In this version of modern day, new people with and without abilities would be inspired by a classic superhero (probably one part of the old Hero Corps), as politics become more and more intense and the world becomes a more dangerous place. It would be inspired by superhero stories like Watchmen, DC: The New Frontier, and The Incredibles, among others. Basically, a movement of superheroes coming back happens in response to politics and world tensions escalating, as people want to bring hope to the world and are inspired by an old superhero (or become an antihero, not inspired by anything). A main villain would probably make sense to be the government, as they probably originally gave the heroes their powers and supplied them and assigned them missions in the first place before getting rid of them. Or, there could be a traditional villain that's super powerful that convinces the public that superheroes are needed. Or, perhaps, I could do both the government and a traditional villain.

That's as far as I've thought about concept. Again, that's probably a concept already done a hundred times, but that's what I got regarding a superhero RP. How does this sound? Is it too derivative? Does it sound like a good RP idea?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. And, if anyone would like to help me with the concept, then please tg me, I would love some help developing this idea.

I'm interested. Due to the decades since the 'retirement' I think I'd make a character who inherited powers, and has been having to work through growing up in the new socio-political environment. I'd like to try to look at the setting from that perspective. As for your villain- just giving this idea out as a suggestion- I'll just be along for the ride- how about a super (a villain) who was given a new lease on life and got into politics first as a campaign manager and then to higher positions. Say, while the government knows who this person was- no one else does- and to those who do the person seems to have reformed- but in actuality they are simply working to achieve their plans with in the new system while perhaps 'throwing some metaphorical punches' towards some old adversaries. You could do this with out letting any of us know you have- we could all assume it's simply the government due to the origins of this character.

[Reliquiae Admin]

Hi! I'm new to GM'ing, and I just made the OOC/Interest thread for an RP project I've been planning for a while! The link's in my sig, so how'd I do?

[Harbertia]

Hi! I'm new to GM'ing, and I just made the OOC/Interest thread for an RP project I've been planning for a while! The link's in my sig, so how'd I do?

You did very well with the structure of the OOC thread. You've provided an app, have great presentation, and I see that you have advertised it on the advertisement thread. Presentation wise you've done very well for your first RP on NS.

[Reliquiae Admin]

Hi! I'm new to GM'ing, and I just made the OOC/Interest thread for an RP project I've been planning for a while! The link's in my sig, so how'd I do?

You did very well with the structure of the OOC thread. You've provided an app, have great presentation, and I see that you have advertised it on the advertisement thread. Presentation wise you've done very well for your first RP on NS.

Thank you! If you wouldn't mind, is there anywhere that you see it might be lacking? Aside from an IC thread at the moment, lol

[Utceforp]

So, as I've said before, I want to do an "old-fashioned superhero RP." I sort of have an idea, probably a concept done a lot. The idea behind this RP would be to build a superhero universe, as deep and expansive as those of the MCU and the comic books. It would follow a few decades after superheroes being outlawed and forced to retire. In this version of modern day, new people with and without abilities would be inspired by a classic superhero (probably one part of the old Hero Corps), as politics become more and more intense and the world becomes a more dangerous place. It would be inspired by superhero stories like Watchmen, DC: The New Frontier, and The Incredibles, among others. Basically, a movement of superheroes coming back happens in response to politics and world tensions escalating, as people want to bring hope to the world and are inspired by an old superhero (or become an antihero, not inspired by anything). A main villain would probably make sense to be the government, as they probably originally gave the heroes their powers and supplied them and assigned them missions in the first place before getting rid of them. Or, there could be a traditional villain that's super powerful that convinces the public that superheroes are needed. Or, perhaps, I could do both the government and a traditional villain.

That's as far as I've thought about concept. Again, that's probably a concept already done a hundred times, but that's what I got regarding a superhero RP. How does this sound? Is it too derivative? Does it sound like a good RP idea?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. And, if anyone would like to help me with the concept, then please tg me, I would love some help developing this idea.

Would superheroes from the old generation be playable? Because I have one or two ideas for one.

