Hello all you MCFRPers! My name is Iceinfly, long time RPer on and off here on these Minecraft Forums. Unfortunately for me, I have never written a successful RP, partly due to my involvement and partially due to a lack of something I like to call player agency. Player agency is a player's willingness to see the story progress and to continue posting in the RP. So, I have spent a long time thinking about how to solve this issue and found a solution in a very unlikely spot. Through my various tabletop RP games, running Savage Worlds mostly, I have developed a system to make a setting based on the Microscope RPG world builder: www.lamemage.com/microscope/
I have adapted my system for developing Savage Worlds settings to one that would work very well for Forum Roleplaying settings and have now gotten to a point in which I'm ready to show it to the public.
How It'll Work:
So, if I've caught your interest, here's what you'll need to know in order to join the RP. The game world will be made by the players and GM in tandem. That's right, you will have as much influence on making this world as I will! That includes the overarching genre and even some of the game rules. You will have a big influence on the game world and it's history. In essence, you get to make the game you want to play and play it with a bunch of other people who want to play the same game.
To allow for ease of information and the such, the world building will follow the following format. This will all be done over PM, so you need to make sure you're added to it before the Microscoping starts in order to be included in the world building. Otherwise, it'll become pretty clear why this system is called Microscope. You start big, and get more and more focused until we finally have a well-made world.
No Goes:
The first step is No Goes. A No Go is something that you WILL NOT play in a game if it occurs under any circumstances. Examples of this that I've seen in my Savage Worlds games have been "No cursing", "No super edgy characters", and "No arguing OOC". A side note, Forum rules WILL BE followed under No Goes. That means No cursing is an automatic No Go. If you break a No Go, there will be a discussion about your removal from the game and a discussion with the person who made the No Go. Each person, including me, can submit as many No Goes as they want, to a point.
Overarching Rules:
These are simple rules that help make the RP run smoother. Examples of this include "No Metagaming, Godmoding, Powergaming, etc." and "OOC in the OOC chat." Players may submit one Overarching rule not including "Typical Forum Rules". Doing this will keep it nice and simple and make sure there is enough freedom for people to RP the way they want to. Breaking an Overarching Rule works on a strike system. 3 times and you are non-negotiably out of the RP. Your character will be erased from existence in a way befitting the RP.
Broad Genre:
Think of this like the genre of a book. The Broad Genre is a very widely spanning genre. Examples include "Science Fiction", "Fantasy", or "Superpowers". Combinations of Broad Genres are also a Broad Genres. Things like "Sci-Fi Fantasy" are also broad Genres. There must be a consensus of the players to decide on genre.
Specific Genre:
These are very specific and govern the Positive and Negative aspects of the game. They typically include the Broad Genre in their names. Examples include "Cyberpunk Hitmen", "Sci-Fi Fantasy Adventurers", and "Fantasy Monster Hunters", all of which are games that I have run in the past. The players must come to a unanimous decision before continuing on to the next step.
Game Rules:
These are the rules that govern the overall aspects of the game itself. Examples of this include "No Dragons" in a fantasy game, or "Things must follow the laws of physics" in a superhero game. Each player, including me, may make one of these rules. Breaking these rules will usually be retconned or result in a character denial. These rules also govern what I, as GM, can include in the game. I promise you I will not break the rule, though I may come up with workarounds.
Broad Positive and Negative World Aspects:
For everything that is good with the world, there must also be something bad. This is represented by the Positive and Negative World Aspects. Each player, including me, in order, goes around and declares something that they want to add to the world, and something that they want to either be bad about that, or be bad about the world in general. Being Broad aspects, these should be things that are not very specific. An example of this is
"+Magic is very common and easy to access. It is brought on by one of the gods of magic.
-: There is a disease sweeping the land from misuse of magic known as the Spellplague."
Each player, including me, gets one of these aspects that they may determine.
