RPG Idea Discussion Thread

Where old RPGs go when they die and move on to the afterlife.
User avatar
mcred23
Posts: 4200
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 2:12 pm
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Contact:

RPG Idea Discussion Thread

And now we get things moving along once again...

This thread is for discussion for the next RPG. If anyone has any ideas they are working on and want feedback, any suggestions and comments, all that usual stuff. The point of this thread is polish up those ideas so that they'll win the poll and make for a good RPG.

As usual, there are some guidelines for this. Obviously, everything has to be mecha related, but as we've pointed out, that's open to fairly wide interpretation. The Universal Century and G Gundam's Future Century are not allowed for the next RPG, but every other Gundam universe is, as are settings from other mecha shows (Like Macross or Full Metal Panic), original universe (Where everything is created by one of you, the setting, the mecha, background, etc), and mixed universes (Where ideas from exsisting universes are mixed together, such as taking mecha from Gundam and Macross). As always, I stress extreme caution when considering the last two options, particularly original universe ideas, as for both you'll have to do considerably more work in developing and running those kinds of ideas than the already fairly large amount of work it takes to properly run an RPG. For more reasons on why that is, read this.

Our current plans are to let this thread run for roughly two weeks, depending on how the discussion here goes. Around the time, I'll start allowing people to officially submit their ideas to me via PM for the voting poll, so don't send me anything prior to that. How that works out is in the RPG Rules thread, and I'll explain it all in here when the time comes.

Finally, we're letting everyone know right now that we won't allow any ideas to be submitted that do not have a Game Master attached to them. If someone has an idea they want to discuss in here but have no interest in running, say so, because unless someone else is willing to run the game for you, and don't assume anyone will be, it will not be in the voting poll. Related to that, if you are interested in running an RPG, be it your own idea or one created by someone else, we recommend you seriously consider whether or not you'll have the time and interest to run an RPG. Trust us Trinary guys when we say it's more work than you think it will be. 8)

That should cover most of the basic information you need. If anyone has any questions, feel free to post them here or PM me, and if you want to look at the older idea threads, they're all in the RPG Archive section.

So once again, get to it. :)
I must betray Stalindog!!!

RPG TRINARY: Mash
Die Anti-brutale Kraft: mcred23 (Call me 'red', not 'mcred')
User avatar
SNT1
Posts: 3690
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 1:29 am

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

Kay, I may be able to make a stab at my first-ever idea up for discussion; I've already posted parts of it in the other thread, here's a more polished version:

History:

-The RPG Happens in 30 EE, 30 Years after The Great World War
-The Great World War was a three-way war between 3 factions of super nations: Northern Alliance (USA/Canada/Japan/SKorea/Russia) and South American Union (South and central America) versus European League (Western Europe) versus The New Assyrian Empire (Middle East and Africa)
-War started when The New Assyrian Empire massed forces and relentlessly attacked South American Union, which has the only Space Elevator
-European League took advantage and wanted to cripple The New Assyrian Empire, but first supernation to fall. Northern Alliance allied with South American Union and gave a serious challenge but ultimately loses when The New Assyrian Empire took over Russia from Europe
-The New Assyrian Empire changes its name to The World Empire, declares world government
-The World Empire changes the date to 1 EE, Era of the Empire
-The World Empire looks to conquer the space colonies and the moon next
-Rebel groups during their 30 years of reign try to create chaos but The World Empire beats them soundly and exterminates them
-One rebel group is unlike others, planned from 1 EE to make their move in 30 EE.
-Will originally take place in California and focus on local conflicts. If time and interest allows it, it will expand to a global, and then, solar conflict

Factions:

The World Empire

-The world government, a monarchy/aristocratic mixed government
-Largest military in the solar system, consists of Leo, Aries etc... (Wing units) but assimilates other units from other nations
-Ruled by a young and enigmatic king
-Based in The Middle East; main capital is a glitzy skyscraper-laden skyline and looks to also be the commerce center of the solar system
-Lower-level officials have grown increasingly corrupt with high taxes and lower quality of life among world citizens while officials get richer
-Employs mercenaries to get rid of political enemies without getting their hands dirty


