EoFF Invitation - tGA!

[Kossage]

Thanks for the link though I doubt I will take part. I just doubt I would fit in since I like to Roleplay characters that I am writing for stories/short stories(it is one of the best ways to flesh them out I think).

This hasn't stopped people from posting. I've used some characters from my stories at tGA (although I modified them a bit to make them fit into the tGA world), so you can do the same too. Just remember to follow the guidelines in the Profiles thread if you're going to post a character.

4 Pages of RP text is a lot to read at once.

Don't worry. You don't have to read the previous RP threads if you don't want to. We have a brief summary of the first chapter in the State of the World thread (which also contains a brief overview of the setting of the tGA world).

New players don't have to have any prior knowledge of earlier plots. In fact, the setting of the world is such that characters have been living in isolation in the RP for the past 10 years, so few if any even know what's really going on in the world. Thus it's easy to introduce characters to the plot without worrying about any history.

Also, it's not necessary to read through all of the pages even in our newest RP thread. I think that reading through only three or four of the latest posts will be more than enough so that you can see where the action is currently taking place in and where you can meet other characters.

If any of you are still in doubt as far as the plot is concerned, you can always PM me or Nic in the forums or contact us in AIM or MSN. I (or Nic) can give you a brief summary of the plot so far and also answer any other questions you have in mind.

Our Ashi is not EoFF's Ashi. They're not even the same gender.

I'd like to point out that Ashister is in fact the Ashi from tGA, whereas a person under the nick Ashi in EoFF is the other Ashi you were talking about. Ashister (who is different from EoFF's Ashi) has the same kitsune sig here as the one he has at tGA.

[ShunNakamura]

Shun, tGA is meant to be a story as well, which explains why each thread is referred to as a "chapter" and that they are marked by fairly big story events, effectively acting as story arcs. The idea of breaking it up to be more organized is decent, just not up to speed with how things flow at the Alliance.

I guessed it was likely something along those lines. I mainly mentioned because I found it easier for me to read/keep track of. I found that reading the Chapter of tGA was harder than other RP's I have read. And after thinking about it I realized that the breaking down apparently made it easier for me to read it.

This hasn't stopped people from posting. I've used some characters from my stories at tGA (although I modified them a bit to make them fit into the tGA world), so you can do the same too. Just remember to follow the guidelines in the Profiles thread if you're going to post a character.

I have tried and am trying. But the one character that I really feel needs fleshed out just can't seem to fit. It doesn't help that he isn't exactly a living thing to start with. And it gets worse from there.

I'll continue to play with him, but I am not really hopeful of coming up with a way I can fit him in without some major changes. At which point he is a different character and that kinda defeats my point of using him in the first place. Well anyway I look at it this thread was helpful. I at least want to try drawing him now(and I wanted to draw something but just couldn't come up with what for a while now)!

4 Pages of RP text is a lot to read at once.

Don't worry. You don't have to read the previous RP threads if you don't want to. We have a brief summary of the first chapter in the State of the World thread (which also contains a brief overview of the setting of the tGA world).

That comment was mostly made on the concept that I will probably read it just for fun. I read just about anything, so why not RP's? And I am horribly short of reading material lately.

[Kossage]

But the one character that I really feel needs fleshed out just can't seem to fit. It doesn't help that he isn't exactly a living thing to start with. And it gets worse from there.

You made me curious. Is this character by any chance an undead of some sort? If so, we've had our share of "undead" characters in the RP even if there were only a few of such. For example, a couple of important people in the plot have came back as sort of revenants (from both the good and bad guy camps, although such beings are in general rare), and we also have a lich as an important NPC.

I'll continue to play with him, but I am not really hopeful of coming up with a way I can fit him in without some major changes. At which point he is a different character and that kinda defeats my point of using him in the first place.

One of the ways I approached this dilemma with one of my characters was to adapt him into the story even if it meant sacrificing parts of his "essence" in the process. I've been RPing the character and it's been useful to see how he interacts with people, which gives me a better view of his psyche and worldview. Sometimes the plot even gives me ideas that I wouldn't have thought of otherwise, so it's all beneficial for the character in the end, and I can adapt those ideas into my story as well.

To make the long story short, you could try adapting your character into the RP and see how it changes him and whether it gives you any ideas that you could use for him in your own story. That has worked for me, at least, so maybe the same could be of use to you too.

[Aerith's Knight]

I finished my program. :O ^__^

^____________________^

I think I'll post something tonight. Can you point me at the set-up post again Kossage?

[Kossage]

Congrats!