Specific Positive and Negative World Aspects:
As above, but these are much more specific. They may include things like
"+:The Spellplague has a cure.
-:The cure is very rare and must have adventurers go out and retrieve the ingredients needed to make it."
Each player, including me, gets one of these aspects that they may determine.
Lore Suggestions:
The next step is part of my role in this system. Lore suggestions are suggestions for potential points in the war. Great wars throughout history, the backstory behind a particular race, and other pieces of the lore are all open to suggestion. Each player, with the exception of me, may make 1 suggestion that I will try my best to include. You may make other suggestions, but it may or may not be included in the overall lore.
My Part:
Finally comes the actual world building. With all of these rules, suggestions, and aspects behind me, I will make the world as each of the players have imagined it. This will take up to a week and, when it's done, the game will be ready for applications to come through. This will be your world as much as mine, so I will run the lore by the people in the PMs before presenting it on the application page.
How to Get Involved:
Getting involved is simple. All you have to do is state your interest and any questions you have and, once all of your questions are answered, you will be added to the PMs. Slots are limited, though, so be ready to post if you're interested!
This is your world, this is my world, this is our world, this is Microscope! Any questions?
Hell yeah. I'd join this in an instant. One question right now, though. What happens? Do you control a city? A character? I'm a bit confused on that part.
So... it's.. anything? Can you explain to me what we would do? It sounds awesome, but I'd like to be prepared. I'll join it.
The world is as the players build it. The players all partake in the creation of the world with each player giving suggestions on Genre and theme as well as parts of the world. Most of the time, you would play a character. But if everybody wants to play a city builder, that's also an option. You have been added to the PMs, Epic.
After all the world building is done. It usually takes a few days after everybody who's interested has posted and then up to a week to write lore. All in all, it could be up to 2 weeks maximum.
Hello all you MCFRPers! My name is Iceinfly, long time RPer on and off here on these Minecraft Forums. Unfortunately for me, I have never written a successful RP, partly due to my involvement and partially due to a lack of something I like to call player agency. Player agency is a player's willingness to see the story progress and to continue posting in the RP. So, I have spent a long time thinking about how to solve this issue and found a solution in a very unlikely spot. Through my various tabletop RP games, running Savage Worlds mostly, I have developed a system to make a setting based on the Microscope RPG world builder: www.lamemage.com/microscope/
I have adapted my system for developing Savage Worlds settings to one that would work very well for Forum Roleplaying settings and have now gotten to a point in which I'm ready to show it to the public.
So, if I've caught your interest, here's what you'll need to know in order to join the RP. The game world will be made by the players and GM in tandem. That's right, you will have as much influence on making this world as I will! That includes the overarching genre and even some of the game rules. You will have a big influence on the game world and it's history. In essence, you get to make the game you want to play and play it with a bunch of other people who want to play the same game.
To allow for ease of information and the such, the world building will follow the following format. This will all be done over PM, so you need to make sure you're added to it before the Microscoping starts in order to be included in the world building. Otherwise, it'll become pretty clear why this system is called Microscope. You start big, and get more and more focused until we finally have a well-made world.
No Goes:
The first step is No Goes. A No Go is something that you WILL NOT play in a game if it occurs under any circumstances. Examples of this that I've seen in my Savage Worlds games have been "No cursing", "No super edgy characters", and "No arguing OOC". A side note, Forum rules WILL BE followed under No Goes. That means No cursing is an automatic No Go. If you break a No Go, there will be a discussion about your removal from the game and a discussion with the person who made the No Go. Each person, including me, can submit as many No Goes as they want, to a point.
Overarching Rules:
These are simple rules that help make the RP run smoother. Examples of this include "No Metagaming, Godmoding, Powergaming, etc." and "OOC in the OOC chat." Players may submit one Overarching rule not including "Typical Forum Rules". Doing this will keep it nice and simple and make sure there is enough freedom for people to RP the way they want to. Breaking an Overarching Rule works on a strike system. 3 times and you are non-negotiably out of the RP. Your character will be erased from existence in a way befitting the RP.
