Hey everybody, I want to have an open-table discussion of Vortex's RPGs in an equal setting. RPG Staff, players, past-players, and members who have never played, I think we should all sit down for a bit and discuss the RPG feature of Vortex, which is perhaps the most enjoyable and yet troublesome facet of this place.

I should point out, however, that:
-I am NOT promising a new RPG.
-I am NOT promising a changed or altered RPG.
-I am NOT changing/altering/removing the fact that we have an RPG.
-I am NOT taking demands/suggestions without thorough discussion and playtesting, should I want to create/change anything.

I AM, however, very interested in what the general playerbase of Vortex wants in their RPG, if they want an RPG at all.


To start us off, I'll pose some very general questions. What do you enjoy most about the current RPG? What do you enjoy the least? If any, what facets of past RPGs did you enjoy more or less than the current RPG? What is something that you might want to see included in a Vortex RPG that has not been included before? Are you satisfied with the traditional DBZ setting of the RPGs? Would you prefer a general shonen-anime setting, a non-anime setting, a traditional fantasy setting, an original setting, etc.? What else would you like to say?

This is your chance, speak up!

a traditional fantasy setting sounds good to me, being a big fan of D&D and all. Maybe something like the D20 system could be used?

DBZ worked somewhat, but i don't see why we should stick strictly to that just because this is primarily a dbz site (i think). So an entirely different theme/setting could work pretty well.
For Features, I'm not sure what i'd like to see exactly, maybe proper damage calculations and story progression, stats, items, general rpg stuff.

If only we had the original back.

Anywho, the thing I see wrong with it is that we aren't getting enough people to actually play it. The rules and parameters of the game are fine and it works, it's just that most of us here aren't the biggest RPers. It may feel like there is nothing that entices us like a JRPG or WRPG with wonderful worlds that keep us coming back.

That's just my two cents on the matter.

I don't have enough patience/originality/imagination to sit there and write paragraphs on what my made-up character is doing. I wish I could experience the fun for myself, but it's just not my thing. Sorry I can't be of any help with any of this mate.

Blues Light wrote:

To start us off, I'll pose some very general questions. (1)What do you enjoy most about the current RPG? (2)What do you enjoy the least? (3)If any, what facets of past RPGs did you enjoy more or less than the current RPG? (4)What is something that you might want to see included in a Vortex RPG that has not been included before? (5)Are you satisfied with the traditional DBZ setting of the RPGs? (6)Would you prefer a general shonen-anime setting, a non-anime setting, a traditional fantasy setting, an original setting, etc.? (7)What else would you like to say?

I will answer in order:
(1) I quite enjoyed the 1 word PL thing. It was very cool and creative plus it helped major and small typers... Though it has its disadvantages to.
(2) I hate Purgatory it is the reason I quit. Plus when game mods go all freaky about when a person makes one little mistake [The hell thing that could be easily changed and deleted, but nope it had to cause problems and couldn't just go away]... I disliked this a LOT.

(3) I quite liked the first RPG thing I was in (though I don't know its official name). It was very easy to handle plus it was fun. (Though still had some similar problems [Like the broken arm thing that I could have been easily changed])

(4) As I would call it a 'Fixable Game' right where if mods have a problem with mistake that is considered God-modding or anything like that then it could be easily changed by the person that said it.

(5) Yes but when the head up people make it were you do 1 mistake then you are forced to lose what you worked so hard to gain or be locked were you could never play your character again well then No. Again this is part of what I meant in #2 & #4.

(6) A non-anime thing might be cool. Though if we do play a Non-anime one we should be able to play other races still. I quite like that we can make our own race and our own things.

(7) I again like what you are trying to do here and still if you need any rules straight from the DND books let me know. I still have first addition and would love to help though there are some certain rules in there that are... a pain.
Also you will need dedicated players. You cant get anywhere without dedicated players.

Alright, so I'll start with what sucks about the current RPG.

Power Level. While you may be able to gain PL just by posting and playing, if you really want your character to be in the big leagues (and let's be honest, the weaker characters are often brushed aside by the other players), you have to write training posts. Now, this may not be much of a problem for me, since I really like writing, but I have a good feeling that it's a chore for others.

