Exemplars: V3

As many of you know, Exemplars has been a pet project of mine in the past. While watching Avengers I again became intersted in it. Well, that is only partially true. I have yearned for a good superhero game for a long time, but at Avengers I got some good ideas I really felt needed to be addressed. Anyone who reads this please provide your input. Interaction is very important to me, and it really helps me to improve the quality of the work I do when I have input from others.

The Premise

In the 1980s much of the arms race became a very human endeavor, as many individuals displayed extraordinary abilities which set them apart from the rest. Their unique gifts made them more powerful even than nuclear armaments, and the Cold War arms race became a twofold affair. The characters would be part of this new generation of world shakers, the Prime; the Exemplars.

As the dawning of the new millenium fast approaches, the champion chosen by the earth itself senses the impending doom, and brings the characters together for the good of all.

Mechanics

I am still wondering how to choose a system for this. I have an idea for a new system, which will be discussed later, but it is rules light which is definitely not my preference. Here is the link for that: Heroic Narratives

But what of the players? I believe in much freedom during character generation, yet I have a vision of roles in this story. There are two roles which would be required, but their abilities would be given to the players who choose them at a heavily discounted rate so they can still explore their own vision.

--Megami 23:44, 10 May 2012 (MST)I think the most important bit is that if roles are required, give them to the players who you know you can count on. It's always nice to give them to people who express an interest, but if they're crucial to the story, those players will need to be reliable in terms of attendance and the participation you seek. Hold out for the best.

The Omnipath

One player is the earths chosen champion, the Omnipath. This character can communicate with the earth and often receives signals or messages when she is in need. Omnipaths have existed for thousands of years, but in the most recent decades things have changed considerably.

As I consider this role more, it could be an NPC. If it were, it would be a very important one and would be everpresent.

The Guardian

The Guardian was chosen by the earth to protect the Omnipaths. The Guardian has a host of strong physical skills as well as immortality. This must be a PC. I cant see a strong story driver like this as an NPC.

The One

The One is recognized by the Omnipath. What he can do will be discussed in context when this idea gets closer to reality.

Implementation

Shared world building is something I am very enamored with right now. Much of that is done through play, and some is also done through shared writings here on this wiki. The ideas in the Dresden Files RPG are intriguing, and something along the same lines, combined with ideas that gestated in the last few years and coalesced during Avengers, will be implemented.

The story of the characters and their exploits will be of world level importance. It may not always seem as such, but it is. At times other stories may be told to provide flavor and richness. Like Avengers, this is a group story, and the exploits of all is the key issue of import.

--Megami 23:43, 10 May 2012 (MST)I always liked the cards bit that I believe Ben invented. Sets the tone and mood of the game from the beginning.

Origin Stories

There will be an arc dedicated to the origin story of each character. This arc will be one or (preferably) more sessions dedicated to establishing the back story of that character. The player whose origin is being told will have great control over facts in the arc, and can contribute to the GM between sessions. The other players will be important people as defined by either the player or GM. Other characters need not appear, but they may.

--Megami 23:43, 10 May 2012 (MST)I like this, and feel it would be best approached the way Marvel has in recent history: establish the main story, then go back and write an origin story. Profit. Though I did thoroughly enjoy having the origin established in a separate session for the Chicago game too, so I guess it could go either way. But the other players aren't stuck playing characters that will most likely not even be their characters for too many sessions would be cause for a quick dissolution. I think the main badassery needs to be established first.

Flashbacks

Some parts of the history of the world will be told in flashback. They may be full or partial sessions, and sometimes they will tell stories that the characters might not fully know, but they enrich the world for the players.

Participation

Many of you know that I spend a lot of time trying to get others to write on the wiki. Lately, I have come to realize that it is impossible to motivate others to do this: either they want to do it or they dont. I accept that, and I am adjusting my GMing to fit this. In the case of Exemplars V3, however, I will not begin this project without players who truly wish to commit to full participation both during the game and on the wiki. For now I am writing this to keep my ideas around, and I welcome hearing everything you guys have to say, but it is not what I would call even tentative, since players for this game have not yet manifested.