Edge of Darkness - Powered by vBulletin Edge of Darkness - Powered by vBulletin
Reply
Watch
1 - 10
DISPLAYED
13
POSTS

Shards OOC

This is for adding a Search Category to the thread.

Note:
This is NOT a Notification for another member.
Page 1 of 2 1 2 Last
  1. #1
    West's Avatar

    Magical Chinchilla
    Star Scenes

    It's been a while, so we're due for me to posit some wack-ass idea, right ?!

    I've been thinking about 'the faceless masses', for lack of a better term. Almost-toons. Unsustainable concepts. Dead venues. And what I've really been thinking is, could they live in Shards? I am not-so-great at explaining some of my half-baked ideas, but:

    What if we 'opened' Shards up to non-characters. One-shot, limited shot write-ins that were just for fun? Sometimes there's a Shard you want to be in, but your character wouldn't go. Or you miss an old toon you dropped. Or you've got a half-concept that would make a great NPC but there isn't enough there for a PC. Or you just don't have the time for a full fledged new toon.

    For example, I miss my Hunter every now and then. And I could totally see him wandering in to Marginalia.

    There'd have to be restrictions -- we wouldnt do sheets or accounts (unless maybe they were dead venue/dropped? dunno) or wiki pages. They couldn't PvP or overly harass 'real' PCs. Maybe experimental concepts could 'graduate' to real PCs? Hell, maybe it even be an experimental writing 'sandbox' for new people/characters/concepts?

    Just free writing, semi-NPC free-for-all. Given that Shards are month single-shot Scenes, things couldnt get too out of control.

    Would that be nuts?
    Don't hate the player, hate the game.
    The Zeroth Law & the Burden of InteractionThe Devil is in the DotsGreat ExpectationsPlaying MagePlayer Run Plots
    If you have a question about your character, please post it on your character sheet

  2. Likes Cerberus, Yumyumcrow liked this post
  3. #2
    Yumyumcrow's Avatar
    Campanella
    Campanella

    Campanella
    Ingrid

    I like the idea.

    I know I have some half formed "alternative venue" ideas still floating around in my head that occasionally try and claw their way out. Plus I get the occasional urge to do something with Hildegarde and Aeneas (I still want to know what is happening with that Wolf even though the Werewolf venue is gone... For a one dimensional toon, he certainly grew on me.)

    We would need to be very specific with the restrictions / terms and conditions though. These shards should not supplant the regular venues (though the material could be used to gauge interest - I don't know).

    Thats all I can think of at the top of my head.

    It would definitely liven up Shards.

  4. Likes West liked this post
  5. #3
    West's Avatar

    Magical Chinchilla
    Star Scenes

    Yeah, there would be some (probably plenty complicated) guidelines -- you wouldnt want 'real' characters asking 'half' characters for help, for example. If characters were template toons, it'd have to be accepted they were part of the faceless masses* even if they were an old 'real' toon. Obviously, yeah, we wouldn't want Shard spam to detract from real toon commitment.

    We'd definitely have to give it a few trial runs, to see what kinks should be ironed out, or if it were more hassle than it was worth.

    But if it worked out, they could be semi-sorta permanent npc-ish? I dunno, just a way to get some writing/interaction done without committing to running a toon.

    * Something that Vampire has always had, not sure about other venues -- basically, that there were many more vampires than characters, but that the PCs were where the camera 'zoomed in' on.
    Don't hate the player, hate the game.
    The Zeroth Law & the Burden of InteractionThe Devil is in the DotsGreat ExpectationsPlaying MagePlayer Run Plots
    If you have a question about your character, please post it on your character sheet

  6. Likes Yumyumcrow liked this post
  7. #4
    Cayce's Avatar


    I think this is a super cool idea! I think, potentially, it would be a great way for us to all participate in a sort of communal building of the city. 'Cause, ya know, even if the masses are "faceless", they still represent and characterize the environment, and this way shard scenes wouldn't be filled with all the same Faces anymore. Plus, I like the idea of people being able to test concepts with current characters!

  8. Likes Yumyumcrow, West liked this post
  9. #5
    West's Avatar

    Magical Chinchilla
    Star Scenes

    This is the idea I'm fiddling around with for mechanics, because eventually someone's gonna want to know if their halfsie can be sexy or rich or fite or drive.

    1. Assume that all Atts are 2
    2. Assume any Skill test runs that Skill at 1
    3. No Merits
    3. 3 discretionary 'dots' to put anywhere

    So much like the current Retainer system, these universal dots could be, say 1 for PRE (for 3) and 2 for SL (for SL2), giving you a good-looking, personable halfsie. Or 2 for STR and 1 for Brawl if it's a cage fight (total dice pool 6). Or 2 for STR and 1 for a FS maneuver.

    That should give interesting toons without anyone having to worry about their 'real' toon being overshadowed. Since these halfsies are really just for social interaction, that shouldn't be crippling, either. Enough to bump a couple of things to crystallize a concept/personality.

    Thoughts?
    Don't hate the player, hate the game.
    The Zeroth Law & the Burden of InteractionThe Devil is in the DotsGreat ExpectationsPlaying MagePlayer Run Plots
    If you have a question about your character, please post it on your character sheet

  10. #6
    Yumyumcrow's Avatar
    Campanella
    Campanella

    Campanella
    Ingrid

    I'm of the "Lets Try It Out and See" school of thinking.

    The NPC caps seem pretty reasonable as a base to start with, and unless we start making random plots, the stats should not come up much because these Shards will be one-shot, one-scene affairs. Or at least, they should be.

    Put me down for the trial run(s) if / when they happen.

    Also (if it ever comes up) - and just for clarity before we all go jumping in, crazy like - what Splats would be available to these potential NPC experiments? I'm assuming just the three venues for simplicities sake?

  11. #7
    Cayce's Avatar


    I think the proposed mechanics of the Shades (halfies) sounds good! Because, even if someone does decide to make a Shade a PC or NPC in full, I think it's reasonable to assume that maybe they just weren't trying that hard in the Shards, hence why their dice pools would be different once they were no longer a shade.

  12. #8
    Kelreth's Avatar

    Chris Laurent
    Langdom
    Chris Laurent

    Irraka Blood Talon
    Langdon

    Sounds like a fun plan. Definitely a good place to test run concepts.

  13. #9
    West's Avatar

    Magical Chinchilla
    Star Scenes

    For a bit of crossover fun / a brush with wtf-ery:


    Any Vampire that might have been present when the Titanic set sail (England, 1912) can remember seeing the following Mages present, should they encounter them elsewhere (such as a Shard):


    ArthurFisherStrixTuesdayWayland






    Yep, it's a little limited who might qualify, but it's a pretty specific event

    We'll also be launching the Scrap Art Shard on the first and giving our halfsie/Shade toons the green light if anyone's interested!
    Don't hate the player, hate the game.
    The Zeroth Law & the Burden of InteractionThe Devil is in the DotsGreat ExpectationsPlaying MagePlayer Run Plots
    If you have a question about your character, please post it on your character sheet

  14. Likes Origins, , unlimited sink liked this post
  15. #10
    Yumyumcrow's Avatar
    Campanella
    Campanella

    Campanella
    Ingrid

    Do we need to outline our Shades somewhere? West Cayce

Page 1 of 2 1 2 Last
+ Reply to Thread
     

Similar Threads

    • 2
    • POSTS
    • Jan 29th, 2017
  1. C
    • 162
    • POSTS
    • Oct 6th, 2014
    • 32
    • POSTS
    • Feb 16th, 2010