metamods | RETIRED PLOTTING & ENGAGEMENT

This plotting post exists to serve as a hub for players to confer with the mods about running a plot for their characters, be it personal or game-wide. The goal of this post is to facilitate player creativity, and the best way to approach these requests is for players to convey to the mods what the intended outcome/result of the idea is so that the mods can collaborate with players on a way to make it happen within the context of the setting.

There are three primary ways for players to bring plots to this post: to brainstorm, to seek approval for wide-reaching player plots, or for players to report their own character's IC actions to discuss consequences.

BRAINSTORMING

Players who have an idea of something they want their character to do but don't know the best way to go about it or who don't have enough information about the setting to act upon it may make submissions here seeking mod guidance and support in the brainstorming process. Often, this takes the form of a player sharing a goal or plot point of interest and asking how to make it happen.

These requests are less formal and more freeform, acting as the start of a collaborative discussion about engaging an element of the setting. Submitting a brainstorming request does not mean committing to the IC actions being discussed, so this is a good way to explore possibilities.

Examples of brainstorming requests:

If my character robs a bank, how much money can they get away with?

What would the happen if my character tried to hack the Guardian Alliance's databases?

I'd like my character to get employment in a Guild-run organization or a job that would give them substantial influence in the form of power or money. Is that allowed?

I want my character to run for mayor of Sunset Falls. How do I make that happen?

I really want my character to forge a telepathic bond with someone, but I don't know how to do it.

What would happen if my hero stole every hero's left shoe?

PLOT APPROVALS

Plots affecting only a few characters, or those which cause minimal damage and no casualties, do not require mod approval. These plots only require information that players already have about the setting and do not involve and mod NPCs. Players may invent throwaway NPC villains for characters to fight or have characters use their powers in fun and interesting ways. When in doubt, players should reference the FAQ regarding what breaks the setting.

Plots that need approval by the mods involve any of the following:

Affect 8+ player characters;

Alter, threaten, or damage the setting in a large-scale or notable way;

Result in multiple casualties;

Change the setting in some way;

Or involve mod-established NPCs or NPC organizations.

Essentially, no submission is required for fighting Dr. Doofenschmertz, but the mods need to know when someone would notice a character fighting him, such as if said fight causes significant property damage. Likewise, the mods don't need to know if villains are running around causing trouble, only if it's noticeable trouble or would lead to a potential reaction or fallout from an element of the setting, such as an organization or mod NPC.

These plots cannot be implemented until approved. If a player wants their plot to be a surprise to the rest of the game, they can feel free to bring it over to the MOD CONTACT post.

DO NOT REQUIRE MOD APPROVAL:	REQUIRE MOD APPROVAL:
A character encounters a player-developed NPC villain with a baby ray! They're now de-aged. A character uses their powers to heal or change another character. Your character invents a tiny teleporter that jumps between their house and their friends house.	A character or group of characters stage(s) participate in a conflict that destroys a city block. A character or group of characters engage with a mod-run NPC character, guild, or business. A character uses a baby ray on important political figures to take over the tri-state area. A character is revived more than two hours after their death.

REPORTING CONSEQUENCES

This post is also for reporting character actions that might result in IC consequences within the setting, such as characters destroying property, committing crimes, causing casualties or taking actions that might affect more than 4 characters. These plots do not need to be approved; however, the mods ask players to wait for mod acknowledgement before making wide reference to these events, as we may request additional information and clarification. Please report these events as soon as possible so that the mods are aware of what's going on, and bear in mind the FAQ guidelines on death.

HOW TO SUBMIT

After reviewing the information above carefully, label your request type in the subject line with "BRAINSTORMING," "PLOT APPROVAL," or "REPORTING CONSEQUENCES," and post your response using the following form:

Name(s) of Character(s) Involved: (and usernames)
Summary of Plot: (if reporting, please include links to relevant threads)
OOC Goals: (what do you want out of this idea, plot, or consequence?)
Intended Personal Outcome/Consequences for Characters: (how do you want this to affect the characters involved?)
Impact on the Setting or Mod NPCs: (how will this affect the game at large? how do you see people — including mod-run NPCs — reacting?)

Examples of plots to report:

A character opens their own business.

A character destroys a building in a fight.