[Oppermenia]

So, as I've said before, I want to do an "old-fashioned superhero RP." I sort of have an idea, probably a concept done a lot. The idea behind this RP would be to build a superhero universe, as deep and expansive as those of the MCU and the comic books. It would follow a few decades after superheroes being outlawed and forced to retire. In this version of modern day, new people with and without abilities would be inspired by a classic superhero (probably one part of the old Hero Corps), as politics become more and more intense and the world becomes a more dangerous place. It would be inspired by superhero stories like Watchmen, DC: The New Frontier, and The Incredibles, among others. Basically, a movement of superheroes coming back happens in response to politics and world tensions escalating, as people want to bring hope to the world and are inspired by an old superhero (or become an antihero, not inspired by anything). A main villain would probably make sense to be the government, as they probably originally gave the heroes their powers and supplied them and assigned them missions in the first place before getting rid of them. Or, there could be a traditional villain that's super powerful that convinces the public that superheroes are needed. Or, perhaps, I could do both the government and a traditional villain.

That's as far as I've thought about concept. Again, that's probably a concept already done a hundred times, but that's what I got regarding a superhero RP. How does this sound? Is it too derivative? Does it sound like a good RP idea?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. And, if anyone would like to help me with the concept, then please tg me, I would love some help developing this idea.

Would superheroes from the old generation be playable? Because I have one or two ideas for one.

Yep! I have ideas for the very first superheroes that would be the founding members of the “Hero Corps,” but yeah, when I do the RP you can create your own older generation superhero to play as.

[Oppermenia]

With my superhero RP, I'm having trouble creating a history of the setting. I have a general picture in broad strokes, but I don't know all of the details and exactly how everything will fit together in the timeline. I'm also having trouble coming up with a title, so if anyone could help me with how to come up with a title, then it would be greatly appreciated.

[Utceforp]

With my superhero RP, I'm having trouble creating a history of the setting. I have a general picture in broad strokes, but I don't know all of the details and exactly how everything will fit together in the timeline. I'm also having trouble coming up with a title, so if anyone could help me with how to come up with a title, then it would be greatly appreciated.

I could send you the vague timeline from that idea for an RP I mentioned, it could be useful.

[Oppermenia]

With my superhero RP, I'm having trouble creating a history of the setting. I have a general picture in broad strokes, but I don't know all of the details and exactly how everything will fit together in the timeline. I'm also having trouble coming up with a title, so if anyone could help me with how to come up with a title, then it would be greatly appreciated.

I could send you the vague timeline from that idea for an RP I mentioned, it could be useful.

Okay

[Esternial]

With my superhero RP, I'm having trouble creating a history of the setting. I have a general picture in broad strokes, but I don't know all of the details and exactly how everything will fit together in the timeline. I'm also having trouble coming up with a title, so if anyone could help me with how to come up with a title, then it would be greatly appreciated.

For a history, it might be good to just think about those "Golden days" before superheroes were outlawed.

- How many superheroes were there? Was it a relatively big fraction of the population (some kind of mutation à la X-men) or a select few that had their powers engineered, accidentally given through science, etc.
- Does magic exist? If it does, what sort? Is it omnipresent but just perceivable/usable by a few, or perhaps an occult/otherworldly power?
- What were the events that led up to superheroes getting retired? Some incident?
- Who were some of a big superheroes of the past?

A superhero RP can always gather some attention. Hope this can already get the ball rolling a little bit.

[Main Nation Ministry]

With my superhero RP, I'm having trouble creating a history of the setting. I have a general picture in broad strokes, but I don't know all of the details and exactly how everything will fit together in the timeline. I'm also having trouble coming up with a title, so if anyone could help me with how to come up with a title, then it would be greatly appreciated.

Some advice since you mentioned Watchmen.
- Find a point of divergence in your timeline. For Watchmen, divergence occurred in 1939. Pick a year which you think is suitable. You can mix actual events with fictional ones.
- What kind of superheroes are there? Simple costumed crimefighters, or do they have actual superpowers? If the latter, are people born with these powers, or are they given them by some other factor (like experiments or alien technology?)
- The government will take a stance on superheroes. Either positive with approving crime fighting, or negative with heavy red tape.

[New yugoslavaia]

Why is this place so quite now?

[Somehow Related to Rarity]

I feel like creating a Greek gods RP. It'll be smt similar to Percy Jackson(or maybe even based off him). I have a HUGE interest in Greek gods and I feel like this can be an interesting RP to do.
I know I'm new here, but who said I couldn't start an RP directly?

