Like we were talking about in the previous poll, we're getting ready to head into Chapter 3 of our story. It looks like it's going to be divided up into a kind of "Chapter 3a" and "Chapter 3b," with half the cast in one place, and the other half in another.

I know there is divided and mixed interest (in that some of you are interested in one but not the other, and some of you are just "meh" on both), but it would be helpful to me and others who are trying to sculpt this if we had some sort of more concrete idea of which characters you guys plan to involve, and where.

Please reply to this thread with the names of the characters you intend to play, and where you want each—in the mystery story arc, or the space story arc.

We're still shaky on most details, but here is the most concrete information I can really provide at the moment.




Chapter 3a
- Takes place at a non-canon location devised for our story. We've used it before looong ago in the old RP before this one: "Cape Norden"
- Probably more closely resembles the old-fashioned European-looking areas of Sonic Unleashed than any other Sonic series locale
- Anachronistic; the environment will be kind of industrial-era, with older technology than we're used to seeing in our story (although there probably will still be cars and the like, just old-fashioned ones), potentially with some vaguely steampunk-ish elements, but not overblown.
- Cold weather, definitely wintertime
- May be a good place to make/introduce new characters, since it's a dramatically different place, and would allow for a different character style
- Story will still feature combat and adventure, but will be more fantasy-oriented, and will have a mystery to be pieced together (if we can come up with a good one, I hope)
- "Laytonian" is a good key word. If you like the flavor of the Professor Layton games and their settings, good. If you've never played one of those, it doesn't matter. We're not going to be copping off of it that hard, hopefully.

What I'm toying with for this one is a slightly different RP style. As it's been working, we've typically had a "group leader" kind of character (or two) moving the story along in each thread, guided to set up scenes and lay out scenarios for people to play in and react to.

Instead, I'm thinking that this time, we may try a truly freeform approach. Perhaps we'll make a rudimentary map of the town or area. Then, the players decide what they want to do, with no guidance from any admin running the story. A player will open a thread, others can join in if they want, and they set out and decide where to start. Players may sometimes have to make very short posts to simply "investigate" things, and leave room for an NPC post to briefly describe it or answer questions. (i.e. One may post entering a building, or room, or what have you, then wait for an NPC poster to describe it.)

Ideally, literally anyone can go anywhere at any time and do anything. The end result will probably be shorter, less verbose posts, with more interplay back and forth as areas are briefly and succinctly described for players, results to their actions are posted, and so on. To keep people from ever running into a brick wall, there will be a character "in the know" who will be able to help drop hints or point the cast in the right direction.

Of course, if this proves exceedingly awkward or just plain doesn't work, we can hit the "ABORT" button, and go back to handling things the way we have been, with a group leader character (a Jack, a Rock, somebody like that) and a more straightforward "rollercoaster" approach, and salvage things.

Just bear with me, here. I'm hoping there won't be any harm in trying something new, and I'm really hoping that it might lead to characters being able to do more unpredictable and interesting things, being that they aren't shoehorned into the figurative boot of a series of predetermined events every thread. It's all to give you guys more freedom, really.



Chapter 3b
- Takes place in outer space
- This includes Earth orbit and beyond, possibly deep space, possibly unknown regions
- Assumes that outer space is somewhat "civilized"--that is to say, there are space colonies and stations, and commercial businesses in space, etc., with plenty of "urbanized stuff" to explore out there
-Might involve ARK at some point
- Probably a "ship life" story, with the most of the cast coexisting on one vessel (see: Cowboy Bebop, Firefly, etc.)
- Not hyper-realistic--space travel won't be overly trivialized, but it won't be anywhere near as complicated as real life, and no character, regardless of aptitude (or lack thereof) will be "baggage" or a liability just because the group is in space. It won't be that horrendously dangerous or complicated.

This is the polar opposite of the mystery RP. It will have to be on rails to some degree because at least a big chunk of the cast will be on one ship together, and they'll be going from place to place for some specific purpose. What that is yet, I don't know; like above, we haven't ironed out a whole lot of specifics.

Expect it to more closely resemble the stuff we've already done, and to have a lot of combat and scifi elements. There should be plenty of character interaction opportunity, since they'll be on a ship together (lending itself to lots of "we have nothing to do but interact" sequences), but that how good it is and how much of it there is just depends on how much everyone is willing to participate.

