Unplugged! - "Amber Award #2"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

"More Guts than Amber" Award

Don't get me wrong here. Amber had lots of guts & showed that constantly throughout the run of "The Tribe's" 5 seasons. But mostly she grew into that resolve & courage. In the early parts of Season-1 especially, she was still confused & finding her way, same as everybody else. She had to grow ... and she hadn't grown so much when Sasha came on the scene. I still have NO CLUE what the attraction was there - especially compared to Bray! - but obviously they had feelings for each other. They spent nights together & we were left to imagine what that meant. When all was said 'n done, when Sasha was leaving the city to see the world & find truths the city didn't offer, he asked Amber to come with him. She said "no." The obvious answer was she felt she "had a job to do" and couldn't abandon her tribe. Another answer might've been that she found it hard to leave the security & friends she had found, even if that was for love.

So from our game, we decided KRYSTAL, who was willing to take such a chance, truly did have more guts than Amber in the same situation. Well, almost the same. We're not sure love was involved, when Sid asked her to adventure with him & leave the city. But Krystal took a shot and left her tribe and city behind for a new place with Sid. That definitely took guts.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Unplugged! - "Bray & Amber Award"

AWARDS UNPLUGGED: Where we take the Summer 2008 awards & break 'em down to "Tribe" references so you can see what each award refers to, then the defining moment that resulted in a character receiving this award.

Bray & Amber "Happy Families" Award

"Happy Families" is a card game whose idea is to collect whole families. There was also a short-lived UK tv-series by the same name. It was a familiar bit, hearing Ebony sneer at Bray or Amber & ask if they were just gonna sit around playing "happy families." But in a way that's what they were doing - trying to take the odds 'n ends of a shattered world & build a family from it. In the early days they were pretty good at the "mom" and "dad" roles. But as it turned out, the early days were the easier ones. By the time Bray & Amber were playing the role for real, with the impending birth of baby Bray, everything else had pretty much fallen apart.

For this award, we had a 3-way tie.

TRISTAN & CECILY are the unlikeliest of all but they're also the only quasi-traditionally married couple we have, building a life in the city with a home & a respectable business. It's just...behind closed doors..."happy families" isn't exactly what they're playing here.

VALENTINE & VINCENT are Fort River's "it" couple. Wildly successful in New World terms, they recently declared their love for each other & decided to partner in all of Val's city businesses (which are considerable). They've settled into a nest in the Mirage, and life is good.

PRINCE & EVE have been our surprise couple this season. Old high-school friends who lost touch after the Virus, they spent the spring re-discovering each other. They live together & seem content with the life they're building.

What's truly surprising is the relationship-building going on throughout our game. The focus has definitely shifted from survival/fighting/competition to survival/building/finding someone to build a life with.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe

Unplugged! - "Amber Award"

Wow, feedback. It's a wonderful thing. I've had lots of questions about our game's "Tribe Awards" - what the awards are, how they're determined, and exactly why characters won the awards they did? So ... guess we need to get more specific. Not a problem, guys.

Welcome to AWARDS UNPLUGGED.

I'm gonna take the Summer 2008 awards list & break 'em down. I'll give you "Tribe" references so you can see what each award title refers to. Then I'll describe the defining moment or scene that resulted in a character receiving his/her award. This is gonna take a bit of time, one per day, so stick with us. Maybe this'll give you some more insight into our game too ... maybe encourage you to check us out. ((Yep, always with the ulterior motive.))

So let's start at the top.

The Amber Award

Amber always seemed to be the "reluctant leader," first of the Mall Rats then the Ecos and then a recognized leader of the city itself. But she was known to ditch all that & split to follow her conscience. This is a direct reference to Season-3, after she & Bray were reunited in the city. Still she left to go & try to pull together tribes outside the city to fight the Guardian. Seemed the city's needs came before her own.

HAWK is perfect for this award, a reluctant leader to the River Rats though they elected her & enthusiastically followed her. She did the best she could & moved them into the heart of Fort River so they could be part of something more. But then she turned her back on that, stepped down as leader, disappeared into the city. Hawk has bad vibes about the things happening all around them - and this girl pays attention to her vibes. This is a parallel "needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Hawk figures what's good for the city will ultimately be good for her tribe ... but there's still that pesky reluctance. We know she wasn't comfortable as leader. Anyway, Hawk & Amber definitely would've been friends. They have a lot in common when it comes to leadership style & doing what's right.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe

Tribe Style

"The Tribe" had a very unique style. Actually that was one of the best bits, seeing what the characters would come up with when it came to shoes, outfits, hairstyles & colors, and makeup.

