Here starts the discussion! To boldly go...
reporting for duty -- does anyone have ideas for an avatar -- I was having a hard time finding anything that looked even broadly similar to what I'm imagining. Is there a way to make a custom avatar with your own image?
I don't think you can smurf your own image, mate... And I reckon the images here in the Paizo forums are much more appropriate for D&D-type of games. But dig around and you will end up finding one that is maybe minimally acceptable!
I don't think you can smurf your own image, mate... And I reckon the images here in the Paizo forums are much more appropriate for D&D-type of games. But dig around and you will end up finding one that is maybe minimally acceptable!
Confused
What did you do to get the smurf, or is that a forum option?
Hehe you just have to say Smurf and magic things will happen!
Hmmmm.....
Yay, Joe made it. And sorry I was out of town the other day but I did see your requirements...
Joseph You're fine, other than maybe too many abilities. Besides that, I'm just not sure if the math works with McCoy (he was born in 2227 and we are in 2369 - roughly 142 years after he was born; Joseph has 29 years. I mean, everybody in McCoy's life, he included, could have had their children when beyond 40 years of age, but it feels a stretch - I think we need at least one more generation of separation for the math to work).
So another geneeration and a easing up on abilities it is.
This what I've got. Made adjustments to the abilities. Instead of amazing with phasers he's merely excellent (Which if you ever played the old FASE RIP marvel games is totally different ;) and is 'good' with old projectile weapons.
He still knows Martial arts, esp Akido, but I've made mention that the less human like a species is, the less useful his knowledge of joints and pressure points are.
The BS detector , I confess I liked, but I threw in a note that beautiful women are distracting enough to throw it off now and then. Which I think fits a young fit human guy :)
Paramedics and cooking were mostly left as is. He can cook, and can hopefully stabilize a wounded person long enough for the real doc to save the day.
Computer security was simplified to: He is skilled enough in computer diagnostics to handle cyber security for the ship if needs must.
Hope that works better? I can whittle or finesse further as suits
It seems we're still missing Finn, and Sebeclocki still need a profile for his character.
@Joe - that's fine, I think it all works well for a security officer! I think the "BS Detector" thing won't really work much mechanically as this game is more about RP than dice; so, it will mostly depend on you and how you interpret what's going on around you. If he was like a betazoid, I guess we could think on anything mechanical to actually reflect it, but it's not the case.
So far, this is what we have, as we wait for Finn (Medical) to check in:
Lt. Cdr. Antas di Santos - Engineering
Lt. Joseph "Joe" T. McCoy - Security/Tactical
Lt. Htun Khaing Mg Zeyar- Communications
I will build some NPCs to complete the bridge, someone to pick the helm and some sort of first officer.
In terms of Science, I was debating introducing someone to complement more Antas and let Antas focus on the technology side of it, but I think Zeyar can be this counterbalance (maybe let's add the ability to Zeyar, Sebeclocki; focused on research, archaeology, etc.). I like this option more and I think it might give us some good RP opportunities. Of course, Finn from a medical perspective can cover the biology side too, so I think we end up with a nice dynamic for the party.
What do you guys think?
reporting for duty -- does anyone have ideas for an avatar -- I was having a hard time finding anything that looked even broadly similar to what I'm imagining. Is there a way to make a custom avatar with your own image?
Not I know of. Sometimes it helps to sort by usage thorugh the selections but even that is somewhat random. I went with a human expert.
This is as close as I can find I think
What are you guys thoughts on what I brought up above?
reporting for duty -- does anyone have ideas for an avatar -- I was having a hard time finding anything that looked even broadly similar to what I'm imagining. Is there a way to make a custom avatar with your own image?Not I know of. Sometimes it helps to sort by usage thorugh the selections but even that is somewhat random. I went with a human expert.
"maybe let's add the ability to Zeyar," -- I'm confused what you want to add -- the empathic insight mentioned above, or something else?
It’s right there - Science! It was what I was talking about. “maybe let's add the ability to Zeyar, Sebeclocki; focused on research, archaeology”
It seems we're still missing Finn, and Sebeclocki still need a profile for his character.
@Joe - that's fine, I think it all works well for a security officer! I think the "BS Detector" thing won't really work much mechanically as this game is more about RP than dice; so, it will mostly depend on you and how you interpret what's going on around you. If he was like a betazoid, I guess we could think on anything mechanical to actually reflect it, but it's not the case.
So far, this is what we have, as we wait for Finn (Medical) to check in:
Lt. Cdr. Antas di Santos - Engineering
Lt. Joseph "Joe" T. McCoy - Security/Tactical
Lt. Htun Khaing Mg Zeyar- CommunicationsI will build some NPCs to complete the bridge, someone to pick the helm and some sort of first officer.
In terms of Science, I was debating introducing someone to complement more Antas and let Antas focus on the technology side of it, but I think Zeyar can be this counterbalance (maybe let's add the ability to Zeyar, Sebeclocki; focused on research, archaeology, etc.). I like this option more and I think it might give us some good RP opportunities. Of course, Finn from a medical perspective can cover the biology side too, so I think we end up with a nice dynamic for the party.