Broad Genre:
Think of this like the genre of a book. The Broad Genre is a very widely spanning genre. Examples include "Science Fiction", "Fantasy", or "Superpowers". Combinations of Broad Genres are also a Broad Genres. Things like "Sci-Fi Fantasy" are also broad Genres. There must be a consensus of the players to decide on genre.
Specific Genre:
These are very specific and govern the Positive and Negative aspects of the game. They typically include the Broad Genre in their names. Examples include "Cyberpunk Hitmen", "Sci-Fi Fantasy Adventurers", and "Fantasy Monster Hunters", all of which are games that I have run in the past. The players must come to a unanimous decision before continuing on to the next step.
Game Rules:
These are the rules that govern the overall aspects of the game itself. Examples of this include "No Dragons" in a fantasy game, or "Things must follow the laws of physics" in a superhero game. Each player, including me, may make one of these rules. Breaking these rules will usually be retconned or result in a character denial. These rules also govern what I, as GM, can include in the game. I promise you I will not break the rule, though I may come up with workarounds.
Broad Positive and Negative World Aspects:
For everything that is good with the world, there must also be something bad. This is represented by the Positive and Negative World Aspects. Each player, including me, in order, goes around and declares something that they want to add to the world, and something that they want to either be bad about that, or be bad about the world in general. Being Broad aspects, these should be things that are not very specific. An example of this is
"+Magic is very common and easy to access. It is brought on by one of the gods of magic.
-: There is a disease sweeping the land from misuse of magic known as the Spellplague."
Each player, including me, gets one of these aspects that they may determine.
Specific Positive and Negative World Aspects:
As above, but these are much more specific. They may include things like
"+:The Spellplague has a cure.
-:The cure is very rare and must have adventurers go out and retrieve the ingredients needed to make it."
Each player, including me, gets one of these aspects that they may determine.
Lore Suggestions:
The next step is part of my role in this system. Lore suggestions are suggestions for potential points in the war. Great wars throughout history, the backstory behind a particular race, and other pieces of the lore are all open to suggestion. Each player, with the exception of me, may make 1 suggestion that I will try my best to include. You may make other suggestions, but it may or may not be included in the overall lore.
My Part:
Finally comes the actual world building. With all of these rules, suggestions, and aspects behind me, I will make the world as each of the players have imagined it. This will take up to a week and, when it's done, the game will be ready for applications to come through. This will be your world as much as mine, so I will run the lore by the people in the PMs before presenting it on the application page.
Getting involved is simple. All you have to do is state your interest and any questions you have and, once all of your questions are answered, you will be added to the PMs. Slots are limited, though, so be ready to post if you're interested!
This is your world, this is my world, this is our world, this is Microscope! Any questions?
Hell yeah. I'd join this in an instant. One question right now, though. What happens? Do you control a city? A character? I'm a bit confused on that part.
It depends on what most people want during the world building. Heck, if that's the genre, you could control a city sized person.
I have one question right now, but perhaps I'll have more in the future.
-After the world has been finalized and posted, will other people be allowed to join, if they did not partake in the creation of the world?
This does seem like a very interesting and effective concept for a roleplay, but I'm not ready to commit yet.
So... it's.. anything? Can you explain to me what we would do? It sounds awesome, but I'd like to be prepared. I'll join it.
Yes, other people will be allowed to apply and join if there are open slots, but they will not be able to add on to the world once it's finalized.
The world is as the players build it. The players all partake in the creation of the world with each player giving suggestions on Genre and theme as well as parts of the world. Most of the time, you would play a character. But if everybody wants to play a city builder, that's also an option. You have been added to the PMs, Epic.
So. When do we start?
After all the world building is done. It usually takes a few days after everybody who's interested has posted and then up to a week to write lore. All in all, it could be up to 2 weeks maximum.
Id love to join. Color me interested.