The Day of Thunder

So! I think, all in all, we had a VERY good game here.

It did get tense at times, as all high stakes games tend to. I definitely made some mistakes. However, the GM Team is already in discussion about how we can make this a more fun place to be, and what we can do to make everyone feel safer and more comfortable gaming here. You can see our goals for the coming year up in the announcements, but to reiterate:

• Create a safe space where people can talk to us or each other without having to feel judged or defensive.
• Create some presentations on conflict management and how to change our mindsets about one another.
• Create a clear set of guidelines for behavior and content and fair consequences for breaking them.
• Create some RACK-inspired guidelines for adult and non-adult RP (didn't come up this game as far as I know).
• Make an effort to limit or eliminate last minute changes where possible.

This isn't the end of what we're planning to do to improve the play experience, but it is a good set of short term goals for next game. We can figure out what needs to be adjusted and how then. Making a better experience and determining the systemic parts of play that make it worse will be very much a work in progress, so we ask for patience and grace while we figure it out.

In the mean time, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!! Games aren't games without the players, and by and large, you've all been great. I'm really looking forward to how this setting continues to grow and change with your help. I enjoy changing things around, and having a setting where the players really do make an impact.

This arc is finished, so it's a great time to ask any lingering plot questions or inquire about mysteries left specific to this arc. I'll be happy to answer what I can.

What was the plan if the Thunders failed?

More importantly, what can we do to help make things better, moving forward?

Thank you for the game.

What is RACK (for us not speaking HR-speak)?

Did the story change along the way? Was Chouri intended to be a damsel in distress or something else?

I didn't get to go into it IC and I'll probably leave it alone, but, what IS Chouri? My theory is she's a human incarnation of Yume-do.

Otomo Akutou wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 10:56 pm

What was the plan if the Thunders failed?

The Matrix! Basically, we were going to have YJ overlay all of Rokugan. People stuck in an unending dream. Those who embraced it would be given power and eventually released into the rest of the world or beyond as destructive forces without compare. Meanwhile, some people would be able to break out, find the truth, and form a resistance.

Otomo Akutou wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 10:56 pm

More importantly, what can we do to help make things better, moving forward?

I just want people to let bitches eat their crackers.

Thanks for game.

Thank you for running! Time for a well-deserved rest, and some celebratory... birb seed!

I was also curious about RACK! Searching the internet for "RACK guidelines" gives me instructions for assembling my rack.
I remember you said that you had to rewrite a bunch of stuff during the game; I think because Harbinger got revealed early? What set that off, what changed, what was the original plan?
Was Sora's vision with Lady Doji because of rolling really well, or was that something specifically in mind for him?
How was non-possessed Chouri able to heal stuff? Was that safe and non-tainted? Would it have been tainted if she was still Harbinger possessed?

Darn it, I swear I had more, but I don't remember! Uh, come back to me!

Togashi Satsuki wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 10:57 pm

Thank you for the game.

What is RACK (for us not speaking HR-speak)?

Did the story change along the way? Was Chouri intended to be a damsel in distress or something else?

Doji Hikaru wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 11:08 pm

Thank you for running! Time for a well-deserved rest, and some celebratory... birb seed!

I was also curious about RACK! Searching the internet for "RACK guidelines" gives me instructions for assembling my rack.
I remember you said that you had to rewrite a bunch of stuff during the game; I think because Harbinger got revealed early? What set that off, what changed, what was the original plan?

RACK stands for "Risk-Aware Consensual Kink", and it's basically a framework for people to be able to take risks together with communication and awareness being key and tools to call for a stop if it gets too much. It's something that can apply for general roleplaying, especially in scenarios where something might be upsetting or triggering.

I could have benefited from it myself at one point this game because there was accidentally a moment of cat harm, which... I literally can't deal with, I have panic attacks and cry for hours. I watched The Crow with my roommate the other day and had to do a quick check on "Does the Dog Die" before I did. XD;

The story changed a LOT along the way. I want to make a list at some point of the things in these games that didn't exist until people interacted with them. Chouri's human side originally didn't exist; it came into existence because of the potential for tragedy and giving her more depth. The cave actually didn't exist until someone went looking for the source of the river's issues and I was like, "Oh yeah, I should put something in there with that..." The scrolls didn't exist until you cast Reflections of P'an Ku.

The original plan was a little loose around end game, just because Baku and I tend to be at our best with a more adaptive style where we can take into account what happened during the rest of game. Chouri was originally going to just be the Harbinger. And yeah, you guys were on that shit. XD I didn't want to change that fact, because that's always lame, so I just expanded her as above. She got some pathos, and I got a good idea for DoT2.

Chuchu wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 10:58 pm

I didn't get to go into it IC and I'll probably leave it alone, but, what IS Chouri? My theory is she's a human incarnation of Yume-do.

She's a piece of it, representing restful, dreamless sleep. She was implanted into a human body when Jigoku first started trying to break down the barrier as a failsafe in case it was totally corrupted.

Doji Hikaru wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 11:08 pm

Was Sora's vision with Lady Doji because of rolling really well, or was that something specifically in mind for him?
How was non-possessed Chouri able to heal stuff? Was that safe and non-tainted? Would it have been tainted if she was still Harbinger possessed?

