# Interest Check: Narrative World-Building



## airwalkrr (Sep 18, 2012)

I want to see if there are any potential players out there who are interested in a narrative world-building style game. What do I mean by "narrative" and "world-building?" By "narrative," I mean a game that is based not so much on mechanics as it is on narration by the players. In this sense, I would not be the game master so much as I would be one of the players helping to move the narrative along. Every player would be telling the story and narrating the results of actions. Each post would build upon the narrative and move the plot along. Rather than having challenges which must be overcome through mechanics, the narrative would indicate how the challenges were overcome. In a sense, this would be a collective storytelling effort.

By "world-building," I mean that the world would be something wholly unique that would be developed over time as the game progresses. For example, one player would narrate that the characters in the story are on an overland journey and come across a roadside shrine to a nature goddess. Another player then reveals the name of the nature goddess to be "Arame," and that another character knows Arame to be a goddess of peace; the character explains how seeing her shrine might be a good omen. Henceforth, it would be established in canon for the world that Arame is a nature goddess of peace and that coming across her shrines is generally considered to be a good omen. Through exposition in the narrative, all players contribute to the known facts about the world (or at least facts as they are perceived).

This would not be for the powergamer or people who like mechanical games and dice. Instead this is a game for building worlds and practicing writing style. There will probably be a small mechanical basis to it. Perhaps the characters would have simple priority stats ranking their physical, mental, and personality traits. There are a few narrative-focused systems we might consider as well. But it would be far more important to have some general guidelines for character strengths and weaknesses. As a simple example, Faladar might be a talented wizard, but he spends far too much time with his nose in a book and rarely looks at the world around him.

Is there anyone interested in such a game (if indeed it could be called a game)?


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## Voda Vosa (Sep 18, 2012)

Interesting, may I refer you to http://www.enworld.org/forum/talking-talk/326168-voyages-sinbad-experimental-narrative-system.html in which you submitted a character. Are you trying to accomplish something like that? I was intrigued by the system and never had a chance to test it.


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## airwalkrr (Sep 19, 2012)

Yes, that, or Amber, or another one of a number of other systems which don't use dice. We don't have to use an actual system though. I think a few simple rules would suffice.

1) We'd need to decide whether an individual player "owns" a character or not. I can imagine each player having multiple characters and they might get attached to the subplots within their characters. And if so we might want to delineate whether or not it is acceptable for another player to cause the characters of another player ill. Some players might be upset by this. Others might not mind.

2) A guideline for power level needs to be set. Are we playing exceptionally powerful/deific Elric of Melnibone types or more run-of-the-mill hobbit and dwarves type characters? Everyone should agree to abide by that for the most part. The occasional "Gandalf single-handedly takes on the Baalrog" moments could be okay, so long as the group agrees that it involves a kind of sacrifice of the character (like Gandalf's death, not necessarily precluding resurrection).

3) We should decide on whether there are thematic elements that are right out. For example, is it okay for the characters to discover laser guns and aliens in a fantasy setting a la Expedition to the Barrier Peaks? Do we want swords & sorcery, swashbuckling, medieval politics, science fiction, superhero adventures, etc.?

I think sorting those basic things out should give us a good guideline for the narrative. If have stats is a deal-breaker for folks, we could use something simple like InSpectres or whatever.


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## airwalkrr (Sep 21, 2012)

I guess there isn't a lot of interest for this. But I'll bump it just in case a few more haven't seen it yet.


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## Jemal (Sep 21, 2012)

I've done similar things before, and they do tend to be fun, but it would be highly recommended to have someone with final say, bc regardless of how well intentioned players may be, there will more likey than not be some disagreements.
Id like to join in, though.. The narrative stuff is one of the things I like best about PBP.


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## airwalkrr (Sep 21, 2012)

Well, I was planning to exercise ultimate creative control when necessary. But hopefully that will be a very rare occurrence in this kind of game. So I would work as the referee when needed, but most of the time I would contribute to the story like anyone else. I think a good example of the way this works (not necessarily the game system or world, just the way the game is focused on narrative) is found in this thread here.


