13 replies to this topic

[17dragonboy]

As everyone might know, I've been planning to do something big. Now that school is done for awhile, it is time.
I presume it will be in a Monster Hunter setting, just because that's something everyone is familiar to, likes, etc.
I intend to use the Unknown Armies system for this and probably the second Monster Hunter mod (if not the first).

My current idea is to follow a "from humble beginnings" theme. Players start out at a modest level and have to work their way up, etc.
The growth rate would probably be considerably small. As a result, this would be a long term RPG. I suppose how long it goes depends on player interest and how good the RPG is.

If you all agree on a setting different than Monster Hunter (even if it's just 'not Monster Hunter'), I have no qualms with a different setting.
Similarly, if the "from humble beginnings" theme isn't desirable, that can change, as can the intended duration of the RPG (perhaps you all are low level, but remain such throughout the RPG, perhaps the RPG is only short term).
The use of the system is less up for debate.

After the 'from humble beginnings' idea is where I get stumped, or am not sure what you guys would prefer.

One idea is to have a very Monster Hunter focused RPG.
Some example of RPG's I think had this style would be; Old Minegarde, Felyne's Envoy, Megaman Zero (in style at least), Desert Wyvern Egg, Frozen Hallucinations, Holgarde - Day One (some of these you may not be familiar with).
Most likely, everyone would be on the same side in this type. Keeping people in frequent contact with one another I think would be easier as well.
Though this type does have the potential for role playing, I think it would be less of a focus. Plot I think would follow the same path.

The other idea is to have a more... social oriented RPG, for lack of a better description.
Some examples of RPG's I think were like this would be Maskata and Duvessa.
Role playing would be more important here. Plot has more of a chance as well.
Players could be things other than monster hunters, and/or take multiple roles.
Having people on different sides is more possible here. A concern is though, with people potentially divided up, you may be stuck with just a couple or one other PC, or even alone (I'd try to prevent this from happening). If everyone were on the same side though, or the sides were limited and equal, this would be less of a concern.


In any case, having a plot that lasts the duration of your growth can be difficult (I imagine it takes years for a Monster Hunter to rank up).
One solution is to just have a bunch of mini-plots.
Time skips may get mixed in somehow.
Having players after one another can make it hard to progress up the ranks as well, considering if each side really wants the other side dead, someone is likely to die.



So that's about all I have to throw out onto the table for now. Offer opinions, present ideas, etc. etc. I'm hoping for you guys to build this RPG into what you want it to be.

[BizzarreCoyote]

If it's gonna be anything, might as well be MH related. I've noticed that non-MH related RPGs tend to flop, Celestial Circle being the only exception that comes to mind.

THAT SAID, I'd be game for something not MH.

Edited by BizzarreCoyote, 25 April 2012 - 07:45 PM.

[17dragonboy]

Squipix's "Newbie Deities," and Lonesyndal's "The Crescent War" both did pretty well as well (the latter actually finished as planned).
We oughta find a ratio of flop vs success, for both monster hunter, other, and overall.

Anyway,
I should mention, for the more Monster Hunter focused style, stuff like camping would probably be a focus. What you bring on the quest (supplies) would be more important. Quests would probably be more thought out and involved.
The whole progression theme would probably be easier to pull off as well.
Teamwork might be more important as well, and maybe easier to pull off (considering there'll probably be about eight of you).

I'm still neutral on the matter of style though.

Edited by 17dragonboy, 25 April 2012 - 08:30 PM.

[Blaster427]

I like the idea of doing a MH RPG from humble beginnings. I think MH would be the easiest to do it with, too.
The idea of having everyone on one side, I think, is a good idea as well.
But, also, one question I do have is, if, say, someone were to be offed during the RPG, would we be starting fresh, from humble beginnings, or would we be coming back in with equal rank equipment?
But all in all, I think this kind of RPG has good potential.

[17dragonboy]

The new character would probably be at the same level, however with a little bit of a reduction (I'm not sure how big it would be). This is to penalize death and make it particularly undesirable.
If the character was just starting off (i.e. beginning of RPG) and died, the next probably wouldn't suffer any penalty.
If someone died multiple times, they might not endure a penalty because they might fall too far behind.

This is for the M.H. focused style at least. It would probably work the same for the more social style, however I could see things getting complicated.

[Star Lady]

Both of your ideas are good ones and I am sure that whatever way you choose to go will be successful.

The pros I see in a more MH based RPG is keeping the players in contact with one another and the possible teamwork.
The only con I can see is if you are concerned about how a story line would play out.

With social it seems to be more open, but as you voiced you may get players that are off on their own. But the idea of everyone on the same side is a good one.

