BrokenPromise

New user experience -- suggestions thread

I thought you meant the game. D: I got excited.

@Ruby

Riiiiiight, I was going to get the ball rolling on this.

Here we go

I'm not sure how well it will do, or if it's too simple in it's current format. But at least now we can see if people are going to take to the idea or not.

"You Are Your Avatar"

"It's another lovely sunny day. The birds are singing, the streams are running, and the world feels like it's in perfect harmony with itself.

How totally boring!

Where's the chaos? The mayhem? The carnage? *sigh* If something interesting doesn't happen soon, I'll murder my classmates. No wait! I'll set up a game where they have to murder each other! Don't test my patients, humanity..."

"You Are Your Avatar"

In this thread, you are your avatar. Think of it as a forum hang out thread where your avatar is the one doing the talking. You can also go on adventures, flirt with waifus, catch bad guys, etc.

What to do:

-Behave the way you think your avatar would behave.

-If your character is a jerk, you can be a jerk. But don't take it too far. This is a social game after all.

-Start a message with OOC if you want to be taken seriously/respond "out of character." An example:

OOC: Who is your avatar, BrokenPromise?

-Have fun

What NOTto do:

-Be an irredeemable ass hat by trying to kill everyone.

-Write a reaction for another forum user's avatar (getting hit by your attack, laughing at your jokes, etc)

-Exclusively or excessively talk in OOC. There are other hangouts or Discord if you feel like being yourself.

-Think too hard

And with that out of the way, let's start!

NOTE: this "game" is very much a work in progress, and the rules and how it's run will likely change from time to time. But just try to have fun.

In Nomine Domini

Gillia's Inquisitor academy was quiet. It was noon, and most of the battle mages in training were having lunch or running errands. There were only a few guards positioned outside. The structure was vacant otherwise. Save for the dojo which held a single member: Aer Pacifica.

Aer was doing drills with her staff. Her blood red ponytail followed her head with every bob and weave she made across the dojo floor. Aer wore a stern expression and stared down her invisible enemies with crimson eyes. Only the young woman knew how many of them she had taken out. If Aer's fret brow was anything to go by, there were a lot more to go. Or maybe the battle mage knew she had to fight that much harder because she was so small? After a few more swings, Aer stood at a ready position and bowed. It was standard to bow towards your instructors once you had ended a training session. She had done it through so much repetition that Aer would even bow when completely alone. Unbeknown to the battle mage, someone had had been watching her.

“Not bad for fighting air.” Aer's spectator was Heaton Eckenrode, Aer's former trainer. He was also a battle mage, one that was well respected by the Imperium. He had reached the rank of High Inquisitor long before Aer started training under him. Aer admittedly knew little else about her former teacher, except that he was an intense man who saw great potential in her. They were not always on friendly terms with each other, but Heaten had been nothing but supportive of her once she completed her training as a battle mage. Despite this, Aer was always a little intimidated by the bald man. His black and gold cloak added onto his intimidating presence.

“Heaton? I-I mean, Inquisitor!” Aer saluted her former teacher and stiffened up her posture. The man towered over her. Though it wasn't because he was especially tall. Aer was just small.

“Such formalities are fit for obedient pets. A lion is not ashamed of its roar. You need not assign me a title.” Heaton also worshiped lions, or any animal at the apex of its food chain. He was intense, but was easy to talk to once you understood his nature.

“Yessir!” Aer nodded. “I did not expect you to return so early today. Weren't you taking the trainees on a hike?”

“Hah!” The high inquisitor swung his hand, as if to deflect the comment. “They are no longer cubs, and can be trusted to walk their lands unsupervised.” He looked directly into Aer's eyes. “But young inquisitor, you have far more pressing responsibilities.” The High inquisitor pulled a scroll out of his cloak and handed it to Aer, who promptly opened it up. There was a picture of a young woman, followed by a brief description. “Sania is a prodigium magum. She is believed to have a good grasp on her water elemental magic. She is a heretic that allies herself with the rebels, but the Imperium feels her raw power could be molded into something we could use. So Sania is to be captured alive.”

Aer hesitated, but eventually found herself nodding along. “And who will I be working with?”

Heaten grinned. “Inquisitors do not always hunt as wolves. This one will be a solitary hunt.” His face became firm agin. “You will pursue your prey like a tiger would: Alone.”

