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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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This is the thread for the InSpectres play-by-forum, as established here.
Before we actually get started on any jobs, we have to establish the characters and the franchise. Character creation is easy: each character has four skills:
Academics: All the thinky stuff. Research, facts and figures, theories, etc.
Athletics: All the physical stuff. Running, jumping, swimming, fighting, etc.
Contact: All the interpersonal stuff. Schmoozing with local politicos, bamboozling the local press, talking with normal people. Also, buying stuff.
Technology: All of the above, but only if it involves equipment. Inventing some new anti-vampire device. Fighting poltergeists with some fancy ray gun. Buying the franchise's transportation. All that is technology.
These skills for characters will range from 1-4, and the total of these four skill values must equal 9.
When your character tries to do something, I'll determine what skill is needed (or, it'll be obvious) and you'll roll a number of d6 equal to your rating in that skill. The highest value determines the level of success. So, buying a new minivan for the franchise would require a Technology roll, and if you have a Technology skill of 2, you would roll 2d6. Check each die individually; the one with the highest value is your score, and the higher, the better.
Additionally, each character will have one Talent. It's a trait that, when used appropriately, will grant an additional die to a skill check. And it can be checks against any of the skills; if you can convince me it applies, then you get the extra die. 
So, go ahead and put together a character. This will be a fairly small franchise, early in the start-up process, if that'll help guide your character concept. Four skill values of 1-4 each, totaling to 9, plus a talent, and maybe a little backstory. No need to go overboard, though.
I'm looking forward to seeing what you have.
Post what you come up with, and we can discuss.
Navigation:
Character creation: Begins right here.
Franchise creation: http://rpggeek.com/article/8334928#8334928
Media interview: http://rpggeek.com/article/8366027#8366027
The job begins: http://rpggeek.com/article/8379770#8379770
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Przemek Bednarski
United Kingdom
Coventry
West Midlands
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Frederick Von Bednar
A self motivated, slim, tweed wearing, adaptable and mostly reliable professional seeking a challenging position in the paranormal investigation and elimination sector which will utilise the academic and experimental technology skills developed through my involvement with [Insert City Here] University and promotional work during vacations.
Able to work long shifts, afternoons and weekends.
Academics: 3
Athletics: 1
Contact: 2
Technology: 3
Talent: Professor of Experimental Physics
Prof. von Bednar found himself unemployed recently after a small accident in the university's laboratories (who knew that a pinch of nasal snuff could create a chain reaction in the hard photon manipulator when the capacitors sensor array is not reversed?). This was a perfect opportunity to follow his dream of investigating paranormal activities, which are, to his belief, anomalies that can be explained trough physics.
In 5 years time he sees himself as a published author, explaining paranormal activities with science! thanks to the experience gained while working for InSpectes.
Disclaimer: I do not know much about physics, so I will be using a lot of techno-babble - I hope that is ok with everyone ;)
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Katherine Rosland
Norway
Stavanger
Rogaland
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
I'll edit this when I have a bit more, but here's my thoughts so far. If this isn't balanced enough I'm sure I can think of another kind of character, or even tweak her a bit.
Amy Winters
A young woman, slight of build and height. Fair skin, brown hair and dark emerald green eyes.
Shy and introverted causing her to have few friends growing up and therefore to find pleasure and company in gadgets, computers and anything mechanical.
Academics: 2
Athletics: 2
Contact: 1
Technology: 4
Talent: Technological Affinity (Dave, feel free to make this more specific)
Amy has had trouble holding a job. Comments about her introvertedness and lack of social skills from both customers and colleagues alike, kept getting her laid off.
She has always had an interest in ghostly goings-on, and hopes this new job will be a better fit for her.
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Both of these look pretty good. One thought about talents, though...your talent can get you an extra die in any skill check, if you can convince me it applies. The example the text gives is "Mechanic", as in auto mechanic. It can gain a bonus when driving a car (tech), swinging a monkey wrench in a fight (athletics), using your knowledge of running a repair shop to sway a local politician to lower fees (contact), etc. Now, I'm not saying "someone should be a mechanic", and we can certainly run with the characters we have, but go ahead and think about the talent some more.