That's where television made life interesting. Do you know how hard it is to create, describe and visualize the kind of detail "The Tribe" could do instantly with one photo-clip?

But our players do the best they can, and we try to reinforce each other's descriptive creativity where we can.

Details that come instantly to mind...

• Silver-blonde hair - as worn by Villa & Eris.
• Chocolate brown eyes - how Tristan sees Cecily.
• A green crescent moon tattoo - Jade's slave mark.
• Full ninja dress - Zero's trademark.
• An angel tattoo across his shoulders - more than one girl has noticed that about our resident rock star Vincent.
• A missing eye - even if Hawk has recently started using a replacement.

These are just a few of the many details our players work on when it comes to character attributes. They also include manner of dress and choice of weapons. Things change up occasionally and that's fun too!

If we can't take pictures, we can certainly paint them with words.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Pain

Pain. It makes an impression.

Pain is a universal concept. If it's alive, it's felt pain to various degrees.

Doesn't matter if your world is normal or, like our game-world, a bit apocalypic. The bitch of it is, we tend to do it to each other. If there are no adults around ... seems the kids are quite capable of dealing out the pain all by themselves.

Physical.

Mental.

Emotional.

Pain comes in all colors & sizes. It's in our game-world too because, hey, universal remember? If you create a fictitious world and it's gonna have any semblance to reality at all, there will be pain.

Examples are easily come by.

Heartbreak? Arianna has lost 3 lovers in less than a year - 2 to war and 1 who walked out because he couldn't deal with her brand of New World justice.

Physical pain? Tristan has made that an art form, subjecting Cecily to methods of torture that she wouldn't have imagined possible ... or imagined that she could survive.

Mental pain? Valentine was kidnapped by a madman, immobilized and stashed in a dumpster where she lingered for days and still has nightmares from.

These are the tip of the ice berg. The characters in our game are truly survivors. Fortunately pain can be offset with pleasures, some as simple as a good meal or a hug or as vital as love.

In "The Tribe," Lex almost died from a simple toothache in Season-4.

Pain. It's universal.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Fade

Does it fade?

Pain. Terror. Horror. Uncertainty.
Fear. Sadness. Loneliness. Desperation.

That hollow ache inside when the absolute worst happens

& there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.

Does it fade?

Is that what happens?
Is that how we survive?

Or do we just become so numb that even

one more thing can't affect us...can't touch us

inside because inside is just cold and empty.

The characters in our game have

suffered and lost, time after time.

Some of them disappear.
Some of them die.

Some of them find a well of hope

that maybe things can get better.

Tomorrow...if we can just

make it until tomorrow.

I think I know how that feels.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

One more Award...

Special Note from the Council of Tribes:

There was one KTDA character we had a difficult time qualifying so we didn't include in the Summer '08 round of awards published yesterday. However upon further consideration, we have created a new award category that recognizes when a character has the guts to take a chance, even if that effort doesn't end in success. Trying counts.

So, the "More Guts Than Amber" Award is presented to KRYSTAL.

Amber didn't take a chance and take a new adventure when Sasha offered it. When Sid offered Krystal that chance, she took it! That took guts, girl. It was a brave experiment. Congratulations!

[posted by Chyna, Game Owner, for the Council]

KTDARPG: Summer 2008 "Tribe Awards"

Welcome to the Council of Tribes TRIBE AWARDS, tipping our hats to the great show that gave us our start. You've all done a GREAT JOB! Here are highlights of the last 6 months from the Keep the Dream Alive rpg & the characters who brought them to life.

... and the winners are ...

• Amber Award -- Hawk
• Bray & Amber Award -- Tristan & Cecily, Val & Vincent, and Prince & Eve
• Drunken Bray Award -- Rio
• Dal "Little Trees" Award -- Jade
• Ebony Award -- Blackrose
• Eco's Award -- Evans Family Tribe
• "Good of the Tribe" Award -- Ace/Alister
• KC Award -- Lily
• Lex "Cover my ass first" Award -- Blood
• Lex & Taisan Award -- Jade & Zero
• Lex Award "when law enforcement goes wild" -- Urick
• Locos Award -- Cecily
• Mouse Award -- Maggie
• Patsy Award -- Izzy
• Paul Award -- Chidori
• Pride Award -- Oliver
• Ruby Award -- Valentine
• Ruby & Slade Award -- Nyx & Johnny Ohm
• Ryan Award -- Icarus and Saber
• Salene Award #1 -- Hawk
• Salene Award #2 -- Eris
• Sasha Award -- Jenna and Teller
• Taisan Award -- Zoey
• Top Hat Award -- Hellstorm (aka Vincent)
• Tribe Circus Award -- Alice
• Tribe Flashback Award -- Tristan
• Tribe Style Award -- Jet
• Trudy Award -- Lady Arianna
• Zoot & Ebony Award -- Villa & Marionette
• Zoot Lives! Award -- Tristan and Blasko

Congrats to all our winners. If you were disappointed this round? There's always next time, especially for the newer characters. Lots of game still to come! And if you aren't familiar with KTDARPG, stop by our game-site and read the full text of the awards including commentary. (The commentary is always the fun part!)

