SciWorld / FallFest

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 12:16 PM

opens door

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:29 PM

Hello! I am Ametheliana from Star Army Role Play! I am very happy to be able to join FallFest 2018 and will now be hosting a panel on utilizing multiple universes in world building and role play. This is a fun and informative topic for me because I have found that multiple universes allow for expanded freedom, player character diversity, and some other fun stuff, so let’s begin!

I would like to explain how I have found having multiple universes to help with freedom, specifically creative freedom.

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 12:31 PM

Hello!

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 12:31 PM

Interesting!

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:31 PM

Hey Immortal! I just made coffee and need to sip so commentary is welcome!

LTCMMD. Quentin Collins 15-Dec-18 12:31 PM

Fantastic!

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 12:31 PM

I cant wait to hear this

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 12:31 PM

I'll add what I can to the discussion.

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:31 PM

Our role play environments have many people contributing to them. With so many people adding to and creating for the setting I found myself in, I didn’t and still don’t always know or feel confident that my creations “fit” just the way they should when adding to the setting I write for.

SilverBullet 15-Dec-18 12:31 PM

agreed

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 12:32 PM

True

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:32 PM

It's not always easy or exact!

Now that I look back, creating my own universe to RP in the first time was really a way to not mess up! There is not much I can do wrong in the universes I have created.

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 12:33 PM

I think this sort of thing relates to the overall...theme of the setting, I imagine? I know that whether or not a given submission fits thematically within a setting is something that generates a lot of debate.

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:33 PM

And debate is so not fun tbh!

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 12:33 PM

Lol, tbh yeah.

Wallflower 15-Dec-18 12:34 PM

I definitely understand that first feeling of having a well defined setting and being unable to properly make much for it because you're scared of messing with what's already there

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:34 PM

So it's easier to say, I made this place, it has fundamental universal laws and properties, but they are not the laws that usually govern our typical RP, for one example.

When I say this, one example that comes to mind is in one universe I made, I was really excited that space was not black, it was a sky blue color. That really got me excited for the mission arc, despite it not being something the players thought of as the coolest part of the mission, but that is a different story (we destroyed the universe, in the end, but it was sentient and attacked so!)!

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 12:35 PM

Ohhh that's so cool!

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 12:35 PM

Its always important to make the world unique, good job on your part.

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:35 PM

Well that is the universe...

The world we went into for that mission arc was a hollow water planet with an aether sphere being constructed inside by the universe itself.

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 12:36 PM

I've seen/heard of fantasy/sci-fi universes/IPs where "space" is like one big sky, with oxygen and stuff.

MaidenInsider 15-Dec-18 12:36 PM

Wow...

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:37 PM

So the pilot, um.... Shot the main weapon aether array into the aether ball in the end.

Which destroyed it as we zoomed

Beside the point lol

The players don’t still talk about it as the “blue sky universe” like I think about it, but they had other great memories there, I believe, and the small things like the blue sky and the universe being sentient kept my creative juices flowing, as they say, because I was so excited to keep unveiling new things to my players.

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 12:38 PM

What have been your best practices for communicating these universes to your players? Also, how much freedom do they have to alter/modify/destroy the environment?

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:38 PM

To your former question, I have found I have become pretty open with many questions in OOC as long as everyone in the plot can see the questions and I don't have specific plans on unveiling their question's answer in RP

<°°> Yoda 15-Dec-18 12:39 PM

Hey Ame, how would you define 'multiple universes'. Are they shared places with specific rules, or are they separate and all follow their own systems?

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:41 PM

To your latter, not much, but there was a point when they were at a weird zone in the planet where I had half-directed them to and the universe was throwing tons of dumb stuff at them and one of the officers had an idea to shoot in any random direction. This made the dumb stuff cease momentarily. That gave them enough of a clue to get out, as it were, of the sticky situation, albeit their power armor did not. So I had a place and plan in mind for where and what could be done.

Hey Yoerik, lemme read then write :]

Well the umbrella of the shared universes would be the setting the writer of them predominantly writes at, I suppose? But this may not always exist. I would say that is just there for community standards/management though. Are you asking about mechanics. To quote you, it would be, "they [are] separate and all follow their own systems" to me.

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 12:43 PM

So an issue I have been dealing with is helping people to understand a more custom world... how do you explain something that people have not seen before?

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:43 PM

Metaphors, I guess, work best. Or having a culture that the PCs all identify with that can create an allegory through just words.

<°°> Yoda 15-Dec-18 12:44 PM

So what happens when these universes collide. Let's say: what if Kirk suddenly encountered Darth Vader?

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:44 PM

Like for the blue sky one, I used Japanese words because the PCs all hail from a place that speaks a language much like Japan. I felt that helped for when I intro'd that, but who knows, in the end! That is what I mean by allegory through just words, though.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 12:45 PM

Use simplest terms is what I found to be easiest. Think of it like describing a DOG to someone who has never seen one before.

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:45 PM

Yoerik, idk. I met Darth Vader IRL and walked behind him, though. Something like that, maybe. But idk. I didn't write those characters. I am focusing on things we write and know.

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 12:46 PM

Yea. Like, people ultimately write what they know. So it’s best to keep strange concepts relatable

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:46 PM

I find creating new universes to RP in to be helpful to allowing my creativity to really flourish because I can work outside the bounds of what has become “normal” RP for me and I always have something new to look forward to write about for that reason. My last bit about that point, I will be moving on momentarily unless more is asked :]

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 12:46 PM

so how do you open people up to new concepts then?

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:46 PM

I open them up with what I imagined first

<°°> Yoda 15-Dec-18 12:46 PM

It was simply a analogy. I meant more like: what happens if two vastly different universes collapse?

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:47 PM

The first fun thing I thought of about the universe, I open with that!

<°°> Yoda 15-Dec-18 12:47 PM

into each other

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 12:47 PM

How do you open them up to it though? It’s always been something I’ve had trouble with.

TheeFlamehead 15-Dec-18 12:47 PM

I think your style of presentation can really help in that regard. If you are more of a narrator driven RP, your players can interact with the world, and see what consequences their actions have

1

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 12:47 PM

That's a good question Yoerik, especially if the universes have different rules and/or magic systems.

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:47 PM

Well, Yoerik. SARP and Ayenee are very different in that one has no magic and another has a lot. I think my next few examples may actually answer this question. Could you ask again if they do not?

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 12:47 PM

I have a question. I am an member of Ongoing Worlds, and I am planning on making a world-building platform/competition place. What would be your best advice before I begin it?

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 12:48 PM

OH yeah! I forgot about the clash between the SARPiverse and Ayenee in your plot.

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:48 PM

I just want to @TheeFlameheadToday for saying, "I think your style of presentation can really help in that regard. If you are more of a narrator driven RP, your players can interact with the world, and see what consequences their actions have" Because YES WOW YES

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 12:48 PM

I accidently entered the question, you can answer it when you want.

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 12:49 PM

It was cool to see how Jack Pine dealt with the residual effects of that universe when he returned to the SARPiverse.

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:49 PM

^ Immortal

And Writing Bug!

Hmm!

I will when I want, if okay, but I'll copy paste it rn...

Diversity within the selection of player characters because of the occurrence of multiple universes within the setting, to me, allows for a greater variety of characters for players to choose from.

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 12:50 PM

Thats fine for me Ame. I was also a member of an game on OW about leaping through different multi-verses, and we would have to organize the issues and correct the timelines.

The game is currently on hiatus, but it is still an interesting concept. The game was called Engines of Chaos

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:50 PM

Writing Bug I love timeline shenanigans and have like barely touched them but my first 'verse was a mirror so I feel like those are timeline training wheels!

So, diversity in player characters in a sci fi setting is so much fun based on what these players showed me simply in Ayenee alone! Let's get into it!

When I visited the Ayenee universe with long-standing RP history and its own board with my group of players, I found those players wanted some surprising things out of new PCs.

Experienced players wanted to take this opportunity to make characters with unheard of powers within the setting we had come from, which added a lot to the story we were able to achieve.

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 12:52 PM

Very true. Although the universes we delved into were those of OW Games, such as Two Kingdoms.

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:52 PM

Another crazy thing that happened there as far as player requests for PCs goes is that a new player that wanted to be from the first universe I had created (Not Ayenee) that I have described earlier.

It wouldn’t have made sense at that time for the setting we normally wrote in to have a PC that was from this universe I had made long ago. In Ayenee, they could be from that universe with no repercussions and then easily transitioned back to the setting my group of players and myself hailed from, the PC was able to transition into it.

So it was really fun coming to find that multiple universes create this ability for players to make something new and different for their characters.

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 12:56 PM

I think some players brought characters over from the Ayenee universe to the SARPiverse as well.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 12:57 PM

yep

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 12:57 PM

I think there was a lot of possibility with that, considering the fact that the Ayenee universe is so diverse, allowing people to basically make anything they want and to bring it to SARP, so long as it isn't magic-related or the magical elements are left out. (edited)

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 12:58 PM

people have brought SARP stuff to TNU

albeit limited without our rule set

but tis happened

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:58 PM

Which was fun for a lot of reasons! One was when an engineer PC from the original universe I had created (the latter example I gave) needed to blow up the huge legacy cannons on a ship class he knew because we were in that original universe, again!

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 12:58 PM

well magic could always just be removed as was with my case in that. (Orias to SARP)

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 12:58 PM

That was painful on all ends! Character development!

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 12:58 PM

or modified in the case of TNU

since we have "magic"

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 12:59 PM

Yeah, I remember that particular engineer from the IYS Universe.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 12:59 PM

For another website, Wandering Star Online, has a in setting mechanic which obliterates things that are from out of universe like specific technology or does a Well World scenario, where the setting rewrites a character to something that does fit into the existing setting mechanic

If something like that happens, there should be a meaningful character impact to be played through. (edited)

1

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:01 PM

It's cool to add on to a character, but I feel like when I had to take things away to make them fit, it didn't make everyone happy and could have been avoided. I learned from moving things from Ayenee to SARP and would likely do it a bit again, but that's not what I'm talking about. Moving from setting to setting is different than moving to a universe within a setting, mainly my focus today.

