Discuss Thinking about doing an RPG

[GuyYouMetOnline]

As you can tell from the topic title, I've got a new RPG idea I'm working on, but since my past several RPGs haven't done too well, I figured I'd guage interest here first. Some people may recognize this particular idea, since it is a modified version of an RPG I attempted called Intersection. The RPG never got off the ground (never even got out of sign-ups, actually), but I liked the idea, so I've refined it, and now I'm ready to give it another go. And to those who decided to pass up on the original, don't just dismiss this one, because it is substantially different.

I'm calling the RPG 'Crossover'. The story centers around virtual reality, specifically a VR game called [I]Crossover[/I]. The game [I]Crossover[/I] is a logical evolution of the MMORPG genre. It's basically an entire virtual world, with a seemingly unlimited number of things for players to do.

I realize that for something like this, you'd expect a wide range of abilities for players to learn and use, but I'm doing something different. Although many weapons and equipment have support abilities (things like atributes added to attacks or increased defense against various attributes), players themelves don't get any abilities. Instead, [I]Crossover[/I] uses what I'm calling the Etheria system, based on the summoning, or 'calling', of creatures called Etheria (singular: Etherian).

I know many people are going to think of summons in video games, and in some respects, Etheria are similar. Perhaps the best comparason is with the Espers in [I]Final Fantasy XII[/I], which fight alongside the summoner for a set period of time or until defeated. Etheria are similar, in that they fight alongside the player when called. A player may possess up to five Etheria, but only two Etheria per player can be active at any one time. Etheria come in seemingly endless varieties, and each has its own different abilities.

In the RPG, participants would choose the Etheria they want their characters to have, and what abilities those Etheria have. There would only be a few restrictions. First, nothing overly powerful. This should be obvious, but it's worth mentioning anyways. Second, an Etherian's abilities must match the Etherian in question; a water-based Etherian would have water-based abilities, for example. And third, no exact copies of summons from video games. Using pictures and names is fine, but don't just copy their abilities from the games. You can give them similar types of abilities, but do not just exactly copy any video game summons.

Now, since this came up when I attempted Intersection, let me say that yes, Crossover will definitely have a story. The plot will be revealed mainly through the game [I]Crossover[/I], but it will be very real. And for those of you who are concerned about it (I know I would be), let me say that no, the world of the game[I] Crossover [/I]is not actually real. It is indeed virtual. I do have a pretty major twist in mind, but that's not it.

Anyways, if you're interested, please say so, and if it looks like enough people are interested, I'll go ahead and give the RPG a try. Oh, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask them, and if you have any comments, please say them.

[James]

[color=#606060]I'm glad to hear that this RPG will have a story. Otherwise you risk having lots of unrelated posts and nothing to hold them together.

I guess my only question is, will this play out like an actual "game" (with turn-based battles or something) or will it be more like a straightforward RPG (i.e. your abilities are written into the story rather than literally having structured battles)?

Just curious about that aspect.[/color]

[GuyYouMetOnline]

It'll be more like a standard RPG on the boards. All action will play out in real-time; no turn-based battles or anything like that. Although I idid identify [I]Crossover[/I] as an MMORPG-ish game, that was really just to give people something to compare it to. Action in [I]Crossover[/I] is strictly, well, action.

[James]

[color=#606060]Cool. Well, if the story seems interesting to me I'd definitely look at signing up.

I've missed a few great RPGs lately and I don't want to keep missing them.[/color]

[GuyYouMetOnline]

That's good to hear. Of course, there's a limit to how much of the story I'll reveal up front. I like to keep people guessing.

Would anyone else be interested, or have questions/comments for me?

[Boo]

[quote name='GuyYouMetOnline']That's good to hear. Of course, there's a limit to how much of the story I'll reveal up front. I like to keep people guessing.[/QUOTE]
[size=1]Of course, if you don't reveal enough, nobody cares if you like to keep them guessing, they just won't join. :P Like James, I definitely will check it out if the story is any good. It's been a long time since I've participated in any roleplaying stories.[/size]

[GuyYouMetOnline]

Yeah, how much plot to reveal is a tricky balancing act. Don't worry, I'll reveal enough to catch people's interest. Of course, I don't know what would interest people, so I'll ask. What would people like to see story-wise in an RPG like this one? Any suggestions will help me make the story more interesting.

[James]

[color=#606060]I wouldn't really want to say what you should include in the story - I think you should ideally allow the players to help build the story as they go in the RPG.

The main thing is to provide a general opening premise that gives people a good starting point. I like it when an RPG sets up a solid framework for me to work with - it allows me to use my own ideas, but I know the general limits of the universe.

You can never predict whether you will get that balance completely right; you can only try.

At the moment I'm probably more in the mood for joining an RPG rather than creating one, because if I created one I'd feel that I'd want to do it justice...and I don't know if I really could. But I can definitely add to someone else's story.[/color] :catgirl:

[Allamorph]

[FONT=Arial]I just wish I wasn't so hammered by this semester, is all. Things are lookin' that way for the spring, too. :animesigh

Otherwise, I'd love to try my hand at this concept. I just can't guarantee the time to spend on it.[/FONT]

[James]

[color=#606060]So is this looking like it may launch soon? I thought I'd see how it's all going. :catgirl:[/color]

[GuyYouMetOnline]

Well, I've had a lot of schoolwork recently, but I've been working on it whenever I've had the time. I'm actually putting the finishing touches on it right now. It should be up shortly. I'll also be making a seperate Backstage thread, so this one can be closed.

[James]

[color=#606060]This looks quite a bit more involved than I'd first thought. It reminds me somewhat of .hack//SIGN in terms of the concept.

I'll have a read through the sign up and stuff and see how it goes. I'm not really looking for an RPG with lots of stats and complex elements (I'm more interested in just pure story and characters at the moment), but I will still read with great interest.

I didn't want to post this in the Backstage thread because I felt it was more a general discussion than something specific I'd talk about if I had joined.[/color]