Board RPG Ideas

[Brent]

So, we're starting an RPG for the board at some point in the relatively near future since I'm not sure what else to do with my admin powers without racist crazies to ban. It'd be a DnD sort of thing, with people saying what they're doing and the "Game Master" (that's probably going to be me) having the game proceed accordingly. Specific mechanics can be worked out at a later date, but for now we need the setting.

Since the easiest way to decide this is to set up a poll, I've done that here for our current ideas and it's on the widget panel at the side. If you've got other ideas, post them here, whether it's related to setting or mechanics or freakish monsters or whatever.

Just to elaborate a little on what's been thought up so far:

Alternate History Earth
Dom knows more about this than I do, but it's basically a modern representation of what the world would be like if the French Revolution never occurred; so there's alot of monarchies and vast empires. Players would control nations, or be ministers in nations or something like that if this really takes off and we run out of empires. Wars would probably be waged in a Risk-like fashion, unless we all happen to have a strategy game on the PC that we can monitor results and such for.

Dom, feel free to edit that description if I've got the wrong idea.

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Post-Apocalyptic World
This one hasn't been discussed as much in regards to what we'd be doing, although the idea is attractive since it basically gives us a clean slate to work with. It'd probably be a Fallout-style sort of post-apocalyptia, where the world was nuked to hell and back at some point in the past; of course, it could be different, that's just the easiest to work with. Players would, in all likelihood, control a person living in some fashion in this new world... I can't imagine there being too many limits on what you can do, seeing as I can be creative at times. Think Fallout, except more awesome and with less graphics.

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So... Yeah. Post your ideas, vote, do whatever. Vote cancelling is enabled in case I feel a need to edit the poll or someone says something awesome that changes your mind or something, but don't abuse it. I'd like to get started on this soon since it'll probably take me a while to figure everything out, so people should start visiting more often...

[Dominik]

I'm going to post here an RPG I set up (and started playing before it died):



"

First off, the turning point is the French Revolution: this is not successful, and brutally suppressed by the French monarchy, discouraging revolution in other nations. Colonialism still occurs, meaning that the Industrial Revolution more or less happens.

Here is a map I made of the new world (click on link):

https://servimg.com/view/14757721/2


LEGEND
Red = British Empire
Green = Franco-Roman Empire
Blue = Russian Empire
Yellow = Prussian Empire
Purple = New Byzantine
Black = Spanish Empire
Pink = Islamic Arabia
Brown = Colonial Alliance
Cyan = India
Orange = Chinese Imperial Republic
Olive = Mongolia
Dark Grey = Japanese Empire
Light Grey = Uninhabitable/unexplored

Here is some information on each:

British Empire:
Colonial Britain were the first to claim the New World and won it- along with Australia- after a war against an alliance of Spain and France in 1796-1817

Franco-Roman Empire
Formed in 1826 after several Catholic militant groups attempted to invade Southern France. Eventually, a peace agreement was signed and a new nation born, with Rome as its capital.

Russian Empire
Currently at war with Britan (since 2007 although disputes have lasted longer) over Scandinavia. Largely a Christian nation, but with significant population of Muslims in the south which causes tensions with the neighbouring Islamic Arabia.

Prussian Empire
The Germanic regions were reunified in 1872-1879 to create a mostly Protestant nation, but with a large amount of Catholics in its Apennine peninsula parts who are constantly oppressed by fanatical monarchs and regularly attempt to flee into the Franco-Roman Empire.

New Byzantine
Established in 1926 after the daughter of Sultan Ihdajeid II of Arabia married the son of King Emmanuel VII of Prussia, despite her marriage being arranged with the Heir-apparent of Russia. This caused a bitter war with Russia against whom Arabia, Prussia and the Franco-Romans allied.

Spanish Empire
A largely unstable nation in its domestic affairs, balancing peace with its neighbours. Having the 4th largest navy in the world and the best merchant ships allows it to remain successful economically through trade with other colonial powers.

Islamic Arabia

Created from the remnants of the massive New Persian Empire which, after internal difficulties, collapsed after a war with Prussia over Greece in 1899. Although it did not officially collapse until 1946, there have been people claiming the title of Sultan of Arabia as early as 1911.

Colonial Alliance
Only nation even vaguely resembling a democracy. Ruled by a semi-autocratic President whose power is limited by the Senate (which is appointed by the president every 10 years, however). People are able to elect their own regional representatives, though they have little power. The Alliance was started as two separate movements against colonial exploitation of resources in North America and Australia respectively. On and off war with Britan since its formation in 1913 but official peace treaty signed in 1972.

India
After a violent purge of Muslims in 1912, India has remained a peaceful Hindu nation, resisting both British (1927-1934) and Russian (1988-1990) attempts at occupation.

Chinese Imperial Republic
Instituted some democratic reforms in 1947 as part of a pact with the Colonial Alliance, which have had little effect and have since been mostly reversed. Uneasy alliance with Japan after a long and bloody war (1803-1857). Little economic or military power, but considered a world powerhouse of science and technology.

Mongolia
Religiously diverse nation with a situation similar to India's, with whom it was allied against British invaders in the early 1930s. Is part of the Quatropact- an economic agreement between India, China, Mongolia and Japan.

Japan
Ruled with an iron fist by the Teritiyo imperial family since 1928 after a coup d'etat. Since then, Japan's navy has grown to a size exceeded only by Britain and they managed to seize great parts of resource-rich colonial land, making them an economic superpower as well.


Technologically, imagine this new world to be- weapon wise- somewhere around WWII: so no space lasers, photon cannons or heat-seeking missiles, also no swords, bows and arrow or lances. However, in terms of communication: no internet, cell-phones etc. Think primitive phones and radios at most. Cars exist and so do planes (though not passenger planes), but think closer to WWI than today.


