RPG in ConceptArt forums!!

[Cold]

Hi peeps.

Before I Start explaining what I had in mind, I was wondering if anyone were familiar with the term RPG in forums? For those who aren’t, it’s basically where you write about your character that you invented in beforehand (Looks, History, Special Abilities, Flaws, etc). You then interact, with other writer’s characters, pulling them through endless stories or have them fight against each other. Ether way, you cannot write about the other character or the conclusion he endures after an incident. For a quick example, you may write about your characters actions in the story, lets say he swings a mighty blow to Jeffrey’s left kidney; the writer of Jeffery has now the chance to react upon it accordingly (within reason (also meaning realistically)).

Now what I had in mind is to do exactly that, but we as artists will draw instead of writing. It’s the same schematics, and the end results should present a form of comic story drawn by 2-4 artists, pending on how many character’s are getting involved in a quest, venturing to the heart of (quick think of a stupid name) “Darth Drag-mar’s Hole”.

Anyway, I would really appreciate any feedback and crazy wild ideas that you super creative skilled peeps have to enhance the scheme. Personally I think rules are important, they help to give everyone equal chances, without leaving someone over or underpowered.

My aim is too make one’s drawing skill second rank. The display quality isn’t as important as displaying what goes on in the story. How good can you capture someone’s fantasy? I think this involves everyone; everyone has a good ability to tell a story through images then actually focusing on a random image alone. I write in RPG forums, and when I do write I can see exactly the scenario that I’m describing, and brown squared framed images fall out of my head into my hands (see you did it then) for me to draw.

Again, any suggestions or thoughts, any at all, just post them here or PM me.

Thanks a Punch

:360_old:

[kovah]

I enjoy doing RPG and am involved in several at the moment. I do enjoy visualizing my story but often lack the skill to draw it for one reason or another.
I think it would be difficult to draw the WHOLE thing and produce a conclusive story at the same time without it lasting for months on end. However drawing particularly interesting/important scenes within it and thus effectively getting a partly illustrated story would be good.

However it might be interesting to get an RP going and illustrate some scenes perhaps everyone has a go at drawing the characters after reading a written description of them, drawing the land in which it is set etc. and everyone votes for their favorite incarnation of each which and we end up with a set of pictures to go with this RP.

[Keng]

I really like this idea. I RP a lot myself and I always get a ton of ideas for things to draw. I've usually started drawing my character out before it's over. I'm not sure if I'd have the disipline for what you're suggesting though. I have done illustratred RPs before in which the written description of whats occuring aswell as a few thumbnails on the side. Just keep in mind a lot of RPs are short lived and intrest is lost before the conclusion can be reached.

[paac]

Very interesting. I think it should be fun. I'm quite busy right now though.. But that doesn't matter! I saw a similar thing on this one guy's website, but it wasn't an RPG thing, it was like, he and his friends took turns in drawing a page (5-6 frames) in a comic. So they both "owned" the characters and would do whatever they wanted with it. Each page would introduce a new twist in the plot and the other would then continue with it. It would be like... an improv comic. I don't know if that's what you had in mind, but it's one option, then you won't be as restricted... Just a thought...

[Ben_Olson]

Thanks for the heads-up but I'm kinda busy these days. I definately want to see what the results come out like if you get it going. Good luck!

[Cold]

Seems like the idea is intriguing enough, just the technicalities are putting people off. Though, I know it is a lot of fun for people to create their fantasy characters, so why not push it one step further and bring him to live!

I’m now thinking of the idea, bringing writing and drawn scenes together. If a person doesn’t feel like he’s able to draw a certain part of the scene he wishes to describe, he may simply write it, and I think this should be applied vice versa. This might form a written story with a lot of illustrations or reverse.

To be exact, it doesn’t really matter whether the invented character is mainly written or drawn, as long as the story or fighting is easy to follow and makes a lot of sense.

Another example I had in mind:

Person 1: The only thing he decides to draw, is a picture of his character (a knight) emerging out of some cave into the sunlight. Then starts to write the rest. Maybe, how his character notices a strange figure in the distance and decides to let him (if the character is made to be curious and fearless by nature) walk up to it to get a better look.

Person 2: He decides to draw everything, frame by frame. First frame, how his character (an evil-vengeful hunter) sees the knight approaching. Second frame is drawn of his face, how he recognizes the knight’s emblem. Third frame again but his face turns into disgust. Fourth frame how he pulls his sabre and launches an attack at the knight. Fifth frame is pretty much a decoration shot, with the hunter beaming down at the knight (taking note that he not drew the impact or the result of his attack).

Person 1: He still prefers to write about the narrow escape of the hunter's attack by using his character's mighty shield as a deflection. He then decides to draw a full glorified pose of his knight, being all well and good, then continues to write about how he questions the evil hunter's attack and tells him that he is under his league if the fight were to continue.

And so on…

I hope you get the idea of that bad placed scenario of mine, but I would imagine writing and drawing with other minds-at-work would be more satisfying. It really doesn’t matter what method one uses to bring the their part across, as long as it is exciting and fun.

[look]

That sounds really interesting. I think it would be easier to combine the art with writing, so we can either just paint one scene, or make a comic-like illustration, and combine that with word descriptions.
I'd love to participate if you get this started, sounds like lot of fun and a good practice.
Maybe have someone kill off others character if the artist stopped participating for a round or so, or limit a thread count for each round?

[Keng]

Maybe have someone kill off others character if the artist stopped participating for a round or so, or limit a thread count for each round?

