James

[font=franklin gothic medium]I would have at least liked the ability for two players to do a Grand Prix together (even if it isn't co-op in the same way as Double Dash). When I used to play Super Mario Kart, we [i]mostly[/i] played Grand Prix in multiplayer... we did that far more than battle mode (although we had plenty of great battle sessions too!) So I really do miss that option.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Although this is not official, we are also currently promoting the [url="http://www.theotaku.com/worlds/bootnr"]Bootleg News Reporter[/url]. Most people seem pretty happy with this page, although again, it is not an official page. So remember to check out official, partner and promoted blogs if you're looking for further content. As indifference said though, we are looking at implementing an official news service in the near future. Stay tuned for that.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Apparently the online multiplayer makes up for some of the significant shortcomings with the single player experience. Since I can't test it now, I simply don't know. However... if you're going to be primarily using single player on this game, I would almost recommend against it. It's a decent game, but it's hard to compare it favorably to previous Mario Kart titles. I just hope that this franchise doesn't become another Mario Party. It's still a ways off being that bad (and as I said, it's still quite a good game with many strong points) but it's [i]definitely[/i] more of the same for the most part. I almost feel that Mario Kart needs an overhaul on the scale of Super Mario Galaxy (i.e. a rethink of some of the core elements, while still keeping that frantic aspect).[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I've played a fair bit of this over the last couple of days (completed all of the 50cc cups and some of the 100cc cups). I haven't yet played multiplayer local or online so I can't comment on that yet (including battle mode). I'm not really sure where to start to be honest. First of all, I should say that in terms of the single player experience, this Mario Kart really doesn't bring anything radically new to the table. The addition of bikes is nice (more about that in a moment) and the ability to do tricks actually does play a role in the racing (more than you would expect at first). However, track designs are generally not mind-blowing in any way (with a couple of exceptions). The tracks in Mario Kart Wii seem to be a mixture of old and new in terms of layout and design. For instance, the tracks are mostly wider than they have been in the past, but they are also generally quite short. This can be either good or bad, depending on what you're looking for. The 50cc cups are a nice introduction to some of the new mechanics in the game, such as the new boosting system and the half-pipe elements. On the other hand, 50cc is utterly un-challenging (with challenge only slightly improved on the Special Cup). So, you kind of get this run through of the entire game without any difficulty. You can only use bikes when you begin the 100cc cups. Bikes are actually a pretty cool addition - they do control somewhat differently to the karts and they have a bit more flexibility. Their boost mechanic feels quite a bit different too (it's somehow sharper/tighter than with a kart). I was pretty happy with the bikes on 100cc, both because they were slightly more well-suited to the hardcore player and because the speed was dramatically improved over the 50cc cups. There were a couple of things I noticed in reviews that I felt were pretty incorrect, too. I thought it would be worth addressing that here. Firstly, the whole rubber-banding issue. [i]Yes[/i], this is Mario Kart, so of course there is some rubber-banding going on. However, some reviews lead you to believe that it's impossible to get a substantial first place lead simply by being a good driver. That is totally false. I discovered that knowing the track and being good with the kart/bike is equally as important (probably far more important) than being good with your item useage. You [i]can[/i] build up a significant lead over your opponents if you are a good driver - the rubber-banding isn't so strong that you're frequently bunched up with everyone else. Of course, if you're in first place, you will certainly be hit with a blue shell and so on from time to time. Again, though, this isn't nearly as bad as some reviewers make it out to be. Perhaps it's worse on 150cc, but on 50/100cc, it isn't bad at all. The worst thing is when you get hit with a blue shell and then something else in quick succession - but this is a largely random occurrance and isn't frequent. So this idea that it's better to hang back and dash into first on the last lap is a bit of a misnomer I think; you [i]can[/i] build up a substantial lead and if you're clever with your item useage you can maintain it. Sometimes you'll just have bad luck, but the A.I. isn't quite as cheap as it's made out to be. In terms of the boosts... that's another issue. Snaking is no longer involved and I personally find that to be a positive, at least for multiplayer (which I haven't tried yet). Boosting in general is handled differently in Mario Kart Wii. You can hop your kart/bike and if you hold the button on a turn, you'll eventually develop a boost (and if you hold for long enough, you'll build up a more powerful boost - there are only two levels available in MKW). The difference in this game is that, unlike the N64 version, you don't waggle the stick back and forth to hit every stage of the boost. Instead, if you can hold your drift for long enough, it happens automatically. You then just let go and get a mini-turbo. On the one hand, the automatic nature of the drifting makes things somewhat easier for expert players. Having said that, I don't really think it makes a huge difference - in fact, I found the automatic boosts to be somewhat convenient, because you still have to manage your drifts correctly (if you hit anything off track or whatever, your drift will obviously fail - the same is true if you get hit by an item or something). You can make drifts either automatic or manual, but I don't know why you'd bother with auto. As far as I know, auto just means you'll drift whenever you turn...rather than instigating the drift by hopping. The latter is far better even for casual players, because it gives them that much more control. Also, because you can now do tricks and use half-pipes, you sort of have a bit more in your arsenal... so the mini-turbos have less importance