posted 06-18-99 07:31 PM ET        

Is there any interest in trying to set something up like this? The idea of the structure is not to constrain the players but to create a framework for interesting ideas and story-line. If you want to do something and it's sensible then you can!

Participants
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GM (Game Master) - To moderate the RP. To decide if actions succeed, what random events occur and sometimes to be plain contrary at times!

RP's - To control races/federations or factions. Pretty much as you'd expect.

NPC's - Non playing characters/factions. Played by GM (as (s)he does not normally control a faction). Sometimes acts as 'deus ex machina' to make life interesting or move RP along.

Rules
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1. The decision of the GM is final (unless you can convince the GM (s)he was wrong!!
2. There will be a fixed number of players (the number yet to be decided).
3. The RP is turn based. Each turn represents 5 years. At the end of each turn the GM will post a summary of what has happened in the previous 5 years. e.g. Tech advances, results of wars, random events, faction statistics, plot developments etc.
4. RPers can post public messages to each other, email each other for private communication or email the GM with actions, goals they would like to follow.
5. We'll try to make one turn per day!
6. We'll make up other rules as we go along.

The Scene
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Earth (2300AD), just prior to widespread colonization of the nearest Stars. The Solar system has been widely colonized with Mars and Venus in the process of being terra-formed, large space habitats on all of the planets and most of the satellites. There are several major political, religious and philosophical groupings all vying for dominance (you decide!). There has been major bioengineering and cybernetic enhancement of humans to adapt them to survive in the many different environments found in the Solar System. (Think of Bruce Sterling's Schismatrix)

Technology
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Fusion Drives
Personal and Military Lasers
Cybernetic Enhancement
Gene splicing and genome manipulation
Terra-forming
Polymorphic Software
+ Ask and the GM will say whether it exists!)
The beginnings of an understanding of Psi.
Anti matter weapons exist and are univerisally illegal

Next Steps
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1. If you wish to RP email me a description of your faction with details of its politics and guiding philosophy.

2. Please suggest amendments/changes in this thread. It is essential that everyone feels that they have a say.

3. If anyone wants to GM they are more than welcome. I'd be happy to do it but am more than willing to stand aside

4. Once each RPer has agreed their faction it will be posted on the thread.

5. ??

Anyway everything will change as we progress