Sure. I'll send you a PM with the details, so keep an eye out on your EoFF inbox.

[ShunNakamura]

You made me curious. Is this character by any chance an undead of some sort? If so, we've had our share of "undead" characters in the RP even if there were only a few of such. For example, a couple of important people in the plot have came back as sort of revenants (from both the good and bad guy camps, although such beings are in general rare), and we also have a lich as an important NPC.

Close but not quite. More of a life-sized humanoid doll that is self-aware, intelligent and possess freewill. Well actually life sized isn't accurate. He is 2.3 meters tall which is a bit taller than most men. But all the dolls of his creator are based on the same basic frame. He is the only humanoid one though(one that could be confused for an odd looking human/elf in other words).

This easily conflicts with race/lifespan/age type deal. He would be about 1 year and 9 months old and doesn't have a race or lifespan(he will continue to move until he is 'destroyed'/broken/forgotten by his 'mother'). In addition he doesn't really possess a class. He is simply a Doll.

"It took my mother 782,790 hours to give birth to me," is usually the first thing he will say about his mother, with pride. Yes this is just an extra bit for Luls. Hadn't even realized he said that until I reread one of his encounters with a young human woman who recently became pregnant. And he was acting as the local doctor at the time, in charge of giving her advice about giving birth(poor girl, imagine the shock that would give you if you heard you could be giving birth for 89 years!).

I was making a much longer reply originally. I think I'll link it when I finish it. It turned into a short story almost. Also due to the topic he has already been molded a bit to fit. He isn't a particularly powerful character to start with. But the fact that he is a doll grants him unique features that living creatures do not have; which could easily go into god mode, in a way, if I am not careful with them. I have always been bad with backgrounds. They always turn into short stories. I am a bit verbose if you hadn't been able to tell .

Anyways I must have overlooked the Lich/undead in the character list(or are they not there?)

One of the ways I approached this dilemma with one of my characters was to adapt him into the story even if it meant sacrificing parts of his "essence" in the process. I've been RPing the character and it's been useful to see how he interacts with people, which gives me a better view of his psyche and worldview.

My problem is how I write(and this is also why I never finish anything). I don't write, the story writes itself through me. As such, I have noticed that even small changes can end up with my characters/plot being radically different. Even changing a person's age in Figune's case strongly altered him. This trait of mine annoys the daylights out of my teachers and me.

It also makes it hard for me to pick up where others left off(which is why I say I am writer not an RP'er). The first time I tried to reply to an RP I ended up writing a 3 page reply where I effectively wrote my own short story involving the characters. I scrapped that. That wasn't RP . However I have since then partaken in a little 'practice' one that I did a bit better in.

Anyways the traits that are changeable differ from person to person. For example the fact that my doll is not a living thing at all is kinda of a central trait. Making him a human/elf/dwarf would end up changing a lot more than just race. After all, does a doll no matter how smart or self-aware have a 'soul'? However, the length of his birth could be changed with little effect(all it would affect is his mother, in my story she is easily over 1500 years old. So 89 years to her isn't much at all).

[Kossage]

Thanks for clearing it up. I can see how it'd be difficult to fit him into the story. However, we've had cases where people thought of something similar but pondered how they could make it work in the RP. Here's one possible solution:

Essentially they kept the characters' ideals and worldviews etc. the same. However, the key thing they changed was that they made their characters fully human/dwarf/elf and made the characters mentally unstable. Some characters thought they were reincarnated gods and whatnot even though they were just plain crazy.

Maybe in your case the solution could be that your character went crazy at the end of the war (in the RP) because of all the deaths he witnessed, and now he thinks of himself as a doll (and whatever else you described about him and his mom in your post)? It could all be just in his head, but he'd really believe that stuff and think that he has all those powers.

Also, a character's background doesn't have to be extensive, so don't worry about it. Some of us write backgrounds that are two or so paragraphs long, but there are a few players who have written very little background and prefer to flesh out their characters' backgrounds gradually in the story.

Anyways I must have overlooked the Lich/undead in the character list(or are they not there?)

They're in the list but in the NPC section. If you want to take a closer look, search for Drishnek and Jemuel (they're both under Libaterra in the NPC section of the [Quick Character Listing] thread).

Bleys's character Leon was a Revenant like Jemuel at one point, but Leon has since gained a fully human body (it's a long story). Anyway, undead/revenant characters are really rare, so these people are more of a exception to the rule.

[ShunNakamura]

The background is long just because I can't write short stories. I really felt the pain in that section of English class. No matter how hard I tried I could not write a 4-5 page short story. I ended up turning in a 'chapter' instead. Got some serious marks off. So the background story will not be short purely because I fail at writing synopsis.

