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[Parsely]

• What's the average lifespan of an RTD(Experiences include both player and GM)? And are there any obvious correlations with long/short lived RTD's such as player interest, RTD complexity, GM motivation,etc.

My RTDs never lasted more than a few weeks. To me, the best RTDs are complex but not complicated, have a motivated GM, and at least a few motivated players (depending on the game type).

• During the game do you expect additional interaction from the GM towards the players outside of providing turns? If so, what kind?

I prefer for the GM not to be commenting on the player's/players' actions. I really dislike it when the GM decides to give OOC "hints" about what he expects them to do. A GM's game should speak for itself.

• Regarding your preferences in RTD's. What do you look for in an RTD? Good back story, GM fame(Maybe you know the dude), interest(Sci-fi, fantasy, video game subject such as Monster hunter or starcraft, realism), etc.

Setting plays a big part for me when it comes to picking a game to play.

As a GM, certain players filling my slots in my game make me not want to play because I hate the way they play. I'm fine with players playing in an unintended way, but some players are just really boring, repetitive, or lazy. This is a really big deal, but not something you can have control over if you don't want to come across as a jerk. It's difficult to be critical of a player's playstyle without it becoming personal.

• Do you consider a complex system of stats/combat/status to be off-putting in general or as long as you don't have to do too much yourself?

Complexity is fine as long as it's intuitive on the surface level. In general, let the player start to play the game without him needing to read a bunch of bullshit, then as he gains interest he'll learn the mechanics on his own. If the player is hooked, he will be more willing to put in time to understand the mechanics, and that's where games become nuanced, rather than complicated. Basically, be subtle.

• What part of designing your RTD, did you struggle the most with?

Mechanics. I think everyone has problems with this. I'm awash with ideas that sound fun to me, but when it comes to design I'm no good. It's been I think a year or more since I've run a game, so maybe things are different now.

• When you've provided additional content like extra back story, did you notice that the players made use of this or liked it?

Usually players who want to post (i.e. not people who are in a wiki
don't give a shit about backstory beyond the basic premise when they pick a game to post in. It's only AFTER they have been hooked that they typically start to seek out and absorb the details of your world.

Players choose games based on a premise. In a player based game, they want to play a character in a world with a particular premise and do one or a combination of these things: play a role, act out a fantasy, or generate drama/intrigue/action with NPCs or other players. But most of all, and this is especially in the case of suggestion games, players want to influence what happens in the game world.

• If you've ever rebooted a RTD, why did you do it?

Because I really, really liked the premise and/or the mechanics and the old one never went anywhere.

[StrawBarrel]

Post to watch.

[AoshimaMichio]

I have been doing statistical research about what kind of games I'm good at. As GM, I mean. I have pretty good idea already, but that's my subjective opinion. Empirical research is needed to confirm that.

So here's a straw poll link. Pick what you think are my three best games.

Links to all my games are here. You'll notice few games missing from the poll, but that's because I consider those to be failures by all metrics. Didn't like them, didn't last long and so on.

So instead of wasting time and effort in future designing and running games I suck, I can focus where I'm already good at and produce better games.

[Harry Baldman]

I forgot you did Apocalypse How, it's interesting how the trajectory of that game directly paralleled Roll to Create a Supersoldier.

[AoshimaMichio]

Both collapsed for same reason really; switching the game mode. What I should have done upon reaching end was to simply roll a metric ton of stuff and post epilogue and end the game with it. Instead I went along with original poorly planned (read "no plan whatsoever") adventuring idea and ruined whole thing.

[Nakéen]

Ooh. I don't know half of them. Some catching up will be needed to contribute to the poll.

[NJW2000]

So I've had some ideas for a game in which the players each control parts of a massive creature, the Leviathan.

Spoiler: Leviathan (click to show/hide)

The Leviathan starts out as just a humanoid giant, with a player in each section. But as it moves through the world, it will lose parts to traps and combat. These parts can be replaced, or new ones added, using objects found in the world. For example, the head might get knocked off, and be replaced by a giant birdcage. Or the hand might be bitten off by a dragon, and be replaced with a massive wrecking ball on a chain. Alternatively, the players might just graft a giant brain onto the back of the Leviathan, and add wings, rocket launchers and tentacles to it.

