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Collaborative Social Plots

  1. #1
    Cayce's Avatar


    Orianna Saber Sloth Psychangel Yumyumcrow West

    Hello friends!

    After some conversation in chat with West and Delta about the differences between playing on a PbP, and playing in a TT troupe, and how the level of collaboration between what happens at a TT game, and what happens on here, are very different. On the whole, I think that's because on a PbP, we've replaced the NPCs with PCs, and so that means that PvP becomes a necessary part of telling stories. That said, I do think that we can still incorporate that principle of collaboration to help us have the dramas, but avoid the stress and potential hurt feelings that often come with the dramas.

    So here's what I'm thinking: we can treat the dramas like Social Plots, but Plots without a storyteller. Instead, we would all communicate OOC to chart the rough narrative that we're all looking for. So, to use current circumstances as an example, if the people involved in the current Monomacy challenge say "no, we don't like the idea of monomacy," then we'd make an OOC thread and talk about how we see the current dramas/conflict, what the main issue is, and what the resolution might be, and once we reach something that we can all agree on, then we would hop back IC and RP the narrative.

    I see it almost as an extension of PrPs, with the OOC thread making the plot, and then everyone RPing that plot out. And sure, there could be twists and turns, but per everyone's agreement, the dramas would eventually be resolved with the general resolution that had been determined. Obviously, this idea might not be as exciting as just free from, but it would help us all have fun together, even when our play styles might clash.

    So, what are your thoughts?

    Does this sound like it would be interesting to try out?

  2. #2
    West's Avatar

    Magical Chinchilla
    Star Scenes

    I like the idea of OOC discussion if things get too tense, but I'm not sure I've got my head wrapped around how this would work. Using the pending possible Monomacy feels like jumping into the middle of something, so what's an ideal example scenario that we could then apply to the current situation?

    So, off the cuff:

    Player makes a thread called, 'Wanted: Foobar', and says something like, 'My character Foo wants to try to topple the Seneschal. Who's interested and/or who would be involved and how should it go down" ?

    To which, say, Saber says "Well I'm going to eventually banish you to the Barrens." Player agrees, it commences. Or Saber says, "Yeah okay I'm tired of being Seneschal, I'm okay with that."

    Is that it?
    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

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  4. #3
    Orianna's Avatar
    Aurora
    Seraphina
    Alessandra
    Aurora
    Seraphina
    Alessandra

    I personally don't see a pending Monomacy cause an Invictus member has not declared it. That being said, I try and avoid characters who go out of their way to be difficult for the sense of just being difficult. So don't expect me or my characters to jump into these OOC ideas or plots. I just feel we can get in enough dice throwing and puffing with NPC's, but that's just me.

  5. #4
    West's Avatar

    Magical Chinchilla
    Star Scenes

    ...for the sense of just being difficult.
    Let's try to appreciate that we all might want different things from a game? And this thread is about figuring out if there's overlap or where lines are drawn so that collaboration can happen, or stopping points reached before things get cray-cray, rather than just going at something that others might not enjoy.

    What I don't think any of us want is for our play or idiosyncrasies assumed or projected with an unkind light.

    Some people enjoy X, some enjoy Y. Some people interpret the horror genre and setting differently. I'd really prefer we try to find common ground or bow out rather than blasting one another, please.
    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. #5
    Psychangel's Avatar

    Mable Wood
    Presence
    Striking Looks
    (Wholesome)
    Mable Wood

    BP3/Pre2/SL2:Wholesome/Pro3: Aspect of the Predator

    I'm not sure I quite understand what is being suggested but... Usually if someone wants to do a player run plot with me they email and say hey I am interested in my character doing xyz with yours does that sound good. Then we role play it out but not with an outcome already figured out. And frequently something is started in character like at court I may talk to three different people about needing to meet with them then send them a text with date and time. Then do a scene with them to cover any potential shenanigans like world domination.

    But in general, I role play my characters as if they were real people (maybe the writer in me) and tend to do so all in character. If there is a delicate matter that comes up such as do you want to continue or fade to black then that is discussed in a PM.

    As far as the issues in court this time around. I believe it all was handled fine. If anyone wants my OOC analysis on what happened, what needs to happen etc. I could give it. LOL Cause I have looked over that stuff legally, psychologically, analytically, and emotionally. LOL I kinda analyze a lot.
    Gangrel/BP3/Pro3/SL2:Wholesome
    "Given only the health of the soil, nothing that dies is dead for very long" -Wendell Berry

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  8. #6
    Yumyumcrow's Avatar
    Campanella
    Campanella

    Campanella
    Ingrid

    I'm all for an OOC discussion if people want to chart relationship trajectories and perhaps set up a little character to character conflict. I think it could help avoid troubling personal relationships, given that a full TT game has a lot of social dynamics going on outside and around it, which a PbP game can't due to the medium.

    And - unless I'm missing something - I'm not sure where the talk of "monomancy" comes from; at least, not at this point (and added to which, the power relationships are different in any case).

    Just my two cents from what I've seen.

    Grabs a set of flame retardant overall and a helmet. Then hides in a bunker...

  9. #7
    Cayce's Avatar


    Player makes a thread called, 'Wanted: Foobar', and says something like, 'My character Foo wants to try to topple the Seneschal. Who's interested and/or who would be involved and how should it go down" ?

    To which, say, Saber says "Well I'm going to eventually banish you to the Barrens." Player agrees, it commences. Or Saber says, "Yeah okay I'm tired of being Seneschal, I'm okay with that."

    Is that it?
    Yes, that's pretty much what I was thinking. With smaller venue sizes, we don't the luxury of selecting only the people that match our play style, and so I was thinking that this could be a way to help everyone remain on the same page and ensure that everyone is able to have fun with it.

    Because, at the end of the day, we're all here to have fun. However, we all have different perspectives, perspectives isolated by our computer screens, as YYC has pointed out, and so it's very easy for intentions to become occluded or misinterpreted. However, if there was more OOC communication about stuff like coups, or duels, or whatever, then it would probably be easier for everyone to participate in telling collaborative, consensual stories that we enjoyed. Also, it would be transparent so other players, and the ST, could see what was happening and maybe add to it.

    So, that said, since it does appear that there are some less than flattering perceptions currently brewing, would anyone like to give this a try? If not, I still think it would be constructive for Orianna and I to talk some stuff out so everything is cool OOC.

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  11. #8
    Psychangel's Avatar

    Mable Wood
    Presence
    Striking Looks
    (Wholesome)
    Mable Wood

    BP3/Pre2/SL2:Wholesome/Pro3: Aspect of the Predator

    I'm game. I also am probably the least of Bea's issues. LOL
    Gangrel/BP3/Pro3/SL2:Wholesome
    "Given only the health of the soil, nothing that dies is dead for very long" -Wendell Berry

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