The Energon Pub

[Cryhavok]

Getting the game rolling again is a group effort that requires everyone who wishes to play to contribute. Players ultimately make the game, it has been proven time and time again.

[Devastron]

Getting the game rolling again is a group effort that requires everyone who wishes to play to contribute. Players ultimately make the game, it has been proven time and time again.

And it takes moderators and admins to set up the framework and lead the way. I have yet to see an in character post from any of them. The fact that they aren't posting while controling some of the leading characters and are supposed to be the leaders of the game isn't exactly encouraging other people to post. Lumping everything happening on Cybertron into one thread isn't helping either. More threads need to be made and a little more direction needs to be given before anything worthwhile can happen.

[Ember]

Lumping everything happening on Cybertron into one thread isn't helping either. More threads need to be made and a little more direction needs to be given before anything worthwhile can happen.

I second that.

[Psychout]

As a straight-forward solution, run a thread per main city (maybe 2 for each?) or one thread for the barracks/warriors and one for the plotters/schemers.

This way those that just want a fight can arrange their own battles and get stuck in, and those that want to cause trouble in a non-combat way arent bogged with loads of combat texts and can get on with their plans.

I also have to side with Devastron, a bit of leadership action (and commenting on the fanmades suitability) would certainly help to drive this a bit further, especially as you are playing all the commanders...

[unonu]

I am interested in the RPG, I actually applied and got permission for a character last year but never posted cause frankly I couldnt make any sense of what was going on much less where it was going. This reboot is intrigueing but I cant really determine the consensus on what is going on much less whats happened. Is there an ingame book of facts as before? I know this is G1 but that could be any one of several continuities at this point not to mention being all its own. If this was all discussed and decided already please forgive me, and please direct me to the info. What I might suggest is an actual forrum to address continuity questions as they arise. For example, the existence of the Primus, is there Pretender technology, are the micromasters really tiny, how big is Cybertron? etc, etc...
Maybe this seems nitpicky but the Transformers mythology is so convoluted that to effectively play and develop story lines specific to the RPG we need determine some hard facts.
I guess what Im talking about is context.
Sorry for the rant.

[Psychout]

It seems ive turned into a seeker according to the canon lists.
My Psychout's supposed to be a Cassette...

[Devastron]

It seems ive turned into a seeker according to the canon lists.
My Psychout's supposed to be a Cassette...

One of the fanmade seekers from earlier was also named Psychout.

[Devastron]

I am interested in the RPG, I actually applied and got permission for a character last year but never posted cause frankly I couldnt make any sense of what was going on much less where it was going. This reboot is intrigueing but I cant really determine the consensus on what is going on much less whats happened. Is there an ingame book of facts as before? I know this is G1 but that could be any one of several continuities at this point not to mention being all its own. If this was all discussed and decided already please forgive me, and please direct me to the info. What I might suggest is an actual forrum to address continuity questions as they arise. For example, the existence of the Primus, is there Pretender technology, are the micromasters really tiny, how big is Cybertron? etc, etc...
Maybe this seems nitpicky but the Transformers mythology is so convoluted that to effectively play and develop story lines specific to the RPG we need determine some hard facts.
I guess what Im talking about is context.
Sorry for the rant.

There was a description of the setting and an in game book of facts, but I believe it was lost when the boards recently crashed.

Basically this game takes place in its own continuity. The basic premise is that the war has been continuing on Cybertron up to the present day. The Transformers, for the large part, have never left their home world. Only a small expedition that consisted of Jetfire and the Dinobots for the Autobots and the Insecticons for the Decepticons have made it to Earth. They were presumed lost ages ago, but both groups have just recently reactivated on the planet.

The Transformers on Cybertron went through a period of deactivation similar to the Great Shutdown mentioned in the Dreamwave comics. Cybertron was able to replenish itself during this time. The inhabitants have since reactivated and resumed their war, although they are depleting the planet again. At the start of the RPG the Decepticons are losing and have been pushed back to just 2 or 3 major city states.

Thats a quick and dirty summary of the game's background.

[Davekma]

Also, I don't believe Pretender technology has been introduced yet, nor have any Gestalts. We do have Pretender characters in game, but they have a stat decrease until the time the technology is brought in. As for the size of Cybertron, one previous Mod wanted us to imagine it to be around the size of Jupiter, I'm not sure if that still applies though.

[Psychout]

Im very interested in what technology there is out there to discover. I have a character that speicalises in that sort of thing...

What level of technology do we have on these currently?
Combiners
Head/Target/etc-masters
Multi alt-changers
Pretenders
Micromasters
Duocons

Have any of these been invented yet? (sure ive seen combiners, just not since the restart)

And I had always been led to believe that Cybertron was a small planet, smaller than Earth.