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:02 PM

I'd think we'd have to ask Wes whether or not he considers SARP and Ayenee to be different universes within the same setting or completely separate settings. (edited)

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 01:03 PM

jumps in between panels

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:03 PM

That said, I have a feeling that it's probably the former case.

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 15-Dec-18 01:04 PM

They are different universes to me.

1

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:04 PM

Oh you're right, Immortal, I was sort of disregarding that in that context!

Oh, hey, Wes!

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 15-Dec-18 01:05 PM

Sorry, was making chili then fed baby

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:05 PM

The Good Life ^

Well now I'd like to open it up to some Q & A for me and one another about this topic and I can get back to the one asked before, too!

Wes might want to see that one, lemme copy/paste!

@Jitterbug said, "I have a question. I am an member of Ongoing Worlds, and I am planning on making a world-building platform/competition place. What would be your best advice before I begin it?"

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 15-Dec-18 01:08 PM

My advice to have unambiguous rules and public, clear rubrics for grading

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:09 PM

He's right, do you want more of a game mechanic as far as having fun with multiple universes answer, too? I would love to give one, especially if you have more info!

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 15-Dec-18 01:10 PM

For example in the competition it should specify whether art counts for competitive purposes and how much. (edited)

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 01:11 PM

I can give a link if you want to check out the discussion. The plan was for the platform being used to both share ideas, outside and inside of RP, and to receive advice on the ideas.

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 15-Dec-18 01:11 PM

Similar concept to /r/worldbuilding

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 01:12 PM

I am thinking that if artwork is used, it will be more-so about the representation, that the skill. Not everyone can draw, but everyone can create.

1

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:13 PM

That works, WritingBug, and for that I would suggest having a good solid place for where the stuff that is your canon sticks, since you seem to have a lot of sharing and advice going around, which is great. Dokuwiki are great for that tbh

But yeah link away but a mod may say advertising works better? If you do it there just tell us when you do.

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 01:14 PM

I was planning on this being a smaller competition though, since the OW community is much smaller platform

<°°> Yoda 15-Dec-18 01:14 PM

Oh hey wes is here

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 01:14 PM

Ok, Here is the link. http://www.ongoingworlds.com/games/3367/posts/233 (edited)

OOC - A Platform Idea, Cause One Isn't Enough - OW Community Platform

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:14 PM

Oh hey yoerik is here

:]

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:14 PM

Heard ya had a baby Wes

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:14 PM

Any questions for one another about this topic?

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 01:14 PM

Worldbuilding is a unique challenge, especially since it seems each new mission/episode/sim requires something new. What does everyone find easier? Building something for an episode, or creating an all new universe and why?

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:15 PM

I built my first one for an episode and it became something much larger than that.

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 01:15 PM

How much time and thought do you put into it when you come up with a new world/universe @Ametheliana ?

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:15 PM

Wow, I would say I started thinking about some of them when I was 4? Haha

<°°> Yoda 15-Dec-18 01:15 PM

I think the main thing with different universes is their mode of transport. If we look at Trek, we have Warp, if we look at Star Wars, we have Hyperspace. How do these two interact when they collide?

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 01:15 PM

Really that's for anyone to answer.

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:16 PM

I don't know, I think word count works better to quantify it.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 01:16 PM

It depends. building something for an episode to test how the players interact with it might be a good way to see what works. Building a new universe from hte ground up is always a challenge since you have to look at it from all sides

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:16 PM

How many words do I put down to tell other GM/FM about it? Or the Admin.

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 15-Dec-18 01:16 PM

Will post baby in an offtopic room lol (edited)

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:17 PM

Probably like 500-1,000 words goes into an initial outline for a universe idea, between first draft and what lands in the GM/FM board

an universe* idk words

TheeFlamehead 15-Dec-18 01:18 PM

I feel like it might be beneficial to sketch the outline of the universe, and then go into individual mechanics

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:18 PM

Okay Yoerik, reading your question. SARP got iirc FTL from Trek RP crossover?

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 01:18 PM

I usually list ideas for the world, and power through from there.

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:18 PM

Or CDD? This was years ago so I'd have to read a wiki or ask one of the vets here.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:19 PM

They got the CDD from the other DD drive Ame

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:19 PM

So when they collide in RP? In writing? In sims and groups and forums? Cool awesome things. I know a lot of crazy SARP IC tech happened in Ayenee long ago, too.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 01:19 PM

In character universes should be an ongoing process. The real world is constantly shifting and changing. Game systems evolve over time as people interact with it.

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:20 PM

I have about ten more minutes, so any more coolio questions? This has been great btw and thank you all!

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 01:20 PM

With different types of transportation in different universes, I have seen certain technologies slow down for the current story mechanic or break, but it depends on what people want for the narrative

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 01:21 PM

What advice would you recommend for an RP that takes place in a small location, like a fantasy village, or a space colony?

<°°> Yoda 15-Dec-18 01:23 PM

How would you prefer worldbuilding? Wide, or deep?

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:23 PM

Think of all the small things, imo. Wide, I guess? But have the grander umbrella schema of it in mind, too. So also deep!

<°°> Yoda 15-Dec-18 01:24 PM

So: diverse, but somewhat unspecific. Or: smaller, but more detailed

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:24 PM

@Jitterbug do a slow burn with a lot of things that are destined to be fun and don't linger on the bad stuff too long.

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 01:25 PM

@<°°> Yoda I usually end up building worlds too wide, that miss out on the depth

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 01:25 PM

Alrighty folks; so it is almost time for the next sessions; thing we ae going to need an overflow or are we good here?

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 01:25 PM

We are good!

^^

Thank you all so much! This was a great and fun panel, thank you!

4

2

TheeFlamehead 15-Dec-18 01:26 PM

Thank you, @Ametheliana

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 01:26 PM

Jitterbug 15-Dec-18 01:26 PM

Thank you for answering our questions, and having us here. @Ametheliana (edited)

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 01:28 PM

hands mic ot the next panelist

You have two minutes

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:28 PM

Alright folks! Welcome to my panel, How to paint a picture with your post, or, less flamboyant, how to Show readers, and not Tell readers what is going on. Your ability to write something, and literally force whoever is readings brain to conjure up images of the scene you are trying to convey. This is a pretty big topic, and there are a lot of nuances to it, so for this panel I am going to focus on the concepts of Abstract and Concrete writings. Can anyone in here currently tell me what the difference between Abstract and Concrete writing is, and possibly give an example?

((Does instantly count?))

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 01:28 PM

Ooh, very interesting!

GinaC 15-Dec-18 01:29 PM

IMO abstract is using metaphors and similes to create a common perception through things everyone is familiar with whereas concrete talks about specific details such as "It's dark. This is here. This is here. That is over there."

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:31 PM

You were almost dead on with Abstract, but you got concrete down. More specifically, Abstract writing is writing the conjures up idea's, and Concrete writing deals in the five senses. Taste is a hard one, try not to have your character licking things in every post, it'll get weird... Unless that's a quirk you got then go nutz!

<°°> Yoda 15-Dec-18 01:32 PM

The most common things to do then are vision and sound?

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 01:33 PM

With smell next

GinaC 15-Dec-18 01:33 PM

True, but taste and smell are linked. So taste can be described that way.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 01:33 PM

Really strong scents will leave a taste in your mouth. ^

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:33 PM

Nuances!

These are good

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 01:34 PM

When you enter your mother's kitchen around Christmas, it'll be warm and filled with the aroma of butter, and cinnamon. The air might taste sweet and make your mouth water with anticipation. (edited)

GinaC 15-Dec-18 01:35 PM

I know I used that with Lael. The taste/scent of burning flesh in a post/sim for example...it made her literally throw up.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 01:35 PM

Something foul or gross will leave a slimy or sour taste in your mouth

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:36 PM

Yes, these are all very good point to make. The licking comment was a joke, poorly executed apparently

GinaC 15-Dec-18 01:37 PM

I was mostly going into the realm to expand on ways to use taste indirectly in a sim

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:37 PM

But these are all good example of concrete writings. They don't leave much to the imagination so to speak

So to start the conversation on how to get better at identifying these things, can anyone tell me if the following sentence is Concrete or Abstract? The Dog came down the road.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 01:38 PM

Concrete

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:39 PM

Yeah, I'd say concrete as well.

Although there is some level of abstraction in that sentence.

Like, what kind of dog is it?

What kind of road is it?

RunLikeAZombie 15-Dec-18 01:39 PM

Is it on a skateboard? (edited)

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 01:40 PM

Dog is capitalized to indicate it might be a name or nickname

Or a title

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:40 PM

Is the dog walking or running?

Oh, yeah, good point Kim.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:41 PM

No. As I had said before, Concrete is dealing with the five senses, and Abstract is dealing with ideas. Immortal is starting to get it. The sentence gives you a lot of ideas of what it is that you're looking at, bbut there is very little of it that is actually concrete. It's a bit of a trick question, because people read dog, and go "I know what a dog is". Or as Kim said, it could be a title, so you don't even know what "The Dog" is at this point.

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:41 PM

So...it may not even be a dog? Could you name a person..."Dog"?

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:42 PM

Daran's large saint burnard ran down the dirt road, his left leg tucked to his chest, whining all the while.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 01:42 PM

Well, abstract can also deal with the five senses...it's a fine line.

Concrete it's about what is IMO

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:44 PM

I think that sentence is more concrete, now.