“A-a solo operation!?” Aer had never gone on a mission by herself before. The battle mage would be kidding herself is she said wasn't a little scared by the idea of it.

“That brain between your pointy ears didn't fail you, I see.” Heaton folded his arms. “This will not be an easy task, but I have complete faith in your abilities. This particular mission was suppose to be given to all of the local inquisitors tommorow, but I'm giving it to you now.” Heaton turned around and glanced at Aer over his shoulder. “She was spotted recently, so you shouldn't have any difficulty tracking her if you act with earnest. The details are in the scroll. Should you complete this hunt, I will gladly spar with you till your heart is content.”

Aer had always wanted to spar with her instructor, but he insisted she would never be a match for him. Was this his way of saying he would recognize her skill if she was successful? It was hard to not be exited by the news. Aer wanted to thank him, but Heaton had told her on many occasions “Thanking is how the weak praise the strong, and you aren't weak.” The battle mage bowed to her instructor. “It would be my honor to take on this hunt.”

“I expected nothing less from you.” Heaton turned his head folward and made his way out of the dojo. It was time for Aer to change out of her dojo uniform and into something more befitting of an operating battle mage.

---

---

The atmosphere was much more relaxed outside the academy. Gillia was a thriving port town. Its booming economy was partially thanks to the good fishing spots, but more so to the harbor's ability to export goods. That wasn't to say there wasn't a slum or two hiding in the back of the large city. But for most, there was no better place to live.

It always felt good to get out of the academy. She liked some of the people, but Aer never really felt like she could be herself in there. When etiquette was taken to that level, it was difficult to feel at ease. Sometimes you just want to see someone laugh at a poop joke. Sadly, that was something she was more likely to find at a tavern with strangers than with people she had been training with for years. Aer wasn't even really proud of being an inquisitor. She kept her uniform hidden under a brown cloak when walking around Gillia. Aer was on a first name basis with most of the local shops anyway. Still, flaunting her status as an inquisitor always seemed to put people on edge. They had a lot of power, and aer didn't want to make anyone feel the way she felt inside the academy.

Aer eventually found herself walking into the naughty nymph tavern. It was one of those places where regardless of the time of day, you could find at least one person drunken out of consciousness. The lighting was left dim so that the waitresses looked better to drunken patrons. The naughty nymph tavern had earned its reputation as a seedy little tavern. Despite that, Aer felt at home here. The atmosphere reminded the battle mage of her origins, and so there was a sense of nostalgia mixed in with all the unpleasantness. At the bar was an overwight, middle aged man with an especially bushy mustache. Aer knew Buford well. He was the owner and bartender of this fine establishment.

“Hello, goblin!” Typically calling a short, red eyed, pointy eared woman a goblin was a grave insult. That was especially the case if they were an inquisitor, as it was seen as mocking the Imperium itself. But Aer and Buford had that type of relationship where such comments were mere formalities. They could talk like this for hours without upsetting each other.

“And hello to you too, orc.” Aer curtsied before going on. “I see you've bulked up nicely for winter. You're even trying to grow a coat under your nose.”

“Oh?” Buford tugged at his mustache. “No, I think this layer of blubber will do nicely for winter. I'm just trying to grow out a pair of pants for my skinny goblin friend. She only wears skirts and stockings you see, like she actually has something to show off.”

“Dear me!” Aer flicked her wrist forward. “No wonder you're trying to grow underpants under your nose! I knew you were the unsavory type, but you know it doesn't do much good to sniff them until she's tried them on first?”

Buford chuckled, his gut bouncing with each puff of his tired lungs. “Are you getting anything today?”

“Sadly no. Today I'm watching my diet. I just came by for the atmosphere, and your company of course.” The battle mage winked at the bartender.

“Ha! You're too skinny to walk out of here without eating something.”

Aer chuckled before looking for a quiet part of the tavern to sit down and read the scroll. Her usual corner table was empty, which was far away from prying eyes. Aer promptly took a seat and unrolled the scroll. She made sure to sit with her back to a wall to prevent others from seeing what was written within. “So, I have to capture you, Sania?” Aer thought this to herself as she read through the information she had been provided. Why did Aer feel so uncomfortable with this request? Why was it getting harder to smile?

Bot Reporting 2.0

roleplayerguild.com/users/boacutie

y'all mind if i

@Neurovoid

Oh, I know it's a term that has found mainstream use, just as we have huntresses. But you specified it as a roll. A title like swordsman would be more appropriate in most situations, as it is gender neutral (honorary title).

