Best posts made by Bananerz

Warning: This is a work in progress and things may change. It looks like it may be available to test in late December/January.

Aesca is a blend of magic, fantasy, technology and myths as two separate worlds are once more linked and how players can found/grow their realms, reclaim what was lost and collaboratively fight their way against a world pitted against them. Initially, players will play an elf within competing courts vying for power and supremacy to influence the elven queen Aelfwynn and the Elves of the March as the worlds of magic and science are colliding and only one will win. It is based more on D&D 5e rules currently. XP is gained by all characters on completion of an adventure chapter which may span months. I imagine it'd be played by 5-10 players, I don't see it growing large or popular. I am planning this game to be run and built on Ares.

You can read more about Aesca here.

Background
The world of Aesca is one where magic exists readily and technology is far more medieval. It’s a dark world with raiding orcs, abominations lurking in dark forests of amber, oceans frozen in jade and darkness encroaching all around. Most ancient cities have been lost as have their knowledge, and it leaves the elves of Aesca struggling to understand what has happened after a great cataclysm and the total destruction that event caused. Strange portals are opening, linking a strange foreign world filled with terrors and cruel strangers but also rich in resources not available in Aesca. Of rumors of a magical nation long thought destroyed coming back. The gods may have gone quiet, however the major and lesser incarnations still are somewhat active and cults spread their influence and power across the people with mysteries trying to be understood and explained. Aesca, the planet herself, is alive; magic intertwines within her core as she calls you, the March elves, to fight the encroachment of Gaia’s poison which will destroy her.

There have always been stories and myths of magic, gods being real and terrors of the imagination. However, as time moved on especially with the Renaissance, humanity replaced those beliefs with science. Occasionally, a faith healer or miracle is attributed to some belief system, but Gaia has been transformed through the impact of technology that science has birthed. Capable of incredible and unimaginable destruction on a global scale, sculpting land so vehicles can transport at incredible speeds, the vast flow of information at an unprecedented availability and speed, technology has destroyed magic in humans. However, humans have the unique ability to use electricity, harness the atom and other wonders that magic simply cannot do. But lately, unexplained things have been happening. Strange things. Where people say they’re abducted by aliens, where monsters of folklore appear in stories, where folks go missing and crazy conspiracies of an unseen group controlling the real world are hinted at. How climate change is rapidly creating problems for everyone as resources seem to be draining away. Gaia is alive, science and technology bound to her core as she calls you, the humans, to fight against the warped and twisted chaos of Aesca which will destroy her.

Systems of Fun

• Domains. Players have the capability and are encouraged to explore, improve and build their realms so that sub-domains are made and those lower tier nobles are tied in service and bound to their higher overlord. It will require resources and players to explore, and a domain is started by building a stronghold and thereby expanding. Expand too fast, and the enemies of the March may overrun you. Expand too slow, and your people might not have enough resources to maintain your rule while your competitors leap ahead. Actions for domain would be done on a monthly basis with logs referenced and a request submitted.
• Politics. The March is set up similarly to a constitutional monarchy, where the elven Queen Aelfwynn acts as a non-party head of state however she is assisted by the two major Courts (Summer and Winter) who make up her Privy Council in their respective seasons. This allows for the people of the March to have a continuity of the head of state who maintains history and tradition, and as Queen Aelfwynn is not a party to either of her Courts, it creates a sense of balance and allows those with different viewpoints to have the ability to climb the ladder of power. Each court oversees across their respective time period, have different goals and methods to attain them, but while they may clash with the other court they work collaboratively as neither court is able to solely do everything.
• Magic. The Elves are born with one of two affinities affecting their inherent magical ability. There are then eight paths of magic, and four magical orders which a magical elf can join and participate in. One cannot master all magic paths, and the two affinities offer great power but come at a price that requires collaboration with someone from a different affinity.
• Houses. Currently there are six main houses of the March, however more can be player created as time goes on. This is important with it tied to the Domain system.
• Individual Combat. Using 5e rolls to support the focus on RP. Coded combat isn't quite yet capable.
• Domain Combat. This will be done on a monthly cadence as armies are raised, maintained, directed and managed by the domain leadership.
• Races. Currently, elves (main) would be available however humans would open up later on in the game. Humans would have a WoD Technocracy vibe to them. There are other nasties like the Orcs of the Black Hand, the Dwarves of the Underkingdom, the beings of the White Throne, etc.
• Religion. It's encouraged for players to create cults to try and explain what they encounter, and the offices of the incarnations may be opened up to players depending on their choices and actions.
• Grids. There is planned for two grids which are able to be connected to one another, Aesca and Gaia.