Ahh, that's always a problem in RPs, what to do about characters who suddenly disapeer? Most RPs I've been in just continue on as if the character had never existed, which I don't like. I sometimes just say "and then character x suddenly realised that she/he had to do activity y and said goodbye and left.", It will be situational. I think something like If you have not posted in x weeks your character is passed on to the other players to do with as they will, be that kill your character or or send it off.

As for battles, which I'm pretty sure an RP here will include, there is always the issue of the invincible characters and stalemate battles. There needs to be a limit to how long you can dodge the bullet, though I hope everyone here will be mature enough not to inexplicably avoid all damadge for no good reason. My solution to this is usually to create disposable punching bag characters, who are created and put in for the purpose of dieing in the end and possibly also providing some interesting opposition for the the other characters. My record for most characters controlled at once was... well, way to many. It was a LOTR RP, I had two orc main characters, a hyena pet, two or three wolf rider side characters, about half a dozen orcs from a patrol, one human character and his company of about a score. In the end most of the humans died along with two wolf riders, and one wolf.

Characters like these are important in storylines, especially when it's an RP and people get so stuck with just trying to interact among 4 characters, and nothing exciting happens.

[look]

Since I never RP in forum before, I thought it'd be more of a story going thing than stats. Feel free to fill me in though. Like do the characters level up and gain new abilities after complete a quest?

[Matsign]

I've been involved with a forum rpg for a few years, admin'd if for most that time. This rpg evolved out of a fan club group from deviantart.com. The great thing about it was that it was very art-driven, and most users would post drawings out of their favorite scenes that had happened. I like the idea you have here and it sounds similar to what I've done.

I'd love to help. I think it should be story driven, Look. And, this being a concept art forum, should focus strongly on improving skills. Starting off with visual 'character sheets' should begin the process. Once we have players we can start with a basic scenario/mission. It can focus on developing character design, leaving things like landscape as a minor focus. When character design is established we can move on to a castle for example. The focus there would be to really bring the castle to life and work on perspective and creative architecture.

[Hookswords]

Sounds interesting. I'd be up for giving it a whirl.

[Keng]

Yea, it should deffinately be story driven. The whole level up thing makes things more complicated than necessary. When you come across super powerful ennemy #1, it's either they're better than you and kick your ass, or you get lucky. Or it could be average and a stalemate battle. Or you kick the ennemy's ass. None of this, if you're level 7, and your ennemy is level 16, but your in a group of 5 similarily levled characters and managed to beat it then you get such and such number of experience points and after you've gotten some such and such number of experience points then you level up. No, because then improving your character's skill becomes about finding as many monsters to beat up as possible, and it's just to much to be thinking about when the purpose of this is to be drawing.

[Matsign]

Should a grouped be formed to start collecting characters?

[look]

Should a grouped be formed to start collecting characters?
You can start that. :)
Any queteria for the character art? (background required? full body? etc)

[Hookswords]

How do we decide genre and all that fine detail stuff?

[Matsign]

How do we decide genre and all that fine detail stuff?

It should be decided by the initial character designs. I wish we could get some real pro insight on this but don't worry so much about what it'll be in the end. Put down whatever you have in mind. Personally, I'm going medieval, almost historical. If someone comes in and posts a futuristic elf, I'm sure we can compromise. Genre will be tba :) Maybe we can vote on what kind of 'style' or time period we like best from what we have posted. It can be a little competitive. :yayca:

As for the art, lets say full body without background. This can be a sketch, digital, traditional, whatever, as look as has some sense of character. Fill in the regular info like race and class through your character design.

EDIT:

The CARPGCP

http://community.conceptart.org/groups/?id=114

[kovah]

Could be a multi-realm type thing. Where characters from all different worlds/times etc get thrown together randomly. Thereby we aren't puttingany restrictions on creativity

[look]

Multi-realm sounds fun.
Where and when do we post the character design?

[Matsign]

Post them in the group if you can.

[MurderClaus]

This sounds like an exciting idea. I hope this takes off as I think CA is the ideal forum to create an original and interesting rp which I see few of in proportion to the thousands of uninspired fanfic or WoD ones. Id like to see where this goes and am joining the group. Best wishes.

Jason

[Cold]

Excellent feedback from everyone and I like to say a few words before heading into some detail. This idea should have the least rules any RP-in-forums ever had. Giving it the power to democracy (to us basically). We are the judges through showing interest and giving feedback. Anyone who does design a character or/and an environment can do so freely, but may have to convince the mainstream (us). Everyone who cares can contribute their thoughts on someone else’s design, whether he is in agreement or not. So quirky and different is good, and something that isn’t entirely one suited, so please invent as far beyond as you want.

I agree with all the comments made, especially Keng and Matsign’s, I think it should be entirely story based. The character will only come to alive through the skill of the teller and majority will automatically be interested in a good story, regardless of a lame character or not. It’s down to telling something through either writing or drawing. Anything absurd can be made believable as long as it’s told well, so keep that in mind.

To picture a story based RG, I see… 3 RG’ers and their characters write and draw a beautiful piece together how they enter a mystical ruin and slay a NPC Daemon (some character who is meant to die), controlled by a volunteer. Now they all get a beautiful treasure that the volunteer gets to design in beforehand or secretive until his character’s death. And the victory over the daemon gives the 3 RG’ers something for the next story or adventure that they can show off.

For example: A white shadow blade has been dropped by the daemon and it’s light-blue illuminating flames that gloat from the black golden handle to the end of the blade had it’s present well made in the dark hole they were in. The warrior’s eyes fell upon it; almost too magnetic, he approached it slowly to make it his own.