Firebrand Revolution

-Planned by Samuel Firebrand, leader of the movement from 1 E to 29 EE (Deceased)
-Samuel, an ex-Northern Alliance espionage specialist, vows to use more unconventional tactics (theft, espionage, kidnapping, intimidation) to attack the increasingly corrupt World Empire
-Recruits multi-skilled personnel to their ranks with MS piloting at the top of their priority, as well as highly skilled miners and metallurgists
-Based in an abandoned mine shaft; appeals to miners sick of Empire officials taking a large slice of their mined materials for their own personal wealth
-Also employs mercenaries
-Makes mining-oriented GM units on the outside; refurbishes war units on the inside
-Considerably small; less than 100 personnel, around 10 war-ready mobile suits (more or less depending on entry and participation level)


Mobile Suits:

These are just guidelines, but it will be a mixed-universe selection of mecha, particularly for Firebrand's Revolution. The World Empire will have mostly AC units and AEU units (Gundam 00). Since The World Empire has taken over the world, they can use other MSes as well (but has to be a good reason, i.e. ace pilot)

-AC: Leo, Aries, Taurus, Tragos, Cancer, Pisces
-AD: Any grunt unit without GN drives
-CE: Any grunt unit from SEED
-UC: Anything up until 0080 / grunt units until 0083 (Gundams allowed)

Units may be negotiable if they don't fit in the guidelines above.

-If time and interest allows, MS upgrades will be available including Gundams from Alternate Universe series and upper-tier grunt units

-Players will play on 2 sides: World Empire vs Firebrand Revolution. Both sides will also imply mercenaries---note that you can't easily switch from either side as a mercenary

Personal notes:

-These are my latest ideas, revised through feedback and suggestions in the other thread and PMs
-Lists of inspirations: Gundam Wing, Code Geass, American Revolution, Final Fantasy
-I have a fancier paragraph text for official submission but I feel bullet point may be more clear to understand for a discussion thread
-Willing to take full responsibility as a GM including more backstory, settings detail and moving the plot

I would also like to see more feedbacks, suggestions and criticisms from those interested via this thread or PM, as well as maybe possible help if this idea gets elected.
(>-.-)>-} >>---> \(x.x)/
User avatar
The Big Zabowski
Posts: 1950
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:07 pm
Location: In the cockpit..

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

I've been in talks with Fritz on this "Alternate WWII/WWI" idea and have drafted a substiantally altered version from the one I last entered.

The War

It was early 1942, and with the death of Adolph Hitler at the hands of a disgruntled band of officers after failure of the alliance with Japan within his own inner circle news traveled quickly through the multiple intelligence services all over the world. Italy, already taking a beating from bearing the brunt of the North African Campaign and supporting German and Vichy forces against Allied British, Canadian, and American armor was the first to collapse in a surrender agreement after a disillusioned army had turned on Mussiloni who fell into a state of neurotic paranoia.

With Italy collapsing, Russia met in talks with British and American delegates as to what they'd do in encircling Germany as it were..

However unbeknownst to the Russian commanders, Nazi Germany had in the few short months after Hitler's death, denounced the "Jewish" issue and handed over documents and players of its existance to the Western Allies. It was later found out that their rationale was the fact that Russia seemingly had taken up the 'Jewish Problem" flag under Josef Stalin as an even greater 'great purge' in an attempt to smash a weakened Germany and annex them and their French and Italian neighbors under the noses of the other Western Allies.

With Germany begrudgingly accepting interim terms, they folded their forces in with the allied forces in secret; an end result of France and Poland almost going rogue feeling betrayed created a mess for the Allies.

With this going on in the political world, the war itself began to grind to a crawl. Politicians not knowing what to do. In this time, Russia turned on Japan and it's attempted annex of china while the lines in the West became just as cold as they had in France during the last war.

Japan, at this time, actually had maintained American diplomatic relations when Emperor Hirohito disavowed his military commanders once he had been confronted by their annexation of Nanking and Korea by Britain and America. What resulted was a country that under the stipulation of remaining neutral would receive the support they wanted from the US.

However, when Russia attacked the now pacified SE Asia region with help from Mao Zedong in an attempt to create a communist chinese superstate and strike back at Japan for it's atrocities in the 1930s.. the war went hot once more.

