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Helgraf
2009-10-14, 10:59 PM
Helgraf & Shadow Present
Vampire III: Sunnydale Nights

Opening segue

Undisclosed Location - A small conference room

"Sunnydale. A quiet little dot of suburbia on the West Coast. The town is situated near several acres of woods and forest, located on or near the Pacific Ocean, powered in part by the nearby hydroelectric dam. Population figures vary, but are generally agreed to be in the 30,000 to 40,000 range; containing many of the amenities of a far larger city."

"Ladies, gentlemen, our surveillence in this area has revealed a problem - a very significant problem that needs to be dealt with now. While it is still containable. I am dispatching a full team to infiltrate. In order to stress the importance of this assignment, I have already dispatched Senior Agent Trapper Long to the location. You are to operate under standard protocols for containment. Any proscribed actions will be met with the harshest discipline."

- - -

Watcher's Council

"Her Watcher is not fit for duty, and the presence of the second Slayer who could be retasked to another place is only complicating matters - not to mention the suspicion that she might be compromised."

"That's not important right now. What matters now is that the vampires be stopped before they can fulfill their blood-drenched prophecy - if the Slayers cannot be trusted, then we must go ourselves to ensure the containment is complete."

"This is unprecedented."

"The alternative is unthinkable. We leave tonight."

- - -

Elsewhere
The plan was in motion. The ritual of Lethe was complete. He would find the others. They would feed, and what blood was left would be offered up at the Hellmouth. There were new wrinkles, yes, but the Master, presumed dead even by the Slayer, was confident they would be resolved. Two wild cards remained - the Principal was running his own gambit now, and that demon-tainted witch's soul flowed back and forth like the tides. The Slayer, the watchers, the government ... all these had been accounted for. Soon. It would be soon...


Welcome to Vampire III!

This time, we leave Europe and England far behind, as we focus on the normal on the surface town of Sunnydale as portrayed in the television series. This has been quite the year, enrollment in Sunnydale's educational system has reached an all time high. You are all students of our wonderful community - or at least you are pretending to be. Time will tell who is true, who is false, and who is Whedoned.

Now I'm sure you'll want to look over the crunch of the game, so without further ado ...

Roles and Items:
Roles:
Once the game is about to start, Helgraf or Shadow will PM each player with their role, which will be one (or more) of the following, determined randomly, without regard to what they have played in the past.
*Note*: Any Roles listed in GREEN are reserved for Students (villagers) only.
Any Roles listed in DARK RED are reserved for Vampires only.
Any Roles Listed in GRAY are reserved for Neutral(ish) characters (explained later).
Any Roles listed in BLUE are available to any affiliation.

--The Master: (Recruiter/Blind Alpha) One of the Old Ones, you have just completed a ritual that will ensure your domination in the world to come, but the cost was the forfeiture of your recent memory. Because of this, The Master (same as the other Vampires) does NOT begin play with knowledge of who the other Vampires are (see below). Master's Power: Generation - Once every three full cycles (one cycle = one voting and one nonvoting phase), while The Master still lives, instead of draining a student dry, he can choose to create another Vampire by draining a player almost to the point of death and then letting the individual drink from The master's own veins (if that player so chooses). For game balance issues, certain (but not all) roles will automatically choose death over the prospect of becoming an accursed Vampire, but the Master will not know whether the result was an auto-suicide or a player declining to be converted, and in this fashion, role secrecy will be maintained.

--The Anointed One: (Devil) The Anointed One's childlike stature allows him to get close to individuals that don't understand the malevolence within his small frame, and he uses this to find information that he needs. Each non-voting phase, he may use his talents to learn the true nature of a player. Counts as a Vampire, Scries as a Psychic. As a result of the great ritual performed, the Anointed One does NOT begin play with knowledge of who the other Vampires are (see below).
Anointed One's Power - Strong Scry - Barring scry interference or a disguising effect, the Anointed One's power will permit him to learn another player's role. This power can be used no more than once per non-voting phase, but can be used every non-voting phase.

