Hello My Name is Mark, and this is my HST Platform

[Wit]

Well Active Gehenna lots aside (Because if the world ends, its kind of moot).

First, for a lot of these wrap up the plots. Players are likely the start of many of these actions, but your right it seems to be outside the scope of what we should be regularly seeing.

Seattle is not the center of the world, but it is the center of the game.

AS to players, and their content currently in game. First I plan to have all custom content reviewed by The RA's. Working with them to share my vision on how those should connect, that when deciding the level of something it should always be the higher end of estimation. This likely means some previously approved custom content will not be approved as is, if at all.

I also plan to work on a list of things that I am deeming "Abnormal" that the world will likely react to. Off of the to of my head it would include all of the back of book disciplines in V20, and blood magic. If the RA's agree that this would not negatively impact the game, I am thinking to offer a refund to anyone that wishes to find those powers of the blood no longer working for them.

The other side of this is the world will react to these powers. They will expect the domain to react as well. This will be mostly indirect so long as the offender remains local, but there will be pressures put on PC's, from contacts, allies, mentors, superiors ect.

Things like Astors, Alisters, Archons, should be nearing end stories for characters, something I hope to work on with a great number of characters. That is, resolving characters with long standing lots that could use resolutions. If Really high standing people are making their home in somewhat back water seattle (The Frontier as its become in game terms) they might find their positions in question over time.

[Shah-Khohr of Ventrue]

I appreciate the thoughtful (and prompt) responses. However, I think you didn't quite address the original question.

My question wasn't how will you solve the problems of the outlandish things that are happening or in Seattle. My question was 'how do you see this still as a viable city preferable to a reset'. I apologize for not being clearer: I know there are ways of fixing balance, I'm more concerned that you think this war torn setting is better than a fresh start.

However, you have given me some answers to how you will resolve these things, so I will expand my question to include these things:

While I appreciate the idea of addressing custom and overpowered stuff, and while I appreciate you are going to lean on key characters to be retired, and I appreciate you looking to take things out of play that deviate grossly from normal setting stuff, I still don't understand why you aren't in favor of full reset at this point.

Again, if you are going to be putting forth effort for a 'great number of characters' to be retired, taking away powers and plots, and completely re-writing how the world at large interacts with Seattle (which will feel jarring and forced no matter how any of us do it, btw), why not just full reset?

I guess what I'm asking here is what is the stuff you are going to keep and why is it worth keeping? What elements of Seattle's history is so great that at this point we shouldn't close the book and start a fresh page? I understand that there can be fear associated with a reset, people saying 'but I'll lose my character and we'll lose our history', but it seems like you want to reset a lot of us anyway, so why stop at a half-measure?

I appreciate the reply, and I appreciate how quickly it came. It was well thought-out and you have obviously been debating some of the finer points of your platform for a while. I just can't rationally understand it and would very much like the assistance.

-Rob.

[Wit]

Sorry! Nothing quite like answering the wrong question! And thank you for helping me understand what I should be answering!

Ok, so, for one I think we can recover it. But, what it comes with, with all its baggage is 10+ player years of depth. Stories to talk about, things that have happened, little loose strings that sometimes have been sitting there for years.

Do I see the points behind a reset as well? Sure I do, but I think there are other options in how we go forward, and think its important that the player base have that option.

I think we can continue to build, perhaps some of that building will be shoring up the foundation, and expanding in some ways, but we can continue to build. Honestly I love hearing about people talking about characters that they interacted with years ago. Marcus colson has been about the longest running character I have played in an RPG EVER... and I kinda would like to see what its like to play a character for a few more years. I would like to see what becomes of some of the characters that come in and out of game (Something I would like to encourage btw!).

I am sitting here, trying to think of specifics, because, I want to think that if I have them, I should share them. And its lots of little things. The Legacy of Morris Tobias' clocks, the Spooky Rimbaur. The Dozens of long disappeared characters that might someday return and have players that remember them, and maybe a character or two that can also do the same.

I like the idea of a Seattle in recovery. (Domain/vampire wise)
Theres so much for players to do. And with current lore, while there is a lot to polish, we don't need to make as much stuff up at the same time....

In the end, I want players to vote what they think will benefit all the most, and will respect the decisions made

[Shah-Khohr of Ventrue]

I can see where you are coming from, but I think you underestimate the push-back of having powers clipped. I've never found it fun to RP with characters that are pulling the 'No, I totally *used* to be able to do that. But, whatever, I guess it's just broken now' card. We'll just not see eye to eye on that, which is ok.

