Atlantic Roleplay Community Boards

Drayden Calamyr · Sage Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 612

I touched on this in my post on the Roleplay topic. I just want some people's input on this.

First of all, I want to make this clear as day.
THIS IS NOT A MOVEMENT TO ESTABLISH GOVERNMENT OOC.
Not at all.

I just think the ones that seem to show leadership (or don't play UO and troll the boards *insert wink and grin*) should jump on this. I think WE as a community need to decide on 2-4 people that can commit to this idea and are not tied up IG to where it would ruin their RP to do this.

A panel if you will.

This panel would review the plotline submissions and coordinate with the developer(s) of said plotline to implement it in a fair and balanced way. This would also lock the plotline so that major elements could not be changed on a whim. Again, providing more fairness.

There would be a formal plotline submission form. That the person could give a timeline and synopsis of their story to one of the "admins". This isn't a means of plotline approval at all. I am NOT suggesting that this panel have the power to deny people the right to implement their ideas, at all. This is not a panel for approval of submissions. Just a group of our own GMs/DMs.

Since EA decided that Counselors and GMs are not needed. (judging by the lack of interaction with them or sight of them for that matter.) Main point here is that since EA isn't/won't/can't carry RP on on Atlantic, then that falls on us. If we are the upper eschelon of Atlantic then we have to show leadership as whole.

I think RP in atlantic is dwindling. All guilds I have seen are trying to recruit more members into the RP community. This would make us all seem more stable and organized. ALL OF US NEED TO DO THIS. This can't be on guild to guild basis for recruiting. Thats another topic though.

This regulates the plotlines. Makes sure they get started in a proper manner, keeps conflicting storylines from occuring and a whole mess of other problems that have happened in the past. It also would insure that the main players in a plot are informed of what is needed.

Its not going to be perfect, but we need to at least attempt to make plots more accessible, rather than each little faction doing whatever the hell they want.

Rules for this need to be established. And if you ask me its about 8 years overdue. If there was a system established it has died and gone. A new one needs to be erected.

I want to open this thread to discussion on this matter. Productive discussion please.

Greyskull · Seasoned Veteran Joined: 31 Dec 2003 Posts: 386

Locking a plotline without chances of changing major events will kinda make a plot stagnat and boring if spontaneous RP cant affect an outcome.

Scripted RP is never flexible and has lead to people going nuts and OOC issues arising when someone starts ranting on ICQ "YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT...!!!"

Then you have the issue of people having the "Elitist" attitude where a plotline would be rejected by said "admins" due to it not fitting into someones idea on what is acceptable in thier eyes.

Major shardwide plots need a beginning and ending, and the stuff in the middle is the fun connecting the two ends.

Drayden Calamyr · Sage Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 612

As I stated before. Those issues are to be expected. The panel would not be responsible for "approving" anything. Just keeping things civil and organized. Right now, anyone can basically throw their plot out there and then pray to god that people bite or that it goes the way they want.

This isn't a means of scripting RP. It would lock the MAIN PLOTLINE. In the idea that it would be an official ARPC PLOT. A REAL PLOT. Something that everyone can take part in with the same people to talk to each time. It wouldn't lock out people from taking part in it, changing the outcome ore interacting with it at all.

What I am trying to get across here, it that this will make it more official. If the storylines are going to be as epic and massive as they have been then they need a referee so to speak. They also need as many participants as possible. Hard to have an Epic storyline involving demons coming to the world, evil armor changing a leader and such when theres no channels for everyone to be involved. It keeps these cool plotlines factionlized to one small group.

I'm not talking about RP gestapo man.

"Locking a Plotline" Defined by me:
Locking the major story elements in a plot to keep them from being changed for negative reasons. And to keep the original context of the story intact. Thats the important part right? Keeping the story that was origninally intended intact?

This would prevent plot hijacking. to a degree.

I'm talking about a template for a plot. Not just saying It goes 1,2,3,4,5...
Another wards, keeping a plot writer from changing stuff so that they or their guild/character will come out as a winner or from changing the entire plot midway through because things didn't go their way.

