P2TM Community Discussion Thread: I

[Deblar]

Seeing as there aren't any active Star Wars RPs running at the moment, would anyone potentially be interested in one?

What a coincidence, I've got one of my own in the works.

...this town (multiverse?) ain't big enough for the both of us...

[Kenobot]

Seeing as there aren't any active Star Wars RPs running at the moment, would anyone potentially be interested in one?

What a coincidence, I've got one of my own in the works.

...this town (multiverse?) ain't big enough for the both of us...

Or....perhaps we could work together? What kind of Star Wars RP you planning?

[Constaniana]

I am currently working on a map for a town in my RP that the PC's will need to go clear enemy forces out of. The setting is mostly Great Britain/Northern Europe 1840's-50's level technology (stunted early 17th-century firearms notwithstanding). However, the town in question is located deep in the woods on an island chain off the coast of a less-developed part of the country, so they would be somewhat behind in those respects. For the population/size I was thinking somewhere around 5,000 residents in a fairly-high density, since the terrain outside the town (thick forests, steep rocky hills and ravines) impedes spreading out.

What would be some hypothetical businesses you lot could see being found here? So far I have

• 1x Blacksmith
• 1x Inn with stables across the street
• 1x dry goods store
• 1x cobbler
• 1x potter's
• 1x butcher's with a smokehouse attached
• 1x tailor's
• 1x bakery
• 1x wheelwright
• 1x cooper (I'll probably put another one or two of these, since I realised there would probably be considerable demand for barrels from the closest major city, which is an agricultural hub that salts a lot of food for shipment)
• 1x bank
• 1x apothecary

[Kenobot]

Was feeling a bit inspired following watching the Peacemaker finale and thought "What about a Suicide Squad-type RP". Weirdly somehow came to the idea of a Suicide Squad RP set in 2003 in the lead up to the invasion of Iraq where the WMDs were superhumans enslaved by Saddam Hussein. Definitely a bit out there, but what say you P2TM community?

[Rudaslavia]

So, I figured I'd try and gauge the prospective interest in an RP I've been working on. The plot and setting are both directly influenced by the TNT series Snowpiercer (and by extension, the 2014 film of the same name). But themes from HBO's Succession and even Game of Thrones will also be incorporated.

The RP will be set in 2043, seven years after a stratospheric aerosol injection (CW-7) triggered an unprecedented period of global cooling and glaciation. Launched as part of a last-ditch effort to reverse the effects of climate change, the CW-7 solution backfires. Within a single year, the planet's average temperatures drop by almost 40°F, resulting in a mass extinction event. With temperatures continuing to fall, a privileged few 6,000 survivors retreat to Snowpiercer -- a luxury train owned by enigmatic billionaire and railroad magnate Edwin Turnbull. Powered by the revolutionary "perpetual motion technology" of Turnbull's Eternal Engine, Snowpiercer consists of 2,500 cars and stretches over 100 miles long. The train, rigidly stratified based on passenger class and skillsets, represents a closed ecological system that can theoretically endure for millennia.

As in the TNT series, the self-contained society of Snowpiercer is divided into 4 distinct classes:

• 1st Class, representing less than 1% of the total population and mainly consisting of ultra-wealthy investors/associates of Edwin Turnbull before the Freeze. These mighty elites live at the very front of the train, with each family unit in being entitled to their own private double-decker carriage to live out their years in grotesque opulence.
  
  
• 2nd Class, consisting of skilled and well-educated workers that represent an affluent management class or petty bourgeoisie. These are the scientists, doctors, lawyers, and white-collar highbrows who continue their labors in considerable comfort on the train. A number of celebrities and media figures were also able to pay their way into Second. About 1,000 passengers belong to this coveted class -- about 14% of the train's total population.
  
  
• 3rd Class, the largest and arguably most vital caste of passengers aboard Snowpiercer. Numbering around 4,500 citizens (roughly 64% of the population), the so-called "Thirdies" are the unskilled masses that keep the train functioning. Despite the vital nature of their work, they suffer far worse living conditions than their superiors in the upper classes. 3rd Class is heavily policed by the train's security forces, and Turnbull uses a number of underhanded methods to ensure none of them step out of line.
  
  
• "The Tail," an unofficial fourth class of about 1,000 stowaways who forced themselves onto the tail end of the train during Snowpiercer's departure from Chicago in 2037. These poor souls suffer the worst existence that Turnbull Industries has to offer. Crammed into just 10 cargo cars at the back, the "Tailies" are fed measly portions of composted protein to keep them alive so that they can be exploited for slave labor.

