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wildestmods) wrote2021-07-26 08:58 pm
wildestmods) wrote2021-07-26 08:58 pm
SETTING BACKGROUND/FAQ
SETTING BACKGROUND/FAQ
This page discusses all the different OOC and IC mechanics that are important for the game, like posting format, language translation, hiatus mechanisms, and the magical mirror network.
The FAQ is at the bottom.
Magic and Technology | Language Translation | Choice and Consequence
Gear | NPCs | Plot Structure | Writing Format | Canon Updates
Hiatus and Slowatus | Opt Outs | Intros and Drops
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wildestlands: is the game's magical mirror network, used for communication between characters. wildestlogs: is where the game's main quest logs will be posted. wildestooc: is the comm for ooc communication. wildestmemes: is the game's meme comm. [TOP OF PAGE]
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Upon entry to the game, characters will find themselves in possession of an ornate handheld mirror, a small eraser, and a box of crayons. These magic mirrors allow characters to communicate between different places in the Wilderlands in the main quest, between different places in the Moving Castle, and between the Moving Castle and Wilderlands proper.
The mirrors are capable of video, audio, and text. Text must be written on the window itself with the crayons. Due to mirror conversation not allowing for anything to actually be recorded anywhere, characters cannot ICly go back to re-view old conversations. For ease of playing, players can threadhop on the network, and the ability to interrupt conversations will simply be handwaved as being possible.
There are no filters or locking mechanisms. Characters can't make any messages private and there are no private inboxes. Everyone else can see, watch, or listen to everyone else's messages and potentially chime in.
The mirrors can be set in the air to hover so a character can talk handsfree, and can expand in size to up to 3 feet in diameter. So that characters in the Moving Castle can sometimes see certain events or participate in certain conversations, characters on the main quest can potentially leave their mirror on hover mode so it can broadcast events to the characters in the Moving Castle. Characters can make their mirror invisible if they need to hide it and will automatically know the necessary spell, but to cast it takes a minute or so.
If the magic mirrors are broken, they will eventually re-form and fly back to the hand of their master, but can take anywhere from ten minutes to an hour to do so.
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The characters in the main quest are magically bound together into an adventuring party, meaning that anyone who tries to leave this fellowship will find themselves magically teleported back to the others before long. This teleportation mechanic also kicks in if the majority of the group (or the largest chunk of the main fellowship) starts moving, such as if the Moving Castle is traveling. Anyone who attempts to leave by staying behind or going in another direction will also be teleported along.
The magic will compel certain members of the group to go on quests (plots) sweeping them out the door until they start moving on their own towards the quest objective. This magic urging them towards adventure will give them only enough time to stop activities they're doing and/or grab their belongings/quest clothes/weapons.
The bond either forces them to stay within range of their questing party (for plots) or to stay within a certain range near the Moving Castle and rest of the party.
This bond can potentially relax if the characters are separating without the intention to leave the group for good. For instance, if someone is trying to leave the group in the forest, they might find themselves only making it the length of a football field before being teleported back, but if characters are splitting up because they've been forced on a quest and plan to go back to the Moving Castle after, they may get miles and miles of leeway.
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In some plots, players may only have one character in a main quest at a time. All of a player's other characters will be forced by the quest bond to either be on another quest (if someone wants to run a different plot at the some time), be stuck in camp, or be stuck in or near the Moving Castle. The characters stuck off-quest can move a small distance away in case players want to have them do things like hunt and gather, but largely are forced to cluster in or around a camp or the castle.
Except when announced during certain plots, players can magically "swap" their characters back and forth between the main quest and camp/the Moving Castle at any time.
These swaps usually have a little warning, only a few minutes. When the swap starts, a sparkly effect surrounds a character, giving them a chance to stop any activities that would be awkward and/or grab their belongings so that their gear is swapped along with them.
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Due to the crossover nature of the game, almost every form of magic works within the game universe. This means that an Alchemist from Fullmetal Alchemist could use their alchemy if they were in Mordor from Lord of the Rings. Characters will come across many different forms of magic, and if characters use magic in their home canons, the players have the option of adapting it to the game's power rules.
