So... opinions? Other places I should make the proposal?
I think that if something like this were to be put into effect, it might as well be a PBeM or PBP RPG set in the Multiverse. I think it'd have more clout and less conflict, plus people would be more easily able to see how the events -- be they epic and plane-shattering or simply affecting a localized area -- came to be.
If this were to come to anything, of course, at least three things should happen.
1. All interested parties should state the fact that this is something they would like to be involved with.
2. From the pool of said interested parties, a sort of moderating group should be established.
3. Said interested parties should submit suggestions for a set of guidelines to be used when running adventures, with the mods having final approval.
Do these suggestions sit well with everyone, or is such an idea only a pipe dream? Personally, I would love the chance for us to unify in our love for the setting into a true community, and show the non-believers what group solidarity can accomplish.
Maybe, if other users of this board decide that such an idea is appealling to them, we could use this board as an initial set up, just to get everything squared away, then move off-site somewhere for the posting of the guidelines and the results of adventures, as well as discussions of how to properly merge the new material with the setting as it exists. Such a site could be something as simple as a newly created Yahoo! Group, where a message board, chat room, and updateable calender for scheduling meetings are included. Or not, depending on your opinion of Yahoo!, but it's just an example of a quick, and more importantly, FREE, community site could be established. Also, the link to said site could be placed in the sigs of members that also post here, just to direct others who might be interested.
Just a few ideas that I'm tossing around, here guys. Are there others interested? If so, I'm sure that you have better ideas on how to establish such a thing.
At any rate, if someone needs a forum, I have several hundred MB of unused webspace that I can offer.
Problem is, I don't know if there is enough interest in such a project to even warrant the effort. I, for one, am definitely in. It seems that Primemover003 is in as well, judging by his post. Also, I assume that Bob the Efreet is in since he is the originator of the idea. I'll keep hope alive and push for it, until either it gets off the ground or everyone else tells me to stop.
As for the forum based campaign that you describe, maybe such a thing could be included with our plans. Such a campaign's ongoing results would become automatic cannon for the community's version of the setting. Also, DM's that run paper & pen PS with their own groups would submit results of their individual campaigns that are to be reviewed and, after either being accepted as is or revised as needed, subsequently added into cannon as well.
My question is can these ideas actually work, or is it too broad in scope and ambition to actually get off of the ground?
To make a long story short, I don't have the time to moderate such a game, especially not by myself. I'd rather just give you the space, let you moderate, and I'll pop in here and there.
It would be a good idea if we had the people and such that are willing.
I personally don't have any experience with any form of web design (I need to take a course, so I think I'll try and add that class to next semester's schedule)
I've got some web design skills (caveat: only works properly on CSS2-compiant browsers) and some time to work on a project like this. I've also got some space left on my hosting service for something like this. I've also got some PHP and perl coding skills, (and I know a passable amount of SQL) so it's possible I could be talked into adding a feature or two to an already existing CMS if need be. We oughta set up an IRC room too, if this is going to get off the ground. Just because all the cool kids have IRC chans.
Frankly, if we all has some elected leader to pose as the Lady of Pain, this might be fun. But I'm also for a little more freedom in running my campaigns!
Originally posted by Primus, the One and Prime
What's an RoE? I do hanker for a good PS game.
I would assume that RoE is Realms of Evil but not 100% sure.
Sildatorak yes that the site its even in my sig. The bone box rattler is a forum that caters only to planescape (they dont get much traffic even his close to 90 people).
I'm glad that you have the ability to code for a website, the spare time to do it, and that you are also willing to do it. I don't have any problem with you involvement, I openly welcome it, if fact, so I'll reserve the right to discuss this further with you in the future when and if this proposal gets off the ground, if that suits you.
