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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

OOC A Microscopic Thread (Microscope RPG OOC)

Discussion in 'Role Playing Resource' started by Saintheart, Sep 9, 2012.

  1. Saintheart

    Saintheart Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2000
    Our concept is, "Science fiction gangsters battle for control over a floating city".

    Our Palette is:
    Yes- Psionics. Which, yes, is basically "space magic" along the lines of the Force or biotics or whatever. How psionics occur in people, its rarity, its manifestation (telepathy? telekinesis?) and all those details can to be determined as we play 'em.
    - Giant bipedal mechs. At some point large humanoid robots, piloted by a person sitting in the cockpit, become a weapon of choice.
    - Aliens. Lots of them. A variety of types and sizes and shapes.
    - Omertà. While a predominantly fictional concoction, a mafioso code of honor provides some much needed rules of engagement, and creates interesting interaction dynamics.

    No
    - No hyperdrive or hyperspace. Travel between the vast distances between stars can only happen by two methods: naturally occurring wormholes or conventional sublight propulsion, i.e. "generation ships" in the latter case
    - No universal translators. Communication with other species is just as tricky and fraught with potential error as communicating with people in other languages is. Some languages might simply not be capable of translation into human terms by virtue of the fact the communication method is utterly incompatible with human understanding (emission and detection via single photon patterns, for example. Human eyes biologically requires a stream of at least eight photons to even register.)
    - Immortality/resurrection. Life extensions, sure, but nobody can ever live forever. Cloning is okay so long as no funky Life Essence Transfer (e.g. EU Palpatine) is involved.

    Our History (thus far) is:

    The foundation and first flowering of The City". The City is a massive, floating city in space, the flower of galactic civilisation's efforts. In this period, she is first completed and begins to grow into her role as the centre of trade in the Milky Way.
    -The City is officially opened. Present are representatives from every species on the galactic stage- Drisax, Loren, Human, etc. An alien diplomat of great renown is there also.
    -A Loren diplomat's daughter kidnapped and murdered by humans against galactic growth.
    - Jalix'e, a gangster, mediates and settles dispute between the Loren and the City.
    - The Loren diplomat murders three psychics on the Dyson Sphere powering the City.

    The Three Families War

    Discovery of human psionics.

    The long crime war has taken its grim toll. Death, tragedy and corruption rule the day. The City, ravaged by the struggle for control of her, decays into uselessness and is abandoned.
    - The bodies of the City's greatest, including that of the Loren diplomat, are transferred to the ship Arcadia so they are not lost.
     
  2. Ramza

    Ramza Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 13, 2008
    So just to refresh my memory a bit - we can either contribute events to pre-existing periods or create a new period? But no restrictions on which we can do?
     
  3. Saintheart

    Saintheart Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2000
    Correct on all counts. At present it's only one event or one period per turn. (The "Lens" of a turn, which we'll get to next time round, gets to add 2 of either an event, period, or scene, but we'll get to that.)
     
  4. Ramza

    Ramza Administrator Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 13, 2008
    Ah, incidentally, if I'm not supposed to determine what caused a given period, I can scrub that detail. Still a little hazy on what's kosher at various levels.
     
  5. Saintheart

    Saintheart Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2000
    You can determine what caused a given period, mostly because there's always capacity to add another period before it. :) You're doing fine.
     
  6. Saintheart

    Saintheart Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2000
    Double post, but some advice on the level of detail which might help: A good rule of thumb is to describe what would be visible from a birds-eye view at the level of history you're creating. If you're making a Period, your description should include the broad sweeps of history, but not specific details that would emerge during an Event or Scene. If you're making an Event, zoom in closer and describe what happens, but not the moment-by-moment detail of a Scene.
     
  7. DarthXan318

    DarthXan318 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 12, 2002
    Hope this doesn't step on your toes, Saint - I was bored at work basically think only in spreadsheets nowadays so I created one. Thought I'd link it here in case anyone else has that problem.. :D
     
  8. Saintheart

    Saintheart Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2000
    That's....actually really good, Xan! And hopefully I'll be able to update it better at work than here, because my work computer chugs very badly even when I'm just editing the old version. I assume it is open for alteration?
     
  9. DarthXan318

    DarthXan318 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 12, 2002
    It can be, yes!

    How it works is, the Light/Dark tag goes into column A/B/C as appropriate (for a period, event, or scene). Descriptions go into column D. Rows and columns are then merged across or down as necessary.

    Like basically, it looks like this in its raw form and then items are merged for prettiness. Or we could just unmerge the cells for ease of editing, if you guys prefer it that way?

    edit - and of course, to add new stuff, you just insert rows.
     
  10. DarthXan318

    DarthXan318 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 12, 2002
    Double post: Saint could you put the rules in this thread as well, for easy reference?
     
  11. Saintheart

    Saintheart Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2000
    I was just thinking that. I'll do that shortly!