[Harbertia]

I feel like creating a Greek gods RP. It'll be smt similar to Percy Jackson(or maybe even based off him). I have a HUGE interest in Greek gods and I feel like this can be an interesting RP to do.
I know I'm new here, but who said I couldn't start an RP directly?

I've done some work on such projects and can lend a hand to discussion and planning. First are you planning on the players taking on the role of the gods or like percy jackson demigods? What do you have in mind

[Somehow Related to Rarity]

I feel like creating a Greek gods RP. It'll be smt similar to Percy Jackson(or maybe even based off him). I have a HUGE interest in Greek gods and I feel like this can be an interesting RP to do.
I know I'm new here, but who said I couldn't start an RP directly?

I've done some work on such projects and can lend a hand to discussion and planning. First are you planning on the players taking on the role of the gods or like percy jackson demigods? What do you have in mind

Now that I think of it, it'll be an RP of Percy Jackson. Like, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are considered heroes whatever. That era is over and new demigods taking the place of our two lovely they make a cute couple uwu heroes.
Then when terror strikes again the new demigods will have to go through dangers whatsoever bla bla bla.
An alternative is to allow player to take on the role of gods as they struggle to adapt to modern city/ rural countryside life. But it'll probably be limited unless there are human characters acting as their friends or colleagues or idk.

[Ontorisa]

I've done some work on such projects and can lend a hand to discussion and planning. First are you planning on the players taking on the role of the gods or like percy jackson demigods? What do you have in mind

Now that I think of it, it'll be an RP of Percy Jackson. Like, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are considered heroes whatever. That era is over and new demigods taking the place of our two lovely they make a cute couple uwu heroes.
Then when terror strikes again the new demigods will have to go through dangers whatsoever bla bla bla.
An alternative is to allow player to take on the role of gods as they struggle to adapt to modern city/ rural countryside life. But it'll probably be limited unless there are human characters acting as their friends or colleagues or idk.

As someone who tried doing something similar and more gritty, it's a very niche and difficult RP to start.

That being said, you have to have a lot of dedication and be willing to follow the world that Percy Jackson is taken in.

[Harbertia]

I've done some work on such projects and can lend a hand to discussion and planning. First are you planning on the players taking on the role of the gods or like percy jackson demigods? What do you have in mind

Now that I think of it, it'll be an RP of Percy Jackson. Like, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are considered heroes whatever. That era is over and new demigods taking the place of our two lovely they make a cute couple uwu heroes.
Then when terror strikes again the new demigods will have to go through dangers whatsoever bla bla bla.
An alternative is to allow player to take on the role of gods as they struggle to adapt to modern city/ rural countryside life. But it'll probably be limited unless there are human characters acting as their friends or colleagues or idk.

I've not read any of the books (I saw the first film). My experience has been in making an RP inspired by it, and playing some god RPs on NS. I will be unable to help in structuring the lore, and as Ontorisa has said- a PJ RP is a bit niche- I will say that the modern tech deity RPs are a bit more successful.

If you are familiar with the world lore (Greek and Roman camps) and can communicate that lore effectively for people who have not read the books or seen the films I think it might work though I do think you'd have better chances freeing yourself from the lore to conduct an RP that operates on the same concept without being tied to the PJ lore. That way you can pull people with familiarity of hellenistic lore.

I had personally used 'Proxy' gods and had launched the RP I had as being it's own world- unfortunately I failed to communicate such and players made the world Earth and that spiraled into things. The point is, regardless of what you do- make sure you communicate the setting to the players- be it the books, inspired by, or new.

I once joined a Deity RP having no idea the setting was modern day Earth that for some reason just had our PC gods rather then real world ones and ... somehow the US was a thing... it was all confusing at that point and I dropped out of it. Communication is key to getting the players you need, and keeping your players aware of the world they are playing in.

[Somehow Related to Rarity]

Now that I think of it, it'll be an RP of Percy Jackson. Like, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase are considered heroes whatever. That era is over and new demigods taking the place of our two lovely they make a cute couple uwu heroes.
Then when terror strikes again the new demigods will have to go through dangers whatsoever bla bla bla.
An alternative is to allow player to take on the role of gods as they struggle to adapt to modern city/ rural countryside life. But it'll probably be limited unless there are human characters acting as their friends or colleagues or idk.