[Devastron]

Im very interested in what technology there is out there to discover. I have a character that speicalises in that sort of thing...

What level of technology do we have on these currently?
Combiners
Head/Target/etc-masters
Multi alt-changers
Pretenders
Micromasters
Duocons

Have any of these been invented yet? (sure ive seen combiners, just not since the restart)

And I had always been led to believe that Cybertron was a small planet, smaller than Earth.

The Constructicons and Protectobots are the only teams that can combine so far.

None of the -Master technology exists yet.

Triplechangers exist, but Sixshot is the first sixchanger. Quickswitch isn't around yet.

Pretender tech does not exist yet, although the characters are still playable.

Micromasters do not exist.

Duocons exist.

I don't think the size of Cybertron is terribly important to the game, but I think it is safe to say it is at least as big as Earth, if not bigger.

[Psychout]

Cybertron size isnt really an issue, that was just idle curiosity, but the rest is all great news. The more undiscovered stuff to work on the better...

Will the stuff thats not currently invented (pretender shells and x-masters etc), be added in through mod-led plot or is there a chance they could be created (much further) down the time line by a wayward genius?

[Devastron]

Cybertron size isnt really an issue, that was just idle curiosity, but the rest is all great news. The more undiscovered stuff to work on the better...

Will the stuff thats not currently invented (pretender shells and x-masters etc), be added in through mod-led plot or is there a chance they could be created (much further) down the time line by a wayward genius?

I think most of that stuff will have to be part of a larger story arc, since it is big game changing stuff. Of course, that doesn't mean that various technically skilled characters can't have a part in their development.

[Psychout]

Excellent! [/Mr Burns]

Gatkowski:
Im sending Mal Practice (my medic) over to fix Shockwave (and even have Brewer with him, for spares), assuming with an Int of 9 and Tech skill of 10 I can make a near instant diagnosis, so do you want me to take him away to fix him (leaving him out of the game for now) or can I just erect a shield and fix him on the battlefield?

From the Decepticons point of view I figure this would be an urgent concern...

[Devastron]

Excellent! [/Mr Burns]

Gatkowski:
Im sending Mal Practice (my medic) over to fix Shockwave (and even have Brewer with him, for spares), assuming with an Int of 9 and Tech skill of 10 I can make a near instant diagnosis, so do you want me to take him away to fix him (leaving him out of the game for now) or can I just erect a shield and fix him on the battlefield?

From the Decepticons point of view I figure this would be an urgent concern...

Shockwave is out of the battle as Gat and I arranged. You can attempt to repair him on the battlefield, but it will require more work than can be accomplished there. He is in stasis lock but won't perish on the field. Its up to you on what you want to do, but his part in the current thread is complete.

[Psychout]

Good answer, thanks.

No sigs in RPG forums please -Devastron

[Teletron]

Sorry. didn't see the last post. Apologies.

[Light Blade]

An idea for intorducing more Gestalts
not really a story so i thought it was better to post here

The carnage caused b a mere three decipticons at the Tagan energon refineries serves as a painful lesson to the autobots as to what happens when the fall behind on the technology front thus giving them incentive to find ways to increase thier fire power, which could lead to some new technologies appearing

Secondly, is there a possibility for NPC generic soldiers for characters to fight? both sides must mass produce some form of standard soldier variant and this could possibly be used in the RPG, eg The attacking force engages these perimiter Guards whilst the Characters are en route. Of course there quite weak, but it gives people a chance to be a bit more creative with their wrting coming up with some interesting stunts and fight sequences.

Thoughts?

[Devastron]

An idea for intorducing more Gestalts
not really a story so i thought it was better to post here

The carnage caused b a mere three decipticons at the Tagan energon refineries serves as a painful lesson to the autobots as to what happens when the fall behind on the technology front thus giving them incentive to find ways to increase thier fire power, which could lead to some new technologies appearing

Secondly, is there a possibility for NPC generic soldiers for characters to fight? both sides must mass produce some form of standard soldier variant and this could possibly be used in the RPG, eg The attacking force engages these perimiter Guards whilst the Characters are en route. Of course there quite weak, but it gives people a chance to be a bit more creative with their wrting coming up with some interesting stunts and fight sequences.

Thoughts?

There are some ideas to get more gestalts in the game, but I don't want to rush it, seeing as how almost none of the teams are being played at the moment.

There are various generic NPC soldiers on each side and players can use them in posts for big battles like the Polyhex one as long as they don't get out of control with them. We do want interaction between different players and not just crushing generic NPC characters.

