DIE DICEHAUS
<img style="Them bones, them bones, twenty-sided bones" src="http://i.imgur.com/n5tLY8h.jpg" style="max-width:100%;]
Forum roleplaying! Last bastion of total freedom, unstructured storytelling, and sweet, sweet anarchy.
But sometimes, a little structure, a little direction...it's nice, right? It's entirely possible I'm the only one who thinks so, but just in case, this is my special thread to recruit people for any sort of roleplaying that involves:
<ul type="disc]
<li>Dice</li>
<li>Stats</li>
<li>GM/DM Guided Play</li>
<li>Choose Your Own Adventure Stories</li>
<li>Tabletop Tomfoolery not Otherwise Specified</li>
</ul>
I'm not the world's best roleplayer, but I am one of nature's dungeon masters. I enjoy freeform roleplaying too, but this is my favorite way to play! For those who might not be familiar with the mechanics of dice-based systems, here's a quick primer.
Polyhedral Playtime
The tabletop roleplaying system most people are familiar with is D&D: Dungeons and Dragons. While far from the only game in town, it is fairly representative of the tropes of the genre, and makes a good introduction.
D&D is a d20 system, meaning it primarily uses a twenty-sided die as a resolution mechanic. In other words, when you as a player want to do something risky- leap across a chasm, bury your axe in the skull of a giant, or convince the duke to let you go- you roll a twenty-sided die, and compare the result to a particular number.
In D&D, that number is called the DC, or difficulty class.
In cases of static opposition, your roll is compared to a static value: the crevasse doesn't get to roll the dice to become suddenly wider while you're jumping across. Your DM will set these static values according to the difficulty of the task. One step above a ditch, a chasm might be DC 10, while a yawning black void ten feet across could be DC 20 or above.
In cases of active opposition, there are two ways the DC might be determined. If you're making an attack or doing something similar (like attempting to control someone's mind with magic), your roll's result is compared to your target's relevant defense. An axe might be turned aside by armor, while a poison could be resisted with physical hardiness. If you're using your skills in competition with someone else, you both roll and the results are compared: does your golden tongue beat the duke's heart of iron? Are you better at dodging through the streets than the emir's guardsmen?
Last but not least, the results of a die roll are only partially random. Just as in life, there is an element of chance, but your qualities influence the result as well. In dice-based roleplaying, these qualities are represented by various numerical attributes. Your character might have a high strength attribute, high intelligence, and low wisdom, for instance. Such a person would be clever and athletic, but headstrong and impulsive.
A naturally charismatic person is convincing: roll d20+Charisma to talk them into it.
A master thief has nimble fingers and extensive training: roll d20+ Dexterity + Thievery to pick the lock.
Obviously, not all of the above mechanics will apply to any given dice-based forum game. However, they do serve as a good overview and they play up some of the strengths dice can bring to the table.
Firstly, dice can help reduce friction:
<ul type="disc]<li>Actions are Resolved Impartially: Dice adjudicate combat and other contests between players with mathematical fairness. Either your roll had a high enough result, or it didn't- cops and robbers arguments are kept to a minimum.</li><li>Defined Characteristics: When your character's powers and abilities are down on paper, spontaneously developing pyrokinesis at need is an unlikely scenario. God-modding becomes an impossibility.</li><li>Varied Roles: Most dice-based games are modeled around a team with varied abilities working toward a common goal. This reduces overlap between characters and allows each player a chance to shine.</li></ul><div>Beyond avoiding arguments, the presence of a DM/GM provides some tangible benefits:
<ul type="disc]<li>Minor Characters: Most people want to play heroic and interesting characters, not farmer Bob or atmosphere technician Janine. A dungeon master, or DM, takes cares of these important (but not usually intriguing) characters so the players can focus on other things.</li><li>Direction and Focus: Too many cooks spoil the soup, as the adage goes. The DM takes a leading role in guiding the story, setting the stage, and responding to the players- everyone contributes, but it's harder for one person to derail matters or drag things out.</li><li>Secrets and Lies: If your character has a secret past, a secret power, and so on, a DM can make sure you have a chance to dramatically reveal it. Additionally, the DM has a bag of tricks to shake up your worldview, change the dynamics of the setting, and start a new phase of the story that no single character could match.</li></ul><div>If any of the above sounds appealing to you, dice-based RP could be your new thing![/align]
[/align]
To Find Out What CYOA Means, Turn to Page 6
Choose-your-own-adventure or CYOA is sometimes referred to as Interactive Fiction, and has a long history in the form of books, games, and other media.
It represents a bridge between traditional storytelling, wherein the audience has no direct input, and collaborative storytelling such as RP, in which the audience/players create all the content.
The work of creation is divided up as follows: the author creates the characters, the setting, and the background of the story. The audience is then invited to dictate the actions of the story's protagonist, either freely, or by choosing from a menu of decisions.
In a book or game, the only approach possible is that limited menu of decisions; however, live CYOA (or 'quest threads') allows the author to give the audience free reign, and to adapt the story to their listeners on the fly much as a roleplaying DM does.
Voting in Quest Threads is an ideal pursuit for those who want to be involved in a variety of stories, but may not have the time or energy to play as yet another character: it's singularly easy to drop in, cast your vote, and await the results.
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »
Dice-Based RP & CYOA Thread - by sir - 11-07-2014, 11:15 AM
Dice-Based RP & CYOA Thread - by sir - 11-08-2014, 03:21 PM
Dice-Based RP & CYOA Thread - by sir - 11-08-2014, 03:41 PM
Dice-Based RP & CYOA Thread - by megs - 11-08-2014, 03:43 PM
Dice-Based RP & CYOA Thread - by megs - 11-08-2014, 04:41 PM
Dice-Based RP & CYOA Thread - by sir - 11-08-2014, 11:04 PM
Dice-Based RP & CYOA Thread - by sir - 11-09-2014, 10:38 PM
Dice-Based RP & CYOA Thread - by tindome - 11-08-2014, 03:30 PM
Dice-Based RP & CYOA Thread - by tindome - 11-08-2014, 04:32 PM
Dice-Based RP & CYOA Thread - by tindome - 11-08-2014, 11:20 PM