βYesterdayβs the past, tomorrowβs the future, but today is a gift. Thatβs why itβs called the present.β
β Bil Keane
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
Well my, my, my is that the sound of a clock? And what can a clock tell us? Time.
Time, an old concept that continues to dictate many lives to this day. It helps to measure the longevity of an idea, object, or action. Time is said to help heal wounds. Time is said to standardize work days. Time is said to establish continuous movement of life. With this universal measurement, we see seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, and years pass. And within all those measurable moments, insurmountable experiences happening all at once. We are all under time, but how we spend that time, varies. How we live in the moments, or feel in those moments.
We grow, learn, endure, and experience a lot more alongside the concept of time.
What do you do in your spare time? Has time ever helped in your favor in a situation? What time is it right now where you are at?
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What are some themes and ideas that inspired you to create "Great Ganbatte!!!"?
I've always been a fan of the crime and the martial arts genres and how often they happen to intersect in media. I've also always been a big fan of fighting games, the Yakuza, series, martial arts anime, wrestling, etc and I happened to be consuming a lot of each when I began forming the idea for Great Ganbatte.
And with the hype for upcoming fighting games like Street Fighter 6 which will release pretty soon and Tekken 8 that I decided to make an rp focused on martial arts tourney. I wouldn't say original RP's with a focus on martial arts are rare, but they're not too common either so my hope was to make a unique spin on the concept while touching on familiar beats as well.
Lastly, I've always liked the idea of what is essentially a tournament arc with far more going on throughout it than simply the tournament and that's a concept I hope to do justice over the course of the rp.
And with the hype for upcoming fighting games like Street Fighter 6 which will release pretty soon and Tekken 8 that I decided to make an rp focused on martial arts tourney. I wouldn't say original RP's with a focus on martial arts are rare, but they're not too common either so my hope was to make a unique spin on the concept while touching on familiar beats as well.
Lastly, I've always liked the idea of what is essentially a tournament arc with far more going on throughout it than simply the tournament and that's a concept I hope to do justice over the course of the rp.
What is the driving motivator of the plot currently?
Other than winning the tournament, the massive cash prize, and the international fame and fortune that come with becoming champ, there's an intrigue building behind the scenes over the criminal syndicate controlling the tournament from the shadows.
Additionally, one of the competitors has been murdered under unclear circumstances and the tournament organizers are panicking to cover it up, not to mention the top three mysterious ranked fighters in the tournament thus far are perhaps not quite what they seem.
Additionally, one of the competitors has been murdered under unclear circumstances and the tournament organizers are panicking to cover it up, not to mention the top three mysterious ranked fighters in the tournament thus far are perhaps not quite what they seem.
How do you garner interest for your roleplays?
Aggressive advertising as well as upping the posting rate so much it becomes hard to ignore lol.
What's your favorite part of the roleplay so far?
So far, the character interactions. Everyone's made some unique and interesting characters and when they meet and form bonds there's always a been a unique dynamic between each one, however small the interaction. And that's all you could ask for really when it comes to character interaction imo. It'll be interesting when player character's eventually clash.
How do you maintain stability and comfort between roleplayers that have been in the roleplay since the beginning and new roleplayers that just joined the group? Is there ever a time that someone feels left out? If so, how do you handle it?
The set up of the rp is such that anyone could join in at any time and will not have missed out on anything given there are over one hundred competitors in the tournament, many of whom aren't shown onscreen and can drop in at a moment's notice if the scene calls for it.
I will acknowledge that my preference for faster moving rps with a high posting rate can get people lost as things really get going, but luckily I got the recaps on the ready for anybody who missed out, is new, or wants to catch up.
I will acknowledge that my preference for faster moving rps with a high posting rate can get people lost as things really get going, but luckily I got the recaps on the ready for anybody who missed out, is new, or wants to catch up.
How did you start roleplaying?
I'm honestly not too sure. It was a little less than two decades ago honestly, so now I feel old lol. But my friends and I just love writing so we just ended up roleplaying for fun for years whenever we found the time.