I've not read any of the books (I saw the first film). My experience has been in making an RP inspired by it, and playing some god RPs on NS. I will be unable to help in structuring the lore, and as Ontorisa has said- a PJ RP is a bit niche- I will say that the modern tech deity RPs are a bit more successful.

If you are familiar with the world lore (Greek and Roman camps) and can communicate that lore effectively for people who have not read the books or seen the films I think it might work though I do think you'd have better chances freeing yourself from the lore to conduct an RP that operates on the same concept without being tied to the PJ lore. That way you can pull people with familiarity of hellenistic lore.

I had personally used 'Proxy' gods and had launched the RP I had as being it's own world- unfortunately I failed to communicate such and players made the world Earth and that spiraled into things. The point is, regardless of what you do- make sure you communicate the setting to the players- be it the books, inspired by, or new.

I once joined a Deity RP having no idea the setting was modern day Earth that for some reason just had our PC gods rather then real world ones and ... somehow the US was a thing... it was all confusing at that point and I dropped out of it. Communication is key to getting the players you need, and keeping your players aware of the world they are playing in.

Well okie!

[Pacmanomicon]

What I'm Asking: What do you guys think? Any advice, guidance, interest, changes you might want to see? Someone who wants to be a mapmaker? Please also see "What I Need to Figure Out"

The request is as follows:

I'm working on a PMT roleplay with another NRper that is set in a greatly different world with an altered history. I mostly have the territories together, and am piecing the rest of the world together in my head.

The Chinese state was never forged as they remained separate, creating smaller but still often significant states within. The US isn't a single continuous blob - Texas and the Republic of California are separate, as is Orange Country (also separate from Canada). Indian subcontinent can be split between a primary north and south, including smaller powers (like the Bengal Subah still continuing), with a Buddhist, Sikh, Muslim, or Hindu kingdom in the North, and a Western-friendly power in the South. I haven't completely figured that or the Middle East out yet, though. I think I'm going to leave some of it up to the applicant player. The UK and Canada did not split amicably, and the UK is somewhat more powerful than it is IRL, with control of the Suez Canal.

The Commonwealth is a unified Korea with two devolved governments and a central government overseeing a number of joint policies as well as control of the former state of Liaoning - which was a major Chinese player, and basically comprises what Manchuria was. It has been caught between western interests (probably the Republic of California) and Liaoning for quite some time, but a conspiracy between leaders and economic players in the Koreas led to unification, and a quick war. As Liaoning was a conventional power without nuclear weapons, but the Koreas are much smaller in manpower and weren't capable fo winning a war even with South Korea, it led to them using a nuclear weapon to target cities in Liaoning, and Liaoning - with problems at home - capitulated. It has a larger Korean minority than it does IRL, I imagine, and the Manchurian area is the homeland of the Korean ethnicity.

Japan is an Imperial state, and was surrender Korea after coming an agreement with the Allies (including Liaoning) after Berlin fell. A glimmer of the Axis shining onward - the Eastern Sun, Japan. They're worried about growing COmmonwealth influence since they've been established for some time now and reconstruction has gone well (not, like, a huge amount of time, though). After WWI Germany split into ethnic states, and the Nazis here would've likely been a Pan-Germanic movement as well, unifying all of Germany from the ethnic constituents that it broke up into following WWI. We just have to decide if they broke back up, or would Germany exist now as some sort of Confederacy? Broke back up into ethnic states, a Confederacy of Germans, or the full on German state? I'm not sure.

The USSR still exist but in a state of civil war, and people are allowed to RP different sides. This is more of my attempting to curtail major players and balance them out with others while creating an interesting world. The Commonwealth refers to eastern Siberia as the Korean Expanse. Various players want a piece of the expanse while the USSR struggles to get its shit together, caught in a civil war that is from an attempted break-up of the USSR recently, which wouldn't have happened in 1991. States, including former and current Soviets, that wanted to separate the USSR, and states that want to keep it fighting in a civil war. This has led to Imperial Japan seeing the Commonwealth as the "New Liaoning". Liaoning's devolving power and the collapse of the sphere of influence they had when they fell to the Commonwealth led to Japan originally seeing the threat as having passed for a time, but now a powerful Korean superstate is threatening their interests.

