(Discontinued) Story Mode does Secret Santa

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Greenbriar

Greenbriar

Exile
Hi my friends, and thanks so much for your support in this - my first proposal with Story Mode!


If you've gotten this far you've probably already read more than enough about why I think this is a good idea and why it could be very fun for roleplayers new and experienced alike - so I won't go into all that again, but if you missed it you can read it again here:

So, when I'm roaming around the site, I often come across some of the same familiar faces in a number of different roleplays with remarkably similar characters. Some of them are pre-built characters that the roleplay are built around, but a lot of them seem to be original builds that... just happen to have a lot of the same characteristics, ambitions and traits. Please don't read this as my looking down my nose at these writers - I'm only a new roleplayer myself, and I've noticed I rarely write men and all my females tend to be strong and determinedly independent. I'm working on that, but I do have a comfort zone when it comes to the sort of characters I make and I'm aware of it.


Does anyone else feel the same way?


For growth as a writer and roleplayer, and because I think it would be fun, my proposal is that we start organizing a small roleplay now with a winter/Christmas theme, to start on December 1st. It could be modern, fantasy, whatever, and we do a check for interested parties as of the end of the month. The trick is, we don't play our own characters. Each player we recruit is secretly assigned another player to create a character for, and while the characters are all published in the character thread over November, no one knows which character they will be playing until December 1st comes up and the game begins. 


It's important that it be a relatively short story as players may not all enjoy the characters they find ourselves playing (although hopefully they're at least open to the idea or why sign up for this?) but the challenge is to portray the characters as thoroughly as possible. I see there being a small poll at the end where the GM calls out the three players they feel played their characters best and everyone votes among them for their favourite roleplay. 


No winners, no losers, just growth and fun.  :smile4:



Okay, now let's focus on the parts we can brainstorm on together to make this project fly!


1: We need a co-GM who's interested in helping me run this. If we get two or more keen folk I'll hand over the baton once this is up and running, and maybe just run the "Secret Santa" part of assigning the characters around. And participate of course, as I'd love to.


2: We need to brainstorm the plot. I could make this myself (and I've had a few ideas already), but I think it'd be loads better if we bounce it back and forth between us. Remember it has to be fairly short in scope for what we have in mind; something that would run for 1-2 months at most, and to give the players a chance to really get a feel for their characters so I'd like it to be lore-light (unless someone(s) would really like to do some concentrated worldbuilding on this).


3: We need to decide what "types" of characters the players can play.


4: We need to confirm how many players we need in order to play, and how many we can accept before it becomes unmanageable. 


My current thinking on #2 is to take @Riuma's advice to an extent and avoid making this a Christian-themed game. We can use Wintermas just as easily and celebrate the end of the year with a Winter festival, feast and markets, with everyone off work for the duration. The only thing is, the child that becomes the New Year is missing and the player characters get involved in hunting him/her down before it's too late and the course of the New Year is dictated to their own malicious ends.


My thinking for #3 if we build the plot around #2 is that the characters could include members of the secret society that protects the Yearlings (the New Year children) until they're safely manifested, other special interests who aren't the antagonist but want to control the new year to their own ends (and in their own ways) and straightforward Wintermas celebrants who nevertheless find themselves drawn into the plot by one of those "in the know" and who may or may not know what's really going on. Obviously this would be subject to some changes as we work out more about #2. 


My thinking for #4 is around 8-12 players to allow for a range of variety and also what I consider a manageable upper limit. I'd be surprised if we get too many more than this honestly, but I'm hoping we can keep the numbers down to a level one gm can handle for a short time if real life happens to the other, until they can be replaced.


So; tell me your thoughts and let's see how we weave all this together!
 
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1: I'd be willing to be the co-GM.


2: I think the holiday should be figured out before the plot is decided.


3: What do you mean by this?


4: I suggest posting an interest check (when this is all figured out of course) and seeing how many people are interested, and then setting a limit.


What do you mean "the child that becomes the New Year"? What role do they play? Also what do you mean "controlling the New Year"? There's not really anything to control.


On Secular Winter Holidays:


http://www.atheistrev.com/2012/12/secular-alternatives-to-christmas.html


http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/12/22/move-over-christmas-hanukkah-kwanzaa-atheists-create-humanlight-a-december-holiday-celebrating-secularism/


https://juicyecumenism.com/2013/12/15/happy-humanlight-the-nonbelievers-alternative-to-christmas/


http://www.wintermas.com


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HumanLight


On Other Winter Holidays:


https://www.rpnation.com/topic/270798-christmas-holidays/


http://www.oddee.com/item_99548.aspx


http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_conflict1.htm


http://www.soundvision.com/article/christmas-in-the-muslim-world


https://didyouknow.org/christmas/celebrations


https://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061217153134AAb7LyH


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multinational_festivals_and_holidays


https://www.berkeleyparentsnetwork.org/advice/holidays/xmas_alt
 
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I would also be interested in Co-GMing, but also definitely interested in participating or helping to manage it. ^_^


I like your idea for the plot, as it gives a good context for unlikely team ups or rivalries. Perhaps there is an additional incentive to finding the New Year's child, giving them reason to work together so that they can be the ones to find the child. (I'd suggest something like the belief that finding the child will have that child be indebted to them, and perhaps result in an auspicious year for the ones who find the child. Or something to that effect that motivates the characters to get together and pool their resources/skills)


As for the types of characters, I think that we should stick to human or humanoid characters, as there is a major focus on characterization. I'd shy away from including extensive instances of magic or OP techniques, and have more of the outcomes rely upon the characters' own wit and unique perspectives. Also, I'd have each player specify the type of demographic that they typically do, and break down the personality characteristics that they tend to frequent. To that end, perhaps we can break down personality in a way that's rather simplistic. One common way I've seen that done is to use the big five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, neuroticism). Alternatively, create other categories which players can specify whether their characters tend to have or lack (or whether their characters tend to be extremes or in the middle, or all over the place for a given characteristic). For players whose characters are a range of things in one category, the category which they tend to be relatively consistent in can be played up and be the opposite of what they usually do.


