Some thoughts while I have some time...
Hi, Wintergypsy! Welcome to the promising discussion about the game.
I'm currently on the move so I can't reply as often or completely as I would like. But here are some hastily drafted notes for now.
If you have any requests for villains, let me know SOON. The sooner I know the more likely I can work them into the plot.
The game is recruiting for about another week which may mean more possible interested players, each with their own suggestions about a system choice. So the choice of game system (if the game is a go and we call all live with the system chosen) would be finalized next week.
It is true that I see the game as more 'role-playing' than 'roll-playing.' Doctor Who is paced and structured like a horror story. Ordinary joes against a terribly powerful and overwhelming enemy until the enemy's unique weakness can be identified and exploited. The 'monster' can't simply be fought, it must be outwitted and/or outsacrificed. Simple combat between, say, Sarah Jane Smith and a dalek can only end one tragic way. One of the initial reasons I didn't suggest a rule system was I didn't want to give those who prefer a combat-oriented game false impressions about this game.
At this point, let me tell you a little more about the game.
This game will deliberately take some chances which means it will win or lose BIG.
Most of the games on this board are perfectly linear and obvious. The threat is understood and directly confronted, win or lose.
This game will have non-linear elements, multiple points-of-view, travel through time and space, possible time paradoxes, characters who don't necessarily look the same one day to the next, and truly odd gaps in memory.
A very good example is the movie Momento. If you liked the movie, you may like this game. If you hated the movie (as it necessarily told a straight-forward story in a very strange way), this game is probably not for you.
This game will appear to be a murder mystery but I have learned that you can't time WHEN your players will figure out 'who-dunnit.' Which means that, by necessity, the game is (hopefully) a corkin' good adventure that might just pull off being a murder mystery as well.
The best way to explain the game is to give you a hypothetical example of how the game might be run.
Let's say the game starts with Player 1 (actually the GM, me), Player 2, Player 3 & Player 4.
Player 1 makes Companion 1 and the 1st Steward
(the Steward is the provisional Time Lord of the game)
Player 2 makes Companion 2 and the 2nd Steward
Player 3 makes Companion 3 and the 3rd Steward.
Player 4 makes Compantion 4 and chooses not to make an optional incarnation of the Steward (which would have been the 4th Steward).
The game begins...
First post (written by Player 1)
Companion 1 and the 1st Steward are aboard the Steward's TARDIS (from now on, just called the TARDIS, unless noted). There is no particular crisis (like the start of many Doctor Who stories) when the Steward is attacked by an unknown force that wishes to teleport him away. The Steward is able to commit the TARDIS to temporarily prevent his body from being taken but his mind is affected. In addition, since the Steward is using the TARDIS as a anchor, the attacking force takes the TARDIS and hapless Companion 1 as well. The TARDIS is delaying being kidnapped but like a fish on a line but this will only buy some time. Badly explaining the situation to Companion 1 (as the Steward's memories are now compromised), the 1st Steward begins to regenerate into the 2nd Steward...
2nd Post (written by Player 2)
Some time later, maybe centuries later...
The 2nd Steward and Companion 2 are aboard the TARDIS which suddenly suffers the same attack as listed above. And again, the 2nd Steward is just able to badly explain about the time-jacked TARDIS before starting to regenerate into the 3rd Steward.
3rd Post (written by Player 3)
...maybe generations later still...
As above, the 3rd Steward will explain to the 3rd Companion the situation and then regenerate into the 4th Steward (made by the GM as Player 4 chose not to make an incarnation of the Steward).
Player 4 will fit Companion 4 into one of the posts above (into the GM's post if nowhere else).
That is the first series of posts in the game, there is one more structured post and then players can pretty much post freely.
The second series of posts kicks off with.
1st post
Player 2 now posts for the newly regenerated 2nd Steward reacting to the surprised Companion 1 (played by Player 1). Suffering from the effects of regeneration, the 2nd Steward still realizes that the TARDIS can give the two about an hour of subjective time before being grounded at whatever destination the TARDIS is being pulled to.
This allows for the characters to get to know each other (and to play a baffled companion and newly-regenerated Time Lord together, a sweet treat for Who fans). There will be a chance for the new Steward to choose an outfit (a ritual for the newly-regenerated). And the two confused heroes will have a little time to prepare for whatever awaits them as best they can.
2nd post
Player 3 now posts for the newly-regenerated 3rd Steward, reacting to the surprised Companion 2 (run by Player 2). As above, the characters have an hour to prepare and get to know each other
3rd post
The GM posts for the 4th Steward and the Player 3 runs Companion 3 with an hour for the two of them to prepare.
Player 4 will have run Companion 4 with whatever group Companion 4 started out with.
Are you still with me, because the game gets conventional at this point.
All of the Stewards and Companions arrive, in several TARDISes, at the same place and time. Initially, the location will seem to be prosaic and harmless. The TARDISes will be grounded and non-functional. All of the characters can leave their own TARDIS and mingle with the various others (this will give the players a nice role-playing opportunity).
Once the players are ready to continue, the strange force will attack all of the Stewards again. Without the TARDISes to protect them this time, the Stewards will disappear and the Companions will be on their own, alone and hunted...
At this point, the real game begins...
This game focuses mainly on the Companions but if there is enough interest and time, the Stewards can also be played (the groups will be separated throughout most of the adventure) optionally.
I hope I have explained the premise of the adventure correctly. If you don't understand it, let me know. If you don't like it, let me know.
Gerry.