How did you discover RpNation?
My friends and I just happened upon it while searching for a new site to roleplay on after our previous one had gotten a little unstable, to say the least.
Regarding character interactions, can you give an example of a memorable or particularly intriguing interaction between two characters in the roleplay? What made it stand out to you and the participants involved?
Damn, just two? You mind if I cheat a little? While the thread is still in its beginning stages, so far, there are a few different "groupings" of characters that have formed.
There's Connor, Donavan, Rivera, and Kipsang who are an unlikely combination who are, in order; A talented kid over his head, a more seasoned fighter who's aware of the connection between the world of martial arts and the criminal underworld, a dance fighter who probably has the most level head in the entire tournament, and an old veteran drunkard.
United through circumstance and quick thinking, they couldn't be any more different. Connor sees Donavan as a braggart, Donavan sees Connor as a kid out of his depth, both see Kipsang as a crazy drunkard who might know more than he's letting on, though the evidence is piling against that idea, and they all trust Rivera as the only one who has an inkling of sense. ...well Kipsang trusts everyone, he's just in it for the liquor.
Then we have Musashi and Min-ji. A mysterious warrior who thinks he's the legendary swordsman himself and a woman with a vengeful vendetta against the criminal organization running the tournament. These two also formed an alliance of circumstance with Min-Ji being targetted by members of the mafia while Musashi tags along because he might find a worthy challenge in the wake of whatever chaos she causes.
The last three are Taku, a ninja seeking a certain rival in the tourney, Mergo a bouncer for one of the Magna Mafia's bathhouses who wants the tournament winnings to buy out the establishment from the clutches of the criminals and make it into something respectable, and Johnny a mobster who wants to attain more power in the criminal underworld.
These three haven't interacted too much just yet, although I'd like to give a special shoutout to Mergo vs the Spanish language and the locals that plead with her to stop speaking it. I'd explain further but...you just gotta read it to find out lol.
There's Connor, Donavan, Rivera, and Kipsang who are an unlikely combination who are, in order; A talented kid over his head, a more seasoned fighter who's aware of the connection between the world of martial arts and the criminal underworld, a dance fighter who probably has the most level head in the entire tournament, and an old veteran drunkard.
United through circumstance and quick thinking, they couldn't be any more different. Connor sees Donavan as a braggart, Donavan sees Connor as a kid out of his depth, both see Kipsang as a crazy drunkard who might know more than he's letting on, though the evidence is piling against that idea, and they all trust Rivera as the only one who has an inkling of sense. ...well Kipsang trusts everyone, he's just in it for the liquor.
Then we have Musashi and Min-ji. A mysterious warrior who thinks he's the legendary swordsman himself and a woman with a vengeful vendetta against the criminal organization running the tournament. These two also formed an alliance of circumstance with Min-Ji being targetted by members of the mafia while Musashi tags along because he might find a worthy challenge in the wake of whatever chaos she causes.
The last three are Taku, a ninja seeking a certain rival in the tourney, Mergo a bouncer for one of the Magna Mafia's bathhouses who wants the tournament winnings to buy out the establishment from the clutches of the criminals and make it into something respectable, and Johnny a mobster who wants to attain more power in the criminal underworld.
These three haven't interacted too much just yet, although I'd like to give a special shoutout to Mergo vs the Spanish language and the locals that plead with her to stop speaking it. I'd explain further but...you just gotta read it to find out lol.
With so many characters, how do you handle situations where a player's character may feel left out or underrepresented? Are there opportunities for all characters to have their moments to shine?
Due to the setting of the rp, I feel like the amount of characters present is a benefit to getting characters more screen time. At any point, they may be approached by any of the participants of the tournament and just like that a story can unfold from there. What it is and how it ties into the plot remain to be determined, but I'm positive that anyone can pull off a great story and make it tie in and add to the larger narrative.
What are some roleplaying tips and tricks you think others could benefit from?
