Cortex Game Interest Check

[WritesNaughtyStories]

From a technical standpoint, while I love the idea of pathways, relationship maps and interactive history tools, how are we bringing that to bear in a play by post environment?

There's been at least one Microscope game started here, but the nightmare of compiling each turn and formatting it kind of killed it. And relationship maps fit text formatting far worse.

This could be handled easily with a VTT, but that forces a synchronous game

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

I’ve been skimming this a little, especially after seeing the 2 game thing and everyone possibly being included.  Have liked what I saw so far.  Though should take some more time to completely read it, after work tonight, maybe a little during work, if it is light enough.

Though yeah, interested to see the difference of exactly how this is played out compared to the sort of stuff I usually do.

[IsabellaRose]

1 hour ago, WritesNaughtyStories said:

From a technical standpoint, while I love the idea of pathways, relationship maps and interactive history tools, how are we bringing that to bear in a play by post environment?

There's been at least one Microscope game started here, but the nightmare of compiling each turn and formatting it kind of killed it. And relationship maps fit text formatting far worse.

This could be handled easily with a VTT, but that forces a synchronous game

For the map itself, I'll be using Miro. It functions as a collaborative whiteboard and I find the tools to be quite easy to use.

I setup a basic template for new Cortex games and used it to create the first EcchiCortex game on Miro. The link to the board for this game is below. You don't have to know/learn how to use it. I can add to it for everyone, or you can mess around with it and do it yourself. Just don't mess with my template 

https://miro.com/welcomeonboard/Nk01YWtwTXhmdnFodEk1Rlo4YnVlVjJhdlNzdmhTSUxHbzlvL0xHRTFOVGIvTHBkdzdVRjZZaksxWWhKa2JIYTlDQk1lNnh0NUhkZXZYbzNndWk0SVRNYlQ1bE55Z0NwdW1pSnhFSDNFQ1lRaFhJSlZJd2duRkgwOUUwaElEK01zVXVvMm53MW9OWFg5bkJoVXZxdFhRPT0hdjE=?share_link_id=818859235310

1 hour ago, SataiRolePlayingGuy said:

I’ve been skimming this a little, especially after seeing the 2 game thing and everyone possibly being included.  Have liked what I saw so far.  Though should take some more time to completely read it, after work tonight, maybe a little during work, if it is light enough.

Though yeah, interested to see the difference of exactly how this is played out compared to the sort of stuff I usually do.

Once I verify with my players from another site that they're cool with me using some of their writing, I can share a couple example scenes from another game along with what was rolled, how and why it was rolled, and commentary on the technical aspects behind the scene. I find that concrete examples make it all click a lot easier than any abstracted rules I can provide.

[WritesNaughtyStories]

Mira is apparently displeased that I use Tor, I think we've some to an understanding, but if they'd try to snoop less, Tor wouldn't be a problem for them.

Edited 5 hours ago by WritesNaughtyStories

[MagnificentBastard]

2 hours ago, IsabellaRose said:

For the map itself, I'll be using Miro. It functions as a collaborative whiteboard and I find the tools to be quite easy to use.

I setup a basic template for new Cortex games and used it to create the first EcchiCortex game on Miro. The link to the board for this game is below. You don't have to know/learn how to use it. I can add to it for everyone, or you can mess around with it and do it yourself. Just don't mess with my template 

https://miro.com/welcomeonboard/Nk01YWtwTXhmdnFodEk1Rlo4YnVlVjJhdlNzdmhTSUxHbzlvL0xHRTFOVGIvTHBkdzdVRjZZaksxWWhKa2JIYTlDQk1lNnh0NUhkZXZYbzNndWk0SVRNYlQ1bE55Z0NwdW1pSnhFSDNFQ1lRaFhJSlZJd2duRkgwOUUwaElEK01zVXVvMm53MW9OWFg5bkJoVXZxdFhRPT0hdjE=?share_link_id=818859235310

Once I verify with my players from another site that they're cool with me using some of their writing, I can share a couple example scenes from another game along with what was rolled, how and why it was rolled, and commentary on the technical aspects behind the scene. I find that concrete examples make it all click a lot easier than any abstracted rules I can provide.

Am I understandimg correctly will Miro handle the rolling too? If not how are we handling it?

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

Miro looks like a pretty neat way to keep track of things or build it out. I've never used it before but it looks like a good way to reference things. 

I am curious how the rolling will be handled myself but I imagine the players will need to make sure to keep track of any changes as a group effort. Cortex, at least in the ones I played, did rely on constant communication which I'm good with. Kept notes and all that.
 

