Some weird (maybe stupid) pbp experience idea...

[Turanil]

So my idea is: what about a pbp with random players?

I mean: there are 4 or 5 PCs determined by the DM. Then, the crazy thing is that anyone can play any character whenever he wants to!

So, you are looking at the forum, notices (and reads) the thread, and then decide to make one of the characters act in some way. But next day, another enworlder could play it, and then four days later you come back and play that character again, or could opt to play another instead...

The advantage is that when a player tires of the game, he can just abandon it, but someone else will probably play the PC and so the game continues. Then, it could be a fun experience in itself.

Any comment?

 

[Turanil]

For such a freeform game, I am considering a D&D 3.5 game, set in one of the following worlds:

1) Goblinoid Empire: PCs are goblins, hobgoblins, or bugbears, in a medieval lawful-evil empire. Dwarves, elves, etc., live far away and are generally never encountered. The PCs are between adventurers and brigands, and thus outlaws in the goblinoid nation.

2) The Last Elves: A race (don't know which one yet, maaybe the Mojh from AU, or a psionic race) has exterminated and enslaved all the traditional races of the known world. Only half-orcs remain (from a forced interbreeding between orcs and human slaves), as well as a few half-elves (same idea). Dwarves have seemingly disappeared (yet a few could be hidden in the depths of mountains), while gnomes and halfling do not exist anymore. Elves are also all disappeared except for five of them who will avenge themselves of the evil empire.

3) Fantasy Africa: Arcana Unearthed races of dark-skinned people in a Nyambe setting including Dark-Sun and Al-qadim elements. For those who know about the series: heavily inspired by Imaro.

4) Arthurian Quest: Chivalry and Sorcery using Relics & Ritual Excalibur.

5) Celtic Rampage: Barbarians and gore using Slaine d20.

or any other idea you could propose...

 

[Zweischneid]

I am not quite sure what the point would be of playing a game the way you propose. While the advantages you note might be there, it kinda kills the whole point of playing the game if noone follows it along and people come and at random. Kinda like playing theatre in an empty hall.

Also I doubt the random-player-proposal you made fits to the kind of game you want to run.
For the random-player thing (switching players I mean), you are probably best served to run a low-level, SRD only, Dungeon crawl with really basic archetypes (i.e. the Fighter, the Cleric, the Wizard & the Rogue) so that people really can jump in without reading up much, run the character through a fight or a conversation and leave again. And only by this, you'll likely have a player base large enough to make the one-shot contributions feasable.

Or how many playes do you think sit here with a Nyambe or Slaine book ready to just come and go in a player-switch campaign?

 

[doghead]

I thought about something along similar lines myself, although I had all the players contribute to generating the characters, then get allocated one at random. Actually, come to think of it, I have also wondered about having a game like you mentioned where anyone could post for the characters.

I wonder if you would you need restrictions on switching between characters? Or would it be ok if someone posted half the party in a posting blitz. Perhaps "one post, one character" would be an idea to keep things more understandable.

I would go with fairly straight forward characters, perhaps lower level ones as well, in order to allow people to get a handle on them quickly. Perhaps limit them to a single class.

As for the setting, the more immediately recognisable it is, the more easily players can understand it. But then again .... perhaps it doesn't matter. I like the sound of the Nyambe campaign - a world where elephants and lions are not exotic monsters.

Would it work? I really have no idea.

thotd.

 

[Starman]

My first thought when I was reading your idea was a very tongue-in-cheek game. I think that would work better than doing something serious.

Starman