We know for sure that it's a dog, what type of dog it is, how it is moving down the road, what type of road it is, and what the dog is doing

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:44 PM

Yes, which brings up the Ladder of Abstraction. To keep with the Dog analogy, the ladder of abstraction takes something you write about, and each peg adds a new level on concrete. Animal Mammal Dog Large dog Saint Burnard Darans Saint Burnard Does that all make sense?

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:45 PM

Yep!

GinaC 15-Dec-18 01:45 PM

Yep.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:47 PM

So Abstract and Concrete writing really helps in writing for your character, and for times where you have to write for multiple characters at once. It helps solidify and anchor them down into reality, and make them feel real, which will make the people you are roleplaying with empathise with them. So, to help explain that, let's play a game!

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:47 PM

Ohhhhhh.

I like games.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:48 PM

So we are going to create three characters really fast by you guys answering a set of very simple, basic questions

So Character A

Give me a gender

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 01:48 PM

Female

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:48 PM

Age?

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:48 PM

80!

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:49 PM

Nice!

Give me a place?

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 01:50 PM

Denobula!

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:50 PM

On earth...

Neathler 15-Dec-18 01:50 PM

London

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:50 PM

London, awesome

Give me an occupation

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 01:51 PM

She's 80? So retired.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:51 PM

Okay, what /was/ her occupation

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:51 PM

Assassin (In secret), umm...by day a retiree on a good pension

Neathler 15-Dec-18 01:51 PM

oooo

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:51 PM

An 80 year old assassion

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:51 PM

no one suspects an old lady

Neathler 15-Dec-18 01:51 PM

using her hairpin

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:52 PM

And finally, what is something she never wants anyone to know about

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:52 PM

Probably the assassin thing

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 01:52 PM

The earth really is flat

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:52 PM

Anything else? Maybe shes afraid of something?

OKay

She's a flat earther

Okay, new Gender

Neathler 15-Dec-18 01:52 PM

male

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:53 PM

Age?

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:53 PM

10 Months!

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:53 PM

I'mma go with 19 cause babies are hard XD

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:53 PM

Okay, that's fine, Lol.

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 01:53 PM

hehe

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:53 PM

Location on earth, you can even describe an enviorment, like earth

Gahg

Like an Iceburg, or a forest or something

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:54 PM

sentinelese island

(North Sentinel Island)

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:54 PM

Oh boy

OKAY!

Where that tribe is right?

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:54 PM

Yep!

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:54 PM

Alright

Job

Neathler 15-Dec-18 01:55 PM

baker

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:55 PM

And some secret they don't want anyone to know about

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 01:55 PM

~~they killed that missionary~~

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:56 PM

Other than that

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 01:56 PM

The earth is donut shaped

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:56 PM

Other then that

Neathler 15-Dec-18 01:56 PM

falls through the hole

Noodlewerfer 15-Dec-18 01:56 PM

They stole a precious artifact from a museum and sold it

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:57 PM

Alright

Neathler 15-Dec-18 01:57 PM

nice one

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 01:57 PM

There we go

Female 80 London Assassin Flat Earther Male 19 Sentinel Island Baker Stole a precious artifact So we are only going to make tywo because time

Take a moment, get into the mindset of these characters

So here is your scene!

You are in New York. The police is running around looking for someone, for some reason. You are outside a doughnut shop, and you can vaugely hear a couple people talking about the recent Space X mission where they put a Tesla into space. Write a post, as concretely as you can, from the perspectives of both characters.

Same Scene, two different characters, go

How would the character react to these things. Don't be afraid to add in internal monologue

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:10 PM

Do I still have y'all?

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 02:10 PM

You certainly have me

RunLikeAZombie 15-Dec-18 02:11 PM

Sure do

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:11 PM

Alright, just wanted to make sure I didn't kill the panel with this exercise XD

RunLikeAZombie 15-Dec-18 02:11 PM

Sucking on a cigarette at a time like that seemed to be a bad idea, but standing outside the doughnut shop in the pouring rain listening to some conversation about the convertible in space was calming his nerves. With a shaky hand, he reached for another from the pack and tried to not thinking about the artefact stashed inside the overflow oven. Cinnamon buns weren’t due until Thursday. The rain was getting darker, pounding into the pavement with vigour, like the raindrops could hammer themselves through the concrete into the supple ground beneath. New York stank when it rained. Flicking the butt across the way, he looked up at the small light on the roof, blew out the remainder of his smoke, and stalked back inside the bakery.

3

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:12 PM

REally good Jo! So I'mma ask you a few questions to bring it even closer to concrete.

What kind of Cigarettes is he smoking?

Shayne 15-Dec-18 02:13 PM

The good kind.

RunLikeAZombie 15-Dec-18 02:13 PM

Lucky Strike, for a bit of added luck in the heist

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:13 PM

Nice, I like it

Shayne 15-Dec-18 02:13 PM

Nice touch.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:13 PM

What's the Bakery called?

RunLikeAZombie 15-Dec-18 02:14 PM

Shayne 15-Dec-18 02:14 PM

Stuffin's Muffins.

RunLikeAZombie 15-Dec-18 02:14 PM

That'll do!

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:14 PM

Maybe something that plays to the fact he is from an island of people that are completely isolated from the rest of th4e world

Stuffin works tho

RunLikeAZombie 15-Dec-18 02:15 PM

I really want to say Man Hole, considering it's a doughnut shop

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:15 PM

Where are the police that are running around?

RunLikeAZombie 15-Dec-18 02:15 PM

Ties with New York

Ah missed them

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:16 PM

So you can see how simple questions can start to add levels of solidity to your posts

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 02:17 PM

This is a really helpful panel so far, thanks!

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:17 PM

But there's even more you can ask. What does he look like? What is he wearing? are there people on the street around him? What does he think of civilization?

What was the artifact he stole?

Where did he get it, if not from a museum?

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 02:18 PM

So you write up the basic structure of the post, and ask yourself then this type of questions to get yourself thinking about how to fill the blanks?

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:18 PM

Exactly. The more you do it, the easier it becomes

You yourself know what kind of picture you're trying to paint

But no one else knows what's happening in your head

So you have to pause, and really think about what you're missing.

So, we have ten minutes, I'll finish up with two more questions. Is Abstract Writing ever good, and, Can you be too concrete in what you're writing?

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:20 PM

Yes and Yes, because there are never any absolutes

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:21 PM

So, when would Abstract Writing be better than Concrete writing?

And how can you be too concrete in what you are writing?

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 02:22 PM

So set up an overflow?

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:23 PM

Abstracts can be good especially when your dealing with really big emotions, literally sweeping you away emotions. and when you get too concrete, you end up with pages and pages of dress porn, or scenery porn, (I'm lookng at you, wheel of time)

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:23 PM

I've got 8 minutes and if people want to keep talking about this I'll do an over flow

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:24 PM

I would, except I have to run my own panel now

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:24 PM

Close, sweeping you away emotions can be made concrete, and with emotions it's important to make it concrete, because you would draw up even more emotion from your reader

However, JK Rowling utilizes Abstract Writing in a VERY good way. She writes stories of kids going to school

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 02:25 PM

Even close to the relative safety of the doughnut shop where he worked, the sounds of police sirens always made him paranoid. He had heard from his guide that the police never treated people that looked like him very well in America. The fact that he barely knew English scared him even more, because he had been warned that an unscrupulous officer might use his lack of literacy against him if he were to be arrested. With a deep breath, the dark-skinned immigrant quickly stepped inside the donut shop and punched the clock in machine near the door. He disregarded the conversation taking place a few paces away from him about rich people attempting to fly to space. In truth, he could care less about such matters when he was trying to pay rent and the never-ending pile of bills in his mailbox. Ever since the stipend money from the anthropological study he had taken part in had run out, he had been dire straits. His car had broken down in the middle of the freeway only a few days before, leaving him with a large repair bill and a towing fee. He could never understand why everything costed him so much in America. Although he had learned very quickly that it was illegal to steal, he also learned that stealing could yield him a lot of money, provided that he stole the right thing. After all, money was everything in America, and he was nothing, but a baker on minimum wage. (edited)

1

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:25 PM

You know they are in school, and you have an idea of their day to day lives, but that's all you need. An idea. Imagine how long those books would be if she write the entire year in concrete applications?

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:26 PM

even longer than they are now?

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:26 PM

By a significant margin

Immortal Cyan 15-Dec-18 02:26 PM

I only had time to write from the perspective of one character, but yeah.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:27 PM

That was a really good post Immortal

Okay, I'mma pop over to the over flow to make way for Beautiful here

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 02:27 PM

ok

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:28 PM

Thanks @Ikate Keda Studios I really enjoyed this one. I'm going to grab a coke and be right back to start in 2 minutes

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:28 PM

I am such a coke addict

And I'm trying to cut down

I hate you so much right now....

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 02:29 PM

So overflow?

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:29 PM

yee

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 02:29 PM

k

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 15-Dec-18 02:29 PM

My dad was a Diet Coke junkie for years but managed to stop drinking sodas.

They were giving him acid reflux.