[WritesNaughtyStories]

We use a trust model. Since Miro doesn't offer a die roller that I can see, I suspect @IsabellaRose will have us roll it how we want. Use random.org, a die roller from another site or your phone - hell, get your dice bag out and rattle the bones on the kitchen table. Cortex is fiction forward, it's about creating drama, so the "price of failure" is someone else decides what cool shit happens. But cool shit always happens. Sometimes it's just as much fun to be Tom as Jerry...

 

Edited 3 hours ago by WritesNaughtyStories
Clarity

[Warning]

So how many max people can join? I still have that spiritist character I wanted to use somewhere and it seems like the old board game attempt I tried to do didn't go further than just a few posts. As I mentioned in another club I think, I'd still be interested to see how and where this is going for the sake of the experience, I suppose? Plus Spiritist. She's anxiously waiting for a spot.

Edited 3 hours ago by Warning

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Based on the 3-5 Isabella originally suggested, I think we are getting around the max for 2 games, but maybe a little more.  See what she thinks.  Will have to see too if everyone is still committed by the time all the information is given and set up is done, then figure out how to split people up (I have several people I would like to be with, but that is something for Isabella and the group to figure out).

[WritesNaughtyStories]

I'm able to bow out and spectate if need be or, if @IsabellaRose wants, I can be GM's assistant to keep it to the 8-10 player count.

[IsabellaRose]

3 hours ago, MagnificentBastard said:

Am I understandimg correctly will Miro handle the rolling too? If not how are we handling it?

I haven't figure out how to do rolling yet. I'll find a site that will work for Cortex dice, or maybe I'll build my own 

2 hours ago, WritesNaughtyStories said:

We use a trust model. Since Miro doesn't offer a die roller that I can see, I suspect @IsabellaRose will have us roll it how we want. Use random.org, a die roller from another site or your phone - hell, get your dice bag out and rattle the bones on the kitchen table. Cortex is fiction forward, it's about creating drama, so the "price of failure" is someone else decides what cool shit happens. But cool shit always happens. Sometimes it's just as much fun to be Tom as Jerry...

 

Or we could do that, which I might opt for because the only price of failure is giving yourself more ability to advance in the future.

[AsBloodTurnsEverCold]

https://www.donbisdorf.com/cortex/players/ListenYokelBreath/
Found this on a basic search but don't know how specific you might need it but it can set up a room and we can see other rolls. 

[IsabellaRose]

2 hours ago, Warning said:

So how many max people can join? I still have that spiritist character I wanted to use somewhere and it seems like the old board game attempt I tried to do didn't go further than just a few posts. As I mentioned in another club I think, I'd still be interested to see how and where this is going for the sake of the experience, I suppose? Plus Spiritist. She's anxiously waiting for a spot.

I would caution using pre-existing characters. While we go through Pathways, other players have a bit of leeway over connecting your character to locations, items, NPCs, etc or connecting them to you. So too detailed of an existing character might be problematic, but just general concepts might work, as long as you don't mind adapting it to the world/game we create.

Oh, and I have no idea what the max is. I'm going to give it a few more days to make sure anyone interested has a chance, then we'll see what shakes out.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

10 minutes ago, IsabellaRose said:

I would caution using pre-existing characters. While we go through Pathways, other players have a bit of leeway over connecting your character to locations, items, NPCs, etc or connecting them to you. So too detailed of an existing character might be problematic, but just general concepts might work, as long as you don't mind adapting it to the world/game we create.

Oh, and I have no idea what the max is. I'm going to give it a few more days to make sure anyone interested has a chance, then we'll see what shakes out.

That is one of the more interesting points, I still have to read more on.  Keep me from thinking too much about a character ahead of time.  Figure out if there is anything that I should consider before that whole process begins, but keep it to the little bit that might be encouraged to pre-decide.

[IsabellaRose]

By all means, come up with a concept that fits the original short description. Just keep it vague and... concept-y. You could end up connected to a weird organization, or your father could be the big bad guy, or it might work out that another PC fits as your sibling... The best thing to do for this is to embrace the #1 improv rule: "Yes, and..." meaning when someone says, "what if your character is my characters' brother?", instead of saying, "nah," try saying, "Yes, and... our father is the maniac turning people into zombies!" or something like that. "Yes, and..." is super powerful for improv, makes everyone's contributions integral parts of the whole, and lets you keep building atop each other instead of shooting each other down.

Obviously, if someone tries to impose an element that's just way outside of what you imagined for your character, then nix it. But I find that it's a lot more fun and forces more creativity to "yes, and..." most ideas.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

I might do a degree of that.  But it will also at least somewhat depend on who I’m playing with and what they do (especially whether it is a man or woman.  I’m open to playing both, but it could be influenced by who I am with and their characters).