PDA

View Full Version : Creating a new RP system [Part 2:Theme Vote]



drawingfreak
2008-07-24, 10:35 PM
Here are the current options for the theme of our new system. Place a vote. Limit discussion to the other thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4573493#post4573493).

1) Avatar the Last Airbender
2) Generic Steampunk
3) Mass Effect
4) Steampunk...IN SPAAAACE!
5) Steampunk Apocalypse
6) Steampunk Waterworld
7) Steamcyberpunk
8) God of War style Greek epicness
9) Logic failing world
10) Classical clockpunk
11) Dieselpunk in space
12) Steampunk.... with Dragons!
13) Steampunk Rome
14) Steampunk Greece
15) Monkey Robot Ninjas VS Zombie Dinosaur Pirates

Voting will end at 11:59pm EST on Sunday July 27th.

Silence
2008-07-24, 10:36 PM
Steampunk.... with dragons!

: D

Dairun Cates
2008-07-24, 10:47 PM
Well, of course I'm going to vote for my ridiculous Pirate/Ninja cinematic hybrid system. I can't resist the chance to include Vikings and Dinosaurs into any system.

#15

mikeejimbo
2008-07-24, 10:53 PM
#15 - can there be any greater option available to mankind?

AgentPaper
2008-07-24, 10:57 PM
13

Do I have to be involved to vote? If so, consider me involved.

Seriously though, I'd like to be involved, depending on the theme that comes up.

erikun
2008-07-24, 11:30 PM
Aww, I'm too late to suggest Viking Stonepunk?

Ah well. The Steampunk Rome/Greece looks like it could be an interesting angle to the genre.

mikeejimbo
2008-07-24, 11:36 PM
As a side note, even if 15 loses I think Dairun, I, and whomever else wants to will probably pick it up and run with it.

Dairun Cates
2008-07-24, 11:48 PM
As a side note, even if 15 loses I think Dairun, U, and whomever else wants to will probably pick it up and run with it.

Yeah. I'd most likely be willing to throw some things in on it. Certainly fun enough.

Zeta Kai
2008-07-25, 05:47 AM
Well, after making that alignment table, I just can't let go of the idea. As intriguing as a Steampunk Greece or a world where logic is guaranteed to fail are, I have to vote for #15.

KKL
2008-07-25, 06:37 AM
A world where logic flows freely as water, yet as chaotic and maddening as the the Great Old Ones?

Sign me the hell up. 9 is superior.

reorith
2008-07-25, 08:57 AM
steampunk... with dragons ftw!

Destro_Yersul
2008-07-25, 09:16 AM
Well, normally I'd vote Mass Effect, but Steampunk is awesome, as are Dragons. Gonna have to go with #12 here.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll
2008-07-25, 11:09 AM
#14. Steam punk Greece.

"This is Spartaaa!" Says the man in the giant mecha.

Siosilvar
2008-07-25, 11:36 AM
#9 Logic fails. End of story. :smallbiggrin:

Vadin
2008-07-25, 12:46 PM
As a classics guy (ghp latin majors ftw!), I'm gonna hafta vote for grecoroman steampunk. To cool and too almost real to pass up.

Too almost real, you say? Yes, that's right. The Romans did, in fact, invent a steam engine. They never thought of a way to put it into practical use, though. After all, all their work was done by slaves and cheap labor. Throw in a cultural shift towards freeing slaves and not bringing in more slaves a few generations before the steam engine, though...oh, the possibilities are endless...

nathan555
2008-07-25, 03:50 PM
#15

I love the new alignments, but aren't vikings too close to pirates? Both are smelly, crude sailors who loot for a living. If ninjas are opposite of pirates, then what would a viking-ninja even look and act like? Maybe we can substitute 'viking' with 'monkey' or something else?

