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Champion
 
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Once the portal is open, why can't one person nip through, check WHEN it is and then nip back to confirm what "costume" and "history" the main Away Team need to be up on?
And you'd need to hint OOC what target time was in advnce so people could get their costumes together.
Sounds like a Target Time PC is a really a re-enactor not a LRPer???
Like many TT->Live game concepts, you'd need considerably more "NPCs" than "PCs" ??
Matt Pennington (4/26/2007)
But I do think LRP is a hobby best enjoyed in a positive state of mind.
If you approach a game with a positive attitude then you're more likely to enjoy yourself there.
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Prodigal
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chalicier (6/28/2006)
I figured that actually being a time traveller would not be a universal thing for Core Time characters - there would be a lot of scientists, technicians, politicians, managers, guards and so on that never go through the gate. That means that a large chunk of the player base *have* to play a Target Time character if they want to play in that part of the action.
What would these other Core Time people do while the others are time travelling, and how would you make sure that their actions remain important? I agree with Marianne- I think a lot of people would be more interested in playing a time-traveller than in playing any of the other roles, at least initially. After all, the ability to play a time traveller is the main thing which this event would offer which others don't (if I want to play a futuristic technician, I could go to a different SF game. Likewise, there are several fantasy games which potentially offer the ability to play someone from a historical culture who suddenly meets strange people with unearthly powers).
Perhaps I'm wrong, but hypothetically if most of your playerbase seemed much more interested in playing a time traveller than in exploring any other parts of the setting, then how would you deal with that?
WARNING: the information above may have been subjected to dangerously high levels of ignorance.
OOC (and on Pagga): Carrie
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Wag
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DM - the need for lots of NPCs is the reason for the "twin PC" approach. I do agree, though, it's quite possible we might have to build in some kind of benefit to playing a "Target Time" character.
Oh, and the re-enactor thing - I see this as a benefit rather than a problem. By definition it's roleplay, not re-enactment, of course, simply because the events that will be occurring will not be historical. The TT element makes it roleplay by default. However, the lack of magic and such might help attract people who, while liking historical play, dislike the fantasy elements which fill most systems.
Nesciomancer - In a fest setting, almost by definition we'll need multiple factions involved in the operation and use of the gate. Thus there's plenty of space for things to do in Core Time. I've been looking at using a hybrid of styles - player-led in Core Time, and story-led in Target Time (of course, because it's already happened). That way we put control of the project in the players' hands - giving them a hell of a lot of possible options and hopefully plenty to do.
As for there being plenty of systems where you can play a SF technician/politico/whatever, that's true, but how many of them let you then go and play a historical character with an entirely separate set of characteristics, in the same game universe, interacting with your first PC's fellows? I see this as the central selling point.
As for the general wish to play time travellers, I agree with you that it's likely that most people would take this option (at least initially). After all, that's the draw of the game.
The solution is to make being a time traveller cost. Character points, XP, whatever. Essentially it comes as a package of training and special tech (tracking nanites? Implants? Sky's the limit, really) which allow little room for many extras. That way there's both a good reason to *not* play one (and the "twin PC" mechanic means you get to play both games anyway) and a way to become one in play. Given that, I reckon people might well play the long game, knowing that they'll get to play in both time periods anyway.
One potential problem I have thought of, however (and which I don't yet have a satisfactory solution to) is how to create a fest-capable rules system which could handle both scifi and historical settings *at the same time*. That'd be really quite a feat of rules design, and probably beyond me.
PD - Brother Farael of the Ordo Dictum Dominus
EOS - Some Raggard Scum, previously Some Arimin Scum
6P - System creator (now retired), Andrei Treune of Clan Suner (for the moment)
RL - Will Robinson
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Prodigal
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chalicier (7/4/2006)
Nesciomancer - In a fest setting, almost by definition we'll need multiple factions involved in the operation and use of the gate. Thus there's plenty of space for things to do in Core Time. I've been looking at using a hybrid of styles - player-led in Core Time, and story-led in Target Time (of course, because it's already happened). That way we put control of the project in the players' hands - giving them a hell of a lot of possible options and hopefully plenty to do.
Could you give me some examples? I'm finding it hard to think of things that you could give the ground control types to do which would make them feel involved without interfering too much with the other half of the plot.
For example, I can imagine having fun as a Core Time technician fighting to fix a sudden technical fault before it's too late, or arguing with an arsey politician who thinks that time travel is an expensive waste of money and the programme should be shut down. But at the same time, for that to feel enjoyable I think I would have to feel like there was a significant chance that if I fail, the time machine really will break or be shut down- and that would cause serious OOC problems for the campaign.
If we take it as read that the OOC premise of the campaign means that the time machine has to continue to operate*, while the core time technicians have no control over where the gateway goes or how long it stays open for, then what sort of important decisions do the the core time technicians have to make?