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:30 PM

I drink caffeine free diet coke. Its probably the most pointless drink on planet earth

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:30 PM

I wish they made caffine free Coke

I hate diet coke

Wes of StarArmy [SA] 15-Dec-18 02:30 PM

They do.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coca-Cola-Caffeine-Free-Soda-12-Fl-Oz-12-Count/10291613

Coca-Cola Caffeine-Free Soda, 12 Fl Oz, 12 Count - Walmart.com

Buy Coca-Cola Caffeine-Free Soda, 12 Fl Oz, 12 Count at Walmart.com

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:32 PM

So, good evening/afternoon/morning everyone. I'm Notty/ Beautiful Night, and I run the Deep Space Five sim in Theta Fleet. The topic for the next panel is the topic for this panel is the Five Act Structure for Mission Design The Five Act Structure is probably familiar to most people here - its the usual structure of most works of Shakespeare, and many Trek films and Episodes, but has been advocated all the way back to Horace Its one I find the most useful for planning missions and I use it roughly as follows: Act One - The set up, establishing the basic premise, introducing the key NPCs Act Two - Rising action - The first moves, either provocation by the villain, or steps in investigation Act Three - Turning point - where everything look likes its going to go to shit, but the clues of the solution are always given. - The darkest hour, before the dawn. Act Four - Unraveling - where conflict escalates, the bad guy gets in a surprising victory, a double cross, or an unexpected break through is made, that gives hope/ despair, as most appropriate for.... Act Five. - Denoument - the final fight, Its got a good diagram here:

http://sbt.blob.core.windows.net/site-images/articles/five-act-play.png

I like this structure for plotting missions as I find it easiest to make the rythmn of the adventure right, but does everyone here use the same? Do you use different structure? DO you plan at all?

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 02:34 PM

No game plan survives first contact with its players

1

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 02:35 PM

As a D&D DM I agree

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 02:35 PM

Sadly, my games often don't last long enough to even complete one 'episode'. I've had a lot of problems with Disappearing Player Syndrome

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:35 PM

@Stephen Hunter UK whilst that's true, thats why i use it, no matter what the players actually do, I know roughly how things should feel, based on this structure

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 02:35 PM

I've never actually used the 5 part structure officially, but most of the missions I have ran do have some resemblance to it. The beginning is typically character focused with a transition into the actual story, then there's the story itself (with some character reaction to it), another transition, back into character focused, and kind of an end game as it were.

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 02:36 PM

You don't want to railroad players unless they have to get a train

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:36 PM

I don't see it as railroading

I see it as what sort of response to provide.

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 02:37 PM

I usually have an ideal ending in mind, as well as ideal milestones throughout.

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:37 PM

so whatever they actually choose to do, in Act 2, they need to see hints of a bigger villain/opposition

GinaC 15-Dec-18 02:37 PM

Personally @Stephen Hunter UK we do our best to have a loose plot idea so that the game can adapt more easily without people losing interest.

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 02:37 PM

I have plans myself, but you need to be flexible

Sometimes you have better ideas as you go along or a player gives you a nice bit of inspiration

Uso 15-Dec-18 02:37 PM

If your plan is falling apart, then you need to improve your plan. I find it best to throw a bunch of plot hooks at the players and then see where the story goes. Always leave yourself some outs or ways to bring in new characters during the adventure too.

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:37 PM

then again in act 3, we need to do something that makes everyone go "oh Shit" the details though are determined purely by what players have actually done

GinaC 15-Dec-18 02:38 PM

You can definitely have ideas of where to go if it gets stuck, but generally it's best to go with what players write so they can feel like they're actively contributing.

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 02:38 PM

I do the plot hooks as well, but they are typically roadblocks and I allow my players to throw in their own roadblocks as long as they have a solution to it in mind.

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 02:38 PM

When in doubt, have someone walk in with a gun

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:39 PM

Raymond Chandler is a god

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 02:40 PM

One of the roadblocks one of my players came up with was having their child character (There are several on the Onnar now) disconnect the main power to the ship. They got inside of one of the junctions during a tour of main engineering and pulled out all of the isolinear chips effectively shutting down the ship.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 02:40 PM

I tend to ask questions of an expert in a given department. It encourages them to generate ideas.

IC I mean

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:40 PM

One of my tactics for the more successful plot that I ran, was I told my players to roleplay whatever they wanted outside of the mission, and I would go through, read it, and think of ways I could make things happen, creating consiquences of what they did in their own writing. Got them all really invested in the plot.

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:41 PM

Paying attention to your players and what they're riffing off is a really good way to get them invested, definitely.

So... going back to the 5 act structure. Act one is about exposition, setting the scene and setting up the conflict. I think this is normally the easy part, but (apart from folding in etails from players other writing) what do people do to get their players invested, and ensure they have all the information they need to take aciton, without turning it into a data dump

?

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 02:45 PM

Make your exposition memorable

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 02:45 PM

I utilize the mission notes for general notes and if I need a player to do something that I don't want others to know about I DM them.

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 02:46 PM

I usually share mission notes with my players, including tasks for each departments, appropriate entries from my wiki, and I always involve them in the first act when possible.

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:46 PM

I've not found a single great solution. I've tried a whole sim post, and sometimes that works, and multiple smaller posts, and sometimes tht works, and sometimes they don't

GinaC 15-Dec-18 02:46 PM

We use MSNPCs to drive things when players seem to be lost.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:46 PM

I do a roleplay which each player individually, and try to get them to develop their character and grow attatched to them before the first mission even starts

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 02:46 PM

I often allow others to operate a mission-critical NPC as well, sometimes villian roles.

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 02:46 PM

@GinaC MSNPC?

Neathler 15-Dec-18 02:47 PM

Mission NPC (edited)

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 02:47 PM

I do the same, Daran, when I can.

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 02:47 PM

Mission Specific NPC

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 02:47 PM

Oh thanks.

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 02:47 PM

Writing with each player on something, whether it's mission critical or not, really helps bring the group together.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 02:48 PM

One of my more popular attempts to do this, was when the crew found a cannibalistic species of aliens, and the insane Doctor/cook, actually cooked up some of the species and fed it to the crew

That... Was a hilarious thread

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:48 PM

I'm normally in a differnet place, my sim has been around for donkeys years, I'm the third GM, and most of the players have been then for years, getting them attached to character isn't the problem. I tend to find the reverse, trying to plot ways to get their well developed characters into the mix without feeling like a railroad

GinaC 15-Dec-18 02:49 PM

@[22] greenfelt22 As a leader, I write one on one posts (joint and tag style) with all new players on my ship and them move to other writers I haven't interacted with in awhile unless I have a side story going with a specific character.

Uso 15-Dec-18 02:49 PM

MSNPC: The PC news network

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:50 PM

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 02:50 PM

@GinaC I do the same.

I try to make sure I'm in a post with all new players within the first week.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 02:50 PM

It builds connections and crucial relationships.

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 02:50 PM

MSNPC

Your NPC today?

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 02:51 PM

Yep.

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:53 PM

And once everyone's bought into the story. what next? DOes anyone have particular ways they get from the initiating incident (e.g. go and scan this planet for Phlebotinum particles) to the act 3, where they realise they've got a big problem (e.g. no Phlebotiniu, becuase its all been taken by the Borg cube that just appeared)?

Does anyone have any guarenteed ways of getting players to initiate that sequence?

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 02:54 PM

Romance sub-quests

Sorry couldn't resist

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:55 PM

nothing to be ashamed of. lots of people come to sims for that

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 02:55 PM

Getting players to initiate that sequence is always a bit dangerous. Not to say that players can't do it or shouldn't do it. Sometimes they find a way around it, or turn the volume up to 11 when it really should be 4.

And if you bait a player into it, caution should be taken as to avoid the appearance of dictating what needs to be written.

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 02:57 PM

How do you balance between the palyers that need a bit more direction than others?

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 02:57 PM

I let my XO and 2XO take turns in initiating it. They already know the entire outline before the rest of the player base since they participate in making it.

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 02:58 PM

Often times, I'll create a nameless NPC and write along with that player to help them along.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:02 PM

Like I said in another discussion, I ask questions or defer to my department experts.

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:02 PM

When plotting adventures, how much detail do you prepare for the middle of it - as Stephen said no plan survives contact with the enemy, but do players have an expectation of a big "oh crap" moment, like the Borg taking the enterprise in First contact, or When Kirk and McCoy were sentenced to Rura Pente?

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:02 PM

Give them a vehicle for a discussion which generates ideas while leading them toward the main goal of a scene or story

I don't prepare a ton. I rely on my players to generate that.

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:04 PM

I personally use a flexible structure, something like "Your goal is to find THIS. We'll need it for the end of the mission." Then, from there, I let the players go at it, filling out a lot of the details.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:05 PM

I assign a generic task. It's up to them how they complete it.

2

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:05 PM

And for that proactive players are the best. I'd rather then they go off on complete mad tangent that I have to imporvise like mad to get to a Act 3 climax than plot it all laboriously.

1

though getting proactive players is a struggle for another panel

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 03:06 PM

Our latest mission was: rescue the captain. Nothing was established but that he took a shuttle and flew off because he needed the rest. The rest of the story was up to us. I loved it.

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:06 PM

Sometimes allowing your players to have all of the say can break the simm or kill the story. It's best to find a good balance.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:06 PM

Sometimes the fewer main goals, the better.

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:07 PM

If you know your player base then you know who needs prodding and who will propel the story and so on...

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 03:07 PM

This mission was the chance for our XO to prove himself for promotion (he succeeded) so he steered it a little, but the story was really up to us.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 03:07 PM

This is why I feel Military RP can be mildly difficult, especially when you have a rank structure

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:07 PM

like in Trek?

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 03:08 PM

Because as the captain of a ship, you can fully railroad your crew

"Hey, we are going to this place, doing this mission. Squad one, go set up camp, squad two... Blah blah blah"

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:08 PM

If you do railroad your crew, they won't let you do it again.

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 03:08 PM

MUTINY

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 03:08 PM

But its the idea of what is a rational railroad, and what is you going on a power trip

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:09 PM

In our game, COs/FOs/Department heads are all versions of GMs on a level. They provide the catalyst for the next phase of a story and the ensigns provide the solutions.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 03:10 PM

Or how do you deal with a player who throws a wrench in your plan, but is completely justified in doing so within the bounds of their character?

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:10 PM

There are times when the GM plays the villian and it does come down to Captain VS Villian. Times like that, railroading is just unavoidable.

