Of course you all know what an RPG is, but have you ever played it on a message board? Basically what happens is someone pitches an idea for a story to the board, and if enough people are interested, then a sign-up topic is made where people submit their character's information and await the gamemaster's (GM - whoever came up with the idea) approval. There are various genres and lengths to them. Once the game starts, everyone takes turns introducing their characters and beginning the story. Although the GM has control over direction, it's all up to the role players to move the story along. Characters work together to solve problems either set up by the GM or from a logical outcome generated by the players. There is always one main goal to accomplish, with turmoils along the way, but if it ends up to flunk, ie. a bomb inevitably goes off or a plane explodes because of another character, then wither a deus ex machina could be geniously used, or find a suitible way to die gracefully :). Even then, anything can happen, and as long as both the role players discussing the story outside of the game, or the characters in the game work together, the game will survive and give everyone involved a great time!
There is so much that can be done with role playing games on a forum, especially this forum. RPGs might become scripts for games, or atleast generate a working idea. So, if enough people like this idea, I'll post a simple story to role play and try to get it to work!
I want to be Captain Domino, who is just a fisherman with an old ship. Currently no crew, but out to sea most of the time. I don't visit the mainland much, unless i need supplies, but currently being alone on my unmighty vessel, I should be set for now.
Plus, my ship is old and rotten...don't know if i can keep her afloat.
Im just a frenchie pretending he understands english
Quote from: riseryn on Wed 23/04/2008 02:05:45
Im just a frenchie pretending he understands english
You are a Peasant with magic powers then. :)
I'd be a giant koala named Klyppy, after eating radioactive Eukalypsys leaves. Daaaaaamn!
I wish to be Friar Cactus Envision, on a noble quest to retrieve the last piece of the magical chess set which, once assembled, I can use to challenge the not-exactly-evil-but-still-rather-irritating Sre'suort in a game that will decide his fate.
I wish my primary weapon to be a throwing star launcher modified to shoot Cyndi Lauper singles.
May I cast magic missile yet?
Ooh, yeah, I used to do that a lot. But it gets frustrating because people inevitably lose interest and it either ends, or the cast slims down to about 2 or 3 people...
I am Emerson.
I want to be a sentient cactus. Which I am.
I am a lonely private detective looking for real murderers of JFK.
I am the GM. That or Bud Spencer (70's era), whichever is more powerful.
Hello I am Powergun Overshot, a timid clerk working parttime in a tax office. I sometimes moonshine as a vigilante and patrol the block with my two trained beagles and a hovering dwarf named Jen.
Here are my stats:
Abilities:
Strength: 77
Dexterity: 120
Wisdom: 3
skills:
Pick locks: 98
Wade: 17
Speak Dwarvish: 34
Blacksmithing: 78
special abilities:
Divine combination (may successfully combine two or several objects, producing a new, hopefully superior in usefulness, object)
Guess box contents (may correctly guess the contents of any box, crate or chest)
Interrupt (may interrupt speech, motion or thought process of any target within 35 feet)
Fireball (projects a large fireball at a random target inflicting 45d10 upon impact, + 4d6 per round until fire is put out)
Awaiting instructions from GM...
... I haven't even given a story yet! Alright, I'll type one up and see if you all like it.
Quote from: Emerald on Wed 23/04/2008 12:22:14
Ooh, yeah, I used to do that a lot. But it gets frustrating because people inevitably lose interest and it either ends, or the cast slims down to about 2 or 3 people...
I know, but if that's so, I'll put up a small game.
Quote from: Andail on Wed 23/04/2008 20:41:16
I sometimes moonshine as a vigilante
LOL, I can't tell if that was intentional or not, but it cracked me up.
(The term for doing a second job is 'moonlighting'. Moonshine is an illegally distilled booze.)
I'm am not Willy Liar and I always tell the truth. Special Ability: - Sex god.
(ooc - he is lying to you.. his name IS in fact Willy Liar and he talks in lies. Whatever he says must be reversed, ignored or taken with a pinch of salt)
Shouldn't we kind of wait for the story before you make your characters?
I am penis. With the ability to erupt with 1d4, but in warm weather I gain +3 to long distance fighting.
So you are No.1 on my suspect list.