Each time a new part is added, it has a chance of containing a new player. The player joining the game will have an open choice of character depending on what the part is. For example, a player who joined as the giant birdcage was added could be a human birdkeeper, or any kind of bird or flying thing. Players die when the part they are on is lost/destroyed.

Parts fall into categories:
attacking, manipulating, percieving, storing, moving, digesting (--->fuel), motivating, communicating.
They also have health.

Fuel is needed for the Leviathan to move around the world. If necessary, it can consume parts of itself.

I'm not sure about how to make the world. I think I want it to be a sort of patchwork of different realms, periods of history, and environments.

I don't know what shape the map should be... a grid seems too boring. Maybe squares on a grid where realms can cover multiple squares? I'm not sure how to generate that...

[OceanSoul]

How would parts interact with eachother? For example, could a giant bird's head as the, well, head, aid the accuracy of attacks by other parts , due to being eagle-eyed? Is it possible to upgrade body parts? What about the matter of equipping things found in the wild? Giant trees as spears, a giant hollow geode as helmet? Would they be treated like parts? Could it be reasonably possible to make your own body parts?

If the original body is plain, wouldn't players want to be on the waitlist at first, ensuring they got a special part? What I'm trying to say is, is there a way for the Leviathan to start the game with some special parts? Perhaps each starting player could give a description of their part of the leviathan?

Lastly, have you considered alternate the kings of the concept? Instead of a behemoth whose parts are its body, perhaps some scrapped-together spaceship whose parts are rooms and systems of the ship, made from whatever floats by in the blind of space? A floating castle, whose parts are different sections and wings, created by using certain special objects as their thematic bases? ..and so on.

[NJW2000]

How would parts interact with eachother? For example, could a giant bird's head as the, well, head, aid the accuracy of attacks by other parts , due to being eagle-eyed?

Possibly, though I'm leaning towards a more compartmentalised system for the rolls: use an eagle head to pass a Perception check, and a weapon to pass an Agression roll check.

Parts would interact in that certain parts could only be attached to others. Most things can attach to motivating (central), but apart from that weapons can only attach to manipulating, storing to digesting, etc.

Is it possible to upgrade body parts? What about the matter of equipping things found in the wild? Giant trees as spears, a giant hollow geode as helmet? Would they be treated like parts? Could it be reasonably possible to make your own body parts?

I've thought a tiny bit about upgrades, but they'd be difficult, and might get OP. Same for making your own.

 But parts will have quality tiers and varying health bars. Equipment is a hard one - "attacking" parts could perhaps stand in for weapons, but a sting isn't very much like a spear, is it? You manipulate a spear, but a sting is just part of you... armour is also an interesting idea, as a part in itself, or as something added onto a part to buffer the health bar.

If the original body is plain, wouldn't players want to be on the waitlist at first, ensuring they got a special part? What I'm trying to say is, is there a way for the Leviathan to start the game with some special parts? Perhaps each starting player could give a description of their part of the leviathan?

You're right, it would be boring for the starting players. Perhaps they should choose their own parts in some way.

Lastly, have you considered alternate the kings of the concept? Instead of a behemoth whose parts are its body, perhaps some scrapped-together spaceship whose parts are rooms and systems of the ship, made from whatever floats by in the blind of space? A floating castle, whose parts are different sections and wings, created by using certain special objects as their thematic bases? ..and so on.

That's possible, though I wanted the aesthetic of the game to be kinda weird: radios grafted onto human brains, tentacles holding massive stone fists, laser cannons being fed by a wood furnace...


Do you think people would actually want to play this?

I've also considered a fixed player-list, rpg style variation where the players each control part of a large mech - legs/wheel, stone/metal dermis, armoured head, chest engine, etc. Combat would involve balance (stuff pulling you to the ground), and human sized conflict as well, e.g. boarders and traps on the mech.