[Light Blade]

points made and taken

i was looking at the cannon roster lists, and i was a bit worried by the lack of characters being used. mabey we could do something to encourage more people to join the RPG?

[Light Blade]

A thought, Would it be an idea to have to Base threads, the main bases for each faction where characters could go during lull's in the overall story line, it would be similar to the Autobot island thread, from here bots and cons could be assigned to different missions areas, and it would provide a place to develop characters in a non combat orientated situation, there is no threat of the enemy reaching these bases

Also an idea to get more people to join the RPG, if we dveloped an idea suggested by Me, Grimlock! and used the area of HMW that posts team mottos to post the latest updates in the RPG storylines, EG: Prime and Omega Supreme have forced Megatron to agree to a ceasefire in Polyhex, at the very least it might improve the circulation of the RPG, more people would read it, and hopefully this would encourage more people to take part.

[Tasbirk]

I had an idea about beastly and monstrous alt-modes that I wanted to throw out, in case any body likes it. It's an ingame reasoning thing for the "leeway" given to beast-mode chars other than the Dynobots and Insecticons.

I don't know if the Quints exist in the game's universe or not, but that's not really important. When I thought about chars like Ravage pre-Earth, my mind went to the Quint creatures in TF the Movie. I always thought it was cool that they had created an entire simulated ecosystem. It made them seem extremely powerful (and decadent if they spent so many resources creating it.)

Then I thought what if Cybertron once had creatures like those? And what if they were most/intirely wiped out by the Great War, but records of them were in archives and museums, like extinct animals are on Earth? I like this because it makes beast modes make little more sense, but it also adds a new layer of tragedy to the war.

As for monstrous forms, perhaps they're descended, literally or in terms of design, from a group of early Decepeticon gladiators? There forms were crated for pure killing power and intimidation, like the Sharkticons.

Just throwin' my two cents in

[The J Writer]

A thought, Would it be an idea to have to Base threads, the main bases for each faction where characters could go during lull's in the overall story line, it would be similar to the Autobot island thread, from here bots and cons could be assigned to different missions areas, and it would provide a place to develop characters in a non combat orientated situation, there is no threat of the enemy reaching these bases

The problem that comes up with bases is that people tend to congregate there and do nothing of consequence for weeks on end. The old "Energon Pub" location in the Autobot Island thread turned into that sort of thing. Characters would sit there and order drinks and b.s. about nothing for post after post.

In a lot of RPGs, that would be fine (I think of fantasy-type RPGs where people are content to sit in the tavern and gab forever), but the Seibertron RPG has traditionally been more epic and action-oriented. As someone described it in the Chatterbox, the RPG is like a giant novel where everyone adds their little piece. Would you want to read a novel about people sitting in a bar or in their quarters, or would you rather read a novel about people facing enormous challenges, undertaking important tasks, and growing as they struggle their way through existence? I know which one I'd rather read.

The best thing, I think, is to be active in coming up with storylines for your characters. Don't be afraid to post an idea in the idea thread, even if your idea only involves a few characters. PM other players to get their characters on board, and once you've got mod approval you're good to go. It gives your characters something meaningful to do, saves the mods the trouble of having to come up with stories that involve everyone in both factions, and is better for the game overall. To go back to the novel analogy, the best novels usually have many subplots that unfold around the edges of the main plot. Small-group stories are the subplots of the RPG and make the whole richer.

[Devastron]

I had an idea about beastly and monstrous alt-modes that I wanted to throw out, in case any body likes it. It's an ingame reasoning thing for the "leeway" given to beast-mode chars other than the Dynobots and Insecticons.

I don't know if the Quints exist in the game's universe or not, but that's not really important. When I thought about chars like Ravage pre-Earth, my mind went to the Quint creatures in TF the Movie. I always thought it was cool that they had created an entire simulated ecosystem. It made them seem extremely powerful (and decadent if they spent so many resources creating it.)

Then I thought what if Cybertron once had creatures like those? And what if they were most/intirely wiped out by the Great War, but records of them were in archives and museums, like extinct animals are on Earth? I like this because it makes beast modes make little more sense, but it also adds a new layer of tragedy to the war.

As for monstrous forms, perhaps they're descended, literally or in terms of design, from a group of early Decepeticon gladiators? There forms were crated for pure killing power and intimidation, like the Sharkticons.

Just throwin' my two cents in

Thats probably plausible for a lot of the more monstorous modes, at least as long as they are vague and not very specific, like from a specific earth mythology.

[kadoom]

I was away for a bit, im not sure how to introduce my character to the decepticon plotline, because it seems theres several at once. Can I get any help on jumping into the storyline?