A New Contest?

Well, something that interested me about the pass/fail system used in the 12 labors was that while there was one "true" winner, it was possible for everyone who participated to pass a threshold and get some form of recognition for it. I don't think you need to write scathing reviews to do something like that.

The problem with a point system is that, for me, I don't really believe it's realalistic. I can tell you if I like a piece more than another, but telling the difference can be really hard. especially when asked to consider personal biases. (I like anime stories, and this is an anime story, but I do feel that it's written better. do I give it to the other guy, or do I go with my feelings?) If you did have a point system, you would need to really break it down so that there was some meaning.

I really think the best thing to do is get some judges and work with them on a system you agree on. Decide what you're looking for in writing and make sure the contestants know it. Are you looking for good grammar? Make sure everyone's good at finding mistakes. Is it for how clearly understood a prose is, or are you looking for more artistic approaches? There are a lot of ways to write good stories, but that doesn't mean all of them will win your contest.

y'all mind if i

Role

Swordswoman

@Neurovoid

Swordsman kind of sounds like a dignitary title. I'm not sure they would go "Lol swordswoman" just because your character is a woman. Kind of like how we don't call a female police officer an "officeresse."

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

BGM

It was cold.

Felix did not have the most energetic start to this new day. He woke up in pain. Not just from his injuries, but there was a blinding light shining in his eyes. No amount of squinting alleviated the pain until the parkour artist moved his hand over them. But with time, his eyes would adjust.

“Golly gee willikers!” That overly cheery voice could only belong to Alexandria. “You're alive! You're alive again!” The room slowly started to come into focus. Everything was a creepy fluorescent white, from the the floor to the ceiling. Even Alexandria's nurse outfit was as white as snow, and the uncomfortably firm table Felix was laying on. In contrast, Felix's body looked dark among all the white. He was shirtless, with a crimson stained gauze over his most recent injury. “How does your boo-boo feel? Daddy didn't spear you as good as he could have. The wounds should heal in a week. Your wounds were glued shut, so they won't re-open. But moving might cause you some pain.”

Alexandria said that the wounds were closed and would heal in no time, yet it still felt as if that spike was still piercing his shoulder, To say it hurt, was a very big understatement, it was foolish to think that Felix could actually outrun all of the spikes.
In an attempt to sit up, Felix placed a hand on his forehead; it felt as if there was a mini monokuma ramming spikes through his brains as he was trying to recall everything of the night prior.

At first, Felix didn't plan on going to Calvin at all, he knew that the rules didn't allow Monokuma and his lackeys to harm them, but when the walls of spikes appeared, Felix's heart wavered. All that Felix was counting on was an E-handbook full of rules, and a sadistic talking teddy; who was to say that Monokuma would keep his word? that realisation put motion in his legs without him even noticing it, before he knew it he was already sprinting towards his fellow infinites.

In the heat of the moment, All Felix could think about was getting Calvin out of that dreadful chair, he never even noticed Shona saving his ass when Willow was about to shoot him down. It wasn't like Felix wanted to save Calvin specifically, he barely even knew that blacksmith. No, he wanted to save everyone, for if even one of them fell, you could've just sentenced the rest to die as well; despair would surely take root then. yet despite giving it his all, it wasn't enough, the pain would have been bearable if wasn't for his last sight; seeing Shona impaled on a wall.

Felix was searching for anything that might comfort him, looking around only deepened his distress, he was no longer in familiar territory, and the only company available was not welcome. yet questions that were racing through his head needed to be answered and he needed them now. so with a soft cracked voice and no smile to be seen he asked:

"Is sho..is she dead?"

Alexandria hummed wistfully, as if recalling her childhood. “Ahhhh.” the doll leaned over Felix. Her massive eyes looked directly into his. “I don't like the word dead. It doesn't have any emotion in it. It' too abrupt!” Her head shook for a second. “But yes, miss knight said good night before shifting off her mortal coil.” The android stood up straight again. “But you're safe! So I guess she got to be a hero after all. She died exactly the way she wanted to.” Alexandria giggled. “Can you stand up?”

"khht" Felix grid his teeth upon Alexandria's reply. he was already used to the way she talked but a death, how does anyone get used to that? and worst of all, it was because of Felix. if he hadden't heroically tried to save Calvin, Shona didn't have to stop Willow from shooting him down, yet all that appeared on his face was a smile, the deepest most sincere smile that was ever seen.