than they once did (although they will still be used frequently by expert players). The mixture of tracks is pretty decent, with the retro inclusions being really critical. Without them, the single player experience would be relatively hollow I think. With them, though, there is quite a strong selection of tracks. There really aren't any duds as such, but as I said earlier, there are only a few that are likely to become highly memorable. And then there's the Wii Wheel. I think this peripheral will really be dependant on your general experience with Wii racing games. What I mean is, if you were happy using the Remote to steer in Excite Truck or other titles, you will likely enjoy the Wii Wheel. I personally never liked using the Remote for steering; that very very slight delay almost ruins the experience for me. The analog stick has superior control and precision, which is a must for an expert player. So, the addition of the Wii Wheel makes little difference as compared to simply holding the Remote on its own. It's marginally more comfortable, but it's a small wheel (as compared to a normal racing wheel) and it doesn't actually add anything to the experience as such. One thing that should be clarified, in the wheel's defence, is that the B button on the rear is actually pretty good. Some sites complained about it, but honestly, it feels fine. So, if you were going to use the Wii Remote to steer anyway... then you're better off using the wheel with it. But if the Wii Remote was never your thing for steering, then the Wii Wheel certainly won't make the experience any better for you. I personally feel that the Nunchuk/Remote combo is the best. All of the buttons you need are at your fingertips and the stick gives you perfect control. It's hard for me to give this game any overall thoughts at the moment because there's still a fair bit I haven't tried. But, so far... meh. I hate to say it, but I'm not finding Mario Kart Wii to be significantly better than Double Dash. It has some good points, but those good points are mild - they are small inclusions that don't make a huge difference. What the game lacks (multiplayer Grand Prix) are pretty glaring omissions. I [i]am[/i] enjoying this game slightly more than Double Dash, but it just doesn't feel like any kind of major step forward. It is, essentially, more of the same. As a huge Mario Kart fan, I was kind of hoping for more. Maybe when I start playing online and stuff, I'll be happier. As it stands, I [i]like[/i] Mario Kart Wii... and I've enjoyed what I've played so far. But this isn't going to be a revelation for Mario Kart fans. If you haven't played Mario Kart before, though... then this would be the perfect introduction to it. I think it'll be great for the WiiSports crowd. It's just that for those of us who have been enjoying Mario Kart since the SNES days, this game really doesn't go far enough to provide anything especially new. [/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Welcome to the boards, guys. I'm sure OB can satisfy your need to discuss pairings all day long! :catgirl: Videogames and horror movies are always welcome, too. And to everyone else that I've missed, welcome again![/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Desbreko could answer this question far better than me, but having said that, even if it were actually gone from the site... someone would no doubt have a copy of it. So I'm sure it'll be fixed soon. ^_^;[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]It's like MS Paint in some ways - when you see some of the brilliant things people can make with such a simple program, you realize that less can be more sometimes. I really wish Electroplankton had been released around the world - or at least, I wish it had come out as an online Flash game (maybe it has, at least unofficially). Not only is it clever, but it can be strangely addictive. It's also very relaxing to play. Mario Paint was a lot of fun, too. I wish that there were more of these types of games available on modern consoles. I think there are a ton of things you could do with music makers and things on today's systems. Hopefully the upcoming Wii Music will satisfy that obscure genre.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Mario Kart Wii comes out tomorrow here, so I may pick it up then. However, I won't be able to play it online I don't think - I haven't got wireless internet set up at home right now. If I get it though, I'll make sure to post my impressions.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Haha, crazy. Thanks for fixing it. :catgirl: I shall do my final posts this week.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Haha, are you sure he wasn't joking? I've even talked to him about some of my plans! Oh well. Arranged marriage! :catgirl: Heheh.[/font]

[quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"] For my post there will be a time jump, so I'm telling you all now to eliminate confusion. Six months in the future to be precise. And presumeably Gustave and Macey's relationship has been going very well, but there hasn't been anything lasting and definitive about it all. So yes. Six months. Don't forget. I'll even make a note in my post but it might be lost in all the glorious writing.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] [font=franklin gothic medium]Nothing lasting and definitive? Yet he proposed to her? Hm. We did talk about the situation between them not long ago and I thought we'd come to an agreement. Your post just totally scraps everything we talked about, lol. I hate to be a pain in the butt - and I'd normally work around this - but it's too much to work around. I haven't written about what Gustave will be doing in six months yet. So at the very least it may need to be majorly edited.[/font] :animestun

[font=franklin gothic medium]If you want your character to be both a staff member and a hotel guest, that's totally cool with me. And yeah, I will set a tone with content...but people will post what they post. If anything highly objectionable comes up I will have something to say about it. However, if it's only mildly awkward (i.e. something you don't want to read but you ilke the rest of the RPG), feel free to simply skip it.[/font]

