skotothalamos
formerly roadtoad
So, I had a Zeitgeist game running online on Google Wave & co-meeting for almost a year, that eventually died out. I'm looking to relaunch the game with a live group (a few of whom played in the previous game, which ended toward the end of adventure two).
Here's the thing: I want to involve the remote players from the online game in the live game (without doing a Skype conference), so I've been thinking of involving them by having them "play" characters who interact with the PCs via correspondence. I've already got one player set up as an RHC supervisor in Slate who oversees special projects and their budgets. She's a member of the Ob, but I'm not sure how loyal she is. I plan to give her the opportunity to develop that character as she sees fit.
I've got another one or two players interested. I'm thinking of setting them up as agents of the Vekeshi, or Clergy, or Family who will each have their own agendas. They'll never really have direct interaction with the PCs (unless they happen to be visiting), but might be able to send minions to talk or fight as the case may be.
The way I intend this to work is for the remote players to send "letters" to the group or their individual contacts within the group, trying to get the group (or those members) to progress their agendas. it's possible and likely that these remote players will be at odds with each other. So far, I'm loving the idea, but I'm trying to figure out a few things:
A) how much leeway do I have to let them play out their little plots without breaking future content?
B) how do I make the remote players messages relevant to the live game? My first notion, as you can see, was to put that player in charge of budgets. "Oh, you failed to do what I needed to have done. I guess I'll cut your budget. Lower stipends next level!"
C) I'd love to give them some kind of "game" content, where they have armies or agents or resources of some kind to move around, and various agendas to try and achieve, so any ideas for that kind of content would be awesome.
I'm brainstorming as well, of course, and will share what we come up with here.
Here's the thing: I want to involve the remote players from the online game in the live game (without doing a Skype conference), so I've been thinking of involving them by having them "play" characters who interact with the PCs via correspondence. I've already got one player set up as an RHC supervisor in Slate who oversees special projects and their budgets. She's a member of the Ob, but I'm not sure how loyal she is. I plan to give her the opportunity to develop that character as she sees fit.
I've got another one or two players interested. I'm thinking of setting them up as agents of the Vekeshi, or Clergy, or Family who will each have their own agendas. They'll never really have direct interaction with the PCs (unless they happen to be visiting), but might be able to send minions to talk or fight as the case may be.
The way I intend this to work is for the remote players to send "letters" to the group or their individual contacts within the group, trying to get the group (or those members) to progress their agendas. it's possible and likely that these remote players will be at odds with each other. So far, I'm loving the idea, but I'm trying to figure out a few things:
A) how much leeway do I have to let them play out their little plots without breaking future content?
B) how do I make the remote players messages relevant to the live game? My first notion, as you can see, was to put that player in charge of budgets. "Oh, you failed to do what I needed to have done. I guess I'll cut your budget. Lower stipends next level!"
C) I'd love to give them some kind of "game" content, where they have armies or agents or resources of some kind to move around, and various agendas to try and achieve, so any ideas for that kind of content would be awesome.
I'm brainstorming as well, of course, and will share what we come up with here.