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:11 PM

I tend to let the players take turns playing the villain.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 03:11 PM

And I mean a BIG wrench

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:12 PM

I kind of see that as part of my job description. I'm the GM, I'm supposed to deal with that stuff. I don't like it, but its the tao of Ben Parker: with great power,, comes great responsibility

So I try to roll with it

work out ways of making what they've done work

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:13 PM

Big wrenches happen. I always recommend trying to roll with it, but I also recommend working with that player to understand reasonable wrenches for the future.

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:13 PM

When I've run tabletop games, if i do it well, that player then normally eats out of my hand for the rest of the campaing

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 03:14 PM

Like, in the StarTrek theme of things, how the entire Command staff often goes down to explore planets, how would you deal with a military Commander who has been told their one job is to keep the command crew safe, and starts doing things like, say, you want it to be a small group going down to the surface of the planet, but they are like "Beg your pardon? You ai;t going down there without at least a company of soldiers setting up a FOB and reconning the area for any dangers, what are you doing wanting to just walk down there /alone/?

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:15 PM

Sometimes big wrenches happen and, in those instances I ask that the player have a reasonable solution in mind. If it's a wrench without a solution then I come up with one and move on. It's really a team effort and there's no point in getting upset or mad when it happens.

1

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:16 PM

@Ikate Keda Studios, you mean like every episode of TNG?

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 03:16 PM

Exactly

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:17 PM

This is a bit off topic, but there are a dozen memes about that sort of thing in relation to TNG @Ikate Keda Studios @[22] greenfelt22

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:17 PM

lol

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 03:17 PM

Sorry

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:17 PM

No, he's off topic. Not us.

He meaning ConfusedFire.

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:17 PM

But, the Onnar gets around that by having the junior officers go on the away missions instead of just the DH's and command staff all the time

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:17 PM

That said TOS was way worse than TNG

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:17 PM

I meant I was off topic @Ikate Keda Studios

lol

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 03:18 PM

Ooooo

Derp

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:18 PM

My security chief does the same thing. Always wants a full group of security to accompany. Sometimes, compromise is a good approach. "Full contingent, no. But, you can take 2 people."

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:19 PM

So we've got about ten minutes left. THinking about the end of a missin then, Acts 4 and 5. Complications, and denouements. WE#ve talked about wrenches, but does anyone ever need to add complications before they get the the big finale, or are players pretty reliable in that regard?

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:19 PM

It happens to me so much, I just factor in some expendable red shir... I mean extra security... into the equation now.

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:19 PM

going ot need an overflow over here?

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 03:19 PM

I'm almost sure Players add more than enough wrenches

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:19 PM

Complications are always wonderful.

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:19 PM

i don't know, hopefully not

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 03:19 PM

I feel they have an unlimited amount of wrenches

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 03:20 PM

Sometimes complications can come from perfectly simple thimgs

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:20 PM

So Act 5 then, What makes for a good climax?

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:20 PM

Thought act 5 was the end?

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 03:20 PM

I think that requires context

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:20 PM

I've worked with COs who like to leave loose ends for future plots.

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:20 PM

yes, thats what I mean, sorry. denouement

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:20 PM

I once sent an Away Team to obtain information, but they weren't able to gain anything, which led to some frustrated characters (which they needed to be frustrated for the next mission).

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 03:20 PM

The villain gets defeated

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:20 PM

Satisfaction of a job well done.

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:21 PM

I'm one of those people @GinaC mentioned... I like having something for the future so sometimes I leave a few loose ends

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:21 PM

Solving the problem before the problem ate the ship.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:21 PM

Good denouncements depend on the mission goals and long-term plans for a given story or arc.

1

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:21 PM

What if the problem is the characters eating the ship @[22] greenfelt22 ?

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:21 PM

whilst I agree, preferably in the biggest explosion the budget can afford, how hard does it have to be to feel the players have earnt their ending, and not just been railroaded through it

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:21 PM

I keep a fire extinguisher around just for you, @Confusedfire

1

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:22 PM

@Confusedfire (I recommend the dinosaur that pooped a planet for that one (I have five year old boys) :D)

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:22 PM

I usually find it's not too hard for the players to feel they earned it. The worst endings, in my opinion, are when the GM (who plays the villian) brings it down to a GM vs GM post.

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:22 PM

Going to need overflow?

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:22 PM

Whenever players themselves have a hand in the final act, they feel pretty good.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:22 PM

Some ships in our group do lots of action, blow up, and death. Some prefer deeper storylines.

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:22 PM

I agree with what @[22] greenfelt22 said about the GM vs GM bit.

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:22 PM

And I find my retention rates are better then too.

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:22 PM

I agree, I've seen that on some sims, its always terrible

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:23 PM

Sometimes those lead to anticlimactic endings

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:23 PM

never rob players of agency,

@Josh [TNU] I think we're good

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:23 PM

@Confusedfire Hate those.

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:23 PM

Once of my PNPCs just died in a sim. Never had that happen before. Then from my character's point of view, it was really emotional. Good for character development!

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:23 PM

You have to find a balance.

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:24 PM

Personally the players should always have a hand in the ending

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 03:24 PM

But not lose a hand, necessarily

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:24 PM

If there's plot holes, it's good for future mission proposals.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:24 PM

All about goals.

Have them, but have somewhat loose ones.

As GMs and leaders, we need to be able to go with the flow.

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:25 PM

There's also a virtue to constraints though

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:25 PM

I think there's always an unwritten Act VI, which is how the events impact everything else going on in your universe, and how the other powers react.

hinting at that sometimes makes for a good wrap up to Act V

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:26 PM

The best Act VI's are the next mission's Act I's

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:26 PM

I don’t think I’ve had an Act VI

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 03:27 PM

I just play it by episodes like a TV series

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:27 PM

okay, were coming up on the hour- any last questions or comments before we move on?

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 03:27 PM

Finish a arc and you've completed a season

MaidenInsider 15-Dec-18 03:27 PM

are cliffhangers okay?

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 03:27 PM

:3

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:28 PM

and we good?

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:28 PM

@MaidenInsider i love a cliff hanger, but they can't be over used

2

@Josh [TNU] I think so.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:28 PM

Act VI is sometimes shoreleave for our group

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:28 PM

Makes sense Lael

Beautiful Night 15-Dec-18 03:29 PM

I'd like to thank everyone for listening to me rattle on about a pet issue. I'm now going to hand over to @[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim for her hour on Romance

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 03:29 PM

Thanks, @Beautiful Night

MaidenInsider 15-Dec-18 03:29 PM

gotcha

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:30 PM

Next panelist

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:30 PM

Good morning from the land ofAloha! Once again, my name is Kim. I am one of the admin and setting writers for Shattered Universe! I have been roleplaying online for 21 years. I have been a roleplay site admin on and off for 17 years for Menzai Battlefield Academy, Starzai, Mecha Generation, and Star Army.

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:30 PM

Aloha!

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:31 PM

You’ve been role playing longer than I’ve been alive

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 03:31 PM

Going to need this panel

Jme 15-Dec-18 03:31 PM

shush Zech, we know that already

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:31 PM

Hehe

Neathler 15-Dec-18 03:31 PM

but the others don't :p

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:31 PM

^

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:31 PM

I am the writer for several webcomics to include a H relationship webcomic called Koko ❤ U! I have been married for 15 years and in the relationship for 18.

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:31 PM

That’s awesome

That’s as long as I’ve been alive

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:32 PM

STAHP

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 03:32 PM

We get it Grozz

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:32 PM

Heheheehe

Sorry hangs head in shame

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:32 PM

Young'in there @Zech ♿ lol

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:32 PM

pats Kim repeatedly

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:32 PM

SO I have a bit of perspective on this issue! I wanted to avoid touching on some of the issues that I have seen already touched on in memes.

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:32 PM

I am 18 years old yes. Found PbEM earlier this year enjoying it throughly

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:33 PM

But to start, what questions did you have to start and we can roll on from there? ❤

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:33 PM

How to start a relationship between two characters

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 03:33 PM

Well Zech, this is your time to shine.

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:33 PM

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:33 PM

My character is a Denobulan and trying to get his internal structure to only base a relationship to just one female.

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 03:33 PM

Interplayer Romance, how to ask for it and how to play it? (edited)

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:33 PM

Hmm. I guess the biggest issue is making it authentic and not like a bunch of silly kids. How does everyone do that?

MaidenInsider 15-Dec-18 03:33 PM

How do you make a relationship look natural?

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:34 PM

ive always just gone witht he flow

tbh

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:34 PM

I'm curious how you'd handle it when the person you're writing with disappears

1

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:34 PM

Starting from the top! https://youtu.be/EIhSnaqou0I How to start it make it look natural

earMUSIC

JENNIFER PAIGE "CRUSH" original version (Official Video) HQ

The official video for Jennifer Paige's smash hit "Crush". Buy it on iTunes here: http://itunes.apple.com/de/album/crush/id287955263

Jme 15-Dec-18 03:34 PM

Starting relationships is easy. I think one of the biggest questions in a roleplaying game is what do you do when your character's partner has to stop playing for whatever reason

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:34 PM

My question is the same as @Zech ♿ 's because right now my CO character on the Onnar and the player of the CMO on the same simm are starting to dabble in that area with our characters.

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:35 PM

If the writer leaves, then make it to where your character is suffering from that kind of traumatic loss. Character deveoplment

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:35 PM

That’s why I’m using two of my characters to be in a relationship it’s easier

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:35 PM

From the other side, the writer I was working with just continued until my character could be put out of the picture.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:35 PM

It's usually a matter of how you actually start a relationship. You start by talking and interacting with the other character as a co-worker or friend.

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:36 PM

It's good to find someone with the same energy level as you so you can develop the relationship into something more.