[quote]To me James is another human being, not a demigod who cannot be questioned, but that doesn't mean I don't respect or appreciate him, cause I do. [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]I don't know of anyone who sees me as anything other than just another human being, lol. Part of my entire role at OB is to answer questions from members...so I am probably the most accountable person here. Don't forget that. :catgirl: Anyway, I'm trying to work out how many Dossier items should go up before this thing starts. I'm sort of wanting to give people a bit of a break between Almagest and this (if any Almagest writers choose to sign-up anyway). Hopefully we'll see a good mix. [/font] [quote]That's a good idea. I was also thinking of a possible reason my character is on the Von Braun is because he is either 1) a stowaway that somehow makes it onto the vessel that brings people to Von Braun or 2) an engineer of some sort for the ship. I know you probably wouldn't mind the 2nd one but what do you think of a stowaway in the hotel? Would it be possible or would the security be super tight? You two posting this thread was like a teaser for the RP and now we've got even more information as a trailer. I feel like I'm waiting for the launch of a big movie! Come to think of it, around when will this RP launch? I'm a little excited. [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]I like your ideas - both would be totally acceptable. When I put up the avatars I've made there may even be one that suits you. I'm hoping some will get used. So I think a stowaway is very possible, absolutely. We can work that out. As for when it'll start... well, I'm sort of waiting for Almagest to finally wrap up (mostly due to my involvement with it - I don't want to commit to two RPGs). It should launch shortly after that. So not too far off. ^_^;[/font]

[quote]I mean, take Independence Day (US). That day doesn't really mark the exact date the United States separated from the Crown, it was a process that took years. But that milestone allowed the people who came after to have a focus for their appreciation. Same here; the Return to Space is more a historical milestone than an actual return.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Yes, that's true. And I believe it goes without saying (i.e. it is probably self-evident based on the intro). In terms of the other stuff...I believe I've answered all of those questions. An introduction is not designed to explain every detail - not because the details are absent, but because doing so would spoil the story. The specifics surrounding the Disaster and how it affected the population are TBA as far as I'm concerned. Even players won't know much about it until later in the RPG. Let me just point out that when I express interest in other people's RPGs, I do not expect every detail to be dished up to me immediately. These things have to happen naturally. So in terms of what we've already discussed, my advice would be to just wait and see. For everyone else, if you have a specifically anal question, please feel free to send me a PM for clarification. If you have a major question that you think will really impact whether or not you join (or if you think others will need to know), then feel free to ask it here.[/font] [quote]If that were true, then a good RP would take months, even years to set up, and that's just ridiculous for something as not-serious as these games are. Sure groundwork needs to be laid, but half the fun of RPing is making up the story as you go, so some vagueness is inherent, and nonexistent explanations are also to be expected. [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Yeah, I mean, I do think this goes without saying - it should be obvious, especially for anyone who has participated in many RPGs on OB. Having said that, as I pointed out earlier, I have consistently said that the introduction is just that: it's basically a simple outline/synopsis. As I mentioned at the beginning, we will eventually have a series of Dossiers with information related to specific areas (i.e. People, Locations, The Von Braun, etc). And they will contain far more detailed information, which will fill in a ton of gaps. Although I plan things out and put together the general canvas for players, I tend to expect the players themselves to have fun with the outline and to build on it in their own way. So I don't want to sit there and write a story that everyone else has to rigidly fit into. Rather, I [i]always[/i] want players to make the story their own to some extent. I allow plenty of flexibility so that everyone has some ownership. That's how my RPGs tend to go. I think that anyone who has RP'd with me in the past probably has a good idea what to expect from me.[/font] [quote]And to the other side, naturally Mankind's Return To Space was not accomplished overnight, with one random gigantic space hotel. (I still wonder about the presence of the Vermiscious Knids. ) Rather, the sentiment is/was meant to serve as a landmark, a statement of achievement and victory, and the Von Braun is/was the tangible evidence of that feat.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Yep, bingo. So, no, silliness doesn't necessarily occur on both sides. It's just a matter of carefully reading the introduction and interpreting it logically. It is written in an obviously general manner, to allow for further details to appear in future. I'm more than happy to explain what can be explained right now (and to leave spoilers for later). I just think we should try to keep things on track - god knows I don't want another Almagest Backstage thread on my hands. [/font]

[quote]I didn't think you made the logical fallacies I saw by purpose, but we all make mistakes sometimes, even if you're an administrator. That's why I wanted to point them out. ;D But your explanation sufficed to me, and it's clear now that there were no mistakes done. [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Look, at the end of the day, I have no problem if I've made a mistake. And if my post was in any way confusing, I sincerely apologise. The main point I wanted to make was that anything not covered in the intro (or only alluded to) would be explained as we get into the RPG.[/font] [quote]So the post does say almost nobody remembers what happened in the disaster, that when the survivors died off, it became a legend, not detailed history. And since the government must've played a part in organizing a space flight, I thought that if it knew about the disaster, it wouldn't have gone along with it. Unless the government is filled with greedy bastards who don't care about the well-being of their nation... But I guess the RPG itself will reveal the truth about that. [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]The key word being "almost". There [i]are[/i] people who remember. And I said "soon it became more legendary than historical". That doesn't mean the legend replaced history, it's just an issue of public perception. And the latter part of your paragraph will be explained later, yes. It's a big part of the plot.