On December 25th 1944 Russia declared War on Britain and America calling them 'traitors' to the cause of freedom for the people. On the front lines a new weapon soon appeared within Russian armor: A bipedal 'tank' loosely translated as "Power Armor". These hefty, bipedal and heavily armored weapons could be built just as quickly as the proposed T-34 Tank. Stailin supported these weapons seeing them as an even more awesome weapon for his people to stand behind; a battalion of Iron Giants to crush the Capitalist and indulgent west.

And with a strike in January 1945 with air-dropped armor over Japan, the main islands were soon taken within a matter of months. It was brutal; no quarter was spared. Those left of Japan's hierarchy fled to Australia in an attempt to regroup and wait for American assistance.

It never came. Within 2 months Russian forces were already landing in Northern Australia.

But what about the Western Front? With Russian supplied Free French and Polish SFR forces, Power Armored attacks began to spring up in the summer of 1945. Germany was hit hard by these attacks, and the Western Allies having to quickly adapt to the style being used by the Russian insurgents caused the lines to began to push back inward toward Berlin itself.

America, Britain, and the New Germany Reich needed something to counter that new "Iron Giant" weapon that had been deployed and had only taken months to flatten Australia (which by August was now firmly in Russian and Chinese hands)

Their own Power armor would soon debut in Vietnam in November 1945; much to the shock of Russia who had thought that the Americans had been concentrating on Nuclear weapons. In fact.. they now had both. And a Nuclear strike on the Sino-Russian Saigon stronghold in January 1946 would soon spool up the war into something even bloodier than what had once been called the Great War of 1914-1918.

The new Greater Third German Reich, The British Commonwealth, and the United States of America openly declared an end of their Alliance with the Soviet Union. It was now a war of ideologies, with two legged metal men beating each other senseless across the world.

You are a pilot of one of these 'Metal Men' Power Armors being drafted from the Tank divisions of all militaries. These single man machines are more mobile than their tank predecessors and rival aircraft as the 'it weapon' that many enlistees wish to use to 'fight the other side'.

The factions are essentially a mesh of WWII and 1950s Cold War/Korea.

The Sino-Russian Alliance
- The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
- Russian controlled Peoples Republic of India
- Russian supported Persian Soviet Republic
- Peoples Rebublic of Indochina ( Maoist China lead Cambodia, Vietnam, Australia, New Guinea, Micronesia, Indonesia, Japan)
- Polish SFR

The Western Free Allied Forces
- USA
- British Commonwealth
- West France
- Democratic Republic of Spain
- The Greater Third German Reich

The armor would be around the height of a small house, 20 feet tall at the most for the heavier armor, around 10-15 feet for escort/fast assault recon armor. Operation of them would be similar to ground pounder GMs of 08th MS team, but using turbine powerplants and be reminiscent of tank warfare.

Nationalists from both sides wishing to 'escape the war and help their families' are ENCOURAGED! Japanese tankers driving British and US tanks in 'Bushido' like brigades looking to free Japan.. Polish drivers wishing to crush Germany for what they did in 1939..

This is more than just a 'blow 'em up' game. What I want to see is some more human aspects, something that makes you think of Band of Brothers or The Pacific when you play.

I'm thinking of doing a sort of TFTF lead with an OSS/MI5 team of special operations tankers operating their own weapons, with a KGB/MSS equivelant from the same line meeting and countering each other across the globe.

The creme de la creme of each side duking it out by chance.. or purpose.
TRANS AM!
Yes, it's a V8.
Yes, it was a Trans Am before there was "TRANS AM."
Yes, it's mine. 8)
User avatar
Wedge14
Posts: 1946
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:23 pm

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

@SNT1

Given your game has two factions that are very different in size and scope. What are you planning to do to keep it balanced and interesting for both teams? Would the mercanaries play an integeral role to help leverage the strength of the resistance group?

What will stop mercanaries from switching sides?
RPG Trinary:Creepy Zeon Magician

I'm cool, just ask anybody.