And how did I ever miss that?! I looked straight at those portraits and I still overlooked them!



Changing him from a doll to a living creature would change him to the point that it would have little benefit other than plot idea gathering for the story he is in(which I can get from just reading, no need to actually RP unless it helps open up his character). His entire concept is tied around being a doll.

A morphed version would doubtless be interesting to play. But in my case I RP for one reason and one reason only, to flesh out characters. Anything else is a secondary purpose. Anyways I will be reading and I can probably take a look around. With the number of characters I have written up I can probably find something that needs/wants fleshed out that will fit. Looking around comes up with two possible candidates. Throwaways from an RPG Mock story I thought of writing for a contest somewhere(wait... was it a contest... or maybe a short story scholarship). Well either way it never got out of the planning phase. But it did result in two orphan characters that don't have their own story(though they do have a rough plot outline and that sort of stuff done).

I'll see about them. But they were orphaned for a reason. If even after conversion I have no intention of finishing their story... well once again the point of playing for me would fall flat.

Question though. Must they have a weapon or is it fine to use that just to list what they are proficient with? They don't really have their own weapons. It was a mock story, I was originally going to make a version of it interactive where people who read my work could 'vote' on their class progression. As such they just have a list of weapons/armors they are proficient with and they would equip/de-equip as the votes lead them. As in most RPG's their class restricts/expands their use. Just curious if that system could translate at all or if I would have to hard code them. It would be interesting for them to 'class' change while going through the story .

[Aerith's Knight]

I posted. ^__^

I actually enjoyed it. Diving into an imaginary world again. I think it's time to develop my character's past.

[Kossage]

Must they have a weapon or is it fine to use that just to list what they are proficient with? They don't really have their own weapons. It was a mock story, I was originally going to make a version of it interactive where people who read my work could 'vote' on their class progression. As such they just have a list of weapons/armors they are proficient with and they would equip/de-equip as the votes lead them. As in most RPG's their class restricts/expands their use. Just curious if that system could translate at all or if I would have to hard code them. It would be interesting for them to 'class' change while going through the story .

Yeah, a list of weapon(s) they would be proficient with is enough, and it can just be a very general outline (like daggers, spears etc.). The characters don't have to carry weapons around, but the weapon field is there so that we players know what kinds of weapons the characters could use if they were given one. To give you an example, my cleric character is proficient with daggers and staffs, but she's not carrying any weapon for the time being.

Class changes or multiclassing are definitely possible. One of my characters started out as a thief but is slowly trying to become a white mage. He's still very far from that goal, but that example just shows you that multiclassing can be done. We prefer people starting out with one class at first, though, so that they don't become overpowering, but they're free to try to multiclass gradually as the story progresses. The only limit is that characters can't be jacks of all trades: if they gain additional skills and such, they must be kept in check so that they won't be god-moded.

I posted. ^__^

I actually enjoyed it. Diving into an imaginary world again. I think it's time to develop my character's past.

Awesome! Good to see you back!

[ShunNakamura]

Yeah, a list of weapon(s) they would be proficient with is enough, and it can just be a very general outline (like daggers, spears etc.). The characters don't have to carry weapons around, but the weapon field is there so that we players know what kinds of weapons the characters could use if they were given one. To give you an example, my cleric character is proficient with daggers and staffs, but she's not carrying any weapon for the time being.

Good to hear. Yeah the list is kinda basic. But it gets complicated since I have the entire class progression mapped out(and which weapons open up when if they train as x, etc). It isn't set in stone, but it does mean I'll have to look up which ones they can use at what times.

Class changes or multiclassing are definitely possible. One of my characters started out as a thief but is slowly trying to become a white mage.

Once again good to hear and their class progression is fully mapped(I just gotta pick which way they want to go).

The only limit is that characters can't be jacks of all trades: if they gain additional skills and such, they must be kept in check so that they won't be god-moded.

That isn't so good to hear. One of the two is a JoaT(or rather eventually becomes one). Excels in nothing but is very flexible*. Hmm.. I'll check her class progression. The classes each of them have open vary greatly. All of her classes can't possibly be a JoaT of some kind, I hope.

And godmodding them shouldn't be hard to avoid. Being an RPG ripoff story I already spent ages balancing their classes/skills/techniques/what-have-you out. I just got to make sure they scale into tGA fine(shouldn't be hard, they are from a low fantasy setting). Plus the setting they were in called for them to be 'weak'(they weren't the heroes; more like victims).

