Traveller's Café: Discussion, brainstorming & advice

[Esternial]

I'm writing up a concept for an all-new zombie apocalypse RP series. I don't have it right now, but there's a comprehensive US outbreak map, detailing free zones and whatnot. The series setting is essentially a well-blended puree of L4D, George Romero's movies, and a number of other similar media. I'll be able to post more details in a couple days.

What makes this different from other, similar RPs is threefold. First, it's set in an entirely unique universe, not established by any previous media. I've created this backdrop entirely from scratch, taking only inspiration and leaving only footprints as far as my sources are concerned. And I've done my best to make it a realistic scenario, too, unlike most other Z-apocalypse tales. Second, it's going to consist of multiple RPs for different groups of people in different places. We'll probably have half a dozen campaigns, all set in different parts of the US. Third, I'm going to write out a general plot beforehand. The players won't be bumbling about in some town doing nothing as the RP dies. They'll have an objective or two to shoot for, sometimes literally, in their bid to escape the numberless, shambling horde. In this manner, anyone can cause the plot to advance, not just me.

I'm posting this here because I need to recruit people as Co-OPs. If possible, I'd like to only run one campaign personally, and have other people work with me in creating and telling other stories. We'd all convene in a central OOC hub thread. Anyone interested in joining as a player or Co-OP should telegram me.

totally would be interested in this, or helping with this. more of a walking dead thing, where there is a storyline, plot, and climax. even better, the players might agree to die in these ones!

Put a disclaimer in the OP saying you can exert the right to kill a character at any time, with a notification of course.

Works for me.

[Murgoth]

now for my idea:
the adventure takes place on a space station a light year or two off of a largely succesful shipping line. it isn't exactly a stop along this route, but gets enough visitors. the station is equally populated with traders, pirates, colonists, and people who don't have anywhere else to live. it is the largest residential station in the sector/galaxy/whatever. it is the most diverse place known to man, housing countless races. it is also one of the most dangerous,with fights between the species common and plenty of gangs and blood fueds to go around. it is station 517.
the players will be inhabitants or visitors to the station. they can be whatever race they want to be, within common sense. they will be from all walks of life, from accountant to serial killer to cop to buisness tycoon. and they will all be drawn into a murder, for various reasons. diplomatic tensions have been growing between the various goverments of space, and war is just around the corner. the players don't know it, but they, and by consequence the station, are now in the middle of it.
will the players suceed? will they die? will thier be war? will the station get exploded? who will survive? and who gets to decide?
station 517 needs your help. do you really want to answer it?
...
so anyway, yeah. that's the idea. comments? suggestions?

[Esternial]

now for my idea:
the adventure takes place on a space station a light year or two off of a largely succesful shipping line. it isn't exactly a stop along this route, but gets enough visitors. the station is equally populated with traders, pirates, colonists, and people who don't have anywhere else to live. it is the largest residential station in the sector/galaxy/whatever. it is the most diverse place known to man, housing countless races. it is also one of the most dangerous,with fights between the species common and plenty of gangs and blood fueds to go around. it is station 517.
the players will be inhabitants or visitors to the station. they can be whatever race they want to be, within common sense. they will be from all walks of life, from accountant to serial killer to cop to buisness tycoon. and they will all be drawn into a murder, for various reasons. diplomatic tensions have been growing between the various goverments of space, and war is just around the corner. the players don't know it, but they, and by consequence the station, are now in the middle of it.
will the players suceed? will they die? will thier be war? will the station get exploded? who will survive? and who gets to decide?
station 517 needs your help. do you really want to answer it?
...
so anyway, yeah. that's the idea. comments? suggestions?

Reminds me of an RP by Amazonian Beast. It didn't really hit off, but that's because he vanished. God rest his NS soul.

I've just launched a FT Character RP, but it's more situated inside a science vessel. The first part will be the journey to uncharted lands, with crew members interacting and possible events unfolding. It's a bit like your idea, but only a part of the RP is.

[Esternial]

Shad, how's your RP concept doing?

[Len Hyet]

apologies

[Esternial]

This isn't an advertisement thread, please remove that link.

