Coldman Goblin Squad Member |
Whilst I see some great debate surrounding a players ability to be a GM and directly introduce or influence in game instances or content, I think we're all aware that this is a problematic concept and will be difficult to implement. A lighter idea and one which is instantly usable to great effect, is that of a permutation of an Ultima Online Seer.
A Seer is a player picked for their long standing in the community and their roleplaying abilities. Their role would be to act as the catalyst for generating and guiding player interactions in game, events and offer advice and guidance to players. They are not Gamemasters and can not directly influence content; their abilities do not extend beyond that of a normal player, excluding that of (under guidance) assuming the role of an NPC or monster to which they could infuse an event with storycraft and create unique and compelling interactions. Any allowance of such an ability would be under the expressed permission of a Gamemaster, of whom Seers would have open lines of communication. Such content could take the form of a monster or NPC invasion, a battle or a more social event such as a played out societal event or public appearance of an important NPC - the sky is the limit.
The beauty of Seers is not that they're simply awesome, far more than that. They're free! Established members of the community would apply in droves for this role and can use their very limited abilities in bringing an otherwise static world to life, as well as to stimulate player interaction and roleplay and offer a clear line of communication for player desires and feedback to reach the Gamemasters.
NOTE
Before anyone says it (narrows his eyes at Scott), these would be serious positions offered to substantial, responsible and trusted members of the community. Actions taken would require advanced and expressed permission by above in all cases. A Seer's role would be 99% that of nothing more than a position to stimulate player interaction and help players both old and new with no special powers to that of an ordinary player.
At the bare minimum, this offers TTRPG GMs a very prominent and esteemed role in directing and influencing player interactions, promoting and accurately guiding roleplay and infusing the world with storycraft to which they do so well on the tabletop. Players look to these people and work with them in making magic happen.
That and they're awesome and I would have suggested their involvement regardless. You don't know how much a single good Seer can bring to a MMORPG.
Coldman Goblin Squad Member |
Thought I could include a very quick example of how a Seer could use his position for a small event.
Zigmund is a seer. Zigmund assumes the role of the local NPC tavernkeeper in x city. For the past week, under Zigmund's request to the GMs, NPCs in the city have been outspoken about a disease or plague which has caused many deaths (a quick and easy script to add, perhaps even just create new NPCs in key areas). Come primetime on a given day, Zigmund stands outside of his tavern shouting for help and offers triggers that an event or quest is going to begin. Players gather and converse with Zigmund, who unveils the story that something peculiar has happened in his cellar and he needs immediate aid.
Players amass and follow Zigmund into his cellar, to which you stumble upon a group of aggressive NPC Goblins which no doubt came through a segment of wall which has been knocked through, offering access to the city sewer from which the thieves no doubt gained entry. You vanquish the Goblins and advance into the sewers, kill stuff and discover through some small item, perhaps an empty vial of poison and the obvious odd abundance of Goblins in the city sewer, that a band of Goblins are poisoning the water supply. Zigmund assumes the roles of the Goblin leader, perhaps harassing the group through out their search and ultimately facing them for a showdown once he is reached, offering live and possibly amusing interaction with the PCs. He dies, rewards are shared. Happy days.
What does this assume?
The tavern, tavern keeper, cellar and sewers are assumed to already exist as par the game world. This is just a metaphorical assumption that this geography exists, it could be anything. These events would utilise pre-existing locations.
What has been added?
The pretext, NPCs saying in local chat/text bubbles or conversation in which they talk of widespread disease.
Monster spawns for the given quest by a gamedeveloper, including that of the visual trigger (poison vial) and goblin groups in locations through out the sewer.
The seer's control of both the tavern keeper and the goblin leader, the difficulty/loot of the final battle would be determined by the number of players. Dont ask me how rewards would be calculated or divided, I'm thinking public/scenario events in Warhammer Online where it is divided by how effective you were in the encounter.
To me this would represent a manageable and relatively small workload for simple encounters which, through player invention and interaction, make my mouth water. Offer me a rich storyline and quest system? I'll play it. Offer me live events every now and again, Seer driven quests which talk back? I'll marry it.
Derek Vande Brake |
See, my understanding (and I could be misunderstanding) of the game they are giving us, is that the Seer is superfluous.
A group of players would create an opening between the sewers and cellar. These players are actually the ones that are trying to poison the city water supply. The tavern owner who discovers them is a player.
In short, going back to your assumptions... all that stuff is part of the game world because players put it there and are running it.
Mark Kalmes Goblin Squad Member |
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Very cool. I know a few developers who have loved the way that Matrix Online was able to embrace the RPG community with this sort of interactive story.
I do like Derek's point though - we would rather make it an ability for some players to actually poison the sewers and then let the other players deal with it. This would keep everything happening in-character and in-game.