What do you guys think?
More up to those players than me. I'm not sure if you're planning on keeping the NPCs I made for Joe on ship, but maybe they could save you time if you wanted to alter or tweak them. S'lakka Treys for example.
I am very much thinking about using the NPCs you guys created too! I’ll make sure to add them to the list.
Anyway - you guys can post in gameplay! Let’s get this party started shall we? :) we probably could still have more 2 or 3 players but oh well - quality over quantity!
Everybody at the ceremony, and as the bridge officers, you guys are the senior officers for the Inopia :)
Finn made it. Yay :)
Yep - sorry I missed us starting.
Awesome pre-read fluff, very creative. Getting vibes like that superspecies in Scorpion in voyager
Species 8472... It does have that kind of vibe! But the Yinayans are different from them. The Yinayans aren't from a "different dimension", and they physically look more like a mix of the Kaminoans from Star Wars and Yuan-Ti :) Star Trek has so much material that fairly anything I create probably already have a similar either in official material or fandom! But happy you liked the fluff.
You guys don't really think you joined a game about a peaceful and uneventful archaeological expedition, right? :D
Species 8472... It does have that kind of vibe! But the Yinayans are different from them. The Yinayans aren't from a "different dimension", and they physically look more like a mix of the Kaminoans from Star Wars and Yuan-Ti :) Star Trek has so much material that fairly anything I create probably already have a similar either in official material or fandom! But happy you liked the fluff.
You guys don't really think you joined a game about a peaceful and uneventful archaeological expedition, right? :D
I really enjoyed the details about the unusual planetary system and the ecological situation -- I'm very into worldbuilding, so I appreciate those sorts of details. In my PF games, I do stuff like make whole con langs with grammars with a linguistic generator I subscribe too. I'm also really into creating fully-developed religions with doctrinal disputes and heretical sects.
The Yinayan race sounds very interesting too -- I can see the biotransport being a security issue like the threat of the jem'hadar using personal transporters or the iconian gateways in DS-9. I wonder if the Federation is being sort of naive here. It's also near Romulan space -- which makes me wonder if the Star Empire has had any dealings with them.
Looking forward to seeing where this is going! I'm already feeling like I'm starting to get a 'voice' for my character.
Looks interesting! You put in a lot of thought to it! And nah, I didn't figure this was going to be a boring cruise though boy Joe maybe surprised :)
I posted a similar freeform fantasy interest check in the recruitment forum if anyone's interested in exploring this pbp format in a more dnd/PF context.
posted the question in game for a specific instance, but I'd like to clarify in general what level of narrative control we're being given here.
can we, for example:
-create an NPC for our characters to interact with.
-have events happen on the ship -- like an explosion, a missing item, a news report coming in from Starfleet about the assassination of a Federation diplomat
-create a locale of community -- a halo deck Wuxia Martial Arts or Warhammer-esque LARP club the character belongs to, a bar the characters go to etc.
I don't want to step on any toes, and I won't make up really significant, universe changing stuff, but it'd be helpful to clarify some of that.
Also, do you have any deckplans or anything to give us a better sense of the size/dimensions and internal spaces of the Inopia? I'm imagining it's something bigger than the Defiant, but not as big as Enterprise, but not totally sure what to imagine without a little bit more of a visual prop to go from.
I think we're all telling the story together, Sebe :) I think small things are perfectly okay, especially if it helps with the RP opportunities for the character. I wouldn't do the "have events happen on the ship" though; create a NPC to interact here and there is likely okay (I may have to interfere for things like species/rank/etc. but anything not too wild will likely work), same goes for holodeck stuff, or bar, etc.
I think these blueprints look cool for the ship! It's probably very similar to that. I had previously added these details on the Campaign Tab, but I realize I forgot to tell you guys to read there.
Hey team! Great Friday to you all. Just wondering, for the people not posting daily, what's going on - if it's something I can help with, if you can't really post too frequently and this isn't the game for you, etc. :) Just want to make sure we get a good rhythm, especially since we're just starting the game. Cheers!
I think Sebecloki may had a point about creating and using NPCs for our own posts when we're not with group, or we are with group but more on the outside of a main conversation etc. I know when I first posted, I misjudged that McCoy would have checked out the ship before hand. Turns out he couldn't have, and that's fine. But it did make me worry about assuming or overstepping again so I held back a bit. Too much it turns out.
As for yesterday, that was a matter of RL intruding. After the death of one dog not so recently, or other dog, also elderly, gave us a scare by losing her sense of balance. We had to take her to the vet , good news is it should pass as quickly as it came according to the vet. But we're on 'dog watch' etc.
I agree, like I said above! I think once you start getting more comfortable with the story, you'll feel better on how to accommodate NPCs and expand the RP. Yet, I'm concerned right now with the main flow - it's not like people don't have opportunities to interact (between yourselves, with the Captain) and unfortunately I haven't seen much traction; so, trying to find out who can and who can't really get into the daily posting thing.
And sorry for your loss, mate - glad the new one is hopefully okay.