Jme 15-Dec-18 03:36 PM

@enterDanement That can be a good route to go - but on the other hand if your character suffers tragedy after tragedy they can become unplayably broken. There's a fine line betwee great drama and no fun

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:36 PM

Over time, people grow together or apart but it takes time. If you want it to feel real, you start like a normal relationship. I started dating people I knew and trusted in real life, my characters follow a similar structure

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:36 PM

Yes, but that's why we have counselors @Jme

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:36 PM

Counslors can't fix something terminally broken (edited)

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:37 PM

I know

Jme 15-Dec-18 03:37 PM

@enterDanement and what if the counselor is the one who is tragically dumped by a callous PC? It has happened.

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 03:37 PM

You go to the other counselor aboard

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:37 PM

also a good question since you have been here longer

MaidenInsider 15-Dec-18 03:37 PM

story behind that?

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:37 PM

Consider - I've got a character that has had, in sequence: her father died saving her and her mother. Her mother put her up as a servant to keep her alive, and then died. Her crush disappeared forever. Her friends -dead. Her new friends? Dead or gone. etc. etc.

At some point that character is going to become one note really fast

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:38 PM

@enterDanement and I have a potentially unique perspective since we're partners IRL. We draw on our relationship experiences to help. The same can be said when dealing with a writer leaving. It's like a break up or losing a friend.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:38 PM

ICly, a relationship has to progress naturally. OOCly, you need to have some sort of a conversation about where you want it to go. Not everyone has the same idea for what a relationship is

4

For instance, ICly Character 1 wants something casual while Character 2 wants MARRIAGE

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:39 PM

German has seen his sister presumably assimilated by the Borg. And now in a relationship with @GinaC who is the same hybrid as his sister.

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:39 PM

The big M word

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:39 PM

Exactly. @enterDanement and I have taken 5 months to evolve from feelings to sort off dating. IC and OOC (edited)

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:39 PM

In real life, this would cause a problem. ICly, it SHOULD cause the same

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 03:39 PM

Like wise if you made a character with a lot of life problems or a bad past, that’s a bad idea for an opening line

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:39 PM

It is causing problems IC

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:39 PM

Just because characters talked once does not mean they are in love.

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 03:39 PM

“Well my life is hard I had A NOVEL of terrible things happen”

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:40 PM

https://youtu.be/CY8E6N5Nzec

Marshmello

Marshmello & Anne-Marie - FRIENDS (Lyric Video) *OFFICIAL FRIENDZO...

Download FRIENDS by Marshmello & Anne-Marie HERE ▶ http://au.gt/friends NEW Mello™️ by Marshmello gear SHOP NOW ▶ http://mellogang.com Watch Cooking with Mar...

Which leads me into this FRIENDZONE nonesense

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:40 PM

@[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim. Exactly. It might make them curious or have confusing feelings that can be dealt with over time.

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:40 PM

I’ve already simmed the start of the relationship by having them meet in the ships lounge and they’re meeting again later just not sure how to do it

Jme 15-Dec-18 03:40 PM

Kim's point is really good - if one character/player wants a nice slow build and the other character/players wants to be married in two weeks and start having kids in three... you're gonna have a problem.

talking out beforehand can help mitigate that

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:41 PM

I think there's a secondary problem to this.

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:41 PM

Also what happens if one character flirts with someone else. What does the attached character do?

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 03:41 PM

A good example is well Kim’s character Lukina and mine Creature. They developed their bond slowly, and over time. It was months before they expressed any emotionality

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:41 PM

mutual agreement between writing partners is a must (edited)

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:41 PM

That is, you can agree, say, in X-2 years that you want something

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:41 PM

in any of this

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:41 PM

And then 2 years later... one of you changes your mind

And the other doesn't.

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:41 PM

mutual agreement is better.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:41 PM

Time builds trust.

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 03:41 PM

Well like real life, break ups can happen

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:41 PM

Males and females can be friends without it being a lead up to love. Just because someone is nice to you does not make them entitled to YOU.

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:42 PM

^

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:42 PM

That is true

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:42 PM

People are not machines you can drop tokens of NICE into and love and sex eventually falls out of.

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 03:42 PM

Like wise love does not mean sex

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:42 PM

Very true @[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:42 PM

even in ERPs I have been in the guy and girl were friends before anything else

MaidenInsider 15-Dec-18 03:42 PM

^^ @[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:42 PM

I've had plenty of female friends. It's better than having male friends sometimes. Just learn to balance yourself

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:42 PM

@[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim Case in point...Lael and her friend Chythar. She had romantic feelings for him but they are primarily really close friends.

Zech ♿ 15-Dec-18 03:43 PM

LAEL LIKED ZEPH

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:43 PM

even Seph and Scott in my story is jsut a platonic realtionship

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:43 PM

If you want to move into a relationship with a person, you should you know, tell them that instead of lurking on the outside and WAITING for that opening to wedge into a relationship

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:43 PM

Very true Kim

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:44 PM

No one wants to feel like they are being used or bein creeped on.

Confusedfire 15-Dec-18 03:44 PM

I've been really good friends with the same woman since we were adult teenagers and met in the Navy... I don't think either of us have ever really thought about us being more than just friends. So I know it's definitely possible.

Gallant 15-Dec-18 03:44 PM

Are we talking about fiction, real life, or a little of both?

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:44 PM

Both it seems

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:44 PM

It's really the same principle for both.

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 03:45 PM

^^

Gallant 15-Dec-18 03:45 PM

Well, fiction mirrors reality, and sometimes it highlights it.

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 03:45 PM

So would you say that doing research on writing a relationship. That it’s a good idea to read dating books?

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:45 PM

Communication is key to any relationship. Friendship and romantically.

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:46 PM

-

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:46 PM

Exactly. Lael and German's relationship is mature because @enterDanement and I have a mature relationship IRL. Parallels are the spice of life.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:46 PM

I recommend books on actual relationships vice things like the Player's handbook or "I hope they serve beer in hell"

Jme 15-Dec-18 03:46 PM

I think the best way to reserachj writing a relationship is to watch people in relationships

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 03:46 PM

TUCKER MAX IS A HERO

Jme 15-Dec-18 03:46 PM

or read books written by people in relationships about relationships.

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 03:46 PM

Question: Polyamorous relationships, anything in particular to look after, or the same as normal relationship only multiplied?

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 03:46 PM

I’m being facetious

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:47 PM

oh yeah my main is poly; its hard to convince people and do it right

advice?

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:47 PM

And even when @GinaC and I have disagreements, we talk it out as well as our characters do. If someone needs space, give them that space. Respect one another

Lt. Pholin Duyzer [SB118] 15-Dec-18 03:47 PM

Need advice too!

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:47 PM

Polyamorous relationships are not always about sexual connections with people. It is relationship management at its hardest. You have to consider everyone's feelings

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:47 PM

To answer a indirect question, though, if the personm you're in a relationship IC is flirting with other players in front of you, you can work on an OOC agreement to make that a thing, or..

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:48 PM

You have to consider everyone's expectations of the relationship and then everyone else's feelings as well

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:48 PM

Eh. I feel that talking to them first before acting on it is wisest.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:48 PM

OOC talking is a big thing if you're really going to make an IC relationship work

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:48 PM

It really depends on the communication between the characters.

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:48 PM

You at least have the luxury of it being an RP and therefore can think out your reaction.

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:48 PM

Sumire is big on the erotic side but yeah; she has partners whom are exclusively just like people she loves

not all love is sexual

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:49 PM

And if someone turns you down, then leave it be. Don't berate the person. I've seen that happen.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:49 PM

@enterDanement's character flirted before he and Lael got serious. But that was because OOC @enterDanement and I agreed on boundaries.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:49 PM

Usually, you would talk to your partner before you started picking up people in front of them because you want to be respectful of their feelings

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:49 PM

and everyone needs to know the ground rules

in any poly stuff

even more communication

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:49 PM

I consider it rude and disrespectful to flirt with other people in front of your partner. without talking to them about it first

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:50 PM

You don't need to plan the ceremony and the honeymoon right away, just understand from the start what the other character/writer won't tolerate and is open to.

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:50 PM

exactly

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:50 PM

And even then, German was still in Denobulan mode and flirted with other people too.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:50 PM

Every poly relationship has different rules. For instance, one of my friends is in a poly-monogamous relationship.

This means they have a primary partner and one other relationship.

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:50 PM

I've made him to only like one person which was really hard.

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:50 PM

yep

thats how Sumire is

her fiance is her primary

she has five others and the two agreed to it (edited)

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:51 PM

The other relationships are acknowledged and they don't pursue new relationships with other people. With that one alternate person, they don't seek other relationships since the male partner is their primary

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:52 PM

she woudl let people in to her relationship

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:52 PM

I don't have the attention span for other partners. It's hard with one, let alone more partners

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:52 PM

but only after talking to him

first

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:52 PM

Being poly just means that you are open to have romantic relationships with other people

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:52 PM

yep

some people assume ploy people are whores etc

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:52 PM

An interesting aspect of my character is that Al-Leyans have multiple partners and free love is common practice, but she's adamantly opposed to monogamy. It's about what's organic for the writer and the character.

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:52 PM

there's more to romance than just sex

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:52 PM

sumire has gotten that alot

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:53 PM

It could mean that you are married and having sex with other people with permission

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 03:53 PM

Honestly I think a polyamorous relationship has better chances of working, if everyone is equally attracted to everyone. Person A likes Person B and C equally, Person B likes A and C equally and Person C likes A and B equally. (edited)

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:53 PM

If you are going for a triad group relationship sure. But that rarely happens

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:53 PM

yeah

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:53 PM

Commitment in polyamory is key as is respect. If all persons can't respect the others even when then disagree, it just won't work

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:54 PM

three person relationships with two primaries

is hard

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:54 PM

Person A can date person B and C without B and C ever being sexually attracted to each other

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:54 PM

yep

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:54 PM

The thing with Lael is that she needs to be with a species of her own for a short time to mate with to survive. German knows this being a Xenobiologist.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:54 PM

Being poly is not equal to having group sex

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:54 PM

its not

but some misunderstand that

and think poly menas you have six partners and lseep with all six

thats not it at all

poly has nothing to do with sex actually

its just multiperson love

being open to multiple parnters

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:55 PM

Person A is in love with B and C but are great friends with D, E and just likes to casually have sex with F.