Przemek, I could see your professorship working in a number of situations. Katherine, your talent looks pretty focused at technology. If you think you can fit into an athletics, academic, and/or contact check, then let's keep it. But I'm OK if you decide to come up with something different.
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
One other thing:
Who the heck are you? If you could share a couple of sentences about yourself, it'll help us know with whom we're playing. I'll start:
I'm Dave Wilson. I've been on BGG since 2002. I played AD&D and various other RPGs in high school and college, took a 20+ year hiatus from role-playing (though I still played board and card games), and got back involved in 2007 or so. My role-playing renaissance has involved newer games, such as Fiasco, InSpectres, and Primetime Adventures. I've been the producer through one season of PTA; I've played Fiasco four times in person, and twice by play-by-forum; I've played InSpectres live once, and GMed it pbf here on the 'geek once as well.
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Ash Ketchum
United States
Pallet Town
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Alizarin Red
A bit of a loner, a "weirdo" even. Kind of tomboyish. Used to be a member in the traveling circus until they thought she was "talking" to herself and kicked her out for being too strange. Alizarin likes tea and jogging at night. She has a fine attention to the oddest detail, especially if it involves investigation.
Academics 3
Athletics 3
Contact 1
Technology 2
Talent - An aerial artist +1 for athletics on die roll?
Circus perfomer
(I need help with a talent!)
Thank you!
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Przemek Bednarski
United Kingdom
Coventry
West Midlands
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
OK, let me introduce myself then...
I'm Przemek Bednarski (obviously my parents did not want me to leave the country giving me a first name like that ), I'm Polish, but I had been living in UK since 2005 and this year I am moving to the US. I had been into RPGs mid-90s, starting with WFRP and running a lot of things on GURPS. Then I had (and still have) a massive break from RPGs, because my friends moved away and later I moved to the UK. I had some games here and there, but in last 7-8years I maybe played 7-8 times. I kept myself up-to-date with what is happening in the RPG world and got into translation of RPG books along the way.
I am a pbf virgin...
...and I also respond to the name Fred (long story).
Gaming wise, I like a lot of indie games and I really enjoy a narrative or a story game over number-crunching.
I had been lurking on BGG at least since 2007, I only recently started using it more
...and yes, it is me in the picture
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bob weaver
Estonia
tallinn
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Auramine O wrote: Alizarin Red
A bit of a loner, a "weirdo" even. Kind of tomboyish. Used to be a member in the traveling circus until they thought she was "talking" to herself and kicked her out for being too strange. Alizarin likes tea and jogging at night. She has a fine attention to the oddest detail, especially if it involves investigation.
Academics 3
Athletics 3
Contact 1
Technology 2
Talent - An aerial artist +1 for athletics on die roll?
(I need help with a talent!)
That was funny because of Dave's post above yours I thought you were talking about yourself not your character, it wasn't until I got to the "she" did I realize you were talking about your character. I was thinking wow what an openly honest and strange person I'll be playing with, I even had an image in my head of what you looked like.
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Ash Ketchum
United States
Pallet Town
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
I'm Jae. I've been on BGG since Aug 2009. I have never thought I would ever role play. And here I am. I went to a live demo and did a one shot, and seen people do it but it amazes me. Still. I cannot wait to become more involved. I do like tea.
I cannot wait to play with you all!
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Przemek Bednarski
United Kingdom
Coventry
West Midlands
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
@Dave - Just a quick question - what is a PTA?
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Katherine Rosland
Norway
Stavanger
Rogaland
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Ok, a bit about me then.
I'm half Norwegian and half American, but I've never lived in the US.
I'm the youngest of three, and the only girl so I grew up with two geeky older brothers who I idolized. They role played from about the time I was 9, and desperately wanted to join in, but only managed it 8 years later when I made my own geeky friends who had lots of roleplaying experience
I've done most geeky things, I love tabletop, computer and console games. I have stamps and cosplay, and I even LARP!! (Not like you do in the US though...)