He now has a mighty-fine weapon for the next adventure. Love it.

Anyway, personally I think the simpler a character design is, the better you can evolve him through endless adventure. As for, when you design a fully-fledged hero, people start to wonder about his past. How did get all his gear/power?And the character's designer ends up explaining a lot of history, which can become stale, indirect and less exciting, if he had a character who would mold into a hero with the reader/view as the story prolongs.

That’s only my view.

And if anyone wants to start with anything, please just post it here. We will go by the first examples made and work from that, together.

Don’t be shy:)

[Keng]

Hmmm... the more I look at this, the more I want to join, though I'm still worried about my own commitment. The idea of pulling out an old satyrr character to mold afresh through an illustrated RP is tempting... or maybe that common guard character... hmmm..

And among all this action, we can't forget about simple character interaction. What would nearly all those movies we've seen, or books we've read, be if the characters never developed any realtionship to eachother? These simple scene could very well be no less challenging in many ways than some action scenes could be. There'd be a lot more concentration on facial expressions, subtle body gestures, etc. It's in these scenes that you get to know the characters more than anywhere else.

And in case no ones gathered this yet, normal typed RPs take near forever to get through, one with drawings could, and probably, will easily be a project that will stretch on for many months.

Regarding what Cold said about character development, I agree with him. When someone comes in wearing full mithril and dragonscale armour, it takes some time to get some back story going for him/her, and in my opinion, it's harder to develop their personality.

Well, I guess that's what intro posts are for. Try not to make them to long ;)

And uhh.. I feel like I'm getting maybe just a little to hung up on the medieval/fantasy thing.

[look]

I think it'd be a better idea for us to set a time limit. Say each round go for a month or two. And we choose a winner from each round, and they will be able to pick the start setting for the next round's theme, or maybe allowed to design the NPC for next round. Basically, some kind of special previledge/reward for the one who works the hardest on bringing the character and story to live with their image.

edit: since it takes each artist awhile to paint a finished piece, maybe we can have the participants post the story first, so the others can follow the story without having to wait a week on the image. And of course those who post a story have to put in the illustrator before deadline.

[MurderClaus]

Im liking everything i hear. I think this particular rp should be as freeform as possible and not just because i think they all should. There shouldnt be too much distracting us from producing good work as a result of this. I also like the idea of posting story content before images. The medieval fantasy setting gets old for me and i like the idea of combining genres. If more people become interested maybe multiple storylines can be made in different genres. No matter what, though, it sounds like this little project is in good hands.

[Cold]

Right then. I'll design my character tonight and post it here. If i have time I will sketch up an optional adventure in a optional realm.

Laters.

[Cold]

Set in the medieval times, where the world of Magic and Might has been turned into utter chaos, and this isn't to be thanked by the evil Lord of Destruction. No. It's beyond good or evil. It's an alien race from a different spectrum, which have invaded the planet for its resources. War between good and evil seemed insignificant now, as they both struggled to maintain their place of birth against the alien creatures and their technology.

This is the beginning of wars not only fought by the wise or the demented for a bit of land and power, it’s fought by everyone who wants to live! This is the era of real chaos for everything and everyone...

Anyway, that's a drifty vision, not final. This idea should give some freedom designing adventures between light sabres, magic, daemons and other attributes one finds interesting. To be honest I don't like it that much.
Please do add your thoughts.

AN EXAMPLE:

Name:
Elis Alexia

Age:
21

Occupation:
War Merchant

Hobby:
Scouting the aftermath of a battlefield for useful scraps

Special abilities:
None

Flaws:
Sensitive Eyes

History:
Born in an underground city named XXXX, there it was where Elis grew up with her parents, who taught her the profitable way to trade goods. Later on, when her parents died in the on going onslaught that the wars brought with them, she shifted her line of trade from "house-hold essentials" to "war-equipment". Today, at the age of 21, she runs a buisness single-handed, merchandising all sorts of weapons, starting from a simple "relic of agility" or "sword'n'shield" to a converted alien weapon.

Elis' aim:
She wants to contribute as much as possible for the people in the on going wars against the alien creatures.

Looks:
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j64/Cold1981/Elis.gif

[MurderClaus]

If youre not crazy about the setting i wouldnt want to commit to it. If its not done to everyones liking best to just forget the whole cross-genre thing. I wouldnt force it.

[Cold]

That's fine MurderClaus. Since you mentioned you see the whole medieval era as over used and old, I am quite excited what you might come up with. For me medieval is too overpowering in my brain, it's what I am use to for so long, but I really don't mind seeing the fantasy world from a different angle for once.

Also, looking back with open eyes, I can see how important a World is, to be able to design a decent fitting character in it, so I might redo Elis anyway

And, if come to an agreement over the settings in which we hold our adventures, should we open a new thread for the final product, as sticky maybe? For the finalized character designs, should there be a new thread as well?

Wow, in fact, what I think we should all do, whoever is interested (this addresses everyone), should just throw some random settings across this thread, until we have plenty. Then we open a new thread posting all our interesting ideas. Why? Because with an appropriate title and a clean link presented on all participants’ signature, should attract many people, making it a sort of vote. Hopefully, this way you should have the most popular fantasy world chosen by the mainstream, making it attractive for many artists, and many is good… no one likes empty forums.

Would be cool if everyone who had an idea, would throw in a description of the world he is designing, not just the “one or two word” ideas, thoroughness will win people. The “one or two word” ideas could be used as a title at least or in the voting poll, if it is doable.