American influence in central and Southern America isn't as high. Venezuela is a powerhouse in the form of an extant version of the Republic of New Granada. In Argentina, the Commonwealth is investing in it heavily, and has been for quite some time - providing arms opportunities, funding private ventures, expanding into the country. This has helped it recover from the Falklands War and the isolation that it saw after that which had ravaged its capability to maintain a strong military. While a resurgent Argentina is being born, the UK also has to contend with a Spain that has attempted to seize control of Gibraltar (and failed) in response to the UK beginning the long process of leaving the EU (basically where the UK was in real life when Spain IRL had one of their patrol boats sunk), and an Egypt that wants control of the Suez Canal. There is also Argentina being a sing that the Commonwealth has started to try to take some of Liaoning's place on the global stage, albeit by. forging its own destiny with its own interest - wanting to complete their attempts to become a major player globally. After their internal transformation, maybe they've looked outwards for influence, thouhg it's unlikely to be outright territory acquisition aside from the expanse, while contending with a number of players in a complex, ideologically diverse tapestry of various Chinese states, Japan, as well as the nations further South and west of them.

I'm exploring the idea thaty Thailand has been relatively stable (either recently, but long ago enough that it has become a contender for influence for their neighbors), and is one of the more influential countries in their area. Meanwhile, instead of the standard Vietnam war France was ejected by a coalition of independence-seeking states in the form of Laos and Cambodia. They eventually unified into a new nation, aligned or friendly with varying independent nations, with a say on whether or not they will provide support for pro-USSR forces. They compete for surrounding influence in their region and the ocean surrounding it with various states, including an assortment of Japanese, Chinese, and Western influences.

What I need to Figure Out:

I just need to figure out the rest of Europe (and also the Germans), and what Chinese states exist. Maybe there's a Mongolian state that includes more than modern-day Mongolia, or maybe it's a part of something bigger. I'm not sure. I might just base the Chinese states off of ones that existed, maybe with some having swallowed others, aside from Liaoning (AKA Manchuria) - which has been nommed by and now is a relatively stable part of the Commonwealth thanks to how unpopular the government got in the end (they ended up trying to shed the final vestiges of their imperial era, and stripped popular individuals of citizenship and titles before continuing to kill them).

The reason that the Commonwealth seems like the most fleshed out thing isn't necessarily because it's the strongest nation in the world, but more so because it's the one I want to roleplay, so please don't be concerned about that haha.

Canada will largely be the same as well. I'm not sure what to do with Oceania yet.

What I've Figured Out Since Posting:

• "what if there was no Mexican-American war, but the US and Mexico fought during WW1. Giving CA independence, and carving " US takes Colorado. Texans are Spanish-speaking. Mexicans never offered land to Americans in Texas. Texas is a part of Mexico
• The Belt, an area of Western influence, includes Macau and Hong Kong
• Qin Shi Huang never existed

[Plzen]

The reason that the Commonwealth seems like the most fleshed out [is] because it's the one I want to roleplay [...]

You’ll find that this is true for everyone - people are willing to put the most effort into world building the regions the country they represent is in.

I recommend against trying to handicraft the entire alternate history of your entire world yourself. While a few people have run done alternate-history role-plays on NationStates successfully by doing exactly that, in most cases the host did not try to design the entire world map themselves.

Simply set out the key points of divergence that define your alternate history and let roleplayers apply for the country they want with the borders they design and the history that they write themselves. Your job as host, then, will become simply making sure that the histories of other countries that other roleplayers write are plausible and do not contradict each other.

[Pacmanomicon]

The reason that the Commonwealth seems like the most fleshed out [is] because it's the one I want to roleplay [...]

You’ll find that this is true for everyone - people are willing to put the most effort into world building the regions the country they represent is in.

I recommend against trying to handicraft the entire alternate history of your entire world yourself. While a few people have run done alternate-history role-plays on NationStates successfully by doing exactly that, in most cases the host did not try to design the entire world map themselves.

Simply set out the key points of divergence that define your alternate history and let roleplayers apply for the country they want with the borders they design and the history that they write themselves. Your job as host, then, will become simply making sure that the histories of other countries that other roleplayers write are plausible and do not contradict each other.

Yeah. That's what people keep telling me haha.