Cooperative Plot Creation

[Sangwa]

From my experience playing PlaneShift, player-oriented plots are usually a bit autistic. This is a set back for roleplaying in its massive sense. So I have proposition to put some emphasis on player cooperation and to allow for everyone to easily access the right players (and their characters) to design plots with.

EDIT: Found a player list already. So I'll develop my idea from there ^^.

There's a roleplayer list already, but it seems a bit hard to use. I'd propose doing it in a slightly different way, in order to be accessed more easily. I'd also put some emphasis on plot cooperation at the beginning of the thread, since most people usually go about making plots on their own (i.e. without asking help from players outside their guilds/friends base).

The information required should be less extensive, to allow for quicker checking/searching:

Time-Zone:

Character 1: 1 paragraph about this character.
Character 2: "
Character 3: "
Character 4: "

Example:

Time-Zone: GMT 0

Sangwa: Emperor of the Dark Empire. Enkidukai with reserved arrogance, no deity and a taste for creating rules. Rarely walks hydlaa, but whe does he's seen at the tavern.
Morwen: Sangwa's daughter. Wild, reserved and suspicious. Enjoys walking around the forests and climbing rooftops. Rogue-like.
Gartheiz: Weird speaking diaboli, member of the Will of Dakkru. Enjoys poetry and preaching. Usually seen at the Tavern and near Harnquist's.

What do you think?

[Overtherainbow]

I think you should limit descriptions to 140 characters for easy integration with twitter.

[novacadian]

Would you be interested to set it up as a cgi (common gateway interface) on an external site which could be linked from the thread? The site in mind already has MySQL installed, so with category checks during the process of registering a character, one could do searches for characters that may be interested in such an RP that the searcher has in mind; and then be able to contact them. This could be incorporated in the same area on the site where it is hoped, some day, to have an RP dice using generator which is talked about on the following thread:

http://www.hydlaaplaza.com/smf/index.php?topic=37719.0

- Nova

[ Edit - Spelling corrections.]

[Sangwa]

Hey, that site thingy might be a good idea. It could work like a database where you could search characters for their characteristics (class, player, keywords, etc.)

I'll have to think about it when I get the will. Keep in touch please.

[novacadian]

Keep in touch please.

Yep just bump this thread when you feel up for it. Once the table schema is worked out (the fields you would want to be able to search through and which players would fill out when registering their character) then the rest could be put together pretty quickly, by me, using Perl and MySQL. My front end work is very basic so if you want to (or have someone) design a fancy page template it could be employed as well.

- Nova

[LigH]

If roleplayers just would stay as long as their posts.

Try to contact Roled too, he runs a long-term project already.

[Sangwa]

Hey, I've been roleplaying lately and haven't seen you around. You're not one to talk!

So. Considering we have a database, we can include more than a small description since it will still be easy to search.

Each entry should be a character. I think these are the following is the information required (anyone feel free to add stuff):


Player Name: <insert>

Time Zone: <insert>

Character Name: <insert>

Character Race: Ynnwn / Diaboli / Ylian / etc.

Character Type: (Maximum 2 picks) Fighter / Rogue / Caster / Labourer / Merchant / Crafter (includes cooking, etc.)

Guild/Position: <insert name> / (Head Leader / Leader / Member)

Religion: Xiosia / Laanx / Talad / Dakkru / Black Flame

Description (Don't spend much space with look, please, maximum 140 words): <Insert>

So where you have insert are fields for text, where you have parameters (not sure if I'm using the word right) it should be a kind of drop box or check list.
Sounds good?

[novacadian]

Style of Play : Some text area or again a check box choice(s) of what style of style of RP is preferred. For example to know how combat should be dealt with. ie dice, storyline or challenge (or any combination with the check box system). There could be other differences which may want to be added; the combat is just one that has been noted by me through RP.

When starting up the mysql client to begin on the schema for the project my thoughts could not help but linger on schema planning; causing a reluctance to begin. Assuming that many characters will eventually be listed in the database then there seems to be some need to be able to cull the search listing down a bit. With the present fields suggested it would be little more than a rolodex of characters.

For example if the RP was to put a group of robbers together to take out a load of wine coming down from Oja, then it would be nice to know the alignment of the players and perhaps how tough they were. If musicians were required for a wedding ceremony it would be nice to be able to get a listing by searching on "jobs" or whatever musical training falls under.

Just because we add the fields does not mean that we need to enforce the player to fill out every detail; yet perhaps it should be there if they want to. In that way the same database table could be used in this project as well as the one mentioned in the thread found via:

http://www.hydlaaplaza.com/smf/index.php?topic=37719.0

My suggestion then would be to be able to enter every detail about one's character; yet only have the required fields which Sangwa has listed. With a field as to last update date and last seen on PS date the criteria could be adjusted to thin the search results even further.

So long as the additional details of the character are not a requirement then both purposes should be achieved that way. If any drawbacks can be seen with that approach then such input is more than welcome.

- Nova

[ Edit - Ug! Modify was used instead of Quote! Glad the work on the MySQL table was delayed.  ]

[Sangwa]

Player registration verification and contact info seem very useful.

I wouldn't add the part about "Style of Play" though. This because we should avoid creating niches of roleplayers.

[novacadian]

Ok points taken. Trade off being  last updated and last seen on pS fields available for search queries?

- Nova

[ Edit - Probably want the ability to flag all or any character fields; that are available in the characters table (characters database record file) via a more robust use of the submission script. In that way, the same character record could be optionally used when matching characters in the Combat Styles thread's idea. ]

[Edit 090910 - Just an update that the registration with email validation is now working. ]

[Edit 100910 - Character submission is now working ]

[Edit 101410 - Character search is now being debugged and just about ready for use (religion match is what needs debugging). ]

[Edit 101410 - Search now functional. Working on the Character Display chosen from the search result. ]
 
[Edit 101610 - Character display now functioning. Running tests on search results and decided entry editing will be a requirement so plan to start in on that next.]

[Edit 101910 - Had a test run by guild and allie mates last night. All went well. Once a couple of issues are addressed then things look ready to go into production.]

[Edit 102310 - In production>. ]

[derula]

I think you should limit descriptions to 140 characters for easy integration with twitter.

LOL!

... but that makes me wonder ...

novacadian, will your script have social network features? I usually don't give a damn about these things, but an IC facebook sounds like fun.

[novacadian]

I think you should limit descriptions to 140 characters for easy integration with twitter.

LOL!

... but that makes me wonder ...

novacadian, will your script have social network features? I usually don't give a damn about these things, but an IC facebook sounds like fun.

Although considered, an 800 character description field was finally chosen. 

- Nova

[novacadian]

[bump] [double post  ]

The project seems finally finshed. It shall be tested and populated by Guild Mates and Allies of my character over the next day or so; then once satisfied that all is working fine a thread shall be created dedicated to the project.

- Nova

[LigH]

But always remember: Roleplaying is all about improvising. The more defined a plot is, the more likely it may disappoint when Murphy quotes his law.

[Sangwa]

I don't think player oriented plots should be made of stone. In fact, I won't participate in any of those. But it is a good aid if you can find a type of character that matches a nice plot you have in mind and then have the player interpreting the part as he feels like it. If the player plays his char well, things should go well (as long as they don't follow strict lines like "Your char has to jump twice, say he's a loser and then roll on the floor. Afterwards, my char will rise up and win all PS.")