What of existing house rules are you looking to keep? What existing plot systems which have led to vast power imbalances (such as Draight) will you be keeping? What systems will you put in place to prevent the sheets from becoming as crazy as they currently are?

[Wit]

Few things in mind for these.

If I have not already addressed a rules change in my platform, all of these are ideas I plan to work with the RA's on doing, not just deciding myself. Then anything system changing will get to go to a vote. What is system changing or not will be something I will be looking to RA's to help advise on as well.

I like the Idea of the "Gangrel Magic" being a primarily great pack thing, held by them nearly as jealously as the Tremere hold their own Thaum. I honestly have not looked at it that much after it grew past the thing I had kind of hoped it would be.

As to other things getting to out of hand... one thing I am considering putting forward is something that the Sabbat currently has going in it. That in order to learn a Disiciple from someone, to learn a power of the blood, you need the teachers blood in you. A point that is used up in the learning, so you will need more to learn more sort of thing. One thing a potential RA suggested was you need a Blood Bond rating of 1 to learn a discipline level 1 or 2, a BB of 2 to learn 3 or 4, and BB of 5 to learn level 5 in an out of clan.... I am not sure I think it should go that far, but that should also help limit propagation.

With other house rules... Unless players want to see a change, I would like to keep most of them with some level of stability. They might not all be perfect, but I don't have perfect answers for them all, so offering stability in things that don't have a great desire for change behind them sounds very good to me.

That kinda connects into powers being clipped. Theres a few ways of that might be happening, one is Custom Stuff. And honestly, some of that just needs to be reviewed and addressed for what has come into game over the last two years. Some of it is seeing whats in play, others is missing something in the wording. Either which way, a lot of this will likely need some tweeks, hopefully not much will need more then that. The other side of that is my list of things I will have open to unpurchase. I will be happy to include that all in story. That guy used to be able turn to a pile of ash, and now he cant? Well if you saw him do it last week, its totally a thing you could ask him about, and it was a thing they did last week, not retconing that at all!

Out side of systems I am really hoping to help make the plots, world, and through both of these things supporting the local be the biggest system in place on making to "Crazy" of things.

[Victor Vaughn]

What do you plan on doing that will attract new players to the game and give incentive to veteran players that have taken sabbaticals due to the way the game has been run recently to return?

Honestly, to me, your platform seems like you're trying to put a band-aid on a bullet-wound. People get excited at the idea of "Yeah, they are resetting the game and getting rid of all the silly shit and focusing more on characters being important because of who they are instead of how much XP they dumped on their sheet"- something that both of your peers in competition are offering. When I read your ideas for change, they seem limited.

This isn't a testament in my lack of faith in your capabilities as a storyteller, and I appreciate the attempt to offer an alternative to burning the forest and starting anew, but it doesn't seem like what your offering would be much different in the long run from what we have now.

If you were offering a conversion to a single rules set, a willingness to take things away from people while they kicked and screamed about it and a promise to make Seattle a realistic city (not the center of all international happenings), I'd be a lot closer to being sold. What you have here though seems like more of what we have right now, and what we have right now is killing the game.

[Wit]

Thanks Joh. Well first, there are a number of people already "Sold" on a reset, and honestly its all together likely that my platform is not for them, which is totally fine. As for taking things away kicking and screaming? That might happen with custom stuff, I am sure that some of it will simply not be re-approved, or approved outside of the scope of buying (level 6 and 7 rituals for instance). The kicking and screaming thing, I cant control that its on the player.

I cant promise to not make Seattle the center of things in the world, but I am going to try very hard. It will be possible to turn forces to look here, but its likely to be just as bad for the person that did it, as the reason they wanted to. Part of the reason the worlds eyes will turn is that weird sheet stuff. If theres a Tremere going around with all his gargoyle powers, and all of that? He might loose them off his sheet by simply dieing, at some point that's going to happen, when you push the bar to much to openly for the ivory tower to brook.

Things like Archons will surely be visiting the city, likely a few times a year at the least. Why? Because its their job to do that, to be on top of reports to their justicar. Good news, that means they will be intractable npc's vs distant power houses. But with these folks, they are not looking to Seattle because it is the center point, but because it is a point, a Frontier point so one of the places most likely to see change, but still its almost a punishment to do so. Basically who drew the worst straw to have to tour the Frontier.

