Many small games in a larger game world which can interact, influence, and change the way each group experiences the RP.
In essence, a Persistent World!
If I'm a smuggler or bounty hunter or farmer or whathaveyou, and for some reason I state at the beginning of the RP I want to go to Planet X, a neutral planet, then I should be allowed to do so.
You'll have full freedom IC.
I go to the planet, do my business, then return to the first planet. A little while later I want to return there again, except this time I can't go. Why? Some bloody Jedi ran a campaign through there and now it has a blockade around it! I know it's simple, but I really do want the game world to feel like it's changing.
Well you will be right in the middle of a Cold War that could heat up at any time. Some planets may become available due to player action, some could become unavailable. Or a space station, like maybe a Bounty Hunter den. Or maybe the Jedi turn Tython into a fortress world.
If players get proactive and creative, it'll get real dynamic real fast. Poor GMs.
I think the best way to do this would be to give the players a list of contestable planets between Sith Base and Jedi Base, which act as important social (for the players) gathering points. Give them value IC as well, say one planet is the equivalent of Coruscant and has a massive trade culture. Another could be making breakthroughs in farming/fuel technology, another makes clones or something, so that there's reason for the players to explore and interact. The Sith are opting to buyout a tech company's latest ship models? Jedi intel heard, better get a recon team to intercept it! Uh-oh, they got caught, now they're being hunted down and have to escape.
Stop spying on the GM chat.
I think the word I'm looking for is "dynamic". Make it that, because that can be really awesome! I think players would like it if their actions had consequences, and could stir up some really interesting scenarios. The only PW I was in was the first I ever joined, like Hank, and thinking back these were some pretty important aspects to what made it so successful. Everyone should know that the important thing they are doing IC can and likely will be interrupted by someone else, but that doesn't mean you can't enhance your own ideas using what others have put forward. My mind keeps going to a deep confession scene interrupted by a devastating ambush as an example.
Hope this helps!
Great post, thanks!
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