[kovah]

My idea for the world:

The cities, vast matropolis's full of blooming technology, sky scrapers line the roads reaching into the heavens, piercing the clouds as the song of monks and nuns rings though the air. They prey to a god to clense the souls of the worthy as robots watch, waiting for the song to end so they may use the same space to worship their own God. The people of the city, go about their daily lives, partly fearing what is on the other side of the wall that marks the perimieter of their great city home. For they do not understand the ways of the people that live in the wilderness, for there is a place of magic, where small communities live in harmony with nature and adept in the casting of spells.

Neither community can win the power struggle, for when a new technology gives the cities an upper hand, nature seems to deal the wilderness with magic to couteract it.

The end

Its sort of abit of everything, hopefully managing to being a sci-fi Rp to mix with a fantasy Rp without going so much into either genre that it puts people off. If people dont want to be all medevil they dont have too. But if thats what you want to do then you place your character from a community so far from a city that it has no notion of technology or visa versa. Hopefully it can also incorporate the maximum amount of character species. everything from talking animals (either cursed people ot cursed animals) too robots.

[look]

kovah: I like that setting. Sounds really interesting!

[Keng]

Hmmm.. the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of sci-fi-fant. I like kovah's idea, but I wouldn't mind a middle group that infuses the best of both worlds. For example in Artemis Fowl there was a secret underground faerie community who used both magic and technology to conceal their existance. They made use of magic to render them invisible to the human eye, control people with voice, and even throw some fireballs, while they carried around ray guns at their side and all sorts of complicated communication headgear, wings (technological wings, as most no longer had wings naturally) etc.

I dunno, right now I think I'll just observe until something is decided, as I try to decide if I'm going to participate beyond reading and viewing.

[MurderClaus]

I agree. Nice setting kovah it seems like it would work well and i love the whole exploration of robot culture. I had been developing a robot character, not for this, though. Well, actually a new generation AI that hijacked a modular megamanlike robot in development at some robotics lab. It was a near future character so it looks like a big, ungainly, roughly humanoid bipedal Johnny #5 with a camera lens covered face and it wears a stolen overcoat and hat. But i digress. I like the setting presented I feel like the idea is to think of a new one anyway. hmm. ok westward expansion comes to mind.

How about some continent being conquered where the people of a highly industrial state struggles against an extremely spiritual animistic culture with a close relationship to and impressive understanding of nature. of course the industrialized nation has its own religious beliefs which include or have been amended to include the mandate to 'save' the poor ignorant savages or their souls will be swallowed by the blackness from beyond the stars. not all of the state's citizens are officially obligated follow the same religion, though culturally they may or may not be, depending on their social status. Some within the cities however, choose to believe the more ancient scriptures from the old continent on the far shore of the sea. These tell of the progenitors from the distant stars who sowed their seeds in the earth and whose fearsome weapons left the vast deserts behind in their struggles with each other. It is mostly in the recent influx of refugees and gypsy bands from the mechanized wars across the sea that these believers are found but there a rumors in the elite circles that some of the more influential noble clans not only worship devoutly the mysterious progenitors but boast quietly about speaking with them. From within the mainstream faith as well have come strange cults reinterpreting the translated writings. Most are relatively harmless, quickly extinguishing themselves in ritual mass suicide, but dark whispers within the superstitious believers of the old faith tell of shadowy brotherhoods that, through the chaotic mutation of the beliefs and practices have stumbled on a method of pleasing certain beings referred to cryptically and menacingly in the accounts of the progenitors' deeds. These are said to dwell incredibly near us on the other side of a sort of curtain, but this is meant, of course, to be an abstraction of the truth.
Across the sea the highly mechanized superpowers, which effectively split the profits of the colony, do constant battle with their war machines, which utilize the technology developed rapidly in reaction to the conflict itself. The only thing keeping these fearsome engines on the far side of the world is the fact that they are not needed to enforce the will of the state on this side. A sophisticated intelligence network (im thinking just official detectives in black overcoats and hats) is intended to control the lives of citizens and root out subversives with a special branch specifically for religious offenders. The rules are enforced by an elite corps of soldiers like a slightly futuristic SWAT team with kind of weird weapons.
In the wilderness can be many types of society, from miniature hidden empires small feudal states to disputing tribes to reclusive incestuous troglodytic subspecies.

*edit*

I almost forgot the most important part! The frontier is where these worlds meet and becomes this planets version of the wild west, which is like ours was but obviously way crazier. Basically its a chaotic place where theres no law except survival of the fittest. what always sucks is that seems to mean the shadiest characters flourish...collectively at least, theres not too much of a life expectancy for any individual. Also, in the wildest areas strange lights are seen in the sky and in what fields are kept, odd patterns are flattened in baffling ways. The settlers have all carried their beliefs here but the natives have their own theories regarding these phenomena.

Thats all ive got for now, sorry to be long winded i just kept getting ideas. If anybody likes it feel free to post a revision.

[look]

I don't think we need to lay out the setting all at once up front. We can always slowly add in the info as the story progress. Like the hidden community shouldn't be known right away, but perhaps one of our characters will slowly discover it through adventure and all the clues piece together and hinting a hidden world.

Anyway, I just hope we keep our writing as short as possible. I lose interest if I see a huge paragraph in front of me, and I'm pretty sure a lot of people would feel the same. Let's get things rolling, with pretty pictures with strawberries on top :D

ps. if we do start a new thread, can we post wip as long as we keep it with the same post as the writing? or we post final images only?