I'll try to pick up Joe's pace a bit. I did go into lurker mode too much. Which is not saying I'm not enjoying the ST style Science chatter the others are posting. :)
At the least I may do a simple 'Lt. McCoy nods quietly looking thoughtful' to let you know I'm alive but the character has little to say.
Hey team! Great Friday to you all. Just wondering, for the people not posting daily, what's going on - if it's something I can help with, if you can't really post too frequently and this isn't the game for you, etc. :) Just want to make sure we get a good rhythm, especially since we're just starting the game. Cheers!
Also, I know some players complain about the expectation of longer posts but... that's literally the whole game here, there are no mechanics to deal with, and nothing to interact with if it's not written. It's not really going to work to do the bare bones action notification posts for this sort of game -- it's more like writing a novel together than an even a conventional pbp (though, I'd argue, knowing I'll get push back from some quarters, that that's really how you should approach any pbp project to make it most successful).
Also, I know some players complain about the expectation of longer posts but... that's literally the whole game here, there are no mechanics to deal with, and nothing to interact with if it's not written. It's not really going to work to do the bare bones action notification posts for this sort of game -- it's more like writing a novel together than an even a conventional pbp (though, I'd argue, knowing I'll get push back from some quarters, that that's really how you should approach any pbp project to make it most successful).
I can only speak for myself. I know "longer posts" is relative. However, Sometimes not every character is going to have that much to say on a subject. While Joe's not the stoic sort, he does know he's not the science expert and it would feel a bit silly, and indeed, bad roleplaying imo, for him to talk for four paragraphs about how he agrees with this or that other bridge officer on a subject he ICly knows little about. Now I can fluff it up with more body language, or thoughts but after a time that too looks false.
Sometimes you may get "bare bones" because that's entirely in character. Other times you may get Bare Bones because RL is rude and intrudes. But I WILL try to post more regularly. Best I can do.
EDIT: Let me clarify, as I don't want ill feelings. I do agree with you, Sebecloki, that Bare Bones should not be all anyone offers up EVERY time they post. Just saying that it will occur now and then for the above reasons. We may have different opinions, but we both want a fun game for all.
I agree there can be different approaches, but in general in this kind of game without mechanics, the more there is to work with, the easier it is to develop the story. My character is more talkative, but if I was playing a more close lipped character, I'd spend more time describing their actions in engineering or other activities - what patients a medical officer saw, etc.
I am the kind of writer that can write 1000 words about opening a door knob without much difficulty, and I probably write that much or more on these forums every day just replying to posts in this fashion.
Agreed. I'm here to help with some guardrails, as there is an entire story going on that we surf together; but I count with you all to help fill the gaps and tell the story together! Like I said above, little community on the bar, holodeck teams, this kind of stuff is all great. You all also have your own teams, so go for it too (if there's something that may disrupt the base storyline and I can't adjust on the fly, I will let you know and we can quickly fix) ;)
I agree there can be different approaches, but in general in this kind of game without mechanics, the more there is to work with, the easier it is to develop the story. My character is more talkative, but if I was playing a more close lipped character, I'd spend more time describing their actions in engineering or other activities - what patients a medical officer saw, etc.
Oh that. Well, like I said, I overstepped my first posts doing just that sort of thing, and then backed off when I realized I did so. I'll find the happier medium with Lapyd's help.
Agreed. I'm here to help with some guardrails, as there is an entire story going on that we surf together; but I count with you all to help fill the gaps and tell the story together! Like I said above, little community on the bar, holodeck teams, this kind of stuff is all great. You all also have your own teams, so go for it too (if there's something that may disrupt the base storyline and I can't adjust on the fly, I will let you know and we can quickly fix) ;)
That last part especially is a comfort thanks! :)
This is fun -- I'm playing my character as initially kind of a well-meaning jerk whose series-long character arc is to become slowly a more empathetic and humanized individual. Maybe something like a 7 of 9 or an Archer kind of character.
My current notion is that he sort of takes a reflexive disliking to the ensign, and wants to one-up him, but over time they develop a closer working relationship and respect for one another. I'll have to see how you develop the character though!
Please feel free to interact however you want :) I'll be mostly reacting, but it's exciting to see you building the story with me.
Did someone accuse Antas of being unexpectedly Forward?
Because I assume it's not THAT hard to find out yeah or nay, DOES the Ship have a Counselor?
The ship does have a counselor :)
Antas has Counselor dislike...
I was referring to the ensign I sent to holodeck not Lt. Good looking skinny pants nicknamed "C" something a bit too adult for Star Trek...
AH! I was worried something Shane said or thought was taken wrong . Whew ;)
The ship does have a counselor :)
GOod to know. I suspect a visit soon .
I am having terrible luck with the timing of posts it seems for McCoy. A bit frustrating I admit.
[ooc]Presumably, the lieutenant won't reply to that (though I have no idea what you're planning for this character), at which point Zeyar will send him an incredulous message WHY YOU NO REPLY TO ME????Q)#$*#)*$)#!!!!
Not sure if the lieutenant you mention is Joe or Cavallera ?
We got too many Lieutenants to keep them straight easily :)