Fear and Loathing

[SunnyJ]

@Botulism Werewolves in Forsaken are not more or less prone to stay in the city or wilderness. Aren't you guys mixing them with oWoD Apocalypse's?

[Botulism]

@SunnyJ I might be! Not a Werewolf player, myself. We didn't have staff for them, or much demand as we were starting, so we decided to make them NPC antagonists at most. Same with Mage.

[Botulism]

We have need of a few more staff as we're growing faster than anticipated. Openings are as follows:

• Changing Breeds Wiz: Our original Wiz signed on to help us get the game up and running, but must step down now. That means we need a permanent CB Wiz. You would be handling approvals, XP spends, and other basic jobs for your Sphere only. As Wiz, you'd also decide what rules tweaks or house rules are needed and help make judgments on conflicts in the rules.

• Mortal/Mortal+ Wiz: We focused on getting the supers up and running, but would like to have a solid M/M+ playerbase, too. As above, but you'd be covering M/M+ apps, jobs, etc. (Note: Immortals are not considered M+, and will still be handled by Luxor.)

• General Admin: Someone that can handle the basics - XP for logs and reccs, non-power XP spends, etc.

If interested, contact Stardust on game.

[Ganymede]

THE UNHOLY LEGIONS SEEK YOU.

Do you like darkness? Do you like blood magic? Do you like insanity?

If so, come to this game. This game right here. I'm looking for a few folks that want to play dirty, dirty Acolytes. Specifically, Nosferatu Acolytes. With Malkavia.

Come by. I have ideas. You can find me there as Wes.

[Tempest]

Idly, wtf are the "Brides of Dracula"? I've never heard of this as a covenant.

[Ganymede]

@Tempest said in Fear and Loathing:

Idly, wtf are the "Brides of Dracula"? I've never heard of this as a covenant.

They are found in the Danse Macabre supplement. They are basically Anarchs.

[Botulism]

@Tempest Vampire biker gang. Essentially Anarchs, yeah.

[Botulism]

Two new incentives:

New characters who talk to existing characters and make a connection between their characters pre-approval each get 1XP. Ie., Bob the Changeling isn't approved yet and wants existing ties when he hits the grid. He AND the approved characters he works out connections with each get 1XP. Limit 5 per new PC. We want to make it easier for new characters to get into RP, and we hope this helps! Note: this DOES NOT STACK with the invitation incentive.

For the remainder of March, ALL incentives EXCEPT the invitation incentive are DOUBLE for new Changelings.

[Ataru]

So I've been playing now here for a few weeks. And I have to say, I'm happy I came out of MU retirement to play here. The staff are great and the players that I've interacted with are friendly and provide some good RP. There's about 30-40 people on at peak times, which is a decent size.

I actually rather like the Guest Star system they have. It makes sense and provides some good foundation. I haven't seen any abuse with it at all. And the transfer system where you can transfer a character from elseMU is nice too.

All the game really needs at this point are more bodies. So if you're looking for a good place to RP with things still new enough to get in on the ground floor in the various spheres (they have Vampire, Changelings, Ferals, Immortals and Mortal/Mortal+), I can highly recommend.

I play a couple of characters there ... Book, a Warden and owner of a supernatural neutral ground bar and Caius, Ordo Dracul vampire (and a transfer from the character I played on Cofab). Come and join us!

[Ataru]

FYI for someone to tell Stardust & Luxor ... Encore here ... internet down. Being fixed tonight. Just wanted to give a heads up.

[Botulism]

Until April 15th, ALL incentives EXCEPT the contacts incentive are DOUBLE for new Ferals!

[Ataru]

Just checking in .... landlord finished installing new internet. Yay! Just celebrating my birthday today ... Will come on later tonight! Cheers everyone, sorry for the hiatus!

Encore/Book/Caius

[Carex]

@Botulism Looked at the Character Types page with stars, guest stars and all that then thought to myself, why would a new player want to play on a game where having over powered elites who could kill you on a whim is a FEATURE of the game? I understand that there will always be people who earn power over time, but those players tend to be fairly stable.

This looks like you are setting up a system that just encourages wild power level inequality from the gate. You might as well hang up a banner on the page that says, "Come be a disposable minion for our staff's alts!" because that is exactly what this system looks like: A justification for creating powerful characters for the people staff like and crippling the progress of the people who don't kiss staff's ass.

That might not be what it is but that is exactly what it looks like from the perspective of someone who has seen way to many games fall apart because of staff abusing their power.

Don't get me wrong. I see that you are going for letting people spend XP before they earn it so your character isn't lame when you start playing but if that is your goal, why not just give everyone extra starting XP once they finish chargen?

You've created a complicated and confusing system which could easily be replaced with a XP bonus that is no different from starting everyone in your party off at level 5 in D&D instead of being a lame level 1.

[Ganymede]

@Carex said in Fear and Loathing:

Looked at the Character Types page with stars, guest stars and all that then thought to myself, why would a new player want to play on a game where having over powered elites who could kill you on a whim is a FEATURE of the game? I understand that there will always be people who earn power over time, but those players tend to be fairly stable.

I thought this too, but here's how it works in practice.

Anyone can apply for a Guest Star. Guest Stars are static, and can only gain XP when a Star reaches the same XP point. Stars start with a substantial amount of XP to begin with.

In Vampire in particular, why aren't there powerful Elders?

I found the existence of Guest Stars interesting, RP-wise. All Guest Stars were clearly marked.