[Cold]

Kovah
Excellent idea: Continents of different background leading to dramatically evolutionary differences. I would love to see a few specific examples, maybe integrating Keng's plea in one of them.

MurderClaus
Ok. It’s a unique world. I found it hard to understand all of your idea (very complex), but a few things that did came to mind was; will you draw out a diagram for me, lol only joking. Really, when I read most of it, the world of “Final Fantasy” and the “War Hammer” came to mind. Heh, let that not be a negative thing though, there are some pretty decent fantasy worlds out there, unused and unappreciated. Lets say, we created something similar to War hammer, at least we would know there would be a place for everyone, being from the spiritual to the dump-struck robotic mechanism.

Well, all in all, what do we have on demand?

Robot – technology
Daemon – mythology
Magic – spiritualism
Mix – a bit of everything
Aliens – unknown

It probably could go on and on…

Maybe design a continent for each demand…
Maybe design a Star Trek theme, where RP’ers’ characters live on a travelling spaceship scouting different planets, having each planet filling the demand.
Maybe design from Final Fantasy, where everything is just random in each different location (power to the shin rah!).
Maybe design from Warhammer and have different races fight each other, brutally.

What do you think? Shall we all go for the continent idea and assign each demand to one continent, letting one volunteer design it? If there was a slight notion of "I don't mind" echoeing through your brain in that moment, then I would love to volunteer for the alien continent. I'd explain how, why and when, what they do&don't have and what they look like.

P.S. look
Do what you you feel would work best, I posted my design as an example but also spammed it in my sketchbook mentioning what I have drawn it for...

[look]

We can focus the setting on different world in different rounds/months. So say we start at the high tech city, and all the stories revolve around this high tech city for this round/month, it can be inside the city, or suburbs near the city. Then the next round/month we travel to the next city or continent.

Maybe we can even use different characters too for different continent/realm. :P

Also, since this is Thunder Dome, and we want to squeeze the best image out of everyone, we should have some sort of rule to make participants try their best. Or maybe a filter/kick out system, that will only let the ones work the hardest proceed with current round's story.

[MurderClaus]

Yes i would like for the main story to focus on designing one area at a time. It might help us get a better feel for the world and encourage people to become involved with more of it. I look forward to playing genres im not as familiar with and would like to try to participate in all of the rounds. Also im very open to your ideas for the overall setting. oh yeah and i was going to post something before but i forgot to copy it. I got a couple of ideas for involving a scifi element. Ill write it again briefly. Either a spaceship becomes stranded on a primitive world and science clashes with mysticism or we could conceivably play out flashbacks and do different eras in one world's history to flesh it out that way. peace.

Jason

[Keng]

Ok, I can't take it anymore. I'm joining no matter what the setting turns out to be. I've been drawing a bit every day, be it in my sketchbook or slaking off in info-tech (making a banner for santa's breakfast or boys soccer in psp can only get so interesting,) and the challenge and continued practice will do me good.

As for setting, this is reaching the point where we can discuss it t'ill the cows come home and not get anywhere. I'm excited to get something picked so I can start figuring how to intigrate my character into it. One setting at a time for sure, worry about the rest when that round should come, we may of come up with something by then.

Speaking of which, we do need some sort of deadline, or guide in which to keep things on track. Not everyone will be in a reasonable position to react at all times, and if it's to be a monthly thing, maybe a quota of reaction/drawings per round. Eg. 1 month = 1 round. 1 round requires at least 6 rp responses and 4 drawings for seperate posts (about 1 a week), scheduals taken into consideration, if one or two of these are not completly finnished pieces, that should be ok so long as they are at least well refined and cleaned sketches, the original character concept I should hope would have at least one full body completed piece in it depicting the character though.

[Cold]

Sounds like real work. I'm in. So what's the setting?

[MurderClaus]

So does anyone have a preference? I will go with pretty much anything since im trying to extend my comfort zone (outside of which i can still be relatively comfortable.) I think we want the first setting to be the one in which most of us would like to participate, so maybe we should all weigh in on this.

Jason

[kovah]

I have an idea.

Everyone that is interested, writes an intro to their 'world' rp whatever and we vote as to which is our favourite, thereby we have a setting for our first drawing round and a start to the rp and the designs can go on from there. In the next round the same happens either we start a new rp so the world doesn't get stale or if its proving popular then a continuation of the last round. This would be put in the brief at the start of the post as to which it is.

People can either make new characters or make their old ones flexible enough to fit into any rp.

I would suggest putting a limit on the amount of words for the intros so its fair as not everyone has the time to read an enormous post of description or write one for that matter. I dunno say 1500-2500 words. somewhere about there.

***

As well if there are people that are short on time or lack drawing ability but are still able to write, we could have a few designated people that JUST write to keep things moving.

[Cold]

I would suggest putting a limit on the amount of words for the intros so its fair as not everyone has the time to read an enormous post of description or write one for that matter. I dunno say 1500-2500 words. somewhere about there.


I think that is silently directed at MurderClaus. :P

Heh, no worries on 1000 words:$

[look]

The cities, vast matropolis's full of blooming technology, sky scrapers line the roads reaching into the heavens, piercing the clouds as the song of monks and nuns rings though the air. They prey to a god to clense the souls of the worthy as robots watch, waiting for the song to end so they may use the same space to worship their own God. The people of the city, go about their daily lives, partly fearing what is on the other side of the wall that marks the perimieter of their great city home. For they do not understand the ways of the people that live in the wilderness, for there is a place of magic, where small communities live in harmony with nature and adept in the casting of spells.

