Pokémon RP, Anyone? (Two Plots/Scenarios, See Inside for Details!)

[Effort]

Sure, send it my way if you'd like! And the idea does involve a more serious tone, but it wouldn't be 100% 'grim dark' serious, you know?

I feel you. I'll send you a pm, I seem to have lost my full grasp on my concept. Stuffs been fluttering in and out of my brain recently.

That's exactly what the gm was asking/offering in one of the recent posts, lol.

It seems to be the best way to handle this if there are enough people and the co-gms are still game to help with it.

Honestly, I'm hoping to use Iden in a rp, lol.

The original suggestion from the GM was two separate IC threads and from there some liked the idea and other's felt a joint IC would be better. Ultimately it is up to the GM and whether they want there to be two IC threads or one. Though it never hurts to suggest something even if you missed someone else saying it. So don't sweat it. I actually appreciate that you took the time to even suggest anything because it shows other's how interested and invested you will be in the roleplay.

I agree, the multi-IC style would need enough players per thread and a corresponding number of GMs. Initially this sounds hectic, however if there's enough of a basic structure set up to organize the chaos around, it could work. One of the biggest, trickiest things to work around though is time and posting, keeping track of the IC timeline between the threads if folks are hoping for a crossover or for events to bleed over into the other. But I'm getting a little ahead of myself I think.

 

[Celestial Scorpio]

I feel you. I'll send you a pm, I seem to have lost my full grasp on my concept. Stuffs been fluttering in and out of my brain recently.





I agree, the multi-IC style would need enough players per thread and a corresponding number of GMs. Initially this sounds hectic, however if there's enough of a basic structure set up to organize the chaos around, it could work. One of the biggest, trickiest things to work around though is time and posting, keeping track of the IC timeline between the threads if folks are hoping for a crossover or for events to bleed over into the other. But I'm getting a little ahead of myself I think.

I mean if there are two threads my character would most likely never cross over just for my own sanity lol. I find it would just hard for me to go from a normal pokemon roleplay to a more serious tone and back. I could however have two separate characters. Though I am only really interested in the Go themed one myself.

 

[Effort]

I mean if there are two threads my character would most likely never cross over just for my own sanity lol. I find it would just hard for me to go from a normal pokemon roleplay to a more serious tone and back. I could however have two separate characters. Though I am only really interested in the Go themed one myself.

I feel similarly about the dual threads and crossing over characters. I think it would really only be appropriate if the tones were the same, or closely similar. Unless they would only be cursory crossovers. For the lulz as the kids say.

 

[Celestial Scorpio]

I feel similarly about the dual threads and crossing over characters. I think it would really only be appropriate if the tones were the same, or closely similar. Unless they would only be cursory crossovers. For the lulz as the kids say.

Crossing over could make it fun for people since they wouldn't be set in one roleplay but if they are able to cross over I see no point in making separate IC's because they would make it more work for the GM and any Co-Gm's. When one IC is easier managed and both would still be present and playable. Though that is me personally, now if the two plots are independent then separate ICs would be fine and manageable. Since you wouldn't have to keep track of who is where and in which roleplay at a given time. Especially if a player is constantly going back and forth being indecisive or chaotic.

 

[Effort]

Crossing over could make it fun for people since they wouldn't be set in one roleplay but if they are able to cross over I see no point in making separate IC's because they would make it more work for the GM and any Co-Gm's. When one IC is easier managed and both would still be present and playable. Though that is me personally, now if the two plots are independent then separate ICs would be fine and manageable. Since you wouldn't have to keep track of who is where and in which roleplay at a given time. Especially if a player is constantly going back and forth being indecisive or chaotic.

When the dual IC's was brought up I had initially thought they would be independent plots but same world. Or have them occur in the same world, but depending on what environment the characters roamed to could change the tone. Like in the Echoes, maybe there's a Pokemon messing with weather or something that the adventurer trainers are trying to stop. Maybe way over in Kanto or whatever, they end up getting some unseasonably low temperatures. Then by some crazy happenstance if a Go! characters ends up in the same area that Echoes is taking place, where the other characters are trying to take care of the global threat, they could be potentially in a lot of danger and way out of their depth. Like some hunky dory twelve year old with dreams of being the best trainer ever, thinking they can take on a god Pokemon. They'd be surrounded on all sides by people that will put up with none of their twelve year old happy dream time bullshit because they're trying to save the world.