Hehe, Emerald, nah that was unintentionally, just got the terms confused!
So, hm, GM are you gonna present some sort of quest or something?
The Elevator
A group of office buddies just finished a long day's work, and are now about to celebrate one of their birthday's. However, as the elevator drops, it gets stuck! What are they going to do now?
Goal: Solve this dilemma!
Character Sheet:
Name
Age
Height
Weight
Face
Hair
Build
Clothes
Items
Personality
History
Just copy & paste it. It's pretty much self-explanitory, but keep the history short enough for a good read, but not too long. See, it's simple, right? If this was bigger and a real fantasy and magic RPG, then their would be more stats for the CS (character sheet) for magic and weapons and anything else you could think of. This one would have only a handful people. Any questions so far?
Name - Nigel Morris
Age - 32
Height - 5' 5"
Weight - 14st
Face - Bucked teeth, squinty eyes and a hairy growth on my chin
Hair - none (except for the hairy growth on my chin)
Build - Short and dumpy
Clothes - same yellowing shirt and ginger cordroys I had on yesterday
Items - a screwed up suicide note from last night... I chickened out...
Personality - absolutely none what-so-ever... or at least not one that anybody notices anyway
History - I'd rather not talk about it... *curls up in the fetal position and cries*
(http://www.forumcinema.com.br/images/conteudo/em_cartaz/bud_spencer_new.jpg)
Name: Bud Spencer
Age: 40-ish
Height: 1.95m
Weight: 130kg
Face: ugly mug
Hair: lots
Build: extra large
Clothes: cotton shirt tucked into square jeans
Items: a wallet containing 1000000 lire and keys to his van
Personality: Calm and quiet, he has a strong sense of justice and is never impressed by any kind of intimidation, yet always finds himself in the most chaotic brawls (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9jHnSNYMxU) because of this.
History: He travels the world, starting up small businesses until he gets bored or bankrupt then leaves again.
Name: Unknown, but guards call me Dafty.
Age: Unknown, maybe 20-30.
Height:179.8 cm, at least that's what my card says.
Weight: 53 kg, last time they checked it.
Face: I haven't seen my face for as long as I can remember. Maybe that's because I'm afraid of mirrors. Maybe, because they had none.
Hair: None, they constantly shave it.
Build: They didn't feed me much, so my body is pretty scrawny and fleshless. Skin is so pale, I was able to hide in a wall once. When they found me, they hit me.
Clothes: White pants. The white shirts sleeves are too long and unproportial, like they've been torn.
Items: Nothing, except for Mr.Happy.
Personality:Sometimes I'm very very happy. Sometimes I'm very very worried. And sometimes I see a big white flash and then there's something red everywhere. I don't like it. It makes me very very worred.
History: They have kept me in the White Building for a very long time. Then there was a fire alarm. Then I was free. Then I was in a big city. Then there was a white flash. Now I am in a small room with some other people.
Character Sheet:
Name: Rob
Age: 2
Height: 15 cm
Weight: 0.5kg
Face: Green, with sharp pointy pins sticking out of it
Hair: The pins could be called my hair if you want
Build: Er, big fat succulent stem without any other body parts
Clothes: None that I know of
Items: Mostly my pot, which is made of cheap clay.
Personality: Could be harsh with people I don't know, but once you've made friends with me you'll find that I'm kind.
History: Somebody bought me this morning as a birthday present. Now my happy owner holds my pot happily, though he seem a little disappointed by the fact that the lift got stuck.
Name: Ford Prefect
Age: 30
Height: 1,70m
Weight: 70kg
Face: Typical
Hair: Normal(he'd wish)
Build: Normal
Clothes: Jeans, Shirt ,shoes from Mark Spencer
Items: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Mark II, Towel, Zap-O-Gun, Sub-Etha Signalling Device(Thumb), Santraginean water, Satchel
Personality: He is a match for no-one since he knows where his towel is at all times.
He's quite stubborn and weird but can talk situations out like none other.
History: He's been all over and nowhere at the same time. Typical time-space confusion.
He's a field researcher for Ursa Minor Beta, and is responsible for all the Earth entries.
He's here for researching but actually he just trying to hitch a ride.