Thanks to the magic in the setting, some advanced technology won't work. Any weapon more advanced than a crossbow will cease to function. Even guns will jam and mysteriously malfunction. Advanced tech like power armor will be completely dead. Even the most tech-savvy characters won't be able to repair or build technology that bypasses this limitation.
Translation devices and technology will also break down, but fortunately the Wilderlands has a magically-imbued common language.
Less harmful, small forms of technology that aren't weapons can potentially still function. I-pods, laptops, and handheld computers will still work, though they'll eventually run out of charge and will have no networks to hook up to. Devices with limited sensor capabilities can potentially still work.
Technological implants, prosthetic/robotic limbs, and robot/android bodies will also continue to work, as long as the technology does not convey superpowers or as long as these superpowers have been approved as part of the power rules.
If you'd like your character to bring in some technology with them, put this by the mods in the appropriate section of your app for it to be approved or denied.
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Please note: Language translation in this game does not work like the direct language translation of many other RPs. Please pay attention to this fact, as the characters not understanding other fantasy languages may be an occasional plot point or be used for atmosphere.
SPOKEN LANGUAGE
Translation devices won't work in the setting, but fortunately the magic of the Wilderlands provides a way for characters to communicate despite having different languages. When characters arrive in the Wilderlands, they suddenly gain the knowledge of a common language native only to the Wilderlands itself. While this language has different names in many lands, most call it Sylvaen. The characters will find themselves completely fluent in Sylvaen as if it's a native language.
Sylvaen has equivalents for most things and ideas in most languages, but some terms, like those for types of technology or particularly culture-specific concepts, might only come across in a vague and general way, or might not have translations at all.
Characters will retain their native language(s) alongside this new language, and these will not be translated, so they can sometimes opt to speak in a native language that others don't understand.
When a character first arrives, it sometimes takes a little bit of time for their knowledge of Sylvaen to kick in. Making a social or emotional connection with someone else without using language sometimes helps make this process go faster.
WRITTEN LANGUAGE
Unlike spoken language, which sometimes goes untranslated if the individual involved uses a native language instead of the Sylvaen, written language will always translate.
The magic of the Wilderlands will cause the character to see a Sylvaen translation floating just slightly above the original text, and as they've magically been given knowledge of Sylvaen, they'd be fluent and able to read it.
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Wilderlands has a low player cap and a limited number of characters allowed on the main quest so that player choice can have a greater influence on the plot. Characters will be able to make multiple choices on major decisions, including what leads to pursue and what places to travel to next. There will often be no "right" choice at these junctures, because even moral choices will sometimes still have certain negative consequences to go alongside the positive ones.
So that all characters can participate in major choices, the mods will have one of their PCs or will tap a player volunteer to have their PC start a discussion about whatever issue the group is facing, so they can all have a say and debate it. After some discussion, the mods will set up an IC poll the characters can use to do a final vote on the issue. Characters that disagree with the decision can potentially work against it, but will face certain consequences for it, especially among their CR, and these actions will need to be plotted out ahead of time so everyone can get an outcome from the plot they enjoy.
Negative consequences to certain choices may include characters losing gear at an inconvenient time, failing at tasks, or sustaining injuries. If the latter case is in play, the mods will let the game know the range of severity of the possible injuries and players will have a choice on how their characters were hurt. The mods will make sure that any negative consequences have enough wiggle room so that players can work out something they don't mind working with.
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Characters will have a chance to pick up clothes and mundane belongings in the game universe. The mods won't track things like money or what belongings individual players receive, but at different locations where characters can gear up or scavenge, the mods will provide writeups on what gear, clothes, food, and/or weapons are available. For larger or more important items, the mods will specify that characters can only have the potential to carry one. It is up to players to decide what their characters carry with them on their journey, and players do not have to seek mod approval as long as an item is on the list.
While characters that haven't opted for the magic weapons power option can't have enchanted weapons, they can pick up mundane weapons in the setting. If they don't know how to use them, they can learn from other characters, or can be handwaved as obtaining lessons in populated game areas.
