[New RPG] Characters -- how many is enough?

Post by **Warcry** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 6:22 am

The character rules for the current RPG are pretty complex -- you can start with five characters, but you can have that bumped up to seven after six months, and a lot of people run NPCs on top of that. I'd like to have a more straightforward rule for the new game, so that everyone can have the same number of characters and it's easy for everyone to understand.

So the question then becomes, what's a fair number of characters for each player to have?

Discuss, please.

Heinrad · Post by **Heinrad** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 6:46 am

If we go without the Combiner Group = 1 character and the "you too can runs hundreds of NPCs" rules, 8 to 10 characters could work.

If NPCs are needed, make them drones.

Post by **Blackjack** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:28 am

What Heinrad said.

If we forego the NPC bit, we could start with five, then bump it up to seven. (Or just make it immediately seven for the older players) And then bump it again to nine or ten when the players have played for a longer time. I mean, someone had to play the combiner teams, right?

And NPCs as drones, controlled only by mods, would work excellently.

tahukanuva · Post by **tahukanuva** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 8:11 am

I like Blackjack's five-seven-nine idea. It's a bit more complicated than would be hoped, but it prevents new folks from over-whelming themselves, while not restricting more experienced people.

To decomplicate, you could just skip the middle step.

Also, as I've yet to figure out in terms of this RPG, what is an NPC here, since most are, in fact, run by players?

verytired · Post by **verytired** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 9:21 am

I also agree with Heinrad.

Springer85 · Post by **Springer85** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 3:19 pm

I think the current charater picking rules are just fine, but the NPC thing is out of control. I would say keep it to a maximum of 2 and limit the time they're used as NPC.

Ackula · Post by **Ackula** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 3:32 pm

I would say start with no more than 5 characters, and increase it later if need be. And I would say NPCs are only allowed by staff as a way to progress storyline and place hooks for the players to follow.

Heinrad · Post by **Heinrad** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 5:35 pm

For drones, I was thinking along the lines of the drone that was Megatron's assistant/keeper in Beast Machines. They fetch, carry, and make the occasional snarky comment.

Straxus: "Drone, get my axe."

Drone: -under it's breath- "Get it yourself, blowhard."

Straxus: "What was that?"

Drone: "Er..... I don't like to smelt, it's so hard?"

Straxus: -scowls-

Springer85 · Post by **Springer85** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 8:32 pm

Ackula wrote:I would say start with no more than 5 characters, and increase it later if need be. And I would say NPCs are only allowed by staff as a way to progress storyline and place hooks for the players to follow.

It would also mean that new players will have a bigger chance of getting to play their favorite character. It wasn't a really an issue when I joined, but I can imagine that if the new RPG gets of the ground, it could be.

Post by **Blackjack** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 5:06 am

I am massively liking Heinrad's drone idea.

Aero Blade · Post by **Aero Blade** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 6:07 am

NPCs is a term taken from video games, meaning non-playable characters, all the little characters running around for various reasons, usually not important. For this rpg, an npc is a character taken up to fill a specific role for a short period of time (ex: We have characters that need fixing at Autobot base, but all the official medics are elsewhere, so a generic medic is pulled into things). Sometimes characters are put in NPC mode for a short time because they're needed to move things along (like I had to with Thrust at the prison for a while).

Over all, the npcs are meant to be used to complete a certain task or role in a plot, then dissapear again. Things however can get out of hand when people abuse the npc permissions to play extra characters beyond the limit for long periods of tme. I agree we should eliminate npcs expcept for by staff, or or for a specified period of time/very specific incident.

Ackula · Post by **Ackula** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 8:24 am

Aero Blade wrote:NPCs is a term taken from video games, meaning non-playable characters, all the little characters running around for various reasons, usually not important. For this rpg, an npc is a character taken up to fill a specific role for a short period of time (ex: We have characters that need fixing at Autobot base, but all the official medics are elsewhere, so a generic medic is pulled into things). Sometimes characters are put in NPC mode for a short time because they're needed to move things along (like I had to with Thrust at the prison for a while).

Over all, the npcs are meant to be used to complete a certain task or role in a plot, then dissapear again. Things however can get out of hand when people abuse the npc permissions to play extra characters beyond the limit for long periods of tme. I agree we should eliminate npcs expcept for by staff, or or for a specified period of time/very specific incident.

You are wrong that the term NPC comes from video games, it comes from Dungeons and Dragon's 1st Edition Dungeon Master's Guide© . You are however correct that NPCs are only controlled by the GM(Game Master..on here Staff) and used to advance plots, be plot devices in and of themselves, give players "hooks" to follow, and fix the mess when a player doesn't take a "hook.

They are not really supposed to be used to develop character or anything, they aren't anything more than back up cast in your story. They shouldn't be used to advance major plot courses unless the GM requires it. They can get out of hand if people start using them as an extension to play another character outside their limit, thus Staff only should have that control over NPCs in this RPG.

Blaster · Post by **Blaster** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 8:26 am

2 or 3!

Post by **Blackjack** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:14 am

Ackula wrote:They can get out of hand if people start using them as an extension to play another character outside their limit, thus Staff only should have that control over NPCs in this RPG.

Me. I'm guilty of this.

Ah well, good thing we're starting over.

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 12:53 pm

Yes, what Heinrad said... but with some reservation, as I think it would be nice for brand new, squeaky clean players to take on one character while getting used to the way things work (I did and Heinrad looked after me until I was bedded into the TFA format), then have the option of the full five when a Staff quorum agree the player is ready.

Staff to be allowed up to seven main characters and no more than two NPCs/fanmades at any time. Oh, and we'll need to consider which characters should be reserved for/by the Staff as we really do need that strong continuity.

Post by **Blackjack** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 1:56 pm

Hmmm... So new players start with 1 character, then 5, then 7, then (maybe) 9?

I think the character cap should be more than 7 (like it is now), maybe 8 or 9. But newer players need to be proove themselves to increase their character slots.

Springer85 · Post by **Springer85** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 2:12 pm

How about new players are allowed 2 characters, but one needs to be an Autobot and one needs to be a Con? I think that would work quite well and it'll keep both fations filled out. Eventhough I mostly play Autobots

Post by **Warcry** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 6:08 pm

There doesn't seem to be that much consensus on exact numbers, but it seems like we've got a reasonable framework sorted out.

After reading what you guys have said, I'd like to suggest a compromise:

New players can start out with a maximum of two characters. We'll recommend that they pick one Autobot and one Decepticon, but if they have a very good idea and need two 'Bots or two 'Cons to make it work we'll look at waiving this.
Once a player has a handle on the game, they'll be able to claim up to six characters. Current/returning players would start out here.
Veteran players who have participated in the game for at least a year uninterrupted can have eight characters. However, if we run the new game alongside the end of the old one this rule won't kick in until after the old game is finished.
NPCs are restricted to staff and can only be used temporarily when the plot requires it.
No more than two fanmades per player.
No more than two post-G2 characters per player.
Staff can veto fanmade and post-G2 characters if they don't fit.
Staff are subject to the same character rules as everyone else.

Does this sound fair?

Springer85 · Post by **Springer85** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 6:38 pm

Sounds good to me

optimusskids · Post by **optimusskids** » Fri Dec 24, 2010 6:52 pm

It sounds fair to me but I'm going to struggle to pare down everyone I want to play to 8

goes to fetch list and red pen