This is a fairly large project that I've designed from scratch over the past month or two. If anyone is wondering, this is what I fixed and cancelled Death Note for.
Final note; this is not going to be starting for around a week, I'd say. This is here to collect interest, for people to read the admittedly large quantity of...stuff...and for you to insult me, of course.
Final Final note; this is going to be updated, revised and changed before then. Still worth reading, but just be aware rules might change - if they do, I'll state which. A couple people are kindly going through the rules to see which of it is crap and which of it makes some sense.
Final Final FINAL note; I forgot to mention this. Once a Monster player wins or loses, the game ends. Not the RP, however - a new Monster Player is chosen, a new setting and story are made, and it begins anew - this RP will hopefully host a fair few individual tales before it is done.
Therefore, if you're a good writer and feel up to being a Monster Player in the future, PM me and I'll give you a template to send to me.
Feel free to express interest, ask questions etc.
The core concept of it is a group of players pitted against a monster/evil entity/villain, who is also controlled by a single, experienced player. The setting, characters and monster are all one-off, individual scenarios - a game is played out and resolved, a new monster player is chosen, and everything else changes accordingly.
There is far more to it than simply men vs. monster, but that is what the rest of the game is built on. I suppose the easiest example for fellow 'Pists would be that of Athrix in Mobius' Force Assassins RP - a team of players hounded and killed by a threat controlled by a fellow RPer.
Similar to that, the game is built on the mechanic of a team of allied, ordinary people against an unknown, malicious threat. The monster, setting and features of the environment are all designed and decided by what I'll refer to from now on as the Monster Player, approved of or adapted by me when necessary - I have two already lined up, and both are of high quality and creativity, so there is no need for concern in that department.
The gameplay mechanic for the ordinary players is quite similar to that of a survival horror game - exploration of the situation in order to accomplish a certain goal or to evade and escape this threat; what they basically are is Survivors, which is what I'll refer to them as from now on. It still maintains your average RP gameplay, requiring both detailed posts and character depth, but contains limitations and features to fit the concept. For example, writing your own combat effects, or what you discover in key rooms is not going to happen, but both these features have something fairly interesting about them.
There is far more to it than simply men vs. monster, but that is what the rest of the game is built on. I suppose the easiest example for fellow 'Pists would be that of Athrix in Mobius' Force Assassins RP - a team of players hounded and killed by a threat controlled by a fellow RPer.
Similar to that, the game is built on the mechanic of a team of allied, ordinary people against an unknown, malicious threat. The monster, setting and features of the environment are all designed and decided by what I'll refer to from now on as the Monster Player, approved of or adapted by me when necessary - I have two already lined up, and both are of high quality and creativity, so there is no need for concern in that department.
The gameplay mechanic for the ordinary players is quite similar to that of a survival horror game - exploration of the situation in order to accomplish a certain goal or to evade and escape this threat; what they basically are is Survivors, which is what I'll refer to them as from now on. It still maintains your average RP gameplay, requiring both detailed posts and character depth, but contains limitations and features to fit the concept. For example, writing your own combat effects, or what you discover in key rooms is not going to happen, but both these features have something fairly interesting about them.
The survivors, from the start of each scenario, will have a clear main objective, one or two secondary goals, and, of course, the enemy, which can usually be avoided, but in certain scenarios may have to be eventually killed to ensure survival. These and other things are elaborated on below;
Main Objective:
This would usually be, no matter how complex or dressed up it is, your main means of escape. If you're trapped in, say, a shut-down, locked up shopping centre, the goal would be to open the shutters, in order to allow you to escape. If you're stranded in the far reaches of space in a deserted ship, your goal may be to activate and use escape pods. It would of course never be as simple as going from point A to B, but your end, main objective is to survive and escape.
Secondary Objectives:
Goals that are not essential to complete the main objective, but are highly useful. Could be anything from getting all the lights back on via starting up a generator, or securing information that would help you understand the enemy that is stalking you. These are usually optional, but some may have to be performed to complete the main objective.
Any personal goals would also go here.
What and how you post:
This is an RP - you will play the role of a character of your design - a detailed design, I might add, the standards for this RP should be fairly high - and you can post once per day. This is not mandatory in the slightest, but it is assumed that if you don't post, you don't move, unless you state the wish to follow a team member. One post should take up the time of, say, 5 in-game minutes, if that, but should always be of a good quality.
What I and the Monster Player provide are the bare bones - it is you that adds the meat to this story. Whether you wish to complete a goal very personal to your character, or you want to explore the psychology of being stalked and butchered by a monstrous entity, delving into the emotions of feeling like you're nothing but the next victim, is up to you - we give you the foundations, you build whatever story you like off of it. It could be nothing other than your average Horror fight-for-survival story, but it should always be personal to your character as an individual, and should always be, well, good.
To clarify; you work as a team, but you play as an individual, and that means you are free to create your own personal sub-plot. When I say 'free', however, I mean very much encouraged to do so.