Oh and check out the RPG Section!
User avatar
SNT1
Posts: 3690
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 1:29 am

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

Wedge14 wrote:Given your game has two factions that are very different in size and scope. What are you planning to do to keep it balanced and interesting for both teams?
This line:
I wrote:-The World Empire looks to conquer the space colonies and the moon next
There are things I left out from my paragraph wall o' text version, and it's that the Empire, at 30EE, is amassing the bulk of their forces to get to space and conquer that realm, which in turn thins the earth forces a bit....just a little bit.

Even so, I plan for The Empire players to act as a 'police' group at least in the earlier chapters and will have numerical advantages (Leo/Aries NPC units, easily fix their mobile suits/easily replaced when damaged/destroyed). Don't expect the King to sic his Immortal Guard on the rebels on the first chapters, though...

The renegade group will have to work with things like espionage/ambush/guerilla tactics, and get lots of foot action for players, and as such, it hopefully appeals to players who like their pilot characters to do some Solid Snake impressions once in a while, to overcome their personnel disadvantage.

So the noticeably asymmetric design of the two factions is intentional, only so that it won't feel the same when playing both sides.
Would the mercanaries play an integeral role to help leverage the strength of the resistance group?


Firebrand needs all the help they can get. For character creations though even if a player makes a mercenary character he/she would have to choose which faction he/she works for---Empire, or Firebrand
What will stop mercanaries from switching sides?
Maybe the faction with a bit of a winning streak may attract mercs :P Still, it won't sit well for other 'main' members of the faction if mercs flip-flop throughout the chapters---they would either be arrested through shady means (Empire) or just be seen dead on a sidewalk (Firebrand). In any case it won't be good for players with mercs try to switch sides whenever they feel like...
(>-.-)>-} >>---> \(x.x)/
User avatar
Wedge14
Posts: 1946
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:23 pm

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

See what kind of interested me was the idea of starting as a neutral mercanary company and eventually being hired by a faction. The idea behind roleplaying out the contract and working both sides to allow the mercanary to gain the best contract possible really draws me in.
RPG Trinary:Creepy Zeon Magician

I'm cool, just ask anybody.

Oh and check out the RPG Section!
User avatar
SNT1
Posts: 3690
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 1:29 am

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

^I've toyed with the idea of a neutral black market as I said in this post on thee other thread, maybe that could serve as a base for mercenaries and bounty hunters for a while

All the character's hard earned cash can be used for upgrades via a neutral black market (both mercs and govt officials can use them though the aristocratic govt will have their own tech shop), and maybe we can limit the upgrades to once every while to prevent people changing their stuff every sortie.
so it's not completely off the table...

But the logistics and how to handle a neutral party intimidated me a little bit. For example, how would they stay neutral? The battles may get to the point where one would have to choose a side. Still, for sure, Firebrand will have to resort to this neutral party just because they're so short-handed when the game begins. But I'm just not to keen on making an actual third, full-fledged faction just for mercs.

IF anything, The Empire will in fact, be able to pay their mercs more, at the beginning of the game, and on the other hand Firebrand will have to be winning battles and pillaging territories to get their loot and money to pay mercs...and they ain't got no Wang Liu Mei to back them up financially.

I still have more than a week and 1/2 to figure this out xD
(>-.-)>-} >>---> \(x.x)/
User avatar
blind_dead_mcjones
Posts: 1029
Joined: Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:19 am
Location: South Australia

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

Wedge14 wrote:See what kind of interested me was the idea of starting as a neutral mercanary company and eventually being hired by a faction. The idea behind roleplaying out the contract and working both sides to allow the mercanary to gain the best contract possible really draws me in.
so i wasnt the only one thinking that, kinda reminds me of the mercenary group that you work through in the armored core games

you could also have more than one mercenary company, differing by their approach to completing jobs.

or alternatively there could be some individuals who choose to take contracts without going through the proper channels and consequences that could have
SNT1 wrote:
But the logistics and how to handle a neutral party intimidated me a little bit. For example, how would they stay neutral? The battles may get to the point where one would have to choose a side. Still, for sure, Firebrand will have to resort to this neutral party just because they're so short-handed when the game begins. But I'm just not to keen on making an actual third, full-fledged faction just for mercs.

IF anything, The Empire will in fact, be able to pay their mercs more, at the beginning of the game, and on the other hand Firebrand will have to be winning battles and pillaging territories to get their loot and money to pay mercs...and they ain't got no Wang Liu Mei to back them up financially.

