Matchmakers: AIs playing Cupid
Excuse me plotIn a future where mankind has achieved many breakthroughs in automation and AI development, there is a place where there is no hunger, no war, and where all are free to pursue their dreams.
This is the City.
An utopia created with the happiness of its inhabitants in mind, made possible thanks to the benevolent, highly advanced AIs created to assist the inhabitants of the City.
Among such AIs are the Matchmakers, tasked with helping humans find a romantic partner.
TURNS
Day 0: IntroductionsDay 0: 1st Opportunity (AXIUS and Beep Boop)Day 0: 2nd Opportunity (AXIUS)Day 0: 1st Opportunity (T1000)Day 0: 2nd Opportunity (Beep Boop and T1000)Day 0: 3rd OpportunityDay 1: 1st OpportunityDay 1: 2nd Opportunity (AXIUS and Beep Boop)Day 1: 3rd Opportunity (save for T1000)Update 10Update 11Update 12Update 13Update 14Update 15Update 16Update 17Update 18Update 19Update 20Update 21Update 22Update 23Update 24Update 25Update 26Epilogue
RULES AND MECHANICS
This game is a Multiplayer Suggestion Game (MSG?)... no a Multiplayer Dating Simulator Suggestion Game (MDSSG?)... I think? Eeeh whatever!
A - Suggestion and Difficulty Rating"Using the highly advanced CUPID system, the Matchmakers are able to determine the ideal actions their Host should undertake, as well as the likelihood of success associated with said actions. Matchmakers do not have to refer to the CUPID system, but doing so would be going blind as they would have to rely on their own intuition."
Difficulty Rating: Each Suggestion has a difficulty rating against which a 10-sided die is rolled. If the die result is above or equal to the difficulty rating, the Suggestion succeeds.
Base Difficulty rating is determined arbitrarily by the GM.
Difficulty rating is then modified by Trust and Confidence, as well as Attributes and Skills.
Initial Suggestions: You are offered up to 5 initial suggestions to submit to your Host, these initial suggestions have predetermined effects.
Other Suggestions: You may offer a suggestion not part of the initial suggestions. You will have no idea what your suggestion will lead to however!
B - Override Points"Although controversial, the Override system allows for an AI to suppress the will of their host, on the basis that for their own good it is sometimes necessary to have them go against their will. Overriding a person's will is stressful for the human mind and body, especially if the actions would be contrary to the nature of the person. As such the Override system is heavily restricted and its allowed uses in limited availability."
You may use 1 Override Point in order to force your host to take an action, even against their will.
Override effects:
- Ignore low Trust malus.
- Ignore low Confidence malus.
- Increase Stress (+1), stronger in the case of a conflict of will (+3).
- Lower Trust in the case of a conflict of will (-2).
C - InfoCredits and Information Brokers"The InfoCredit system was put in place in order to track and control the flow of information available to AI, as well as stimulate the working environment of AIs. Matchmakers are able to earn InfoCredits upon completing a mission, and they are also able to exchange InfoCredits on the Marketplace for information."
You may spend Credits to obtain information about an individual or a piece of lore.
Protected information will require more Credits in order to be unlocked.
Confidential information will require more Credits, as well as to fulfill some prerequisites in order to be unlocked.
D - Pairing"No AI is truly perfect, and the Shipping system was created to foster competition and cooperation between Matchmakers. Matchmakers are able to declare Pairings based on their calculations, though the high cost of said calculations limit the amount of Pairings a Matchamaker can declare. Pairings are not baseless declarations, and they feed the CUPID system with valuable processed data, leading to better outcomes of the Suggestion system."
You may use a Pairing Slot in order to create a Pairing between two characters. Several players may declare the same Pairings, increasing the effects of the Pairing.
Pairing effects:
- Suggestions involving paired characters have a lower difficulty rating.
- Pairing effect increase for each Pairing Slot used.
E - Revocation and Warnings"In return for wielding considerable power, AIs are subjected to several regulations and security systems in place to protect humans. If an AI accumulate too many Warnings, it is revoked, reset and repurposed."
Over the course of the game, you will risk earning Warnings due to actions inside and outside your control.
Accumulating too many Warnings leads to Revocation, which is a Game Over.
CONTRACTORS
Matchmaker Association: the one and only Matchmaker Association, created with the goal of helping the inhabitants of the City achieve fulfilling, lasting romance.