Still, you may not want to play on such a game, which is fine. But, in practice, Guest Stars do not make the game any more or less accessible for new players to it.

[Carex]

@Ganymede

Think of it like making a super-hero movie. Would the majority of people rather go see..

A) A super-hero movie told from the perspective of a street-cop who would one day become a great super-hero but they have to sit through two hours of non-stop flashback then a cliff hanger ending before the movie where he actually gets his powers is released a year later.

B) A movie about a cop who gets super-powers at the start of the film and gets to meet the interesting characters right away when he starts to hero about with his new interesting powers?

I think most people would choose B).

If you trying to let people skip the boring parts of being a new character, that's a great goal. I wholeheartedly approve of this idea because we should always strive to tell the most interesting parts of our stories. A multi-tiered, confusing system with weird confusing names seems a poor method to do it instead of just allotting everyone an XP bonus from the get go to flesh out their abilities more. It would let people skip to the fun parts where there characters aren't as useless as a level 1 D&D character.

[Misadventure]

This way maintains the illusion that your effort and time spent in RP matters to your power level.

Players don't like being behind, and they don't like having their work turned valueless. So we construct illusions.

[Arkandel]

@Misadventure said in Fear and Loathing:

This way maintains the illusion that your effort and time spent in RP matters to your power level.

Players don't like being behind, and they don't like having their work turned valueless. So we construct illusions.

I'm in a cynical mood today so I'll make a baseless assertion.

Some players don't like it when they can't leave others behind.

[Ganymede]

@Carex said in Fear and Loathing:

If you trying to let people skip the boring parts of being a new character, that's a great goal. I wholeheartedly approve of this idea because we should always strive to tell the most interesting parts of our stories. A multi-tiered, confusing system with weird confusing names seems a poor method to do it instead of just allotting everyone an XP bonus from the get go to flesh out their abilities more. It would let people skip to the fun parts where there characters aren't as useless as a level 1 D&D character.

I honestly thought the same until I actually went there and played.

I'm no longer there due to time constraints and issues, but I can whole-heartedly endorse the place.

The key is: you have a choice. You can come in as the super-powerful cop or not. It's up to you.

Having the choice is better than not having the choice.

[Pondscum]

@carex It feels like you didn't properly read the information on the game's wiki page with regards to Guest Stars. There is currently a huge grid plot going on in which the majority of the fun is being had by the characters whom have come in as Stars. Because there are huge drawbacks to hobbling yourself as a Guest star. For ease I've quoted the text from the link to the page, I've bolded for emphasis.

http://fandlmux.com/Character_Types

Guest Stars are characters that start with higher XP and are not capped in character creation on what they can raise. Because they start out stronger they are under a number of restrictions. They are SUPPORT characters, whether as a mentor, a Sire, an advisor, or in some other supplementary way. Further, they don't lead the story and cannot PK except in rare and extreme circumstances, and are expected to spend at LEAST as much time out in public and available to their Sphere as they do in private. They should try to include everyone, foster RP, and be of use to Storytellers for PRPs. Players transferring characters over from other games fall under this category.

They are meant to reflect the fact that there are established people within the city when the game opens. They are, however, not Stars, and so they GAIN NO XP until certain conditions are met, at which point they become Stars. Consider them as playable NPCs. Guest Stars have the following benefits and restrictions:

Benefits
Guest Stars can start with a maximum of 150XP, and can buy Power Stats over 5 in chargen.

Guest Stars can interact IC however they like with other GUEST STARS provided they follow the general rules of the game. They are restricted where Stars are concerned. (see below)

Guest Stars can enter into Pledges and benefit from them. If ICly given items (they can't commission them) like Tokens or Relics, they can accept and use them. In the case of such items added to their sheet, the XP cost is added to their total XP.

Guest Stars CAN hold IC leadership positions in less PvP-oriented factions and spheres, and CAN have smaller PRPs run for them as the leading role.

Restrictions
Guest Stars gain NO XP in ANY WAY - they cannot receive XP for +votes, +reccs, or for running/playing in PRPs. They are FROZEN at their XP until a Star has reached their XP level, at which point a Guest Star convert to a Star going forward.

Guest Stars *must have some value to the game at large, or at the very least to their Sphere. They aren't given extra XP just because.

Guest Stars CANNOT PK OR protect STARS from PK. They aren't attack dogs or meat shields. Stars can't use them to go after their enemies or save them from them. If a Guest Star's IC SO or friend is a Star, and that Star is targeted for death by another Star for IC reasons (actions have consequences), they cannot follow them everywhere to protect them, OR avenge them should they die. If said IC SO/friend Star is attacked in their presence, they can protect them long enough to escape only and cannot PK their Star attacker(s).

Guest Stars are expected to be in public regularly, and be approachable for RP otherwise. They aren't meant to sit in private all the time and only play with their friends. While we won't revoke a player's character for breaking the spirit of the rules, any player who keeps their Guest Star in private all the time will be barred from making any future Guest Stars thereafter.

Guest Stars cannot take a leading role in sphere- or game-wide plots, and should be supporting Stars as the true heroes.

You can only have one Guest Star on the game at a time. Remember that having a Guest Star is a privilege, not a right.

[Tinuviel]

How on Earth is that a privilege? Eesh.

"Cannot take a leading role" is far too vague. Fuckin' anything can be a leading role if it's done right. If you're gonna have restrictions, be specific.

"While we won't revoke a player's character for breaking the spirit of the rules..." Should definitely do that, actually.

They're NPCs. Glorified NPCs. What is the point?