Not sure how to handle my pre-planned stories

[Child of Amygdala]

So, I've done small RPs in a very crude way in the past, but I am unfamiliar with roleplaying in such a sophisticated and large-scale way.


My idea is having a series of connected events encompassing separate stories that act out the history of my pre-planned country. There will be a canon guideline but some player actions may lead to changing the history.


What I'm wondering is, since these are all events in a pre-planned story, how should I go about taking control of the setting and events and objectives? I want to allow players to make decisions that shape the stories, but keep them on track towards a set objective.


I was considering D&D campaigns but I feel like that limits the imagination a little bit, especially inhibiting my own complex story having to account for D&D's rules and maintaining a balanced play system.


Any advice?

 

[Idea]

allowing subplots to develop is the best way to let this happen. This is something that works better in a detailed medium, but, players are supposed to get in character which are supposed to have a past and which are supposed to grow as well. Allowing them to have their arcs to develop the character, and allowing more active members to perhaps even have a share of the worldbuilding, provided all of these are moderated to avoid contradictions (and contradictions alone), is a great way around your problem.

 

[papachan]

@Child of Amygdala


I have some questions for you since I am kind of confused about this. Please understand that first off, I get really confused really easily so you probably explained it wonderfully and I am just a ditz. I've also never played D&D, so keep that in mind as well if you decide to answer my questions. So when the RPers are RPing your roleplay, are they going to be roleplaying as the history? Or are they RPing in the "present" and their current actions have the possibility to change the past either because they are literally changing the past or because the past needs to be changed because of these current events?


Either way, remember that you are the GM. As long as you do not completely god mode throughout the whole time, being able to smack something in there should not get in the way with how other people are doing things. You are going to be "forcefully guiding" the roleplay. For instance, other people can make the wind blow, but when you decide there is going to be a tornado they can't avoid it unless you've given them tons of warning. Now, I'm not sure how (or if) you are going to deal with death. I'd just do a dice roll. Hope this helps.

 

[Child of Amygdala]

I getcha, okay. Yeah what I feared was having the lore screwed up but I guess that happens with all stories. Mine's not a whole lot different from anyone else trying to protect their own concept. I will give the players the ability to write some canon but I will be making corrections when absolutely necessary.


Thanks for the advice @Idea and @papachan

 

[papachan]

@Child of Amygdala


How I would protect my lore throughout the story is by putting it in there. Like, for instance, if we wanted to change the Bible up a little bit, saying that "All the stuff that happened before Jesus is solid gold and you can't change that. But what happens after is fair game." I'm not sure if that is how you're wanting the game to go. Another way would be to have some people actually go through a set story and when they try to do something that you don't like, send everything possible after them to force them into the hole you want them to go down. If they somehow found a way around it, and it is interesting, then you've gotten a fun RP. But, if they are GModding, then you know who to kick out of the roleplay. You're the GM and are like the "hand of God" and you are going to gently or forcefully guide them down the path you want. You could also hire another GM to help you keep people in line when you are not online. I have done a couple of RPs on other sites where there are two people keeping the RP afloat.