Edwin Turnbull, CEO of the eponymous Turnbull Industries before the Freeze, has ruled over the train with an iron fist for six whole years. But he unexpectedly dies in 2043, leaving behind a train without a leader and no officially mandated means of choosing a successor. This is where the RP begins. The old social order is on the verge of collapse in the absence of the train's despot, and there's no telling what will fill the power vacuum. The very survival of the train and its people is at stake. Who will ascend to Edwin's throne? And by what means will that ascent take place?

I originally wanted to let players choose what classes their characters would belong to, but that would require a fuckload of participants to create a truly engaging narrative. And frankly, it would be too hard to manage that type of plot over a long period of time. Instead, players will take on the roles of Turnbull family members in 1st Class. You begin at the pinnacle of the food chain. Be you related by blood or by marriage, you belong to the train's ruling family, and your claim to power in the wake of Edwin's death will not be without merit. But how you choose to proceed will be entirely up to you. You might be a Machiavellian conspirator built in Edwin's image, ready and willing to destroy all opposition to your rule. Or you might be a visionary reformist seeking to change the order of the train for the better. Hell, you might not even give a shit about any of this. Maybe you'll just pop a bottle of champagne and enjoy watching the shattered remnants of mankind finally succumb to extinction.

What do you guys think? I love the idea of players engaging in a power struggle amongst themselves and external factions of NPCs. Especially given some of the insane writing talent on these forums.

[Northern Socialist Council Republics]

-snip-

I’d be interested in participating, if you manage to get this concept off the ground.

[Rudaslavia]

-snip-

I’d be interested in participating, if you manage to get this concept off the ground.

Awesome! I also plan to go somewhat in-depth with lore about Turnbull Industries. Edwin Turnbull, despite being a genius in terms of engineering and business acumen, didn't build Turnbull Industries from scratch. In reality, he jump-started his career by marrying into the Timmerman family (an old-money railroad dynasty largely based on the Vanderbilts) and eventually assuming control of their parent company, Timmerman Incorporated, upon his father-in-law's death. Timmerman Incorporated and its subsidiaries experienced absurd amounts of growth during Turnbull's tenure as CEO, and the firm gradually evolved into Turnbull Industries.

[Constaniana]

Was feeling a bit inspired following watching the Peacemaker finale and thought "What about a Suicide Squad-type RP". Weirdly somehow came to the idea of a Suicide Squad RP set in 2003 in the lead up to the invasion of Iraq where the WMDs were superhumans enslaved by Saddam Hussein. Definitely a bit out there, but what say you P2TM community?

I can't say I remember seeing superheroes specifically put in the Iraq War before, so points for creativity. How long would superheroes have been present in this world? Would Saddam have used them against Kuwait, or against Iran in the Iran-Iraq War (side note: what a boring name. They should have kept calling this one the 1st Gulf War, or Gulf War One, and called the one in the 90's the 2nd Gulf War, and then the 2003 conflict the 3rd Gulf War)?

[Kenobot]

Was feeling a bit inspired following watching the Peacemaker finale and thought "What about a Suicide Squad-type RP". Weirdly somehow came to the idea of a Suicide Squad RP set in 2003 in the lead up to the invasion of Iraq where the WMDs were superhumans enslaved by Saddam Hussein. Definitely a bit out there, but what say you P2TM community?

I can't say I remember seeing superheroes specifically put in the Iraq War before, so points for creativity. How long would superheroes have been present in this world? Would Saddam have used them against Kuwait, or against Iran in the Iran-Iraq War (side note: what a boring name. They should have kept calling this one the 1st Gulf War, or Gulf War One, and called the one in the 90's the 2nd Gulf War, and then the 2003 conflict the 3rd Gulf War)?

Thanks haha. Given it's based off DC's suicide squad I'd say Supers have been around since the 30's or something?
As to the enslaved supers, I'd say they're a more recent thing worked on during the late 90's into late 2001. At that point, the US found out and tasked Amanda Waller with putting a team together that had plausible deniability to stop Saddam and free/capture the enslaved supers.
There is a reason the Justice League isn't involved but I don't want to spoil too much.

[Islamic Holy Sites]

What about an alternate history, if the Persians conquered the Greeks?

[Esternial]

...

