MLP: FIM Roleplay OOC Thread

Good news, net's back!

 

Alright, first bit of news, I have started submitting the re-invites to everyone who has activity and a post in the thread, and about two more send outs should do the trick.

Alright, response time!

1)Trolls-I like, particularly as a way of breaking molds-we go against them in the initial adventure, and then have another encounter with them later on. Why? because trolls are tough mofos.
2)A talking cat in a tree? Believe it or not, I like it for the initial adventure as well, namely because I do imagine a horrible storm being involved.

Oh yeah, climb a tree to save a cat? Easy peasy. Climb a tree in tornado conditions with a cat smart mouthing you the entire time and get down safely? Oh hale no.

3)Given the opponent in the initial adventure, I like this one more as a later one, but it's a nice Steven Magnet reference, so as we go along, if someone wants to use it, we'll do so(Hell, if you really want to throw it out there, you can always say "Hey, overriding you, deal with the bird"-like I said, not a GM, just a literary guy).
4)Originally I was thinking this was episode fodder until I realized that this is a legitimate issue-how do you deal with hunger in unfamiliar territory?(Note to self: Talk about the four resolutions later) I like it, in so far as people remember that the answer shouldn't be "Oh, I know how to cook"-even if you do, do you know what to cook in the Everfree Forest? It might not even be for showcasing who's a cook, but who might know poisons.
5)I was thinking about a filly character just earlier.*laughs* I like the idea of Vision freaking out and going "Someone help me!". That said, if someone has a filly character and would love to fill that role, I think that'd be a great addition to the initial adventure. It'd also make a great regular episode story as well though.
SIDE IDEA: One of the personal conflicts(Small scale) I have in mind for Vision is that I want a scenario where a younger pony(Ie, someone not an adult) can do something he can't because of their youth, and a situation where Vision can do something because he is an adult. The second point doen't fit in with the initial adventure, but the first one does, and it sets the stage for some interesting character development.

The Pooka, I want to give him an episode all his own. That's too fun to distract from.

As for stuff, I have some stuff, but a lot of it is larger stuff and more Vision focused. As is, all I have for the initial adventure is:

1)A collapsing hallway to race to the end of, because that's all sorts of tension-albeit, not character driven, but I'm planning open source.

2?Maybe a lock(or some old trick) that relates to an tale that isn't as well known-Vision could show off here by being the literary type. Albeit, I think there should be a way other people can aid in this one, because otherwise it's just me talking out of my flanks.

That's it, I admit I've had a lot of thoughts on my mind going in several directions. But Moon's given us enough to start off with, so yay!

Tomorrow, I'm gonna have two minor rants for RP benefit, check them out if you want, ignore me if you want. I'll also plot more challenges so we can decide what to throw at us.

We're so close to starting! It's awesome!

 

*laughs*Sorry, I think I should have learned that lesson when I found out typing the words "Warning: I type big posts." in my signature caused it to exceed character limits.

I'm a writer, about the only justification I'll offer for now. The sad part is it just happens.

Anyways, welcome on board John! if you need me to type up a review of what we've discussed, let me know, in the mean time, feel free to flesh out the villain, add challenges, or start talking about what you wanna do with your character-hell, feel free to reinvent your character.

PS: By the way, I love your non-existant state of being, your non-being, if you will(and catch my reference).

 

So, years ago I was given a post(by a wonderful man called Context) to explain the idea of substance to me as it pertains to roleplaying, and it remains a staple of my practice. It also covers issues such as the six game killers, some of the needs for collaboration, etc., etc. I thought I'd share that rant. I'll put it in spoilers so I don't drive y'all crazy.

Spoiler: Context's Post

 

That's okay. As far as I know this is a new process for everyone, we're in the beginning of the experiment, so I imagine I'll be sheperding people for a while now.

But as I've said before, THIS is the brainchild of our new operation. It's where we can coordinate posts, work towards goals, and otherwise ensure we don't waste pages again.

There's a lot here for people to process(apparently), so if you need a summary of what we've come up with so far, ask and I'll provide. In the mean time, reinvent your character, flesh out our villian, think of challenges you'd like to do, and ultimately let us know what we can do to bring your story to life. We'll be starting tomorrow, as we've said before.

As a final note, There will be another essay today, this one about the four ways to resolve any scenario narratively. It will be put in spoilers and is totally optional-I'm just ranting on that one because it's common practice to go "Problem? BAM! Solved" and that leads to boring games.

Still not the GM, just trying to be helpful!(Shoot me if I'm not)

 

Okay, quick apology, I've been busy this week and also horribly distracted by another game I'm running(A IRL game of Hunter The Vigil, in case you're wondering) and it's getting in the way of me thinking in pony terms(Seriously, vicious hauntings, malevolent curses, lost gods, psychic powers, faeries, spiritual possessions, bleeding realities, frankenstein monsters of entropy, and slashers aren't conducive to running around as a little pony with a frying pan-although Pinkie IS a slasher waiting to happen).

