Request for LA and/or DMA - world events

[Brokenbone]

Brainstorm away...

Not DMing where you play, or even the simple fact of players also being DMs, could erode the enjoyment of some pretty key folks in any kind of world-plot movers though, right? If a plot skeleton is posted in say, TSM DM forum for the TSM part of things, TSM DMs who happen to also play in MS and BG have been exposed to some potential big spoilers. Inherent to that as well is if the MS/BG portions of a campaign bring about a logical next step of "better go to TSM to put this bad boy to bed," TSM DMs will be DMing, as opposed to playing, in the grand finale or next leg of the adventure or whatever. Including red herring journeys.

I guess highly compartmentalized world plots are possible. Find the Rod of Seven parts! 2 parts are in each live server (with DMs from foreign servers having no clue where to look), and the 7th is uh... in the Abyss, a temporary campaign server that will be opened at the end!

Again, neat concept but in a small project with low numbers, you'd wonder how to make it fun for all. *shrugs*

[Dorn]

In the meantime... what would you be willing to do help make this happen, everyone? Could I count on "player multipliers" to spread the story? To give tasks to newbies and lowbies? Regular IC posts and rumours? Help for your DMs willing to participate to multiply their impact?

Cheers,

Yes to all of the above. Some of us see very little DM time, and even very little regular player to player time. THis is not ALFAs fault. Its a timezone and RL thing.

Acting as a 'player multiplier' or asking for aid on a quest from someone that happens to log on in my limited playtime brackets would make ALFA much more fun for me...and perhaps for them as well. Even if there is no static content i can RP discussions with a NPC or something given a few snippets of direction from a DM or posted storythread.

But then clearly i'm not the one that needs convincing;)

[Brokenbone]

Although Gandi wasn't talking about DMing, "Be the change you want to see in the world!"

Anyone can DM on 3 servers as a plot leader if they'll have you, and support you with stuff to consider running when you're not on. Means no playing though, so maybe just DM on two and see if you can find someone willing to take up your mission on the third, but for metagame reasons, exclude your PC from it.

[CloudDancing]

So we have had a brainstorming session about a world plot in Dm chat just a few days ago.

The main problem is, DMs play most of the high-level characters right now that would naturally be called upon to participate in a world plot.

So while we can come up with a framework (which we have good ideas for server to server related events) it is going to be iffy as far as travelling from one place to another as per Madeline cannot set foot on BG or Trapper cannot set foot on MS and so forth for thinkpig's and Ronan's and so forths characters.

[Zelknolf]

I'm not sure that "most" applies.

danielmn (playing Garlus), SwordSaintMusashi (playing Alyra), NESChampion (playing Olaf), and I (playing Persephone) aren't DMs on live servers (though when NU goes live, that'll change; SSM and I are both on the NU team). And those are all level 10+ characters. I'm not sure if Laniara has hit 10 yet, but I don't think Gribo is a DM either.

[Adanu]

So we have had a brainstorming session about a world plot in Dm chat just a few days ago.

The main problem is, DMs play most of the high-level characters right now that would naturally be called upon to participate in a world plot.

So while we can come up with a framework (which we have good ideas for server to server related events) it is going to be iffy as far as travelling from one place to another as per Madeline cannot set foot on BG or Trapper cannot set foot on MS and so forth for thinkpig's and Ronan's and so forths characters.

A good reason to abolish the no playing on your DMed server rule. Personally, I think it should be based on whether you can handle knowing meta knowledge or not.

[Ithildur]

This is a great idea, a grand idea even I daresay. Enough so that any negatives/obstacles that exist are worth our best attempts to overcome them.

It doesn't have to happen next week, nor do all the potential pitfalls be solved by then, but this is something big enough and worthy enough to keep working towards over a long haul.

Repeat, it doesn't have to be solved by next week, but it's big enough imo that the many creative minds of ALFA should at least revisit this periodically and keep it in mind on an ongoing basis. There have to be solutions, possibly even systemic/modular solutions that can be applied to more than one such global plots/meta-narratives in the course of ALFA's history.