Conversely, maybe one of the adventurers doesn't want to do the thing any more, and they pack up and go to Kanto for a more localized adventure. Maybe they want to expand their horizons a bit more and join a party of trainers, or shit on some kids that don't know what they're doing. The problem though I think is that the power scaling would be different. In Echoes it's supposed to be hard boiled adventurers trying to save the world, and in Go! it's a more casual group of trainers. However though, perhaps a character could successfully transition from Go! to Echoes, and vice versa. Character growth is a thing.

I may have lost track of the original point I was trying to make...

 

[Celestial Scorpio]

When the dual IC's was brought up I had initially thought they would be independent plots but same world. Or have them occur in the same world, but depending on what environment the characters roamed to could change the tone. Like in the Echoes, maybe there's a Pokemon messing with weather or something that the adventurer trainers are trying to stop. Maybe way over in Kanto or whatever, they end up getting some unseasonably low temperatures. Then by some crazy happenstance if a Go! characters ends up in the same area that Echoes is taking place, where the other characters are trying to take care of the global threat, they could be potentially in a lot of danger and way out of their depth. Like some hunky dory twelve year old with dreams of being the best trainer ever, thinking they can take on a god Pokemon. They'd be surrounded on all sides by people that will put up with none of their twelve year old happy dream time bullshit because they're trying to save the world.

Conversely, maybe one of the adventurers doesn't want to do the thing any more, and they pack up and go to Kanto for a more localized adventure. Maybe they want to expand their horizons a bit more and join a party of trainers, or shit on some kids that don't know what they're doing. The problem though I think is that the power scaling would be different. In Echoes it's supposed to be hard boiled adventurers trying to save the world, and in Go! it's a more casual group of trainers. However though, perhaps a character could successfully transition from Go! to Echoes, and vice versa. Character growth is a thing.

I may have lost track of the original point I was trying to make...

Oh no that makes complete sense and I understand, just personally I find people would lose sight of each RPs nature. If going back and forth one might forget which they are in or simply the events going on. It just seems messy in my opinion even if it could lead to events altering both. Having an experienced Go player transitioning to the Echoes one would be cool but that would take some time and it would just be easier for one of the Echoes player to retire into the Go roleplay. Plus there would be the issue of the people transitioning would have to find a way to jump in without hindering the flow of the rp.

I am not opposed to the cross over I just wouldn't participate and would stick to the Go one, plus that would mean having to read two Ics but one you're not involved in just in case you decide to cross over and I am not too keen on keeping up with an IC thread if I am not currently active in it. Unless recaps are made so often for anyone wanting to transition. Ultimately it is up to the GM and what they decide and I won't bitch about how they go about it. I just would rather be involved in just one. Events could alter both plots, that wouldn't be hard to do, but one could always last longer in the other and to make both coincide the timelines would have to be kept on the same page at all times. So if one grows slow with replies or one has fast replies it could make it hard to keep the timelines the same.

 

[Effort]

I typed a lot, I dunno if what I typed makes sense.

TL;DR I respect your decision to play in the Go! thread, I'm just spewing thoughts on how to smooth transitions for inter-thread play. The biggest points being that the players should not be able to transition willy nilly between the threads because Echoes is following a plot line. To save against the timeline displacements in continuity, we could have a border patrol that won't let people through. That if the trainers in Go! were needed, then they would be contacted by the authorities when transport was available. Something like this would allow GMs an in character method of letting people into the other thread when it would be ready to do so. Conversely if a character from Echoes wanted to join Go! they should have a good reason for doing so, and I imagine the characters might not want a flake coming back to help them save the world.