I still have more than a week and 1/2 to figure this out xD
the contract alone will probably keep them tied to one faction, afterall knowledge that they don't honour contractual agreements all the way through would be bad for buisness and like i said above you could have more than one merc faction each one tiered differently in terms of size, finances/resources, and clout (i.e.: two bit mercs and a few mates in average mobile suits just trying to scrape out a living on one end of the spectrum, and a big well equipped PMC with loads of contacts on the other)
Flag Fighter for life!
User avatar
SNT1
Posts: 3690
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 1:29 am

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

blind_dead_mcjones wrote:the contract alone will probably keep them tied to one faction, afterall knowledge that they don't honour contractual agreements all the way through would be bad for buisness and like i said above you could have more than one merc faction each one tiered differently in terms of size, finances/resources, and clout (i.e.: two bit mercs and a few mates in average mobile suits just trying to scrape out a living on one end of the spectrum, and a big well equipped PMC with loads of contacts on the other)
Contracts are fine, that's why I had mercs as available positions, so long as they don't have 1-fight contracts and flipflop all over factions through chapters. Bad RP move aside, you just don't want to be hated by all.

I want the mercs to just be individuals affiliated to no bigger mercenary talent pool or whatever, approach or be approached either by some shady Empire official or be convinced by Firebrand to work for them

I do want to avoid PMC's, though. Reason being, the Empire can easily see an organized private military as a threat and just obliterate them off existence. No reason to co-exist with another military on earth when empire has THE military.
(>-.-)>-} >>---> \(x.x)/
User avatar
Attomoku
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:07 pm
Location: Subsumed by the ELS

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

Quick question SNT1:

Would you allow original/ highly custom units for say: well known mercenaries and distinguished commanders?
IAN: (Shaking fist up at sky in a storm of GN particles) Science does not WORK this way, Setsuna!!!
User avatar
SNT1
Posts: 3690
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 1:29 am

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

Attomoku wrote:Quick question SNT1:

Would you allow original/ highly custom units for say: well known mercenaries and distinguished commanders?
Original (fanmade) units - probably not

"Highly" custom units - gonna end up as a case-to-case basis but most likely yes
example: Gouf -> Norris' Gouf Custom

Or another original example that comes to my mind at the moment: A High-mobility Tieren with two giant maces as tanking melee specialist - there, that sounds like a good custom unit IMO


goes without saying then, special paint schemes and/or ornaments (crest, face, beam saber color etc) are all something I would allow
(>-.-)>-} >>---> \(x.x)/
User avatar
blind_dead_mcjones
Posts: 1029
Joined: Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:19 am
Location: South Australia

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

SNT1 wrote: I want the mercs to just be individuals affiliated to no bigger mercenary talent pool or whatever, approach or be approached either by some shady Empire official or be convinced by Firebrand to work for them
that just the thing though, mercs (well, smart ones anyway) wouldn't operate on their own like that, survival is key for them and safety comes in being in a group (but not large group as that means dividing up the profits further) and being employed as a group, and they certainly wouldn't accept some offical meeting them in person, again due to the heightened sense of self preservation.
They at the least would have an operator/handler who would scout out and negotiate jobs for them, as well as assist in organising their finances and equipment
SNT1 wrote:I do want to avoid PMC's, though. Reason being, the Empire can easily see an organized private military as a threat and just obliterate them off existence. No reason to co-exist with another military on earth when empire has THE military.
not neccessarily, even if they were an organised private military they can still be scattered all over the place in small clumps as a security measure to avoid being wiped out like that but can be banded together should the need arise

besides the idea of the PMC/mercenaries being seen as a threat by either or both sides would make for a great sub plot and adds a level of depth to the proceedings, after all this conflict would be their bread and butter its not like they're going to want it to end anytime soon, the world government doesn't trust them because they could be a threat and likewise firebrand certainly wouldn't trust them fully due to them being financially motivated, and for extra points you could a group within PMC/mercenary camp grow dissatisfied with how the system is and the regulations put on them and decide to rebel, a la leos klein and the frighteners in armored core 2

sorry for pressing the issue like this, your proposal has potential its just that to me it feels rather black and white/one dimensional at the moment, and having the mercenaries in it being individuals who are tied to one faction gives them the impression of being filler
Flag Fighter for life!
User avatar
SNT1
Posts: 3690
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 1:29 am

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

By the way, thanks for the feedback to those who had questions.