EDIT: No problem, it wasn't mentioned in the OP. I added a part now.

[Esternial]

Not as much interest in this as I'd thought.

Maybe most P2MV'ers prefer to keep their ideas to themselves, or maybe this thread doesn't get noticed?

[Sentinel XV]

Give it time. Rome wasn't built in a day.

[Esternial]

Give it time. Rome wasn't built in a day.

It wasn't?

[Sentinel XV]

Give it time. Rome wasn't built in a day.

It wasn't?

No. Ghandi already had Nukes and was threatening to use them.

[Benutanairan]

It wasn't?

No. Ghandi already had Nukes and was threatening to use them.

You've given me an idea.

[Murgoth]

No. Ghandi already had Nukes and was threatening to use them.

You've given me an idea.

In an alternate world where the vast reasources and man-power of india where tapped by a unifying and war-like culture, Ghandi is not an avatar of peace, but one of war. while the rest of the india confederacy is satisfied with conquering asia, Ghandi is using terrorism and violent take-overs to agitate for war upon the upstart roman empire. can you stop him from discovering or using the ultimate weapon?

[Sentinel XV]

You've given me an idea.

In an alternate world where the vast reasources and man-power of india where tapped by a unifying and war-like culture, Ghandi is not an avatar of peace, but one of war. while the rest of the india confederacy is satisfied with conquering asia, Ghandi is using terrorism and violent take-overs to agitate for war upon the upstart roman empire. can you stop him from discovering or using the ultimate weapon?

Don't mind me, but it was a Civ5 reference.

[Murgoth]

In an alternate world where the vast reasources and man-power of india where tapped by a unifying and war-like culture, Ghandi is not an avatar of peace, but one of war. while the rest of the india confederacy is satisfied with conquering asia, Ghandi is using terrorism and violent take-overs to agitate for war upon the upstart roman empire. can you stop him from discovering or using the ultimate weapon?

Don't mind me, but it was a Civ5 reference.

I was aware. I was putting my own spin on it. also, trying to justify the crazy things that happen in historical strategy/simulation games is fun.

[Altruistic Paladins]

As an R.P.er, I have been more successful at participating in R.P.s than starting them. I have always wanted to do a concept, one which I tried to start over-the-summer (northern hemisphere's). The basic goal is to set-up a R.P. that can adequately mix quiet character building with good action among a group of teenagers in an urban-fantasy setting. During my first attempt at this concept, I had thought of this small-town that was recently established due to the construction of a military base where the teenagers would have to deal with the threat of these human-like entities called "Hunters". The characters were supposed to be regular teenagers that were being targeted by the Hunters, and would effectively have to fight-off the hunters on a weekly basis until the end of the school-year while simultaneously figuring out how to put an end to the blood-shed sooner. I had come up with the idea that death is not that pernament, as targets could come back if the Hunter that "killed" them was taken down. Looking back, I think I made several major mistakes. The R.P. was slow to start as a result of I wanting something to establish that the series could have a quieter tone, forgeting to really get people invested early in the R.P. Another mistake was that I really did not think-through the consequences of having characters re-appear in seperate areas after their first encounter with the Hunters, and not just short distances away, but within a twenty-five mile radius of the town the story was set in.

I have been thinking about refinning the idea. I need to think about how to ensure the story get's moving quickly and ensures that all of the P.C.s at the start will be in the same area for their first fight with the Hunters.

The setting could be a fictitious city in a real location that has had a population boom recently due to immigration or even throwing a bit of alternate history into the mix to explain the sort of hodge-podge of cultures and laws necessary for the R.P. or explain why a real-life city is somewhat different from it's counterpart. For example, it could be an alternate history where the United States organized the Allies, North America, places it took during wars, and whatever other places that could be a good location for an R.P. in a manner not that different from the U.S.S.R., which means that a city in a nation that traditionally has especially limiting gun-control laws (I.E. the United Kingdom) would have relatively loose gun-laws compared to it's real-life counterpart, explain why English is a common language in an area where it is uncommon in real life (I.E. Japan), and have significantly more expats, people with multiple citizenships, and presences from other cultures for either R.P.ing purposes or simple flavor that would be explained through background information in a manner similar to Firefly's mixture of the American Wild West with Chinese culture.