Thought vomit

In this situation I imagine the transitions would not be all that common. That if players were going to switch over to the other thread then it might need to be between Arcs, the changes couldn't be instantaneous, and the characters have a good reason to do so. Character growth does take time, and if a player did want to transist their character, there should be character build up and reasoning to do so, especially since Echoes is supposed to be a more plot driven story with some restrictions. They should not change threads unless they are ready to rp the radical changes in environment and how that might effect their character, and how their character may effect the environment.

If a character from Go! does make it over to the other thread, it can be worked out between GMs and players. For example if the party in the Go! thread hears about the events in Echoes, they could potentially get over there, but the journey to get there would have to be Rped or whatever is necessary to make sure the times match up. Or even if they have a way to mass teleport themselves over, if they were allowed to do such a thing, then they'd have to work it out with the GMs and I imagine they'd be given a description of what knowledge their characters had about the place and they can proceed from there. Also, if a character wanted to make an appearance or get involved with the events of the other thread, the player should have an understanding of what's going on to some degree. I do understand that you intend on just playing in the Go! thread, I was just spewing ideas on how to smooth over interactions between the two threads. I think of the separation of the threads to be a good mental visual for the difference both geographically and thematically between the Go! party and the Echo party.

The big thing that you brought up that could make all this discussion moot, is the time in game and posting rate not matching up. Because everyone has a different pace it would make crossovers harder to line up chronologically. That's why I thought it would be good to have points where it would be possible to have characters switch over. OR there's limited travel between both areas. Like straight up have travel between the places is restricted by the police so that only specific people can get through, like the adventurers in Echo might have just been in the right place at the right time, or they know people directly involved with the conflict. Whereas for the Go! party, maybe the proper authorities have a way to contact trainers to let them know they are needed or that transport is available to them to go to where the events of Echoes is happening. Then the GMs could use that as a device for when the other thread is at a good spot to switch people. Even better we could have them use the same...airport? Not sure how people travel in Pokemon...I wonder how strong they feel about crossing borders...but anyway they could have the chance to run into the other party.

I typed a lot, I dunno if what I typed makes sense.

TLDR; I respect your decision to play in the Go! thread, I'm just spewing thoughts on how to smooth transitions for inter-thread play. The biggest points being that the players should not be able to transition willy nilly between the threads because Echoes is following a plot line. To help with the timeline displacements and continuity, we could have a border patrol that won't let people through. That if the trainers in Go! were needed, then they would be contacted by the authorities when transport was available. Something like this would allow GMs an in character method of letting people into the other thread when it would be ready to do so. Conversely if a character from Echoes wanted to join Go! they should have a good reason for doing so, and I imagine the characters might not want a flake coming back to help them save the world.

 

[Lackadaisical]

Hmm. I might bite, with the more open-ended game being more my fancy. The two thread thing is interesting, brave of you. I did something similar to this a few years ago on a different forum (was actually thinking of maybe trying to recreate it but idk.... it was a ton of work) except I was running one thread for my trainers and one for crime syndicate members..... It was a royal pain in the rear because I was awarding points and prizes and throwing out wild Pokemon (I'm a control freak, this was a very GM led game with a heavy emphasis on quests) and then they'd all move into one thread to interact and things would get all messed up again.

I required a heading on top of each of my posts and found this helpful for keeping things straight. I included: Name, day #, time of day, location tags for other player characters, and a one short"character thought/post summary"..... Sounds absurdly complicated in hindsight but my group rolled with it. So like you'd have:

Micah
Day 4 :: Morning :: Pallet Town
w/ Bridget
"Bridget wants to Battle! I'll try my best!"​

I'd also have frequent "GM Posts" that did anything from drawing my player's characters to something in the environment to throwing out a wild pokemon or quest. Plus, and this is important, I made it to where whenever I had one of these GM posts new IC action had to be after that point (although I did let people wrap up whatever they were doing within their posts if they wanted). So, for example, if my players were settling down for the night I night and things needed to move forward I might do a GM post starting in the morning and from that point on there wasn't any more night action happening. This also allowed me to time jump one thread to catch up with the other occasionally.

Granted, if your threads arn't interacting much it won't be as big of a deal but just thoughts. ^_^ I'll keep an eye on this one. But idk that I'll commit... Fandom wise I'm actually more itching for HP at the moment haha.