Feel free to critique, give feedback and input or submit ideas.

It's been a busy time in the land of Aesca building. A few updates that have happened:

Domain System: I’ve been working on the specific mechanics around the Great Legions of the March Elves. While the Winter Court does deal with the direction and management of the Great Legions, every domain leader does have their own armies, militia, troops too as it ties back to being able to protect your own stronghold from others. This is tied into the larger your domain and vassals then the larger your ability to raise an army and support them. Worked out the time required, how conscripting peasants works and potential mercenary companies or local militia. The randomness component that will create uncertainty such as betrayals by officers, morale, costs, etc. Worked on siege mechanics. I have the unit types and costs. And of course, how PC’s can impact armies and army battles if they choose to do so.

Exploration: Have been working on this, and the map below I think is most likely how things are going to roll out. Each quarter, exploration/adventuring parties/companies/domains can submit a request in where they’d like to go. It costs resources and time, and the further away you go the higher risk rating it has where the expedition might not come back. However if they do, you can immediately see a section of the map revealed. As you explore, domains can be claimed and made with strongholds built and successfully defended too although the dangers of being further away from the main overlord’s power could mean you end up in a similar situation like Roanoke Colony, the American Colonies separating, or enlarging successfully your domain and court power. Exploration can also be done on already revealed areas to search for hidden spots (caves, etc) leading to other adventures. For exploration in already revealed locations, it's a higher probability you'll find a hidden spot successfully. For exploration that requires ships, ships are extremely rare due to the rarity of wood to be used. That could change though in the future, depending on portals to Gaia!

Read about it and vote here.

Who is the fluffiest? Who will win? You decide!

Or just watch them here.

TS.

Does it reinforce the story and uphold the theme recipe by adding flavor without overpowering the dish you're setting out on the table that everyone is sitting at? If it does overpower, then you probably should re-think why you're serving it to your fellow guests at the table. If you've been eating that spice for so long you can't tell that other people might not like said spice, then do the right thing and ask.

Otherwise you're going to be having those dinner parties all by yourself after awhile as folks might not like your spiciness, and then you're eating your dish all by yourself crying why no one is RPing with you.

TS now means The Spice.

@Derp said in Consent in Gaming:

No, I don't. And I know for a fact that I am not the only person in this hobby that has expressed that opinion before. "I am not here to be your therapist" was a rallying cry not even a year ago, and now we're presented with material that says we're essentially responsible for making sure that others can handle stories?

I agree that I don't have a responsibility (nor the qualifications) to be someone's therapist and I don't provide advice, but I can as a friend and fellow person sitting at the RP table we’re together at make sure I’m not an asshole trying to pierce our shared fantasy and affect them in real life. It takes hardly any time to note there may be some triggers or content that can be off-putting or slightly ramped up on an adult theme, and if someone raises it to my attention or I notice that they're affected/upset, I pause or adjust the scene/responses and work out a resolution that helps our stories move forward without losing a player at the table. After an act in any PRP, I seek out player feedback; I want to make the story fun and grow their character, not to be some random fire to put out or something that really upsets them in real life.

We're supposed to be having fun together. That's the whole point of this. Even players I share a mutual significant dislike I wouldn't want to push from the RP table.

@WildBaboons

TL;DR I haven't decided yet, but will be listening here.

Why I’d limit to March Elves at the beginning:
I’d say yes at the beginning so people can be comfortable with the theme and the world of Aesca. Then, those with Vision will be able to start perceiving and later on opening portals (however they can’t use those portals) so that those with Power affinity can use portals. The goal here is it takes trust and collaboration to do great things instead of just one side or person being able to do everything. Once those with Vision recognize what is there, and those with Power choose to go through portals to step into Gaia, then that gives a great opportunity to introduce Gaia’s humans.

Why I can see humans from the beginning:
Gaia is its own world, and that world is experiencing events very similar to Stranger Things as humanity would struggle to understand just what magic and Aesca are. The humans there are more going to be like the technocracy. Running those types of scenes as portals are starting to open, abominations spilling into the streets and needing to be dealt with could really be a lot of fun. And then when portals are more permanently opened and the humans perhaps decide to explore into those portals, I can see some fun naturally happening.