I think I got one of them nearly profiled. Now I just have to write them 'into' the story. I.E. give them a 'birth' place(home kingdom) and the ilk and an appropriate back-story/reason for adventuring(this last shouldn't be too hard, they should be able to adventure for the same reason). Not sure what to do about the factions. Their 'factions' were always what initiated their class changes(i.e. you don't class change with levels but through questing). I might just have to dump them into their own factions. But I'll have to do some reading up and see if there is already something that is a rough fit(a quick scan said no, but I had missed the Lich after all!).

*I.E. there are two ways you can look at JoaT depending on your world view(sort of like a pessimist/optimist is it half empty/half full type deal). A JoaT is either equally good at every thing, or equally inept at everything. If you note JoaT's in a lot of RPG type games usually aren't the most picked character. It is usually the ones that 'focus' in one area or so(such as agility, etc). Well at least among people looking for the most power that is so. JoaT's are usually the fun classes. The Red Mage is usually a JoaT of some kind, as is the Blue Mage, etc.

[Citizen Bleys]

Bleys's character Leon was a Revenant like Jemuel at one point, but Leon has since gained a fully human body (it's a long story). Anyway, undead/revenant characters are really rare, so these people are more of a exception to the rule.

You forgot Geraud; He's not technically dead, just sealed into the Silverbranch Tree, but he's still carrying Grady Silverbranch's spirit. That's sort of undead.

I was going to write up a blurb about Leon being freaked out by normal things like aging; he never would have experienced that as an andain or revenant.

[Kossage]

The only limit is that characters can't be jacks of all trades: if they gain additional skills and such, they must be kept in check so that they won't be god-moded.

That isn't so good to hear. One of the two is a JoaT(or rather eventually becomes one). Excels in nothing but is very flexible*. Hmm.. I'll check her class progression. The classes each of them have open vary greatly. All of her classes can't possibly be a JoaT of some kind, I hope.

I guess I need to clarify. What I mean by it is that people can be sorts of jacks-of-all-trades as long as they aren't good in everything. Characters have to have flaws so that they won't dominate the battlefield or come out as Mary Sues.

What I meant by keeping their powers in check follows the way Final Fantasy has usually handled it: a Red Mage knows basic white/black magic and can fight moderately with melee weapons, but he or she can't cast high level white/black magic spells or fight as well as a trained warrior would. For example, my current Red Mage character is somewhat efficient with casting black magic, but he can't fight like a pro or cast really powerful healing spells (but he would still be better in close combat than a pure white/black mage and a better caster than a pure warrior). It's all about balancing the character to a "realistic" level.

Not sure what to do about the factions. Their 'factions' were always what initiated their class changes(i.e. you don't class change with levels but through questing). I might just have to dump them into their own factions. But I'll have to do some reading up and see if there is already something that is a rough fit(a quick scan said no, but I had missed the Lich after all!).

You don't have to join a faction if you don't want to. The only thing in that Faction field that is important to us is the character's home kingdom. Factions are only there in case you want to create one for yourself or if you really feel that that being a member of some faction would make things interesting. We have a few characters who aren't members of any factions and instead they're faction-free, so you can follow their example if you want.

You forgot Geraud; He's not technically dead, just sealed into the Silverbranch Tree, but he's still carrying Grady Silverbranch's spirit. That's sort of undead.

I was going to write up a blurb about Leon being freaked out by normal things like aging; he never would have experienced that as an andain or revenant.

Whoops, that's true. Thanks for reminding me.

Yeah, it'll be interesting to hear more about Leon. I wonder how he feels now that he has a loving wife and a baby girl. It's probably quite blissful compared to how much he had to suffer earlier. Although his evil mom is still around somewhere, so who knows...

[Nic]

Essentially they kept the characters' ideals and worldviews etc. the same. However, the key thing they changed was that they made their characters fully human/dwarf/elf and made the characters mentally unstable. Some characters thought they were reincarnated gods and whatnot even though they were just plain crazy.

We've also had a few uh...other races. Talking bunnies, jaguars, dogs...caravans...

Paul's character Jumahn is actually from an awesome short story Paul's dad wrote yeeeears ago. Even if Paul doesn't end up RPing him, I think I will.

[Kossage]

We've also had a few uh...other races. Talking bunnies, jaguars, dogs...caravans...

Haha, that's true. Particularly the "flirty" dog and the caravan freaked me out. It'd be nice if BoB could come back to RP his jaguar character, though.

Well, at least we'll have Bleys's Scuns.