Gauging Interest

Someone recently mentioned (in the BnB forums of all places) how we used to have "Webstories" here on the forums, which were sort of like RPGs on a galactic scale, what with fleet battles and all that. I have fond memories of participating in a few of them before they went the way of the dodo, and, frankly, I rather miss 'em.

Despite having absolutely no idea what I'm doing (and the likely prospect that I'd have to come up with a convoluted new combat system even if I did), I'm going to test the waters here and ask something I've been meaning to inquire for a long time:

If someone, most likely me, started a new Webstory, would you participate?

Ha, I remember those, waaaayyy back when...

I've wanted to do one for a while. I joined one last year, and it died on its own. Pitty, because I (the Azgari) had just traded tech with the voinians to get the secret of dospect armor. I never figured out what game mechanics - if any - run these. I'm busty now, but I'd be interested in doing one later, in a month or so. Chalk me up for being interested.

Personally, EVO is by far my favorite universe.

This post has been edited by n64mon : 16 April 2009 - 01:58 PM

I'd join in, we do alot of those sorts of things on tribal wars and its really fun

Ok, so thats two potential players.

Anyone else interested? Given the low response rate, I can't help but wonder if I should've posted this on a higher-traffic forum...

Wait a second... you were in the last one I played. I feel silly...

We might want to post elsewhere / pm people, and see if we can find a decent set of game mechanics, unless we want to freeform it.

Yeah. I think I'll put up another thread on the Nova forums tomorrow; hopefully that one will attract more attention.

As for combat mechanics, I think I'll just go free-form this time, and play GM to make sure no one does anything too overpowered. I'm actually working on a dice-based combat system, but (besides being unfinished) its ridiculously complicated and I don't want to scare anyone off.

And, yes, I plan to use the EVO universe as a template. Its the easiest to work with without modifying it, in my opinion.

I think EVO is great for webstories because the balance is so... perfect. UE vs voinians, the three strands locked in perpetual warfare, with Miranu as the odd-ball trade power...

Also, the tech is so different, which makes for some interesting trade and/or alliance opportunities.

Then, because the balance is so tight, mercenary players are actually effectual, because if they throw their support behind any one group it could tip the balance.

so how does the game generally work, we pick a government to play for and we make alliances and trade technology thats what ive worked out so far

Yeah, thats sort of the idea. You pick a faction, and try to position yourself so that the outcome ends in your favor. Its unlikely that the game will ever 'end', as we'll all get bored long before that, but its not entirely inconceivable that someone (or someones) could 'win' by conquering the galaxy.

Its largely story-driven (hence the term webstory), and most anything can be done if you can justify it. There are generally fuzzy guidelines for fleet building, research, etc, and you come to an agreement with an opponent as to what are 'acceptable losses' after an engagement.

The Game Master (GM) decides what's allowed and what isn't allowed tech-wise (Miranu with Bronev from a Voinian alliance? Sure, why not. Fleet-destroying super-weapon? Hell no ), and is the final arbiter of disputes and grievances (can't come to an agreement on the outcome of a fight, someone is being munchkin, etc etc). In the ideal scenario, I'd sit back and watch while you guys duke it out, but lack of participants may force me to choose a side.

As I said before, I'm trying to develop a dice-based system with more well-defined rules and boundaries, but its still in its nascent stages, and I'd really like to get people interested in webstories again before I attempt to find people to beta-test it. (Finding people for a conventional-rules webstory is a chore as-is!).

I'd observe, or if I felt comfortable enough, I'd join in.

Please do! Participation is greatly appreciated.

Fortunately, we don't need to get players for every side; if one side is playerless then other people can conquer them!

A laid back roll like that would most likely be beneficial, I could prehaps be a tech trader.

Hey, I was reading through the previous webstory, and found this link, courtesy of Hamster:

http://www.concentric.net/~walbert1/evo/index.shtml

It's got lots of EVO maps. It'll be useful if the game gets off the ground.

Ok now i get it, I'd definatly join in if you can get all the stuff together

If we don't get enough players, what about running the story, but localizing it to one half of the galaxy? Focusing more on the UE/Voinian War, or perhaps the Strand War? The Miranu could get involved in the UE/Voinian War, or you could have a pirate faction, or the Strandless could contact the independent human planets. Plenty of possibilities.

(My apologies for not replying sooner. I've been very busy for the past week and have had limited internet access. Had the webstory been in-progress, I would have appointed an appropriate substitute.)

QUOTE

If we don't get enough players, what about running the story, but localizing it to one half of the galaxy? Focusing more on the UE/Voinian War, or perhaps the Strand War? The Miranu could get involved in the UE/Voinian War, or you could have a pirate faction, or the Strandless could contact the independent human planets. Plenty of possibilities.

Yes, I was thinking the same thing, actually. I'd probably put it up to a vote as to what part of the galaxy, exactly, we'd restrict it to, and it would depend on how many players we have. However, its a good plan in the event that we can't fill in for every faction (which seems likely).

Sign me up... but I'm tired of being the Voinians.

This time, I want to be the fuzzes. If you trade in fuzzbags, fear me.

I might be interested in doing this again, since its been years since the last one that I was involved in.

I'll give in my 'maybe'. I've always been fond of EVO.