Neither community can win the power struggle, for when a new technology gives the cities an upper hand, nature seems to deal the wilderness with magic to couteract it.

I vote for that setting. :)

I still say we pick a winner at the end of each round and the winner get to pick the continent/realm/setting for the next round.

[kovah]

I think that is silently directed at MurderClaus. :P

Heh, no worries on 1000 words:$

:p not just him. When i go into an RP thread i dont want to have to wade through pages and pages of intro before i know what the story is about. It puts me right off and i figured since alot of people would be more interested in the arty side of it rather than the reading or writing and since 1/3 artists are dsylexic too much text would put them off.

[Cold]

lol, classical

[MurderClaus]

I apologize if i put anyone off, i was just reacting to what somebody said about being detailed or thorough or something. Really i just must not have been thinking. Dont worry,i didnt have any plans to put up any more giant blocks of text. I agree with what appears to be the consensus that we should leave out details to be fleshed out ingame i just thought we were putting ideas in the air, not determining a final setting.

As for that my beginning setting idea probably would have beea my frontier idea which can be found at the end of my enormous post where it says edit. Really though what i specifically want to play may be different (though like ive said im not expecting to play anything in particular, the idea is to try something new) but i guess just so you guys can get to know me better and to gauge your reactions, ill tell you what i really like to play.

ok, science fiction is probably the best description. good scifi should draw from the world we know right? well we all know a different world nowadays but i believe in ghosts and extraterrestrial biological entities. i believe that many ufos have origins with powers we know nothing of, whether or not they are of this earth, and that the origins of the mysterious crop circles lie with them. i believe that artificial intelligence is entirely possible since our brains are merely sophisticated organic computers and we are ourselves now developing organic computers. Also, since our physical reality, as far as we have determined, seems operate on the very same principle of +/-, yes/no, or 0/1, the reality in a computer may be no more or less real than our own. i believe that the ancients somehow understood such things as evidenced by the parallels in ancient writings from cultures scattered across the globe. our world has psychics that solve crimes (and some who claim to talk to the dead), fortean rain, goons hired by governments to kill, threaten, engage in psychological warfare using propoganda and local beliefs (theres declassified FBI documents thru FoIA if anybodys interested), and depose/install dictators. The world is ruled by electronic fund transfers, global communications networks, drugs and guns. Whatever youd like to call them, we (in the United States at least) have armed soldiers patrolling our streets to keep not peace, but 'order.' They carry little machines on their hips so that they can point them at our brothers and sisters in order to put holes in their bodies so that their blood can come out. I believe that there is some truth to the writings of Zecharia Sitchin (site) (http://www.sitchin.com/) and that many of the things we have determined to be fact remain to be understood. As you may see, i lost some interest in made up worlds when i realized how crazy the one i live in is. of course, most people will just say im the crazy one :bashful:.

Anyway, i think 1000 words might be a bit much.


Jason

[kovah]

1000 word MAXIMUM mayhaps. When you think its only about 3 goodsized paragraphs. Perhaps the first one a quick intro to give people an overview and then the other two paragraphs go into more details.

[Cold]

Nice viewpoint there, MurderClaus, but politics is controlled power. It is created by the majority and channelled to one source, a president or dictator. Our level of understanding demonstrates what currency is used to keep the power in the right hands (so would one presume). Don't forget its currency that makes the world go round, that way, there is a place for everyone in the economy, even murderers choose their place. Anyway, you’re not the crazy one; you have a high level of understanding, which is always needed.

I tell you what. Three paragraph; interlude (the intro), body (explaining the main currency) and a conclusion (an example of how someone’s life would look like), should be enough to create vivid image of a fantasy world.

[MurderClaus]

I have no interest in creating a setting. I have just been putting out some of my thoughts. personally, i think weve got many times the info we need to get started. I have always been a fan of fleshing out the details in game. It also allows more flexibility during character creation, not having to fit our characters into any particular niche (not to say anyone would necessarily make such a rigid setting). At that point, we are killing two birds with one stone, damned bird killers.

Jason

*edit*
I like kovah's setting.

[xenos]

what i can remember of playing with real RPGs (=pen & paper) is that it would be a rare day when all our characters would not die. Usually what we would do is steal or backstab each other and generally wander from the group (others would play Tekken, while one at a time we would go to the GM and tell what our characters was going to do)...
umm, so if its going to be anything like that, then count me in :teeth: (also lets have it only after the Art Schooled vs Selftaughts challenge, cause i dont have any time before that :()

also it might be easiest if the world was similar to the one in Samurai Jack. that way we could have anything, be it sword wielding viking robots or magical talking dogs that want to hump your leg

[Atomatic]

Hey, ive been reading up on this thread and i like the idea of this rgp...the setting is sweet and it sounds like the ideas are endless...so count me in if thats cool! it be something very entertaining haha!

[cardoso]

My idea for the world:

The cities, vast matropolis's full of blooming technology, sky scrapers line the roads reaching into the heavens, piercing the clouds as the song of monks and nuns rings though the air. They prey to a god to clense the souls of the worthy as robots watch, waiting for the song to end so they may use the same space to worship their own God. The people of the city, go about their daily lives, partly fearing what is on the other side of the wall that marks the perimieter of their great city home. For they do not understand the ways of the people that live in the wilderness, for there is a place of magic, where small communities live in harmony with nature and adept in the casting of spells.

Neither community can win the power struggle, for when a new technology gives the cities an upper hand, nature seems to deal the wilderness with magic to couteract it.