[/font] [quote]And it clearly says that "man's return to space" happened with the Von Braun. To me, it feels as if native americans would've skipped from using canoes straight to building the Titanic. XD[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]It means what it says - man's return to space happened with the Von Braun, yes. That doesn't mean they went from nothing to the VB, lol. They obviously would have done tests and various other things beforehand. The phrase implies that man's meaningful return to space happened with VB - their "official" return to space. Test flights don't count.[/font] [quote]But I don't need to question the intro anymore, you already said these points would be delved into at the game. I'm satisfied. ;D[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Phew! :catgirl: In all seriousness, though, this is just English... I mean I don't think it implies anything other than what I've explained. But I could be wrong and if so, these clarifications should help. I think the key is just to wait and see how the RPG unfolds. All will be explained. [/font]

[quote]First is the fact that humans have suddenly forgotten all about a great disaster that wiped out most of the population in just few generations. Have all the survivors from the event really died off just 70 years later? And is there really no documents or rumors moving around about it? Brushing it off by saying "nobody wanted to talk about it" is not very believable to me... And even if the common people have been ordered not to discuss about it, the government should hold information about it, shouldn't it? [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]No, not all of the survivors died off in a 70 year period. I never said that they [i]all[/i] died off. Although I should make the point that many (if not all) of the survivors would have been adults at the time. If you are already even 20 years old in 1984... you'll probably have passed on by 2050. So, you know, without getting too technical, we do have to utilise some creative license. :catgirl: (And there's a reason why children specifically would have perished more easily than adults during the Disaster... to be explained later). I also never said that there were no documents or rumors surrounding it. And I [i]also[/i] never said that the Government holds no information about it. You're jumping ahead way too much - what I've given you is a basic outline of the plot/setting. Do you really think I'd just ignore these things? I never specified anything that you assumed above. Just because I didn't say "there are rumors/documents related to the disaster" doesn't mean that they don't exist. I had to trim the wording down significantly in order not to make it too cumbersome. In terms of people not wanting to talk about it, there are reasons for that which will be explored in the RPG itself. So, in short, fear not. Nothing you raised was implied by my post, but moreover, [i]everything[/i] you raised will be discussed in the RPG itself. I just don't think it's wise to reveal too muich of that now, for fear of spoiling everything.[/font] [quote]Secondly, after a 70 years pause in space travel, they send a giant hotel ship into the space first? No shuttles? No test flights? How do the pilots know what to do, then? How could the engineers have built something like that, without sending smaller vessels into the space first? [/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Again... this is all an assumption. Did I say that there were no test flights? No. There's just no need to get down to this level of detail in the [i]introduction[/i], Sandy. All of these matters will be revealed as the RPG progresses.[/font] [quote]Maybe I'm just reading too much into it.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Yup. :catgirl:[/font] [quote]But yes, the backdrop is interesting, just needs some clarifying.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]Thanks. The fact of the matter is, if I had explained everything you outlined above... well, I wouldn't have an intro, I'd have a full Dossier. This is what the Dossier is specifically about. It will contain information about the origins of the Von Braun and the Helix Program (an important element that explains some of your questions, but that can't be revealed in an intro). I guess at the end of the day I want to generally cover the gist of the thing with an intro - an intro isn't really the place to explain everything in great detail. That would take the fun out of things for the players, because I want the players to be able to influence some of these backstories. I hope that this clarifies things.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Okay, so the introduction is now up. I've edited the first post with some new stuff. It's a little lengthy (although massively cut down from what it was, thanks to the lovely indifference), but hopefully this will give you a pretty comprehensive idea of the RPG's concept. I'm now starting work on the Dossier stuff. Hopefully now you guys will have some more concrete ideas about what your characters can be. [b]Edit:[/b] Also I have found a great series of character images that have that retro look to them and are all consistent. I've taken the liberty of putting together about 16 avatars and all the characters are a similar size, so that they should look pretty correct when sitting next to one another in a post. At some point (probably Auditions) I'll put those avatars up, so that you guys can choose an image for your character if you can't find one you like on your own. If you find your own, I might just ask that it has roughly a similar size to the ones I've put together... and the actual box/image size would be about 110 pixels at this stage. But yeah, it might help for people who have trouble finding a picture that suits the RPG. :catgirl:[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]indifference and I have discussed this anyway. As I said earlier, this RPG would tend to skew towards mature writers... but that doesn't mean rampant sex and violence. It pretty much means that anything goes, as long as it's tasteful and incorporated into the story. I think most people probably have an idea of what is reasonable and what's not. But of course if there are any questions along the way that's totally fine. And yeah, it's the writers (as always) who make the RPG great or not. indifference and I can establish all the groundwork, but it'll be up to the players to create awesome characters and to influence the plot in their own way. I will be hopefully editing the first post very soon. I'm thinking that I'll include a Dossier section with tables covering various info (i.e. People, Locations, Landmarks, etc).