I'm a different anon than the one who asked about what people would like to see in a sci-fi game, I've been batting around some ideas, and most of what was in that thread was stuff I already had planned. I did want to get more feedback on the issue of "solving the jamjar" though.
I like the idea of characters coming willingly, and it fits in with the plot. There's room in the overall metaplot as well to have multiple ways of bringing in characters, and multiple entry methods is something I've personally always wanted in a game. To save a little time in explaining the whole plot, assume for this that there's A Cause that's at least a little compelling. Thing along the lines of Space Greenpeace, something positive and enriching, rather than a war. All of the below are ways that characters could come in:
- Living characters with dimensional travel abilities/within their canon can sign up to join The Cause. They can, in theory, return whenever they choose to.
- Living characters without dimensional travel abilities can stumble on a wormhole. While the wormhole is still open, they can choose to join up.
- Living characters without dimensional travel abilities can stumble on a wormhole, but it may close before they can make their choice. Joining The Cause will be their best chance at finding one back, though it's no sure thing.
- Dead characters have the option of being "spiritually" caught in a wormhole, and reconstituted into a "clone" body. Because magiscience. They do not have the option of returning home.
There would be a section on the app to explain the character's presence in game. Dropped characters would be transferred to another ship working for the same cause, rather than actually leaving the universe itself. Canon updates, and dropped characters being reapped could be attributed to spacetime anomalies with a dash of multiverse theory.
I think between those options, it misses characters with dimensional travel abilities who wouldn't want to stay, or who would just up and decide to go home, but I think there are relatively few enough characters with those abilities that it could just be worked out on a case by case basis. I would be open to letting players propose their own options and solutions as well, so long as it fit with the plot and tone.
A Nice Sci-Fi Exploration/Mission Game
I like the idea of characters coming willingly, and it fits in with the plot. There's room in the overall metaplot as well to have multiple ways of bringing in characters, and multiple entry methods is something I've personally always wanted in a game. To save a little time in explaining the whole plot, assume for this that there's A Cause that's at least a little compelling. Thing along the lines of Space Greenpeace, something positive and enriching, rather than a war. All of the below are ways that characters could come in:
- Living characters with dimensional travel abilities/within their canon can sign up to join The Cause. They can, in theory, return whenever they choose to.
- Living characters without dimensional travel abilities can stumble on a wormhole. While the wormhole is still open, they can choose to join up.
- Living characters without dimensional travel abilities can stumble on a wormhole, but it may close before they can make their choice. Joining The Cause will be their best chance at finding one back, though it's no sure thing.
- Dead characters have the option of being "spiritually" caught in a wormhole, and reconstituted into a "clone" body. Because magiscience. They do not have the option of returning home.
There would be a section on the app to explain the character's presence in game. Dropped characters would be transferred to another ship working for the same cause, rather than actually leaving the universe itself. Canon updates, and dropped characters being reapped could be attributed to spacetime anomalies with a dash of multiverse theory.
I think between those options, it misses characters with dimensional travel abilities who wouldn't want to stay, or who would just up and decide to go home, but I think there are relatively few enough characters with those abilities that it could just be worked out on a case by case basis. I would be open to letting players propose their own options and solutions as well, so long as it fit with the plot and tone.
Thoughts? Too complicated? Too wishy-washy?