Mecha War RP

[Legulus]

So I'd like to start up a roleplay based on futuristic space featuring large-scale, epic mecha engagements. This will take inspiration from mecha franchises such as Armored Core, Gundam, etc. Battles will take place in space and on several different worlds/colonies as a war for control of the fictional galaxy. The technology in the universe will evolve as the RP progresses, starting with basic weaponry, thrusters, shields, etc. and eventually incorporating large-scale beam weaponry with mechs flying around at insane speeds. Large battleships will be present from the start, but the ships will become more advanced as the RP progresses as well.


I won't be divulging any huge plot points, but I will present the basic background and story. The year is 2053 in a fictional universe. As humanity began to expand and inhabit several other worlds and man-made colonies in the infinite realms of space, the longing for power in the hearts of several leaders grew. One faction began to rapidly expand its influence and advance its technology, developing powerful machines of war known as xyoni (the mechas of this universe). To compete against this growing power, other nations began to fight an interstellar war. Technology across the galaxy rapidly advanced along with conflict and destruction.


By the time the RP starts, it will be 2062. The galaxy holds 4 major factions, several smaller, neutral powers, and rogue scavengers that terrorize the galaxy for their own survival. There are also independent mercenary ships that travel the galaxy in search of work. The roleplayers' characters will be high-ranking members of one such ship. They will fight several battles as they make their mark in the universe, and as high-ranking personnel, will have the power to influence the decisions of the ship's captain. Will they join one of the 4 major powers? Will they remain as mere mercenaries? Gather some followers and fight as their own faction for peace of the universe? That's up to you. While I have a grand plot in mind with several events that will affect the characters, essentially, it's up to the roleplayers what they want to do.


As for the dice mechanic: dice will mostly be used in combat (whether within mechs or otherwise), but will also be used sparingly for interactions with NPCs. It'll be a simple homebrew system.


Does this appeal to any of you?

 

[DennisR]

i'll join! this sounds epic!

 

[Silvertongued]

Sounds interesting... but I have a few extra questions.

• What's the homebrew like? Is it based on anything?
  
• Exactly how advanced is technology? Is the tech low level, such as around Firefly, in that everything's pretty basic, or higher level with things like cybernetic augmentations, androids, advanced AI, superarmor, and ring based colony worlds?
  
• Is humankind alone in the big universe, or is there any traces of alien species?
  
• How big is the ship in question, and its crew?Small and closeknit, or large with a sea of faces?
  
• How hard is this sci-fi? Rock hard, tasty abs, with space battles taking days between exchanges, interstellar travel being years without dimensional jumps, and severe realism? Soft and fluffy with almost anything going in terms of "science solves all problems"? Or somewhere in between?
  

 

[SephirothSage]

Mrm.. Giant Robots.


Even if most of my Giant Robot related interests are Gurren Lagann and Evangelion, I have some interest here.

 

[Unlucky]

I wouldn't mind taking part in this, but when you say that it'll take inspiration form things like gundam do you mean mech design wise, or will there be people similar to newtypes?

 

[DennisR]

guys you do know this thread was september 2? He probably doesn't watch this thread anymore.

 

[Alexandra]

guys you do know this thread was september 2? He probably doesn't watch this thread anymore.

Gathering people for dice roleplaying can take weeks and weeks sometimes.

 

[DennisR]

really? oops my bad.

 

[Alexandra]

really? oops my bad.

It pays to have patience sometimes. But other times it's good to prod the OP and make sure they haven't forgotten the post

 

[DennisR]

yeah, it would be cool.

 

[Legulus]

Sorry for the late answers. I haven't been feeling well lately, and it was difficult to get my interest in this back. Thank you, @DennisR, for the revival of this thread.

Sounds interesting... but I have a few extra questions.

• What's the homebrew like? Is it based on anything?
  
• Exactly how advanced is technology? Is the tech low level, such as around Firefly, in that everything's pretty basic, or higher level with things like cybernetic augmentations, androids, advanced AI, superarmor, and ring based colony worlds?
  
• Is humankind alone in the big universe, or is there any traces of alien species?
  
• How big is the ship in question, and its crew?Small and closeknit, or large with a sea of faces?
  
• How hard is this sci-fi? Rock hard, tasty abs, with space battles taking days between exchanges, interstellar travel being years without dimensional jumps, and severe realism? Soft and fluffy with almost anything going in terms of "science solves all problems"? Or somewhere in between?
  