{table]Pirate-Monkey|Pirate-Robot|Pirate-Zombie
Robot-Monkey|True Robot|Robot-Zombie
Ninja-Monkey|Ninja-Robot|Ninja-Zombie[/table]

How does that look?

Zeta Kai
2008-07-25, 07:47 PM
#15

I love the new alignments, but aren't vikings too close to pirates? Both are smelly, crude sailors who loot for a living. If ninjas are opposite of pirates, then what would a viking-ninja even look and act like? Maybe we can substitute 'viking' with 'monkey' or something else?

{table]Pirate-Monkey|Pirate-Robot|Pirate-Zombie
Robot-Monkey|True Robot|Robot-Zombie
Ninja-Monkey|Ninja-Robot|Ninja-Zombie[/table]

How does that look?

Well, if we're splitting hairs, aren't Zombies & Ninjas awfully similar? Both are mostly silent killing machines, preying on others to sustain themselves, & primal Jungian representations of our own fear of death & the unknown?

Nah, I'm just BSing you. I only had room on the the chart for 5 things, & I thought more people would aspire to be a Viking than a Monkey, so I cut 'em out. I figure if you really wanna be a Monkey, we could make an Ape-prentice prestige class. The capstone ability would turn you into a Monkeymental. :smallbiggrin:

UglyPanda
2008-07-25, 08:06 PM
I feel obliged to link to this. (http://www.atomicsockmonkey.com/products.asp#mnpr)

Also, what about revived monkey fossils? Or robotic primitive apes? You have to have room for mixing and matching the opposing sides if you want things to be truly incomprehensible.

weishan
2008-07-26, 01:00 PM
#14. Steam punk Greece.

"This is Spartaaa!" Says the man in the giant mecha.

Yes! Win! I vote #14!

awesomemcninja
2008-07-26, 03:19 PM
i think that 12 would be awesome

i want steampunk with dragons

Viruzzo
2008-07-26, 03:35 PM
As long as you can make a Monkey Robot Ninja Zombie Dinosaur Pirate, this one will have my vote (actually, even if they're not together).

#15

Dairun Cates
2008-07-26, 03:54 PM
Well, if we're splitting hairs, aren't Zombies & Ninjas awfully similar? Both are mostly silent killing machines, preying on others to sustain themselves, & primal Jungian representations of our own fear of death & the unknown?

Nah, I'm just BSing you. I only had room on the the chart for 5 things, & I thought more people would aspire to be a Viking than a Monkey, so I cut 'em out. I figure if you really wanna be a Monkey, we could make an Ape-prentice prestige class. The capstone ability would turn you into a Monkeymental. :smallbiggrin:

I suppose Viking could also be Monkey-Pirates since they share the traits that one of those would have. Drinking, Wild-nature, Sailing, etc. Vikings are Monkey-Pirates minus bananas.

Lyndworm
2008-07-26, 04:32 PM
I vote #15.

A massive ninja vs pirate war takes place on land and at sea. In this grim world survival is a very real concern for all but the wealthiest of individuals. All trade has slowed to a trickle as the trade routes are transformed into wartorn wastelands, roamed by highwaymen and the lost souls who once called this place home.

The enormous scaly beasts from the southern islands were domesticated decades ago, primarily used as beasts of burden and mounts on the battlefield. Since the war broke out, many animals have gone feral and now claim the countryside as their own.

As if fate is trying to rid the world of higher thought, a strange pox has been diiminishing the populations on both sides of the conflict. It seems to have no preference as to whom it strikes; old, young, weak, strong, all sexes of all races. To make matters worse, around 75% of those that die from the illness rise as undead within a few days. Some populations have managed to close themselves off to keep the roving hordes of undead from attacking.



Sounds good to me.

I'm willing to work on it, too, though I think it should be done in a semi-serious way. I worship tongue-in-cheek.

Zack

boomwolf
2008-07-26, 04:32 PM
9 FTW, heck its was my idea. I have to support it. and its the only thing original around.