Plot. For the most part, there is none. Every now and then you get an Event (the first of which for this RPG failing horribly), and that's usually just a bunch of nobodies that the players have free reign in blasting, with whoever is the strongest taking out the big bad in the end. Fun, right? WRONG. For the most part, our RPG events offer little sense of personal accomplishment or plot progression. Once the day is saved, all the characters go back to jerking around and "LOL WANNA SPAR!?" (a flaw in the "Post for PL" system) until the next bad guy comes. Rinse and repeat. That's why I propose the following:

RPG Staff members should be more like Gamemasters. Instead of having a forum where characters are free to go about with whatever they want, RPG Staff post recruitment for stories (likely discussed and approved by the entire staff) that characters can sign up for. The RPG Staff member for that plotline handles all the NPCs, and carries the characters along a focused story. Groups would be small, no more than 6 perhaps. This tighter story offers players greater interaction and character development, and gives player's characters the chance to shine. All characters would start at the same level (however the system is set up, whether by Points or PL) and, at the end of each adventure, would receive more power based on how well they did.

PhantomAForce. He's gone now, but I just wanted to make the point that he sucked.

Ryu wrote:

Alright, so I'll start with what sucks about the current RPG.

Power Level. While you may be able to gain PL just by posting and playing, if you really want your character to be in the big leagues (and let's be honest, the weaker characters are often brushed aside by the other players), you have to write training posts. Now, this may not be much of a problem for me, since I really like writing, but I have a good feeling that it's a chore for others.

Plot. For the most part, there is none. Every now and then you get an Event (the first of which for this RPG failing horribly), and that's usually just a bunch of nobodies that the players have free reign in blasting, with whoever is the strongest taking out the big bad in the end. Fun, right? WRONG. For the most part, our RPG events offer little sense of personal accomplishment or plot progression. Once the day is saved, all the characters go back to jerking around and "LOL WANNA SPAR!?" (a flaw in the "Post for PL" system) until the next bad guy comes. Rinse and repeat. That's why I propose the following:

RPG Staff members should be more like Gamemasters. Instead of having a forum where characters are free to go about with whatever they want, RPG Staff post recruitment for stories (likely discussed and approved by the entire staff) that characters can sign up for. The RPG Staff member for that plotline handles all the NPCs, and carries the characters along a focused story. Groups would be small, no more than 6 perhaps. This tighter story offers players greater interaction and character development, and gives player's characters the chance to shine. All characters would start at the same level (however the system is set up, whether by Points or PL) and, at the end of each adventure, would receive more power based on how well they did.

PhantomAForce. He's gone now, but I just wanted to make the point that he sucked.

I know personally that I would much rather GM for a group of 5-7 players for one solid adventure than GM for the entire game and not really be able to tailor the adventure to any one person. I'd prefer doing it in the home tabletop-style of play.

I completely agree with PhantomAForce and Ryu. We don't have much of a plot, and players seem to be uninterested in any events that we throw out there, which is a sight to see for me. An RP needs to work both ways, not just with the staff members but also the players as well.

And on a side note, as you have noticed, half of B3's post was basically whining about the fact that he cheated, godmodded and fucked up in the present RP and he still needs to get over it. I am in no way being offensive, but I'm just being blatantly honest.

This is about the RPG not B3, your staff should learn to correct mistakes without banishment from the RPG, worry about listening to our suggestions. B3, I Don't Care what you did, I like you B3 but grow up, its over with.



Ok, So what I think should happen is we jump off the dbz for the RPG and Work it on a D&D style RPG so there are more adventurous Ideas. We can be more creative and we can have more to talk about. Plus, More sections can be made because we can adjust the themes a bit, when needed. With DBZ RPG we are stuck with DBZ only which may sound very diverse but compared to D&D, well its like a play pen compared to the earth in possibilities.
Plus Posts should equal experience which can be spent increasing Level Which should allow for a type of currency to disperse for Hitpoints , skills [str,speed,agility,etc.] I know I'm not in staff {rez Not "knowing" me] but I have created an in depth D&D system that is amendable but is pretty accurate when transferred from board game to forum. I could elaborate on this but only if there is a HIGH possibility for use.

I know I have pointed people out but don't reply to this if you wanna talk pm me. I just used it as example nothing intended for flaming!

Lorezno wrote:

And on a side note, as you have noticed, half of B3's post was basically whining about the fact that he cheated, godmodded and fucked up in the present RP and he still needs to get over it. I am in no way being offensive, but I'm just being blatantly honest.

As I said it bluntly myself :(4) As I would call it a 'Fixable Game' right where if mods have a problem with mistake that is considered God-modding or anything like that then it could be easily changed by the person that said it.: is the only one I really suggest. If this is taken care of then it would be simple. I again would LOVE to join back to the old one and even join the new one, because as most know, I am in to RPGs but again #4 is a way to prevent later disasters for everyone. You should make a rule like this if your gonna do anything. Think of how many problem would have been 1000X simpler if you would do this.

Still Lore I like how you give your opinion as I give mine... straight up. I do respect you for that.

Let me quote this just a little more:

Lorezno wrote:

B3's post was basically whining about the fact that he cheated, godmodded and fucked up in the present RP.