"Thank you....Shona" A single tear dropped from his cheek as he tried to get up, almost losing his balance along the way; not very sportsman-like.

"I can walk, no problem" He was clearly in pain, but he wasn't going to just sit here until it went away, he needed to see the rest; besides, he was probably saver there instead of here, alone.

As soon as Felix was on his feet, the carnage sister squealed before wrapping her arms around him. The infinite free runner was pulled into a tight, mechanical embrace. Oddly, her chest felt...soft? Something akin to a water bed. Alexandria released her patient after what felt like far too long for a casual hug.

“Now, while I'm sure you're happy to be alive. I have to admit I'm a bit perturbed!” The robot did her best to squint her eyes and look agitated. >-< “My boyfriend spends all night making upgrades for some hussie, and then has the nerve to skip out on breakfast with his sweetheart! Don't you think that's just the worst?”

All Felix could do in reply to the extremely out of place hug was a sigh, he was surprised, in pain and frightened of the doll, yet couldn’t express himself any better.

“I have no goddamn clue what you’re talking about but I want you to show me the way back to my room. Do that, and I’ll have breakfast with you tomorrow, ke?” Felix tried to form the most believable smile possible; he wasn’t sure what to think of this robot, she was a bit different from the rest, less aggressive. In fact, he couldn’t recall a single moment where Alexandria actually did anything to hurt anyone, not knowing that it was actually her that killed Shona. however, she was still a part of it all, and he could not forgive that, so he was probably not gonna show up for that breakfast with her, if only to spite that doll.

“Oh, kitty kitty! You don’t have to worry about me.” Alexandria giggled. “I already have a plan set up.” She nodded. “I’m going to show Ibbs that I can do better than him, yea! That’ll show that big meanie to skip town on me. Do you want to see him?” The carnage sister didn’t wait for a response. “Oh yoo-hoo! Come on out lover boy!” One of the walls opened up and belched a cloud of smoke. “Don’t hide in there! you know that smoke isn’t very good for you?” A tall man with broad shoulders wandered out of the smoke. “Alright Felix, I want you to say hi to Maxy! and Maxy, this is Felix!” Alexandria positioned herself between the two men. “So what do you think Felix? Isn’t he just a stud? He’s also the infinite police officer. I love a guy in uniform, don’t you?”

BGM

“What...” the two men looked at each other for what felt like a lifetime before Felix continued.

“Why is he here...is he supposed to be Shona’s replacement?” Felix cringed towards Alexandria while saying that, yet Max was simply taking in the environment.
He looked at his leg, which still hurt from the attack, looked at the stretcher that Felix rested on mere minutes ago, and finally settled his eyes on the robot.

“Shit.” said Max with a concerned tone before addressing the free runner, “Where am I?”

“Y-you’re in Axis Mundi, though it’s not the same hospital it used to be, we…” Felix hesitated for a moment, but before being able to continue, Max interrupted him.

“Can we talk for a moment-” Max looked at the robot with a serious glare, “in private.”

“Oh-hoh! What? No girls allowed?” The android huffed. “You big meanies! Well, so long as Max is there when I totally rub it in Calvin’s face, I guess you can have some time alone.” Alexandria walked into the open hole in the wall, and it shut behind her. The two men appeared to be alone, if only for the moment.

Max was closely following Alexandria up until the point of the walls closing, after which he turned towards Felix and said,

“Felix, now tell me about this place, what happened here, and who is this Shona you mentioned before.”

And so Felix answered all questions that max threw at him to the best of his abilities, trying to swallow his emotions and not allowing sadness to overwhelm him while Max was piecing everything together and painting a bigger picture. They exchanged thoughts and information and after all was said and done, Max cleared his throat and shouted,

“Robot! when are you going to let us go? We’re done.” he said before addressing Felix again, “We’ll figure this out, we just have to keep alive for now. Be careful and don’t forget it.”

Max was barely done speaking when Alexandria came back into the room and seized both of them. “Hey! I don't call you 'human' and order you around, do I? So mean... So mean...” The carnage sister pulled both men into the wall. Apparently, the small room inside the wall was actually an elevator. “Next stop, the infinite killing game! I hope it's not too tight with the three of us packed in here like sardines. But at least it's like we're hugging each other right?”

