Anyone here play DA via play by post?

[miasma-shadow]

Ok, so I am a veteran forum RPer and for the longest time was looking for an RPG set in Thedas. In the end my better half made a board and the community is going well. However, the main issues that seem to face DA RPG's are the various origins. We decided to make the board more DA inspired (set in Thedas, 10 years after the end of DA 2, Origins decided, canon lore and geography) then having canon characters being played, I suppose my question is - which do you prefer? For those of you who forum RP, do you prefer replaying the story in the games or playing in new parts of Thedas?

Oh, for those who are not sure what the hell I am banging on about, forum RPing is an internet version of tabletop, no stats and writing focused.

- Sorry if this is the wrong place for this, was not sure.

[Lynata]

Personally, I like a mix of both. It all depends on the ideas that end up being pitched around and what kind of characters everybody would like to play.

A swashbuckling adventure in Rivain sounds just as promising as soldiering through the recent Blight or taking a stand in the Mage-Templar War. The setting offers sufficient freedom to allow a creative approach everywhere, though playing in the confines of an established timeline/location has the advantage of coming with a smaller risk that your story may clash with official lore at some point in the future. Of course, some people don't care, but staying true to the canon (i.e. avoiding blatant contradictions) just makes me feel more like a (small) part of the entire saga, if you get my drift.

For some reason I wouldn't feel comfortable playing canon characters, though. I can do them as NPCs, but for a proper play I'd miss the freedom of "making them my own" and would constantly ask myself if I'm really playing them correctly and doing them justice, or whether I didn't end up twisting them by my own preferences.

[Andferne]

I've played a play by post DA rpg on a number occasions. Much like Lynata said. I don't feel comfortable playing as established canon characters. I do however enjoy getting to run across them with my own character. As for which do I prefer between playing through the game, or our own stories. Definitely our own stories more.

I have however toyed with the idea of setting up a series of rpgs revolving around the adventures GR has produced for us with the rules. Dalish Curse, A Bann too many, Amber rage, etc and linking them all together in one super adventure like the suggest involving Lady Baranti.

[miasma-shadow]

The potential contradictions means our board will soon become AU. We haven't clashed yet, in fact some of the stuff in Legacy and Mark of the Assassin was complimentary of what we were doing, but I think Asunder, the Anime and the comic and the route we have taken with Orlais may clash. Thus I guess we become AU. The freedom is what seems to draw people, but I do understand the idea of wanting to be a small part of the saga as a whole.

I don't like the idea of playing canons at all... or even RPing with them which is why I was looking for somewhere free of canons being played. Felt weird people calling themselves Fenris and Alistair and Anora. I don't begrudge people enjoying this style of role play though, I guess I just find that the world of Dragon Age is so huge and I really wanted to explore it and have the freedom to create.

We have this system of discussing new canon content and voting on how to incorporate it but since we have not had any actual clashes yet I am wary about the future. Maybe it is just an impatience on our side of wanting to know more about places like Tevinter or Rivain, so instead just making our own judgement calls? For the record we are focusing on the Mage-Templar War - so the possibility of future contradictions is kinda high, hehe.

When you say a mix of both, what do you mean exactly?

Ooooh, a Dalish curse sounds fun! And I guess it depends on the canon. Are there any you would prefer to avoid and would you like them NPCed or to be played by other members?

[Andferne]

This is what I was going to do to run the Dalish Curse, and the other adventures.

1) Gather your group of rpgers and have them draw up some rough drafts of their characters. Writing up brief histories, descriptions, gear, etc like you would for any character you make.

2) Explain to them that one person would be the 'GM' in a sense. This person should be the one who knows the adventure synopsis in and out. He will be in charge of setting the scene, and providing small tidbits on what would happen. (Example: Amber Rage; The opening post would be describing the small little fair that is going on. Important npcs, booths, games that are going on. This way when the others post they could do an assortment of things in their post. The GM's second post would be describing the fair coming to a close and everyone meeting up in the giant tent. Where the attacks happen. Then describe the potential dangers. Make sure to let the players know they have the freedom to do whatever they like. But these Ragers or extremely strong if they choose to tangle with them.)

Doing something like the above would ensure that the story can progress at any interval. Yes there would be a bit of 'God-modding' as the GM with people's characters. Moving them to the tent, or other locations. But none of that should be game breaking or enough to make people hate things. The other important thing that this let's you do. Is keep the element of surprise. With just one person knowing the focus of the story. Everyone else is experiencing it as they go along.

[miasma-shadow]

That is pretty much every one of my plots at the board. Usually the person who posts the topic is the GM, I prefer it when there is some semblance of direction and love throwing curve balls at players, hehe. Atm I am running a Masquerade Ball for Summerday in Val Royeaux and it is so much fun! Having a rip roaring time tossing eviscerated Wardens and bleeding Circle mages into the mix. In another plot I have my mage being tortured in Gallows, I think the Templar characters may be enjoying it a little too much, haha!

[Lynata]

When you say a mix of both, what do you mean exactly?

If that was directed at me: I meant using the events in the CRPGs as backdrop for our own games, or at least having them be of some influence. For example, we are currently still months away from it, but the Blight from Origins will eventually break out, and I'm sure it'll also affect our campaign in one way or another.

It just "strengthens" the bonds, so to say. The player characters don't need to change the course of history (though I guess that is a possibility); I'd rather see them as just another group of adventurers that is active somewhere else, doing their own part to help. A little like what Bioware is planning for the new multiplayer mode in Mass Effect 3. The Warden and the Champion are the heroes, but they didn't save Ferelden/Kirkwall all alone. There were hundreds, if not thousands of soldiers, templars, mages and elves that somehow ended up being part of the struggle in the background, be it against the Darkspawn or the Qunari. The games only provide us with only one focus each (Warden/Hawke), but the story itself has potential for so much more. And this is where I see the P&P coming in handy!

And who knows, maybe we even get to fight in the final battle against the Arch-Demon!

But as I said, I'd have nothing against an entirely new location and timeline either. It all depends on the ideas.
In a way, "Awakening" has already shown us what kind of interesting mini-plots can be done far away from the center of each game's main story.

[miasma-shadow]

I guess you could say that Awakening is the way we have gone. Also, taking the lead from the DA writing team and furthering the stories they have started is proving to be a lot of fun actually. For instance, in one of the origin epilogues Alistair allows a Circle to be created in Denerim (Mage Origin I believe) so we took that idea and 20 years down the line Ferelden is the home of a campus of sorts, a University (which was in part inspired by the university in Name of the Wind/Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss). Since our Warden Hero was a mage Amell we went with various mage Origin options.

So yeah, we haven't changed history, we just made canon decisions which players normally make in the game and then said, "Right, ten years after Cass and Varric have a chat about the Champion this has happened, the mage-templar war, yadda yadda yadda."

I guess I am just apprehensive about how RPer's will handle the canon conflicts and whether they will still accept an AU Thedas after Asunder and other material is released.