I mean, that setting allows this:
http://bp2.blogger.com/_nlB2iavXqvs/RjitwQ1zM3I/AAAAAAAAA28/3Zn3x8bF6qw/s400/escher_relativity.jpg

It cant get any cooler.

Faithless
2008-07-26, 04:34 PM
Vote for Fifteen

Silence
2008-07-26, 04:34 PM
Do you realize that it's impossible to add rules to something that defies rules by nature? Step back and look at the paradox of that idea.

boomwolf
2008-07-26, 04:38 PM
Actually you can. because it does not need to exists on the REAL plane. a map can contain a "gravity that way" option to tiles. while reality can't. so change tiles-change gravity. if you are in the air, your gravity is going to the direction of the nearest floor, if several are equal-average them.

Simple isn't it?

Maps jest need to be slightly more complex.

I Mean, the entire building CAN be made as it is, the only problem is the way people stand/walk/sit etc. they simple differ from each other in what is "down", once you realize that in a normal DnD map you can suddenly call the wall "down", and little will be different except that top-down maps are no longer effective, but 3D ones are, you can see you can keep playing as though nothing happened expect that the room is different.

After all, half of DnD defies the rules of nature (including the most basic ones of preserving mass and energy), so that's not a good statement.

And besides, if a computer can render, and understand the entire function (and it can. gravity does not really exist in computers, figures are simply polled towards a predetermined direction.), why cant a human? our mind can process things a computer cannot even do on theory.

G. Eisenhorn
2008-07-26, 07:31 PM
#14. It is by far the best choice

Bitzeralisis
2008-07-26, 07:39 PM
We already have an Avatar d20...

Oslecamo
2008-07-26, 07:41 PM
15. It's about time we start this pirate vs ninja war.

Silence
2008-07-26, 08:28 PM
Actually you can. because it does not need to exists on the REAL plane. a map can contain a "gravity that way" option to tiles. while reality can't. so change tiles-change gravity. if you are in the air, your gravity is going to the direction of the nearest floor, if several are equal-average them.

Simple isn't it?

Maps jest need to be slightly more complex.

I Mean, the entire building CAN be made as it is, the only problem is the way people stand/walk/sit etc. they simple differ from each other in what is "down", once you realize that in a normal DnD map you can suddenly call the wall "down", and little will be different except that top-down maps are no longer effective, but 3D ones are, you can see you can keep playing as though nothing happened expect that the room is different.

After all, half of DnD defies the rules of nature (including the most basic ones of preserving mass and energy), so that's not a good statement.

And besides, if a computer can render, and understand the entire function (and it can. gravity does not really exist in computers, figures are simply polled towards a predetermined direction.), why cant a human? our mind can process things a computer cannot even do on theory.

I think we have to agree to disagree here. I really don't feel like writing out about five paragraphs worth of explanaion on how you're so woefully wrong.

boomwolf
2008-07-26, 08:54 PM
So, let the votes do the arguing! if 9 gets more then 12, I win. and the other way around.

Silence
2008-07-26, 08:56 PM
So, let the intelligence or stupidity or particural intrests of others decide what the very engrained laws, no not laws; they are beyond laws. They govern the laws of physics and space and time. And not even those laws. We're talking about the set above that.

You say that human interests>those laws?

Again, we dissagree.

boomwolf
2008-07-26, 09:06 PM
You seem to fail to see my motives. or my point of view.

I am sure I see yours, but I simply think its not that hard.

I mean, there also only 6 directions on a 3D world. and the come in pairs.

The whole point of the game world I offered IS to brake every possible law of reality to create the ultimate dream world.

I never said human interests are more important. they are simply more relevant to the question at hand. as in a game world. even these highest laws can be bent, broken or bypassed. and the current question is, what game world do we (the public) want the most.

And at least inside me, there is a desire to see a game world where truly everything is possible. even if it defies the most basic laws of existence.


