Summer Syntech Event Polling

[Karl Jak]

In-character post - http://omniverse-rpg.com/showthread.php?tid=5416
 
So it goes without saying that I want to run another Syntech event this summer.  I believe the last one was fun and successful, and I don’t think I’m the only one who enjoyed it.
 
That said, I don’t want to necessarily become the ‘death match producer guy.’  So what I did was I’ve designed different events for this summer.  I had some input from staff and members since last July, and while details are still being fine-tuned, I’m quite happy with all the formats.  One of the big things I’ve tried to implement in my classroom is ‘student choice.’  That is, I teach a topic to my students and I provide them with various options on how they want to assess themselves.  I’m pleased to say I have four different experiences to offer to you Omniversians.
 
I’m not going to give every detail about every, but I will answer say… 3 to 5 questions for each one.  I’m really excited about all the options, and I hope that the selections will help excite people as well, because I really would like to create another fun summer experience.

The possible event details are below.  Feel free to ask questions about them or make general inquiries.  In no less than 2 weeks, I’ll make a decision based on which event has the most popular support.  After that, I’ll finalize details and make them public in early May.
 
Option A – Battle Royale Redux
 
Overview – This is last year’s format with modifications and twists based upon a mixture of feedback from participants and just me wanting to try new things.
 
For the new members:  In this event, the participants are dropped onto an island.  Collars have robbed them of their Moves and many of their Powers.  They’ve been provided with a map of their surroundings, some supplies, and a random Weapon or Support Item.  Only one person will escape the island.  Characters move around on a grid.  Fights are decided and written out by the host.  This is equal parts mind game, luck, and pure grit.  You don’t have to be the best writer to win.
 
New from last year – More random events, Stat bonuses, Weapons with more functions, new desperation mechanic
 
Fun Times – Strategy, betrayal, mind games… Plus I like to think that this provides the most ‘openness’ in the end.  You don’t need to be the greatest writer to win.  The winner last year wasn’t the best writer in the event.
 
Rough Times – People got stressed out.  It happens, and I’m sorry for that.
 
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Option B – ‘Battle Quest’
 
Overview – Contestants are dropped onto an island (this is a common theme).  Collars are placed on them to remove specific Powers.  The map is divided into five regions.  Each region hides objects that must be collected and returned to the center region.  Every few hours, characters must return to safe houses.  Once inside, two characters are ‘culled’ and forced to fight one another to escape.  These fights will be written by the writers with strict, non-extendable time limits.  Whoever loses is removed (either from death or ejection), and the quest continues until all the items are collected or only one individual remains.
 
Fun times – This is designed to have less stress than Option A.  F2Fs are replaced by shortened fights that are written by the players and judged by the host.  Killing is optional, as the contest can be won without anyone having to die.
 
Rough times - The the lack of ‘random’ elements will provide an advantage to talented writers, as fights will be determined based on quality. 
 
Option C – ‘Conquest’
 
Overview – Three rival armies are vying for control of an island.  They each start off controlling a portion of the island.  Each army is led by a PC and is made up of a number of PC primes (depending on the total number of PC entrants) and many thousand secondaries that form the bulk of the army.  Each army will be able to specialize its soldiers (provide them with classes).  There will be neutral locations on the map that can be captured or won through diplomacy.  Each army will be able to construct buildings and weapons or war in their attempts to defeat the other armies.  Espionage, assassination, and treason are all possibilities.  Primes can be killed or spared. Armies will have morale that must be maintained to keep them effective.
 
What will your strategy be to defeat your rivals?
 
Fun times – I think this is a pretty novel concept that a lot of people liked when I was developing the alpha for this.
 
Rough Times – This will involve a lot of collaboration with your team and the host.  There’ll also be a learning curve, and much like Option A, there will be some built in ‘random events’ and other randomness.
 
Option D – ‘Survival Horror’
 
Overview – In this event, contestants crash on an island.  It is up to the survivors to figure a way off the island.  They may work together or alone.  The host will serve much like a GM in a tabletop RPG by providing prompts and events that progress the story or give clues to the primes.  Every X number of OOC days will constitute ‘a round.’  At the end of each round, the host will give one individual a prize and then eliminate one individual from the pool of contestants (this may result in death or simply mean that person is ineligible to ‘win’ at the end).  
 
Fun times – This is the most hands off event format and provides probably the highest amount of freedom in regards to what you can (try and) do.  Plus, it’s story-driven and no one has to die unless someone wants to take the route of being the rogue or the one who suffers a psychotic break. 
 
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I've set it so that people may vote for up to two options if they want to.