I can imagine it working if there are several factions constantly fighting for control of the time machine, but at that point you need to think of some reason why they would want it so much- if you can't control where it goes, and you can't do flangey things like changing the past to make yourself ruler of the world, then why is this a valuable resource for people to fight over?
chalicier (7/4/2006)
As for there being plenty of systems where you can play a SF technician/politico/whatever, that's true, but how many of them let you then go and play a historical character with an entirely separate set of characteristics, in the same game universe, interacting with your first PC's fellows? I see this as the central selling point.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I see it as a drawback. I would prefer to play one character all the way through the event. It would be easier to get immersed that way. I'm also quite bad at stonewalling, so if I find out IC that one of the other characters is a bit dodgy, I hate having to switch to playing a different character who doesn't know this yet.
I think it would feel less like having two PCs and more like monstering for half the event. Granted, playing the same complex role for a long time is better than monstering in the sense of playing a series of random mooks, and if the system is good enough then it's something I'd be prepared to put up with, but I think I'd still see it as a necessary evil rather than a plus point.
As I say, this is just my opinion- perhaps most people disagree, or perhaps I'd change my mind if I tried the idea. But that's the way it feels at the moment.
*this obviously doesn't apply if it's intended as a one-off rather than a campaign- in that case things would be a lot easier to organise because it doesn't matter nearly as much if the time machine blows up and strands everyone permanently in the past.
WARNING: the information above may have been subjected to dangerously high levels of ignorance.
OOC (and on Pagga): Carrie
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Prodigal
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I thought the core time technicians did have quite a bit of influence over where the gateway went (just not necessarily perfect aim) and so there would be huge politics about where to aim next (academic politics!) and also heroic attempts to fix stuff which otherwise will lead to the damn thing having even worse aim / losing one or more of the time travellers / expensive maintainance that funds need to be found for, presumably taken out of the budget for better aim / better communications through the gate / more prior information before sending people through / more training of time travellers.
Maelstrom: Jessily the Wemic, previously Tourmaline of Weaver
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Wag
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Yeah, what she said.
As for the "playing a monster" thing, I'd say this is a question of meanings. I see a monster/NPC/whatever as something that is created for you, and which you have to play to someone else's requirements - a lesser actor in the greater game. The idea with Target Time PC's is that they'll be full characters, with total freedom to do as they wish, created by the player.
I do see your point with the stonewalling issue. I personally don't think it'd be too bad a problem - it wouldn't be for me, at least, as the shift in context makes keeping characters separate much easier.
The real question in all this is, should the Target Time PCs be mandatory? If they are, then we have plenty of inhabitants for Target Time, but we have walling issues and people needing lots of costume. If they're not, then we're going to need lots of NPCs.
PD - Brother Farael of the Ordo Dictum Dominus
EOS - Some Raggard Scum, previously Some Arimin Scum
6P - System creator (now retired), Andrei Treune of Clan Suner (for the moment)
RL - Will Robinson
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Heroic Knight
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| Been thinking about how to encourage people to play things other than Time Travellers: Time Travellers - are at the mercy of everyone else. Not allowed to carry much future kit back in time, when they're in the past they're basically like Target Timers except with not much to help them except their wits and blagging skills. They maybe can't automaticaly travel back to the future, but can contact the Company to say when they need picked up. Course, if they lose/break their communicator, or if the Company's equipment breaks, they're trapped. If a time traveller is ever trapped in a period, the character is stuck there and can't be played unless there's another game set in the same period. They work for PCs in the Company and can be fired. More Timelines than Stargate in some ways. Company - will need PC directors to decide what time period they go to and why; techies, scientists and medics to keep the equipment working and the time travellers healthy; Historians to work out what they've found; guards to protect them.
There are rivals trying to steal the technology and/or shut down the company by fair means or foul. Protesters who believe such machines shouldn't be allowed. Criminals and scammers a-plenty who want to have a line back to the past. Former time travelling employees angry at being sacked. Etc. Make it plain that to the people playing in the future, time travellers are the least of their concerns and the least of their employees. Target Timers - are the most tricky. However, as they by necessity change character every game and therefore can't develop, I'd say they could get more character points to start with. They'd also be pre-genned characters and so the GM could make sure everyone got a focus on them.
Basically run two events in the same site at the same time, but only time travellers can cross over (IC, anyway). If time travellers can't bring futuristic kit through you only have to work out rules-wise how things interact forward rather than backwards. So bullets are almost entirely deadly to anyone not wearing modern armour, but will almost never be used on such a character.
I'm still not convinced that many people will want to keep switching characters during an event, but hopefully you could persuade enough people to at least play each type of character at different events. Course, this might all be rubbish or not fit in with your game ideas, in which case please feel free to cheerfuly ignore it 
- ---------------------
- LT - Captain Iolanthe Swan
- Riftworld - Jenna Neraid, Clan Sceptre
- Brighton Below - Drizzle
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I do talk a good fight
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Yeah, Target Timers should probably get more "character points" (or whatever), just because they don't have the huge "Can travel through time, at least sometimes" advantage.
Maybe worth dropping the idea of experience points altogether anyway... they're not really necessary for campaigns other than some types of fantasy/sword & sorcery IMO.
Target Timers should also start out with way more influence over, contacts in, and knowledge of their Time than the travellers do.
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PD: Ghostdance ("The most irritating curse I've ever encountered" -- NPC played by H.)
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Otherwise usually crew ("Quite spry & fit, & willing to wear a big costume & run around a lot" -- various event organisers)
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