State of the Game: Open Forum Discussion Follow-Up

[simpathis]

— STATE OF THE GAME FOLLOW-UP —


Hey guys, Laena here! Last month I had posted an open forum discussion State of the Game to get as much feedback as possible as we head forward into the new year and plot arc of the game. There were a lot of good suggestions, as well as a few topics that were raised. So I wanted to gather the main important topics and have a follow-up feedback for anything else that may have been missed or brought up.

Again, thank you to everyone who responded, it was a blast to read and a lot of good ideas came out! I encourage everyone to look through here, and the first post, too, if there's something you'd like to add to those topics!


» FOLLOW-UP

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• Plot direction and types of events. Overall, it seems like we've been doing all right in terms of how we handle our events. We did mention on the first post that larger events may take longer and potentially cancel an app cycle, but in such a case we would warn a head of time and extend the app period prior to the event time. We will also try to be more open and less "vague" about events that have twists and surprises at the end so that players are more prepared to at least expect something to happen even if the specifics aren't revealed until much later.
  
  We've also had feedback for a medium between our serious events and the festival types. It may have been because of the season, but there had been a number of festival and parties—which weren't bad! But looking back, most if not all of our lighthearted events were just parties. So we had the suggestion of trying to do a different type of lighthearted event utilizing the game setting, particularly with emotions and the various locations. That is something we can definitely try to do. In addition, we'll be cutting back our own traditional game festivals, or at least try to change them up or replace with something similar to keep things fresh and new.
  
  Also bad ends and negative consequences. You guys are too good at being shounen protag heroes, quit it.
  
  Another suggestion/request was for actions on excursions to affect things on the island or other places. That's definitely something we will try to do, including with the upcoming excursion this month! There was also concern that excursions may become the only source of plot clues and become the way our major types of events work. Definitely a valid concern, so while excursions will play a large part, we will not forget about our current places and characters who would not participate in said excursions. We'll try to vary it up and ensure there are opportunities for everyone. And as always, we are always open to feedback, suggestions, and requests, so do not hesitate to ask.
  
  
  • Side note on player plots and actions: we will be overhauling our current Event Suggestions page to be used as a kind of "player plots and actions" directory. Basically, it's main purpose is to help us keep track of actions taken by characters that could potentially have larger effects on the world. We can't keep track of everything that happens (our stalking fu is just not high enough) and it would be easier of players could submit when something that would be noticeable by a large populace or potentially affect the city or a localized area in some way. Having players comment to do this will help and we can try to tie it in in our own way, such as test drive/intro prompts or tasks reacting to it.
    
    Additionally, it would be a place for player plots to be submitted and referenced back to. Details about the player plot will also be updated on that page for archive reference purposes. Hopefully this will help some of the confusion as to how to reach us as well as keep track as to what's happened.
    
    We'll have more details when we update, but that's the current game plan!
  
  
• Emotion Tracker. So we've always heard how confusing the system is and players uncertain when they should comment or how. We had received a survey type suggestion, a prototype of which can be found here. We'll be testing it out in our upcoming excursion/events, so we'll see how it goes!
  
  
• Completed Crystals. A separate question asked here, overall it looks like they can remain as a means to eventually go home. However, there was a suggestion that crystals also be a potential way to regain things from back home.
  
  So currently, our thinking is that for long term goal, a large amount of completed crystals will be needed to activate whatever mechanism to return characters home. Since that could take as long as until endgame, that seems like a better way to handle that. The actual IC process and knowledge can be something we can build and work on in the upcoming months, though we have no set date as to how fast, how long, or even the specifics on how it would work. The last point is mostly because we think it would be cool if that players and character would need to create the device with the pieces that we give in-game. Which means there's no specific route—there could be multiple ways. Of course, we'll serve as a fallback and provide a specific means if one isn't created by the time endgame rolls around (whenever that is), but until then, we'll try and help push for character creation when the time comes.
  
  In the short term, individual crystals can be used in several ways, all of which the character can choose:
  
  
  1. Give to the Arehtei, who could receive potential boosts and just general health bonuses to itself and its domain (absorbed and destroyed);
     
  2. Keep for personal use, like powering up various tech or in research experiments (potential to be destroyed);
     
  3. Use on excursions where complete crystals may have special purposes, such as increased effects on the area, use as catalysts for certain purposes, and whatever else we come up with (potential to be destroyed);
     
  4. Use to regain an item from their home world (absorbed and destroyed);
     
  5. Keep and save for later use
  
  By default characters can still hold onto their crystals, but if they are used it's more likely that the crystal will be destroyed, just like a traditional power-up or consumable magical item. In addition, the whole crystal completion tracker would be overhauled so that the only time someone needs to prove they have a crystal is for the regain and we'll keep the current restrictions for that.
  
  Otherwise, we'll just follow the auto-fill mechanic and just give general reminders in our mod posts to comment for general crystal tracking. The tracking will help us determine what we can do with crystals in-game.
  