The mods will provide a place for players to ask questions about gear, weapons, and other travel items when the fellowship is about to leave each location where they can be obtained.
For code to keep an optional inventory list, see this page.
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There are many, many NPCs in the game world that the characters will come across. While some will be enemies, others will be potential allies. How characters treat the NPCs will determine if they're helpful or not, and many of the NPCs will return later in the game, meaning that how players treat the NPCs will have longterm consequences.
There is no "wrong" choice with the NPCs, as all the different choices will have positives and negatives, but there will be consequences to each choice. For instance, stealing a magical item the characters need from a hero protecting his village may allow them the positive consequence of being able to progress easily through the plot they're currently in, but a negative consequence might be that the hero may return later and hunt them for revenge because their village was destroyed as a result.
Certain interactions with the NPCs may need to be limited to only a few characters if it would be too difficult to maintain a conversation with the whole fellowship over the issue. In cases like this, the mods will run a signup and potentially RNG which characters handle the interaction.
For more information on major npcs, see this page.
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Plots will have a variety of different structures, with mods setting up NPCed threads or players doing "starters" and prompts, but the game will have one special plot mechanism for some action or fighting-based plot posts, called a "free-for-all" post.
Free-for-all posts are meant to have fast-paced, prose-light, threadhop-friendly threads, much like network threads tend to be. The mods encourage players to keep these posts moving and to stay in touch with the other players in their threads so that issues like needing to skip a character for a tag round can be resolved quickly.
These posts will most often be used during plots where characters are on the move, trying to fight their way free and escape an area.
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To keep plots brisk, mod plot logs will be posted in bracketspam format, and players are expected to follow it.
The network will also be in bracketspam format, but if players move to action in a non-plot network thread, they can either keep using bracketspam or switch to prose based on preference.
For non-plot logs, players can use either bracketspam or prose, based on preference.
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Players can contact the mods to request canon updates. In-game, the character simply gets zapped home, experiences the new canon, and is zapped back, no time having passed in Wilderlands. Players may choose if the character remembers their Wilderlands experiences while experiencing the new canon.
To request a canon update, ask on the mod contact page.
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When players hiatus or slowatus, they can have their characters get lost in magic rooms in the Moving Castle to take them out of the action. For a slowatus that leaves the characters available for some light interaction, they can simply be in the Moving Castle as normal.
The hiatused character will not be able to contact anyone with their magic mirror during the hiatus. When the hiatus is over, they'll either find their way back to the normal Moving Castle or get zapped back to an active quest.
The hiatus page is here.
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Players can opt out of plots in the main quest by having their characters not compelled to go on quest by the quest bond, by using localized opt out methods provided for plots (such as keeping guard at camp while a nearby adventure happens), or by keeping their characters confined to the Moving Castle until the plot is over. Players may also opt out of plots by running or participating in player plots set in a different area.
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When a character intros, after undergoing the events in the welcome/arrival post, they'll appear in the main ongoing quest or the Moving Castle.
The mods are happy to work with new players to help them introduce their characters and work around plots.
When a character is dropped they're simply sent back home. Magic folds in the air around them, making them disappear, and briefly creates a fractal view of their homeworld beyond.
The drop page is here.
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What is the general pace of the game?
The game will have a somewhat atypical day ratio, where sometimes certain journeys and travel times will be variable, such as a period between plots allowing players to set up interactions that take place over a journey of several weeks. But when looking back to handwave how much time has passed, players can treat it as if the IC/OOC day ratio is 1:1.
We're also big fans of backtagging and "bendytime" where players handwave different things happened at different times. (Such as players posting two plots on the same day and handwaving that there was some time between them).
How is character death handled in this game?
When a character dies, they've kicked the bucket, shuffled off this mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. They are an ex-adventurer. Revival from death in this game will be very limited and require very special (and magical) circumstances.
Can a character be apped post-death?
Yes. Dead characters can be pulled either from right before they died or magically revived by the Green to participate in the quest.
Does time pass back home for the characters?
It won't. The characters can eventually learn this when they start using the scrying glass pool in the Moving Castle that allows them to view home.