In the "Long Run", 2-4 staffs from now, I cant really speak to and I think I would seem kind odd to do. But with a change in the focus of plots, a change in the focus of reactions (Supported locally and from abroad), changes in how and what characters are admitted into the game, a change in how content is added to the game. I think that's a lot of change to offer.

And, I can see how this doesn't look like as much change as the other platforms, its not. Both the other platforms in play are total setting resets, its really hard to have comparable change to that, and I honestly don't want to change everything. I want to help bring expectations to a standard. Things I want to do to bring Expectations to a standard,
Keep Wiki (Or Similar Product) Updated, so staff knows what's going on with plots and npcs.
Develop more in Wiki, adding more about the Drives of npc's in the world (Contacts, Mentors enemies ect). Manage more of the plot stuff there, current future and as things go historic.
Make a public facing side, This is for npc's mostly so that players can know a bit more about who they are dealing with. Expect Lines with Lore Dots beside them based on at least common lore's. Maybe we will update the Forums Clan / Sect pages with this info.
Take time before game to answer setting questions, have some talking points (Plan to do 10-20 min talks before some games for anyone who's interested, need to develop those fully but it should be an interesting open time to discuss how the game exists )

As to Focusing on characters for who they are, This is totally the plan. For good or ill in that regard. I also plan to have more focus on more players.

[Victor Vaughn]

Jul 4, 2014 9:54:20 GMT -8 Wit said:

Thanks Joh. Well first, there are a number of people already "Sold" on a reset, and honestly its all together likely that my platform is not for them, which is totally fine. As for taking things away kicking and screaming? That might happen with custom stuff, I am sure that some of it will simply not be re-approved, or approved outside of the scope of buying (level 6 and 7 rituals for instance). The kicking and screaming thing, I cant control that its on the player.

I cant promise to not make Seattle the center of things in the world, but I am going to try very hard. It will be possible to turn forces to look here, but its likely to be just as bad for the person that did it, as the reason they wanted to. Part of the reason the worlds eyes will turn is that weird sheet stuff. If theres a Tremere going around with all his gargoyle powers, and all of that? He might loose them off his sheet by simply dieing, at some point that's going to happen, when you push the bar to much to openly for the ivory tower to brook.

Things like Archons will surely be visiting the city, likely a few times a year at the least. Why? Because its their job to do that, to be on top of reports to their justicar. Good news, that means they will be intractable npc's vs distant power houses. But with these folks, they are not looking to Seattle because it is the center point, but because it is a point, a Frontier point so one of the places most likely to see change, but still its almost a punishment to do so. Basically who drew the worst straw to have to tour the Frontier.

In the "Long Run", 2-4 staffs from now, I cant really speak to and I think I would seem kind odd to do. But with a change in the focus of plots, a change in the focus of reactions (Supported locally and from abroad), changes in how and what characters are admitted into the game, a change in how content is added to the game. I think that's a lot of change to offer.

And, I can see how this doesn't look like as much change as the other platforms, its not. Both the other platforms in play are total setting resets, its really hard to have comparable change to that, and I honestly don't want to change everything. I want to help bring expectations to a standard. Things I want to do to bring Expectations to a standard,
Keep Wiki (Or Similar Product) Updated, so staff knows what's going on with plots and npcs.
Develop more in Wiki, adding more about the Drives of npc's in the world (Contacts, Mentors enemies ect). Manage more of the plot stuff there, current future and as things go historic.
Make a public facing side, This is for npc's mostly so that players can know a bit more about who they are dealing with. Expect Lines with Lore Dots beside them based on at least common lore's. Maybe we will update the Forums Clan / Sect pages with this info.
Take time before game to answer setting questions, have some talking points (Plan to do 10-20 min talks before some games for anyone who's interested, need to develop those fully but it should be an interesting open time to discuss how the game exists )

As to Focusing on characters for who they are, This is totally the plan. For good or ill in that regard. I also plan to have more focus on more players.

While all of these ideas are good, and might work under less dire straits, I don't know how much they will do to help.

Secondly, I pose my initial question to you again; what will your platform do to attract people to game for the first time, or bring people back?

