Is anyone working on a character yet?
I'm pretty certain I am going to make a Magician, to test out those Hermetic magic rules I am tinkering with. I'm doing research on names right now, looking for occult/Masonic connections.
Anyone else?
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I always have character ideas swimming about. I've been trying to suppress them in favor of being patient, but not always with success. I was thinking of trying to make a mage or a steampunk scientist since both of those are relatively complex ruleswise.
To that general end, I'd been giving thought on whether or not we should have a beta period, as some games do--I am inclined to dislike them, at least when characters are allowed to remain past the end of it. I'm not talking about just XP, but allowed to exist having pre-existing connections and storylines already done. It's been problematic on a few games (CE most recently, but prior to that) that I've been on for one group to start out ahead socially of all the rest.
It's kind of a tangent, but it goes hand-in-hand for me with the idea of trying to actually make characters. For very basic functionality, I just need to add some code for spending and regaining conviction (votes or whatever) and finish out the sheet. Added functionality can come with time and learning, hopefully soon, but the cgen should be about done.
Interesting. I had always presumed we would have a test period where we make characters and play them out, gain a few levels. Do you really think that having a small number of players at 3rd level when everyone else arrives at 1st is really going to be that big a downer?
I should note that if the decision is to wipe everyone's characters after the beta, or something, I can certainly live with that. I'd probably just play the same character over again from 1st level. I spend a lot of time on character background and such, effort I am loathe to waste.
To my experience, it's always taken as a sign of favoritism either for staff alts or staff pets, essentially. People who've already played out their intro scenes and thus know each other to start with have a social advantage in pursuing plotlines while others are still stumbling through awkward first meetings. People who've gained levels already have an edge on those who don't. Obviously, older characters will always have an edge on newer ones, but the problem lies in people being allowed special access.
I think I'd rather just open and not advertise much/at all, and let people bring other people along if they like. It's almost the same in a lot of ways to having a closed testing session, but without the explicit barrier to entry.
By said, "I think I'd rather just open and not advertise much/at all." This does not bother me in the slightest, as long as everyone knows there will be rule changes, potentially big ones.
If we realize two weeks in that we should have made a new Role, or that one of our Roles should be jettisoned, I don't want to hear any complaints! Games must be playtested.
Totally in agreement there. Big warning: New System, New Setting, May be Changes.
Sorry about being so quiet, guys: both me and Dee've been hit by a cold. Bleh.
That said, I've had my noggin' kidnapped by a particular concept for a while now. :D I'm not entirely sure where in the game system she'd fall, though, I still need to do my research there. But she's got some good built-in RP hooks and a couple of (I hope) surprising twists, so.
I'm a bit too foggy noggy'd to have much input re: beta testing et al, save for agreeing that there should be a lot of yellow hardhats and danger danger will robinson going on.
This sounds kind of like an "Open Beta" arrangement, doesn't it? Anyone can come and play, but the game is still under construction and you get to keep your characters.
Can we call it that, or would that offend?
I imagine that so long as it is actually open it should be okay. It's the closed aspect more than the beta aspect that upsets people.
*blows nose loudly*
I'm groovy with an Open Beta. Heck, I'd be fine zeroing any experience (the bequeathing of which, frankly, is in line for yet another discussion) gathered during any sort of beta as long as I get to keep the character and background, provided it works with whatever 'official' rulesets we have going. Open sounds easier, though.
Oh, I think I'm gonna play an aerocraft (dirigible/flying ship) privateer. Gotta run that Man With The Machine concept through the ringer while I shake Stardust out of my brainpan.
My draft for awarding experience points can be found on the wiki, at http://pennydreadfulmux.com/tiki-index.php?page=Experience+Points
It's a simplified system that creates an XP award based on the difficulty of a challenge, divides all XP among all contributing heroes, and gives much less XP if you are 5 or more levels above the challenge difficulty. Characters go up in level based on the familiar OGL experience chart; 1,000 XP gets you 2nd level. With the system as written, advancing in level at the low end should be quite easy; one short adventure should do it. I do not know how difficult it will be to advance at higher level, but the rarity of high-level adventures should make it plenty hard. In other words, there will be fewer adventures being run for high level players, and thus they will advance more slowly.
Looks pretty straightforward to me. Really, as long as we completely avoid +votes of any sort and concentrate on 'XP for Adventure!' then I'm dancin' in the streets. Toss in non-sensical +kudos to keep Triv in her happy place and we're golden.
*basks in glow of happy space* Being able to peruse compliments at any time makes for a nice ego boost. :D
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