To Saurstalk:
As I see it, the limits shouldn't be overly ridiculous, just based on common sense. Simple things such as no serious alterations to the planes themselves, and such. These guidelines are more for setting limits to power gamers who like to allow PC's to kill gods at will or otherwise change the multiverse in ways that normal players would consider insane. But on the same note, if posts from this board are any indication, such guidelines would normally be followed in the games that are currently being run by people here. Most all of us understand that you don't change too much when you play PS without an exceptional reason as it totally disrupts the entire concept of the setting.
As for the Lady of Pain analogy that you used, it wouldn't be a single person that had such control, but instead a group of moderators that would work together to decide on any guidelines to be used and also work together in determining what will be "official" cannon for the community. While I'm sure that the moderators would have disagreements from time to time, it seems to me that such a system is better than any one person having absolute control.
There are things to be worked out still, such as who exactly would be moderating in the first place and how would moderators be chosen, but until enough interest in the project is shown, then such generalizations of how such a group campaign would ideally be run is good enough for the moment.
To Sword_Of_Geddon:
I wouldn't want to leave out you or anyone else who doesn't have a gaming group, that is why I'm so interested in find a way for the forum based campaign to work. Besides, at least the posts you have given in reply to some of my statements convince me that you would be a valuable addition.
To Bob the Efreet:
I hope that you don't think that I'm stealing your idea or that I'm stepping on your toes by taking an acitive role in pushing for this. It is your idea, after all. I'm just doing my part to try and get this off of the ground.
To anyone involved in the Planewalker conversion:
I in no way want to ursurp you authority on the subject of Planescape. Our community is solely an option for players to enjoy the game together. Nothing you write will be contradicted or even placed on the site. I would rather link to the rules that you are developing. Your hard work is appreciated, as the cancellation of PS effectively killed my enthusiasm for the game, and your work has brought me back to the game.
To everyone else:
Man, I'm long-winded. Just wanted to state that I am of the opinion that anything we choose to be cannon for the group should be fluff, without too much crunch. I don't think that what we all need is more rules upon rules upon rules. I guess that some amount of rules may be needed if we create a new site or two, but I don't want an insane amount. Of course, this is my opinion and what we include would be based on what the majority of users wants, not on my personal beliefs on the subject.
Two things that I would choose for the guidelines, for example, would be (A) No stats for the gods would be used. They are too powerful to be defeated, so quantifying their abilities is a moot points. Only their domain, alignment, plane of residence, beliefs and divine rank will be used. (B) No epic levels. Don't like 'em, don't want to use 'em. Others may disagree, so if the majority wants it different, then so be it. My word is not law. I'm merely an instrument to get this thing going, nothing more. I'm not even interested in being a mod, as there are others out there that are WAY more knowledgeable than I about the subject of PS and therefore they need to moderate. I'll help in the initial construction, but after that, I'm a member, nothing more.
I think any of my fellow diehards here on the PS and MotP boards would probably agree that I'm something of a greybeard and almost always on... Anyone may dissent (my Natural armor bonus is high)
Also my take on the Ridiculous levels is well... well you know my take.:devilI also agree that a small council of moderators would work better than one person holding the reigns. As for ridiculous-level characters... I don't mind character level >20, I do mind the Ridiculous Level Handbook. Although if other people want to have epic characters in their games, so long as they don't walk around causing all kinds of disruption to the status quo we'd like to maintain, I don't really see why we should try to stop them.
Also, the forum based campaign idea would be ran by (hopefull) one or more of the mods and be considered automatic cannon for the community.
Of course, this is all only speculation on my part and how things are actually going to be ran are dependant on the ideas of others who wish to participate.
Good idea on the calendar, too. As such, what is the "offical" Planescape timeline format? FR uses Dale Reckoning, so what is the Planescape equivalent?
However Xanxost has no gaming group right now, so sad. And even if he did, all of Xanxost's Planescape books are in another state right now.
But Xanxost would like to help primemover moderate, or at least brainstorm. There are lots of storms on Limbo.
I actually JUST joined RoE and I don't want to be an RoE
, I just want good people to come and game! GAME!!!!Besides, I wouldn't dream of leaving out your, um......unique perspective on things.