My friend Anomaly claims the magic number to be 6-7 of what works best, and with multiple GMs I think the cap should be increased as a multiple of that based upon how many people are actively overseeing it. Alternatively, a hosted project can be used in which multiple groups are formed that can be somewhat self sufficient or regulate themselves to an extent, but I'd leave that for a potential way to continue it if it's successful on a small scale. Essentially, start small and possibly build it up if it works out and test to see what numbers are manageable. (I'm not the most knowledgeable about what numbers work best though)
 
Riuma said:
GMs and Co-GMs can participate.
Click to expand...



Well yes, but I meant that if other people want to Co-GM, I'd simply participate in it myself instead (if there is room). I dislike taking roles that other people want, so to avoid having too many cooks in the kitchen, I wanted to make it clear that I'd be content in simply being a participant rather than taking the formal role of Co-GM. If another person wants to Co-GM besides you and me, I'll just participate and help where it's needed in the actual management of it. If not, well then it's a non issue ^_^
 
I am around. I Don't see myself being able to GM or CO-GM, but you have specific questions on anything, I can try to help.
 
I'm happy for ApfelSeine and Riuma to Co-GM this, they both seem like enthusiastic and talented writers who've had more experience running stories than I have. I'll name myself as a backup in case either of them drop out over the course of this (or have unavoidable offline holidays), but let's put them down in the roles for now.


I think ApfelSeine caught my meaning, so sorry @Riuma for not explaining it better. I'm suggesting that rather than trying to observe one religious holiday or another (or all of them), we observe a general end-of-year/New Year motif with no particular religious ties. 


At the end of each year, a special child becomes the Yearling - the child whose fate and demeanor dictates the course of the year ahead. Those with ties to the Yearling - either friendship or ties of control - at the moment of Ascension (one second after midnight in the New Year) control their own fate in the year to come, with every chance and gamble breaking their way. The rich grow richer, the poor make their fortune, patriots and governments secured a blessed year for their nation or administration and the infertile gave birth. Hold the Yearling, and your greatest dream could come true - but only for that year. 


And some dreams were terrifying.


I like a restriction for human or humanoid characters, something plausible for an Earth or alt-Earth setting.


Should we keep it modern, or should we do something Victorian or even Medieval? 


Modern seems easiest, but we'd need to accept the price of some folk being armed, possibly heavily.


On the other hand a combination of random couples, special forces, investigators and anything or anyone who might want some more fortune and be able to find it could make for a fun short roleplay!

I'd have each player specify the type of demographic that they typically do, and break down the personality characteristics that they tend to frequent. To that end, perhaps we can break down personality in a way that's rather simplistic. One common way I've seen that done is to use the big five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, neuroticism). Alternatively, create other categories which players can specify whether their characters tend to have or lack (or whether their characters tend to be extremes or in the middle, or all over the place for a given characteristic). For players whose characters are a range of things in one category, the category which they tend to be relatively consistent in can be played up and be the opposite of what they usually do.
Click to expand...



That's a great idea @ApfelSeine - I'd be happy to break them down that way, and it's a good way to encourage consistency in the information different players share. I also think it's worthwhile and revealing to see what players share as their typical character traits, since it tends to suggest what they'd find the most important. 


I like 7-8 as a target number before we start, though I agree that with co-GMs we could possibly go as high as 12 players. Since we're doing the Secret Santa thing, it's even more important than usual that we get all the involved players and characters set up before we start play.
 
I do think modern would be the most accessible, and not require very heavy lore. At the same time, as you said, there is the possibility that people might be prone to using heavy artillery. I think one could have an alt-earth setting that has guns but not automatic or nuclear level stuff. Additionally, people are creating characters for another person, so we're less likely to run into trouble of people trying to be competitive. Stating up front that heavy weaponry that is used in our modern warfare does not exist should make it clear to people not to add such things to the character sheet they're writing. That's definitely something that is important to figure out and establish ahead of time though.


Personally, I do like medieval-fantasy, and that is a fairly popular genre. I'd be interested in hearing if anyone things that we should do something other than modern, since I think it could feasibly done in any genre. The main thing will be not to have long or convoluted lore so that it's as accessible as possible to everyone, but as long as that is done, it could be run in any kind of setting. Perhaps someone who's been on the site longer than me might have a better idea of what genre is the most accessible.
 
I can probably write up a draft for the break down of personality/character types on Thursday. People will fill that out too give the person who gets them a sense of what they're familiar with.
 
I'll work on a themely


introduction as well as explaining the secret Santa trick we're planning on using for this. Work's been a little intense lately so this may not be complete until Saturday, but I'll see if I can pull it together earlier and put up the interest check this weekend.
 
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