To start with perhaps, maybe people who were around then can discuss in some detail some finer points of Myk's campaign? What were the highlights? What lessons can be learned from it? How can elements of the plot be applied in ways that fit with something like what Dorn describes (which doesn't sound at all like what Myk ran btw in nature/mechanics/implementation)?

However we do it, the idea of an overarching story that's bigger than everything individually, but can encompass/give backdrop for many of the smaller stories that each server/dm etc runs, is tremendously appealing imo. I think ALFA would benefit from shooting for something EPIC like this ... STORYWISE, which does NOT necessarily mean POWERWISE (i.e. there's a pretty good story about low lvl hobbits saving the world?)

[oldgrayrogue]

1) Global plots that span servers are a great idea

2) Global plots do not necessarily have to involve all of the "established" characters on all servers who also DM OR travel by those characters to other servers where they do DM. Craft the plot so that IC events keep these PCs on their home servers ICly.

3) If the plot does require travel to a server you DM on ICly I don't see why the rule could not be relaxed for the purpose of a DMd event. Just head back home after the event to avoid issues.

4) IMO the bigger issue with worldwide plots like this is when a DMs PC becomes involved in a plot with PCs that he/she DMs. Personally I have no issue with this and trust our DMs not to meta. But some people might take issue.

[Rotku]

IMO the bigger issue with worldwide plots like this is...

Getting a DM who is able to commit to the work load and see it through to the end.

[Ithildur]

I'm thinking the way to do it is 1. modularly, i.e. chapters, sections to the story, and 2. teamwork. Not one person carrying the bulk of the load, but more so coordinating a team/group effort. Eat an elephant one bite at a time, each person taking small bites.

More thoughts later perhaps... too tired atm.

[Swift]

Co-ordinating a single severs DM team to keep things consistent is already a difficult and time consuming thing to do. My hats off to whoever thinks they have what it takes to co-ordinate something of the scale being discussed.

[Rotku]

Co-ordinating a single severs DM team to keep things consistent is already a difficult and time consuming thing to do. My hats off to whoever thinks they have what it takes to co-ordinate something of the scale being discussed.

Exactly. If someone wants to step forward and run something like this, I'd doubt anyone would say no and I'm sure they'd have the full support of the Admin. Until someone does step forward and is willing and able to volunteer their time to do something like this, I feel the idea is moot.

[oldgrayrogue]

Co-ordinating a single severs DM team to keep things consistent is already a difficult and time consuming thing to do. My hats off to whoever thinks they have what it takes to co-ordinate something of the scale being discussed.

Exactly. If someone wants to step forward and run something like this, I'd doubt anyone would say no and I'm sure they'd have the full support of the Admin. Until someone does step forward and is willing and able to volunteer their time to do something like this, I feel the idea is moot.

Absolutely valid point, but if you consider the idea of "global plots" as something that is happening in the region generally, as opposed to a specific "campaign" that has a set beginning and end etc, it really could be doable. I view "global plots" as more of a "theme" that DMs across servers can use to create ad hoc and one off content off of. Then as the players react to that individual server specific or cross server events can be created to further the global theme. For example, something like the overall "invasion" of a new thieves guild into the region, or even the denizens of the underdark coming to the surface for raids throughout the region, could provide a thematic backdrop for DMs to exercise their creative muscles to come up with little events that foster that theme. This gets all players talking about and RPing those thematic events cross server, and if it sticks maybe provides the DMs with fodder to think up a grand event for those players that demonstrate the most interest and invest the most time in the "global theme." As Ithildur said -- something like this can stretch out for months and months, ebb and flow, whatever before it climaxes. It need not be run as a set campaign. I agree its ambitious, but if viewed at in this way not unacheivable.

[Ithildur]

The key to pulling something like this off is effective teamwork and a committed leader who can give the vision to others, who won't end up shouldering the whole thing alone, then kill the plot by dropping out due to burnout... easier said than done I realize, but I still think a worthy goal to keep out there. It's not impossible; maybe it won't happen next week, but it is not impossible.

If Peter Jackson can take a stab at LOTR and do a half decent job, I have to believe ALFA can do this.

The idea isn't moot just because no one's running full speed with it yet.

[Rotku]

So sort of like an orc invasion in TSM? Or the undead thing that what's-his-face ran in BG?