Sigil has a calender system, its defined in "Cycles". There is also an Outlands calendar on the Mimir that could be used.
So I have only realy ben doing a PS games for 6th mounths (and finding lots of info as well in that time). Since im starting to realy get into the swing now things are going to get fun in my new game ;) .
So in short is that place gets off the ground im willing to be an online DM if need be.
I'll also add your name to the mod candidate list. Glad to have you on board.
You see, each rotation of the main cog is 1 cycle. 17 revolutions is a Great Cycle. A minute is defined by the time it takes for the smaller two cogs, 115 and 4321, to come into alignment 14 times, though a slight adjustment is made every third minute due to interactions with gear 11116. A day is one tick of the main cog modified by the rotation of piston ADFEZ. A week is denoted as....
::4 hours later::
Simple!
Originally posted by Primus, the One and Prime
I still get to play as a Mod correct?
Sure, I don't see why not. I wouldn't want mods to just be there to edit and approve what is and isn't cannon. I would want mods to be acitve participants in the game as well, whether it be as a DM or a player.
I'm more or less intimately linking Sigil to the Orion Arm of the Milky Way (Star*Drive), with repercussions including a drastic technological shift in Sigil and an overall modernization of the city and its inhabitants. I'm going to be running the Incursion campaign from Dungeon/Dragon as a part of this, which has far-reaching consequences for the whole multiverse.
On the other hand, I love this idea. I would like to see something along the lines of Living Sigil put in place.
All of your plans seem to be unfolding nicely, but the question remains: Do you still need the rilmani's webspace? If so, it is readily available.
If you are wanting to use it, let me know ASAP and I'll get a forum established very quickly, give you a collective FTP account, and train you on how to use the forum's administrative controls.
Please try to give me a heads up sometime before this weekend is over so I can get everything ready
I'll be going out of town, without internet access from Dec 19 until New Year's Eve, so I'd like to get it at least set up before I leave.online gaming works well, as do "living games" i have experience with both, but in a different system (legend of the five rings).
they take a little work, and some more suspension of disbeleif that ususal
I'll have the FTP account and the board set up hopefully by this evening. If you are a party who is interested in moderating or whatnot, please send me a PM that tells me how to get ahold of you. I use Yahoo, ICQ and AIM.
I'm glad that you have the ability to code for a website, the spare time to do it, and that you are also willing to do it. I don't have any problem with you involvement, I openly welcome it, if fact, so I'll reserve the right to discuss this further with you in the future when and if this proposal gets off the ground, if that suits you.
Sure. Drop an email to [email]mrgoat@goat-net.org[/email] when/if you want me to do some work for you. I've seen online rpging projects either be virtually unusable or outright fail because no one was willing/able to do the dirty work, so I figured I'd offer, since I'd definitely enjoy this one.
Oh yeah, I'd like to play too.
If we had enough people we could even set up adventures in certian areas of the planes, so players could pick where they wanted to be 'stationed' so to speak. Of course then, who wouldn't want to be in Sigil?
Just tossing some ideas around.
-Greyjoy
ok here it comes.
A place to post new stuff (homade and such). (like the womb at RoE)
A place to put new locals and such (look at RoE PS forum and youll see what I mean).
A place for the games to be put up (for other games then the ones that are up).
A place for OOC talk.
A place to run the games.
Thats it for now.
If anyone else is interested, let me know and we can start figuring out how to make it a reality.
Wiki?
First, the exact number of moderators and who those mods will be need to be determined. I was thinking that only 4 or 5 people need to become mods. This way, there are enough to fully discuss submissions as to their validity and balance in our continium and address any problems found, but not too many that nothing truly gets accomplished. I know that Xanxost, Primus, and primemover003 have expressed interest in the mod positions, and I assume that Bob the Efreet would want to be a mod as well since this whole idea was his, but are there any other interested parties? Also, I feel that full mod capabilities be given to Center of All as well. I know that he has previously stated that he might not have the time for an active role in the project, but we would be using his webspace and his perspective could help if any difficulties arise. (Subject to him agreeing to this, of course.) The role of the mod should also be clearly defined, as well.
