From: Steve Barr
>Ever curious about this. What do people want to run RPGs online?
>
I'm not aiming for an RPG. Most of what I enjoy is the way people's
emotions and ideas bounce off each other. I'm not even sure that I could GM
without being able to read the player's body language (and you can't throw
dice at someone on the net).
BUT. I do have a fifteen year old campaign with players that were just
reaching the point where they could start to rule the immediate region when
the demands of life and love moved most of them to other towns (and
countries).
What I'd like to do (on the off-chance the idea appeals to anyone else) is
to organise a political campaign in which each player runs an organisation
(temple, noble family, guild, town, etc). Play would run in fortnightly
turns using a simulation model to handle the population dynamics AND to
accept and implement player commands. Players who live close to each other
could meet, other conversation could occur via the net. Game information
would be available via the net, but as many interactions as possible would
occur face-to-face.
Conceptually it's a big game of Diplomacy with a more complex (and dynamic)
game board and a computer program providing anonymity.
The computerised moderator would provide a set of actions available to
organisations and individuals. This would include the ability to spy on,
infiltrate, and masquerade as, other organisations. In theory what looks
like a computer-moderated organisation could in fact be masking a player
character who needs a vehicle to pursue certain goals (or stir up some
action).
This sounds complex, but the design work I've done on the mechanics suggests
that you don't need a lot of complexity if you've got enough people and a
range of different levels at which they can interact.
I'm sure that the key is the piping of all commands through the computer
model.
>Does http://www.webrpg.com/gamesystem/index.phtml do everything you
>want?
>
Interesting page. It looks like they're doing some good work but it's quite
different to what I'm aiming for.
>I keep trying to find time to work on this sort of thing, but work,
>and now my MS degree get in the way. You know how it is. :-)
>
Yup. It's tough being eccentric when you've got to earn a living.
Chris.
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