[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]If I had to give a clear/simple example, I'd probably get you to imagine 2001: A Space Odyssey. It came out in the 60's and it was a view of the future from that time. So if you think about the spacecraft designs from the film...and especially if you think about the space station in the movie, [i]that[/i] is the type of technology you could expect in this RPG. The only thing is, the Von Braun will simulate gravity, whereas the ships in 2001 required passengers to wear velcro shoes (although if we could come up with some sort of interesting compromise that might not be too bad - I can imagine some poor soul losing their shoe and going floating off into the air, haha). So for instance you'd have video phones and you'd have sophisticated A.I. (like HAL, only without the murder). But you'd still have that general 50's/60's aesthetic to everything, including furniture and fashion. Having said that there will be plenty of flexibility...following that general theme, I don't intend to outright block anything unless it's absolutely ridiculous. If you wanted to incorporate your own technology ideas that'd be totally cool. I mean if the RPG had robots that'd be fine...but you'd have to imagine them having that retro-future look (i.e. they might be fairly simple with flashing lights on them, as opposed to something like Data from Star Trek). I hope that helps. :catgirl:[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I haven't tried this yet, but I do own Mario Paint on SNES. I don't think the point is about being a sophisticated music maker. I think the point is about [i]having fun[/i] while making music. With Mario Paint you couldn't easily save your work...so the software was never really regarded as a "tool". It was a game. It's just that it was a creative game. I see something like Electroplankton as being kind of like a newer version of Mario Paint in some ways (except solely based on music).[/font]

[quote]Anyway, I of course have only one question and that is the level of what's going to be considered acceptable in the rpg. I bring it up because recently I quit following an rpg just for that reason. Content that were I a participant, the stuff that got inserted into the story would have resulted in my withdrawal at that point. It certainly killed any interest I had in reading it. So though I find the concept interesting, at the same time, I'd rather not waste my time, nor yours, by signing up for something that has content I am not interested in reading and most definitely would not write.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]It's very difficult to be certain about what kind of content the RPG will see, simply because it hasn't been written yet. The only thing I will say is that I would naturally expect maturity from the writers. That is, I don't mind adult subjects being involved, as long as they are handled appropriately and within context. I would certainly not accept anything that was simply an excuse for frequent swearing/sex/etc. I do feel that this RPG will have a slightly darker tone than, say, Almagest (since that's the one many of us are immediately familiar with). However, it won't be another Kill Adam. It'll probably sit somewhere in the middle. Anyway, it's good to see some initial interest. I think that indifference pretty much answered the other questions too. My thinking is that on its maiden voyage, there might even be ways that people can win tickets for the Von Braun. So we should see a good cross-section of characters (i.e. not just the rich and famous). We thought we'd just put this out there and see if there are any initial responses to it... I know that there isn't much to go on now. When I edit the first post with some more information, you guys will start to get a clearer idea of what the plot will be and how it'll all come together. That should be pretty soon. :catgirl:[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Yeah, Sandy, it'll be more of an underlying theme. Loveboat. lol :catgirl: We'll be putting up some background information about the plot soon, so that everyone can get a better feel for what kind of characters will be involved. But please feel free to ask questions in this thread if you're interested. If I had to describe the inside of the Von Braun, though... I'd probably compare it to one of the Gardens from FFVIII. At least, with a retro-future theme. But yeah, that sort of object would give you a slight idea of the scale behind it, I guess.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]The hotel is a space ship. Maybe I should have made that clearer, heh. It would be large enough to house both a casino resort and a hotel, I'd imagine.[/font]

[center][img]http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/522/vonbraunlogobl9.jpg[/img][/center] Welcome to Washington Prime[font=arial][size=2][color=#202020]The earliest event we know anything about is the first moon landing in 1969. While astronauts returned to the moon in 1972, the next major advancement in lunar exploration came with the 1976 landing of the [b]Meridian 1[/b]. Although Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 introduced us to the moon, it was the Meridian 1 that solidified our future there. When the astronauts landed, they assembled a small base station with the aim of developing an ongoing colony. Several more expeditions were conducted and by 1979, a small city was established in the Andronov crater. By 1980, various spacecraft made regular trips between Earth and [b]Andronov Prime[/b] (as the city had been named). The discoveries made during regular lunar expeditions were facilitating continual technological and cultural development in Andronov Prime. There was one discovery, however, that we know very little about. What we do know is that it was the greatest discovery in history; unfortunately, it was a discovery that almost destroyed the entire human race. All we know is that it was uncovered somewhere on the [b]dark side of the moon[/b]. A terrible disaster occurred in 1984, just a few weeks after the lunar discovery. Today's historians assume that the disaster was related to the discovery, but nobody can be certain; other than that within a very short period of time, [b]92% of the Earth's inhabitants