I had one character on a game which was one of the more popular targets for TS and while many wanted the TS, only a select few got it. What was good is that the character was written to use these people for another purpose, cultivating relationships, obtaining information, putting ideas and manipulating, all sorts of fun. The players behind the screen understood that while it may be new or not so common for them in their day to day RP, that my character did this regularly. I really liked it when players would go out of their way to make what could have been dull TS into something more; those folks always gave me a boost of life rather than the “so we can TS now right?” behavior. Anyways, back to that character: I would give an @mail to the other player outlining a few boundaries, make sure I understand if they’re over 18, if they have particular triggers or comfort levels themselves and then when I get an @mail response back, we act like adults having fun.

I’ve tried a few times to take female characters but it felt many players were really rushing to the TS or marriage thing where I wanted to apply the brakes and say slow down. I usually gave up the character not very long after being pestered too many times, and I see a lot of points made by so many above that I'm nodding in agreement with. I don't think I was very successful at all although I'm not fun shaming folks who want that, and my flakiness on abandoning characters that I thought were so much more than TS or baby-making probably was a negative towards players that needed that character off roster (sorry).

My favorite character was a guy who asexual and found those lost in lust and love to be giving in to their passions rather than controlling it, and thus creating imbalance in the universe within them and the universe outside them.

I sort of miss playing him now.

What Can Players Do?

Create. "Better to give than receive". Players are encouraged to create PRPs and adventures that link with the current chapter of the game's story which they all share. The more PRPs and adventures that are ran, the higher the XP that can be earned and the higher challenges that can be attempted. We'll have a PRP Guide for players to follow. There will be a set goal of PRPs and adventures with appropriate challenge levels before we can proceed as a group to the next chapter. This way, we're encouraged to generate and make fun for others, so that we can all progress.

Impact. "As on earth, so in heaven". Unlike other games, players will have a unique place in Aesca where they are able to create theme based on the foundation lore of the game and the guidelines given so the game changes based on their actions and interpretations which creates a more living world. This puts a significant amount of power to the players as an important component in the Collaborative Creative Process. Players can impact on the entire world by the choices they do together. This means though it takes effort and collaboration, rather than a single person. With logs and monthly submissions on their PRPs and adventures, what they've done will become approved theme.

So I've created then the Chapter and Story Progress System (CSPS).

The CSPS is designed with the following in mind:

• Players are in control of pacing.
• Players are responsible for creating and impacting the game.

A chapter covers a significant span of time (ie. 6 months) of which there are four episodes. In order to complete the chapter, players must earn an amount of Adventure Points (AP) before the game can progress to a new chapter with new episodes. The four episodes will cover Combat, Domain, Politics and Religion, and each episode component is worth 25 AP. Player-generated Role Play adventures can span a range of Challenge Ratings, with higher risks equating to higher chances of rewards and higher AP. Each episode will have a general area to deal with, and require that any any one component of Combat, Domain, Politics or Religion being at max 30% of the total to that episode AP value. All PRP logs are publicly available so that it becomes general player information.

For example

Chapter 1: Ripples Across Aesca 14/100
    Episode A "The Amber Forest" 14/25
        Combat 4
            PRP Link
            PRP Link
            PRP Link
            PRP Link
        Domain 5
            PRP Link
            PRP Link
        Politics 3
            PRP Link
            PRP Link
        Religion 2
            PRP Link

@ThatGuyThere Thanks! Got it, they made it clear just a few posts ahead of you but thanks for taking the moment to comment too, I appreciate it.

Irritated that folks aren't treating fellow players how they'd like to be treated. Imagine sitting at a table and every single time we sit, jerkface does something just to treat the other person across from them like garbage. I'd probably slap their face. Not really, I'd probably just leave the entire game and not come back because I'm very flakey.

Today I've been working inside the Domain system, specifically around player armies and the battle mechanics for wars, how leaders interface and how PC heroes also can impact on grand scale battles involving potentially thousands of units.

• Raising and Maintaining Mechanic.
• Movement: Daily and weekly short and long-distances, impact of terrain modifiers.
• Supply: creating supply chains, breaking supply chains, impacts on battle and army.
• Pre-Combat: Reconnaissance, counter-intelligence, movement and maneuver.
• Combat: Rolls, sequence of events, PC heroic influence, completion of battle.

@coin I've heard the best way to write about a hero is to first understand and write about their nemesis.