What is the comm's policy on NC-17 material?
This game is generally meant to be more about plotty action and character interaction than smut so we prefer that all smut be behind cuts and warnings. It's also a bannable offense to write smut with someone under 18. Alternately, if a minor player knowingly and purposefully lies about their age to get an older player to write NC-17 material with them they will get banned.
Will this game have a periodic gamewide hmd?
This game will have an optional HMD once per AC period. If players do not participate in the optional HMD we ask that they still provide some form of receiving crit such as a private HMD. Since we will not dictate that they allow anon communication for this, the mods are also willing to offer services in passing along anon crit via the MOD CONTACT/HMD post.
How do players have to handle spoilers?
If it's within one month of the release of the spoilers, we ask that any major spoilers be cut and warned for if a player puts them in a post. If it comes up during a thread, we ask that players make sure to check with the other players involved to see if it's okay to mention the spoilers.
After the month has passed, players won't have to cut or provide any warnings for things.
Would a character from a canon AU count as an AU or an OU character?
It would count as an OU! Some canons have multiple versions (such as a manga and a anime, multiple animes, comics vs. tv, multiple different comics timelines, etc.) and while characters in them may wind up duplicates of other incarnations, they're all considered original universe characters because the canons were all what was published, put on TV, etc.
"AUs" are strictly player-made AUs.
What happens if I fail AC?
If you have extenuating circumstances during the AC period, like an emergency, move, school issue, or vacation (etc), you are allowed to skip 1 or 2 ACs per rolling year.
If you don't have extenuating circumstances or already used an AC skip, there is an AC Warning system in place. However, if a player receives a Warning and fails to make the required activity the following AC period, they can expect the following:
If you failed AC you can reapp again in 1 months' time as long as you communicate with the mods during the Activity Check. If you know you failed AC, please either still post your activity to the AC or communicate privately with the mods during the Activity Check. As long as there is contact with the mods while the Activity Check is still ongoing, we will consider this a failed AC but not consider this idling out.
What happens if I idle out without using the drop post and without contacting the mods during Activity Check?
You'll be booted from the game and the time you'll have to wait to reapp will be longer. You'll be able to app back again in 2 months' time.
What can my character bring from home?
Generally, they can have anything they would have on their person at the canon point they're taken from, even weapons, though some of these weapons and devices will cease working, depending on their nature. However, if a player wants to bring a character from a canonpoint where they're missing a vital belonging, they can magically find it in their possession upon entering the game.
That said, if they have an item that's particularly powerful or setting breaky please let the mods know. If it's some kind of powerful weapon that grants superpowers or power source please see the game's power rules to see if it can be fitted into the game as a something powers can be modeled after.
There is a space at the bottom of the game's app where players can ask permission for belongings to be brought to the game.
Can I app a character even if they're already a mod-played npc in the game or from one of the fantasy worlds in the game's setting?
Yes, you can! It just means your character would be from an alternate version of the fantasy world that was pulled into the Wilderlands. For instance, if you were to play Gandalf from Lord of the Rings, he would be a separate Gandalf from the one native to the game world, from a separate version of Middle-Earth.
Fantasy characters from worlds in the game setting would find events to not be identical but the similarities would grant them at least some expertise on navigating the areas of the Wilderlands pulled from an alternate of their home world.
Can my character's canon pet come in with them?
Yes, as long as the pet is non-sentient and belongs to the character and not someone else. They need not have been with the character at the time they were abducted and can have been abducted separately. However, it is recommended that they be intelligent enough to stay close to the group and able to somehow survive battles.
Can my character bring in another character from their universe that is some kind of intelligent animal companion/parasite/talking animal guide? Or do these need to be apped as separate characters?
This will be handled on a case by case basis, depending on how sentient the other character is and how difficult it would be for the character to be played without them.
For instance, Toothless from HTTYD could be included in an app with Hiccup rather than apped separately. So could Jaime Reyes' scarab or Tikki and Plagg from Miraculous Ladybug. However, some Disney animal companions can stand on their own feet as a character, like Mushu from Mulan.
