RP-Heavy LE (Player Roster Full - Map 2nite) - OOC
 

READ ALL RULES CAREFULLY BEFORE ASKING TO JOIN -- I WILL ASSUME YOU CONSENT AND AGREE TO ABIDE BY ALL RULES IF YOU SIGN THIS THREAD WITH A DESIRE TO JOIN THE GAME.

Game rules/theme:

This game finds the world of Dominions in its end times. Many of the more fantastic creatures have disappeared from the world, reachable now only through the most powerful magics. The Pretender Gods, while still obviously potent, are unable to bestow blessings of the same power as those found in previous eras. With magical resources steadily dwindling, would-be godlings find themselves forming uneasy temporary alliances, ever-mindful of their ultimate goal as they inch towards establishing Dominion.

Rule 1) Pretender choices are limited as follows:

PHYSICAL FORM: The more fantastic and monstrous Pretender Gods are disappearing as the land reshapes itself. The only Gods who may be chosen are those who possess the normal full set of item slots, UNLESS they are a mounted humanoid and therefore lacking the feet slot. No exceptions. Note that you may have MORE than the normal full set under this rule (such as, say, the Freak Lord). Shapeshifters ARE allowed IF their default form has its full complement of slots (i.e. a Bog Mummy qualifies whereas a Red Dragon does not.) This also allows for most Pretenders to be of a default form that would, in fact, communicate with its fellow aspirants. ;-)

Only C'tis, Ermor, Ulm and Agartha may take Undead pretenders.

MAGIC: Due to the failing of magic, no Pretender may have more than ONE Path of magic at level 8 or higher. Choose wisely.

Rule 2) ALLIANCES: While I decided against setting up alliances of my own design at game start, I will attempt to encourage them without being overly officious regarding what they may or may not do. Future games may involve a bit more mechanics, but for a dry run, I feel it's best to start simple. Therefore, consider the following:

WARM-UP AND DEAL-BROKERING PERIOD: For a week after pretender designs have been submitted but prior to Turn 1 being hosted, open negotiations between players will commence. Such negotiations should be done in-character and should be presented via the IC game thread. There will be plenty of time for subterfuge once the game begins; for this week period, all discussions should be out in the open as alliances begin to become public knowledge. What these alliances consist of is entirely up to the players. They may share information about their geographic locations at game start, their willingness to exchange gems, etc., plan on dividing up victory points -- whatever they prefer. There will be no binding out-of-character requirements with regard to these alliances and deals made outside of the game interface. Caveat emptor.

3) ROLE-PLAY

a) INTRODUCTIONS: All Pretenders, during the warm-up period, must send a greeting to their fellow pretenders via the IC game thread. It may be either an in-character missive or an out-of-character "scene" similar to what you see in AARs which depicts the Pretender God (either through its own eyes or those of its chief worshipper(s) in the case of dormant/imprisoned gods) and gives other players the knowledge of a) the PHYSICAL FORM of said God and b) the basic personality of that God (which you're of course free to determine of your own accord.)

b) UPDATES: Every year of game-time (i.e. 12 turns) players are expected to write a minimum of TWO (2) role-play-oriented posts to the IC game thread, in either missive or scene format within that span. Again, I'm leaving this flexible as people tend to have strong preferences for either the first or third-person format. While there is no character requirement for such posts, a few paragraphs is the base expectation. Feel free to trash-talk, update with current news of your conquests, tell stories of your god interacting with his/her worshippers -- whatever. Just keep it in-character and have fun.

c) IN-CHARACTER AT ALL TIMES: This is the OOC game thread, to be distinguished from the IC game thread. The OOC game thread is where all OOC chatter, such as questions re: hosting, game rules, or other such elements, should be brought. The IC thread, on the other hand, is where all missives, stories, scenes, epic poems, etc. should be posted. THERE IS NO OOC CHATTER ON THE IC THREAD. Keep it pure so that it creates a narrative we can all enjoy. Feel free to post screenshots in the IC thread so long as they enhance the story rather than detract from it. All messaging regarding game strategy, alliances, etc. , be it in the game engine or outside via e-mail or bulletin boards, must be done in-character. While I cannot police this 100%, I ask that you do this on your own honor and without metagaming.

d) ENFORCEMENT: I've learned, as a storyteller for over 20 years, that one cannot enforce good role-play. That said, individuals who violate the rules of my game repeatedly after warning will simply not be invited to future games.

4) COMMITMENT: This game, as written above, will require a fair amount of commitment, both in terms of maintaining the hosting schedule and in terms of continuing the role-play as expected. If you decide to play, play by the rules and play until the end. Failure to do so, particularly for no justifiable reason, will lead to a ban from future games that I host. A family emergency is justifiable. Getting "busy" is not. Plan now to have the time or plan to not play.