Thirdly: Right now there are thousands of pages of resources to draw from, including published rules from at least 5 systems (2nd, 3rd, V20, Dark Ages, 2nd Ed Dark Ages), custom materials, etc. The sheer volume of powers is just too vast to be handled in a balanced fashion.

What does this bring to the game in terms of story? To me, all these powers just become creative forms of hand-waving. I don't know how many times I've had a conversation with someone where they gloss over such central themes to game play like Paths of Morality or Feeding by citing some rules shennanigans that allows them to do so.

Powers are fun and interesting, but the sheer frequency that they are being used to bypass what would otherwise be real threats has forced staff to introduce more contrived powers to challenge the players. This makes the game balanced to those that are willing to game the system. The rest of the people that have little to no interest in gaming the system are left behind; any action they take in character can be wiped away because someone with Way of Spirit 5 and a combination discipline can dominate them from the other side of the globe.

Do we want to play "True Blood" or do we want to play Vampire: The Masquerade?

[Wit]

What will I do to entice people back? Well hopefully offer a game that they will find fun to play in. Offer them a chance to have done some stuff with their character while away (If they weren't here character wise then they were somewhere). Hopefully the change in plot with the goal of more intrigue and political play between the players will also entice.

If things fall under the bucket of Shennanigans, which I put Voltroning as well, I do plan to begin to pick away at it. There are tricks and then theres silliness. If with books there is something in Dark ages that says X, and it says something else in a newer book then newest rules (THat are active, so the v20 Blood magic, not so much unless game agree's) win. This includes rules on the Web Site. I know Jaron has done a ton of work compiling a document of disciplines. I might work with him to purge old versions of content to have a document that's all the most recent publication of everything (including website clarifications)

I know we have recently had a number of new players (Which is Great!) I also hope to look into what we can do to perhaps garner more UW players in our player base. I have to guess that there is at least one gaming group in that place .

I have some ideas how to bring the Game outside of the players a bit more to attention so its less murky, by using things like the MNN and similar to that for other directions of information. My view of WOD is likely different then many, I view it as dark, where dark things happen, but it need not always be a tale of sorrow and hopelessness. Sure, its easy to get there, but success can be had even if it is sometimes with a cost. That said, its a far darker world then we at game often give it credit for.

The other side of this... All things can have consequence. No you will not always know what they are, or why they connect to things. But there is a reason that even some of the most powerful cainites and kindred around don't go around using all their powers all the time.... Using powers of blood magic or other rituals all the time? Specially those ones that even call out they are dealing with straaange and uncertain powers? Yeah that could end up being a thing.

Am I sure I don't want to run a reset plot, Yep I am I think there is a lot we can still do with this, if that's what the players want. I know it might not be the way all players want to go, but if a majority want to go this way then I think its only fair to offer it. Likewise if a majority of people want the reset, then that's the way game should go. Either way It goes, I suspect not all players will remain, nor will all errant players return.

[Wit]

Jaron, while I appreciate your passion for this, could you please move it to another thread? While it may be a worthwhile discussion, it does not belong here outside of how my platform would be looking at it.

[Ascanio Giovanni]

Sure thing. Sorry about that. I'm half asleep.

[Ascanio Giovanni]

I know Jaron has done a ton of work compiling a document of disciplines. I might work with him to purge old versions of content to have a document that's all the most recent publication of everything (including website clarifications)

This is actually a project I'm currently working on. The format I'm looking at is the base text of the power in the version we are using as a baseline exactly as in the book with a page reference, then immediately thereafter all of the clarification text. All of this compiled and indexed in one easily searchable document. I suspended work on this when it was looking like reset was inevitable, but if we are not going to reset I should be able to have this completed within a few months.

[The Mouth]

Hey Mark.

So, how you going to make mortals scary again?

Follow up: How are you going to make mortal backgrounds sexy?

If these have been asked and answered, I apologize.

My thesis: Mortals, straight up normal mortals, should terrify the jankiest and ugliest elder, my opinion.

[Wit]

Mortals are a huge deal.
For one they are going to have interests (At least on a sub group level, gangs companies, and organizations like the police) and goals. They are the Slippery slope that other people screwing up on things like the masquerade can make your life so much harder through.

Much of what gets done happens in the mortal world, mortal backgrounds make that SO much easier. Want to see something enacted locally? Powerful vampire in England will be no where near as effective as WA's head of the DNC.

