2011: A Year of Change

[Optikal]

I agree entirely with Harl. It basically cuts out improvisation completely.

 

[trustyside-kick]

No, because all it requires is that you give the GMs the skeleton of your arc. And as it has been made clear, this is to be used when the RPG is slowed to a crawl. It wouldn't surprise me if this idea was inspired by us GMs in DC because a few months back byrd, wieg, and myself chatted via MSN and we suggested the idea that we contact the masterminds behind the arc to inform them that if they do not do A, we will resolve to taking matters into our own hands by doing B to get the RPG moving.

In this instance, though, the heads up was enough to get the game moving but we were prepared to take charge to not let the game die.

Now, let's look at the same situation but if this rule was applied. The arc I'm referring to was Watchman and Keyser Sozes amalgam Final Crisis/Blackest Night arc. All they would have to tell us is the key points in the story so that when what happened happened, byrd, myself, or wieg could just do a post or two to get the game moving.

It doesn't remove improvisation. They aren't asking for a detail to detail heavily outlined thing. Just the key points. They said "basic rundown".

 

[Harlekin]

It's just for the really big arcs then?

 

[wiegeabo]

Pretty much. The GM's can still decide what happens to nonposting PC's in small arc.

For example, in Star Wars, if you go past the two week limit, the other players are allowed to bunny your character to keep the arc moving.

 

[NiteMare Shape]

Pretty much. The GM's can still decide what happens to nonposting PC's in small arc.

For example, in Star Wars, if you go past the two week limit, the other players are allowed to bunny your character to keep the arc moving.

And even though we haven't had to employ that, we also have the same ability in CAH.

 

[wiegeabo]

And even though we haven't had to employ that, we also have the same ability in CAH.

Mostly because everyone's off on their own arcs.

 

[trustyside-kick]

It's just for the really big arcs then?

Yea dude just the RPG-wide arcs such as Dark Alliance 2 was. Just a last resort to not let the game crawl.

 

[Byrd Man]

The thing with GM control is really a last resort, if anything.

But that's just one feature of it. I really want to use the GM powers to help anybody who's stuck in a posting funk, not by taking their character, but by motivating them. As a GM, if someone comes to me and asks for help, I might throw an event at them or NPC a villain for them to help get their creative juices flowing and back on the posting track.

So it's more than just taking control of big arcs when push comes to shove, it's also about helping those posters who are stuck in a rut.

 

[trustyside-kick]

Wasn't one of the things suggested in the RPG Soapbox thread something having to do with the Superherohype! RPG Wiki wetpaint pages for the games? Did we settle on something like each poster must update it ever so often?

 

[wiegeabo]

Aren't we due for some more changes, or have they all been used up?

 

[Batman]

We're due for more, but I'm still trying to decide which to spring up next.

The 1k limitation really kind of provided the next bit of change that I think we're still kind of getting used to, if not only begrudgingly beginning to accept.

 

[seo11111]

If this turns out to be a hit, I've got a pretty good idea fleshed out for another game like this.
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