The Omninet (Interest Check/Signup)

I think the problem with my other RPs was that they were two narrow-ranged. So I'm going to try the opposite approach. See the signup sheet to see the results of that way of thinking.

EDIT: Going to add a request for character backstories as well. Should have thought about that harder.

EDIT 2: If you die you respawn, but all your items are left on your old avatar's corpse. Your respawn location is the designated spawn point at which you entered the node/server/webpage/computer/etc.

Backstory

(NOTE: Scroll down to summary if this is too long.)

The OMNI (Open-source Multiplayer Network Integrator) system is a format like HTML, except used by a Metaverse in the indeterminate near future called the OMNInet.

The Oculus Rift and success of games designed for it like Star Citizen led to a boom in virtual reality, and though the 2D net lives on, it is mostly accessed via 2D panels or virtual TV/computer/cell phone screens in the OMNInet.

Along with the rise of indy games and a worsening IRL economy, the old system of "Pay to Play" was proven unsustainable on a corporate scale. ISPs still charge for their service, obviously, but "Monthly Fees" of course befell the same fate (at the hands of Free to Play, no less). So MMOs with class systems, non-transferable items, proprietary character traits and especially pre-rendered persistent worlds were right out, unable to be funded by huge corporations.

Instead, the OMNI system takes advantage of the private server dynamic used in Minecraft and Star Citizen, and combines it with Procedural Generation like that of Spore and Dwarf Fortress, as well as said Minecraft.

This not only enables "skinning" of the virtual reality user interface of a person's computer, but also allows users to run servers containing fully destructible environments the size of star systems with either a limit on players or a donation funding mechanic. "Weapons can be upgraded in the OMNInet, but 1. custom ones can be created with mods, and 2. weapons can go between private servers, personal computers AND the general webspace, like in Terraria.

As such, weapon upgrades are merely an "ability package" applied to your weapon, with levels beginning with 1 and going upward from there. The highest ever recorded was a rare drop of a Level 777 Package.

Other than that, your "weapon" can be anything you want, and you can have multiple of them up to 8 (See "satellites" below for explanation), as it will start out as a Level 1 weapon no matter what; the only determining factor between two equal Level weapons are the user's skill (see below for more info). BUT, it must have an external link to what the weapon is (wikipedia) or what it looks like (deviantart/fandom-specific wiki).

Now, about "satellites". These are your weapons. As in, literally. Remember the NeuroSky MindWave? Or the Emotiv EPOC? No? Well, they're consumer versions of hospital brain scanners that were envisioned as game controllers. It took a while to reach that purpose, at first being novelties and then gaining traction with medical, educational and military applications before coming full circle once the Oculus Rift came into the picture.

This allows the player to control the satellite weapon(s) with their thoughts, like a digital version of telekinesis. No virtual hands or combat skill required.

This also brings out the levels. Level increases only two things. The first is the speed at which you can move your weapon. The second is the power of the attack.

Note that skill still counts because of this, even more than in real life. A player can have Level 100 rocket launcher(s) and their opponent Level 1 dagger(s). But if that opponent can execute a backstab or (hypothetically) a stab in the gut or face, it will critically injure the player regardless. Simulation realism is high enough to have actual weak points and biological injuries; maximum health does not exist in the OMNInet.

Because of this, after a certain point the number of a Level package is just for bragging rights. You know, like Gamerpoints or achievements. =P

Tools also exist, such as the Level-sensing Scouter or mundane Shovel and Saw. But these cannot do harm to other players and require your avatar to physically manipulate them.

Summary

1. This RP takes place in The Metaverse, called the OMNInet here because it runs on the OMNI programming language. No other strange factors will affect the actual setting. If you die you respawn, but all your items are left on your old avatar's corpse. Your respawn location is the designated spawn point at which you entered the node/server/webpage/computer/etc.

2. Your username is just for the character background. Avatars will be described briefly in their backstory and in-depth during a character's intro to the RP.

3. Satellites are mind-controlled floating weapons, of which you have 1 to 8 of. All weapons of the same Level have equal power. Player skill is more important than Level, and Level can be upgraded by random monster drops and/or buying Level packages to apply to your weapon. Please pothole a link to the weapon information.

4. Tools are things like shovels, axes, saws, fishing poles, hoes and power level scouters. These require actual hands.

5. All characters are apparently new to the OMNInet. They understand the system, but have Level 1 weapons for unexplained reasons.

6. Follow the TV Tropes forum rules, use common sense (no ghosting, godmoding, auto-hits, etc.) and have fun!

Important

The plot will "evolve" to increase excitement at boring points; I will GM and have a GMPC that will mostly assist in getting story arcs going.

Signup Sheet

Username: The character's username.

Satellite(s): Weapon xN

Description: A quick rundown of the character's avatar. The character's motivations and goals.

(No really, that's the whole character sheet.)

Example Character

Username: ExampleD00d

Satellite(s): Ray Gun x4

Description: A grey featureless humanoid who speaks in a creepy monotone interlaced with an occasional "d00d!" noise. LikessSSss to wreck your ssSSsstuff with exssSSssplossSSssionssSSss...

GMPC

Username: "The Trickster"

Satellite(s): Gatling x2

Description: A young boy wearing a newsboy cap and a red hoodie, who shows up in unexpected ways and times to give important information that he should have no way of knowing and then watch the hilarity ensue from some unknown vantage point. Is designated as an NPC and thus has no username, but has been dubbed "The Trickster" as part of the mythos surrounding this mysterious entity.

Final Comments

There. It may have a few hoops to jump through, but the setting has a broad range of acceptable characters and the shortest character "sheet" I've ever seen. Though video game "levels" exist in a form, they only let your weapon be moved around faster and hit harder. Everything else is up to the character and the person controlling them. Hopefully this will peak some interest.

Also, avatars identical in appearance to fictional characters are allowed but not encouraged or recommended. That is all.

edited 21st Nov '13 10:10:09 AM by iTroper

Interest

Also, fair warning, there's a good chance my PC will be taken into a local hardware dealer tomorrow or on Friday and won't be ready until Monday; I'm looking into building a new PC due to my current one being 5 years old. Despite this my computer has some parts in it that are still perfectly good and I'm low on cash, so I'd be cannibalizing this one to build the new one.

In short, be prepared to wait until Monday for the RP to really take off.

EDIT: Never mind. Due to certain circumstances, my PC won't be taken to the shop until the beginning of December.

edited 21st Nov '13 5:53:18 PM by iTroper