--Vampires: (Wolves) You have risen from a recent torpor, your memories of the last month or so a complete haze. Your job is to lie, deceive, and cajole the students into not lynching you. After the non-voting phase begins, PM the narrator(s) with your vote on whom you wish to drain dry. The Narrator(s) will NOT PM you with whomever the other Vampires are. You scry as a Vampire. If there is a tie in the vote for the Vampire kill, the vote will be randomly determined among those selected who are tied with the most votes. If the vote for whom to feed upon should happen to be an unknown Vampire, instead of death, all of the Vampires who voted to kill said player instead learn that he is a fellow Vamp, and thus, a Coven is created. Each Vamp not yet introduced into a Coven votes separately. --*Note* The Narrator(s) will keep track of how many Vampires have been introduced to any given Coven. When the Coven vote gets sent in, all Vampires which are a part of the Coven will be counted as voting for that person, and weigh that versus the individuals still apart from the Coven.

--The Students of Sunnydale High: (Villagers) You are a student at Sunnydale High. Your job is to stay alive, and ferret out The Master and the other Vampires. Counts, obviously, as a student.

--The Watchers' Council: (Masons) Watchers are devoted to tracking and combatting malevolent supernatural entities (and particularly vampires), primarily by locating individuals with the talents required to fight such beings and win. More specifically, Watchers are assigned to Slayers, girls that are part of a succession of mystically powered individuals who are destined to face said foes. Each member of the Watchers' Council begins the game knowing the other members. Watchers scry as Masons, and their victory condition is the same as Students.

--Buffy: (Seer) Buffy is a Slayer: a young girl endowed with supernatural abilities and destined to battle evil creatures such as vampires and demons. Each non-voting phase Buffy can search the school grounds and attempt to find a Vampire.

Buffy's Power: Strong Scry - Functions identically to the Anointed One's power, giving a full read of the target's role(s) unless altered by disguiser abilities or blocked by scry interference. Buffy counts as a Villager, and scries as a Psychic.

--Faith:(Fool) Faith is a Slayer: a young girl endowed with supernatural abilities and destined to battle evil creatures such as vampires and demons. Each nonvoting phase Faith can search the school grounds and attempt to find a Vampire. But she is a Slayer who comes from a damaged background and often makes the wrong decision. Faith counts as a Villager, and scries as a Psychic.

Faith's Power: Blind Scry - Faith attempts a scry, however, the mental unbalance and social stress involved in being the number two dog in the Slayer hierarchy has severely disrupted her ability to read the enemy properly.

--Xander: (Baner) Xander's military training, as well as his fierce loyalty to his friend and the students of Sunnydale gives him considerable advantage in holding back the vampires.

Xander's Power- Bane: Each non-voting phase, Xander can choose one player to protect from a Vampire attack, foiling the attack if it occurs. His training also allows him to protect his target from other lethal threats (such as Black Flag).

--Angel and Darla:(Feuders) These two, after centuries of affection, have grown to hate each other so much that they will do anything in their power to kill the other. Either Angel or Darla are only considered winning the game if one survives and the other is dead. It may not be canonical, but neither Angel nor Darla may begin the game as Vampires (or it would be too easy for one to take the other out). Angel and Darla both are Villagers, and Scry as Feuder.

--Spike: (Peeping Tom) Spike has become rather bored since the chip in his head keeps him from killing. So, he's taken up voyeurism in the meanwhile. He can watch any one building during the night, and will observe who enters and leaves the building, but does not count himself as visiting said building. Scries as a Villager, but counts as a Vampire for what items he can benefit from. He will not learn the roles of any who come visiting, and will not observe the vampire coven kill as being outnumbered by the Master's goons could prove dangerous to one's continued unliving.

--The Initiative (Neutral mason-like): You are a member of a special black-ops division formed by the military to deal with unnatural threats of unknown origin. As such, the events in Sunnydale have resulted in the assignment of a full team of Initiative agents to contain and neutralize the threat. And Sunnydale is rife with unnatural elements; in addition to a vampire infestation, there are rumors that one or two entities codenamed 'slayers' are in residence, a werewolf and a few psychics who aren't charlatans. All of these must be taken into custody so they can be put to use for the benefit of our great nation. Initiative Agents have a special win condition and scry as Masons. The Initiative does not start the game knowing who Trapper is, though he will find them eventually.