My first proper RPG was D&D, but I've since tried many different systems and games, from L5R to Nephilim to Star Wars (WotC Original Edition) to Fiasco to Itras By. In recent years it's been mostly Call of Cthulhu (2nd - 6th Edition), Shadowrun (3rd Edition) and Operation: Fallen Reich.
I'm looking forward to playing some PbF (I'm a virgin too  ) to get my rpg fix though, as we don't get to play very often!
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
-
Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Cybrasty wrote: @Dave - Just a quick question - what is a PTA?
PrimeTime Adventures.
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
-
Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Auramine O wrote: Alizarin Red
...
Talent - An aerial artist +1 for athletics on die roll?
(I need help with a talent!)
How about "Circus Performer" ?
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bob weaver
Estonia
tallinn
-
Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Russel Chaffer
Balding and overweight with a used car-salesman slickness. Pencil thin mustache, embarrassingly tight clothes and a pointless ponytail. He is surprisingly agile and quick for his weight (think sumo wrestler) especially considering his aversion to physical work. A slacker who is able to get by on his charisma, but nothing lasts (relationships, jobs) because once you know him you see him for the lazy self-serving person he is. He is in his thirties but often mistaken for fifty.
Academics: 1
Athletics: 3
Contact: 4
Technology: 1
Talent: Size up (as in sizes up the situation, can spot a weakness/strength/a lemon/ a good deal)
After years of unleashing crappy electronics, cars, aluminum siding, life insurance policies, forged sports memorabilia Lance decides to step things up a notch. Perhaps the first inspiration of his life as he decides to be his own boss (his mother just passed away and he came into some money- his mother would have chuckled that what she tried in life she could only accomplish through death, the saint that she was she probably would have killed herself 20 years ago). Russel feels there is easy money to be made in this paranormal stuff.
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bob weaver
Estonia
tallinn
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
I’m Joshua Jacobson. I live in Estonia in the countryside, originally from the US (mostly East coast). Have been on the board game side of things for the past 10 years. RPGs like all trends during the 80’s they only glanced off of my neighborhood. Breakdancing: we never got past the wave, moonwalk and worm. Skateboarding: none of us could even do an Ollie Nobody ever solved the Rubik’s cube, nobody ever beat Mike Tyson and with RPGs we never got past making characters. So I missed out on the Golden Years of the RPG age. Now hoping to get on board the Renaissance Years of RPGs .This is my first online game of any type. I play board games and videogames but nothing online.
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
-
Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Um...Russel, or Lance? 
This is quite the collection of, um, talent we have here.
Frederick Von Bednar
Academics: 3
Athletics: 1
Contact: 2
Technology: 3
Talent - Professor of Experimental Physics
Amy Winters
Academics: 2
Athletics: 2
Contact: 1
Technology: 4
Talent - Technological Affinity (or...maybe Tinkering?)
Alizarin Red
Academics: 3
Athletics: 3
Contact: 1
Technology: 2
Talent - Circus performer
Russel Chaffer
Academics: 1
Athletics: 3
Contact: 4
Technology: 1
Talent - Sizing up
This looks good!
The next step is to define the franchise. Questions to think about are:
- How big is it?
- Where is it located?
- Who runs it? Is it just you folks, or is there some Board of Directors out there?
- Do you have any competitors out there?
- What kind of gear do you have access to? Transportation?
- Do you have a specialty?
We're not looking for absolute detail here. We're just trying to get an idea of where you all work. I'll start by answering the first question: It's a small franchise, just starting out. (Makes my job as GM easier for a short intro like this. )
Also, this is perhaps a good time to ask about the general tech level of the game. The text offers four possibilities:
- Simple/Primitive (think 1700s)
- Standard (think anything that can be had in real life, right now)
- Experimental/Fringe (think Ghostbusters-level equipment. It's uncommon, unconventional, and unreliable.)
- Ultra-Tech (think Men In Black style equipment. It's standard issue, and just a requisition form away.)
Thoughts?
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Przemek (boy, Fred would be easier to type ), Katherine, Jae, Joshua...welcome!
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bob weaver
Estonia
tallinn
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Fixed it. Yes Russel, he started out as Lance (a young slacker McGyver type) but evolved into Russel.
