Shoot 'Em in the Head: The Zombie Survival Horror RPG

[SuperFerret]

Byrd, is that character idea we discussed still possible?

 

[Byrd Man]

No, you had your chance, you hairy little ****er.

Naah, go ahead.

 

[Spike_x1]

I'm sadly going to have to resign as Ash in order to devote more time to CAH, although I'm sure someone out there will be eager to pick up Mr. Williams.
By the way, join CAH, goddammit!

 

[NiteMare Shape]

I'll be getting a post up soon

 

[SuperFerret]

No, you had your chance, you hairy little ****er.

Naah, go ahead.

Surgery week is here, so I'll be waiting until the weekend to put the app up.

 

[NiteMare Shape]

so...is this game pretty much dead?

 

[Byrd Man]

The best thing about it being dead? It can be reanimated as a lifeless shell!

Seriously, though. If we want to continue, we need to step the posting up. Or I can write a post where all the characters get eaten.

 

[wiegeabo]

POST you bastards!

 

[NiteMare Shape]

I'll have a post up in the next day or so. I'd post sooner, but I'm not gonna haveenough time before people start getting here for tonight's big game.

 

[Byrd Man]

Alright, so I was talking with Soze and we were discussing how the activity here is very low.

I think one of the reasons is the fact that we're all spread out with our characters, moving at our own pace.

With that in mind, I wanted to get some suggestions about retooling this RPG. With the success of the TV show, what if we turn this RPG into an exclusively Walking Dead RPG?

We'd base the continuity off the TV show, pick the RPG up at the end of the first season finale and then go forward anyway we wanted to. You can pick up one character, just one mind you, and be part of the group of the survivors that appear in the TV show. People who have yet to appear in the comics would also be available.

With all of us based in the same group and interacting together, I think we could a lot more activity out of this and get the posting back to where it should be.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Yeah, the way I saw it is that the game's shortcoming was the same thing that has led to the downfall of a lot of games, "FTPO Syndrome", if you will. The fact that the game is too vague and all-encompassing, with so many characters from different mythologies included, but in a fashion that they're all kept apart. That's what has killed this game, I feel. The fact that everyone is seperated, off on their own corner of the country, and so there's comparitively little room for interaction.

My idea was to relaunch the game as a kind of prototype for the single-season games we've been discussing so much over in the RPG Soapbox thread. I'd set it in the continuity of the TV show. The set-up could pick up right after the season finale. The armada of vehicles drives off into the sunset.... and then our game begins. Call it The Walking Dead: Season 1.5. We wanted to try out the idea of RPGs with set season lengths? Have this game run until October 2011, when Season 2 of the TV show starts. Really create a sense of "what went down between seasons."

I think this game would have a totally different dynamic to the one we're currently doing. Rather than us all being spread out, doing our own thing, you'd have this really intimate, interaction-driven scenario, with us all together playing back and forth off of each other. My idea would be to set up a thread on the Proposal board, and don't launch the game until we have every character - or at least most of them - in the main ensemble filled by a player. Really focus on getting a roster of players, and put the focus on character and the group dynamics of RPing together.

 

[NiteMare Shape]

Yeah, the way I saw it is that the game's shortcoming was the same thing that has led to the downfall of a lot of games, "FTPO Syndrome", if you will. The fact that the game is too vague and all-encompassing, with so many characters from different mythologies included, but in a fashion that they're all kept apart. That's what has killed this game, I feel. The fact that everyone is seperated, off on their own corner of the country, and so there's comparitively little room for interaction.

My idea was to relaunch the game as a kind of prototype for the single-season games we've been discussing so much over in the RPG Soapbox thread. I'd set it in the continuity of the TV show. The set-up could pick up right after the season finale. The armada of vehicles drives off into the sunset.... and then our game begins. Call it The Walking Dead: Season 1.5. We wanted to try out the idea of RPGs with set season lengths? Have this game run until October 2011, when Season 2 of the TV show starts. Really create a sense of "what went down between seasons."