perished[/b]. Mankind was lost in the proverbial wilderness for years to come as poverty and disease became a serious problem. Once-powerful nations were reduced to third-world status. Clearly, the only solution was for the remaining populations to get together and form a new united society. In 1991, the [b]North Atlantic Republic[/b] was formed. Centered in the former United States of America, the Republic incorporated much of the Northern Hemisphere and large parts of the Southern Hemisphere in its jurisdiction. The new Republic was administered by an internal group known as [b]NARA[/b], or, North Atlantic Republic Administration, a collection of appointed and elected officials. By 1997, a new national capital had been constructed on the site of the former United States capitol: Washington D.C. The new city was named [b]Washington Prime[/b] (as a reference to it being the "single Earth capital" and in honor of Andronov Prime). NARA's founder and first President was [b]Magnus Marr[/b], a man who had lost almost his entire family in what became known as the [b]Great Disaster[/b]. As President, Marr oversaw the development of a new Constitution as well as the reconstruction of much of the planet. All technological development had been lost as a result of the Great Disaster. The only technology available was based on pre-1984 designs. Using this technology resulted in grand new cities being constructed within a very short time. Space travel, however, was strictly forbidden by NARA. At the time, nobody wanted to venture into space (especially anywhere near the moon), for fear of even worse consequences than those of 1984. Society progressed at an incredible speed and the Earth became enveloped in tall buildings; millions of kilometers of highway gripped the planet like concrete ivy. Despite its newfound confidence and rebirth, NARA policy dictated that the Great Disaster was never to be taught in schools. This was not a large problem because those who remembered the Great Disaster were too traumatized to discuss it; and for the remainder, it was a taboo subject. In time as those few survivors began to pass away, their children didn't remember the event themselves. Soon it became more legendary than historical. More than half a century has passed since the events of 1984. Mankind has once again begun to dream of what must lie beyond our world, among the vast stars of the cosmos. Rather than consider lunar exploration, man's return to space is to be marked with the launch of Earth's very first space hotel, the [b]Von Braun[/b]. [/font][/size][/color] [center][img]http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/1527/dossierqd2.gif[/img][/center] The Von Braun[font=arial][size=2][color=#233145][b]Von Braun[/b] is the world's first [b]space hotel[/b] and it marks man's official return to space after more than fifty years. Despite this, the history of the vessel dates back to the 1970's and its namesake, [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernher_von_Braun"]Wernher von Braun[/url]. After receiving the National Medal of Science in 1975, von Braun commenced work on a classified project called [b]The Helix Program[/b]. Although little is known about the details of this project by the general public, most people believe that the program relates specifically to the [b]Helix Engine[/b], which powers the modern day Von Braun. The Helix Engine not only powers the vessel itself, but it also controls almost all aspects of the ship's function, from [b]Gravity Synthesis[/b] to [b]Environment Control Systems[/b]. As a result of the [b]Great Disaster[/b] and the ensuing turmoil around the world, the project was officially shelved. In recent years, [b]NARA[/b] has admitted to several early test flights prior to 1984 and insists that today's Von Braun is simply a resumption of the original project. Today, several official publications that come from NARA bear Wernher von Braun's likeness, with him being seen as one of the most critical figures in history. The Von Braun itself is a technical marvel of the 21st century. The ship is disc-shaped, with a circumference of approximately 15 kilometers. The interior contains [b]five decks[/b], which surround a central column and extend outward in concentric circles. Below is a brief explanation of each deck and its components. [b]Deck 1 (D-1)[/b] This is the central level on the ship. Decks 2 and 3 are above, while B-1 and B-2 are below. D-1 contains the [b]boarding terminal[/b] (where passengers enter and exit the ship), as well as the [b]Andronov Dome[/b]. The Andronov Dome is an enormous room in the center of the ship, which acts as a meeting place and transport hub (complete with monorail station). The central column is connected to the top and at the base of the dome. Animated images are projected against the dome's ceiling; they replicate Earth's sky and are strikingly realistic. They also provide realistic ambient lighting, as though one were actually standing outside on Earth's surface. In addition to the boarding terminal and Andronov Dome, D-1 contains a host of public facilities including restaurants, live theaters, a ballroom and several other function spaces. D-1 is also the location of the [b]EDS[/b], or, [b]Emergency Disembark System[/b]. The [b]EDS Terminal[/b] contains several [b]Escape Capsules[/b]; enough to fit all passengers and crew. [b]Deck 2 (D-2)[/b] D-2 is the deck used for all [b]second and third class passengers[/b]. Approximately 90% of passengers on the Von Braun fit into this category. This deck runs around the central column and is tiered. There are around five levels on D-2 and the hotel suites each have their own internal balconies, which look over the tiered levels. Lush gardens punctuate the floor of the deck and the central column is surrounded by projected imagery, giving the impression that one is looking out onto a vast forest or mountains (the scene changes regularly). D-2 also contains retail spaces, restaurants and entertainment precincts. One side of the deck also contains a large monorail station, which can take passengers to all other decks (sans B-2 and D-3). [b]Deck 3 (D-3)[/b] For first class passengers only. One quarter of this deck is reserved for first class passengers, with the rest reserved for key staff and ship administration (including the [b]Captain's Quarters[/b] and several private offices). Unlike D-2, with its tiered balconies and gardens, D-3's passenger quadrant is laid out more like a large resort. The area contains part of an enormous synthetic mountain, with resort facilities built into it. All first