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:55 PM

exactly

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:56 PM

B and C can be friends or attracted to each other if they are open to it. You can't force people to like your friends or love them.

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:56 PM

thats how sumire is; shes promised to person B, she is romantic friends with person C and D; she has casual sex with E and F (edited)

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:56 PM

B and C could even HATE one another but stay out of each other's ways. It doesn't have to be a love triangle

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:56 PM

I feel this may have drifted a bit..

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 03:56 PM

Not really

The subject is romance

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:57 PM

In romance RP, I find a lot of people are more receptive to Monogamous relationships that eventually lead to marriage

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:57 PM

yeah

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:57 PM

Two characters can be friends, be sexually involved, but have no romantic feelings for each other.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:57 PM

Conflicts arise by clinging to the notion that the first person their character talks to in RP is their ONE TRUE LOVE

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 03:58 PM

heh

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 03:58 PM

Oh dear god NO

MaidenInsider 15-Dec-18 03:58 PM

that never ends well.....

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:58 PM

@[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim. Lael had a failed marriage, a failed engagement, and several failed relationships before she met German.

Experience breeds authenticity.

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:59 PM

Eh. I think largely, the issues with romance in RP boil down to two classes: 1. The RP in the game is kind of.. inauthentic and cheesy, in a way that causes issues with other people trying to play with it

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:59 PM

Characters have different expectations as do their players. I have had committed relationships ICly that died because the other player disappeared. But I played it up as she was still in love with that person. It hurt to write but it was acknowledging her feelings.

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 03:59 PM

.. but 2. People mistake IC for OOC drama

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 03:59 PM

For 6 years

GinaC 15-Dec-18 03:59 PM

@Kylindra I second that. too much of that

Wallflower 15-Dec-18 03:59 PM

One thing that's always bothered me in romance RP that's kind of held me back from doing it aside from rare ocassionally isn't IC, it's actually completely OOC. Specifically white something comes up, where one person stops writing, is no longer interested in the RP, or is otherwise not available OOC much less IC. What would you suggest is the right way to handle "vanishings" like that?

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 04:00 PM

Like I did the exact same that Kim did in the situation. It was a bit of a crush that was never consumated in a ay because .. the player vanished

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 04:00 PM

its sad when partners leave

especially if youve like become attached to the idea of a character being with that character

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:00 PM

@Wallflower I recommend playing from it. If your character's feelings were that strong, it should still linger. They might see similarities between other people and that lost love

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:00 PM

I have experienced issues because what should have been only IC for me also became OOC. It's my natural tendency when I have an authentic IC relationship that some of that translates OOC.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:01 PM

They might be afraid of being hurt like that again or hesitant to falling in love again

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:01 PM

Exactly. @[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim That's a painful topic for some to deal with IC if it too closely parallels one of their past relationships OOC (edited)

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 04:02 PM

half hour left of this one.

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 04:02 PM

Yeah.. it's just one of the easiest vectors for OOC drama. But that runs back into the discussion in the other panel about discipline

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:02 PM

It's up to the characters to decide it's time to move on. There is no time expiration to getting over a loss.

What if that lover died? You don't just decide to get over it. It takes time to move on

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 04:03 PM

that happened to Sumire

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:03 PM

The biggest thing to realistic relationships in RP is to consider how real relationships are. How do you want to be treated? How would you like your sister or brother to be treated? Your friends?

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 04:03 PM

and is why she proposed

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:03 PM

There's such a thing as rebound. Also, it could be that someone who consoles you during that time later builds into another IC relationship.

@[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim This goes back to what I was saying about boundaries OOC.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:04 PM

There is. But it should be a natural progression of RP to figure out where it goes. It shouldn't be pre-arranged OOCly

I prefer to play it by ear and let the story run away

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:05 PM

I'd say hard boundaries that could lead to OOC drama need to be established right away and only pushed after deep discussion

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:05 PM

Interesting facts about human psychology- guys fall in love first; women get over break-ups first

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 04:05 PM

Losing a loved one can be used to play a character in a way their normally not like. Liking being more aggresive in battle or more withdrawn in social events.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:05 PM

A relationship is also not always sexual. I know quite a few asexual people that are into the emotional attachment or intellectual attachment

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:06 PM

@[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim "It's always the guy that says I knew. I knew...right from the beginning."--Bones quote (TV show)

And I've had relationships that started as friends for Lael that lead to romance IC

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 04:06 PM

that is Persephone and Scott in my story; those two characters are not into romance

its platonic

they enjoy challenging each other intelectually and feel a bond

its not sexual and never will be

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:07 PM

Wrong music clip.

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 04:07 PM

Sometimes friendship can be as powerful as romance.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:07 PM

Being spurned for a romantic encounter can be powerful for character development too. No one likes being hurt but it helps for character growth. (edited)

Uso 15-Dec-18 04:08 PM

Choosing to kill goblins instead of experience romance can also be interesting

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:08 PM

@Josh [TNU] That's essentially the relationship between Lael and her bestie Chythar. They balance each other and challenge each other and get each other. But it would be weird if they were more than friends.

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 04:08 PM

@Uso I saw what you did there!!!

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 04:09 PM

IDK if it was asked, but how about a toxic love triangle

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:09 PM

I have seen people that write a dark, brooding, silent character that doesn't interact that gets angry when people don't fall over themselves to fall in love with them. While this might work in anime, in RP, unless you are interacting with other people, people won't interact with you.

@Ikate Keda Studios Like when people HATE the rival?

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 04:09 PM

Yes

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:09 PM

https://youtu.be/QVYgoejO3ac

Atlantic Records

Halestorm - It's Not You (Official Video)

The official video for "It's Not You" by Halestorm from their self-titled album 'Halestorm' - available now! Into The Wild Life - Available Now iTunes: http:...

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 04:09 PM

And it's completely out in the open

Like, a poly relationship that failed hardcore

And one person is caught in the middle of it

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:10 PM

Well, the person in the middle should be torn. They can try to keep it separate or they have to chose one or none

They have to consider the feelings of others and themselves. If they aren't happy in that situation, they should change it and move on. Some times, it is better to give up on a relationship like that

It's good drama but that's a level of hell to be trapped in.

Ikate Keda Studios 15-Dec-18 04:11 PM

How do you avoid it spillig out into the OOC?

Players can get attatched to their ships pretty hard

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:12 PM

Talking it out.

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:12 PM

Talk to the other players. ^

Hey, this isn't fun for me. Count me out

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:12 PM

That's the best solution. Nothing is 100% fool proof though

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:12 PM

Be honest about your feelings too

If you are in a bad relationship then you shouldn't stay in it OOCly or ICly

We RP to have FUN not to feel guilty or like a jerk

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 04:13 PM

That's so true. Need to get out of that kind of situation quick if neither party can agree to anything

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:13 PM

And it's not wrong to take time away if you need it.

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 04:13 PM

Communicate first

space and time

space time continuum!

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:14 PM

You can also call a relationship time out in IC

Your character might say, "This is too much, I need a break to focus on me"

If they really want to keep it going, it would be time to schedule time with both separately

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 04:15 PM

And also if they won't stop, you can go to your CO.

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 04:15 PM

Hey @GinaC, German needs a break. Just kidding, dear! lol

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:15 PM

I find being friends with the person you're writing a relationship with helps in ways. Get to know them and be open and transparent.

Tonytonitone 15-Dec-18 04:15 PM

Some times a friend ship can be deeper and more powerful than any spouse

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 04:15 PM

15 minutes; overflow?

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:15 PM

Asking for mediation in scenarios like that might be best too.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:15 PM

@enterDanement

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:15 PM

Just because your characters are dating does not mean you are dating the player (edited)

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 04:15 PM

I have a question

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:15 PM

@[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim absolutely. someone you trust

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 04:16 PM

What happens if one goes to another ship. How do they deal with that in the relationship?

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 04:16 PM

long distance relationship?

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 04:16 PM

oh

that happened to me twic3e

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 04:16 PM

Also, in SB118 you can do JP between ships

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:16 PM

They should react to it.

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:17 PM

I tried that with one of Lael's past relationships...didn't end well.

Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:17 PM

If something changes, there needs to be an impact. The idea of doing this sort of thing is about it having meaning to the character it's happening too

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:18 PM

Exactly. We shouldn't be afraid to cause our characters pain or heartbreak.

It makes for a more authentic character experience and actually helps us grow as writers and people too

enterDanement 15-Dec-18 04:18 PM

Oh I've caused so much pain and heartbreak for German

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:19 PM

We have to experience change in order to grow from it. Not everything is easy, especially relationships

You can only control how you react to things

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 04:19 PM

Give your characters HELL so that they may enjoy PARADISE

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:19 PM

@[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim "You can only control how you react to things" Well said

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:20 PM

Thank you.

Any final questions before I turn the room over to @Legix ?

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 04:22 PM

No from me. Thanks very much!

[OPP | SU | TNU] Kim 15-Dec-18 04:22 PM

Hope this was helpful!

Wolf626 15-Dec-18 04:23 PM

It was!!

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 04:27 PM

So due to a family issue our next panelist needed to cancel. With that we are moving Jack Pine's panel to the 1:30 slot here. He will be taking over in 3 minutes.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 04:30 PM

settles in

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:30 PM

What is Jack Pine's again?