The Initiative wants the vampire problem taken care of, but they have special first priority orders to take and hold or neutralize (lynch or kill) the following targets: The Slayers (Seer & Fool), The Werewolf (Lover Oz), The Psychic (Lover Cordelia), The Anointed One (Devil), The Ancient One (Recruiter Alpha). The Initiative will gain one-time benefits for each of these targets they can lynch. If the target is killed in some other fashion, it counts toward their win condition, but will not grant the one-time benefit.

The Initiative chooses from among themselves who will be their leader. If that leader dies, they choose another from amongst themselves again.

Powers of the Initiative (as a group)
Black Flag (x1) : Sometimes, a paranatural threat is too great to let live - no matter how much the Home Office wants to study it. Every three phases, the Initiative may execute a night kill. If the night kill is not one of their priority targets, however, one member of the team will be 'promoted to the ADAM Project' for their excessive zeal (removed from game).

Goal: If certain special circumstances occur, the ADAM Project will go live. The Initiative wins if the ADAM Project goes live and Sunnydale is subsequently saved from the Vampires afterward.

--Initiative Agent: (Trapper) The Trapper is one of the most experienced Initiative agents in the field; and wrote the book on para-natural containment. Each night he can trap the locker of any person during the night (except his own). If anyone tries to visit that person, they fail at their original task and fall into the trap. The entire school learns who fell into the trap, but they do not learn what that person attempted to do. Agent Trapper shares the Initiative win condition and scries as Trapper. Due to the circumstance of his insertion he does not begin the game with knowledge of the Initiative team, but will learn who they are in short order.

--Giles: (Rogue Watcher)An extremely well-educated man with access to significant occult resources, Giles' vote counts as three when determining who will be lynched. Counts as a Villager, Scries as Rogue Watcher.

--Wesley: (Apprentice Rogue Watcher) Heir to Giles, his predecessor, Wesley's vote counts as two when determining who will be lynched. Wesley takes up Giles' position (and role) if/when Giles is killed. Counts as a Villager, Scries as Rogue Watcher.

--Cordelia and Oz:: (Lovers) Cordelia & Oz - Exclusive Autobane : Cordelia and Xander will not die except under specific circumstances. If one of them is targetted by more than one kill effect in a given night, they will die. If either of them is using one of their powers, they are vulnerable to death for a period as listed in the power used (typically for one voting phase and one nonvoting phase). The Lovers do _not_ start the game knowing one another.

Restrictions
1. Cordelia & Oz's star-crossed devotion is obsessive, and as a result, they cannot be affected by any _other_ bane effects than this one, even if one of them dies.
Cordelia and Oz must use their abilities _at a minimum_ every 3 nights. Failure to do so will leave them vulnerable until they are compliant once more - this is tracked seperately for each of them, so they both must each use one of their abilities every 3 nights, though they do not have to choose the same night.