class passengers stay in expansive self-contained houses, which back onto a lush golf course and various other entertainment centers. The center column is topped with a dome that sits on top of D-3 and is visible from the outside of the ship. This area is called [b]Center Node[/b] and is where the Captain sits during the day. Center Node is essentially a large navigation center where the ship's movement is controlled and its systems monitored. [b]Deck B-1[/b] B-1 contains the [b]Helix Engine[/b], which sits within the secure [b]Core[/b]. Directly adjacent is the [b]Engine Room[/b], where dozens of staff monitor the engine and other key ship components. In addition, the majority of the ship's crew maintain their quarters on B-1. Rooms are generally modest, each with its own small kitchen and bathroom. There are several meeting places and "public spaces" for crew to visit with each other as well. Passengers are allowed on this level, although they are restricted to certain parts of it. B-1 contains some larger entertainment areas for passengers, including a race track and casino. This area of the Von Braun is generally considered undesirable for many of the higher-paying passengers (most first class passengers would not be caught dead on this level). [b]Deck B-2[/b] Little is known about this deck. Passengers are simply told that it contains large storage spaces for goods and other luggage, as well as spare parts for internal ship repairs. Prior to the launch of the Von Braun, a journalist broke into the ship and gained access to B-2. He was arrested shortly after, but as he was being dragged out of the ship by NARSIA officers, he was heard to be yelling a message to the attending media. Unfortunately it was inaudible, but when lip-reading specialists were brought onto the case, they wrote down the following: [center][b]RSK AMT[/b], [b]DMG CTRL[/b], [b]CBT AVD[/b], [b]PLASURV[/b][/center] The ship was unveiled on the 23rd of March 2048, with its maiden voyage due to occur some two years later. Bookings from the public were opened later in the year, several months after the unveiling. [/font][/size][/color] The Shirota Strain[font=arial][size=2][color=#233145][i]Excerpt from The Washington Prime Medical Journal (1996): By the time the medical community came to some understanding of the Great Disaster's cause, it was too late. Over ninety per cent of the Earth's population had perished. What have we learned in the past twelve years? We knew, early on, that the Great Disaster was caused by a virus. It was originally known simply as "The Virus". It was the single disease to end all disease; worse than the Black Plague, worse than anything man had encountered previously. The Virus was eventually designated "167A" by the Republic Health Administration. Within the first year of exposure, we had already learned a great deal about 167A. First of all, we knew that it was airborne. This is partly why it was able to spread so rapidly; the virus could be caught simply by one infected person sneezing into the air. Additionally, we discovered that 167A had an extraordinarily long life outside the human body. In fact, in all of our testing, we found that the virus was capable of surviving for up to 120 hours in the open air. This was unprecedented and highly worrying. Despite our best quarantine efforts, the virus continued to spread. All it took was one infected person to board a passenger plane; the virus would almost immediately be distributed through the air conditioning system and virtually anything the infected person touched. This included their luggage, which obviously passed through a number of stages (and touched countless other luggage items) before and after reaching its destination. The speed and resilience of 167A made it impossible to control. By 1990, however, we noticed a change. The number of cases (on a pro rata basis) dropped sharply. 167A had mutated. What is most interesting is that the mutation was fundamental and occurred almost overnight. Precisely six years after first appearing on Earth, 167A mutated into what we called (appropriately enough), "167B". 167B was different to its predecessor in two important ways. Firstly, it was no longer airborne. Instead, the virus could only be spread through bodily fluid contact (like a typical sexually transmitted disease). It was also hereditary. Depending on the genetic mixture of the parents (i.e. whether both had the virus or only one), the child would develop with the same virus. Also, many people simply became carriers for the disease; in other words, they did not exhibit any symptoms and the disease did not kill them. This inexplicable emergence of 167B was highly puzzling to all of us. Most viruses mutate into more severe forms, which feature greater resistance to medical intervention. In this case, 167B was not only far less aggressive than its predecessor, but it could also be controlled with drugs (a simplified form of the AIDS cocktail, which was released in 1992). This is where my role comes in. I was originally working for the Republic Health Administration, in an effort to find a treatment for 167A. When the virus mutated into its substantially more benign form, I headed up the team that researched this change. After a treatment was developed, the research continued, but in a new direction. Administration officials were interested in reverse-engineering the virus in an effort to learn more about it. Originally, we felt that this would help us to develop a potential vaccine, in case 167A reared its head again in future. This research led to the development of "167C". In almost every respect, 167C is a duplicate of 167A. There are some key differences, though. The biggest difference is that 167C is capable of surviving outside the body for some 1,200 hours. It may sound like an enormous leap, but with the data we were given, we were able to engineer a far more robust virus. Furthermore, 167C has several other notable attributes. It is capable of infecting plant life as well as animal life and it is also capable of lasting for an almost infinite amount of time if stored at the correct temperature (and if mixed with a chemical called "Raelogen"). 