4 starting InfoCredits
3 warnings before revocation
+1 starting Trust
2 Override Points
3 Pairing Slots
Matchmaker Missions
ORHA (Organic Romance and Human Agency): an association founded by ancient member of the Matchmaker Association who disapproved of the Override system. They have the same goals as the Matchmaker Assosication, but believe humans should not be robbed of their agency.
4 starting InfoCredits
4 warnings before revocation
+2 starting Trust
No Override Points
3 Pairing Slots
ORHA Missions
Eugenia Corporation: Founded by a group of scientists with the goal of furthering the evolution of humankind, the Eugenia Corporation uses Matchmakers in order to practice careful eugenics. They hold so much political power they are able to abuse the Override system, though at the cost of being subject to more severe scrutiny.
4 starting InfoCredits
2 warnings before revocation
4 Override Points
1 Pairing Slot
Eugenia Missions
OTP Cabal: Founded by a fringe group of overzealous shippers, the OTP Cabal sole goal is to further their pairings. After all, there is no way they could be wrong!
4 starting InfoCredits
3 warnings before revocation
2 Override Points
5 Pairing Slots, which can only be used for a single Pairing
OTP Missions
AI Research Society: a society aiming to understand the limits of AI, as well as the relationship between humans and AI. Due to past history they are subjects to stronger regulations.
4 starting InfoCredits
Only 2 warnings before revocation
1 Override Point
3 Pairing Slots
No AI-Human taboo
AI Research Missions
Freelancers: Freelancers are smaller groups part of the Matchmaking system. They don't hold as much influence as the big groups, but they are able to act with more freedom of action. They do not have to pay a commission upon completing a pairing.
8 starting InfoCredits
3 warnings before revocation
2 Override Points
3 Pairing Slots
No Missions
Higher InfoCredit rewarded upon completing a pairing
CHARACTER CREATION
This the Matchmaker (Player) Sheet. Fill one if you want to join as a Player!
Designation: your name, or serial number.
Avatar: how you appear to others.
Preset: your personality.
Contractor: the group you are working for.
Designation:
Avatar:
Preset:
Contractor:
This the Character (NPC) Sheet. Fill one if you want to submit a NPC!
You are free to create a perfect individual or terribly crippled person. Some guidelines:
Character Conditions:
Trust: the overall trust the character has in the Matchmaking System. Usually range between -2 to +2.
Confidence: the overall confidence the character has in themselves. Usually range between -2 to +2.
Stress: the overall stress accumulated in the character. Range from 0 to 10. A value of 10 in stress leads to death
Sanity: a measure of how rational and grounded into reality the character is. Range from -10 to 0. A value of -10 in sanity leads to irreversible mindbreak
Character Attributes:
Every attribute starts at 0.
A value of 1 is average, 2 is above average, 3 is exceptional, and 4 is only reachable to gifted individuals.
A value of -1 is below average, a value of -2 is sign of some handicap, and a value of -3 is a crippling condition that seriously calls into question whether the person can still function...
Athletics: overall physical abilities of the character.
Intellect: overall intellectual abilities of the character.
Charisma: overall attractiveness and charm of the character.
Willpower: overall spirit and mental resilience of the character.
Character Traits:
Passive effects affecting the Character. They can be pure flavor, or have a mechanical impact by completely changing how the Character works.
Example traits:
- Weak to stress: Stress gains increase by +1 for this Character.
- Nervous wreck: Stress gains are doubled for this Character.
- Innate Genius: Unless stated, all Skills start at 1.
- Clumsy: All difficulty ratings are increased by 1.
- Live Disaster: All difficulty ratings are increased by 2.
- Sickly: this character has a chronic condition.
Character Skills
A way to track the knowledge and skills of a Character. Skills are intended to have 4 levels, but you may go beyond if you want.
0: Not learnt
1: Novice
2: Learnt
3: Expert
4: Master
Example skills:
Cooking
Handicrafts
Games
Computers
Brawling
Robotics
Driving
Name:
Physical Description:
Personality:
Backstory:
[b]Character Condition[/b]
Trust
Confidence
Stress
Sanity
[b]Character Attributes[/b]
Athletics
Intellect
Charisma
Willpower
[b]Character Traits[/b]
[b]Character Skills[/b]