--Cordelia's Powers:
Sway the Masses - Once per game, Cordelia can switch the lynch to the #2 runner in the votes; if there is a tie for 2nd place, choose randomly from those in the tie. If there is a tie for 1st place, choose randomly from everyone but whomever got to 1st place first. (This ability is used during voting phase and makes her vulnerable to attack in the following nonvoting phase and the voting phase after that. She cannot use a nonvoting phase ability in the same cycle as she uses this ability. Like all abilities, it is used by PMing the narrators.)
Shadow: Once per non-voting phase Cordelia can tail someone and determine if they have any valuables (items). She is vulnerable during that non-voting phase and the next voting phase.
Filch: Once per non-voting phase, Cordelia can attempt to filch an item from another player. If she succeeds, she gets the item. If she fails, the player is notified that someone tried to take their item, but is not told whom. She is vulnerable during that non-voting phase and the following voting phase.
--Oz:
Scent of Evil: Once per game, Oz can try to track the vampires with his enhanced werewolf senses. Unfortunately, the vampires have learned how to dupe this ability. He will be given three names, one of which is a vampire, but will not be told which one is the vampire. This is a non-voting phase action, and leaves him vulnerable during that non-voting phase and the voting phase after.
--Everybody Loves Oz, Oz Loves Everyone: If Oz points at a power role (good or evil), his vote counts triple - whether he's aware of their role or not. If Oz points at a non-power role (basic student or basic vampire) his vote is a null. This is a voting phase ability, and if Oz chooses to activate this ability he will be vulnerable that night and the next voting phase.
--Curse of the Blood: If Cordelia dies, Oz must choose whether or not to activate this ability, which will kill him as well. Upon his death, Oz will go feral - he will kill one of those involved in the death (a lynch vote, a vampire in the killing coven, or the perpetrator of another kill event). Unfortunately, if Oz chooses *not* to activate this ability upon the death of Cordelia, the sorrow that has welled within him for his lost love causes him to completely lose control and in this event he will also kill 2 additional random players among those still living before he's brought down. This is a reaction power that occurs in the appropriate phase.


Items:
In addition to their roles, random players (chosen from among the entire playerbase) will begin play with one of the following items in their possession. These items simulate the power of a role, thus giving the randmly chosen players two seperate roles, in effect. These items are non-transferrable and are lost upon the death of said player(s). A list of these powerful items follows:

--Keys to the School: (Abjuror) Every non-voting phase the player in possession of the Keys can choose to provide sanctuary to one player from the masses by hiding them somewhere in the school, granting them protection from lynching by the mob the next day. PM this choice to the narrators at dawn. The Keys may not start the game in a Vampire's possession.

--Props Department Keys: (Illusionist) Each non-voting phase the player that begins the game in possession of the Keys to the Props Department can use it to trick Buffy, Faith and The Anointed One to see whatever he/she desires. Target player shows as any role of your choice upon scrying by any of the aforementioned individuals.

--The Book of the Dead: (Necromancer) Once every three non-voting phases the player in possession of the Book of the Dead can use it's foul necromancy to raise one dead player from the grave, but this individual becomes horribly disfigured in the process. Raised players are randomly assigned a new role (Vampire is a possibility as well). Once used, this ability cannot be used again until two full days have passed.

--Hypnotist's Stone: (Enchanter) Every non-voting phase the player that possesses the Hypnotist's Stone can Hypnotize a target player. The affected individual has been so completely enthralled by the Stone that they don't even know that they're being manipulated. On the following voting phase, the Hypnotized player's vote is counted as a vote for whomever the Hypnotist wills, instead of the individual's actual vote. This will not be noted in the main thread; the end results will simply be adjusted accordingly if the vote change changes the result.

--Tome of Eldritch Horrors: (Transmuter) Each non-voting phase the player that possesses the Tome of Eldritch Horror chooses a target and a random effect from all the roles happens to that person. The possessing player can, if they so choose, target themselves with this ability, but will be warned this may end badly for them...

--Wooden Stake: (Evoker) When killed, the player carrying the Wooden Stake (while fighting for his/her life) utterly destroys one of his/her enemies. If drained by Vampires, one random Vampire in the attacking coven is killed. If killed by lynching, the last person to vote for this player is killed. If killed by an independant kill event, the perpetuator of the kill event is killed. The Wooden Stake destroys the target's heart, so any individual killed by the Wooden Stake cannot even be brought back to life by The Book of the Dead.

--Tome of Blood Magic: (Conjuror) Five times during the course of the game, the player that begins the game in possession of the Tome of Blood Magic can choose to cast a spell to various effects. Each spell will indicate what phase it must be used in and when it takes effect.

Willow has become quite unstable. Throughout the game, she will distribute items to various players. Some will be student specific, others vampire specific - most can be used by either side. Willow retains enough sense not to give an item to someone who can't use it.

Some of the items that Willow may bestow upon you include, but are not limited to:

--Mirror - You may use this mirror once to try and 'catch' a suspected vampire via lack of reflection; however, mirrors are imperfect. There is a 50% chance of determining whether the target is a student or vampire; the mirror is too distorted to determine any further information (such as an additional role) - masons will scry as students for this purpose.