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bob weaver
Estonia
tallinn
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
I like group thought in that you get to better places than just on your own so the following are just ideas and I would just as easily go along with another idea than I would my own:
Building: My character would want bang for the buck: cheap rent bad part of town, or small place in good part of town to give the impression we are upscale. Or some wacky deal that puts money in my pocket: sharing the place with a laundromat.
Owners: Us 4 are owners in some combination or way
Competition: I think could be fun
vehicle: I think our former circus performer could have some interesting vehicle.
Gear: the professor brings some solid stuff and our tech specialist has some crazy gadgets, they are at odds with each other or work together.
Specialty: ?
Tech level: I don't think we should have ultratech. Maybe we are in that period but we have last generation stuff.
I think overall we seem to be a group struggling to find their place, we have all been cast off in some way. So I really like the idea that we are struggling to fit in when we never really have.
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Przemek Bednarski
United Kingdom
Coventry
West Midlands
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
First things first - feel free to call me Fred, everyone else does and I am very used to it (so much so, that I am planning on changing my first name to a middle name and taking Fred as first, in the near future).
But back to the game.
I love the idea of renting our office in a laundromat! I can now see our meeting with a client in a back room of a busy and noisy laundromat, where people argue about their delicates!
I would nominate Russ as a person who started the franchise and rest of us joined in. It seems like a natural move for his "smooth talking" character. It also seems that he wouldn't have any problems in hiring a team like ours just to make money. Also, I would say that while Russ runs the show, our franchise needs to respond to the board of directors - just to generate some tension
Competition: GhostFacers! a new age, hipster run company specialising in ghost...well, facing, not hunting. They want to resolve the ghosts' problems and set them "free" instead of just eliminating the problem. I just find an idea of hipster enemies amusing
Vehicle: circus vehicle sounds great. Perhaps a truck with an animal cage? Useful for trapping the abominations!
Tech: I would go for slightly lower than ghostbusters level - highly experimental. My character can rig something with the parts I "borrowed" from university and some duct tape.
Speciality? nah, I would say - we can handle anything with the same amount of success
For Amy I would choose a talent along the lines of "gadget geek" or "computer wizz" - she can not only use it hack systems, but also smack someone with a keyboard and chat-up people online.
What You think?
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Whoa! Now, hang on a sec. Is this any way to run a respectable business? Just shove them in the back of a laundromat, and hope customers find you? I'd think that a shrewd businessman like Russel would have better ideas than that.
When I was asking "where", I meant it more generally. City? Suburb? Small town? Rural area? Any particular city, or town, or area? More like that. But it sounds like at least two of you are thinking "city". Pending others' contributions, lets run with that for a bit.
Joshua, you suggested "bang for your buck" in terms of location. Let's see how well you do. I'd like you to make a Contact skill check. Russel's Contact is four, so you'll roll four d6, and discard the lowest three. Using the GeekRoller, you'll want to plug this into the roller: 4d6l[3], which is (4d6, discard the lowest three (yeah, that's a lower case "L", not a number one).
Like so:
4d6l[3] = (1 + 2 + 1 + 5) = 5
This is how skill rolls will work. I'll ask for one, you roll the appropriate number of dice, and we'll consult the skill roll chart, as listed on page 2 of the startup ruleset.
So, go ahead and make that roll.
For the vehicle, well, since you mentioned it first, Joshua, you should roll for that, too, but as the CEO of this franchise (again, pending others' contributions), this once I'll let you delegate that. Who is going to get the official company transportation?
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Ash Ketchum
United States
Pallet Town
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
daw65 wrote: The next step is to define the franchise. Questions to think about are: - How big is it? - Where is it located? - Who runs it? Is it just you folks, or is there some Board of Directors out there? - Do you have any competitors out there? - What kind of gear do you have access to? Transportation? - Do you have a specialty? We're not looking for absolute detail here. We're just trying to get an idea of where you all work. I'll start by answering the first question: It's a small franchise, just starting out. (Makes my job as GM easier for a short intro like this. ) Also, this is perhaps a good time to ask about the general tech level of the game. The text offers four possibilities: - Simple/Primitive (think 1700s) - Standard (think anything that can be had in real life, right now) - Experimental/Fringe (think Ghostbusters-level equipment. It's uncommon, unconventional, and unreliable.) - Ultra-Tech (think Men In Black style equipment. It's standard issue, and just a requisition form away.) Thoughts?