Game settings (open to slight variation after discussion if something seems completely unreasonable or poorly considered):

Late Era
48 hour quickhost (I am willing to go to a longer hosting schedule, but not a shorter one. Suggestions welcome.)
Map - Randomly generated medium map (15 provinces per player) with map file modified to accomodate special victory points.
All nations (or as many as we have sign-ups come game start)
Income, resources, supplies - 100%
Magic sites - 50
Hall of Fame - 15
Indies - 5
Renaming allowed - Names MUST be decent in-character names (i.e. no Mr. Bubbles Pretenders for R'lyeh. ;-))

PASSWORD REQUIRED FOR ALL PRETENDERS - failure to comply will equal forfeiture of your spot. Given recent events, I feel it's important to be clear on this front.

Victory by cumulative VPs - 6 - 3 sites, each worth 1 pt. Capitals are worth 0 VP, in order to provide less incentive to immediately remove a player from the game. Sites will be distributed evenly across the map and will be fortified and filled with heavy independent resistance in order to prevent those players beginning with proximity from gaining too heavy an advantage.

I will post server details as I become more acclimated to setting up my host. I should have them by the weekend.

Questions? Comments? Anything I've missed?

Players:
JaydedOne - Ermor
WSzaboPeter - Man
Ramshead - Ulm
Kissblade - R'lyeh
Quietly - Agartha
Cainehill - Tien Chi
Hadrian_II - Marignon
Death - Jomon
Atul - Atlantis
Djo - C'tis
Calmon - Mictlan
Upstreamedge - Pangaea
ReverendZombie - Patala
Kydorias - Caelum
YellowCactus - Pythium (? - Need to check after work to see if they even still exist LE.)
DominionDay - ??? (Need a nation pick and soon; not a lot left.)

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) -- OOC
 

Your VP distribution (36 needed, 3 available, right?) might be a bit skewed toward a long game. You know they only accumulate 1/yr?

Even if a player takes and keeps one of three VPs continuously, it'll still take 36 years, or 36 * 12 = 400+ turns to get that many VPs.

Anyone played games with cumulative VPs to suggest some good numbers?


(I will probably play, but I'll wait to claim a nation. Makes the choice easier.)

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Ermor please. If Man is taken. (But if you change your mind I will be glad to play the Trades Guild of Man.)

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

You saw where I already claimed Man, right? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

I had no idea actually. I thought it was per month. How does that work? Do portions of a year toll at all or do you have to control a point for a full consecutive year? Or is it whoever controls it at the turning point of the year?

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

For VP I would suggest a smaller number. This way if someone would get all 3 VPs he/she needs 144 turns to win, but I think if someone can hold all 3 VPs scattered around the world for 44 turns he is a clear winner... And why 144 then?
I would suggest 17 needed, if the VPs are far from each other.

I think the Ktonian Dead Agartha is suitable for undead pretenders. But you know.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

VPs are one per year, and it's whoever holds the province in summer. I think it's the mid-summer turn, not 100% sure.

I agree that Agartha should be allowed an undead pretender, too--their main mage/priests are necromancers!

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

I'd like to play Ulm. They are so foreboding (sp?). I was wandering two things though. One, what's IC and OOC stand for? Two: How come Ulm can't have a GK or VQ. Both seem very thematic to me. Oh and Mr. Bubbles is the pretender for Atlantis not R'lyeh. I should know.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

IC = in character, OOC = out of character (and splitting the conversation into two threads is a very good idea!)

I almost played Ulm in the Yarnspinners game. It should be great roleplaying fun. I would give Ulm a VQ exemption. I'm very generous when it's not my game.

20 provinces/nation may be too many; role-playing seems to thrive better when the nations come into contact. You may want that earlier rather than later.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Good points on all fronts.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

... I take it I'm NOT allowed to take a vampire queen for Patala no matter how overnerfed she is ... =(

Sign me up for Jomon I guess.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

I left you the Dreamlands and you're pouting over Patala? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Jomon it is. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Oh wow, nevermind I didn't realize the Void Lord had all the item slots! Dreamlands it is =D.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Oddly enough, I was thinking about banning the Void Lord simply because, item slots or no, he's kind of, um, -more- than what I wanted the average Pretender to be in this game.

But he fits the definition and is only somewhat better than your average Titan, so he stays. ;-)

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Hey be thankful, all my Dreamlands games were played with either a Kraken or a Wyrm -.-...

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

I'd like a spot for Agartha

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

I'll take Tien Chi.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

I'd like to join as Marignon

Roleplay with Angel and Daemon in the same army sounds so nicely sick.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

I'd like to be Jomon

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Huh, I've barely looked through the late era, but when a RP-heavy game comes along...

Atlantis?

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

I'll take C'tis. Open are the double doors of the horizon!

I am interested in knowing if you've rethought the VP numbers, though.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Not that I'm playing or anything, just sticking my snout in where it's probably not wanted... The Nataraja (along with the other four-armed beasties) has only one misc slot, and so not a full set.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Doh! You're correct. Will edit accordingly.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

out of curiousity, what sort of start date are you shooting for?

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

i would like to join as Mictlan.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Well, I'll post map and take pretenders files tomorrow or Monday at the latest. Then intro posts over the course of next week. A week from Monday, turn 1.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

game is full isint it

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

No, not full yet so long as you read the rules and are willing to agree.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

pangea please

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Is there room for one more?