Chyna, Game Owner

reporting for the Council of Tribes

[artwork courtesy of Pride!]

Harsh

One thing every world or country or city or society or family faces post-apocalypse is harsh reality. By its very nature, an apocalpyse changes things drastically . . . and usually for the bad.

For Tribeworld and our gameworld, that "bad change" was the death of all adults over the age of 20.

Domino-effect: No adults means no government. No manufacturing. No advanced knowledge (mostly). Things begin to break down. Nobody's refining oil for gasoline. Food resources and delivery become very localized.

Violence is on the upswing. Anarchy is rampant. Survival of the fittest.

School's out, kiddies.

In a lot of those ways, our game has mirrored our inspiration. Over four years now, we've dealt with short rations, finding safe places to live, tribe wars, slavery, fighting to survive, even unwed mothers making their way with the help of tribe and friends.

We've taken the good with the bad and made the best of it. In addition to bullies and thieves and gang leaders and warlord-wannabees, some of our characters have shown charity, generosity and genuine concern for their fellows. Many our characters have shown courage, ingenuity and long-term planning . . . so nobody talk to me about how kids can't think ahead and work to make the future what they want it to be!

Still, life's harsh under the best circumstances . . . and these certainly aren't the best.

It's a challenge. One our players have set to with a lot of creativity.

Harsh?

Yes. But harsh can bring out the best in us. It can also bring out a lot of other things too. I think we call that the fun part.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Party!

If there's one thing our friends on "The Tribe" knew how to do, it was to have a good time!

Any occasion for a party, they took advantage of.

Dance Party.

Tribe competitions.

Even rat-races!

Oh yes, life NEVER has to be dull.

In KTDA, we know how to party too.

You can catch the show each night at the Mirage. You'll probably find Vincent and his rock show or maybe Jade who has her own special style.

If big crowds aren't your style, then try Home. Right now there's a storytelling marathon beginning, between Jenna the Bard and the River Rats' very own Teller.

You can probably find more fun on the beach or at a house party somewhere like the Peachtree Mall.

Whatever you do - have fun!

-Chyna
Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

The wait is usually killer.

Calm before the storm.
Christmas Eve.
Cliffhangers.
The 8th month.
Episode 2.

Yeah...things that make you wait. Patience may be a virtue but it's a damn uncomfortable one. It feels like life is one big set-up to make you wait whether you're a patient person or not. Even games do it to you.






A country-wide drought, the damming of StormRiver, accusations of tribe-genocide, Jet's training and her lust for vengeance, the latest Death Seeker plot, Ace's relationship with Blackrose, the storytelling marathon between the Teller & the Bard, Johnny's return and how Maggie reacts, the next rock-star show, the truth about The 100 -- KTDA has so many plot spins & twists coming & we have to WAIT!

Ok, Ok ... no worries.

What we're waiting on is totally worth it. Yeah, I'll admit "anticipation" tends to add to satisfaction when you finally get delivery. What we're waiting on is real-life. Our game players have lives & obligations & other interests, especially this time of year. We spent all spring building up to the good stuff. Now it's just a matter of waiting on delivery.

So ... we wait.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Brooding

It's a human thing.
When events
or emotions
or confusions
or people
affect you
deeply...
you brood.



If you don't
allow yourself


to feel
what you feel,


you'll never
ever
get past it.


Feel it
all of it
then
move on.




-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Bit Parts

You know them well, those throw-away characters who show up for a few episodes or a season and then...vanish!

"The Tribe" was filled with them. There was a whole city affected by the Virus, not just a handful of primary characters. Here are a few of my favorites.

Sasha was the first. He came out of nowhere and landed first with slavers, then with Amber. Believe me, that stirred up a whole lotta crap...especially a very jealous Bray. But Sasha also showed Amber that she had choices and alternatives in her life, even when she didn't think so. Ultimately he asked her to leave with him. She made a choice, and she made it for the right reasons. Then Sasha was gone. Purpose served.

