An Experiment - No DM Modern Soap Opera (volunteers?)

[Tonguez]

I want to try an experiment (maybe on the In Character-board) anyway the premise is that we create Modern D20 characters to be the cast of a Soap Opera

Rules:
All characters gain Wealth +2 (cause everyone in the soaps is rich)

All Characters should be connected somehow (eg family members, ex-lovers, business associates)

Every Character should have a Secret eg Johan was in jail for murder (but don't tell anyone)

Every Character should have a goal eg Sarah wants to take full control of the company she and her brother PC Bob own (inherited from the parents) but Bob wont allow it

Alleigances = Character Traits (eg Sarah is Ambitious, Manipulating, Rich) would be good 'Soap' traits. PCs gain 1 Action Point if they use their Traits

Taking Actions:
Action Points are used
1 - to begin a scene
2 - to join another PC scene
3 - to foil another PCs action
4- to counter a foil4

Begin a Scene Cost 1 AP
"Sarah sits at her desk on the 8th floor of a high rise office building. Her office is spacious and elegantly decorated".

Join a Scene Cost 1 Ap
Others can now join the scene but may not change the scene
eg there is a call on Sarahs phone "Sarah" says the deep husky voice "its me Johan"...

Foil another PCs actions Cost 1 AP
eg Johan has started the Scene: Johan steps out of the shower and wraps a towel around himself

Player Bob now foils the action with: Not looking where he is stepping Johan slips on the wet floor and falls
-This constitutes an Attack (a trip attempt) and dice are rolled
Hit so Johan falls "and hits his head against the tiled floor

however...

Counter a Foil

Johan is falling but he pays 1 AP and "Johan quickly throws his hands out cushioning the impact" Tumble check (Bob can up the Ante and for 1 AP per pip impose a penalty to the check (eg he could use 2 AP and impose a -2 penalty on Johans Tumble check)

If Johan fails his Tumble (and is hurt) Bob gains 1 AP
If the Tumble is successful then "Johan is a little shaken but unhurt"

Gaining AP
Whenever you overtly use a Trait you gain 1 AP

If you use your background occupation in-game you gain 1 AP

If you HINT at your secret you gain 2 AP

Whenever you successfully foil another Players Action you gain 1 AP

Whenever a Scene you start resolves with a Cliffhanger you gain 1 AP

If you guess another persons secret you gain 4 AP

If you attain your goal you get 4 AP (and +2 Rep)


SO anyone interested?

DO you think it will work?

Remember NO DM - all players Start Scenes and Foil Actions as they see fit

Its a Soap so do whatever you like - Affairs, Kidnappings, Voodoo cults, elaborate Dream Sequences - they are all valid Soap fodder...

 

[D'karr]

So you can call this "d20 Dallas"... LOL

 

[Desdichado]

LOL, sounds like tons of fun. Although if I hadn't become at least mildly acquainted with soaps through my wife, I probably wouldn't "get" it. But, with no DM, who arbitrates the spending and gaining of action points? Anyway, yeah, I'm interested in something for a laugh on the IC boards.

 

[shadowlight]

So how would you facilitate it? Just posts on the messageboards, yahoo group, email...?

 

[Desdichado]

Shadowlight: I know you're a big fan of Young and the Restless! Get in there right away!

 

[Tonguez]

LOL, sounds like tons of fun. Although if I hadn't become at least mildly acquainted with soaps through my wife, I probably wouldn't "get" it. But, with no DM, who arbitrates the spending and gaining of action points? Anyway, yeah, I'm interested in something for a laugh on the IC boards.

Yeah I was considering that question - Using AP is basically covered in the Rules - Start a scene, Join a scene, Foil an action, Counter a foil, Impose a Skill check penalty.
Gaining AP is a bit harder to judge - with a foil attempt the gaining of AP is clear enough (if it succeeds you get the AP) however other actions may need some kind of 'moderator' - but that means I can't play - okay since this is the first 'experiment' I will act as Moderator until the bugs are ironed out on the gaining of AP - that means send me your secrets too!

Actually I can still play it just means I become Mr Rourke ...

Originally posted by Shadowlight

Faciliated on the Enworld In-Character Board (unless anyone can suggest someplace better)

so is that two so far?

 

[Terraism]

[Shudder.] Great ideas for using rules, and pulling something like that off. Still, we're talking soaps, here. Gee, it's too bad Monte already published a Book of Vile Darkness.


Edited for a smiley.

 

[Desdichado]

Yep, I'll play. Let me know when there's a thread in the IC forum, and what else I need to submit.

 

[alsih2o]

i should have known someone would try d20 soap-operas as soon i as iheard the phrase "vile darkness"

 

[Desdichado]

The hardest part will be conveying that stunned soap opera awkward silence right before they cut to another scene/commercial.