I am planning on making more than one type of enemy (allowing for some variety), and maybe even multiple groups of enemies that have motivations or overall objectives they are working toward that the R.P.ers have to stop. With a certain variability in enemies and objectives and a few consistent posters, things could avoid going stale, as fighting a hydra would be an entirely different experience from fighting pin-stripe suit clad beings that look so much like humans but not quite there. There would be questions floating over my head though. The biggest one is how would I be able to get quiet moments for character development and atmosphere while still preventing stagnation? Another question would be whether to keep the player characters normal people who have organized to fight back or let them indulge in some super-human abilities, as both would be nice choices for flavor, but one does have the advantage of subheading in terms of players attracted.

[Shadyrya]

Shad, how's your RP concept doing?

I haven't spent much time on it- I've had a lot to do.

[Esternial]

One suggestion I'd like to make: Find a source of inspiration, but don't base your complete RP on it.

My own RP is inspired by firefly on several fields, and I even ripped one concept from it entirely. Reavers. Aside from that I used names for naming my planets and several other things.

But it's also based slightly on the movie Prometheus and part of the concept is from another RP from long-long ago. Most of it I leave up to the RP'ers themselves, allowing them to shape the planets and much more.

[Shadyrya]

Mine is based off of Incarceron by Catherine Fisher, but with some changes. Actually, I just took the idea of a gigantic prison from it.

[Neo Arcad]

One suggestion I'd like to make: Find a source of inspiration, but don't base your complete RP on it.

My own RP is inspired by firefly on several fields, and I even ripped one concept from it entirely. Reavers. Aside from that I used names for naming my planets and several other things.

But it's also based slightly on the movie Prometheus and part of the concept is from another RP from long-long ago. Most of it I leave up to the RP'ers themselves, allowing them to shape the planets and much more.

Seconded. I hate it when I see "WARHAMMA FORTIE KAY ARR PEE", or some other similar title, because I know they're just taking everything from somewhere else. There's no creativity. My RP concept, for example, draws on the Left 4 Dead series and the Night/Day/Dawn of the Living Dead series, as well as taking a couple cues from Walking Dead and Zombieland, but it's barely noticeable, because most of it (the setting especially) is entirely my own creation. You wouldn't look at it and say, "That RP (concept) is basically just another Walking Dead RP" or w/e.

[Licentiapacisterra]

I've had an idea for an RP. Well, not so much an idea, as I've tried it in the past, back when these RPs were in Forum 7, and managed to get it a bit into the story before it got pruned.

Basically, it is based around a sort-of secret service group, known only to the leaders of the countries that they operate in. They fight terrorists, separatists, and pretty much anyone who is trying to start an unnecessary war, and they travel around the world to do it. My plan was also for the boss of the group (my character) to be very secretive, and not telling people what had happened to his previous colleagues.

Thoughts ??

[Agritum]

One of the RP ideas I have? Well, one would involve a planet much similar to our own experiencing a terrible cataclysm called "The Shattering", which shatters the world in several flying continents that levitate in the sky. The nations of the world, which would be based on real nations of Earth, would slowly begin to get acquainted to this new life, After The End. However, an horde of sentient, terrain-eating machines called STYGMA emerge from the shattered planet's core, and begin to attack the flying continents. One day, the nations discover that a mineral that possesses marvellous energetical capabilities is now present on the ravaged planet below them. After dangerous expeditions, some of this mineral is recovered, permitting the continents to use them as the power sources of the Skyframes, flying mechs capable of fending off the STYGMA.

However, tensions between the nations are brewing, as an arms race involving the Skyframes start, all while a Joint Task Force of this universe's equivalent of the UN struggles to protect the flying islands from the STYGMA hordes.
So, all the characters would belong to this task force, as pilots of Skyframes.
Nice enough setting for a Mech RP?

[Shadyrya]

There ya go.

[Esternial]

There ya go.

Since I asked for your progress I'll let it slide, but ask for permission to post a link next time.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Hey, this is neat.

[Esternial]

Hey, this is neat.

I pay the janitor enough to keep it so.