Now...

About a PMC faction:

-A 3rd faction is a 3rd faction; out of game context that's something I want to avoid right now, full stop. I'm not sure, if voted in, how many players will be interested in the game enough to warrant another faction. Yes, it adds depth, but also adds complication when organizational and historical issues arise. Not sure if the added depth is worth the added complication at the beginning of the game.

-A 3rd faction wholly siding with 1st or 2nd faction is much worse, because that imbalances battles with a likely 2:1 ratio on fights. Even worse when they side with Empire (higher pay)

-Considering the settings, A PMC does not make sense in a time of peace (of course, this RPG takes place in a time of 'peace' at least on a relatively remote area of Earth). An organized military would literally have near-nothing profit with no wars going on* and then it would be split further for the handful of members there.

*Empire officials don't hire Mercs because they need the firepower to eliminate potential rebellions, they hire mercs so that they can pay him/her off so that the Empire can say "My hands are clean!" While the merc mops off the operation. In this regard a solo merc gets a good sum of money, and for himself/herself only. Likewise, Firebrand, even though small, is still going to be the largest rebellion in EE in terms of combat capability. Prior to that there would have been no one who could have afforded a PMC to fight against the Empire (and if they fought the Empire, they lost)

Also, I want a feel of a 'western' theme in this RPG. Think of individual cowboys who sees a "WANTED" sign and then goes out to bring the wanted guy for a bag of cash. An organized PMC doesn't feel that way to me (and I can't for some reason take Full Metal Panic off my head)

I'm now fine with individual characters starting out as neutral and then picking their employer in-game.

I'd like to hear more ideas (through replying here or by PM) regarding this game- it seems there are a few people with some interest in mercenaries but I'm not 100% sure how much of an impact they have or what I want them to have.
(>-.-)>-} >>---> \(x.x)/
User avatar
Cardi Doorl
Posts: 1361
Joined: Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:06 pm
Location: 대한민국 대전광역시
Contact:

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

mcjones, what I'm getting from SNT1's posts both here and in the other thread is that it doesn't matter if you can argue that an extensive PMC is technically feasible. The biggest problem with such a thing is that it runs counter to the aesthetic - the "look and feel" - that I think SNT1 wants to create with such a universe. Although I suppose a small mercenary group like you also proposed - like no more than four or five guys maximum in a ragtag band - wouldn't break the aesthetic (unless I've got SNT1's idea pegged wrong on that).

That's important since you seem to using the Armored Core games as the basis for your idea of how mercenaries fit in. I haven't played any of the AC games since Master of the Arena (so I haven't played the bulk of however many hundreds of AC games there are now) so I don't know if the setting has changed since the very early games, but if it hasn't then the idea to Armored Core is that the world is in an anarcho-capitalist state wherein civil governments have only nominal power and global corporations maneuver against each other. If I'm reading SNT1's idea the way he meant, then this proposed universe is nothing remotely like that at all, so Armored Core serves as a very poor frame of reference for understanding it.

I get the feeling that mercs are supposed to be a peripheral thing in this universe, like moreso a byproduct of the setting rather than being central to the storyline, but I might just be projecting my own hopes onto SNT1's words. After all, the proposal as currently written discusses the roles of mercenaries more than it does the specific location and setting.

* * *

SNT1, the background timeline is obviously a condensed thing that highlights only the most important historical events in this universe so I imagine a lot of events that aren't of immediate importance for your proposal were left out, but there was one thing I was curious about. Of course, the New Assyrians conquered and annexed all the nations in the opposing alliance systems during the Great World War, then at some point afterward renamed itself the World Empire and declared control of the planet.