You should read "ender's game", there is a thing there that fits here perfectly, when gravity is not an issue-directions is a matter of perspective. you are simply bound to your perspective-and your head cannot "spin" the world around in order to change directions.

Silence
2008-07-26, 09:11 PM
Sure, you could create a game where you broke every possible law of physics. Hell, I might have voted for that. Sounds fun.

There's a difference between changing the laws of physics and time and such, and completely doing away with logic. Maybe it's just that I'm misunderstanding the concept, but I don't think that I, or any other human that will ever come into existance could grasp exactly what would happen if logic failed in its entirety, much less put laws to chaos.

It's simply impossible.

AgentPaper
2008-07-26, 09:32 PM
If you write up a set of laws to govern the world after logic fails, then you restore logic to it.

Silence
2008-07-26, 10:10 PM
If you write up a set of laws to govern the world after logic fails, then you restore logic to it.

Thank you.

nathan555
2008-07-26, 10:32 PM
If you want to get nit-picky rename it to "logic seems unnatural/changes speratically" and stop your moaning.

Lyndworm
2008-07-26, 10:36 PM
{table=head] Number|
Name|Votes

1|
Avatar: The last Airbender|
0

2|
Generic Steampunk|
0

3|
Mass Effect|
0

4|
Steampunk in Space|
0

5|
Steampunk Apocalypse|
0

6|
Steampunk Waterworld|
0

7|
Steamcyberpunk|
0

8|
God of War Style Greek Epicness|
0

9|
Logic Failing World|
4

10|
Classical Clockpunk|
0

11|
Deiselpunk in Space|
0

12|
Steampunk with Dragons|
4

13|
Steampunk Rome|
1

14|
Steampunk Greece |
3

15|
Monkey Robot Ninjas vs. Zombie Robot Pirates|
7[/table]



Additionally, Vadin showed support for both #13 Steampunk Rome and #14 Steampunk Greece without actually voting for either one. UglyPanda implied support of #15 Monkey Robot Ninjas vs. Zombie Robot Pirates but didn’t vote.

With or without the missing votes, #15 Monkey Robot Ninjas vs. Zombie Robot Pirates is clearly in the lead.

Zack

llamamushroom
2008-07-26, 11:36 PM
I vote #15 - it's interesting, slightly easier than, say, #9 (I prefer it when the laws that govern reality can merely be inferred/implied, as opposed to having to spell out that, in some circumstances, 1+1=7 and in others 'parakeet'), and above all means we could design some Awesome Crazy Super Special Prestige Classes of Doom (henceforth ACSSPrCoD).

Also, ninjas, being Japanese of origin, could have some of the awesome deity names, like His Augustness Deity-Producing-Wondrous-August-Ancestor. Apparently, 'august' is the only possible way of translating a word that seems to appear in 2 out of every 3 kami names.

boomwolf
2008-07-27, 03:45 AM
I must wonder why most people vote for the most silly concept out there. I'm pretty sure it was offered as a joke.

I mean, pirate zombies VS monkey ninjas (robot can be taken out as it appears on both sides), doesn't make a lot of sense. way would monkeys be ninjas? why would zombies be pirates? why would both be robots? and why do they fight? after all, both pirates and ninja are not united groups and tend to fight each other often.

Maybe I jest don't get the joke.

Something interesting to notice-many suggestions got NO support at all. not even from the people who offered them.

Dairun Cates
2008-07-27, 04:03 AM
I must wonder why most people vote for the most silly concept out there. I'm pretty sure it was offered as a joke.

I mean, pirate zombies VS monkey ninjas (robot can be taken out as it appears on both sides), doesn't make a lot of sense. way would monkeys be ninjas? why would zombies be pirates? why would both be robots? and why do they fight? after all, both pirates and ninja are not united groups and tend to fight each other often.

Maybe I jest don't get the joke.

Something interesting to notice-many suggestions got NO support at all. not even from the people who offered them.