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## Jemal (Sep 21, 2012)

Oh definitely, most of the Freeform sims I've been in have needed it very infrequently, it just needs to be known from the beginning for clarity.

The type of game you're proposing is a fairly standard form of roleplaying in PBeM.  Freeform sims were the majority of my online RP experience for years before I found ENWorld.


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## airwalkrr (Sep 21, 2012)

If any of us really want rules, I think InSpectres is really the simplest rules set we could use for this. The free startup edition is perfectly simple and elegant. We wouldn't necessarily have to use the setting of InSpectres. It can be co-opted for just about any milieu.

Another good option is Amber, but it has more fiddly bits. Still, it has the same narrative structure for resolution of actions that I am looking for.

If you have another system in mind, let me know.

And of course we can do without a system at all. We would need a short background for characters (one paragraph or five sentence limit; the point is to learn more about the characters as we play, as you would in reading a novel). A single defining strength and a single defining weakness would be a key element for each character starting out as well. Each player could design 1-3 characters to begin and add more as we continue depending on the player's proclivities.

I think players should have to agree that it is okay for other characters to roleplay their characters for minor actions. Take a look at the thread I mentioned two posts up for an example of what I mean. (That's a great example of a narrative-style campaign by the way, and a fun read.) One character might take another character along a short distance, or intervene in another character's affairs for a short period of time. Certain things, like death of a character, succumbing to a debilitating illness or a curse, or similar situations will generally only happen with the consent of the character's player though. This does not mean your characters are invincible, but it means it is usually up to the player how his or her characters are affected by terrible things. One player might describe an evil wizard putting a curse upon several characters, including one of his own, who receives full effect of the curse. Another player might decide that because his character's strength is Great Willpower, he shrugs the curse off. A third player might decide that his character succumbs to the curse and must seek out a remedy from a nearby shaman. And so on.

What do you guys think so far?


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## Storybones (Sep 23, 2012)

airwalkrr said:


> I want to see if there are any potential players out there who are interested in a narrative world-building style game...
> Is there anyone interested in such a game (if indeed it could be called a game)?




Hey, airwalkrr, I don't know when you planned to start this, but if it is later in October (after mid-month) I could join in.  I haven't played exactly this kind of game before but the correspondence game I run is narrative-heavy with lots of player input, so I think this would be similar. Keep me in mind. Thanks!


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## airwalkrr (Sep 23, 2012)

I am not in any hurry to get this started. But for those who are interested, it might be a good time to start thinking about what milieu we want for the game and what kind of characters we will play. I am partial to fantasy myself, but I also have an interest in science fiction. The science fiction milieu could really hold a lot of potential for this type of game. There would be plenty of room for twists in the plot because of strange phenomena. Do any of you have any specific predilections one way or another?


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## Jemal (Sep 23, 2012)

yeah the majority of the freeform I've played has been either sci-fi or vampire-related.  Star trek, star wars, mechwarrior, etc.  
But anything adventure based can be really good.

I've actually been thinking a lot lately about hosting my own sci-fi game based on a 'lost in space' kinda vibe.. stargate universe, sliders, lost in space, etc.. 
Was actually considering doing it diceless/freeform.


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## Storybones (Sep 23, 2012)

Almost any genre works for me. I have no strong preference right now in any particular direction.


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## Voda Vosa (Sep 23, 2012)

What about pulp fiction. It could be quite awesome with these narrative styles.


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## airwalkrr (Sep 24, 2012)

I like the idea of pulp fiction. It was the basis for one of my favorite movie franchises, Indiana Jones. An early 20th-century setting would be cool.


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## Jemal (Sep 24, 2012)

Pulp fiction's not really my favourite genre.. 
My vote's for sci fi/fantasy.