Next there was Spike. Spike was a Loco, one of Zoot's lieutenants then one of Ebony's after Zoot died. He challenged her for the tribe, chased her out, captured & tortured her and was just nasty in general. But he was a catalyst for Ebony's growing relationship with the Mall Rats. His ultimate death was blamed on Ebony when the Guardian was setting her up to discredit her.

Tribe Season-3 got harsh. Amber was kidnapped and Bray was helpless to find her. The stress got so bad, he abandoned the Mall Rats and went walkabout. When the Horse Traders found Bray beat up and passed out in a ditch, they took him with them and Moon took very good care of him. What Moon did was give him back his sense of purpose. She offered him options--asked him to leave the city and stay with her--& he realized where his responsibilities and his heart really lived. Moon and her people went on with Pony Joe and were never seen again.

Then there was Mouse. Salene found Mouse when she came back to the city after searching for Ryan (whom she never found). Sal took Mouse to the Mall and from there everything fell into place. Mouse was a kid, and we saw things develop through her eyes. It was a great perspective. Finally Mouse knew the city was just too big & scary a place for her. Salene took Mouse back to the Eco-Tribe so that she could live in fresh air and sunshine and grow up in a good place.

There were lots of bit-players in "The Tribe." They each had their brief appearance...but their impact was very real. It's fun to remember them, who they were and what they did. I know that Spike died but we don't know what happened to the others.

I hope they lived long lives in Tribeworld.

-Chyna
Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Warm

Spring.

You gotta love it.

In KTDARPG we've moved into summer.

But now that it's April,
the weather outside
will start to get at least
close to what we're playing
with in the game.

Makes it fun.

Also makes it easier to describe blue skies, kinder breezes, warm sunshine, even those outside activities we duplicate in the game like gardening, playing, walking on a sunny street, girl- and guy-watching ... even just sitting in a sunny spot enjoying the feel.


Now if we can just get spring
to hurry up a bit more (for those of us up north).

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Water

Season-1 of "The Tribe" began by showing the kinds of problems kids faced with the downfall of their civilization & technology. One of the most basic challenges was finding clean water.

How did they cope? Lucky for the Mallrats, their mall had a roof water tower. Problem was how to refill it when it was empty, and how to keep others from stealing it. Even inside the tribe, Lex was known to squirrel a few jugs away against future need. It even became political - Lex planted water in Bray's room & accused him of stealing it. That's one way to get rid of a rival, I guess.

It seemed that rain was scarce. When it did rain, the Mallrats were challenged to make the water drinkable. (I guess that meant, once they took the cover off their water tower, they broke any seal that kept the water inside drinkable.) It was good old "genius" Jack along with Dal who found the ingredients & built a water purifier that actually worked.

For the rest of the city, most kids hauled water from the river. It was noted early that, with no factories or other sources of pollution, the river was finally running clean. It was also noted that hauling water was the hard way.

Water is a basic necessity of life. You drink it, cook with it, wash with it, clean with it, grow food with it ... hard to do without it.

Based on a recent player poll at KTDARPG, our game's 7th season is going to do a bit of mirroring Tribe Season-1. The over-arching theme this season is Drought. We haven't dealt with a whole lot of life-altering shortages. This will certainly be one of them. And we don't even have a "Jack" to get us through ...

Stop by & check it out as the season progresses.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

I get by...

When you boil it down, a good part of what "The Tribe" was about was friendship.

Friends. Mates.
Compadres. Brothers.
Lovers. Tribes.
Gangs. Neighbors.

Whatever term you use, finding yourself alone in a world upside down tended to drive the Tribe characters to find friends, make alliances & stick together.

There were lots of good reasons for doing that. It was easier to find food if there was more than one of you looking. Easier to find shelter. Easier to guard each other's backs instead of roughing it alone. The more people around you that you trust, the better chance you have for survival--more than that, the better your chances to thrive.

It wasn't about supremecy. The Tribe wasn't about empire-building. What they were building were families, the most basic unit upon which they could truly build the future.

So at the risk of sounding oh-so-corny, I'll say that friendship is what I've found through KTDARPG too. Maybe it's the Tribe-element at work. Maybe it's just the human element. I've made friends from sunny California to the red earth of Tara...er, Atlanta, to the lakes of Michigan & Ohio, to the best parts of New England, to the walls of Jerusalem and many many parts in between. Some of these friends I've met; others I haven't had the privilege yet. All my friends are dear to me. We share laughter & dreams & goals & ambitions and just...life. It's kinda cool.

As the song says,
"I get by with a little help from my friends."

For the all-nighters & the encouragement, for the great times, for the very wicked story plots that probably had other players thinkin' we were totally stoned at the time, and for so much more...thanks, friends. You know who you are.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Everybody grows.