...what kind of "office" is that, exactly? Big Eddie's Time Travelling And Mental Asylum Emporium?
Name: Richard Harris
Age: 20
Height: Roughly 2m
Weight: About 75kg
Face: Pretty normal, blue eyes
Hair: Black, short-ish
Build: Regular
Clothes: Coat
Items: Binoculars, screwdriver, a chain and sunglasses.
Personality: Quiet, observing type.
History: Parents died when he was 10, lived alone in their house ever since, no friends, works as a part-time surveillance agent.
(We need more women)
Name: Niamh Cain
Age: 29
Height: 6'
Weight: 140 lbs
Face: Very attractive, with high cheek-bones and full, pouting lips
Hair: Long, auburn
Build: Slender
Clothes: A form-fitting, casual black dress
Items: Purse (with the usual stuff inside)
Personality: Flirtatious, yet sarcastic and cynical. Has little regard for anything.
History: Studied psychology in Harvard, and got a master's in forensic psychology. Worked as a forensic psychologist for Boston PD for 4 years. On her fourth year it was discovered that she had a habit of mistreating the felons she was supposed to be evaluating -- taunting and bullying her subjects for little more than her own enjoyment. She was promptly fired. Rather than spiral into a depression, she decided she preferred the legal aspect of the job anyway, and has begun pursuing a career in criminal law, specialising in criminal prosecution. She's also an avid reader and writer of crime fiction, and has recently made a deal with Peacock Publishing for the publication of her novel.
(http://www.181st.net/celebrity-galleries/Kate-Winslet/pictures/Kate-Winslet_xxx.jpg)
(Would you believe that I came up with that description before finding that picture?)
Bud Spencer doesn't look worried but bored instead. He figures that his weight is most likely the reason why the elevator stopped.
"I guess I shouldn't have eaten that pretzel after those 3 plates of spaghetti at lunch," he jokes, but doesn't smile. His voice sounds dubbed.
Rich tries to forget about his own terrible hunger when Bud makes this comment.
He wonders how many people laugh without smiling...
(http://www.sxc.hu/pic/m/m/mm/mmariansky/33415_fat_cop.jpg)
Name: 'Cap'n' Ron Obvious
Age: 37
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 340 lbs.
Face: The blank stare.
Super Power: The Blank Stare. Can stare down any lifeform with functioning eyes, granting him and all allies in a 20 foot radius immediate initiative.
Critical Weakness: Cannot run due to a knee injury but can walk normally.
Hair: Brown, over-oiled and slicked back
Build: Stocky
Clothes: Security uniform
Items: Flashlight, badge, walkie-talkie, night stick, Beretta 9mm with no rounds (mainly just for show), 1 pack Trident chewing gum (spearmint flavor), wallet with $22.31 (1 twenty, two ones, three dimes and a penny), Americans Depressed credit card, Driver's License, Bullock Security ID, lint, issue # 125 of Guns N' Ammo rolled up in his back pocket.
Personality: Passive-aggressive, moderately intelligent and thoroughly bored.
History: Ron 'Cap'n' Obvious has been a security guard for Bullock's Security for the last 10 years, ever since he was rejected entry into the Police Academy for having a bad knee that prevents him from running (though he can walk without a limp). Disillusioned, Ron joined a security agency instead and spends his off time at the local gun club (where he regularly scores 85/100 at the target range) and with his pet turtle, Tibby. He enjoys short walks, big donuts and TJ Hooker re-runs. Has recently taken an electronics correspondence course so he can repair his microwave. Everyone at the company just calls him Cap'n because it makes him feel special and he's an all around good-guy.
Situation: Cap'n's a security guard at 'The Office' and was just heading downstairs for a coffee and donut break when yet another elevator failure occured.
JetXL, that crapped me up :)
"The people around looked worried, althought they didn't notice me, sticking to the ceiling. The Big Man said "Pretzel". Then "Spaghetti". I started eating my fingernals, but they were unable to quench the raising hunger. I desired food."