The Monster
This will greatly vary from creation to creation, from foul mutated creatures to simply a man and his axe, but here is what the Survivors need to know about this mechanic;
A set number of times a week, the Monster Player can attack.
This means that the enemy will confront and attempt to kill you - based on certain criteria, one of you may die. This criteria is basically what is deemed the utterly stupid or 'wrong' action - if the chainsaw wielding maniac bursts into the room, you would not attempt to punch him, for example.
If no one screws up, and you successfully escape or deter the monster, no one dies. The first to screw up dies horribly, in lovely description from the Monster Player, while the rest of you escape.
If you do not post, it is assumed you act with the largest group of people, but that does not ensure your survival in the slightest. You will have a day to post following the Monster Player's assault.
Here's an example;
-Monster confronts 4 players who have wandered from the group in a narrow corridor.
-Player 1 rushes at the Monster Player, and tries to kick the large nasty.
-Players 2 and 3 run away from the Monster.
-Player 4 does not post within 24 hours.
-Player 1 is gutted and thrown around like a stupid *****.
-Players 2 and 3 escape, securing the first door they come to, as does player 4, as the majority of players chose this action.
The Map and Exploration
Above I mentioned that the 4 players in the example were separated from the main group.
As you progress through the scenario you are in - the first of which will take place in a rather nice Hotel - I'll be updating a map, deliberately drawn crudely in Paint, which I'll repeatedly post here, most likely every morning or two. Yes, deliberately, not because I suck.
The map will be divided into sections, which you can freely move in.
For example, the hotel;
Bottom Floor will be one section, the floor above that will be another section, the floor above that will be another section, etc.
You can freely move around your current area, and take a couple actions - within reason, three at most, keeping in that 5 minute-ish limit - but if you wish to move to another section, that essentially takes up any actions you'd perform.
Example;
-Jack and Jill are in Section A
-Jack explores and investigates a few things in a room in Section A
-Jill wishes to go to Section B
-Jack discovers some duct tape, some rope, a condom, some Rohypnol and keys to a white van.
-Jill moves to Section B, but in return trades the opportunity to perform any actions for today's post.
That's it for this section, now there's just a small section on the Monster...I know it is a lot, but you don't actually need to remember much from it, I'm just making sure it is very clear.
Main Objective:
This would usually be, no matter how complex or dressed up it is, your main means of escape. If you're trapped in, say, a shut-down, locked up shopping centre, the goal would be to open the shutters, in order to allow you to escape. If you're stranded in the far reaches of space in a deserted ship, your goal may be to activate and use escape pods. It would of course never be as simple as going from point A to B, but your end, main objective is to survive and escape.
Secondary Objectives:
Goals that are not essential to complete the main objective, but are highly useful. Could be anything from getting all the lights back on via starting up a generator, or securing information that would help you understand the enemy that is stalking you. These are usually optional, but some may have to be performed to complete the main objective.
Any personal goals would also go here.
What and how you post:
This is an RP - you will play the role of a character of your design - a detailed design, I might add, the standards for this RP should be fairly high - and you can post once per day. This is not mandatory in the slightest, but it is assumed that if you don't post, you don't move, unless you state the wish to follow a team member. One post should take up the time of, say, 5 in-game minutes, if that, but should always be of a good quality.
What I and the Monster Player provide are the bare bones - it is you that adds the meat to this story. Whether you wish to complete a goal very personal to your character, or you want to explore the psychology of being stalked and butchered by a monstrous entity, delving into the emotions of feeling like you're nothing but the next victim, is up to you - we give you the foundations, you build whatever story you like off of it. It could be nothing other than your average Horror fight-for-survival story, but it should always be personal to your character as an individual, and should always be, well, good.
To clarify; you work as a team, but you play as an individual, and that means you are free to create your own personal sub-plot. When I say 'free', however, I mean very much encouraged to do so.
The Monster
This will greatly vary from creation to creation, from foul mutated creatures to simply a man and his axe, but here is what the Survivors need to know about this mechanic;
A set number of times a week, the Monster Player can attack.
This means that the enemy will confront and attempt to kill you - based on certain criteria, one of you may die. This criteria is basically what is deemed the utterly stupid or 'wrong' action - if the chainsaw wielding maniac bursts into the room, you would not attempt to punch him, for example.
If no one screws up, and you successfully escape or deter the monster, no one dies. The first to screw up dies horribly, in lovely description from the Monster Player, while the rest of you escape.
If you do not post, it is assumed you act with the largest group of people, but that does not ensure your survival in the slightest. You will have a day to post following the Monster Player's assault.
Here's an example;
-Monster confronts 4 players who have wandered from the group in a narrow corridor.
-Player 1 rushes at the Monster Player, and tries to kick the large nasty.
-Players 2 and 3 run away from the Monster.
-Player 4 does not post within 24 hours.
-Player 1 is gutted and thrown around like a stupid *****.
-Players 2 and 3 escape, securing the first door they come to, as does player 4, as the majority of players chose this action.