Certain things are going to be straight up and inarguable (example plot):
1. Bob is a raider guild in Malas.
2. He wants to attack Luna and pillage.
3. He attacks and loses horribly, but not after killing the captain of the guard and retreating.

At this point. What happens next would be based on what thr Lunans do. Do they come after him? Don't? The possiblities are endless.

The people introducing a plot should think ahead and plan for certain situations and how they will act. Rather than things have been, which to me seems like a free for all as far as plots go.

Looking back, perhaps locking a plotline is a wierd way of saying it. Sectionalizing the plotline would be more accurate, like chapters in a book or acts in a play. The only difference is that we are writing as we go and changing future events as needed. But the major moves and plot shifts are still there.

But someone NOT in the story needs to handle that stuff. Not one of the main characters in the story. At some point people have to realize things require assistance from others in this community.

Bailos · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 5:00 pm Post subject:

This 'panel' is meaningless without any sort of teeth. I, as a plot creator, have no way of guaranteeing the integrity of my plots by going with this panel versus just doing things how I have been.

Someone says "ok, it's locked in", doesn't make it locked in.

In addition. This limits plot sculpting. I know what I am doing when I start a plot, and I know the general direction I am hoping for. I don't actually plan things...they just sort of trail along and things work out however I make them work. This allows for various elements like human spontaneity to surface and change the course, occasionally by introducing or drastically changing the premise of major plot elements.

I am adamantly opposed to anything which restricts the free flow of otherwise benign and productive role playing in our community. This included.

I know you have 'accounted' for what I mentioned, but it is a meaningless and needless inconvenience at best.

Tarothin Armunn · Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 5:23 pm Post subject:

Speaking of which, I asked Darrien to tell you about getting a Morphine drip and get ingame for the uber stuff happening!!

Razz

jk, whenever you are up to it.

Teh Glouris Lrod Kujabis · Transcendent Spammer Joined: 29 Dec 2003 Posts: 5740

My first concern is that I immediately think of well, any rules that have been established EVER in an MMO or roleplay community... Think of UO itself. Whenever they make something harder to do because of powergamers abusing it, what happens? The powergamers find a way around it in a day or two, and every non-powergamer that found it difficult already, they'll find it impossible now. So, who gets screwed? The standard player, not the powergamer. I would be concerned over that happening here, too. The drama will still happen, even if you make a proper procedure to prevent it, and anyone not making drama will find things much harder, or simply impossible.

My other concern (and please, super optimists, don't lie and try to contradict me, you know this point is true) is that, if these plots are sitting out in the open on some forum, even if it is locked for only a few people to see, it WILL get leaked, and then someone WILL metagame the hell out of the entire plot and just simply 'know' everything. I've seen it happen so many times, and you have no idea how dissapointed I feel when I have to sit there and watch a known metagamer fake a roleplay epiphany and go "I KNO, LAWL!" and start spewing out all sorts of information that they could not possibly have found out, then watch someone freak out because they spoiled the whole thing, then watch an OOC explosion of "I overheard it in a tavern" or some other silly excuse, and then as all things in Atlantic tend to go, nothing gets resolved, roleplay is ruined, it gets swept under a rug, people hate eachother over it, and everyone is supposed to go back under the super optimist mask and continue 'having fun' even though there are dozens of hatreds that will never be resolved.

I hope I didn't sound overdramatic; while I've seen that happen so many times, it is the WORST case scenario, and doesn't ALWAYS happen, but then again, things going 100% smoothly happens fairly rarely as well.

My two cents.

Drayden Calamyr · Sage Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 612

Theres going to be issues like that Kuja. I'm not here to offer the solution to that. And thats assuming this knowledge is public. They leak all the time now. The only difference is the developer of said plot is the one who can do the leaking and the people they tell can as well. Hell I can make a phone call and find out the DL on plots that I am in no way involved in.

Fearing the unknown is a waste. Telling me that this isn't worth even a try is silly. Is there anyone that can qualify anything I say here besides shooting me down.

I for one think it should only be passed via text file between the people involved in organizing it.