For the 'From humble beginnings' it would almost seem that a more MH based RPG would better fit this scenario. Just my opinion though.

[17dragonboy]

At the moment things seem to be leaning towards the more monster hunter focused style, but I'd still like more opinions on the matter.

After thinking the idea through a little, it would probably work like this;

Besides time spent during quests, time would also be spent in town. This would provide more opportunity for role playing.
During time in town, stuff like quest preparations could be handled, as well as post quest matters, plus just general role playing tasks.
How much time is spent in town would be up in the air, essentially up to you guys. I might gauge when to call it a day and move on.
I imagine there would be a lot of time skips, basically one per quest. How long each skip is may or may not be specified (I imagine a give or take a week). What's done between may or may not be specified (maybe training, other minor quests, recovery).

As for plot, I'm still not entirely sure what I would do, but I'm less concerned. I'll probably think of something along the way.
Most likely it would be monster hunter related, like the RPG.
I might try to tie quests together, like have a reoccurring monster that eventually you're able to slay. Sort of like in-game really.

I'm expecting to have multiple climate types. I'll probably find a way to make them all happen.

On the system side of things, everything would tie itself to monster hunter somehow.
Body and speed already lend themselves to that.
Mind would probably be important for things like notice or knowledge. Some things I'm thinking off the top of my head would be medic, construction, chemist, monster behavior, camping (for lack of a better phrase).
Soul I think would be for stuff very similar to armor skills, just without the armor part. You could get a lot of ideas from in-game armor skills. Yes, this would mean magic to some extent, but only to some extent, similar to in-game.

That's what I've got so far. I'm still open for the more social style.
It's worth mentioning, once it's decided what style we're gonna go with, we'll try to flesh it out some (like I did above).

[Blaster427]

How you described that sounds like it'd be perfect. That definitely would be pretty cool.

[Rekee Soen]

Maybe something social-oriented, but structured so that players will have to be on the same side?

How would we "rank up"?


ooc: And a totally unrelated idea: Have you considered doing a Whodunnit?

[sunfish123]

ooc: And a totally unrelated idea: Have you considered doing a Whodunnit?

This.

But really I have doubts about this because almost every non MH game I've participated in so far has flopped. However if you can pull this off please do.

[17dragonboy]

A whodunnit RPG would probably be a one shot thing, at least the way I would probably run it. That would mean its relatively short term, but also no growth.
Making it monster hunter probably wouldn't be too hard, granted it would only be in the monster hunter world, not with fighting monsters, etc. Someone did it before (different website). Making it monster hunter might not be necessary, but may as well I suppose.
I could try to do some research to get ideas and such. Hopefully the players/characters would make things interesting though.
I'd might keep the system, just so things aren't up to my whim. Maybe not though.

Regarding the growth RPG though, to put it in very plain terms, exp would be granted after each quest, and you'd spend them on skills and stats.
You'd also get money to buy new stuff. Better monster materials would come along as well, and maybe new technology (repeating crossbow rather than normal, sand skiff rather than wagon).

Regarding a social RPG that keeps everyone on the same everyone on the same side, I suppose that'd solve the separation issue, though in exchange the competition value is lost.
The first thing that comes to mind would be a mix between bounty hunting, police work, investigation, gangs, with some monster hunter. Maybe other stuff.
I think the two top candidates at the moment though are the whodunnit and the M.H. focused growth.

Perhaps because the whodunnit would be shorter, that is done first, and then whatever else. Not sure what people think of that approach.
I don't wanna be doing too many things at once, for quality, workload and 'space' reasons.

Edited by 17dragonboy, 27 April 2012 - 05:04 PM.

[Star Lady]

A whodunnit would be a lot of fun.

I would also really like to see a growth RPG. It would be really interesting to grow and rank up as the RPG progresses becoming part of the story.

[17dragonboy]

It's looking like we'll go with the whodunit RPG for now. Expect a new thread regarding that in the near future (hopefully within the week).
I'm starting to think it will just be free form.

I don't know if anyone has been keeping an eye on the Free Form Experiment 3, but it was basically a free form one shot fight made to be VERY challenging (four player deaths total I believe, and lots of injuries). They seemed to really enjoy it, soI'll probably do a similar RPG in the moderately near future (probably after whodunit is running, or maybe just the sign up).

The Monster Hunter focused RPG is something I'd particularly like to do as well, but that will probably be later on.
The social RPG seems to be kind of the least priority...

This thread will probably be merged with the 'ideas' thread at some point.

[17dragonboy]

Turns out I can't merge this thread with the RPG ideas thread. Maybe it has something to do with how Quel made the latter one.

Anyway, locking and moving this to ended section.

Edited by 17dragonboy, 30 April 2012 - 01:01 PM.