As one point of note though, a problem I am having with starting this is that where you all left off,you were in the middle of a plot(Rashall's) and in the Everfree Forest(His sanctum in the Everfree Forest to be exact). I don't know whether to assume you all are still there, if you are in the Everfree Forest but for different reasons, or back in Ponyville.

This PROBABLY means I'm going to just start a new thread becaue, darnit, it's easier if we start off in Ponyville and work on the assumption you all know each other and like each other enough to go on wacky, madcap adventures together, but if anyone has any advice on how to start off with where y'all were in the last story, I will gladly take it.

 

Okay, Here's the summary of the story presented so far in the thread. This is not cross concordant with the plots we are working on now.

Rashall, Sky, S.P. Rocket, Dusk Lily and Clef(I think some others were there, but I'm not cross referencing right now) have all gathered in the Everfree forest in an abandoned sanctum in the pursuit of Helping Rashall. Rashall revealed that he is in fact the last of the High Eldar, a mystical nobility that apparently would draw the ire of nations if people knew one was left. He's looking for a mystical gem called the Stone of Honor that fits into some armor. Details are still coming forth.

Here's the narrative idea we've come up with so far for the reboot(Note: this is a broad plot and meant to be used as frames of 'seasons' like in the show, so while the villian is reccuring, we have room for more stories asides in between, be it stuff like the regular episodes or more grand plots):

A half-alicorn has returned into the world after millenia of being bound by the rest of the alicorn race with the intent of retaking Equestria for his own and subjugating the two princesses. A clever and insidious foe with the power to split aspects of himselves into seperate ponies, he plans to manipulate the scene, doing everything from trying to take the Elements of Harmony to twisting the values of the nation to create a split between the two princesses and more asides, using his aspects to manipulate the people or to perfect his own self. Equestria will need all of it's little ponies ready to act and believe if they're going to survive his wily plans.

My thought for the initial adventure:

The Villian has presented himself in Canterlot to the Two Princesses under the pretense of healing old wounds and putting on a show of atonement. The Princesses are willing to hear him out but don't trust him, and has thus called the Mane Six to be present with the Elements of Harmony in case of conflict. Little do all parties know that one of the Villians aspects, an arrogant and impatient pegasi named Zenith Night, has decided to move on his own. He makes for the Ancient Castle of the Pony Sisters in the Everfree Forest with the intent of recovering the Elements of Harmony from their resting place in myth, unaware that it's already been retrieved. With a portion of this ancient alicorns power, Ponyville could fall into great danger once he finds out the truth-and the heroes it has relied on are distracted on another front. Some more of its' residents will need to step up and distract him(or hold him off) if the Spirits of Harmony are to make it back in time.

And yeah, that's all summaries involved.

 

No problem Doc! I was bothered that you had put up a charater but had come in at a time when the story was failing and so couldn't really go anywhere. In the mean time, yes, send us ideas when you get them! That will make my day!

Okay, So I'm not going to make a new thread, but I am going to work on the intro post today under assumption we're resetting at Ponyville. It's entirely up to each person whether the relationships they had set up in the Rashall story are still in effecrt or if you are retconning them.

To anyone who was invested in the old plot(Namely Rashall, who I do seriously respect for moving the story forward like he did): I do apoligize. While I do not want to discredit what has been done, the fact of the matter is that if we're going to revive the thread and get some real activity, someone had to make a choice about what to with the old one. I don't have the authority to decide "We're scrapping that story for another one", but enough of a concensus happened I felt I needed to make a decision for the health of the thread. It is in some ways arrogant of me, and I am sorry.

Not sorry enough to stop though. I should be posting intro today, people, the beginning is nigh!

EDIT: Update, I have started writing it, and it's worth noting a few things. This is a three part post, with two things put in spoiler's because it's background stuff.

The first part was going to be a huge as hell overview of history including some of stuff we were introducing, but instead I narrowed it down and made it a semi-inspirational "Welcome to the game" sort of thing, because I like stuff like that. Really not amazingly pertinent though, the only real new bit of information I included is the bit about the origins of the Elements of Harmony per Moon Star's idea with a slight twist for the familiar.

The second part is simply explaining why the Mane Six aren't there originally to deal with the problem, but it also gives us a brief look into the big picture of the villian we came up with. That'll be in spoilers as well because it's not immeadiatley important to our story, but it is needed.

The third part is Vision getting to Ponyville and accidently getting the villian to go along with him. I'm not doing a lot of Vision's immeadiate background simply because I have received cease and desist warrants on posts bigger than my hand is long, so it should simple. It is important though, the one you should definitely read, as it does officially start off the game and introduce myself and the first antagonist.

Just explaining why it sounds super long to write and letting you all know "You don't need to read it all".

I'msorry, I'm a writer, it's what I do.

 

I am planning on it-it's part of the reason that this opening is very ambigious in what's going ot happen in the first adventure and is tied more to the princesses than any one character.

As always, help is appreciasted by sending ideas for conflicts and stories for either the current beginning episodes or for future episodes. and I swear, I will get us kicked off soon.