Should I presume that the large swaths of land that weren't part of the warring powers (China, India, Eastern Europe, various others) were brought into their fold - piecemeal or all at once; by conquest or by other means - sometime between the GWW and the start of the proposed game?
RPG TRINARY: Gaia
Die Anti-brutale Kraft: Cardi Doorl


Make sure to check out the RPG section!
User avatar
SNT1
Posts: 3690
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 1:29 am

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

Cardi Doorl wrote:Although I suppose a small mercenary group like you also proposed - like no more than four or five guys maximum in a ragtag band - wouldn't break the aesthetic
I think four or five's still too big for random mercs, at least in the beginning where we exactly won't have fleet vs fleet battles. But even still as long as they do not have their own organized private military and infrastructure they should be good
but if it hasn't then the idea to Armored Core is that the world is in an anarcho-capitalist state wherein civil governments have only nominal power and global corporations maneuver against each other.
Haven't played any AC, but yeah that sounds like a complete opposite of my setting, which has a central world government who won't hesitate disappearing another organization with weapons, regardless of affiliation. A solo mercenary or even a rag-tag duo or something like that is allowed to exist because the Empire officials can use them without much visibility to others.
Should I presume that the large swaths of land that weren't part of the warring powers (China, India, Eastern Europe, various others) were brought into their fold - piecemeal or all at once; by conquest or by other means - sometime between the GWW and the start of the proposed game?
To be quite honest... Yes, I did miss 3 billion's worth of people. :oops:

In my wall o' text version it says The World Empire controlled 98% of the population, so China, India, most of ASEAN and Oceania is also Empire-controlled. Now, I have to make up some flavor text to detail what happened in the Great World War.

There is also space colonies/proto-colonies and the moon, who's still not Empire controlled, though they're definitely gearing up to own space, as well. This little bit would be important later down the road...

--

There's been quite a good deal of inquiry about mercenaries and their role in this thread and PMs; I will update my bullet-point rundown sometime before the week ends to reflect some of the ideas/changes I've been suggested and thought up, as well as putting in more detail.
(>-.-)>-} >>---> \(x.x)/
User avatar
blind_dead_mcjones
Posts: 1029
Joined: Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:19 am
Location: South Australia

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

@ Cardi

fair call on the asthetic level

in regards to the settings of the AC games, it depends on which set you play as its been rebooted a couple of times, i was thinking specifically of 2, last raven and 4answer specifically as those titles are more in the vein of SNT1's idea, mainly in that there is one unified government which wield quite a bit of power over everyone else (hell in 2 (which was set on mars IIRC) they take steps to cut the corporations down to size before they get too powerful again by eliminating ravens through use of a special forces unit called 'the frighteners', and it works quite well up until their leader pulled a big boss on the earth government) and the ravens operate on their own but nevertheless i see your point

@ SNT1

a western feel? right, now it all makes a lot more sense, shutting up now
Flag Fighter for life!
Rob DS Zeta
Posts: 314
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:55 pm
Location: over there

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

All of these ideas sound really confusing to me... @_@;
*insert witty eyecatch here*
User avatar
Attomoku
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:07 pm
Location: Subsumed by the ELS

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

SNT1 I'm curious how money for black market goods would function in universe depending on faction, do you say get an amount dependent on how much loot you can grab while in firebrand and a steady salary in the empire? What about mercs? Could they set a rate but if they overcharge a side might not hire and you'd be forced to sit out a battle or scrape out freelance work? At the end of a contract would you send a PM saying how much each side might be willing to offer?
IAN: (Shaking fist up at sky in a storm of GN particles) Science does not WORK this way, Setsuna!!!
User avatar
SNT1
Posts: 3690
Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2006 1:29 am

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

I really would hope that those details would better by role-playing it out (merc contracts, pay rate etc), if to keep it simple. If a merc wants to price himself out, no biggie, he don't get hired, simple. I'd also avoid actual number-crunching of contracts. Nobody wants to do those.

I think we can do a story RPG with mercenaries and avoid actual bean-counting right?

And Firebrand will get their sufficient money as the game moves along.
(>-.-)>-} >>---> \(x.x)/
User avatar
Attomoku
Posts: 529
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:07 pm
Location: Subsumed by the ELS

Re: RPG Idea Discussion Thread

yeah, no I was just wondering if there was going to be a more formal system, but I enjoy RPing those things out
IAN: (Shaking fist up at sky in a storm of GN particles) Science does not WORK this way, Setsuna!!!
Locked