Ask any questions you may have.  Like I said, I’ll take a handful of specific questions on each option before I put a cork in it (after all, ya gotta keep some suspense – that’s just good TV)

Thank you for your time and your interest.

[Harlan Higgs]

I'm torn between option C and D. They sound like the most innovative ones, but also the ones with the most potential for monkey wrenchs. Also, Lieutenant Grundy has a nice ring to it.

[Omni]

Personally I legitimately hate the shallowness of putting your character into a reality TV show, and I had more than my fill on Chubbs. I'll probably be trying to run something more .... meaningful if I can. Just a heads up on my approach >_>

[Sarah Kerrigan]

you know my vote's for C

[scarletFlight]

C all the way, except Connor isn't General, just give him a small team and he'll do your dirty work

[Alex]

Bawww, no questions? =S

[Kopaka]

Nealaphh would participate in event C

[Sans]

I might put Sans or Ballad in here. In which case, my vote is for C.

[Jams Bolero]

I vote for three, and intend to attend if at all possible.

[scarletFlight]

Bawww, no questions? =S

Actaully, may I be a 'neutral' mercenary group? If not then how do we make allegiances?

[Soldier 75]

I'd say C for Eric. D certainly sounds fun as well.

And a few questions: How will we enter? If we sign up here, will it simply pluck us wherever we are and whisk us away to the island when the event begins? And how will teams be chosen?

I will be there unless I have something important happening or am too busy.

[Alex]

You have the option of forming your own unit later on, but that would require seceding (politely) or betraying (obviously not very polite) your original group.

So in Option C, there would be 3 rival armies. Each army would have a General, which would be a prime selected by me prior to launch. Someone that I know would see it through to the end. Based on the number of interested participants, each General would get to draft X number of primes and put a few on their 'No Thank You' list. Undrafted primes would be randomly assigned to one of the three, and it would be up to their character to determine what she/he/it does from there, depending on, you know, their personality and whatnot.

[Alex]

I'd say C for Eric. D certainly sounds fun as well.

And a few questions: How will we enter? If we sign up here, will it simply pluck us wherever we are and whisk us away to the island when the event begins? And how will teams be chosen?

I will be there unless I have something important happening or am too busy.

With the exception of Option D, you'll have to physically go someplace and opt into the event. What that looks like would differ between option A, B, and C. Option A, for instance, has a grandiose 'Preshow' much like a red carpet event or something like that, befitting with the over-the-top 'reality/hidden camera show' aspect that is so highlighted in A.

Option D is somewhat different and more akin to your 'whisked away' remark.

[Yu Kanda]

Voted for C, a great idea and initiative, theae kinds of events are amazing!

[Miranda Frost]

C appeals to me the most to be honest.

[Darkarma]

I say C as well. Tom would join in in a heartbeat. Also no collars is a plus.

[Link]

Tried voting for C but apparently I'm not allowed T-T

[Crocodile]

I actually voted for B and D.

B seems like a solid alternative to the classic DA, while still maintaining much of the initial feel of the game. And I like how our Fight writing determines who is eliminated and not, perhaps, luck or betrayals.

Put Survival Horror on anything and I'm always in. D is a nice divergence from the "everyone else has to die" way of things lately. I like that, in the end, everyone could survive. Surviving through a Saga is ALWAYS a plus.

[Spur]

I voted for C. I've said before that I'm not a huge fan of the format of these events, but that is such a cool concept that I would be there in a heartbeat.

That said, if this one were to go through, would players with obvious ties be automatically grouped together? Not that it's a bad thing, but there's just some writers around here you could absolutely guarantee would be working together, even if they're randomly assigned different teams, to the point where it's not really a mystery. Again, not bad, but if Mario is on team A and Luigi is on team B, you know those two are working together to undermine one.

[Alex]

I actually voted for B and D.

B seems like a solid alternative to the classic DA, while still maintaining much of the initial feel of the game. And I like how our Fight writing determines who is eliminated and not, perhaps, luck or betrayals.

Put Survival Horror on anything and I'm always in. D is a nice divergence from the "everyone else has to die" way of things lately. I like that, in the end, everyone could survive. Surviving through a Saga is ALWAYS a plus.

The only option that doesn't involve people writing their own conflicts is Option A. All the others, participants will do the heavy lifting, and I'll just be in to do updates and/or resolution.

And I hope I made it clear that Option A is the only one where people have to kill or be killed. Option B and C provide the option to spare people (although in C you would have to fight against enemy soldiers). D is fighting optional but also would have a higher mortality rate (since people eliminated at the timed intervals would have a like, 1 in 2 chance of meeting grisly deaths at the hands of X, Y, or Z)

@Spur - I'd try to avoid putting two characters (or writers, for that matter) that can't get along in the same group.