A villainous plot leads to the death of civilians.

code bases by tricklet

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

1. The idea is that they have some kind of rough base out in the mountains that's difficult to get to for non-Transformers vehicles. Not impossible, but requiring off-roading or other tricky situations. Once they've stolen a couple tanks or tankers, they'll essentially be siphoning it from newer heists to keep refilling the pilfered tankers airlifted into place by Spinister.

2/3. I'll start working on the plot post! Essentially, at the time they arrived, both Spinister and Drift have at best ambivalent attitudes towards the humans and their organizations and had no love or trust of the guilds; essentially by getting caught and ending up having their ill-gotten gains confiscated and put on robo-probation/being told "Okay now you HAVE to join a guild" with the implied threat of making it difficult or impossible to get more fuel without membership is a way to nudge them into being more engaged with that part of the game.

Additionally, punishment-wise, we're thinking that some kind of of metahuman/superhero/guild probation where other PCs can plot with us to be superhero probation officers for the two would be a good way of developing CR and pushing together the two with people they might not otherwise engage with on their own initiative. The robo-probation would include being confined to living on (or being required to do in-person check-ins to) a guild or government facility as part of the restrictions. No haring off to do whatever you like without supervision. Banished to the government robo pen for a little while before they are deemed Just Troublemakers and not actually planning on hurting people. After some time they'd be free of this requirement, but still have to check in with their metahuman minders.

They can also be motivated by being promise some kind of guaranteed private hidey-hole where they can go to not be bothered by humans if they need time away from all the organics.

4. Ideal, honestly. It's not Transformers without some big tech/corporate guy mad at the alien robots.

Let me know if there any other questions! I'll get the plot post put together and post it here for review.

Hey, Emmy!

We have a quick question about the additional information here as well as an important clarification.

First, we'd like to know more about the nature of the proposed base (such as size and description) and the means by which it was acquired. While resource gathering is not a primary focus of the game, Unaligned characters are on 'hard mode' when it comes to establishing yourself in this world — meaning that jobs, identification, money and property are harder to come by. The acquisition of a large or sophisticated base of operations would require a distinct plotting request for Unaligned characters, as even guild members at this stage would be borrowing off guild resources rather than obtaining their own. However, if you're imagining something more like hiding in an undeveloped cave, that would be completely fine.

The clarification is regarding the secondary submission added below. We've gone ahead and screened it for now — we'll stick in this thread with you for further discussion of this plot. We think that additional submission is intended to be the OOC plotting post we requested you make for player recruitment. You absolutely do not need to use the form on this post for that OOC recruitment post! And in fact the information requested on this form is probably not helpful to players who are looking to join plots. Instead, we recommend an approach like these three examples (1, 2, and 3). Additionally, you don't need to run the OOC recruitment post's language/content by us! Go ahead and post it at your leisure.
Otherwise, we understand that you're feeling like consequences/punishment will lead towards Spinister and Drift reconsidering their refusal of the Guilds' recruitment, so we'd like to suggest that, when navigating their punishment, they get a public defender who recommends reaching out to the Society for their lawyers' help and take that as an opportunity to join up so their sentences can get diminished.

If they opt to join the Society, they'll likely get mentorship rather than probation — you can invent an NPC (or seek a PC) to help them learn how to stay out of trouble. If they join the Alliance, they'll be "rehabilitated" via probationary period where they are indeed under house arrest except for Guild business for a period of one month.

Edited 2022-03-31 17:30 (UTC)

We were looking more at them just... hiding out in an undeveloped cave or at some abandoned rural saw mill or something way off the grid. Not really a base so much as some place they can hide pilfered fuel and avoid humans when needed. Basically not really a 'base' so much as a giant robot hobo camp.

The public defender idea sounds great! In which case I think we're good to go for the plot, if there aren't any other questions.

May I add the possibility of there being a rumor of them somehow acquiring a sophisticated alien robot home base.

Then when people find it, there is just their dilapidated scrap heap bachelor cave. :( don't judge how they live

Hey Aran!

For all gossip, reputation, and rumors content, we encourage you to utilize the RUE MOORE SUBMISSIONS. The next post will be going up on 04/08, so let us know when submitting if you'd rather hold it until the May post, given the timing of the transformers plot.

Hey Emmy!

This sounds great. Drift and Spin are good to go on this plot. Let us know if you need anything else.

RETIRED PLOTTING & ENGAGEMENT

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