Other big issue with mortals, they tend to be in groups. If there's a whole lot of people feeding roughly, this is more so true, whole bunch of people feeding brutally? Well then they might be out in groups and have extra other protections....

Mortals will not necessarily be active in Kindred life, though they are active in their own. they are also HIGHLY reactive and oft volatile when there are provoking issues; Creepy ass manor, piles of dead people, sword fights in the street.

I don't neccessarlly have any specific components beyond this expectation setting that I would Add to mortals, just having them act and react as I think is fitting in that regard.

[Wit]

So a few more thoughts in this regard, that is to say the game and its running. One of the concerns that has been raised by a LOT of people is the continued proliferation of things. One idea that I have been passing around a lot for the last month or so that has gotten a lot of feed back is putting some more system and ic connection to teaching and learning things.

Both of these I would like to institute immediately should I win the election.

First for learning disciplines, a simple and small change that should slow down a lot and cause some people to re-think it. In order to learn a discipline you must imbibe a blood point a power of the blood from some one. Keep in mind blood is first in first out, so if you use blood for nothing but waking up this point of blood will be gone in 10-15 days depending on your pool, faster if you spend blood for anything.

Second, Blood Magic's (All of them) will require something of an "Attunement" quest when upping the Discipline. I am pondering some type of story for new paths well, but that's far more an aim for story depth then the rest. These tasks will be easier for clans that have their magic In clan, because their blood is already more attuned. Blood magic is more then simply knowing what to do, its your very blood being awakened in that regard.

I know there are a few other changes that people have suggested, and I plan to review them more. Such as moving to v20 Focused mind (You can only use one power of FM per round, level 3 is not as much of a lock down), and some other similar sorts of changes. These are still on the table, and will likely find their way to RA's and some votes pretty quickly into play.

[Wit]

On the topic of Dice Pool inflation!
A change that can be made to a great number of things that I think will help.

Powers/Abilities/Rolls that help enhance other rolls (More Dice or Dif modification) can not add more dice then you have dots in the relevant ability. If this is not an ability, then what ever comprises the pool, if there is a combined pool that does not use an ability (Attribute+Virtue for instance, or Attribute/Attribute) the non-attribute will be used for this, or the lower of the attributes. (Other dice pools will be decided as they are noted). If it is a single source pool, that pool is the value in consideration here.

Things this effects, Leadership, Clarity of Emptiness, Quick Silver Contemplation, Focused mind, Fetishs, Libraries, Exceptional Gear Ect.

This is per thing.

For example, if a great commander of the Lasombra was trying to get some guys to help him work on a new medical procedure, but wasn't very good at that whole medicine thing himself (Medicine 2). He uses Clarity of Emptyness and gets 4 successes, and on his following leadership test he gets 8 successes, he would add 2 dice from both to his Int / Medicine test for a total of 4 additional dice, since both were capped by his skill. If he had a way to reduce the dif of this test by 3, from a single source, it would only reduce by 2, because that's all his skill will allow him to benefit from.



In addition. I am thinking that the V20 Focused mind will be reasonable to go to, if nothing else to the you can only use one power per turn from this path.

[Wit]

Some review and follow up will come on oracular. Some thoughts brewing So I will try to keep you informed.

It is likely to be far less of a hammer, but far more interesting to use. I am thinking of ways to make it something that can be more of a decision on the players part in how much of a more limited resource they wish to invest into their prophecy. This is something that will effect almost everything I can think of that would connect to Oracular comparative abilities.

[Bertie]

Will your limitation on powers and abilities stacking also apply to stealth rolls to ambush somebody? I can see arguments on both sides of that one myself.

[Wit]

Sorry for the delay on this response. I have been pondering it to all sides. I really like the idea of Yes, limit all sorts of carry over rolls... but some of the systems are based on it (Stealth to Attack, Attack to Damage...) and I am hesitant to play with that... though it might be viable to look into with PA (By might, I mean I have added it to my list)

[Wit]

In other news, you may notice I haven't had much to say about my Staff... Honestly I don't have as robust a staff pool as I would like at the moment. A majority of the people I think would fit my platform off the top of my head are kinda burned out on being staff (And given some of whats gone on now and prior staffs I can see why).

That said, if you think you would be a good fit, and would like to help me with the many tasks I outlined above, and more then anything tell grand stories w/ the rest of game please lets have a conversation!