I am preparing to start work on a Naruto based Roleplay forum, but I have two distinctly different ideas for it, and thus, I must choose between them, and I was hoping you guys could lend me a hand.

Setting One

It will begin immediately where Part Two begins, as in two and a half years after Naruto’s and Sasuke’s battle. Naruto will arrive in Konoha, with the wise and ever perverted Jiraiya. Sasuke will still be training under Orochimaru, and all of the members of Akatsuki will still be alive.

What Setting One is we will basically be taking the story from Part Two and making it our own.

Setting Two

Setting Two is extremely different from Setting One – it takes place one hundred years after Part Two. Naruto and company has defeated Akatsuki, and Sasuke evolved into dark mythology. Naruto is taught in history books to be the greatest shinobi to have ever lived.

But trouble is brewing. The countries have become separated, distant, and enemies. They compete for resources; wars erupt between them. The smaller countries become imperialistic tools of the larger ones.

And in this chaos, unknown to good people, Neo Akatsuki is rising. They seek the same goal as their predecessors: conquest of the world.

Both of these appeal to me, and I cannot decide between them. I was hoping you guys could help me out, and lead me towards a decision.

Well, let me give you a warning. I haven't seen Naruto and know barely anything about it. However, I think I can give you an outsider's perspective.

I find that those set later, your second idea, work nicely because you can form the environment to your will, forming a roleplaying world that suits your needs and potential members. Not to say that your first idea wouldn't work, in fact, it would probably draw different Naruto fans in. It's ultimately your decision, but if you feel that it's more flexible with your second idea then I'd go with that ;)

I like these Ideas and think you should make them because they are very original and very imaginative (happy)

I agree with Forever Obsessed, setting two gives you much more room to work with than simply following the canon storyline. It also leaves the way open for original characters to get some time in the "spotlight" - I much prefer being able to stretch out with original characters than being stuck with a canon that has to act a certain way, have particular relationships with other canons, etc., but that's just a personal thing :p

The second idea will also be a lot easier for folks who aren't familiar with Naruto. They'd only need to learn the setting and how the world works. With the first proposal, it seems like the players would have to know the canon characters and the storyline, too, which would make it hard for anyone who isn't already intimate with the series.

I've seen a little of Naruto, and I like both ideas, but the second appeals to me too. It's more flexible and allows you to create your own unique plots and characters without fear that someone playing a canon is suddenly going to go inactive, or that someone is playing a canon completely out of character. The only crowd this would not attract is those RPers who only want to play canon characters, and I find that those RPers are smaller in number than those who play originals as well as canons.

I also think the second option sounds more interesting, perhaps because the plot you created is original and your own idea. The first option you'd have to know the series too in order to join. I watched a bit of Naruto, but I wouldn't be able to play in an RP modelled after your fist plot because I don't have enough knowledge.

There's my two cents.