Check the actual theme suggestion thread. I suggested it, and I meant it in seriousness. Humorous tongue-in-cheek tabletop systems are rare but they do exist and there are some very good ones.

From a standpoint of community building, you can use the humorous side to explain a few inconsistencies, and that means that more people can contribute without messing up the whole cloth. On top of that, heated arguments are harder to have over silly topics. Basically, it's fun to make, it's something different, and it allows for a lot of ideas.

So, yes. I actually meant it.

Viruzzo
2008-07-27, 04:08 AM
There is a separate thread for discussion (link in OP). Anyway:

way would monkeys be ninjas?
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7066247223722526488

why would zombies be pirates?
Curse of the Black Pearl?

why would both be robots?
Awesomeness?

Besides, what's the problem with a setting that's a bit off the common sense?

boomwolf
2008-07-27, 04:31 AM
I dont have problem with something off common sense, heck I suggested logic-failing world.

But I simply fail to get the point with that. when I read it i was like "wait...what?"
I mean....WTF is going on?
Ninjas VS pirates is a silly enough concept. why add monkeys and zombies into the mix? and them make everything robot?

Cant a zombie be a ninja (actually thats more amusing.), or a monkey be a pirate?

MrEdwardNigma
2008-07-27, 07:37 AM
I vote 15, because it seems an interesting idea. Number nine is also appealing, but too vague to vote for.

Silence
2008-07-27, 08:05 AM
That appears to be my signal to jump ship on this thread.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll
2008-07-27, 10:18 AM
I was gunning for a serious campaign, not a tongue-in-cheek one.
I'm jumping ship too.

AgentPaper
2008-07-27, 10:51 AM
*hop*

*splash*

Zeta Kai
2008-07-27, 10:56 AM
And I don't see why we need to justify our votes to Boomwolf. We voted the way we did because we wanted to, & questioning our votes is unproductive & discourteous. Boomwolf, you should respect our opinions, as we respect yours.

As for the Logic-Failing world, I didn't vote for it because I thought the Pirate-Ninja-Etc world sound like more fun. Moreover, the Logic Failing world does not sound like it would translate into a rule-set very easily or well. Most of the examples provided by Boomwolf of what it should be sound less like a campaign setting & more like imaginative dungeon design. This could be done in small doses, but would be difficult to mesh with an entire world. Especially with a world in which the normal rules of logic do not apply. What rules do apply? Well, no one's really got that nailed down, and that's the problem with the idea (at least for me).

Boomwolf, if you want to create your Logic-Failing world, you have 2 options: if enough people vote for it here, then we'll make it; if not, then you can make it yourself. But please have the courtesy to respect how others are voting.

AgentPaper
2008-07-27, 11:06 AM
Well, it looks like we have enough people to make Steampunk with Dragons in Rome/Greece if someone wants to spearhead another project to make that. (which I would hop on to, and try to convince everyone Rome is better =P)

Silence
2008-07-27, 11:58 AM
I'll start up a steampunk with dragons thread if you guys are interested.

AgentPaper
2008-07-27, 12:04 PM
Steampunk with dragons...in rome? :smalltongue:

Silence
2008-07-27, 12:04 PM
Not bad. I'll start a thread.

Edit: Sig linked. Enjoi.

boomwolf
2008-07-27, 12:52 PM
Boomwolf, if you want to create your Logic-Failing world, you have 2 options: if enough people vote for it here, then we'll make it; if not, then you can make it yourself. But please have the courtesy to respect how others are voting.

ITs not that I do not respect the votes, its jest that I don't even understand what is that theme. I mean. really, what is it? I have no clue. cant praise it, cant laugh at it, can't nothing. I don't understand it enough to even have an opinion.