• The homebrew is a simplified dice system. It will mostly be used for combat, but in cases where it is used outside of combat, a d20 with bonuses based on the character's few stats, personality, and history will be used. In combat, a d100 will be used to aim your attacks, with added bonuses based on your equipped weapons, parts, and sensors. These rolls will be contested against the target's defensive d100 roll, in which they have bonuses based on their mech's speed, physical shield, and their pilot's stats. Depending on the difference between the attacking and defending roll, the attack will either land as a critical hit, normal hit, or glancing hit, or be blocked or evaded.
  
• Technology would be at a "higher level." Augmentations do exist, however, they are not commonly found. Androids are currently in the experimental phase in the RP's universe. There is advanced AI, and there are ring-based colony worlds.
  
• Humanity is the only real major form of life in the universe, for the sake of the RP.
  
• The ship would be relatively small. It would have its captain, navigation crew, technicians, some doctors, and the roleplayers as the pilots, along with a small number of mook pilots.
  
• The sci-fi element would evolve as the RP progresses. It would start off with no warps/jumps, the mechs themselves won't be able to maneuver at godly supersonic speeds, and all in all, it would be mostly realistic. Later, however, limited dimensional jump technology will be created, the mechs will be a lot more advanced, and technology will start to play an even bigger part. Still with a similar level of realism, but, just more advanced.
  

I wouldn't mind taking part in this, but when you say that it'll take inspiration form things like gundam do you mean mech design wise, or will there be people similar to newtypes?

Mech designs will be more based off of Armored Core Verdict Day in the beginning, and then transition to designs found in Armored Core For Answer. If you are unfamiliar with the Armored Core series, you can get an idea just by looking at some images of the mechs (referred to as ACs or NEXTs) in those mentioned games. They won't have any kind of unconventional powers like world-destroying weapons, or the ability to produce mirror images, etc.


There will be newtype equivalents, though they will be rare, and mostly used for "boss battles." None of the player-controlled characters will be newtype equivalents.

 

[Silvertongued]

Mech designs will be more based off of Armored Core Verdict Day in the beginning, and then transition to designs found in Armored Core For Answer. If you are unfamiliar with the Armored Core series, you can get an idea just by looking at some images of the mechs (referred to as ACs or NEXTs) in those mentioned games. They won't have any kind of unconventional powers like world-destroying weapons, or the ability to produce mirror images, etc.

Does that mean our mechs are gonna be modular devices, and we can construct them from engine to battery to computer, and all sorts of composite pieces? I could understand mostly being for flavour than any mechanical benefit, and even then, probably the product of our own imagination?

 

[Legulus]

If the RP does get created (after I get enough confirmed roleplayers), then there will be a thread dedicated to various shops that sell mech parts. These mech parts will all have some kind of effect on the equipped mech. To keep things from being too overly complicated, you won't have to create your mech from its foundations up. You'll mostly only have to sort out your weapons, sensors, thrusters/legs, and power source.


The inspiration from Armored Core is mainly through aesthetic and function. We won't be going in-depth with all of the components.

 

[Silvertongued]

Ah, okay. Sounds interesting enough.

 

[Legulus]

With that said, I'm now going to ask that everyone who wants to join the RP say so. And, of course, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

 

[Unlucky]

I hope you find enough members soon it sounds like a lot of fun and I'm still up for joining in case there was any doubt.

 

[Silvertongued]

I'll join.

 

[SephirothSage]

I'm interested.


I also intend to cause as much serial escalation as possible.


But I am interested!


Also, if you're interested, I think I have knowledge of a System intentionally designed for Mecha Combat games that is pretty simple and straightforward... you could change a few things around for fluff or whatever, but it's pretty straightforward. Here's a link to the present public Beta: BCZ Public Beta v03.pdf


Edit: That was the Public Beta for the latest expansion, not the main doc for the system


This page has links for /that/. GimmickLabs: Downloads and Links

 

[DennisR]

i'll join too. It sounds really original.

 

[SpiralErrant]

I'd like to throw my hat in the interests ring.

 

[AdmiralKerkov]

I like the idea, but I have no knowledge of Mecha's, anime, or dice roleplays. So if you don't want my kind that's ok. But I am interested.