The forum threads:
Bay12:
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=92628.0PTA:
http://s4.zetaboards.com/Pokemon_Tabletop/topic/9057779/1/Attendance: Players will be allowed to come and go in the game as they please. Start time will officially be at 6pm EST on Mondays. I will however begin earlier if I get at least 50% of my players ready and online. Currently this means 4 players out of 8. It will be up to the players to try and recap things that they miss, or I may give recaps if I'm feeling generous. I will probably keep the server up and the session going as long as I have 4 players ready and interested in playing, or 5am EST shows up. Though somehow I doubt we will go that long.
Going afk: If you need to go afk for any reason, feel free. Saying you will be afk however is at least customary. As this allows us to skip you in a battle turn, or during roleplay. You will be assumed there doing whatever your character does or off perhaps doing something important to you on your own instead of being with the group.
Missed sessions: If you miss a session, like being afk or otherwise missing part of gameplay you will be assumed off on your own seperate from the party. I will not award people for missed experience, nor will I give any special items or time for this missed period. Ie: You can't expect a shopping session, or pokemon trading session or whatever for your character if you were not avaliable at the current game time. I understand that some people cannot be here all the time(such as Kuji for class) but I can only reward for things I see and what happens during actual gameplay.
Journals: That said, Journals will be encouraged. You can pm them to me in either forum, or you may openly post them in the forum threads(this is preferred, so others might enjoy them as well). Journals will net you a certain amount of exp based on how long you make the journal, and the general level of the pokemon you choose(and how enjoyable I find it). When writing a journal try not to make it a huge novel, or smaller than a paragraph. Also as stated earlier, you need to choose which of your pokemon you wish the bonus exp from the journal to be awarded when you post the journal itself.
EXP: Experience will be gained from battling or capturing as from the book rules. I may also award other bonus amounts from certain roleplaying I find worthy, and things like Journals.
TL: Trainer Levels will be gained as per the book rules. Badges and Ribbons will each give a trainer level to the trainer who obtains them. Owned pokemon is a PERSONAL list. Meaning the number of pokemon you own. For each 10 pokemon you gain a TL. Seen pokemon is a GROUP listing. Every 25 pokemon you see, the group will gain a TL. These Levels are above and beyond the 5 TL you start with. Other challenges and quests may also prove to gain TL's.
Classes: You may take any of your first three classes whenever you have a feature to spend on the class and meet the requirements. The fourth class may only be taken at level 15 or higher. Further classes will be allowed, but they will have increasing amounts of feature costs. for example, the 5th class will cost you 3 features. 6th, 4 features, 7th 5 features, and so on. You may have as many classes as you are able to puchase in this way, but you must put forth the features before you buy the class(IE: for a 5th class when you level you must say 'I spend this feature on my first 1/3rd of so and so class' until you have enough to complete the feature requirement).
Contests and Gym Battles: Both of these actions will require a single entry trainer. Contests will be announced in character at certain times, while Gym battles can be challenge against any Gym leader who is willing. Group Contests may occur when announced, and certain leaders may accept group gym challenges.
Maptools Mechanics:
We will be using Maptools version .b84. Note that this is not the most current version. I use this version because it is the version that I am used to for the other pokemon game I am involved with. The server will be named 'Aglaia' and the password for players or spectators will be 'unekaru'. If you see the server in the maptools list it may mean I am hosting for my other games as well as this one. Since I use the same server name each time. I welcome others to spectate(with the GMs of the other pokemon game having a final call) so feel free to join if you see the server on the list sometime.
Useful Maptools commands:
Select Map - In the upper right of your maptools window there should be a button labeled 'select map' this lets you switch between maps I have created for the game. Not all maps will be available every session, but when I say, 'please focus your attention on forest map 1' this is how you reach that view.
/ooc - This command before your text will put your text into an 'out of character' message. Good for jokes, and talking about things that your character wouldn't know about. Use this often, as most conversations will be done here.
/gm - this is a command that sends a private message to me. Only I will see it. Good for sneaky type things.
/w or /whisper - Using this command followed by a users login name(found on the connection list window in maptools) sends a private message to that person. Don't abuse this, as if I don't see a message I won't count it as happening. It is better to emote that you are whispering in character, then show the whisper than to use this command. We will expect people not to break meta and 'overhear'.
Impersonation - You may right click your token and impersonate it to speak in character dialog or make in character emotes. Note: Only impersonate pokemon for attack macros/damage. Pokemon will be roleplayed by the GM.
-/me- this command puts your name at the start of the wording to make an emote. For example: /me smiles at the magikarp. becomes Haika smiles at the magikarp. (also apparently it parses here in this forum to an emote as well, good to know!)
It is up to the player to keep his or her tokens updated. Notes should be kept in the pog/token in each game session. It is also suggested that the player keep backup copies offline on their own computer. Along with stats, you should place a copy of your items, experience and any other notes you wish me to see in your trainer token. Pokemon tokens should have listings of moves, base stats, nature, ability, gender, movement, and any special traits(listed with movement in the pokedex pdf). As a special note, when you input the current stats into the tokens DO NOT TOUCH FORMULAS.
Note: Pokemon may only know a total of 7 moves at any one time, learning an 8th means you must forget one of your prior moves.
Tokens should be kept on the Pog Storage map of the campaign. When an encounter is generated, I will designate an area for you to move those pogs/tokens you will use in the encounter. Then I will move those tokens over to the encounter map, and return them when the encounter is finished. No trainer may take more than 6 pokemon into an encounter battle at any one time.
During or after an enounter you will be able to search for loots! This is highly suggested. From butchering fallen pokemon for things like meat, skin, and bones, you can also find eggs, berries, even dropped items from other trainers like the occasional pokeball or potion.
Movement outside of battle: When moving your pogs keep this limited to smaller amounts to give both the other trainers and myself time to react and have things happen. For example, do not suddenly drag your pokemon across the map because you see someone else has found a pokemon you want to battle. This is common sense mostly, but I will throw the GM manual through the interwebs in the form of bad in character luck should you break this.
Meta Gaming: Along with movement, other common sense rules will be followed. Such as making rolls, technically you can spam any moves over and over again until you get the amount you need for whatever you are attempting. I call this check grinding. And if I see it happening, I will again throw my GM manual. A check that requires a roll is in the game to give a sense of random occurrence. Games that you always win or always loose are less fun that those that have an element of uncertainty. If you abuse the roll system without acting out actions in between rolls you are just forcing the system to get your way. The ends up being spam, and no fun for anyone.
Other similar actions that use out of character knowledge, or doing things that your character otherwise might not do are called Meta Gaming. This is also cause for GM book tossing. Don't do it. Every time you do an action think about if your character would do this. What does my character know? What do I know that my character might not know? Did my character hear that whisper?(better make a check to be sure, or ask the GM, don't assume.)
Final Note:
The GM(Haika) reserves the right to change any of these rules with little or no warning. Players who do not follow these rules or upset the general flow of the game will be warned, and then punished. Extreme cases may be asked to leave the game, or even be booted and banned from the server.
As a GM, I promise to do my best to weave an entertaining and interesting storyline for everyone. My experience with the system is still fairly fresh and the game is in development so errors with mechanics may occur. I apologize ahead of time for any mistakes, made and will do my best.
I hope everyone will enjoy the story we tell together, and that we all have fun.
- Haika