Well, I started to look an entry at the Guide for Spaghetti that said:
Spaghetti: A typical dish at Earth and a very famous specialite at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. It consists of some long wire-looking material, yellow-like coloured, and crunchy if not boiled or slimy if do boiled. If hungry it's quite cheap and can take the burden of hunger for a while of yourself. Can be found: Around every where on Earth. Specifically: New York, Chicago, Athens, Paris, Bejing, Rubbish bins, Toilets, and always at 99% on a dish. Can get some sauces on it for extra flavour or for some flavour if spaghetti chef is a complete inept.
I sit in my pot staring at my not-so-happy-at-a-moment owner. I know my owner will do something because, frankly speaking, the range of things I can do isn't that broad.
(( Y'know, generally you wait for the GM to start... ))
Quote from: Emerald on Mon 28/04/2008 18:52:24
(( Y'know, generally you wait for the GM to start... ))
Well, I did nothing.
Every single one of these need some revising. Expand on history, tie in personality, and give them a good reason for being here. Not for me, for you!
After some continious nail eating, I felt a strange feeling in my head. I remembered something. Something, that happened before I got into the White Building. A gray box. That's all. Just a gray box. I need to find it. It may contain answers! But how do I get out of this little room? It's enclosed. I've got no idea, how I got here. Just like anyhing that happens after a white flash. But I've gotta get out of here! There is only one way. I must quench my lust for meat!
The fat man looked strange to me from the first moment. He was the kind of man that pursues one desire and can do just anything to reach his goal. Maybe if he continues, he can get us out ?
Anyway, it looked strange to me that people were so quiet and did not talk in such a depressing situation like this. It was already 15 minutes since we stuck and nothing happened so far...
"Everyone just relax and we'll be out of here in no time," said Ron in a convincing tone.
Why do I always get trapped on the elevator at lunch hour? It had been the third time in as many weeks that the elevator seized up, and Ron knew it would be awhile before the repair guys came to fix it -- but this time he was prepared: Smiling, he yanked a rolled up magazine from his back pocket and gave the glossy cover a gentle slap to flatten it out. Guns N' Ammo! And it was the special 'Magnum' issue, too! Ron slid a piece of spearmint gum between his teeth and chewed it in slowly as he leaned against the cold steel railing and flipped pages. All was right with the world again, at least until he could get downstairs and over to the coffee shop for an extra triple-creme donut.
Yeah, everything was great.
Oh God, not now. Ron's beady eyes squinted behind his magazine as his butt cheeks clenched, desperately fighting the urge to --
too late.
Fortunately, he hadn't made a sound so they wouldn't know it was him. And maybe it won't smell. That would just be too damn embarrassing.
As if to hide the deed, Ron fished through his right pocket and held out a silver foil-wrapped flat rectangle to the burly, shaggy-haired fellow to his left. "Gum?"
Well, the others were good at being social but sometimes Ford lost that lovin' feeling. Especially with Earthmen. Ron's comment about getting out fast almost caused the typical feeling that Ford would get every time someone tried not to say the situation is a dead-end.
So there he stood in his very thoughts. He actually was about to offer his towel to Ron , but the guy was going to go for what he was going for with his own means. So he opened up the Sub-Etha Signalling Device as known as the Thumb.
No Signal
At that moment a smell came to his nose, but he chose to ignore it.
He opened the Hitchhiker's Guide To the Galaxy and entered the entry: Elevators
Elevators
*hum*
Elevators are devices that help people or give the illusion that they help people to move faster. Actually stairs are a lot faster and tire you less than an elevator, since when you use stairs you can never get stuck and will never think or say "Can't this thing go faster?".
There are a lot of elevator types: future elevators, ultra-fast elevators, and the typical never-work-when-you-want-them-elevators. In conclusion: Take the Stairs.
HOLD ON. I haven't approved any of these yet! After we get the characters down, then I'll make another topic for the game, and we'll talk about it here. Is that fine?
No. It has outgrown you into an epic struggle of man vs. elevator.
Quote from: Klyptomaniac on Fri 02/05/2008 01:36:15
HOLD ON. I haven't approved any of these yet! After we get the characters down, then I'll make another topic for the game, and we'll talk about it here. Is that fine?
Blast and we were working on it really good,...
Bud Spencer remembers an old Iralian way to fix electric apliences: kicking it. He limps in the air and lands with both feel flat on the flood. That should do the trick.