I think roleplaying advice can vary depending on the type of roleplay you're running but if I had to choose something that can fit any scenario...then it's all writers in an rp....or any group writing, or storytelling project, just need to trust each other. Any arguments talk it out. If you're gonna do something that affects someone else's characters, discuss it first. I guess it's kind of a basic reminder, but that's all it really takes for an rp to be smooth sailing in my opinion.
Are there any upcoming projects in the coming future we can expect?
...Possibly. I'm not sure if anything will happen just yet but if I can work things out with my friends and others in my group, there could be another roleplay on the horizon.
Would you like to give any shout-outs?
Just to my friends whom I've rp'd with for years and all the participants in the Great Ganbatte!!! And any future friends or participants as well lol.
How did you choose your username?
That's a fun one! It's the latest take on my original screen name from back in 09! Been cycling through some shades of Clover for years now, and this one in particular was shortened from St. Clover, Patron of Chimeras. That's a bit of an inside joke regarding my love of making augmented horrors in the Starfinder game system. If you want a good example, google the Swoltrid.
How would you describe yourself in three words and why?
Dysfunctionally Mercurial Turtle. My mind races from one topic to the next, and I'm usually forgetting two things for every one I happen to remember! I also spook easily, despite my fondness for scaring my roommate and friends.
Where did you get the idea for your "Hey there! I'll write a thing for you!" thread? And have you learned anything from it?
I wanted to write more! With my disabilities, it makes writing long-term projects more than a little hassle; I found that doing smaller, more bite-sized scenes is far easier to handle. I've also always enjoyed doing things for others, so this seemed like a perfect way to kill two birds with one stone.
As for anything I've learned... don't be afraid to just write small things. Even a couple sentences at a time is experience, and it helps to get ideas on paper! I've also gotten to know my characters a lot better, too!
As for anything I've learned... don't be afraid to just write small things. Even a couple sentences at a time is experience, and it helps to get ideas on paper! I've also gotten to know my characters a lot better, too!
How did you discover Rpnation?
A friend told me about it!
Do you have a favorite theme/scene/idea/plot device in RP? What is it?
Heck yeah! My favorite theme has always been Slice of Action Life! Blending everyday events with a touch of the extraordinary or bizarre is the backbone of the majority of my rp and writing ideas.
If you were given DnD stats in real life (str/dex/con/int/wis/cha) and you could choose one max stat, what would it be and why?
Charisma, for sure. Wouldn't need to worry about getting into a fight if you can just talk somebody down. The potential benefit to helping people would also be totally worth it, too.
What other hobbies do you have aside from roleplaying/writing?
I really like to read about the occult! Learning about the esoteric and arcane from around the world has been an obsession for some time now. Collecting tiny figures of turtles and flamingos is also an occasional thing I do.
Shark-chan has granted you a magical book that will write an entire story for you instantly, what would the plot be?
The mascot character of my pet-project, Topaz, comes to eventual blows with her hometown's resident Athletic Murder Twink following a fishy encounter at a sports event.
Whatβs a memorable moment youβve had on RPN or Roleplaying in general?
That'd probably be a tense scene involving a murder-bird harpy and my occult boxers! My roommate and I worked real hard to put our all into that little stent in the rp, and it turned out really well, I think! It's been a few years back, but I always recall it as a turning point for character growth for everyone involved.
Are there any future projects youβre currently working on? (this can be inside or outside of Rpn)
I've been working to expand the setting of my ongoing project, the Bulwark City! It's a loveletter to Eberron, Dune and Dishonored with a healthy dose of pulp noir-themed Americana tossed in for good measure! Been going strong for close to five years now, and I've loved every moment of it.
What advice can you share with the Newsletter audience?
Stay hydrated! Also be sure to take a lot of notes; I keep a notepad on both my phone and laptop for whenever inspiration hits me. And go to the source for whatever you want to take inspiration from! I used to use media as my main basis for stuff, but the unfiltered or unaltered ideas have been so much more fun (and educational) to pursue!