Lyndworm
2008-07-27, 01:52 PM
{table=head] Number|
Name|Votes

1|
Avatar: The last Airbender|
0

2|
Generic Steampunk|
0

3|
Mass Effect|
0

4|
Steampunk in Space|
0

5|
Steampunk Apocalypse|
0

6|
Steampunk Waterworld|
0

7|
Steamcyberpunk|
0

8|
God of War Style Greek Epicness|
0

9|
Logic Failing World|
4

10|
Classical Clockpunk|
0

11|
Deiselpunk in Space|
0

12|
Steampunk with Dragons|
4

13|
Steampunk Rome|
1

14|
Steampunk Greece |
3

15|
Monkey Robot Ninjas vs. Zombie Robot Pirates|
9[/table]



As for why I voted #15, well...


A massive ninja vs pirate war takes place on land and at sea. In this grim world survival is a very real concern for all but the wealthiest of individuals. All trade has slowed to a trickle as the trade routes are transformed into wartorn wastelands, roamed by highwaymen and the lost souls who once called this place home.

The enormous scaly beasts from the southern islands were domesticated decades ago, primarily used as beasts of burden and mounts on the battlefield. Since the war broke out, many animals have gone feral and now claim the countryside as their own.

As if fate is trying to rid the world of higher thought, a strange pox has been diiminishing the populations on both sides of the conflict. It seems to have no preference as to whom it strikes; old, young, weak, strong, all sexes of all races. To make matters worse, around 75% of those that die from the illness rise as undead within a few days. Some populations have managed to close themselves off to keep the roving hordes of undead from attacking.

I just can't pass up anything even vaguely similar to that.

Zack

Dairun Cates
2008-07-27, 02:04 PM
A massive ninja vs pirate war takes place on land and at sea. In this grim world survival is a very real concern for all but the wealthiest of individuals. All trade has slowed to a trickle as the trade routes are transformed into wartorn wastelands, roamed by highwaymen and the lost souls who once called this place home.

The enormous scaly beasts from the southern islands were domesticated decades ago, primarily used as beasts of burden and mounts on the battlefield. Since the war broke out, many animals have gone feral and now claim the countryside as their own.

As if fate is trying to rid the world of higher thought, a strange pox has been diiminishing the populations on both sides of the conflict. It seems to have no preference as to whom it strikes; old, young, weak, strong, all sexes of all races. To make matters worse, around 75% of those that die from the illness rise as undead within a few days. Some populations have managed to close themselves off to keep the roving hordes of undead from attacking.

If it's not too much to ask, I'd like to see the original topic on that. Just curious. Interesting stuff though.

FireSpark
2008-07-27, 02:24 PM
#15 for the EPIC win!!

My army of robo-monkey ninjas will rule the world!

Bwaahahahaaa!:smallyuk:

And they'll be a whole lot better than those stupid monkey ninjas from either Skunk-fu or Chop Socky Chooks.

Stupid flesh monkeys. Utter Fail.

Lyndworm
2008-07-27, 05:33 PM
Actually, this is the original topic, Dairun. When I read "Monkey Robot Ninjas vs. Zombie Robot Pirates" I imediately thought of a world like the one mentioned. So I typed up a weak description along with my vote. You can see it on the first page. If there's any sort of interest around the forum, I'd gladly start working on the idea as an actual campaign setting.

Zack

Dairun Cates
2008-07-27, 06:03 PM
Actually, this is the original topic, Dairun. When I read "Monkey Robot Ninjas vs. Zombie Robot Pirates" I imediately thought of a world like the one mentioned. So I typed up a weak description along with my vote. You can see it on the first page. If there's any sort of interest around the forum, I'd gladly start working on the idea as an actual campaign setting.

Zack

Ah. Somehow I missed that.

drawingfreak
2008-07-28, 12:17 AM
IT'S OVER! The Talley is forthcoming.

drawingfreak
2008-07-28, 12:19 AM
Well, it is obvious. The Ninjas and Pirates have it. Part three soon to come...............any minute now........oh wait, I have to start that one.