--Crucifix - This item has a 25% chance of repelling a vampire if the user is attacked. It is destroyed either way afterward.

--Charlatan's Crystal Set - This single use item can be used to change a subject's apparent type (villager or vampire) to that of the user's choosing.


The Rules:

If you're unfamiliar with these games, check the Werewolf Central thread for some more information, but be warned that Vampire is not recommended for a beginning player.

As per tradition in Vampire, the game's day and night phases have been reversed. Each "normal game day" consists of a 48 hour night phase for voting (which ends at dawn); referred to in rulesspeak as the voting phase, and a 24-48 hour day phase for for actions normally used "at night" (which ends at dusk), referred to in rulesspeak as the 'non-voting phase'.

Any player failing to vote for two consecutive cycles will lead to the automatic death of said player via autolynch. If away notice is filed we will attempt to honor it - it must be filed via PM to BOTH narrators.

Once the majority has voted for one person, that person is lynched. Dawn breaks, and it begins again. The lynched person is out, and can make comments and continue to post, but nothing that could influence a vote. When a lynching occurs, it is NOT revealed as to which role the person had unless said player was a Vampire - special case death effects may make it seem obvious what someone's role is, but we will not reveal it, e.g. as in the case of the Cordelia & Oz, the player in possession of the Wooden Stake, etc.)

If/when a body is found at dusk it is NOT revealed which role they had, allowing for the same exceptions previously mentioned.

We feel that if the Vampires start blind, the entire game should continue that way.

Helgraf's "Scry Interference" rule will be used. The essence of this is that if two or more scry actions of any sort are used on the same player in the same non-voting phase (and you can only use scries in the non-voting phase) then all scries on that player will fail. If this occurs, limited use scries involved will not be used up, just will not function that time.

*NOTE* It is highly recommended that players (even after their death) keep their roles a secret from anyone that didn't know it previously, as the player in possession of the Book of the Dead may very well raise you into the game once again, possibly with a different role.

A list of the Roles will be released upon completion of the game - and as sanity permits, any role changes will be noted.

As is always the case with a game of Vampire, there are many different things happening behind the scenes that the players may or may not be aware of.
As is always the case with a game of Vampire, there are certain secrets that the narrators keep from the players at all times.

Victory Conditions:
For the Students to win, they must destroy all of the Vampires.

For the Vampires to win, the Vampire Coven must simply reduce the remaining number of non-vampires to equal their current numbers.

The Initiaitive win condition requires the destruction of the vampires and the completion of the ADAM project.

Recruitment will remain open until ~10/30
The game is scheduled (at this point) to start on ~11/02 (longer if role assignment gets ... interesting).


Player List (36 at Recruitment Close - Last Update 02:05 AM ET 10/31/2009)


Alarra
Yspoch
Freshmeat
Zar Peter
Fleeing Coward
GAThraawn
Opeth Freak
Oddity
billtodamax
Night Surgeon
Bayar
Aemoh
DD the Cookiemonster
banjo1985
The Bookworm
Mordokai
Shadowcaller
Murska
Thufir
Reinholdt
Mustiado
Hyozo
Dirk Kris
calar
PirateMonk
Geesi
Uncle Festy
Evnafets
Philistine
Lex-kat
Jontom Xire
Bishfish
Lamech
Eldritch Knight
CurlyKitGirl
Sanity702

Alarra
2009-10-15, 02:41 AM
I would like to play. :smallsmile:

Yspoch
2009-10-15, 02:43 AM
Me too, pretty please!

Freshmeat
2009-10-15, 02:52 AM
I'd like to have a stake in this.

Zar Peter
2009-10-15, 02:54 AM
I am in please.

Fleeing Coward
2009-10-15, 02:55 AM
Count me in :smalltongue:

GAThraawn
2009-10-15, 02:57 AM
So very much in, I'm almost out the other side.

Opeth_Freak
2009-10-15, 03:23 AM
As a newly embraced vampire (RP-wise) in Mafia, I cannot say anything else than IN!

