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RPR Archive How to introduce those basted late arrivals

Discussion in 'Role Playing Resource Archive' started by The_Future_POTUS, Mar 26, 2007.

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  1. The_Future_POTUS

    The_Future_POTUS Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 21, 2007
    I just joined this month and am amazed at the plethora of fascinating and original adventure ideas currently ongoing within this forum. I have attempted to join several games and I notice that I am, usually, unbearably late. Thankfully, the individual GMs have been more than willing to put up with my late arrivals. I have personally spent hours spinning up different and plausible ways to introduce my character in such a way that it seems brilliantly planned or, at least, not stupid. I know that my current situation is hardy unique, so what are some ways to decently introduce a late arrival? How about some good example stories? How late were they? Did they make a good entrance? Were you able to advance the plot with it? Or were they just inconvenient?
     
  2. Imperial_Hammer

    Imperial_Hammer Manager Emeritus: RPFs star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 25, 2004
    I'm looking for late arrivals in both of my current games POTUS, care to join? O:)

    How I'm integrating them is to simply introduce a period within the superstructure of the game where they can be welcomed and moved into the action...

    For Pirates, we're pulling into a port, an easy and realistic place for people to join up with a Pirate crew...

    And for Podracer, we're midseason and the Podracing League has launched a recruitment drive to get new racers...

    Within the action of the game, yah, its hard to do. Everyone has their own storylines and are doing their own thing. Its hard to NOT be confused as a newly entered player. But if a GM slows down and engineers ways or times by which players can enter, then it all works very nicely.. :)

    -I_H
     
  3. weeeee123

    weeeee123 Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 30, 2007
    If it's a small RPG, I bet that you can ask one of the players to throw you in. I haven't yet been in a larger RPG so I don't know how to put up with those...
     
  4. Hammurabi

    Hammurabi Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 14, 2007
    Is it rude to ask for a summary? Whenever I look at an established RP, I always kinda wonder. Jumping in in midstride is difficult--there's so much established plot and characters. Reading it all is time-consuming, especially if one already doesn't have much time. As an RPer, I do wish for a summary, but I generally don't ask.

    Question: Can the first post of an RP be edited anytime? I've never posted an RP, so I wouldn't know. If the poster can edit the first post, then that would be a good place to at least put a few basic facts about the plot. Add things in as they occur, keep a running timeline of sorts. If nothing else, it would be extremely helpful to get a list of characters. Each person's character sheet is essential to understanding the character, and oftentimes these sheets are scattered throughout the RP. If someone were to copy/paste all the character sheets, that'd be wonderful. Perhaps add whether the character is still active.

    Wait--idea just occurred to me. Why not set up a Google document or two containing a summary and/or character list? The GM could post the link in the first post (even if you can't edit the first post, this could be done at the start of the RP, or with mod assistance) and, as the RP progresses, they (or anybody, really) could edit and add to the document.
     
  5. NaboosPrincess

    NaboosPrincess Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 14, 2001
    That's an interesting idea. First posts (actually, any post in the RPFs) can't be edited after the 90-minute timeframe expires, except by a mod. But that Google thing is a nifty sort of solution.
     
  6. Reynar_Tedros

    Reynar_Tedros Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 3, 2006
    I actually think RPF opening posts should be like Fan Fic intros, in which there is no expiration time for edits. I really don't see any reason to have a timeframe for editing in the RPF.
     
  7. Hammurabi

    Hammurabi Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 14, 2007
    If that's done elsewhere on the boards, would it be possible in the RPF?
     
  8. NaboosPrincess

    NaboosPrincess Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 14, 2001
    I'm never in FanFic so I'm not aware of their edit times, but I'd be really surprised if they have just their first posts editable-- I thought it was all or nothing. Mods can set edit times in the admin panel, but the set time applies to all posts in the entire forum, as I understand it. But for all I know, they have special board coding in FanFic. In any case, we're not going to change the settings for the RPF. Unlimited edits bring their own set of challenges, and we really don't need 'em.
     
  9. GraySaberFreque

    GraySaberFreque Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 23, 2006
    Though it showsa time limit, the author of the fanfic(ie, first poster) can edit every post they made inside the thread.
     
  10. NaboosPrincess

    NaboosPrincess Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 14, 2001
    Huh, how 'bout that? They must have bribed the tech gurus for that one. :p
     
  11. darth_nemisis

    darth_nemisis Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    May 15, 2004
    I like that Google idea...I am always reluctant to join in late games, and always ask for summaries. That could ease some pain for the GMs....

    I believe some people have it mistaken. The fan fic forum has their edit time disabled, therefore, you can edit any of your own posts made at any time. I don't believe there is an option for setting only the first post so it can always be edited.

    Although, I am no mod, so I could have it wrong.
     
  12. Hammurabi

    Hammurabi Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 14, 2007
    In any case, I think Google docs is worth spreading around. I don't know how many GMs know of it, but I'm sure many would use it here if they knew of it.
     
  13. The_Future_POTUS

    The_Future_POTUS Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 21, 2007
    This is great! Hopefully the GMs will start using the google documents. So any stories, strategies, disasters? I would love to hear ?em!
     
  14. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    As I tend to create games with Galactic-scale storylines, I generally don't have many problems. If your crew are enroute somewhere, insert the new player at the place they're going to arrive - so they can hook up. Like a port, or some-such.

    In the Sith-Imperial War RP I've created entirely separate subplots for new characters, usually padding out a storyline. I had four Sith ready to attack Yag'Dhul, and then I gained two new Sith. So I sent those Sith into the system before and gave them a sabotage storyline. Another detail added, while the four Sith had to finish off a few things.

    Sometimes it doesn't work so well, and sometimes it does. It usually depends on how you do it. Padding is usually the way to go, and then link them in.

    Or, create an entirely new plot. I had Sith pretending to be Jedi attacking Imperial Knights, initially. Then I had a new player that wanted to have his own secret Jedi Order, but was trapped in the Sith dungeons. To start, I didn't like the idea at all, but I warmed to it quickly when I thought on it. Thus the Sith pretending to be Jedi actually became Jedi controlled by the Sith. Great plot change, as I could introduce an entirely new side to the story.

    It also worked wonders with a Force strong madman who needed a background. I'm really pleased with how that's gone.

    So, either place them at the end of a journey, add detail to an ongoing plotline, or create something fresh. It depends, with the latter, how attached you are to your plotline.

    Did that help at all?
     
  15. SirakRomar

    SirakRomar Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 30, 2007
    All I can add is my perspective as a player . . . but at the example of Sinres "Sith-Imperial" war, the new player-plots colided with the old ones and it gave us all quite a feeling of being in "Part II" of the story. New characters are introduced, new layers opened for the characters already existing. Late arrivals have become "the fresh inspiration" for us all. Instead of a burden it is a surprise. Worked very good.
     
  16. SephyCloneNo15

    SephyCloneNo15 Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2005
    Of course, there are some cases wher 'those basted late arrivals' just don't fit. Like my Halo RP. We're down to under a hundred SPARTANs, most of them NPCs, and many of them already named NPCs, and I'm not quite ready to accept non-SPARTAN PCs, meaning any newcomers would have to wait.
     
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