On a related note, now I'm REALLY wanting to run the lost-adventuring party game... damnit..


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## airwalkrr (Sep 30, 2012)

Okay then, Science Fiction or Fantasy seems to be the deal-breaker. Do we have preferences either way? I wouldn't mind a science fiction game, especially a space opera. That could be lots of fun.


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## Jemal (Sep 30, 2012)

Adventurous space opera!!


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## airwalkrr (Sep 30, 2012)

How about a Firefly-esque kind of universe? There are strange things out there, some unexplained phenomena, and a cold and threatening intergalactic government. Our characters are misfits just trying to survive. No big nasty aliens around every corner, but enough bizarre happenings that anything might be possible.


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## Voda Vosa (Sep 30, 2012)

Sounds much like Asimov's Galactic empire, I love that.


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## airwalkrr (Oct 1, 2012)

Alright then! Before we begin let us brainstorm some ideas here. I have a couple for the setting of the story.

The first idea is based on Lost in Space. Our characters are marooned on a desolate planet, forced to survive by our wits and fortitude. We arrived on a small interstellar ship that was malfunctioning and just barely managed to crash-land. We know very little about this planet, except that it is alien and bizarre.

The other idea I have is based on Firefly. Our characters own (or stole) a space ship and we exist on the fringes of galactic civilization, smuggling illicit goods and going places no one else wants to go in order to survive. We aren't necessarily pirates, but we aren't really good guys either. Han Solo and Chewbacca might be a good example of this kind of space ruffian. Trying to eke out an existence on the edges of known space, our characters tend to encounter new and exotic things rather often.

Or we could put our heads together and try to come up with something even more novel. Something that is kind of percolating in my mind right now is a universe, perhaps far future Earth, where a very tiny minority of people have evolved the ability to warp space and time using thought alone, allowing them to travel near infinite distances in the blink of an eye, stop time, and in some cases even alter time. Such powers come at a cost however. All such individuals are ruthlessly hunted down and therefore forced to conceal their true nature. Nevertheless there are some who use this ability to try and work good in the universe, and there are also those who attempt to exploit it for their own personal gain.

I am sure there are other ideas too. Feel free to suggest something!


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## Voda Vosa (Oct 1, 2012)

I see a  potential pitfalls on those ideas, not that I don't like them, but I think the continuity of the game might be affected:
-There is no goal besides surviving.

I think a more defined setting/scene/objective would help us not get swamped. Say, we are the lone survivors from an alien scout party, escaped on a shuttle as our ship was destroyed. Our mission is to alert the galactic empire/federation/whatever of the incoming invasion, while we keep ourselves alive, as the aliens hunt us, or we face problems being on a life pod rather than a fully equipped spaceship. That example would give the survival angle to a more defined objective. 
Other idea? Sure: Human race has expanded its borders to the edge of the galaxy, and found no trace of alien civilizations nowhere, besides primitive life forms. Our origins are now a mystery, belonging more to the realm of fable than history. We are space explorers, sent on a mission to investigate the fate of a lost merchant vessel, that lost communication and was drifting in unknown space. The reason why that portion of the galaxy was not used for space routes was unknown as well. The group would soon find that reason, and linked to it, the fate of Humankind's original worlds.


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## airwalkrr (Oct 1, 2012)

Good ideas, Voda Vosa. I especially like the idea about humankind having expanded to the galaxy's edge and finding no other forms of advanced life leaving us to ponder the meaning of existence.

And as for motivations for individual adventures, I will guide the narrative through the first adventure. Then we will begin taking turns guiding the narrative through successive adventures. Think of it like a typical American science fiction television show, where you have the same characters, but each episode is written by a different writer. An entire season might follow a general plot, but a team of writers (us, the players) each have their own particular spin on it and take turns writing parts.