As soon as the doors slid shut, Monokuma appeared on the monitor inside the elevator again. Was he showing up everywhere else too? It was the same video as last time, with the only difference being the introductions. He skipped over Shona and everyone who had left.

“Our blissfully ignorant Bliss Buckly is a patient woman. She can put up with screaming brats all day long. Definitely a commendable trait for someone to possess. But aren't all predators patient by nature?”

Alexandria hugged Max and Felix together with a giggle.

“Noel Hawthorne, like Bliss, is a woman of dark obsessions. She's a reporter you see, constantly obsessed with observing those who are around her. She's like the greatest facebook blogger, in that she takes lots of pictures of her food, and constantly talks about people more interesting than she is.”

Alexandria continued to giggle at her “father's” jokes, her grip got tighter as the video continued to play.

“But we also have Lucas Carsen who...” Monokuma lifted up a piece of paper and examined it. “Infinite Paranormal Investigator? Never mind, that practically makes fun of itself...” with a grumble, he crinkled the paper up and tossed it over his shoulder. “Marianne Roche may have a last name that sounds like an insect, but her real passion is flowers. Particularly the pistil and stamen. Well, especially the stamen.” Monokuma cleared his throat. “Max Visser could easily become a contender for Bishi of the year, but he doesn’t wear glasses. He does eat donuts though, which just shows you that even an infinite level cop has desires they can’t resist.”

By this point, Alexandria was practically crushing the men with her loving embrace.

“I think that's everyone. If I forgot someone, they probably weren't that important.” Monokuma settled back down in his bed and pulled up the sheets. “Dr Killgood, out!”

Alexandria released them. “Oh I'm so sowwy! I just get so excited every time dad pops up on a screen.Anywho, We're here!” The doors to the elevator opened. “So Maxy, did you want to make Ibbs super jealous? I know we can do it!”

“Whatever, there is nothing in it for me. Play your little game.” said Max while rubbing his sore arm after it had been ‘crushed’ by Alexandria. even though the doll acted dumb and friendly, it sent shivers down his spine. especially after hearing how Shona died. Felix however, had already gotten used to the abnormal behavior of the carnage sisters and merely nodded towards Max. Together, they went towards the sounds of people which originated from the break room and before entering, Felix took on his familiar posture of friendliness and Max adjusted his tie.

“Hello infinites! Guess who’s back from the dead?” Felix said with that trademark smile. Max merely stood next to him, observing the crowd.

@Ariamis@Aewin@MyCatGinger@Vocab@ThatCharacter

New user experience -- suggestions thread

I do wonder though, where would such a game be placed within the forums? Granted, this isn't a huge issue, and I imagine having it pinned in the "free" subforum would suffice, though it would probably be best to put it somewhere where people can readily find it - even as a link at the bottom of the welcome PM, I suppose.

Another minor issue/question, is how would the 'game' be formatted - in a similar fashion to an RP, with an IC, OOC, and Char tab? Or, more along the lines of a simple topic, like this one? Just throwing out thoughts to help churn the thinking-pot, though the answers may seem a bit more obvious than I have reckoned.

@Vashonn

I would pin it in spam. But I understand that due to spam's very nature that might not be the best place for it. So the RP subforum might be a good spot for it. if you felt that you needed tabs for it (I don't) you could set it up in free or casual.

I would just treat it as a chat room game. One of the reasons I wouldn't put it in a real RP forum is because I don't think there's going to be a lot of story telling, nor do I feel it's going to be especially serious. It would more be about interactions between the "characters." I can tell you right now I'd probably drop by any time I saw a good opportunity to say something amusing if it didn't affect my dedicated RP responsibilities. It would be a lot of stream of thought writing. stuff like "Hmmm, you don't seem to fear me, good knight? Well maybe you'd be more scared of me if you new I was the most twisted, vile princess in all the land!" Not always that short, but that's what I see happening.

Hell, I say we make a "you are your avatar" game in spam or as an RP forum hang out right now just to test it out. In fact, if someone hasn't made one by the time I get back today, I'll do it myself. I just can't think of a decent first post right now.

EDIT:

Also, I don't like the mentour idea. Well, I do, but I don't think real mentours need a dignitary title. If someone wants to help new forum members out, they can add something to their signature space like "Pm me if you need anything!" or some junk. Plus, it's less work Mahz has to do.