Hey (:
I run a real life rpg, set in New York. After a period of inactivity, we've revamped, and I'd like to try and get members involved in site-wide plots and events to liven the place up a bit.
I've had one specific idea for a while, and what I really want to know is whether anyone thinks it would work, and if so, how.
The idea is this (and if anyone's read Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, yes, that's where I got it from ^.^):
Basically, everyone on the board (unless they choose not to take part) is involved in a sort of massive game of tag, except each person is given a specific 'target'. They have to tag that target without the person realising, and if they succeed, the tagger gets the tag-ee's target, the tag-ee is out, and the game continues. If they fail, the tagger gets another oppurtunity to try again.
In theory, it would be fine, but I'm worried about a couple of things - firstly, is the whole thing just too complex to arrange? I'm aware that if one person involved was inactive for a few days, the whole thing would grind to a halt which would cause a problem. Is it too much hassle (especially from a members PoV)? Also, god-moding could make the whole thing more difficult, although I doubt any of our current members would cheat at all.
'Scuse the essay! Any ideas whatsoever would be appreciated - I'm just tired of the only board-wide events being things like parties, and I think this would probably get members who wouldn't otherwise interact to do so.

One thought I did have is that it may be better to get people to opt in instead of opt out. If you start off with the assumption that everyone's in until they tell you otherwise, some folks may feel awkward about opting out, like possibly they're letting you/other players/the board down and thus not choose to opt out due to a sense of obligation or whatever. Then you might end up with some people still involved who don't want to be, which is a potential recipe for slowness and delays. Whereas if you start with no one being in until they volunteer, then you know the people who are doing it want to be doing it.

Well maybe you could just, like, put up a thread asking members who would like to take part, rather than forcing it upon everyone on the forum. [= That's probably what I'd do; make a thread asking them and then make a list of all participants. If someone thinks they won't be active enough then they might not sign up to it.

Hmm on my board we have lots of 'board-wide' events -- it starts as maybe one of us Mods/admins having an idea in which everyone can take part in, whatever their 'rank' in society in the RP game. We usually pitch our ideas in a thread and members post back telling whether they like it or not-- and we have contributions in our c-box as well. Usually it's a big 'no' or a big 'yes', but because we have quite a few places in our forums, we make a new sub-board for events, where everyone can post. And it's optional too because if you want to opt out halfway through, you could just post your character walking out and going to another place on the forum.

It's quite complex if it moves slowly , it gets to a point where sometimes people draw out their roleplays - I'm sort of blessed that my members don't do that, but it can be complicated if you're waiting for one or two people to finish. Our event - a joust - stretched over a couple of days, but during the end people were on different days - yet it all worked out in the end!

On the subject of god-modding - I don't know but without god-modding (with permission of course) half of my roleplays wouldn't work!

(awfully hard to play a fight without godmod ^_^ )

I hadn't even thought about having a subforum, but I really like that idea (although in practice I'd probably stick up a new category with a few other bits), since it would help to separate it from other topics.

Thanks a lot for your help, guys (:

I actually really like that idea. What I don't get though: is it in character or out of character?

I guess I don't understand how it works so to speak.

If it was me doing it, I'd probably do it like this:

PM each member with a character, and what they have to say or do to a character in an IC post. I'd choose members that don't normally interact. That would promote people to start posting with people and it might even promote some new plots.

I agree though, if one person is inactive it can ruin the whole thing. I suggest having something that allows members to tell you if their target hasn't been posting, that way you can give them the inactive person's target and the game continues. Have a reasonable time-frame though. Like a week or something.

I agree though, let people "opt in" as apposed to "opt out".

Sniks, I LOVE your inactivity idea -worships- (:

The game itself is in-character - so each character gets a target, who would be someone they wouldn't otherwise RP with, so it'd create more interaction. Other than that - as you said, basically.

hahaha! So I understood it without realising it? Awesome.


And thanks. I think if you handle inactivity like that, it wont cause too many problems. ^_^

It sounds a little complex for me, which may not turn out quite he way you envisioned. Perhaps you could try for something simpler or give them a good, solid example of how it works.

You could also do what I did: I've made several different site-wide events and I'm allowing people to participate in all, some, or none depending upon what they wish. The events are staggered in time and vary in theme, so they can choose what they please according to their own schedules. Sure, it means that everyone won't be in a thread at the same time, but perhaps it will work better than forcing everyone into one giant activity.