Also, I've gotten this question several times: Will there be aliens? And, I dunno. Maybe. Aliens often suck with stuff like this, but I think we could do them right if we wanted to. I just don't know if we want to yet. We'll see.



As for what characters I'm going to be using...


3a:
I'm making a new character specifically for the mystery story. He'll probably be the "helper" guy I was talking about. I presume I'll also be doing a lot of NPCing. I'll probably need someone to help me handle that stuff, and help devise a mystery.

3b:
Rock, for certain. Depending on how many characters are coming along on the space story, he may be part of the main cast, or kept separate from it (i.e. on a different ship). Dunno if I'll play anyone else. (I'll probably give Dr. Henshin a rest for a while, too. Astrophysics ain't his field of expertise.)



So please, reply at earliest convenience, and lemme know. Also, it still isn't too late to pitch an alternative to one of the above, if you have any kind of story idea you'd like to try.

Now having actually seen the details of the mystery side of things, that actually does seem interesting. Thing is, space always is a one-up to nearly everything for me, so, as I've said before, I'll be tossing Sheffer into 3b.

However, I might try to create a new character for 3a. Probably after actually seeing how the thread is developing and having time to think over it to see if there is a suitable opening for whoever I could come up with, of course. Not going to rush things.

I don't think I have anyone that can really participate in 3a, but....

3b:
Definitely Wild Badge. I want a spaceship that transforms into a giant robot. ...Just kidding. Maybe.

Well, Jam is go for launch. That's pretty much a given.

As for the mystery thing, I was thinking about either making a new character, or retooling Umbriel to be like a traveling fortune teller, or something, and then, maybe when the mystery happens, or as the investigation around it intensifies/becomes more dire/whatever, the local authorities put the whole town on lock-down so no one can leave.

Just an idea.

For very mysterious reasons that will be known only to me, I feel Ace, and by extension Caz, would do better in the space situation, 3b.

That said, if anyone I've ever played is suited to solving detect-o mystery stories, it's Power Mask and his assortment of wonderful gadgets. I don't know yet if I'd be suited to that RP style as a person, but hey, there's always Plan B. So, Tank in 3a.

I'll probably be putting Rodolf into 3a and Mako in 3b, if only because Matt's horrible lightsabre-horn idea must never be allowed to come to reality.

But it just seems to fit the characters mannerisms better. At any rate, I'm still in the air and willing to switch the two, but just use this for planning purposes unless things change.

Edit to add: Aaah, but that'd split up the sidekick/mentor thing between Tank and Mako... oh, the dillemma.

3a for Ember. Mostly because I have little knowledge of space.

Seems 3b is pretty filled up.

I think I might bring back Ivan for 3a. Still up in the air with that, though.

3b for Tau, but only if i have the time, busy lately and unsure.

Jack is defiantly going into space. 3b for her.

If tracer gets out of jail or something she maybe up for 3a shenanigans. but she's still kinda incarcerated. so we'll see about that.

Ignore that. I desided in lue of the tsunami and the general lack of prepairness by the local authorities that Tracer is out of prison. As such...
3a will have Jack
3b will have my crazy mech suit wearing scifi harbinger of death.

Key was MADE for 3a. She lives to solve puzzles. (That, and I totally made her while marathoning the Professor Layton games, so.)

I'd like to submit a new character for 3b, if there's still room for it- oddly enough the character I almost submitted instead of Key, who is, well, an astrophysics-studying lab assistant.

3a would be nice for Basil, but I'm thinking it'd be a little better for a new character to get involved, in an attempt to get better acquainted with the regular cast.

3b sounds like it could be -amazing-, and I'd like to take part in the Space Adventure, but I don't really have anybody readily equipped for a plot like that; Vince has his resort he's gotta run/people to undermine, and Vito doesn't really have much of a motivation to head out into the Wild Yonder, so... I could probably make another face for this one with similar motivations to the one mentioned for 3a, but... I dunno, then it might seem like I'm just making too many people.

3a is looking more likely for me right now.

I know Im late on thins but Zip will more likely go with 3b, sounds more exciting for someone like him! Though 3a is a better place to introduce a character.....so maybe 3a would be better but Im going with 3b, just seems better for Zip