Over the past few months I've been getting a bit of flack & a snide remark every now 'n then about the premise of KTDARPG.

If you've visited the site, you know it states plainly inspired by "The Tribe." That "inspired by" holds some importance to those of us who've been around the game most of it's 3-1/2 years.

If you aren't aware, "The Tribe" was a great tv-show out of New Zealand that ran for 5 seasons -- a post-apocalyptic world where a Virus wiped out the adult population & left the kids to find a way to not only survive but to build a new society.

And so...that's where our rpg began. A world without adults, and kids left to rule.

In 5 seasons, which was just about 5 years real-time, "The Tribe" covered about 1 year of survival for the characters we grew to love & be fascinated by. (And isn't it amazing how much Jack, as well as a lot of other characters, grew in that short amount of time!)

In 7 game-seasons, working on 4 years, our rpg has surpassed our inspiration. Currently in the game we're about 2+ years past the Virus outbreak. We have a lot of characters, and things change fast. It's been fun watching characters grow & develop in the game, step by step.

See, that's the key. Our characters have grown. Our game has grown. We've solved some of the problems the tv-show characters were challenged by, and others we've grown beyond. Where the tv-show had to be worried about broadcast censors & a lowest-common-denominator audience, our game has no such limitations. It's been more violent at times; it's been more hormonal at times. I think that means it's shown more realism than the tv-show was allowed to do. But KTDARPG hasn't degenerated into fantasy or superman or ridiculous. (Ok, I might be wrong on the ridiculous; but who am I to judge what inspires some of our players to do what they do?)

Our plots have dealt with submission & slavery, violence & hope, survival & strength of self. I'd challenge anybody to tell me that doesn't mirror what we saw in "The Tribe," and what we admired about it.

For the future, who knows? We have some great creative players. The collaborations are often brilliant & always fun!

If you aren't a member of our game, check us out sometime. The story might surprise you.

If you are a member/player, hi! And thanks! You're the one who's made it fun!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

What touches you?

What touches you?

Fires your imagination?

Keeps you coming back?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Me? Ahh...ok. I'm easy. Anybody who knows me knows I'm always drawn to the Bad Boy or Bad Girl. Can't help it. Those are the ones who hold the biggest surprises, the biggest emotional charge, the boldest--or briefest--futures.

From "The Tribe," forget about Amber totally. Forget Salene until you got around to Season-5 when she kicked back finally. Add to that Ellie, Dani & Taisan. I was watching Ebony, May, Moz, Alice, Ruby & any girl who had the guts to survive without waiting on somebody to hold her hand.

Guys? That's even easier. Bray was a bust. Ryan was sweet but ultimately useless, and mostly Pride didn't have a clue. Put the spotlight on Lex, Slade, Jay, Ram or Mega. That's where the action & power & interest was. You could count on it from the minute they came on scene.

Yeah, I guess that shows up in my KTDARPG characters.

The girls are all over the place--from crazy-ass "Villa" & metamorphosing "Cecily" to strong but ultrafeminine "Valentine" to useless-but-we're-working-on-it "Jade." The girls I really have fun watching when they're in top form are conflicted "Eris," warrior-without-a-war "Hawk," the exotic "Blackrose" & kick-ass Arianna. (I'm waiting to see what becomes of the new bard "Jenna" & where "Maggie" winds up.)

I haven't done too many male characters, and the best ones were pretty short-lived: psychotic "Nemesis," the man of many faces "Bishop," and the behind-the-scenes newspaperman "Cosmo." The guys I watch are a blast--Prince & Marionette, Ace & Tristan & Urick, Vincent & the enigmatic Scarecrow. If I could I'd put every one of 'em on tv in a heartbeat!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The point? Well, yeah, there is a point here. For me, I figure out what it is I like about the characters I enjoy watching & try to put some of that in my own characters. If it's a depth of emotion or commitment I appreciate, I try to emulate that. If it's just a wild, carefree attitude then it's fun to try to play with that inside my own creations.

So there you have it. Moral of the Story: Steal everything! Hehe...ok, not quite that. But find those traits you appreciate--in other people, other characters, or even inside yourself--and put those into the characters you create.

Bottom line, they'll be more "real" and people will enjoy them more.

There endeth the lesson.

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Pick your partnerships carefully

A lot of the fun of posting in a text-based rpg is the variety of personalities you deal with. Even more important are their writing and online habits--when you're working hard on a scenario, the player you're working with really can make or break you! There are something like...4, i think?...4 types of rpg-ers when it comes to KTDARPG.