So, does that mean this isn't worth giving it a shot? Hell, good thing Thomas Jefferson didn't say that.

ITS NOT THE RP POLICE. Its a means of keeping track of everything. Wouldn't it be bad ass to have the plot all documented and made out like a story at the end of it all rather than just throwing together a post based on memory? Or having to sift through posts to piece the story together?
Look at it like an accountant for our plot lines. Since there are no shortage of them.

AGAIN: Not talking about scripting every little piece of a plot. I am just talking about a group to make these plots known, without people sifting through months of posts. A small group of people that know the community as a whole.

NOT to approve plots at all. Thats not even close to where I was thinking. Intermediaries to channel the plot. So it gets more spotlight and can become the BIG AWESOME EPIC plot it is. Beyond the workings of a few people.
I'm not talking about editing and being the "plot editorial staff" guys. I friggin' talking about order here. Hell its not like I can simply type in www.ARPC.com and find out who's claimed what cities, the different guilds in ARPC, current plotlines, the power figures in this community. There's nothing beyond these boards. We call it ARPC, but come on, its a forum with a bunch of guild sites related to it. If there is an ARPC site I definently want to see it.

Certain pieces of a story need to be set. Period. At the same time, there is room to argue that you Bailos as the story writer could change whatever he wanted in the story based on peoples actions as you went along. Things that shouldn't or wouldn't be changed otherwise. But since you rarely play, your opinion is duly noted.

This panel would enforce the necessary parts of a plot. The essentials. The rest would/should be left up to the rest of the RP community as to wether they will participate. As Arcana said the context has to be preserved.

I'm getting the feeling that people feel like if they submit a plot, they feel like thats it and its out of their hands. Come on guys. Its your plot. You get to take care of it and guide it.

But there needs to be some sort of middle ground. OSI used to, but thats not an option anymore.

There needs to be some kind of order to this stuff. And if there is now, I have failed or to see it and didn't get the URL.

I'm not trying to write the format or anything. I want ideas to flow not every reply intent on pissing on my idea. (sorry flamey I know)

Teh Glouris Lrod Kujabis · Transcendent Spammer Joined: 29 Dec 2003 Posts: 5740

Then my next concern comes to mind: If you make any organization of any sort that is important, anyone NOT a part of that organization will want to be part of it, and start drama against that organization if they cannot be a part of it. Not to mention getting it going in the first place will probably be shot down by someone/anyone that has the power to do so that cannot secure a position in this organization.

And actually, 'changed on a whim' better not interfere with spontaneous roleplay, because the best plots are the ones that are written as you go. The problem with spontaneous roleplay on Atlantic is that many interpret 'spontaneous' as "wootzor, i can steal the spotlight and be in the middle of everything! LALA, EVERYONE PAY ATTENTION TO ME! IM SO GREAT, wait, wtf is the plot about again? oh, everyone stopped paying attention to me and the plot is ruined... oh well, there'll be more! yay! back to sitting in an inn all day."

I hope everyone takes it as somewhat humorous and not as me just being bitter Laughing

Time to laugh at your own worst stereotype, Atlantic, true or not.

Drayden Calamyr · Sage Joined: 23 Feb 2005 Posts: 612

Could a mod please lock or outright delete this post?

My original intent is lost. And this is being taken WAY out of context and misunderstood.

Greyskull · Seasoned Veteran Joined: 31 Dec 2003 Posts: 386

Its not out of context or misunderstood, its more the internal political structure of the RP community that will find a way to derail any attempt to distrupt their own elitist mentality.

meaning anything that messes with the mojo of the status quo is a bad thing no matter how well thought out the intentions.

give your idea a bit of thought, restructure it some and bring it back up again once you hammer out any lingering issues.

once you understand that there are people that NEED to be a part of anything requiring certain people to be "in charge" you'll begin to see why the past attempts at doing something like this is doomed to fail.

your idea is a decent one, but it just simply wont work with the people who need to be involved in everything that does or does not include them to begin with.

just dont give up and/or frustrated if an idea you have gets hammered in a 48 hour period, you wont make any headway.