Animal companions will also be subject to the same power rules as their owners.
How would a character that has an occasional monstrous transformation (like a werewolf) be handled in the setting?
In the case of a monster that has some kind of occasional transformation, you have a few options! You can have the character find a way to deal with it entirely in game, such as the fellowship finding places to lock the character up during the full moon (or other cause of transformation), or the character or someone else finding ways to brew potions to keep it under control.
If you'd like to avoid it entirely the spirit of the Green can provide a talisman or charm upon the character's arrival that allows them to keep the transformation under control. It depends on how you want to handle it.
Will there be opportunities to expand the Wilderlands themselves with new (and permanent) additions from different worlds? Or is it set with what is already present?
Yes, the Wilderlands can and will be expanded! The mods have certain lands planned to show up later, that will be added to the game's info pages as time goes on, and players can introduce new lands in plots, too. The ones currently listed in the game info are only a few major locations the quest will visit during the game, but there will be more introduced by the mods, and players can introduce some as well.
Can my character change their power type after they've apped, if I decide it's not working for me?
Yes, they can. Players may change between the four power types ("Canon Superpowers," "Magic Weapons," "Magic, "And Roughing it"). Players who have chosen a "Magic Weapon" for their character can also change the weapon, blessing, and/or curse if the current one is not working for them.
Players who have chosen the "Magic" option can also change mage archetypes (such as from "Alchemist" to "Sorcerer." However, this will result in having to start over from scratch, with only a basic spell set of 3 or magical abilities at their lowest level.
All we ask is that players take care to not do this frivolously. Switching is not something to be done at convenience, it's for when players find a power set was not as fun as they thought it'd be, or if they want to do a planned arc of a character coping with a shift from one power type to another.
For any power type or mage archetype changes, players should ask the mods permission for the switch on the mod contact page.
Can my powerless character find their magic weapon in the setting instead of having it with them on arrival?
Yes! While characters with powers or magic will start with their powers or magic in the setting, players who opt for the magic weapon option can potentially find and bond with their weapon during the course of play if that would be a fun thing for them. Just let the mods know this when apping, and you can work it into a player plot or the mods will help you by working some loot into a mod plot.
We ask that this be handled by players by them apping in the character with the "Roughing It" option and requesting a power change to "magic weapons" via the mod contact when they want to make the switch. Then the mods will help the players work the change in via a plot.
Any magic weapons found in the Wilderlands must follow the same magic weapons rules as weapons characters come in with on arrival, and therefore will be bonded to that character alone.
Can a magical weapon change size to be more portable?
Yes! It can. If a weapon is any larger than a sword or a shield small enough to easily sling on a characters' back, it can shrink down to sword-size or small shield-size for easier carrying and revert to its full size when needed.
Can I choose the "magic weapon" power option and have it be an item rather than a weapon, like a magic amulet?
No, it must be a weapon of some kind, but it can be something less violent than a sword, like a slingshot. However, the mods may allow you to have a character find the original item or one with similar abilities during the ongoing plot, as long as the item isn't too powerful. You can also confer the item's abilities onto a magic weapon.
If an Archivist banks and uses Necromancer magic too often, do they start to show signs of the dark corruption they go through? Would it just be temporary if they did?
Yes, they would start to show some signs of corruption but it would be much more temporary.
With an actual Necromancer mage, the effects would start to be permanent, and start sticking around even when they don't use their magic. With an Archivist, if they were to stop banking and using Necromancer magic for a time, the corruption effects would eventually fade.
How often will TDMs be posted?
Frequency will be decided once the game has been open for a little while.
Do they count as game canon?
Yes!
TDMs will be posted as event directly into the log comm.
They will be magical testing grounds where the magic of the Green tosses the characters into a random real situation in the Wilderlands, testing out prospective members of the fellowship to see who might be a good choice to add to the group. That means that they count as game canon and current players can even count threads in tdms towards comment-based activity proofs. For players who don't want their characters to remember the events of the tdm, so their intro to the game or character interactions start off fresh, they can opt to have it so that the magic of transport erased the character's memory of the TDM events.
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