What do you guys think? I love the idea of players engaging in a power struggle amongst themselves and external factions of NPCs. Especially given some of the insane writing talent on these forums.

Might be nice to have folks choose between the classes, or maybe let them pick from just two (e.g. second and third) that would be likely to interact. Having them start off at any class other than 1st already gives a goal for players to work towards: a class upgrade. That could drive the character's initial actions as players flesh them out further and get them engaged in the plot you lay out for them.

Just be careful you don't railroad them too much :p

[Islamic Holy Sites]

So, I figured I'd try and gauge the prospective interest in an RP I've been working on. The plot and setting are both directly influenced by the TNT series Snowpiercer (and by extension, the 2014 film of the same name). But themes from HBO's Succession and even Game of Thrones will also be incorporated.

The RP will be set in 2043, seven years after a stratospheric aerosol injection (CW-7) triggered an unprecedented period of global cooling and glaciation. Launched as part of a last-ditch effort to reverse the effects of climate change, the CW-7 solution backfires. Within a single year, the planet's average temperatures drop by almost 40°F, resulting in a mass extinction event. With temperatures continuing to fall, a privileged few 6,000 survivors retreat to Snowpiercer -- a luxury train owned by enigmatic billionaire and railroad magnate Edwin Turnbull. Powered by the revolutionary "perpetual motion technology" of Turnbull's Eternal Engine, Snowpiercer consists of 2,500 cars and stretches over 100 miles long. The train, rigidly stratified based on passenger class and skillsets, represents a closed ecological system that can theoretically endure for millennia.

As in the TNT series, the self-contained society of Snowpiercer is divided into 4 distinct classes:

• 1st Class, representing less than 1% of the total population and mainly consisting of ultra-wealthy investors/associates of Edwin Turnbull before the Freeze. These mighty elites live at the very front of the train, with each family unit in being entitled to their own private double-decker carriage to live out their years in grotesque opulence.
  
  
• 2nd Class, consisting of skilled and well-educated workers that represent an affluent management class or petty bourgeoisie. These are the scientists, doctors, lawyers, and white-collar highbrows who continue their labors in considerable comfort on the train. A number of celebrities and media figures were also able to pay their way into Second. About 1,000 passengers belong to this coveted class -- about 14% of the train's total population.
  
  
• 3rd Class, the largest and arguably most vital caste of passengers aboard Snowpiercer. Numbering around 4,500 citizens (roughly 64% of the population), the so-called "Thirdies" are the unskilled masses that keep the train functioning. Despite the vital nature of their work, they suffer far worse living conditions than their superiors in the upper classes. 3rd Class is heavily policed by the train's security forces, and Turnbull uses a number of underhanded methods to ensure none of them step out of line.
  
  
• "The Tail," an unofficial fourth class of about 1,000 stowaways who forced themselves onto the tail end of the train during Snowpiercer's departure from Chicago in 2037. These poor souls suffer the worst existence that Turnbull Industries has to offer. Crammed into just 10 cargo cars at the back, the "Tailies" are fed measly portions of composted protein to keep them alive so that they can be exploited for slave labor.

Edwin Turnbull, CEO of the eponymous Turnbull Industries before the Freeze, has ruled over the train with an iron fist for six whole years. But he unexpectedly dies in 2043, leaving behind a train without a leader and no officially mandated means of choosing a successor. This is where the RP begins. The old social order is on the verge of collapse in the absence of the train's despot, and there's no telling what will fill the power vacuum. The very survival of the train and its people is at stake. Who will ascend to Edwin's throne? And by what means will that ascent take place?

I originally wanted to let players choose what classes their characters would belong to, but that would require a fuckload of participants to create a truly engaging narrative. And frankly, it would be too hard to manage that type of plot over a long period of time. Instead, players will take on the roles of Turnbull family members in 1st Class. You begin at the pinnacle of the food chain. Be you related by blood or by marriage, you belong to the train's ruling family, and your claim to power in the wake of Edwin's death will not be without merit. But how you choose to proceed will be entirely up to you. You might be a Machiavellian conspirator built in Edwin's image, ready and willing to destroy all opposition to your rule. Or you might be a visionary reformist seeking to change the order of the train for the better. Hell, you might not even give a shit about any of this. Maybe you'll just pop a bottle of champagne and enjoy watching the shattered remnants of mankind finally succumb to extinction.

