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Staffing Confessions written Jul 4, 2021 3:15:53 GMT
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For characters, we have a rule that you can create up to 5 characters to start with and then to get more characters you have to unlock them with posts or buy the extra slots. So that way you're using the 5 characters you create at the start, and then you need 10 posts on your most recent character before staff will look at your next character.

It's kinda helped prevent serial apping. I don't feel like I get a ton of apps, and members technically aren't limited by anything but their own activity. They can buy or unlock more characters by posting.

On sites I solo-admin, I also add "please do not app more than two/three characters a month past your first five unlocked characters" if I'm feeling overwhelmed.

The soft cap means players who like large casts can have them, they just have to use their casts and play them (and sometimes be patient) to have a massive cast.
last edit on Jul 4, 2021 3:17:40 GMT by illidan main

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ARS ARCANUM - Original Fantasy Based on D&D 5e written May 28, 2021 16:04:00 GMT
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May 28, 2021 7:51:04 GMT said:
Are characters only picking out of a select list of races?
No, while there'll be a list of pre-set races, I'll allow players to play more than just what I have set.

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Post a Random Thought written May 27, 2021 14:39:39 GMT
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May 27, 2021 4:43:35 GMT said:
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May 26, 2021 18:06:05 GMT said:
feels like most races in 5e get darkvision and have no drawbacks. at all.

so why do drow have drawbacks for no reason? their improved darkvision isn't even good.
I feel you, but also - they could be a kobold in Pathfinder. Purely mechanically, no one wants to be a kobold in Pathfinder.
i feel no remorse for kobolds after 3.5.

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Post a Random Thought written May 26, 2021 18:06:05 GMT
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feels like most races in 5e get darkvision and have no drawbacks. at all.

so why do drow have drawbacks for no reason? their improved darkvision isn't even good.
last edit on May 26, 2021 18:08:11 GMT by illidan main

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ARS ARCANUM - Original Fantasy Based on D&D 5e written May 26, 2021 17:08:17 GMT
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May 26, 2021 16:21:04 GMT said:
I'm interested. But are traditional animanga FCs allowed, or heavily frowned upon? I can't art to save my life.
Absolutely!

My only rule with traditional animanga art is that all art you use must be sourced!
last edit on May 26, 2021 17:08:42 GMT by illidan main

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ARS ARCANUM - Original Fantasy Based on D&D 5e written May 26, 2021 3:21:36 GMT
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Dragons won't be required, no, and you can have powers without a dragon.

That being said I like dragons and dragon-bonding so it's gonna be a feature regardless, especially since the few other people I have interested are also asking after dragon hatchings and such. But the focus of the site will be on adventure and exploration, which anyone can do with or without a dragon.

I mostly just wanted to make a fantasy site that captures the essence of RP'ing in World of Warcraft without having to go back to my dying World of Warcraft server and deal with Blizzard's nonsense. The sort of "spur creativity, use lore as guidelines but not hard rules" kinda thing. And also leave room for players to tell their own stories, provided they're not actively ruining anyone else's.

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ARS ARCANUM - Original Fantasy Based on D&D 5e written May 21, 2021 6:37:38 GMT
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Update to say that the project has taken on a new life. The dragon bonding proved to be too much of a problem to develop, and I don't think I can produce enough art on my own to fill up enough dragon species. Plus, running a Pern site and an original dragon riders site would be too much for my tiny little brain to handle, so we're going with a more simple Original Fantasy with an optional 5e system because I love the idea of character progression. HOWEVER you do not have to play with the stats and progression. There will be an alternate versions of the profile once I'm done with the skin that's JUST the basic bio and none of the stats and stuff, so you don't even have an ugly blank space on your profile.