Hmmm... I think we should have a smallish type of place. Maybe somewhere stuffed away in the big city.
Maybe we own the place, but we are kind of like a unique branch of a bigger outfit that lets us use our own rules and run things how we run them, but we have to get assignments or whatnot and "sorta" take orders from them. But not really. Kinda like we're rebels and they put up with us because they know we get the job done like noone else.
There is only one other competitor but they are in another country? And they run things smoother, more efficient and are organized a lot better. Kinda like we're the misfits and they are the do-gooders in a way. So complete opposite from us.
We have one car and a funny motorcycle type of thing. that we share? lol. (I dunno guys, I'm just throwing out ideas and I haven't read the responses yet but promise to do so right after.) We have access to computers, tools, just standard stuff and nothing fancy because we aren't exactly rich.
I don't know about a specialty
I say we go for the fringe!
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Ash Ketchum
United States
Pallet Town
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
mr. assist wrote: I like group thought in that you get to better places than just on your own so the following are just ideas and I would just as easily go along with another idea than I would my own:
Building: My character would want bang for the buck: cheap rent bad part of town, or small place in good part of town to give the impression we are upscale. Or some wacky deal that puts money in my pocket: sharing the place with a laundromat.
Owners: Us 4 are owners in some combination or way
Competition: I think could be fun
vehicle: I think our former circus performer could have some interesting vehicle.
Gear: the professor brings some solid stuff and our tech specialist has some crazy gadgets, they are at odds with each other or work together.
Specialty: ?
Tech level: I don't think we should have ultratech. Maybe we are in that period but we have last generation stuff.
I think overall we seem to be a group struggling to find their place, we have all been cast off in some way. So I really like the idea that we are struggling to fit in when we never really have.
I highlighted the parts I really liked!
Cybrasty wrote: First things first - feel free to call me Fred, everyone else does and I am very used to it (so much so, that I am planning on changing my first name to a middle name and taking Fred as first, in the near future). But back to the game. I love the idea of renting our office in a laundromat! I can now see our meeting with a client in a back room of a busy and noisy laundromat, where people argue about their delicates! I would nominate Russ as a person who started the franchise and rest of us joined in. It seems like a natural move for his "smooth talking" character. It also seems that he wouldn't have any problems in hiring a team like ours just to make money. Also, I would say that while Russ runs the show, our franchise needs to respond to the board of directors - just to generate some tension Competition: GhostFacers! a new age, hipster run company specialising in ghost...well, facing, not hunting. They want to resolve the ghosts' problems and set them "free" instead of just eliminating the problem. I just find an idea of hipster enemies amusing [b]Vehicle: circus vehicle sounds great. Perhaps a truck with an animal cage? Useful for trapping the abominations! Tech: I would go for slightly lower than ghostbusters level - highly experimental. My character can rig something with the parts I "borrowed" from university and some duct tape. Speciality? nah, I would say - we can handle anything with the same amount of success For Amy I would choose a talent along the lines of "gadget geek" or "computer wizz" - she can not only use it hack systems, but also smack someone with a keyboard and chat-up people online. [b/] What You think?
I bolded what I like. I'll do up a summary of what all of us liked!
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Katherine Rosland
Norway
Stavanger
Rogaland
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
Busy Bees! Gosh
I'll look over things and give my two cents in a few hours
I'm loving where this is going though!
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Dave Wilson
United States
Pleasanton
California
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Re: Newbie-friendly Play-by-Forum Initiative (yes, a better title will be forthcoming)
We have one from Britain, one from Norway, and one from Estonia, so I expected a level of activity that would taper off at a particular time, but it appears that Joshua and Fred are night owls, and very interested (as is Jae) (yay!) so yeah, it's been active.
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Posted Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:17 am