Oddity
2009-10-15, 03:24 AM
I'm in with a silver filler

billtodamax
2009-10-15, 03:38 AM
I'll join. Filler time.

Fan
2009-10-15, 03:40 AM
In with anti Sparkle spray.

Bayar
2009-10-15, 04:00 AM
Might as well sign up to this.

Aemoh
2009-10-15, 04:48 AM
So very in again :smallbiggrin:

Dallas-Dakota
2009-10-15, 04:51 AM
As a vampire AND a buffy AND a WW fan, I can't say anything else but IN!

banjo1985
2009-10-15, 05:21 AM
Vlad returns for a second win. :smallbiggrin:

The Bookworm
2009-10-15, 06:10 AM
Sign up for this as well (Short Version: IN!)

Mordokai
2009-10-15, 06:23 AM
Vlad returns for a second win. :smallbiggrin:

*stabstakeburn the Vlad*

In other words, in.

Shadowcaller
2009-10-15, 06:27 AM
I will sign up to this game as well.

Murska
2009-10-15, 07:02 AM
I'll join in aswell.

Thufir
2009-10-15, 07:06 AM
In in in in in!

Reinholdt
2009-10-15, 10:05 AM
I forgot to wear my cross tonight.
I left my garlic at home.
It's so dumb, but it's so fun to wander around the city alone.

In.

Mustiado
2009-10-15, 10:51 AM
I forgot to wear my cross tonight.
I left my garlic at home.
It's so dumb, but it's so fun to wander around the city alone.

In.

Why don't you step back and let me take care of the beat-bea-be-be-be the beat...

In, by the way.

Hyozo
2009-10-15, 11:11 AM
I'll join this one

Dirk Kris
2009-10-15, 12:13 PM
In in in in in in in!

calar
2009-10-15, 12:59 PM
Wow, that's a lot of roles. Anyway, I'm in.

PirateMonk
2009-10-15, 01:47 PM
I'll join, though I probably shouldn't.

Guancyto
2009-10-15, 01:53 PM
This should be good. In!

Shadow
2009-10-15, 04:01 PM
Wow, that's a lot of roles. Anyway, I'm in.

As it specifically says if you've read the rules, Vampire is not recommended to the beginner for a variety of reasons. This is one of the reasons.
But it's mmore of an RP game than a WW game. The WW aspect take more of a backseat in Vampire.

And.... wow. Almost on page 2 by the time I find this.
Nice. :smallsmile:

Uncle Festy
2009-10-15, 09:07 PM
I really can't say no…
Gorramit, I'm in too many games. *sighs*

evnafets
2009-10-15, 09:40 PM
Some of those roles look very interesting.
in

calar
2009-10-15, 10:27 PM
Quick question on the book of the dead. When the player who is raised is given a new role, what is the math behind it. Specifically, are the odds 33-33-33 that the new role will be Vampire/ Student/ Initiative ect., or is it weighted the same as the initial roles given with a higher chance of being a student vs the others?

Shadow
2009-10-15, 10:36 PM
Quick question on the book of the dead. When the player who is raised is given a new role, what is the math behind it. Specifically, are the odds 33-33-33 that the new role will be Vampire/ Student/ Initiative ect., or is it weighted the same as the initial roles given with a higher chance of being a student vs the others?

Well, *IF* a new role is to be granted, which is not always going to happen, we first *static interference*

There are some many things in this game that are not, and have never been, shared with the players.

Sorry. That's one of those things.
Literally every single thing you need to know is in the OP.

edit: There may be certain things that we're willing to elaborate on, but we'll take those on a case by case basis.
The Book of the Dead is explained as well as it's going to be.

Use it at your own risk, or with caution thrown to the wind.... it's up to you.

Reinholdt
2009-10-15, 10:48 PM
Literally every single thing you need to know is in the OP.
Everything I need to know in life I learned in Vampire WW.
Sounds like a winning book.
A preview:


No matter what you do, some people don't believe in "If you can't beat them, join them."
Magic is the leading cause of Alzheimer's.
If your town has the word "sun" or "sunny" in it, you're just begging for monsters.
High School students can take down highly trained military black-ops specialists just by pointing at them.
For the love of everything unholy, don't put chips in your head!
Magic items. Everyone wants one. A worthy stock market investment.