Well, that's it for world situation. Everything else we can make up as we go along. If you wish to join, simply post a character bio, description, allegiance etc. This is a free for all RPG without any real rules, so stay civil, don't God-mod or otherwise be unrealistic and try to remain consistent with the story. If people are dicks, we'll be forced to institute some rules, which I'm sure nobody wants.

"

That's one option which we could modify however we want. Also, moving this thread to Off Topic.

[Brent]

Well, after thinking about it, although either choice is entirely possible, Post-Apocalyptic would probably so much easier to do. Less things to consider, for the most part, and we can use random dice rolls alot more effectively. Which actually makes things alot easier all on their own.

[Dominik]

Actually, I was thinking that post-apocalyptic might be a better option as well. Starting out with a clean slate, like you said. Changed my vote accordingly.

[Alyssa]

I changed my vote earlier. The post-apocalyptic idea would be much easier to do, and keep track of.

[Brent]

I'd change my vote now, but the computer's being retarded, so I just cancelled and will change it later.

Post apocalyptic it is! I guess this is now a topic discussing how it'll work... I'm thinking that, technologically, we need to kind of take a step back for a more desperate feel, but there's no reason we can't have some crazy-ass weapons in there that survived nuclear holocaust.

[Alyssa]

So, first thing we should probably get down is what happened, or vaguely what happened, right? What's the condition of the Earth? How far along into post-apocalyptica are we?

[Brent]

I'd say it'd be just after radiation has mutated everything horribly and it's now safe to walk around outside, so it'd be like exploring a new world... except it's been horribly mutilated.

[Alyssa]

A whole new world...

[Brent]

Don't even start it...

[Alyssa]

Sorry, had to.

In any case, that sounds good. I suppose next is location, the state of everything. Are there any new species? Will we be making character reference sheets?

[Brent]

Yeah, character reference sheets would be handled partially through the forum, partially through me. Not entirely sure how versatile it is, so some of it may have to be handled separately.

And I think there should be newish species... More like mutated old species, really. Like massive rats and killer puppies.

Location would probably be either America or someplace in Europe. I think we'd be kind of land-locked, so we'd want a relatively large area, but no so big that it becomes unmanageable.

[Dominik]

Personally, I'd like a story that isn't necessarily affected as much by the previous world/the nuclear war/whatever and rather make it like the human race starting over. Do we want to make an actual area with a map where our factions can take control of certain places? Or do we just set it in the general world and see what happens? I think we're all intelligent enough here (except for Romar) to not just go around randomly killing people- I want to see if we can get a coherent story going here not "hurr durr i shoot you wit ak47 lol and call chuck norris to raep ur mom".

[Brent]

Well, I think geographically it'd make sense to use the same general world, unless we want to go with natural apocalypse in which case it'd be completely different anyways. Otherwise, cities would be smashed to hell anyways, so we could either wipe them off the map or have ruins survivors can shelter in or something.

And yeah, I think a coherent story shouldn't be too hard... Just have to keep Romar a little ways out of the action

[Romar]

Hey I know how to survive! You have to admit living in the Philippines, its probably the closest to surviving than any of you! Maybe exept for dom with all the hookers and such in Czech.

[Brent]

We meant you murdering everyone in sight because you're angry a mole rat raped your face.

What about skills and such? Not really sure what to do there, honestly. And technologically, where would we sit? WWII sort of weapons? Futuristic? Somewhere in the middle?

[Dominik]

Again, I think we can trust people's better judgment here and let them write up their own bio with custom skills. I trust that nobody here is dickish enough to make a guy who can drive a tank, fly a helicopter, fence, perform brain surgery and play guitar like Jimi Hendrix, are they? As for weapons, I see this happening sometime soon, so I'd say weapons should be the remnants of modern weapons- AKs, shotguns, Glocks etc.

[Brent]

Alright. And I meant skills as a set of skills that you throw points into or something, so that if you put someone in a combat situation we can have that handled by a game mechanic rather than people coming up with some ridiculous way they killed the mutant lizard that is basically a massive invincible dragon. Since I'm guessing this would probably be a Fallout-style survival RPG and there'd be lots of killing of NPCs.

What would the backstory be? Specifically, how do some people not get obliterated? My only idea is basically the vaults from Fallout, but I'd rather not steal every single one of their ideas...

[Alyssa]

I think it may be important for us to figure out exactly how the world came into this state. Back story is always important. Besides, with that information, I may be able to find an idea of how people survived.

[Dominik]

I know what you meant Brent and, like I said, I don't think we need an actual skill system to constrict the game because we're reasonable people who won't God-mod.

Also, I can write a backstory if you want (I've never heard of Fallout so I think I might manage to refrain from plagiarising it).

[Brent]

Still, it gives a better idea of how to run these things so that we can distinguish when exactly someone has stopped sucking enough to kill some massive hulk-thing.

And yeah, if you could come up with a backstory that'd be great. I've got too much crap to plagiarize...

Also, you are a bastard.

[Dominik]

OK, I'll start working on it.

[Romar]

We should still put restrictions on the skills someone has because when we actually get more people playing there will be someone that will be, "I killed you with my army of 300 spartans and my space laser!"

[Alyssa]

So first we have to set up some sort of skills system? Are we gonna have classes and stuff?

[Brent]

We could, although it could start getting more complicated doing that. I'm not opposed to that as long as you guys are okay with it, although in a relatively realistic RPG it'll be hard to come up with decent classes.

And I guess I'll come up with some sort of skill set... Have to think about what people'll encounter in the game, first, but I'll come up with something.

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