LurkerInPlayground
2009-03-01, 01:36 PM
I have been kicking this idea around the inside of my head for sometime and I am wondering if anybody here on GitP has ever tried it.
The idea runs thusly:
You can run a competitive play-by-post game, but with the added caveat that the players are blind to each other's actions and in-game identity. Furthermore, it is actually integral to the gameplay that the players all remain secretive otherwise they become vulnerable to the actions of the other players.
You could fluff this in any number of ways: The players are rival spies, undercover agents, secretive magicians trying to destroy each other, etc. Each has their own story-related goals they try to accomplish, but these goals are all mutually exclusive to one another.
Some roleplay (and related guidelines) may be necessary to keep players "blended in" with their surrounding NPC's and environment. Maybe even multiple GM's since the GM will have to relay player actions and filter it in such a way that it becomes indistinguishable from an NPC's.
In the spirit of competition they try to survive as long as possible and achieve their objectives. At the end of the "story" the players are unmasked and ranked for bragging rights.
An example:
Player A has telepathy and can read surface thoughts. If player A were to be in a bar with player B, for example, the GM would relay anything the other player was currently "thinking about" or what actions the other player was likely to take.
Player B might not have telepathy but certainly has a Sense Motive check and could try to gauge player A. However, neither knows (yet) that the other is actually their enemy . . .
Thoughts? Insults? Suggestions?
The idea runs thusly:
You can run a competitive play-by-post game, but with the added caveat that the players are blind to each other's actions and in-game identity. Furthermore, it is actually integral to the gameplay that the players all remain secretive otherwise they become vulnerable to the actions of the other players.
You could fluff this in any number of ways: The players are rival spies, undercover agents, secretive magicians trying to destroy each other, etc. Each has their own story-related goals they try to accomplish, but these goals are all mutually exclusive to one another.
Some roleplay (and related guidelines) may be necessary to keep players "blended in" with their surrounding NPC's and environment. Maybe even multiple GM's since the GM will have to relay player actions and filter it in such a way that it becomes indistinguishable from an NPC's.
In the spirit of competition they try to survive as long as possible and achieve their objectives. At the end of the "story" the players are unmasked and ranked for bragging rights.
An example:
Player A has telepathy and can read surface thoughts. If player A were to be in a bar with player B, for example, the GM would relay anything the other player was currently "thinking about" or what actions the other player was likely to take.
Player B might not have telepathy but certainly has a Sense Motive check and could try to gauge player A. However, neither knows (yet) that the other is actually their enemy . . .
Thoughts? Insults? Suggestions?