Out of all the scenarios I've read so far, I'd have to agree that this is byfar the most interesting setting. And yeah, of course we could all mold it with cause and effect to change it, that would be fun.
Hmm...maybe later I might write a setting myself. All of this would be really itneresting and really cool, someone should start an extension to the forums soon.
And I think maybe if it was an all written RPG it would be good. That way everyone can draw out scenes or full storyboards after a certain point if they'd like. Or whenever someone gets inspiration from what may be happening in the RP they can start on a peice of work.
Actually yesterday I created a character. His name is Rhett Spine:^^: , I'll posth im if anyoen would like. And if I do, should I just post it in this thread?

[Cold]

Post in here, for now... Maybe soon we could re-open a new thread for people's character-bio, if there is enough feedback or creation going on. Anyway, if you post your character I'll make one aswell. (using kovah's setting in mind)

[cardoso]

I just need to write up a bio and stats about my character and I'll post it up.

[Atomatic]

I need to write my character bio and stats as well...and then ill post it...

[kovah]

i'll probably get some character bio up at some point.

Am really quite flattered that you are using my setting, didn't think it was that special myself.

[Katfayheirti]

I just spotted this thread and the idea really excites me! I used to be involved in something like this waaaay back in middle school (albiet on a much smaller scale). My friends and I would pass comics back and forth throughout the school day and would draw our characters interacting. We'd also do text-based RPGs and though I enjoyed them I haven't had the opportunity to be involved in one since.


My idea for the world:

The cities, vast matropolis's full of blooming technology, sky scrapers line the roads reaching into the heavens, piercing the clouds as the song of monks and nuns rings though the air. They prey to a god to clense the souls of the worthy as robots watch, waiting for the song to end so they may use the same space to worship their own God. The people of the city, go about their daily lives, partly fearing what is on the other side of the wall that marks the perimieter of their great city home. For they do not understand the ways of the people that live in the wilderness, for there is a place of magic, where small communities live in harmony with nature and adept in the casting of spells.

Neither community can win the power struggle, for when a new technology gives the cities an upper hand, nature seems to deal the wilderness with magic to couteract it.
Anyway, definately count me in. I agree with Cardoso that Kovah's setting sounds the most intriguing. I also agree that the RPG should be heavily story-driven because IMO those are the most fun and engaging kinds of RPGs.

I'll post a character bio up when a few more details about rules and settings have been worked out.

Maybe someone should draw up a map? That would help clear a few things up. Of course...if we were to do a more "Star-Trek-esque" setting a map wouldn't be so nescessary...

[AbstractPagan]

I actually have a realm drawn up map wise its basic but it has a broad spectrum of ideas about technology, politics, wild beasts and the such. I Call it Azgaron. The deity that rules over the realm is insane and is constantly looking for the missing shard from his soul. About once a month he changes the terrain and climate to his crazy whim. He also creates bizarre creatures just to toy with nature. Its been a pet project of mine for about a year. If you all want to we could use this as a setting as it would be great to get input, and ideas to fill in the blanks. There's things like airships, floating guard towers, grenades, guns, etc. and it has somewhat of a lower tech and wild nature effect for a broad variety of person, places and things. I left it wide open with anything truly concrete since I felt variety was what made RPG fun to do in the first place. What do you guys think?

[mehran]

love the concept.......No really...
I am a concept artist wroking in a content outsourcing company.
I have been writing projects of my own for years now and I kinda quit doing that
2 years ago..had to focus on skills and technique rather than creativity....
Anyway I was planning on doing something for a few months now and I am very inerested in this comic based panelling thing....
I havn;t read the complete thread(too long) but am a go do that and come back and reply to ya..

[mehran]

okay red through the thread ...I kinda liked KOVAH's Multi realm idea more than the recent one....but I guess taht when our have more than everyone making there own realms would be too hard put a handle on...
Anyway....AM IN ...and am gonna post my charecter today....HERE in this thread BUT it won't be the final one
I also had some suggestions in mind I 'll post them with my charecter

[kovah]

We should really get this off the ground. The time for talking has ended...well y'know it hasn't but actions speak louder than words and all that stuff.

I wish i had more time on my hands *sigh* but having made several Rp's in the past i still have a sort of master list of rules that i have found work well.

(Please bear in mind that these are MY rules for an Rp, they dont have to be the ones that are used in this one. If anyone has any suggestions for more or questioning any of them feel free to say so.)

For any RolePlay n00bies.
-OCC = out of character chatting
-NPC = non person character: ie like a bartender that your character orders a drink from and is in no way really related to the storyline.

*All posts must be Semi-literate and perferably longer than 3 sentances. Its hard for people to reply when you post one liners!

*Swearing and curses are allowed in moderation

*OOC chats are allowed but use them only when absolutely necessary.

*Do not take over other people's characters unless they give you permission to.

No player killing with out the person's permission or without clearing it with whoever is in charge of the RP

*No god modding. However the (person in charge of the RP whoever that is) reserves to the right 'godmod' peoples characters to nudge them in the right direction if they get off track. This probably WILL NOT happen. But there is no point getting annoyed if it does, if you dont like it you can leave.

Keep it rating - 18

I'm not a grammer nazi, we all make mistakes on occasion and since i cant spell anyways i probably wont notice if you can't spell.
But there is such a thing as a spell checker!

Requests:

These are not rules but i would prefer if you could try and keep to them as they are pet peeves of mine -

* Paragraphs - to make your posts easier to read stick a paragraph in every 7 or so lines of text, even if its not 100% grammatically correct.