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 04:31 PM

I will be talking today about GMing tips, strategies, and methods today.

first off let me introduce myself. I am Jack Pine, I have been GMing for a couple years now. I am a member of the TNU, SU, and SA communities. I also recently became a staff member for SA.

During my time as a GM I've experimented with how I try to tell the story me and my players are writing, as well as from different ways of approaching how to tell the story.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 04:33 PM

Abreviations and letters I'm going to be confused.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 04:34 PM

oh sorry TNU - The New Universe SU - Shattered Universe SA - Star Army

Skoll 15-Dec-18 04:34 PM

That helps. Thank you

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 04:35 PM

first topic I want to approach today, is a question I want to ask you all. What does it mean to be a GM to you? I believe this is a very important question one must ask when they take up this role.

Anyone?

GinaC 15-Dec-18 04:37 PM

For me, my role as a leader is to make sure everyone else is contributing to the story and having fun.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 04:38 PM

That's a very good view on role.

To me, a GM is a story teller. There to guide and weave a tale within the setting they play in for the players. The hardest part about that is knowing just how do that in a way that is fun, and interesting.

With different sites and groups, how RP is actually done plays a large part in that.

Not every group uses the same method of posting.

Across the sites here, from what I gather from earlier conversations. We have everything from threads, to publish pads. (edited)

[22] greenfelt22 15-Dec-18 04:41 PM

To me, the role of the GM is to provide a setting for stories and to keep things moving. A GM has to involve their players as much as possible. If there are no players, there is no GM.

As for the actual advancement of the stories, that should be handled more by the players than the GM.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 04:42 PM

That is very true as well. On both accounts.

do you set a clear goal and let the players figure out the journey, or do you set smaller objectives to lead to the end goal?

Posting method also plays a part of this as well.

Now where I GM we don't have Nova, so we do posting through SP(threads), and JP(publish pads)

JPs are where everyone is actively writing together on one of those online publishing pad sites.

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 04:45 PM

I've seen both.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 04:45 PM

like Etherpad, Publishwith.me, etc.

Kylindra 15-Dec-18 04:45 PM

I think the GM should at most say "you can't do x,y,z,a,b. Do anything elser."

essentially say "This is the constraints of the setting, this what is going on."

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 04:46 PM

Jack's panel time! Awesome!

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 04:46 PM

there are many methods for doing that from giving the player to a clear role, or stating limitations given within the story as it progresses.

Setting the scene plays a lot into that, which is major part of setting the story.

There are subtle and not so subtle obstacles that can be used to also guide players in the right direction.

Granted this doesn't always work, because you'll usually get that one very creative player who thinks of something you haven't.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 04:48 PM

That's when you take a hammer proverbally to their keyboard.... while screaming screlukal at them.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 04:49 PM

lol, that might be a bit much at times. Sometimes adjusting the obstacle, or using their action to create a new obstacle reasonably can redirect them back on the right path.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 04:50 PM

I always have a beginning and an end to any situation I give the players in the form of a story and then let them go crazy with the middle bit while offering guidance.

I've been burned by thiefs of intellectual property of mine... so I don't tend to share what I have planned in the future for games I am the head writer for... (Someone took something of mine did a piss poor job of repackaging it then used it as his and accused me of stealing his material.) I am not a trusting person when it comes to players I do not know.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 04:52 PM

That's about the method I use myself. As for people reusing story ideas, I can understand that.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 04:53 PM

Reusing something is one thing... taking something of someone elses without permission or at least crediting that person with the creation of said idea is criminal.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 04:53 PM

Generally if I release anything about the story that isn't what is told through IC actions, or up front when giving the opening. I release what is needed to know, and to only those who need to know it.

Usually through direct message, since I manage my player base on discord.

One thing that I have noticed that is always is a constant, is players will ask about additional layout, or detail info about the current scene they are in.

the usual kind of thing, like "I want to jump on that log. Does it appear to be sturdy enough?"

things along that line.

Certain details, or clues to the story I'll only be allowed to be found through IC actions, but will try to subtly hit at them being there when describing the scene.

Anything from a smell, to maybe a flashing light of a different color on a computer console.

One major issue in RP is combat to me, as it's sometimes hard to figure a way to run it that works.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 04:59 PM

Combat I can deal with... its when someone wants to get the raunch on.... I am very glad that nine times out of ten the Jcink site is not adult enabled.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 04:59 PM

As GM it's not always clear how to run it to where it's too easy, or too hard, or just doesn't feel satisfying to the players.

gore?

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:00 PM

No... the other direction sex.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:00 PM

oh

not sure why anyone would try doing that during a battle.

seems like a bad time for that lol

I've thankfully never had that as a problem from my players and how they write their characters during combat.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:01 PM

Combat I can handle as a gm and in a star trek fleet game its fairly easy to manage given its not death enabled... when I am running a game outside of a fleet the players know if they do something incredibly stupid no amount of sweet talking is going to save their character if its likely that they would die in the act of stupidity.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:02 PM

now that is the same for when I GM.

death is always a possibility, but I try to make sure it's fair.

You have your gear, and the things they allow you to do within reason. But just because you have heavy armor doesn't make you invincible, or ironman.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:04 PM

I've never actually killed someone's character... but every character that is brought in and every player that joins my non trek games are aware of the death enabled rule so they know to think carefully about their character reactions in any given situatio

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:05 PM

So far I've only killed off a few of my own, for story purposes.

That isn't to say I haven't had players who've come out of scenarios with significant injury. (edited)

Mecha meme 15-Dec-18 05:06 PM

I feel that death should be a very real threat to characters, but something that can be avoided if you're careful, good, or lucky

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:06 PM

^

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 05:06 PM

If you can have games where characters will die without warning, but make that clear!

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:06 PM

I make that clear from the get go.

Mecha meme 15-Dec-18 05:06 PM

I feel that in certain settings, the impact of death is often lessened, less than what it probably ought to be

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:06 PM

I was in an xmen game a while back where they had Cyclops do something insanely dangerous... he ended up literally being a cyclops and a one armed bandit... taugh the player a lesson about a teenager joy riding in the x-jet.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:07 PM

Like SA where your character can usually just be resurrected due to a IC technology.

through story developments, and changes, I actually removed that ability for my plot.

Mecha meme 15-Dec-18 05:08 PM

Often I think it's important to, if you want death to be important and relevant in a setting with technology that makes it difficult to die, or impossible, to come up with explanations for why it won't work in instances

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:09 PM

right for example, in my plot for SA they had it because of the nation the group was part of. But after they left, they no longer had access to it.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:09 PM

It has to be in the rules Stephen for sure... one of the ways to make sure that someone reads the rules of any simm they are enjoying... is to have a key word in the rules and then have them quote that at the end of the app.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:11 PM

well that depends on if your site is for one plot. Some have multiple, and even though the site has a set of general rules. GMs will have their own rule sets for their stories.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:11 PM

Joining not enjoying... and you bury the code word... so then someone has to actually read the rules to find it.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:11 PM

Granted they don't conflict with the setting rules.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:13 PM

On flames of hopes we have what we call site events, what you guys would refer to as missions... the site events are optional and require signing up for them. Besides those each player can have as many threads with as many players and characters as they think they can handle.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:13 PM

We sorta have something like that, but it's usually holiday stuff, which you don't sign up for that.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:14 PM

The game itself is a joining of marvel and dc characters and settings... so the conflict usually comes from the two clashing

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:14 PM

you have to enroll for plots however, and the GM has to approve that your character fits the plot.

which brings me to another question.

How much freedom do you as a GM allow in the creation of a character for your plot?

How far of the box do you are you okay with?

Josh [TNU] 15-Dec-18 05:15 PM

So are you going to need an overflow?

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:16 PM

are we nearing that time already?

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:16 PM

Canon characters we give wiggle room but not a lot of it... originals as much freedom as possible... so long as it delivers on what we want in the app.

We are indeed.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:17 PM

shall we continue this in a overflow guys, or are you all good with the time we have left?

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:17 PM

Seeing as the next hours meetings cancelled is over flow needed. But can do

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:17 PM

Well as a GM i've allowed some out of the norm characters as long as they still work within the setting.

I don't have set roles I need for a plot.

So I work with the player to find a place where they do fit within the story.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:19 PM

In star trek freedom with characters is something I like... my game has an free form app available for players to do an app in a way that pleases them... as well as a traditional app.

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:19 PM

any last minute questions?

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:20 PM

In FOH we have character types we don't allow such as dead pool... but that's mainly down to the story and the background of the setting

Noodlewerfer 15-Dec-18 05:20 PM

I think most settings dont allow people like Deadpool because that counts as metagaming sometimes

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:21 PM

Yeah any form of metagaming is generally a big no.

any character considered OP in general really.

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 05:22 PM

I never met-a-gamer I liked

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:22 PM

Anything considered special has to have set limitations.

Skoll 15-Dec-18 05:22 PM

I was using it as an example... if we had a reason for using someone like Deadpool we'd use it... hell we've used gods before now and the 4 horseman of the apocalypse for that matter... Depends on the reasoning behind it

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:23 PM

If you have characters able to blow through, or bypass obstacles all together it just makes the story unenjoyable for everyone else in my opinion.

Ametheliana 15-Dec-18 05:23 PM

lol @Stephen Hunter UK

that’s root tootin’ funny

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:23 PM

usually I leave those kind of characters to just cameos as NPCs

Stephen Hunter UK 15-Dec-18 05:24 PM

Thanks for the talk gtg

Jack Pine 15-Dec-18 05:24 PM

if you need them for a moment that's okay sometimes, but I don't like letting them hang around longer then absolutely needed.

I guess that about wraps it up here then.

Thank you all for being such a great group of people. Also I hope I did well for my first time as a panelist. Hopefully I'll get to do this again next year.

Noodlewerfer 15-Dec-18 05:28 PM

You did a good panel