Running a game where things have an expiration date, there's going to be an ending, and getting there is the fun. So freeing. I can take risks and do things I could never do on a static, ongoing game. I liken it to the last season of Breaking Bad - everyone is fair game and anything can happen.
Having players who can keep IC and OOC separate helps. They all know they're probably going to die by the end and gleefully do all the things characters in horror movies do, rather than play it safe and stockpile XP to become a demi-god. Even better, they signed up to be fucked with, and the more fuckery that occurs, the more they enjoy it.
So awesome.
@botulism said in MU Things I Love:
Running a game where things have an expiration date
I definitely wish more games did this. In a way that people were definitely aware of such an expiration, of course.
He/Him
@tinuviel said in MU Things I Love:
@botulism said in MU Things I Love:
Running a game where things have an expiration date
I definitely wish more games did this. In a way that people were definitely aware of such an expiration, of course.
What's interesting is that the most game probably want to run indefinitely but they have a short shelf life anyway due to dwindling activity levels, which might have been improved if they had introduced the urgency of doing a limited run.
Being on the game in question has been pretty great. There are a couple people who I think may be struggling to adapt to the idea of "you gon' die" and that there isn't some easy win condition, but we are in our first story scenario.
Most of us are approaching it from the angle of: I'm going to die, it's just a matter of when....and how long can I put it off?
@Botulism puts together a really good story. I was thrilled to see the spot the Judge got put into these past few days and that even though I felt like my choices led him there.....it was all part of a greater plan.
The other great part is because it's all horror movie tropes and you sometime hit enter on that pose.....knowing that it's appropriate for your Archetype/PC, but that the plan could go incredibly wrong. It's kind of thrilling. Like: I may have just written my own (or someone else's!) death sentence down the road, I didn't make a dumb decision, but I made the one my character would make all the same.
It's freeing!
Saying the quiet parts out loud since 1996.
@auspice I'm one of those itchy players who hates death and blah, blah, blah but this is soooo different.
If/When my character dies....he'll be back in the next story! And I have the supporting characters to play! AND there is a meta plot to continue on with my Archetype in the meantime! And if all my lovelies go down? They'll hand me another!
And then the story is done? Flip! Dust your archetype/PC off, we are at it again with something fresh! It really is freeing and my creativity is all sparkly and alive because I can play characters that I know I couldn't do long term for whatever reason. I don't have to think about long arcs and big goals. It's just fun and easy and it's fresh air.
@Botulism, it's god damn genius.
http://horrormu.com/ - Wave of the future shit right here.
Am I the baddie?
Yes. Always yes.
@goldfish D'aw! 
Who do you play?
@botulism The Confidant currently known as Chance.
MUers who go above and beyond, IC and OOC, and you know you can count on them to help with an event, to run a PrP, to bounce ideas for plot, and to just generally deliver stellar RP time after time. You know who you are
Sometimes nobody has to lose.
@saosmash But if nobody loses, then how can anyone win?!?!?!?!?!
(Note: This is sarcasm.)
We spent a not insignificant amount of time building up this barony action on Arx and the response to it from other players (reacting or getting involved), the guy we gave the barony to (an A+ kind of player) and staff (thank you for all the patience and amazing write ups <333):
Freaking fantastic. Worth all the hours of PRP running, resource gathering and networking.
Special shout out to Amanda in the Whispers for being our big Social PC and rocking it.
The moment something clicks into place, and multiple huge mysteries unravel in your head at once, and something that seemed arcane now becomes stunningly clear.
Still more to go.
I AM GETTING BAR RP THAT IS NOT ABOUT FACTION HEAD STUFF!
:squeals:
@jibberthehut said in MU Things I Love:
I AM GETTING BAR RP THAT IS NOT ABOUT FACTION HEAD STUFF!
:squeals:
Wow. That's pretty reverse of the usual complaint. Congrats!
@thenomain Yeah, it is. Someone had me on RS and popped over and then another showed up and it was nice. And we sat discuss ways to both follow an order from a High Lord and yet, not. 
And chose a weapon of choice in a duel
@jibberthehut said in MU Things I Love:
I AM GETTING BAR RP THAT IS NOT ABOUT FACTION HEAD STUFF!
:squeals:
Hey, last week had non fachead bar RP where we snootily instructed a hapless waif on how to land herself a man!
Just -- pursuing a little story that maybe isn't so BIG or IMMEDIATELY USEFUL or anything, just something that's FUN, and clearly the GM AGREES because they write back a thing that's SUPER FUN AND FUNNY and it's just great.
Hosting a funny, silly event which doesn't end up being that well attended, and seriously doesn't matter in the micro, much less grand, scheme of things, but where everyone who comes in clearly has a blast.
Firstimpression-ing NPCs.
Because otherwise how can Sapphire know what you really think of her?
When I’m dreading dealing with a situation that might cause ooc ramifications for my faction and will no doubt bring someone’s ire down upon my head no matter what decision I make...and then the player in question gets banned.
I know it’s selfish but such a relief!
@thenomain Yeah, it is. Someone had me on RS and popped over and then another showed up and it was nice. And we sat discuss ways to both follow an order from a High Lord and yet, not.
And chose a weapon of choice in a duel