[OceanSoul]

I'd definitely want to try it, though it seems like it may be better as a suggestion game in its current format. The whole person-level scale sounds interesting, and it could have player customization, too. Players could be able to interact with other parts of the mech, even one another, to help fight each battle. I can envision some degree of abilities or roles for each player, and while it's not necessary, the idea does interest me. The mechanic, able to repair parts of the mech. The gunsman, able to shoot down whoever invades past the hull. The ace, a rounded pilot that can control other parts of the mech as well as his own when they have business elsewhere. The captain, who inspires his fellow pilots to do better than their best. The hero, who operates at full capacity, perhaps even beyond it, despite any damage his equipment takes.

[Person]

Leviathan seems like an interesting concept, but I do indeed like the mechanical idea a fair bit more. Combining Mecha taken to the logical conclusion, perhaps. Well, the logical conclusion other than ROW ROW FIGHT THE POWER.

As an aside, does anyone else remember text you could hover over like this?

That sort of thing has been in the back of my head ever since it was first used in Multiworld Madness. Damn that was way back in 2008 wasn't it? Almost a decade ago. Man time flies.

Anyway, I have no idea why it didn't get more use elsewhere. Truly endless possibilities, especially in terms of saving space/making turns more readable. Figured I'd put it here. Quote this post to see how it works. Check the next text too, as it uses a different(and shorter) tag! This uses a different tag!

Apparently Sean found it digging through the SMF help. The only real flaw I think is that it is difficult to read on mobile. That probably wasn't as relevant back in 2008 though, for obvious reasons.

Edit: I can now confirm that said hover text is inaccessible on my phone. Bah, what a shame.
Edit2: Yeah, having a button for it would be nice.

[AoshimaMichio]

The problem with [abbr] tag is that there's no handy button to insert it into your message. It would be nice to have.

[Egan_BW]

Huh. Did chrome update to show the little dotted lines under abbr tags? I never saw those on my browser before.

[Person]

I've started watching Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo again recently. I can't help but feel like the setting might be good for a forum game or RTD of some variety. Perhaps in the style of RTD Celestia, what with all the separate blocks/divisions of bad guys in the show. It'd probably be best to make this some weird alternate reality in order to justify the main cast of said show not being there if applicable. Anyway, the players would be acting to overthrow the evil empire for obvious reasons.

Unfortunately this would probably be far beyond my abilities to run even if I wasn't already running two games. So, I'm just gonna throw what I've got in here and hope someone else thinks it is a good idea. The final result doesn't have to be an RTD of course, but hey.

Spoiler: Wip First Post (click to show/hide)

In the year 3001.5 the entire earth is controlled by the Chrome Dome Empire. Czar Baldy Bald IV has ordered a massive global hair hunt! In order to flaunt his absolute power over his foes and their follicles, the hair hating Hun has decreed that all humankind must become bald! But there is a brave resistance that stands up to fight against this plan! A hair heyday! A follicle frenzy! A razor recalcitrant rebellion! Okay I'll stop.

Anyway, for whatever reason you have decided to join the rebellion against Czar Baldy Bald IV and topple his empire.

Work in progress sheet:

Name: You can just use your profile name if you want. This doesn't have to make sense.
Bio/Description: Be sure to describe your probably insane hairstyle. You don't need to be too specific, but more words probably won't hurt.
Powers: It wouldn't be any fun to play a normal person, so describe your Shinken(Super Fist). Shinken mastery can be just about anything. Basically, describe your fighting style, as well as a couple super moves/finishers. Some examples can be found here.

Like half of the first paragraph was blatantly taken from the first episode. The puns were all my doing though. I'm not sorry. Hope someone else picks this up.

Wasn't expecting much of a responce, but this was basically asking the question of "would this setting be a good idea to hold a game in", so that I could know before I waste hours and hours doing setting building, which is not my greatest skill. I suppose no one is familiar enough with that particular anime here though. That happens sometimes. Maybe I could add more specifics, if people ask.

[StrawBarrel]

I think a game set in Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo would be very viable. I only watched/read a bit of Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, but I know it's crazy and hilarious. The craziness would allow you to world build with few boundaries and humor should easily keep everyone entertained and engaged. I'd join for sure.