The Map and Exploration
Above I mentioned that the 4 players in the example were separated from the main group.
As you progress through the scenario you are in - the first of which will take place in a rather nice Hotel - I'll be updating a map, deliberately drawn crudely in Paint, which I'll repeatedly post here, most likely every morning or two. Yes, deliberately, not because I suck.
The map will be divided into sections, which you can freely move in.
For example, the hotel;
Bottom Floor will be one section, the floor above that will be another section, the floor above that will be another section, etc.
You can freely move around your current area, and take a couple actions - within reason, three at most, keeping in that 5 minute-ish limit - but if you wish to move to another section, that essentially takes up any actions you'd perform.
Example;
-Jack and Jill are in Section A
-Jack explores and investigates a few things in a room in Section A
-Jill wishes to go to Section B
-Jack discovers some duct tape, some rope, a condom, some Rohypnol and keys to a white van.
-Jill moves to Section B, but in return trades the opportunity to perform any actions for today's post.
That's it for this section, now there's just a small section on the Monster...I know it is a lot, but you don't actually need to remember much from it, I'm just making sure it is very clear.
As previously stated, the Monster Player can attack so many times a week. For example, I'll say that this is twice.
You are in the Monster Player's domain - meaning that they know what is going on within their domain, providing any players aren't, for example, taking advantage of a creature's weakness to conceal themselves (Odd example, I know, think like what Arnie did with the mud and the Predator).
In gameplay terms, this means that I give them the positions of any Survivors in the map, and, depending on their level of intelligence, sentience or skills, even more information. Perhaps even specifically who you are.
The Monster player in this example can attack twice - let's say that on Wednesday, two of the players, one of which is already injured, are all alone in a room with two exits. The Monster Player wisely chooses to attack these two, as they only have one way to run, one is weakened, and they are cut off from the rest of the Survivors.
The attack is resolved, and, assuming they aren't somehow killed, they have one more attack.
What you need to keep in mind from this; the monster player knows how many people are where on the Map - USUALLY. Here's an example of how this can be used to your advantage as a Survivor.
Be it hiding in the cupboard or under the bed, you can hide yourself from many enemies, providing they don't have Predator vision, or an incredible sense of smell.
In this event, you simply don't appear on the map.
So, let's say for their second attack, the Monster Player sees a lone Survivor in a room with only one exit.
The Monster arrives, to find, to their surprise, that another four Survivors have effectively concealed themselves, and proceed to shoot the crap out of the Monster, who is forced to retreat or die.
This would be particularly useful against stupid creatures, pyschopathic but human villains, or just anything that can't see that well.
What to learn from this example; it's their domain, but you can take advantage of that. The limit on that being what you can think up, and what resources you have.
You are in the Monster Player's domain - meaning that they know what is going on within their domain, providing any players aren't, for example, taking advantage of a creature's weakness to conceal themselves (Odd example, I know, think like what Arnie did with the mud and the Predator).
In gameplay terms, this means that I give them the positions of any Survivors in the map, and, depending on their level of intelligence, sentience or skills, even more information. Perhaps even specifically who you are.
The Monster player in this example can attack twice - let's say that on Wednesday, two of the players, one of which is already injured, are all alone in a room with two exits. The Monster Player wisely chooses to attack these two, as they only have one way to run, one is weakened, and they are cut off from the rest of the Survivors.
The attack is resolved, and, assuming they aren't somehow killed, they have one more attack.
What you need to keep in mind from this; the monster player knows how many people are where on the Map - USUALLY. Here's an example of how this can be used to your advantage as a Survivor.
Be it hiding in the cupboard or under the bed, you can hide yourself from many enemies, providing they don't have Predator vision, or an incredible sense of smell.
In this event, you simply don't appear on the map.
So, let's say for their second attack, the Monster Player sees a lone Survivor in a room with only one exit.
The Monster arrives, to find, to their surprise, that another four Survivors have effectively concealed themselves, and proceed to shoot the crap out of the Monster, who is forced to retreat or die.
This would be particularly useful against stupid creatures, pyschopathic but human villains, or just anything that can't see that well.
What to learn from this example; it's their domain, but you can take advantage of that. The limit on that being what you can think up, and what resources you have.
Final note; this is not going to be starting for around a week, I'd say. This is here to collect interest, for people to read the admittedly large quantity of...stuff...and for you to insult me, of course.
Final Final note; this is going to be updated, revised and changed before then. Still worth reading, but just be aware rules might change - if they do, I'll state which. A couple people are kindly going through the rules to see which of it is crap and which of it makes some sense.
Final Final FINAL note; I forgot to mention this. Once a Monster player wins or loses, the game ends. Not the RP, however - a new Monster Player is chosen, a new setting and story are made, and it begins anew - this RP will hopefully host a fair few individual tales before it is done.
Therefore, if you're a good writer and feel up to being a Monster Player in the future, PM me and I'll give you a template to send to me.
Feel free to express interest, ask questions etc.