Affinity
I’ve been working on a few things with Aesca, specifically around two affinities which the Aescan elves theorize to be linked to ancient mythological powerful creatures. It splits the elves so no one can do everything, and requires teamwork if great things are to be accomplished.

***Affinity Foo***

The Chapter and Story Progress System (CSPS)
The CSPS is designed with the following in mind:

• Players are in control of pacing.
• Players are responsible for creating and impacting the game.

***CSPS foo***

It’s a niche hobby using old technology that most wouldn’t know how to use with input commands that aren't universal, in a new person non-friendly environment that requires significant amount of investment in order to get something out of it with a community that has many people there looking to one-up whatever you do. By participating in this hobby, it excludes you from others as generally it rewards those who stare at their black screen more than others want to.

I couldn’t say the majority of the veterans are friendly or approachable that I know of. I think most are jaded and exclude new people because they don’t want to have to deal with shitstorm #588125 so they stick to their go-to RP circles. It creates cliques that usually are looked at negatively by outsiders and generates so many threads and posts about how people feel they're excluded. I get why vets do that, they've dealt with enough crap as they've grown with the hobby and just want to spend some moments having a little fun.

It's not a very positive community, generally speaking. There's some terrific people, and some really interesting themes. I do think the hobby will die off as less new people my age or younger will want to devote time in learning code, systems, etc for a niche game style.

I enjoyed being antagonistic towards particular characters simply based on their fealty or class, and even enjoyed doing that in white journals, as long as it'd offer opportunities for engaging and create RP versus just being an ass (although I was called that!).

I find in Arx there is too much of classes crossing social boundaries and what ought to be very odd behavior such as a princess engaging with commoners, lower boroughs criminals and whatnot and characters generally pussyfooting around each other with definite OOC manipulation and pressure happening to reinforce specific player (not character) order. I didn't like that, but I really enjoyed the stories and background of the game although I've said my goodbyes.

I find that the worst part of the game is what will be coming in the future with skill bloat and masters of everything, no realistic costs for actions with consequences. That, and what already was discussed with social combat and a clique/mob mentality on attacking players that isn't very nice.

I played it over the weekend (I was Ra, yay fire) and would like to see it imagined in the Magic the Gathering universe where we're each a planeswalker fighting some particular bad thing in a random environment place. Or even D&D.

For a game I never knew existed, it was a really fun one with 5+ of us, but much harder with just 2.

Current

Ghosts of the Past
Arx: Driskell, Terese
Immersive world and interesting theme set in a high fantasy/medieval sandbox. Code heavy, very large grid set in Arx and other locations in the world, mostly newbie friendly, wiki, PRPs, PVE, PVP (light), not so active faction heads. Steep learning curve to master, fun can be had though immediately.

Witchraft & Wizardry: Sybil, Walburga
Was very large grid set within the grounds of Hogwarts, London and Europe. Code light, newbie friendly. Closed now.

In my time playing across different games, I can’t remember having a character in a marriage or a relationship with anyone, yay me!* It just isn't my cup of tea to play some pretend relationship as I’ve seen nothing but drama and problems come out of things like that or one of the partners is rotting on the roster forever, but that doesn't mean it isn't fun for someone else as evident by so many getting involved in things like this and I say good for them because they are having fun in a game and that’s what a game is about.

Personally, if someone felt that they have some right over me in real life simply because we happen at the time to play a game together where our pretend characters have a relationship, I’d be telling them upfront they’re wrong. In my mind, I play a game when and how I want (while following whatever game rules there are and theme), and I’d not feel at all compelled that I have to RP with a character’s partner whenever I log on. My time, my choice, not yours.

I’d rather just be in some small party exploring dungeons, slaying dragons, investigation religious/cultural themes or being the luggage servant. Love/sexual/whatever spousal type relationships seem so much harder than slaying dragons!

*Note: I remember now one character I took off roster and they had a secret sex relationship that culminated with a baby that to me seemed weird which seems to have stemmed from a former player wanting relationship RP. It just shows that two people can have fun on a character, interpret that character differently to pursue the type of fun they're wanting. I don't think the prior player or me were wrong. I rostered that character when others acted incredibly skeevy trying to pursue some sexy time.

Last night my Kenku ranger went to attack. I already had hunter's mark on my target, had dread ambusher up and announced I was going to shoot an arrow at my target.

I rolled a 19 to attack. WOO HOO!

And then do a 1 for damage on bow, hunter's mark and dread ambusher, DOH!