(1) The Devoted Player -- This is the person who's in it for the story & the fun! S/he is online a lot (usually because they use computers a lot on the job or in the classroom) and always up for a good back-n-forth, which tends to give a sense of urgency to the writing & can really move a story along. If you're another Devoted Player, this is who you want for your writing partner. If you're not another Devoted Player, you have to make sure you let your partner know your limitations or schedule. Otherwise disappointment will abound!

(2) The Recreational Player -- This person is your "normal player." S/he is online maybe once a day for a while, able to catch up on reading & posting with their character. Once you understand their patterns, Recreational Players are really the backbone of the game. They're dependable & methodical. They keep the story steady, covering all the bases. Just about anyone can have fun posting with Recreationals. Their stories develop a little slower but it gets there...and is usually pretty powerful when it does.

(3) The Sporadic Player -- This may be your once-a-week guy, the one with a wicked school or work schedule but who's devoted to the game & you know will post as soon as s/he can. Sometimes you'll hear nothing for 3-4 days then get a flurry of posts as they try to catch up on everything. It can be fun to watch but gets just a bit frustrating when you're playing opposite them if you aren't expecting it. Sporadics are valuable team members. They know the story, they read the posts, and even when they aren't posting they're planning for it. By the time they're back in the game, they're ready to hit the ground running.

(4) The Bland Player -- Every game has them. These players really do enjoy the game & want to be part of it. Sometimes they don't have time. Sometimes they lose their enthusiasm. Sometimes they just don't know how to keep up. While they're in "bland" mode, they generally don't read the posts. They'll post maybe every month or so just to keep their presence in the game...problem is, since they don't read the posts & know the story, their posts tend to be confusing.

Know what though? From Devoted to Bland, every player is a part of your team. And every team member can have an impact on the story. Whatever kind of player you are, you just have to find your niche & not apologize. You do what you can do. Some can do more. Some will do less. When a game goes as long as ours has, we have players come 'n go 'n then come back again.

Each one is always welcome. You just never know when that sporadic player will become a devoted one, or the recreational will become a bland player for awhile.

After all....it's a game. And the game goes on.

-Chyna

10 things I learned. . .

There are 10 basic rules to thriving in an rpg.
This is a personal list. You might have your own
(and if you do, please share!). For now, consider
the possibilities.

Number-1: It takes Players to make a game. When there are just 4 or 5 routinely playing, it gets boring as hell.

Number-2: A Battle is not a Plot. If you aren't fighting for something then the battle's useless & makes no sense. It comes down to just a battle for bragging rights. Big deal. The "something" is the plot.

Number-3: Everybody deserves a turn in the spotlight. Sometimes it's more fun to help somebody else shine & follow another's plot idea even if it may not seem the best. Yes, even if it means your character(s) become subservient for awhile. So what? It's just a game.

Number-4: Everybody has ideas. They like their ideas. They deserve a chance to try them out. They don't need somebody to tell them their ideas are useless or could be better. They just need somebody to go along & give it a try.

Number-5: The best stories are surprises. You could also call this one Be flexible. Nothing's written in stone. I don't always need to know what the long-term plan is or how something'll end. I LIKE SURPRISES! Even some of my own ideas, I got no clue how they'll end. Our game has multiple players, and I want some of those players along on the same ride with me. If they have ideas or think something might work better if we change this or that...I don't mind. We're writing together. That's a helluva lot of fun.

Number-6: If you really don't like a player, don't play with him/her. Don't beat the dead horse, just go in a different direction. Enough said.

Number-7: There's always NPC-land. I've been there a few times. If you want to try out your own ideas & write your own story, NPC-land is perfect. But if you want to interact with others & write a better story, you need PEOPLE. People are human. NPC-land has no humans. Well, except for you.

Number-8: Three-plus years so we must be doing something right! We have a lot of active players & more storylines than I can keep up with and I'm constantly surprised! That is priceless!

Number-9: If it ain't fun, what are you doing here? Do what it takes to MAKE the game fun for you. Nobody else is gonna, and bitching doesn't help. It just makes people not want to talk to you. Or it hurts feelings.

Number-10: Lighten the hell up! This is fantasy, not real-life. While it can be a good idea to USE those real-world emotions as a creative force in the game...it's really not a good idea to take out anger, rage, frustration, etc. on the PLAYERS. Nope. Not good at all.

Like I said, these are just kind of personal lessons
learned, and they're in no particular order. Anybody
else has a list, I'll be more than happy to publish it for ya!


-Chyna

Fast Forward

We're almost to the end of Season-6 in our "Tribe"-inspired rpg. It's been a bumpy ride for the past 8 months--escalating action, new characters, new players, compelling storylines, drama, mystery, comedy, you name it. But 8 months is definitely long enough for a season. With the end of the current slavery scenario, we'll move into Season-7: Yet-to-be-Named.