Second, guidlines must be established for the community after the mods are selected. Everyone who wants to be involved should post their ideas of what is and is not acceptable for use in our community. Things such as whether epic levels should be used, and if so, then what limits should be placed on them, and things of that nature that could possibly disrupt the shared campaign. The mods would then take these suggestions and then come up with our official set of guidelines.
Third, exactly what should be included on the website should also be discussed and decided upon. The forum based campaign has already been touched upon, and the submission of adventure outcomes by users for possible inclusion in campaign cannon has been discussed (and may need to be clarified), but what else needs to be included. Both Adrian Greyjoy and law have posted possible inclusions, but does anything else need to be added? Everyone keep in mind that we are using webspace provided by Center of All, and the amount that he is willing to let us use is purely at his discretion, so we need to pretend that we have very little space to work with when determining what we can and can't include.
Finally, anything else that needs to be clarified or discussed should be brought out into the open. As with all things, I'm sure there are going to be some pitfalls along the way, and the more we square away before going into this at full speed, the easier things will be when all of this gets started. I would also like to state that I can in no way give any official answers. I only offer suggestions to how I feel things should be and anything that I say is not law. When the mods are decided upon, their word will then become law (or chaos, in the case of Xanxost).
edit: I just searched for planescape, and found it! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planescape
are there any other interested parties?
I'm interested in being a mod. I don't know how much people trust my judgement, but there you have it.
We should have a list of various important NPCs and create a quick write-up of stats or at least levels, for them. Any plans to slay/alter/etc. one of the main NPCs as part of a story should be brought up BEFORE hand.
We should have some main gaming guidelines. "Do not kill the Lady. Do not explain the Lady. etc."
We should also have a system for big updates. Like, "Attention on 4/5/1004 the layer of Pellion drifted onto the Gray Wastes of Hades! Watch out!"
...then Primemover and Bob the Efreet would represent the Prime and Inner planes...
Strange how that works out.
Just so every one knows when we get things ina good order one of us will post a link.
I'm willing to be a mod if we need anymore, and I'd also like to be a player. Like Primemover I also have access to almost all of the planescape stuff (either in pdf or book form). But yeah, I definitly want to get in on this action
And even though my sig suggests otherwise, I'm really not trying to drastically alter anything accepted as canon
Originally posted by Bonemage
This thread seems to have been forgotten but what is the continued interest in doing some sort of a forum based Planescape Game? Also I wonder what kind of legal rights we have to post maps of Sigil and such... I know to some extent we have creative license when doing something like describing the wards as long as we don't cut and paste them from the Boxed Set(s). But anyway I wouldn't be willing to spearhead but I would certainly join a group of people wanting to work on such a project and moderate/participate in a forum based campaign. I have been involved in many of the sort for just various fantasy and science fiction topics.
I believe we have license to post our own drawings of planar maps and our own writing on the information provided by Planescape.
However, as you said, we are not allowed to post images copied directly from the books.
If you are still interested in participating, I think we have a few more spots open and some new blood might be refreshing to the development side. Things have been a bit slow over there lately. Send me a PM if you're interested and I will give you the site information.
Anyway, i would love have a part in something that is bigger than my own humble little setting...
Presently i am DM'ing a group of bashers green to the planes making their first steps in Sigil Dark & Uncaring, where you can't even trust Time itself...
I have been playing PS for about 4 years now, completed 2 campaigns and recently started DM'ing another one, this time with new players, not D&D, just story-driven as PS lends itself excellent for this.
Would love to play in, moderate or just give my own influx of ideas to this project. I have all the books, know the chant and love the Lady with all my heart...
*grins* The more the merrier.