I think this game would have a totally different dynamic to the one we're currently doing. Rather than us all being spread out, doing our own thing, you'd have this really intimate, interaction-driven scenario, with us all together playing back and forth off of each other. My idea would be to set up a thread on the Proposal board, and don't launch the game until we have every character - or at least most of them - in the main ensemble filled by a player. Really focus on getting a roster of players, and put the focus on character and the group dynamics of RPing together.

So we'd all have to play a character from the show?

 

[Byrd Man]

So we'd all have to play a character from the show?

I'm saying yes right now, but I wouldn't mind having it open to including potential created characters alongside. But I don't know, lot of cool characters available from the current cast

 

[NiteMare Shape]

I'm saying yes right now, but I wouldn't mind having it open to including potential created characters alongside. But I don't know, lot of cool characters available from the current cast

Maybe I'll get a post up to finish my character's story...

 

[wiegeabo]

I'll agree, being spread out, and not having a clear focus are problems. But I think they can be handled in game right now easily enough.

The east coast gangs are making their ways to the CDC in Atlanta to look for some signs that people are still working on the problem.

The west coast group, in comic fashion, are heading towards Georgia to shot a few rounds of golf in Augusta (at least, that was Bill's idea, and everyone should listen to him).

As for meeting up, that can be done along the way. I'd love to see the Zombieland gang run into Shaun's group near Vegas.

And then the absolute culture clash when they meet up with Rick's group on the east coast. Good lord, talk about a difference in the way one views the zombie apocalypse.


I'm fine either way. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. But I'm still interested in seeing where this game is going and how the various groups are going to work things out when they meet up.

Maybe we need to get focused. Everyone head over to Atlanta where we'll meet up with the Walking Dead. Then maybe, as we look for shelter, wind up in Racoon City. Or find the prison (Walking Dead style) and, instead of finding Woodbury, find Racoon City. I think we just need to start planning things out more.

 

[wiegeabo]

Seeing as how the show has it's own characters separate from the comics, if we go that route, we should be able to have our own characters too. My Air force captain would fit in perfectly with the Walking Dead cast.

 

[Byrd Man]

I think if we were to go this route, then maybe we should focus on getting players to play the majority of the current cast of characters before possibly branching out.

 

[wiegeabo]

I'm assuming everyone has watched the Walking Dead, but if they haven't, or haven't read it, they may not be interested in a WD character only game. Or, like me, they may be more interested in playing their own character and putting the in the WD universe.

 

[Byrd Man]

That's understandable, you want to play your own guys. I don't really want to force someone to play as a WD character. None of us are really posting, created characters included with the ones from other mediums, I just think a more centralized, tighter story with the survivors could be the way to go. While I'd prefer to just limit it to WD characters, I do understand that not everyone has seen the show or read the books.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Yeah, I knew this was a risky idea. When I was pitching it I opened with the line, "this could either really hit big and get the game in gear, or could flop and finish the job in killing the game."

The idea isn't going to appeal to everyone, and yes, people might want to play their own characters. But on the flipside, people have the opportunity to play these characters of their choice now.... and they're not. The game is stagnant, hence this radical suggestion. By tightening the net and making the game more specific and structured rather than all-encompassing, it might give things more direction.

 

[Byrd Man]

I think this could also be a good chance to experiment with some of the revisions we talked about making. A small, interaction based game that has a bit more strict control from the GMs.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I think this could also be a good chance to experiment with some of the revisions we talked about making. A small, interaction based game that has a bit more strict control from the GMs.

Yes, I think GM direction would really come into play with this scenario, perhaps staging the scenarios the characters find themselves in.

 

[Byrd Man]

I also think that, if it's more interaction based, you won't have these big and long solo arc stories that can bog your interest down. More interactions, shorter posts, and it's a lot easier to keep the story going.

 

[wiegeabo]

I like the idea of the GM setting some things up.

Do you mean trying it in this game? Give everyone some situations to deal with. See if that gets posting up before scrapping everything.

 

[Keyser Soze]

I like the idea of the GM setting some things up.

Do you mean trying it in this game? Give everyone some situations to deal with. See if that gets posting up before scrapping everything.

I think GM direction is easier to put into action when everyone is travelling together in an RV.