I'd come up with more, but the game hasn't even started yet! :smalltongue:

Shadow
2009-10-15, 10:50 PM
I'd come up with more, but the game hasn't even started yet! :smalltongue:

Read through the previous threads and you'll probably come up with a few more. :smallbiggrin:

Reinholdt
2009-10-15, 10:52 PM
Read through the previous threads and you'll probably come up with a few more. :smallbiggrin:
>>
But then I'd have to stop being lazy and do even more work!
Bah! Maybe I'll read the old ones slowly over this game and expand the list day-by-day.
Also gives incentive to not lynch me. :smallwink:

Shadow
2009-10-15, 10:57 PM
As previously mentioned, and as shown in the previous threads, RP is taken into account on various levels.
Lynch scenes and death scenes can incorporate things from your RP, it may determine certain behind the scenes aspects, etc....

calar
2009-10-15, 11:02 PM
Well, *IF* a new role is to be granted, which is not always going to happen, we first *static interference*Awwwww, now you're no fun :smalltongue:.

Helgraf
2009-10-15, 11:08 PM
Rambly background vis a vis the Vampire games, past and current.


Yeah, when Shadow and I first built Vampire, we stepped back and looked at Werewolf as it then existed. We decided that we wanted to try something new; an experiment, a style of werewolf that heightens the paranoia and mystery by introducing uncontrollable elements into the game. At the same time, we wanted to avoid certain clumsy implementations that had been used in the past with such issues as 'vote stealers'.

The first Vampire game was the result of this effort, and it met with a great deal of praise, partly due to the game style, partly due to the rich narration style served up. The second one did not do as well, but this was partly due to severe issues - first my cable modem started (and then finished) dying completely and had to be replaced, then Shadow had real life issues surrounding his then new bar; still people enjoyed it enough we were willing to give it another go once the technical problems were hashed out.

Real life intervened again; while we had basics down for months and months, it was a bit before Shadow hit on the idea of setting it in Sunnydale, and using B:tVS analogues for the power roles. More real life got in the way. Then I saw the signup list clogging up six _months_ in advance. That was the kick in the pants that got me moving on it again; Shadow quickly followed suit, we cleaned up the issues that needed cleaning, implemented a few new ideas (like we try to do in every version of Vampire), argued them back and forth until they were in a state we were both satisfied with and fairly certain could not be turned into gamebreakers with (a category Shadow is quite good at sniffing out, I might add. :smallamused:).

Vampire was the game designed to mess with your expectations and make it very difficult to be absolutely sure of yourself (and, more importantly, your fellows). It also introduced the world event concept in the form of mad Renfield's spells that every few nights would introduce a complication or have strange effects on the lynch or night kill. With Renfield being the deranged madman he is, one can never be certain whom he will target, or to what ends. He has a bad habit of enlisting players to make decisions for him - without telling them what those decisions are.

Vampire II took this and added the house mechanic (similar ideas have been used in Pirates, Camp Sleepsmore, and more recently, in Fears), which was itself connected to events that were 'single house' and 'whole mansion' whose outcomes depended on player actions. We tinkered with the rules from Vamp I a bit, added new ideas and ran with it.

Vampire III has refined a few of the roles - in particular, our implementation of the lovers is significantly different from WW standard because we, like most players saddled with the role, thought it sucked on ice. A variant of the house system will again be used, in particular *static interference* will set up *static interference* so you'd better be on your toes. The roles of Spike and Agent Trapper both cue directly into this system. Additionally, we have implemented our own version of the 'neutral masons' concept; one we'd been kicking around practically since V3
s inception; other WW games gave us the opportunity to see how the idea worked out, and we've refined it some. As is the case in every Vampire game, we are keeping some things behind the narrative screen; some of these may be revealed at end of game. As in Vampire II, we have tinkered with the ruleset based on how it played out last time, so some things may not work exactly like they did last time around. Players Beware.