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) -- OOC
 

Any chance you'll have the time to run through the map and #nostart the provinces with less than 3 or 4 appropriate neighbors? It'd help keep people from getting shafted by start positions.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

I'd like in as Patala, if there is room.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Caine - yes, I'll be checking for that before setting the map out, seeing as how I need to modify the .map file for the victory points anyhow.

DominionDay - who do you want? I think we're closing after your entry.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Let's swap. I'm feeling like writing some Ermorian RP.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Got your PM. You prefer Midgard, no?

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Okey, then Trade Guilds of Man.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Hi there, jumped in a little late. I haven't even looked much at the late era, does Caelum still exist?

If so, and if its not too late, I'd love to join in this game. I'm looking forward to writing (and reading) some fun RP stories!

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Yay!

A Truely ambitious game. I'd like to join, who's left to choose from? Pythium?
-yc

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

All right - now we're closed. Kydorias - you're in as Caelum - they exist as Return of the Raptors. YellowCactus, I need to check on Pythium. I know they're Sauromatia EA and Pythium MA, but I'm not sure if they exist LA. For some reason, I think not, but I'll know for sure tonight.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Late age, Pythium died already. :p

But sheesh, late age Atlantis, more Ulm than Ulm ever was, just now without archers and resource bonus sites... finally managed to put up even something remotely workable even if it hardly meets my usual modus operandi. No luck for me in choosing nations by random.

But, few questions that would answer themselves if I'd just wait, but have nothing to do so...

Graphs on/off? Didn't see that one in the first post.

Are peoples emails going to be collected and distributed collectively at some point or are we primarily relying on the forum for all communication? Rather not post my email here but don't have any problem giving it to co-players.

Already waiting for this, as YC said the idea is ambitious. Which is a Good Thing.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Late age nations currently without players:

Arcoscephale
Abysia
Midgård (or Pan, depending on upstreamedge, see JaydedOne's post a little bit above)
Utgård

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Love LA Atlantis, actually. I think their bless units are wonderful, they get little harpoony fishies to hold enemies in place for the nasty spells their nation gets, and they and Mictlan have a lot of options for returning to the sea so that R'lyeh doesn't maintain sole dominance. I think if you play a practice game or two before we get going, you'll find they're better than advertised. I was pleasantly surprised.

As for the questions:

1) No graphs. Having them wouldn't be much fun, would it? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif Let the knowledge be shared as it's garnered in-character.

2) I can do a collect-and-distribute on e-mails if people like. Just remember that all alliance-building prior to game start HAS to be done on the public IC thread. After that, use the IC thread for public missives and private e-mail/game interface for private missives. Ideally, you'll all save your private missives and post them to the IC thread as retrospectives once the game is over.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

I am defiantly Pan

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Hey hey hey, Atlantis isn't returning to sea, for they never left it first place. Just... misplaced their latest capital to some shore, but hey, it's so near, they practically wet their feet every day, it's as if they never left. Don't give R'lyeh any ideas about "sole dominance" of the seas.

Agreed on the sacreds, they're lovely. And me complaining a bit beforehand about my nation doesn't mean I wouldn't hold dear every little guy when I use them to sweep the floor with you guys. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: emails. I've just noticed in prior dom2 games that being on a different continent shortens the communication window considerably when the things are getting rough. So at some times it might be necessary to discuss stuff during working hours. And I probably won't be able to post on forums from work. Emails, on the other hand, no-one's asking questions about them. But that's just my preference.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Given the amount of people joining, has EVERYONE made sure to carefully read the rules? I'd rather not see half the people stale out later on in the game just because they've "lost interest". Also, as a challenge to Atlantis, the sea may be open but Ryleh welcomes your /attempt/ to return ...

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Later tonight when I post the map, I'll be asking all players to PM me with their e-mail addresses to be shared amongst players AND with a written confimation that they've read and agree to abide by all the rules, including the no-drop promise. If they drop at that point, then there's not much else we can do except bar them from joining future games. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Once the map's posted, I'll set up the server (which I might need some help with from an experienced hand), begin accepting pretenders, and open the IC thread for Turn 0 introductions. Game is still set to begin a week from today.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

Sounds great! I'm looking forward to this. This will be my first multiplayer game of Dom but what better way to do it than through some good RP. So if I do play like a noob, writing about the glorious demise of an empire can be just as fun as writing about its ascendancy http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

With open tentacles, I'm sure. As Atlantis is apparently hard-coded to start on a coastal province I fail to see how you could justify me not taking every capital-bordering province short of declaring war based on trash-talking in the OOC-thread before the game has even started. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif Lots of time for that after the IC-thread is set up.

On the other hand, I believe it's common knowledge that everyone in R'lyeh is a raving madman nowadays, so I shouldn't count on rational behaviour too much. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

My opinion only here, but expect a portion of the players to drop. Some always do. Gathering a list of potential sitters could be valuable at some point. Role-Play is awesome, and encouraging it is all you can really hope to do.
-yc

Oh, I'll take Acro, Please.

Re: RP-Heavy Late Era Game (Accepting Players) --
 

I expect drops. I'm just doing my best to discourage them.

Gathering a cadre of sitters though is likely a good plan, although always hard to pull off until you're in the moment and know what a person's present commitments are.