We could begin thinking about a cast of characters now if you like. Let's work with the idea that our characters are space explorers of some type. We are either part of the "establishment" (a large intergalactic government of some kind), like the crew of a Starfleet vessel on Star Trek, a Battlestar of Battlestar Galactica, or a Star Destroyer from Star Wars, or we exist on the fringes of it, like the Serenity of Firefly, the Millenium Falcon of Star Wars, or Moya on Farscape. Basically we are either suits with regulations to follow or we are rogues able to do as we please. Both offer interesting roleplaying and writing challenges. I kind of lean towards the rogue idea.


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## Voda Vosa (Oct 2, 2012)

I see, I'm liking it each time more.
I would lean towards the part of the society kind of angle, but on a smaller crew; much like Knights of the old republic games, where there are 8 characters at best, on a small shuttle. Gives us better narrative opportunities I think, Simplifies things, and also gives the roguish feel, not so stiffed up like on a big ship; with the always present chance to discover world flipping events that might turn allegiances obsolete.


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## Jemal (Oct 2, 2012)

I prefer the rogues to the suits, but i'm good with either.

I like the idea of a starship crew that doesn't really have anybody else to depend on, (Moya, Voyager, Lost in space, etc).


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## airwalkrr (Oct 2, 2012)

Perhaps using Voyager as a paradigm, our crew could be former members of a society that is on the outs for some particular reason. Maybe there was a drastic regime change and our crew went rogue. Or perhaps, like Voyager, we were suddenly cut off from communication with the rest of our society. We might want to re-establish contact, or maybe not. Just floating some ideas.

Let's give our vessel a name. Ideas?


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## Voda Vosa (Oct 3, 2012)

Space Weasel
The Skirge
Queen #
Marauder
Bumblebee
The Bergantin
El Breve
Tapacanal
The Coalt


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## airwalkrr (Oct 3, 2012)

Oooo, I like the Skirge for some reason. Maybe it is the funny spelling, but I love it!


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## Voda Vosa (Oct 3, 2012)

Its not misspelled, its a type of boat in Argentina.


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## airwalkrr (Oct 4, 2012)

You'll have to forgive my lack of knowledge of Argentina!

Still think it sounds cool. Has a double meaning phonetically in English. Scourge.


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## Voda Vosa (Oct 4, 2012)

Added a few more!


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## airwalkrr (Oct 4, 2012)

I still like Skirge. What do you think,  [MENTION=9026]Jemal[/MENTION]?


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## Voda Vosa (Oct 5, 2012)

He's away from internet for the time being, just moved and settling down, at least that's what he said on other threads. I like the Skirge


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## airwalkrr (Oct 6, 2012)

Alright, we can continue developing ideas while we wait for the others' schedules to calm down. I am thinking about a ship's engineer character. Using the InSpectres basic system, he would look like this:
Academics: 2, Athletics: 1, Technology: 4, Contact: 1. Talent: Engine Specialist, +1 die when working on ship engines.

His name is Fantis Rho. He comes from a fringe colony world where he often helped crew freighter missions to deliver supplies to and from the colony. Along the way he discovered he had a knack for working with ship's engine systems. He took to it like a fish to water. He knows his way inside and out of almost every interstellar propulsion system known in the galaxy. He isn't very well spoken though and has a tendency to ramble about technical topics which aren't well-understood to others outside his area of expertise. This makes him seem a bit haughty. But he is dedicated and a hard worker. He has a little bit of formal training, but most of his talent derives from "field work."


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## Jemal (Oct 6, 2012)

so are we using that system then or going freeform?


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## airwalkrr (Oct 9, 2012)

Up to you, really. If you guys favor free-form, let's go that way. InSpectres is extraordinarily rules light though. We wouldn't even be using the whole system, just the two page starter version.


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## Voda Vosa (Oct 9, 2012)

I would like at least some rules.


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## airwalkrr (Oct 11, 2012)

I am in favor of a simple rule set. Is everyone okay with InSpectres, slightly modified in tone for outer space drama of course?


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## Voda Vosa (Oct 11, 2012)

I'm fine with it.


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