Dallas-Dakota
2009-10-16, 12:25 AM
Oh Helgraf, I'm always aware and paranoid in your games.:smallwink: Especially Vampire, when you're teamed up with Shadow.

Philistine
2009-10-16, 12:36 AM
A BtVS-themed WW game? Oh, dear Lord - where do I sign up?

Oh, right. Here.

Lex-Kat
2009-10-16, 01:20 AM
I'd like to play also. :smallsmile:

Jontom Xire
2009-10-16, 04:14 AM
SO in! This looks fantastic. But I have to say...


Cordelia and Oz?

Cordelia and Xander makes sense. Willow and Oz makes sense. Cordelia and Oz?

Ugh! <shivers>

Helgraf
2009-10-16, 07:58 AM
SO in! This looks fantastic. But I have to say...


Cordelia and Oz?

Cordelia and Xander makes sense. Willow and Oz makes sense. Cordelia and Oz?

Ugh! <shivers>

Just one more reason for the lovers not to know one another at start of game. ;)

Shadow
2009-10-20, 04:41 AM
10 days left for sign-ups people.
Hop to it!

BishFish
2009-10-21, 05:53 PM
I'm in!... haven't seen the show though...

Lamech
2009-10-21, 06:42 PM
INN!!!!!! This looks fun.

Eldritch Knight
2009-10-21, 08:37 PM
Chaos shall Rule!

Failing that, let's see what trouble we can cause!

I'm In!

Shadow
2009-10-22, 05:51 AM
I ran into Curly the other day.




http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h24/solarturtle/CurlyKitpire.png
"Vampire eh? Vhy, Count von Shadow, you do know how to garner ze interest of ze young vampire don't you?"

Consider me signed up.Consider her signed up.

Helgraf
2009-10-26, 02:39 PM
So, Reinholdt, has your research turned up any new visdom for "Everything I needed to learn in life, I learned from Vampire"?

Reinholdt
2009-10-26, 05:56 PM
So, Reinholdt, has your research turned up any new visdom for "Everything I needed to learn in life, I learned from Vampire"?
Yeah...
Don't start a new job while trying to write a book.
In other words...
If you're going to write something. Do it in High School before the Vampires get you.

Lamech
2009-10-26, 06:01 PM
For fairness's sake I'm going to say I'm not a fan of recruitment and will be refusing it on principal. Please don't send me a recruitment attempt Mr. Vampire leader.

Helgraf
2009-10-29, 02:37 AM
Recruitment for Vampire III will close late Friday/early Saturday - so if you want in and you aren't yet - SIGN UP!

Dallas-Dakota
2009-10-29, 03:39 AM
Sign up people!

Bwahahahahaa!

Wizibirb
2009-10-29, 01:08 PM
*Grabs his pitchfork and Torch, then starts to sing horribly* A vampire hunting we will go, A vampire hunting we will go!

(In)

Helgraf
2009-10-31, 12:58 AM
RECRUITMENT FOR VAMPIRE III IS NOW CLOSED.

ROLE DETERMINATION WILL BEGIN SHORTLY.

Game to begin at or around Nov 2nd (Monday), earlier if we get particularly ambitious.

Helgraf
2009-10-31, 04:42 AM
Hyozo, clear your PM box so you can get your Role PM.

All other Role PMs have been sent. If you have not received yours, please notify Helgraf AND Shadow immediately.

Game thread to go up between now and November 2nd.

Hyozo
2009-10-31, 11:02 AM
Sorry about that Helgraf. I got a lot of messages last night. I've cleared some space out of my PM box.

Helgraf
2009-11-02, 03:07 AM
Vampire III game thread is up pending moderator approval. Feel free to linger here until it goes official.

banjo1985
2009-11-02, 04:58 AM
*lingers*

Is it the lingering of a restless evil spirit? Or that of a lost and scared innocent? Have I even checked my role PM yet? All will be revealed in the next episode...

Shadow
2009-11-02, 04:17 PM
Let's do this! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130346) :wink:

Philistine
2009-11-02, 10:48 PM
Did you have to let it linger?