Some aspects of the project we're keeping:
  • Open Race Creation and free multiracial characters - You can either use an approximate 5e race for your character (i.e. a leonin for an anthro tiger character or a high elf for a character that's half orc, half high elf), go statless, or use Tasha's Custom Lineage rules. Similar to Final Fantasy, all kingdoms are multiracial and there are plenty of opportunities for characters to have different backgrounds than the usual ones. There are orc magicians and paladins, and high elf barbarians. Note that we do allow players to play things that might not always be playable on fantasy sites, such as dragons or magical talking animals.
  • Religion is open and diverse - While we'll be using Faerun gods for some of the base worldbuilding, you're welcome to have communities worshiping different sorts of gods. Our only requirement is that real world religion not be used. The gods of Arcanum are not hard-confirmed as in some fantasy settings, so there's even room for atheists and agnostics to exist and not be immediately invalidated. Your character can even be considered a god if they're powerful or charismatic enough.
  • We're keeping the tech level as "fantasy tech" as considered in World of Warcraft. This is especially useful for transportation between the regions.
  • We'll stay lenient on powers for statless characters, provided the players are willing to play respectfully in the sandbox. In fact, even statted characters are expected to play nicely in the sandbox. Going around and randomly killing people's characters is not allowed, no matter how many cool magic items you buy and how high of a level you get.
  • FC rules will remain similar: any illustrated source is fine. Your own personal art, commissioned or self-drawn, is fine. We will also give the option to go without FCs in the event that you don't want to use them for various reasons. I'm already designing the skin with default graphics so profiles without graphics don't look ugly.
  • Jcink Premium, possibly still 16+ with 18+ boards for adult members. If we get enough people who join the project who do NOT want it to be 16+, we will consider making it 18+.


Some new aspects of the project I'm working on are:
  • 5e stats and progression. Build the craziest characters you can imagine. You can even forgo combat effectiveness for the more fun utility spells, because we're a RP site that rewards even non-combat RP so your wizard that doesn't know any combat spells never has to see a fight.
  • Players can start with one Level 5 character. This is so that everyone starts with at least one semi-strong character.
  • The Game Assistant Role, which is a non-staff role that exists to introduce new players to the 5e mechanics and help them build and level up characters. It'll be its own discord role with a channel where you can ask a Game Assistant for help and they can DM you to help set up a character; if you prefer to not have Discord, I will be putting a list of them on the site and you can put a help request in the board too!
  • Worldbuilding detailed enough to find a place to spring off of, but not so detailed that it stifles creativity. This is a hard balance to walk, but we're trying to make sure that people have room to tell stories while also providing a world that feels alive.
  • Canon roles that can be killed or replaced. Players can adopt site canons and play them as they please. These canons come with some basic story setup and some hooks and ideas for where they want to go.
  • A possible companion system for an alternate character progression; level up a powerful ally for your character and take them into battle with you! (this is low priority and I'll be hammering it out later, possibly well after the site opens, but for those attached to the original dragon riding idea: this is for you.)

For those curious about the site lore and plot, basically we're set on the continent of Arcanum. It was once mostly conquered by a yuan-ti empire, but 15 years ago a great calamity tore open the fabric of reality over the yuan-ti's island. Since then, strange things have been happening on that side of the continent. However, the rest of the continent seems to mostly be concerned with the empire's collapse and the socio-political-economic implications of its fall. Players are given the chance to play with the collapse and any adventures they might come up with, or play it like a slice-of-life.
last edit on Nov 11, 2021 19:43:05 GMT by illidan main

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Post a Random Thought written May 15, 2021 1:29:46 GMT
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May 15, 2021 1:24:40 GMT said:
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May 15, 2021 1:19:19 GMT said:
kinda hate positivity chats because the same people always get tagged and it's obvious that it's only a place to talk about ur personal friends...

like idk i also hate otms because they feel like much of the same.
OTMs should only feature new members imo. anyone who's been there and has IC relevance is known by the people who stay on site...

use it as a tool to highlight new members and help them gain traction. the larger your character base / player pool the more tools and options you have. 

RP needs to normalize transitioning away for implementing systems for the sake of systems (from a success PoV).

you should find an OOC want and then create a system that promote (not punishes) people to exhibit behaviors you want.
honestly if otms featured new members that don't get a lot of plots vs old members that get a lot of plots already and are already established, i wouldn't hate them so much!

but idk having seen how otms work i've never seen them implemented in a way that didn't favor established, popular members that are already constantly told every day how much the site loves them.

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Post a Random Thought written May 15, 2021 1:19:19 GMT
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May 14, 2021 17:01:31 GMT said:
when a site has a section dedicated to positivity but becomes disheartening and a place of discouragement and you can feel your muse slowly dying...
kinda hate positivity chats because the same people always get tagged and it's obvious that it's only a place to talk about ur personal friends...

like idk i also hate otms because they feel like much of the same.

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