167C was dubbed "The Shirota Strain", after my team's extensive work. I was very humbled to receive this honor. Once this research was complete, our work virtually ended. We are now coming to the close of the year and a vaccine is not yet in sight, although the Administration insists that it is working on one (and I have no reason to doubt this). The Administration staff have been downsized significantly since the early 90's. I hope that our work will protect many future generations against this terrible virus. Dr. Keizo Shirota University of Tokyo (former RHA Medical Director)[/i][/font][/size][/color] Plot Overview[font=arial][size=2][color=#233145]Given the nature of this RPG and the layers of conspiracy occurring here, I thought it best to put together a basic overview for the entire thing. I will try to group these items in chronological order. If there are any questions, please just use this thread to ask and I will clarify what I can. [b]The Moon, Andronov Prime and the Missing Miners[/b] [list] [*]Andronov Prime is established on the Moon in 1979. Its principle role is to facilitate scientific research and to establish extensive mining operations on the Moon. [*]The Moon's largest mine (Delta Seven) is opened in early 1984. The first group of miners to enter discover an underground chamber. Inside the chamber is an object that looks like a sarcophagus. [*]The miners discover that the sarcophagus is actually an interstellar transport device (ITD).[/list] [b]The Titans, the Phorus System and the Mines of Artenas[/b] [i]File Missing[/i] [b]The Chamber Discovery and the Great Disaster[/b] [list] [*]When the initial group of miners who discovered the underground chamber on the Moon failed to report back, the site was closed immediately. A reconnaissance team was sent some days later to investigate. [*]As the reconnaissance team arrives at the chamber, they discover a group of strangers performing an odd ritual. These strangers are not human. [*]A battle ensues and the team are killed. The strangers leave. [*]After more days pass, several more mines are shut down nearby. A U.N. security deployment arrives at the chamber, discovering the dead reconnaissance team members. [*]A body is found within the "sarcophagus". It is wrapped in a semi-translucent shroud. The security deployment takes the body and returns it to Andronov Prime for scientific analysis. [*]The body is deceased, but carries a terrible virus that remains alive within the corpse. The virus spreads quickly, infecting hundreds in Andronov Prime. [*]Soon the virus spreads back to Earth, ultimately wiping out the vast majority of the planet's population.[/list] [b]NARA, NARSIA and the Shirota Strain[/b] [list] [*]Once the human population is stabilized after the devastating disaster, the North Atlantic Republic is formed. The North Atlantic Republic Security Intelligence Administration is also formed as its sister agency. [*]Shortly afterward, the Shirota Strain project commenced [read in detail above]. [*]A cure was produced and a more sophisticated form of the original virus was created.[/list] [b]NAC, the Von Braun Program and the Deep Space Outpost[/b] [i]Files Missing[/i][/font][/size][/color] The Cast (by order of audition)[font=arial][size=3][color=#343010][center][img]http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b16/Blayze54/avatar7_guest.gif[/img] [b][i]DeLarge[/b] as [b]Adam K. Azure[/b][/i] (Journalist, Washington Prime Herald and Von Braun Passenger) [img]http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/Desbreko_Fanclub/VBO/indiavi.jpg[/img] [i][b]Indi[/b] as [b]Jefferson T. Matheson[/b][/i] (Personal Security Officer for Samantha A. Wells) [img]http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/Desbreko_Fanclub/VBO/avatar16_guest.gif[/img] [i][b]Raiha[/b] as [b]Ilona M. L'Marcelle[/b][/i] (Lounge Singer) [img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/von%20braun/arthurmostdefinitely.jpg[/img] [i][b]Shy[/b] as [b]"Arthur Clarke"[/b] (AKA Arthur Kendi)[/i] (Member, Terra Prime and Von Braun Passenger) [img]http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/Desbreko_Fanclub/VBO/aber1.jpg[/img] [i][b]Aberinkula[/b] as [b]Annabella E. Nichole[/b][/i] (Singer/Performer and Von Braun Passenger) [img]http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/Desbreko_Fanclub/VBO/malkav.jpg[/img] [i][b]Malkav[/b] as [b]Maj. Christina Sijan[/b] (retired)[/i] (Chief Security Officer) [img]http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/9613/sabavixi1.jpg[/img] [i][b]Sabrina[/b] as [b]Viktor Ivanov[/b][/i] (Official Representative, Ivan Enterprises and Von Braun Passenger) [img]http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o159/pjmckrafty/VonBraun-1.jpg[/img] [i][b]inwardscream[/b] as [b]Dr. Kevin Camfield[/b][/i] (Chief Medical Officer) [img]http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/9978/vboavatarey3.jpg[/img] [i][b]James[/b] as [b]Zahir Kahn[/b][/i] (Bartender, Der Raum) [img]http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/5076/aryaviif9.jpg[/img] [i][b]Aaryanna[/b] as [b]Katelyn Brennan[/b][/i] (NARSIA Student and Von Braun Passenger) [img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c323/SamSandy/vonbraun2.png[/img] [i][b]Sandy[/b] as [b]Brunhilde Metzger[/b][/i] (Senior Hostess) [img]http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/Desbreko_Fanclub/VBO/avatar6_guest.gif[/img] [i][b]Kenso[/b] as [b]Devin J. Letrad[/b][/i] (Professional Explorer and Von Braun Passenger) [img]http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/Desbreko_Fanclub/VBO/gaelavatar1.jpg[/img] [i][b]Arichan16[/b] as [b]Gael Nact[/b][/i] (Belly Dancer/Entertainer) [img]http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h167/Desbreko_Fanclub/VBO/maul.jpg[/img] [i][b]Mr. Maul[/b] as [b]Jedidiah A. Pennback[/b][/i] (Chief Engineer) [img]http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/9913/oldmanle2.jpg[/img] [i][b]8bit[/b] as [b]Sir Cornelius A. Posthumous[/b][/i] (Founder, CPS and Von Braun Passenger) [img]http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/2357/kathykf5.jpg[/img] [i][b]Aaryanna_Mom[/b] as [b]Natalia A. Evangel[/b][/i] (Executive Manager, Caesar's Palace)[/font][/size][/color][/center] Landmark Index[font=arial][size=4][b][color=#354E00][center]01: Everyday Astronaut 02: Lonely Outpost 03a: Alone in Space / 03b: System Error 04: Shipwrecked on the Red Giant 05: Emergency Evacuation[/font][/size][/b][/color][/center]

[font=franklin gothic medium]My suggestion would be to go with Moonwalker rather than Thriller. Moonwalker already gives you a good setup (the story is so thin that you can use it as a foundation). And then you could build on top of it with your own plot in an RPG. This way you could have your own imagery and your own plot/characters, but you could still use the original music (and your own as well). A musical RPG for OB would be awesome, I think. It's just something that's never really been attempted before. [/font]