  
• Test Drive as a Soft Intro. While a few players may already be doing this (and that is totally fine, by the way), there was a suggestion of making the test drive into a kind of intro log and so we're thinking of making the test drive be an official "soft" introduction for incoming characters. This would allow our actual intro logs to be something more engaging and more open to be used for small plot, parties, or festival fillers.
  
  The test drive would still be formatted so that we'd prefer threads to not only just be "first reactions" and have at least a couple of days of settling in so it can be used for better application judging. Incoming applicants can assume the events of the test drive occurred as their real intro and CR made can carry over.
  
  We may even allow one thread to be used as an emergency AC proof, but only as emergency. We still want players to have most of their activity in the actual game and not just camp the test drive. Additionally, the in-game "intro" log will still be formatted so that those who apply and do not use the Test Drive can still use it as their intro. If everyone is cool with the idea, we'll be happy to test it out either in the February or March cycle and see how it works. If not or if there are concerns or suggestions, we'd like to hear them!
  
  
• Representatives. There has been some confusion regarding the representatives, both the political and the Arehtei ones. First of all, I'd like to immediately clear any misconception that the players involved receive any extra benefits or plot roles. They do not—in fact we've haven't really given them much to do. But the positions are all IC based to help facilitate relationships between the characters and NPCs. However, on that point, while the positions made sense early on, with the game having grown and developed the way it has, the importance has lowered a bit. Thus we'd like to hear from both the players and reps as to what they would like to see regarding the position, and especially in a way that would help not cause misunderstandings for the players.
  
  
• Expand local knowledge. We'll be working on updating the pages before the week is over (hopefully), but one thing that was mentioned was including more "local" information that players could use setting wise. Like our trademark "Steambucks" or the hot springs. So we'll try and be sure to include those for reference, but if there's anything else you'd really like to see be included, let us know! (And on that front re: updating pages, we will also try to wrestle and try to pare down things to make the giant mass that is Empatheias easier to understand, both on the OOC and IC standpoint.)

I think that's everything, but if I've missed something please feel free to bring it up! And again, you're welcome to add anything else you want in your comments.

While this "open forum" is mostly directly for me to answer, you are free to discuss with one another as well. Bounce ideas and opinions off each other! It's how we got a few of the ideas mentioned above, so definitely feel free to give input.

Comments

[justpastdawn]

This started out as a regain thing but now it isn't but I'm going to ask here anyway because it has to do with using completed crystals for things and maybe someone else will have a similar idea:

So in Pandora Hearts world, there are two kinds of Contracts with the demons Chains. There's the one Kevin had, wherein the Contract was etched into his flesh and he was driven to kill a lot of people, and there's the one the Pandora people had, where the Contract was displaced onto a special mirror pendant so the Contractor could use the Chain but not have to feed it in return. We have zero information as to how the mirror is special, just that the guy who started Pandora figured out how to make it work, so probably there's some weird canonical magical woo to it.

Say my cast worked some further magical woo in which Gil's canonical ability to access the Abyss and Kevin's canonical ability to march right into the center of it instead of getting eaten were combined, and though they couldn't get home they could at least reach the Abyss itself, and thus have access to Chains. Could Kevin use one of his completed crystals in place of one of those special mirrors, and make a non-deadly Contract? Since the crystal is already aligned to him and full of his emotions, it seems like it would be an excellent substitute for "let me chew on your soul".

[simpathis]

After talking it over with the others, we think that in this case while it might be possible to pull something out of the Abyss, it would have to restricted to what they actually have. This would be in line with the general idea that we're thinking of that characters can only regain their own possessions.

We also think that it may be possible to pull something from past or future, but likely with some additional requirements, such as giving proofs and possibly needing additional crystals depending on the object.

[justpastdawn]

Mm, yeah. This wouldn't be one of the Chains he himself is Contracted to in canon, but rather, a Chain that he often uses in a partnership with one of his closest people -- it's Contracted to Sharon Rainsworth, but she has it ride around in Grown-Up Kevin Break's shadow a lot of the time so she can use it to eavesdrop. And, since it's capable of creating portals through shadows, Break occasionally uses it to disappear into cabinets and pop out from beneath tables. (This ability would be restricted in Emp, since there's not much by way of Abyssal influence to strengthen it. He could pop to and from work, perhaps, but not all the way across the island or off of it.) Our idea was that he'd meet the Chain in a time bubble after Sharon had relinquished her Contract, so the Chain would remember him, or rather his future self, and come to investigate.

The catch here is that the Chain in question is a flaming purple unicorn. Between Celestia and Peromei, Kevin's got a penchant for unicorn critters lately. The Chain being willing to eventually Contract with him when he canonically is given the Mad Hatter would be a nice mark of how he's become his own person in game regardless of Xerxes Break, and I also liked the idea of his old shadows becoming something he felt he could use, rather than a nasty reminder of his darker thoughts and insecurities, something to be punted away.

I'm super happy for this to be a slow-burn plot with proofs and crystals and I certainly wasn't going to have him go for a Contract as soon as he sees the thing, but if all of this sounds too special snowflakey, I'll drop the idea.