First I am not whining I am making sure we don't have a cluster fuck, as you called it, in the future. If it was so BAD then it could simple be avoided with my suggestion in number four. It solves the problem and helps everyone get back with there lives. Plus it doesn't run people out of the RPG as it did me.

Still I dont expect you to fix it in this RPG. I just dont want to see it in another.

Mysterious Stranger wrote:

This is about the RPG not B3, your staff should learn to correct mistakes without banishment from the RPG, worry about listening to our suggestions. B3, I Don't Care what you did, I like you B3 but grow up, its over with.

Again it is not about me. I am just saying for future sake I want number 4 to be past other wise we get the same problems as before. That is why I am saying this.

Omg, STFU BBB its over with, I would like to improve our RPG, not continue with the history of it.

I'm sorry, but if you screw up there are gonna be consequences. We don't have time machines. You can't go back and just change what you've already done once you realize it's wrong. It's understandable in certain situations, but not all. In your case, I think you could've just fixed it since it was against NPCs. But this can't be true in all cases.

Enough about that, though. Let's just put it behind us. /hypocrisy
I'll be the last to bring this up >.>
Now no one else mention it. /end hypocrisy for real

Now toward the RPG. I agree with Ryu on having a more story-oriented experience. DBZ or gneral Shounen is not good for that, as all of those are lolspar/train>BIGBAD!>Kill him>Repeat. I also love me some stats. Some might not, but I personally do. That includes a health bar/count. It feels like a much more concrete way of knowing when you're down and out instead of our system where you just play it by ear and risk godmodding.

Any more referring to past grievances in the RPG and/or whining about it or goading others about it, in this thread or any other, be it a member or RPG Staff Member, and I'll slap your account out of here for a week. Understood?


Now then, it seems the general consensus is that the RPG could use more depth as far as character stats and development, as well as a central plot that develops around the characters organically, rather than a random event.

Discuss further

beastboybrown wrote:

I again like what you are trying to do here and still if you need any rules straight from the DND books let me know. I still have first addition and would love to help though there are some certain rules in there that are... a pain.

Hey would you want me to name some of the books just for starters to help?

Still I could also help with character stats and that as well if it is like a DND. (Yes I am very useful for DND).

I can also grab one of the DND maps things for plot. Ya I am a little nerdy

If you want to come up with ideas inspired by D&D, feel free. I've got all the sourcebooks myself and I've been hammering out a homebrew version more fit to play by posting than at the table, but I'm always open to ideas.

B3, that's not what he's asking, and Blues has some fairly decent D&D knowledge already if memory serves correctly. The first edition isn't exactly a useful guide anymore considering there's a 4th edition and soon to be 5th.

Stats and plot are entirely dependant on the theme you go with, so we can't really discuss further without covering that area first. well, the plot isn't so specific to the theme, but still, it's not as simple as just throwing in a suggestion about it, it needs serious planning.
Stats would obviously be your basic ones, like health, mana, stamina etc. Then you'l have your combat stats which will vary depending on the system and the theme.
Quests would be a nice touch, if done correctly, or maybe some sidequesty stuff for bonuses. Not really sure, as i said before i'm totally fine with whatever you go with if it resembles neverwinter/D&D to some extent xD

I still say that having a site like webatu that can actually run an RP System would make things work out perfectly. Granted the first one we had that Blues turned from a DBZ RP into a Star Wars RP got raided by pedophiles.

Well I am use to a table to so dont worry. I always played funny/acting stupid characters that were really tricky but online I cant do funny really well. :/

Still back on topic Well in the table DND I use to do all a character sheet like this:
Name:
Race:
Character Class (Like I was usually a fighter/thief):

Level:
Accuracy:
HP:
Alinement:

Strenth:
Intelligants:
Wisdom:
Dextaritiy:
Consitution:
Charisma:

MI:

NI:

Which are roled and determined by DM or in this case Mods and Admin. (It always took an hour to do this so yeah) Again it all depends on what class you are. Blue where should I show you the rest? I don't want to just pop it all up here to over flood this topic.

EDIT: Oops didn't see your post Gale well it all depends really about the edition. Some people like the newer some like the older... It all depends really. Still I am more of an older edition person.

I'm dropping in real quick to say I like that idea of group missions. I'll post later with some more ideas ;D

Don't worry about the character sheets, stats, etc., as has already stated it's much more crucial to have a general theme in mind first.

I would be ok with a mash-up between Japanese myth and pop-fantasy.

Blues Light wrote:

I would be ok with a mash-up between Japanese myth and pop-fantasy.

So we still would be able to make our own stuff... Right?

In theory. All this is just swapping ideas in the first place right now.