What do you guys think? I love the idea of players engaging in a power struggle amongst themselves and external factions of NPCs. Especially given some of the insane writing talent on these forums.

Ooh.

[G-Tech Corporation]

...
Just be careful you don't railroad them too much

Ayy lmao

[Thousand Branches]

Good evening friends! I have been informed this is a suitable place for this, so here’s hoping! For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been working on a Security Council commendation of Zarkenis Ultima. I assume you all know Zark. If not, they’re one of the oldest and most prolific P2TM folks out there and you should definitely check out all their awesome accomplishments!

I wanted to quickly post about this since as of this morning, that draft has hit the forums, and I wanted to both notify the community here of its existence, and kindly ask for the comments of any interested individuals. You folks are the experts on this one because the Security Council is not historically known for being super duper tied to P2TM and most folks there are not super duper knowledgeable on the RPs within. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time, and have a wonderful day!

Forum thread: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=515806

-A

[Constaniana]

I can't say I remember seeing superheroes specifically put in the Iraq War before, so points for creativity. How long would superheroes have been present in this world? Would Saddam have used them against Kuwait, or against Iran in the Iran-Iraq War (side note: what a boring name. They should have kept calling this one the 1st Gulf War, or Gulf War One, and called the one in the 90's the 2nd Gulf War, and then the 2003 conflict the 3rd Gulf War)?

Thanks haha. Given it's based off DC's suicide squad I'd say Supers have been around since the 30's or something?
As to the enslaved supers, I'd say they're a more recent thing worked on during the late 90's into late 2001. At that point, the US found out and tasked Amanda Waller with putting a team together that had plausible deniability to stop Saddam and free/capture the enslaved supers.
There is a reason the Justice League isn't involved but I don't want to spoil too much.

Ah, so it's set within the DC Universe; good to know. Would the players then be controlling "normal" Suicide Squad members (The Joker, Harley Quinn, Will Smith, idk whom else)? Or would they be making an all-original squad?

[Kenobot]

Thanks haha. Given it's based off DC's suicide squad I'd say Supers have been around since the 30's or something?
As to the enslaved supers, I'd say they're a more recent thing worked on during the late 90's into late 2001. At that point, the US found out and tasked Amanda Waller with putting a team together that had plausible deniability to stop Saddam and free/capture the enslaved supers.
There is a reason the Justice League isn't involved but I don't want to spoil too much.

Ah, so it's set within the DC Universe; good to know. Would the players then be controlling "normal" Suicide Squad members (The Joker, Harley Quinn, Will Smith, idk whom else)? Or would they be making an all-original squad?

It would be up to applicants as to whether they'd be one of the "normal" Suicide Squad members or another anti-hero/villain from the DC Universe. Whatever the case, their chosen character would have to fit in to the 2003 setting.

[Theyra]

Hey, and I was wondering. I am having some problems with plotting an rp I am working on and was wondering if anyone would be willing to help me with it. The rp is about a legion after a world war being stuck in a foreign nation and has to make the trek back home through an uprising and a civil war. Navigating their way through the chaos and trying to not get caught up in the fighting. If more info is needed then just say something..

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Hey, and I was wondering. I am having some problems with plotting an rp I am working on and was wondering if anyone would be willing to help me with it. The rp is about a legion after a world war being stuck in a foreign nation and has to make the trek back home through an uprising and a civil war. Navigating their way through the chaos and trying to not get caught up in the fighting. If more info is needed then just say something..

When you mention a world war, do you mean one of the world wars (as in, WWI or WWII)? Or do you mean something else?

Probably a better question I suppose would be: is this story set in our universe or in a different one? Also if it's the latter, another relevant question is what the tech level is.

[Theyra]

Hey, and I was wondering. I am having some problems with plotting an rp I am working on and was wondering if anyone would be willing to help me with it. The rp is about a legion after a world war being stuck in a foreign nation and has to make the trek back home through an uprising and a civil war. Navigating their way through the chaos and trying to not get caught up in the fighting. If more info is needed then just say something..

When you mention a world war, do you mean one of the world wars (as in, WWI or WWII)? Or do you mean something else?

Probably a better question I suppose would be: is this story set in our universe or in a different one? Also if it's the latter, another relevant question is what the tech level is.

It is set in a custom universe and the tech level is ww2. When I mean world war, I mean that second war world in this custom universe.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

When you mention a world war, do you mean one of the world wars (as in, WWI or WWII)? Or do you mean something else?