And here's the kicker: A time-jump for the game has been proposed. We've done this before, just not with so many character storylines occurring simultaneously.

What is a time-jump? Simply put, a fast-forward. In this case we're looking at jumping ahead one month, from our current late-May timeframe into early July & full-on summer.

Why jump at all? There are reasons for or against. "For" includes giving everyone a fresh start and a whole summer of possibilities. Sometimes players write their characters into corners, totally without meaning to, and find themselves trapped with no way to move. A jump is like a kickstart. "Against" includes missing out on the day-to-day development of characters for the missing length of time. Sometimes that growth is really fun to watch.

What do you do with the "lost month"? Lots of ways to cover the time you fast-forward through. Easiest--or maybe hardest?--is to have each player write a catch-up post that lets everyone know in some way (for example memories, a diary, thinking, a conversation) how his character(s) changed.

How do you set the stage? That is pretty easy. Me (as owner & a principal writer) will collaborate with other players & write a season introduction. It will introduce Season-7 and summarize details of what happened during the "lost month"--including any major changes to the city landscape, major plot points moving forward, pivotal facts that players need as we go into the new season (for example weather changes, deaths/births, economic or power changes). So players will have all the parameters they need for summer in Fort River.

Do you need player agreement for the jump? Well...technically no, but then I'm not exactly techno-girl. That's why our game-site has a player poll up now asking players for their thoughts, feelings, objections or endorsements for the fast-forward. This game isn't about just one person. We have lots of players, and their feelings & ideas need to be included when a decision this big is made for the game.

I've let all our players know to be sure and email me with any questions/concerns/problems they might have. [And any KTDARPG players reading this: Talk to me!] If this is going to happen, it could be really good for the game but ONLY if we're all on the same page moving ahead.

The one think I DO NOT WANT to happen is to spoil any of the fun or momentum we've built in recent months in the game. And only our players can help me decide on that one.

-Chyna
[KTDARPG game-owner]

The Early Days

Reading posts from KTDARPG during the past couple of months, I get the feeling we've gone back to the early "Tribe" inspiration & power.

Season-1 of the tv show is hard to beat. The real-life impact of the Virus, the way the world turned upside down, the raw power of the tribes, the dark gritty action of survival & trying to carve out a new world ... it seems like our game has gone back to that level.

Examples are always helpful.

While tv Season-1 into Season-2 probably had less violence than what we saw with the Chosen or the Technos, I think it was more powerful. It felt more ... dunno, personal maybe. Kids tied up. Kids beaten. Kids chased by other tribes. The strength and violence that seemed to radiate from Zoot and the Locos ...

We have that now. Tristan & Cecily. Blasko & the 100, even the various vigilante groups out on the streets of Fort River these days trying to track down the slavers & stop that particular nightmare.

Then there's just plain "survival." There are not and have never been "magical" suppliers for our characters. If something isn't available, you make do. You figure out another way. Our city has a weekly Market Day when traders come in from regions around the city for the day, but that's just once a week. And that does put some crimps into your plans if there's no one else who has what you need.

Maybe what I'm saying is ... well, all of a sudden our little city of Fort River, after 3 years of playing, learning & growing ... it seems different. Not so well known. Not so ... safe?

And I don't think that's a bad thing, actually. What I think our players have found are ways to make everything that's old New Again. We're looking at our game-world in a different way--and I like it!

The fun is back. The mystery is back. We honestly don't know what's gonna happen next.

And thank goodness for that!

-Chyna

Photo source: copyright Cloud-9 "The Tribe"

Winter 2008 TRIBE AWARDS

Time once for the KTDARPG Council of Tribes TRIBE AWARDS. There's no better way to say "thanks!" for all the work our players have done while tipping our hats to the great show that gave us our start. Everyone continues to do a GREAT JOB in a game that keeps getting more complex, dramaticand riveting!

Here are game highlights since July 2007--standout scenes, character moments & accomplishments--from the Keep the Dream Alive rpg.

...and the winners are...

AMULET AWARD goes right back to "Fort River After Dark." Breaking the story about underground slavery in Fort River...that was hard core and took guts.

ANONYMOUS BARTENDER AWARD--remember the bartender dude who tried to give Lex up when he was in disguise in Ebony's holding cell? The Council thought that was a perfect match for Blood, who seems to always land on his feet.

BRADY AWARD for most innocent character goes to Pink. Taken into slavery and waiting on her rescuer...we have faith.