* No OCC chatting, without contributing to the RP. If you are going to have a convsation take it elsewhere.


* More than one character...
I appreciate that to make Rp's work there has to be NPC's and you will want to introduce other characters to add another dimension to the story which is good.
I would prefer it if you have ONE main character who's text will be in black (or whichever colour you normally post in) any extra characters that are not one post NPC's to be in another colour. I would rather that no-one has more than 1 MAIN character.

[Atomatic]

I am still in...just waiting for the go!

[Hookswords]

Same here

[AbstractPagan]

Me three! So what area are we working with?

[kovah]

Ok...

I will set up a thread - in it post your concept characters and will put a poll up with the different areas. Then once everyone has voted... THEN we can perhaps get started with the actual RP.

I'm not putting a time limit on it at the moment because frankly my uni schedual is rather hectic and it takes priority over this.

**Edit

Ok i would have started a new thread but its telling me i'm not allowed. i'm happy to get this going but if i cant post threads its not gonna happen any time soon.

So for those that are interested please post with which scenario you want to use : (if i missed anyones i'm sorry and just post it here anyways

Kovah's Idea:

The cities, vast matropolis's full of blooming technology, sky scrapers line the roads reaching into the heavens, piercing the clouds as the song of monks and nuns rings though the air. They prey to a god to clense the souls of the worthy as robots watch, waiting for the song to end so they may use the same space to worship their own God. The people of the city, go about their daily lives, partly fearing what is on the other side of the wall that marks the perimieter of their great city home. For they do not understand the ways of the people that live in the wilderness, for there is a place of magic, where small communities live in harmony with nature and adept in the casting of spells.

Neither community can win the power struggle, for when a new technology gives the cities an upper hand, nature seems to deal the wilderness with magic to couteract it.

MurderClaus's Idea:

How about some continent being conquered where the people of a highly industrial state struggles against an extremely spiritual animistic culture with a close relationship to and impressive understanding of nature. of course the industrialized nation has its own religious beliefs which include or have been amended to include the mandate to 'save' the poor ignorant savages or their souls will be swallowed by the blackness from beyond the stars. not all of the state's citizens are officially obligated follow the same religion, though culturally they may or may not be, depending on their social status. Some within the cities however, choose to believe the more ancient scriptures from the old continent on the far shore of the sea. These tell of the progenitors from the distant stars who sowed their seeds in the earth and whose fearsome weapons left the vast deserts behind in their struggles with each other. It is mostly in the recent influx of refugees and gypsy bands from the mechanized wars across the sea that these believers are found but there a rumors in the elite circles that some of the more influential noble clans not only worship devoutly the mysterious progenitors but boast quietly about speaking with them. From within the mainstream faith as well have come strange cults reinterpreting the translated writings. Most are relatively harmless, quickly extinguishing themselves in ritual mass suicide, but dark whispers within the superstitious believers of the old faith tell of shadowy brotherhoods that, through the chaotic mutation of the beliefs and practices have stumbled on a method of pleasing certain beings referred to cryptically and menacingly in the accounts of the progenitors' deeds. These are said to dwell incredibly near us on the other side of a sort of curtain, but this is meant, of course, to be an abstraction of the truth.
Across the sea the highly mechanized superpowers, which effectively split the profits of the colony, do constant battle with their war machines, which utilize the technology developed rapidly in reaction to the conflict itself. The only thing keeping these fearsome engines on the far side of the world is the fact that they are not needed to enforce the will of the state on this side. A sophisticated intelligence network (im thinking just official detectives in black overcoats and hats) is intended to control the lives of citizens and root out subversives with a special branch specifically for religious offenders. The rules are enforced by an elite corps of soldiers like a slightly futuristic SWAT team with kind of weird weapons.
In the wilderness can be many types of society, from miniature hidden empires small feudal states to disputing tribes to reclusive incestuous troglodytic subspecies.


I almost forgot the most important part! The frontier is where these worlds meet and becomes this planets version of the wild west, which is like ours was but obviously way crazier. Basically its a chaotic place where theres no law except survival of the fittest. what always sucks is that seems to mean the shadiest characters flourish...collectively at least, theres not too much of a life expectancy for any individual. Also, in the wildest areas strange lights are seen in the sky and in what fields are kept, odd patterns are flattened in baffling ways. The settlers have all carried their beliefs here but the natives have their own theories regarding these phenomena.

AbstractPagan's Idea:

I actually have a realm drawn up map wise its basic but it has a broad spectrum of ideas about technology, politics, wild beasts and the such. I Call it Azgaron. The deity that rules over the realm is insane and is constantly looking for the missing shard from his soul. About once a month he changes the terrain and climate to his crazy whim. He also creates bizarre creatures just to toy with nature. Its been a pet project of mine for about a year. If you all want to we could use this as a setting as it would be great to get input, and ideas to fill in the blanks. There's things like airships, floating guard towers, grenades, guns, etc. and it has somewhat of a lower tech and wild nature effect for a broad variety of person, places and things. I left it wide open with anything truly concrete since I felt variety was what made RPG fun to do in the first place. What do you guys think?

[Divorce]

I really like MurderClaus's Idea! It's so detailed, but it leaves so much room to add our own characters! I get such good ideas from every single sentence. I like it because it incorporates some of Kovah's ideas, but still has it's own uniqueness. It certainly has my vote.

[AbstractPagan]

Lets go with one persons idea for now and maybe travel to the others if we want. This way we can get the ball rolling.

[mehran]

I vote for murderclause's Idea too

[kovah]

http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=91191

thread is up