Probably a better question I suppose would be: is this story set in our universe or in a different one? Also if it's the latter, another relevant question is what the tech level is.

It is set in a custom universe and the tech level is ww2. When I mean world war, I mean that second war world in this custom universe.

Ah, alright. Not my forte but I suppose I can try to help Would you care to describe the custom universe? And also, what are you having trouble with specifically?

[Theyra]

Ah, alright. Not my forte but I suppose I can try to help Would you care to describe the custom universe? And also, what are you having trouble with specifically?

I am just going to post what I have ooc wise since that might give a better take than me talking about it. And my problem is well plot. I know the overarcting plot is the legion being stuck in a nation after the war and now seeks to return home. It is just getting from A to B that I am struggling with. Like what is there for the player characters to do when avoiding conflict is the main thing here?

[West Bromwich Holme]

I've got plans for a new RP, that's alternate history, of sorts, but there's no villain or over-arching threat in it, just a group of people who've moved to a suburb of New York or Los Angeles, be they American, Canadian or immigrants, and their struggles to fit in. I had plans for a fictional Bronx town but then decided against that, for now anyway.

It's softer, gentler and the biggest conflict comes from misunderstandings or not getting along rather than a villain; it's a bit brighter and sunnier than some RPs, but, aiming for semi-realism.

The setting would be around 2004-2005 and it'd be a slow-burn, character-driven RP.

My characters - three of them - are a New Hampshirite, a Mainer and a Torontonian who has a hybrid South African-Torontonian accent (her accent always surprises people).

Anyone interested? What do you think?

[Caliland]

I'm working on an idea for an RP, for when after my current RP ends. The premise is basically a small nation in Europe or South America, is trying to start it's own spy agency, and different characters are the recruits. A variation of this is an Ocean's Eleven heist thing, where my character recruits people to pull a heist. Thoughts?

After that, I think I'll do a New Amsterdam Daily (my current RP) sequel.

[Constaniana]

Ah, alright. Not my forte but I suppose I can try to help Would you care to describe the custom universe? And also, what are you having trouble with specifically?

I am just going to post what I have ooc wise since that might give a better take than me talking about it. And my problem is well plot. I know the overarcting plot is the legion being stuck in a nation after the war and now seeks to return home. It is just getting from A to B that I am struggling with. Like what is there for the player characters to do when avoiding conflict is the main thing here?

I suppose while avoiding violent conflict the characters would have to deal with various inter-personal conflicts. Maintaining discipline in an army that's been fighting for a while, and currently lacking supplies, would be a struggle for the officers. In the post you linked you said the Freriagra Legion numbered at 10,000 at one point in the war before General Heino used them in the big push that won the war. While their numbers would no doubt have been reduced by the fighting, especially since General Velius seemed more aggressive, that's still a massive amount of men to keep in good order. Even in peacetime military units of a few hundred, or even a few dozen souls you get nitwits mucking it up for the rest of the unit, and with the friction of war the potential for things going wrong increases dramatically.

Your RP idea also has the potential for a more slice-of-life story. I feel like your RP idea would alternate between quiet, peaceful scenes of men reminiscing about home and so forth, and quiet, tense scenes of having to get out of stand-offs with civil war factions they come across along the way.

[Theyra]

I suppose while avoiding violent conflict the characters would have to deal with various inter-personal conflicts. Maintaining discipline in an army that's been fighting for a while, and currently lacking supplies, would be a struggle for the officers. In the post you linked you said the Freriagra Legion numbered at 10,000 at one point in the war before General Heino used them in the big push that won the war. While their numbers would no doubt have been reduced by the fighting, especially since General Velius seemed more aggressive, that's still a massive amount of men to keep in good order. Even in peacetime military units of a few hundred, or even a few dozen souls you get nitwits mucking it up for the rest of the unit, and with the friction of war the potential for things going wrong increases dramatically.

Your RP idea also has the potential for a more slice-of-life story. I feel like your RP idea would alternate between quiet, peaceful scenes of men reminiscing about home and so forth, and quiet, tense scenes of having to get out of stand-offs with civil war factions they come across along the way.

Thanks for the response and I did not consider that. Keeping that large of a group together and dealing with outliers or trouble makers. Possible that some soldiers desert for various reasons like finding their own way out of dodge. And that was the idea, areas of calm in between tense moments of dealing with the civil war factions. Things may escalate into actual fighting.