BRAY AWARD for "what the hell do I do now?"--there was a lot of debate but Scarecrow, this one's yours. You've been drifting since you walked away from the Misfits. Time to pick a direction and go with it.

BRAY & SALENE AWARD for "is this love meant to be or what?" goes to Eris & Ace. C'mon, you guys keep dancing around it...but just like Bray & Salene, a love that isn't acted on can be forgotten as life moves on.

DAL AWARD for a supreme act of self-sacrifice is given to Carossa. He would have given his life to save Pink from Saint's goons. At least...we think he's still alive?

DEMON DOG AWARD for uncaring, unfeeling brute force goes to Urick. 'Nuff said.

EBONY AWARD for exotic beauty that you'll NEVER be able to predict, given to the only one who meets that description--congratulations, Blackrose.

JAY AWARD for being irresistible to the ladies is given to Vincent. The chick-squad may want him, but Valentine's got him...at least for now.

KC AWARD for having whatever you want, when you want it--Saber, this one's yours. And now that you got a store? We're thinking the deals will only get better.

LEX "THIS IS THE PLACE" AWARD was brought out of mothballs because of just one man. Vincent, your stage presence & performances deserve the recognition. Bravo.

LEX & TAISAN AWARD for best romantic moment--VERY hotly contested. The Council debated DAYS on this one & finally agreed to a split decision: Villa & Marionette (that glowing moss was killer) and Jade & Zero (dancing until dawn with fairy lights and violins...yeah...).

MAY AWARD for strong girl making stupid decisions goes to Maggie. She had to be strong to last in slavery as long as she did, but it was totally stupid the way she related to Johnny. Get him back, girl--now!

MEGA AWARD for Great Manipulator can only go to Ace. For whatever reason, every move he makes has an ulterior motive you gotta look for. We don't judge his motives, just wait along with the rest to see what he's gonna do next.

MOUSE AWARD for gentle soul...given this time to Krystal. She's holding up under really difficult circumstances with Jason gone.

POWER & CHAOS AWARD, PART 1--the "power" part goes to Rio. What can we say? He switched the power on. Now we're waiting to see where this one leads.

POWER & CHAOS AWARD, PART 2--the "chaos" part goes to...well, there was finally a compromise split decision. This award is shared by Blasko for the 100's "organized chaos" and Villa for chaos uniquely her own--and weirdly intensified now that she's a girl in love!

PRIDE AWARD for natural talent goes right back to Oliver. Take that bow away from him and we don't know what he'll do. But with it, he seems unstoppable.

RUBY AWARD for entrepreneurial spirit goes to Valentine. From Crown Street to Industrial Way, Home to the Mirage, she's got the touch. The best part is, this girl also has a heart. We're thinking her success will be good for the whole city.

RYAN AWARD for sweet, dependable, stand-up guy goes straight back to Johnny Ohm. He may get angry & confused but there's no question he's one of the good ones.

SALENE AWARD for she who mothers us all goes to--we've been here before. This award belongs with Lady Arianna. Whether it's her own tribe of Misfits or kids on the street who need a hand, she's right there. Nobody does it better.

TAISAN AWARD goes to the mysterious Nightshade, who shares both Taisan's knowledge of herbal lore and her aura of "what will she do next?"

TEENAGE-CLOE AWARD for rapidly developing teen-aged angst stays right where it's always been, with Lily. The attitude just keeps growing. Now that she's got a job, who knows how far she can go!

TRIBE FLASHBACK AWARD goes to Prince & Ace. The flashbacks they set up going back to Fort River High added a totally new dimension to the game. Nicely done, guys.

TRIBE STYLE AWARD for best makeup goes to Hawk, the epitome of what a tribe member is and looks like. From her glass eye to her facial markings to her distinctive clothes...this woman IS the ultimate River Rat.

TRUDY AWARD for "brainwash me now, please!" goes to Cecily. She let herself be used by Saint in his slavery scheme...now she's letting Tristan turn her into a good little slave-wife. Kinda sad, but we can always hope she snaps out of it eventually.

ZOOT AWARD for most untimely death...well, we don't understand why he offed himself. He was nice to Maggie when she needed it. This award goes to Stiff.

ZOOT & EBONY AWARD for absolutely craziest couple--they had some pretty stiff competition but the award goes right back to Villa & Marionette. The closer they get, the crazier they get and we couldn't ask for better.

ZOOT LIVES! AWARD for best evil mastermind--again VERY heavy debate and a lot of fantastic candidates, but the award goes to Tristan. We don't know what's coming next but we know it's bound to be...icky.

Congratulations to all our winners!
If you were disappointed with this round?
There's always next time--lots of game still to get through!

-Chyna