Darn it, I swear I had more, but I don't remember! Uh, come back to me!

It's cause he rolled really fucking well and it was like, "... Bruh. I gotta do something for this.

Name magic. It was because of her nature related to Yume-do as mentioned in relation to Chuchu's question. It was indeed safe and non-tainted. It would have been tainted if she had still had Harby, yes.

Thank you for the Game!

I did not expect to get into a romance this game but the hook could not be resisted

Thanks for that story.

Canary wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 11:19 pm

I could have benefited from it myself at one point this game because there was accidentally a moment of cat harm

I am also totally unable to deal with this! Ranmaru's player has joked that if I GM something, they should be a beastmaster of some sort, because I'm incapable of harming animals...

Canary wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 11:19 pm

She's a piece of it, representing restful, dreamless sleep. She was implanted into a human body when Jigoku first started trying to break down the barrier as a failsafe in case it was totally corrupted.

Yay, I was right! It actually made me really happy how similar her n Chuchu were, so her being part Dreaming is just another wonderful little similarity.

As I have said before and will say again -- thank you for letting me play a shaman, and a dream shaman, at that. I'm gonna cherish Chuchu and the memories of playing this game with everyone forever. <3

Thanks for the game Birb and special thanks for running with the Naga angle.

What do you wish you had included into the game but due to the sheer scope couldn't fit?

I always love the Dawn games, thanks for having me and killing me and then not killing me.

Wu Zhe wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 11:21 pm

Thank you for the Game!

I did not expect to get into a romance this game but the hook could not be resisted

Thanks for that story.

I could also not resist the hook as soon as I saw Zhe's reaction to Chouri. And I'm a squishy romantic at heart who is a total sucker for RPing love stories. I love love. XD

Chuchu wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 11:23 pm

Yay, I was right! It actually made me really happy how similar her n Chuchu were, so her being part Dreaming is just another wonderful little similarity.

As I have said before and will say again -- thank you for letting me play a shaman, and a dream shaman, at that. I'm gonna cherish Chuchu and the memories of playing this game with everyone forever. <3

I mentioned it before, but I'm really happy I was able to do that for you. Chuchu was a wonderful addition to the game. Your characters are always so charming!

Nanzi Ai wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 11:25 pm

I always love the Dawn games, thanks for having me and killing me and then not killing me.

I was happy to do so. Ai was lovely. I really enjoyed her interactions with Kichi and playing Doji in the dream scene. It's been super heartwarming. Thanks again for playing!

Kaijarisuigyo wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 11:06 pm

Thanks for game.

Thanks for playing!

Hiruma Naraku wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 20, 2023 11:23 pm

Thanks for the game Birb and special thanks for running with the Naga angle.

What do you wish you had included into the game but due to the sheer scope couldn't fit?

I would have loved to do more personal subplots. I always want to do more because those are the most fun for me. Sadly, my bandwidth was not what it could have been. I did my best, though. At least i was able to get people some cool bits, and I'm pretty happy with that.

SALUTE!


Need different form questions for the GM staff...

FORM QUESTIONS INBOUND!


1. Biggest curveball the players threw you? (That you are willing to talk about!)
2. Biggest curveball the game threw you?
3. Favorite moment?
4. Biggest missed opportunity?
5. Ready to sleep for a thousand years?

Much thanks for the sweet dream and the moments with Doji, it was much appreciated.

Thanks for all the hard work! It was an amazing game (as always)!

While I do think you are far too hard on yourself that doesn't mean we can't all work to improve anyway.

Jiyo Sora wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 21, 2023 12:13 am

SALUTE!


Need different form questions for the GM staff...

FORM QUESTIONS INBOUND!


1. Biggest curveball the players threw you? (That you are willing to talk about!)
2. Biggest curveball the game threw you?
3. Favorite moment?
4. Biggest missed opportunity?
5. Ready to sleep for a thousand years?

1) To quote, I Own A Car by NSP, "The boys guessed that much faster than I thought the boys would guess." Y'all were on it from the beginning. I didn't change anything because of that, though. If you find stuff, you find stuff, and that should be rewarded rather than punished.
2) Not being 100% ready to die at the end.
3) I was pretty pleased with my opening description of the Champ fight. Besides that, Doji's interactions with Ai and the romance were my favorites. I love love, as I said, in all its forms. I'm also enjoying playing Shiba. He's fun.
4) Interactions with the villagers! There were like 170-some odd people in this village, and there just wasn't much interest. Every person in the village had some variety of complication or trouble in their lives that brought them here. It's sad it didn't get explored.
5) Yes.

Nanzi Ai wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 21, 2023 12:18 am

Much thanks for the sweet dream and the moments with Doji, it was much appreciated.

It was super fun!

Sugri wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 21, 2023 1:09 am

Thanks for all the hard work! It was an amazing game (as always)!

While I do think you are far too hard on yourself that doesn't mean we can't all work to improve anyway.

Aww, thanks. I appreciate it.

Thank you so much for letting me come in late, even if it meant I didn't get into it as well as I'd have liked. Great winding up of things!

Now to consider who and what to do for the next game...