game_overview
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| Orion Sphere LRP is a science fiction live roleplay game set in the distant future of our own galaxy. Humanity has discovered faster-than-light travel and colonised a large area of space, only to encounter alien empires of equivalent power. The four major Factions vie over part of the Milky Way galaxy centred on the Sol system, about 10,000 light-years across, which even the most advanced vessels would take many months to traverse. | Orion Sphere LRP is a science fiction live roleplay game set in the distant future of our own galaxy. Humanity has discovered faster-than-light travel and colonised a large area of space, only to encounter alien empires of equivalent power. The four major Factions vie over part of the Milky Way galaxy centred on the Sol system, about 10,000 light-years across, which even the most advanced vessels would take many months to traverse. | ||
| - | The story begins after a period of increasing tension, as the mysterious Spacer Collective invites selected groups from each Faction to hire out its unique starships, equipped with arcane Jump Drive technology. These ships offer the opportunity to carry small crews instantly over vast distances, opening up fresh horizons for research, expansion and warfare. Players are invitees of the Spacer Collective and its partner Mega-Corps - the select few who can intervene in critical events to influence the fate of the Orion Sphere. | + | Events began after a period of increasing tension, as the mysterious Spacer Collective invited selected groups from each Faction to hire out its unique starships, equipped with arcane Jump Drive technology. These ships offer the opportunity to carry small crews instantly over vast distances, opening up fresh horizons for research, expansion and warfare. Players are invitees of the Spacer Collective and its partner Mega-Corps - the select few who can intervene in critical events to influence the fate of the Orion Sphere. |
| - | Events represent interventions by the neutral MegaCorps at the behest of local planetary authorities. Each event will provide opportunities to engage with local issues on planet, and also hire Jump Drive-equipped ships to travel elsewhere in known space and complete all manner of public (and secret) missions. Player groups will have the chance to earn ludicrous profits, discover unknown worlds, build the power of their factions and increase their own status and reputation, all while under the watchful eye of the MegaCorps. | + | Events represent interventions by the neutral MegaCorps at the behest of local planetary authorities, or opportunities to get involved in the MegaCorps own schemes and plans. Each event provides opportunities to engage with local issues on planet, and also hire Jump Drive-equipped ships to travel elsewhere in known space and complete all manner of public (and secret) missions. Player groups will have the chance to earn ludicrous profits, discover unknown worlds, build the power of their Factions and increase their own status and [[reputation_skills|reputation]], opening up opportunities and secrets. |
| ====== Factions ====== | ====== Factions ====== | ||
| - | The four Factions are designed to be culturally and visually distinctive. At events, each Faction has a separate camp camp, arrayed around a "hub" area (for Games Ops and NPC MegaCorps). Three of the four Factions have strong cultural roleplay elements, and their player members will be expected to participate in cultural gatherings and ceremonies. | + | The four Factions are designed to be culturally and visually distinctive. At events, each Faction has a separate camp, arrayed around a "hub" area (for Games Ops and NPC MegaCorps). Three of the four Factions have strong cultural roleplay elements, and their player members will be expected to participate in cultural gatherings and ceremonies. |
| Each Faction has a dominant species, which the majority of its attendees will be. Your character's species determines a few basic stats and access to some skills and abilities (such as the Elysian's psionic powers). | Each Faction has a dominant species, which the majority of its attendees will be. Your character's species determines a few basic stats and access to some skills and abilities (such as the Elysian's psionic powers). | ||
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| The four playable Factions are as follows; | The four playable Factions are as follows; | ||
| - | **[[Ascendancy]]** - An authoritarian, militaristic regime ruled by a council of powerful aristocratic Houses. Dominated by Terrans, who enjoy relative prosperity and benefit from brutal training that fortifies their minds and bodies with the strength of their Will.\\ | + | **[[Ascendancy]]** - An authoritarian, militaristic regime ruled by a council of powerful aristocratic [[Noble Houses]]. Dominated by Terrans, who enjoy relative prosperity and benefit from brutal training that fortifies their minds and bodies with the strength of their Will.\\ |
| + | **Faction Aesthetic:** Non-camouflage uniforms & evil nobles. Stark and clean lines in dress and tech.\\ | ||
| - | **[[Commonality]]** - A philosophical faction dedicated to understanding the mysteries of the cosmos, guided by a caste of Judges, who possess mysterious mental powers. The main species in the Commonality are the powerfully psionic Elysians, whose physical frailty is more than made up for by their mental abilities and psionically-enhanced technology.\\ | + | **[[Commonality]]** - A philosophical faction dedicated to understanding the mysteries of the cosmos, guided by a caste of [[commonality_leadership#Judges]], who possess mysterious mental powers. The main species in the Commonality are the powerfully psionic Elysians, whose physical frailty is more than made up for by their mental abilities and psionically-enhanced technology.\\ |
| + | **Faction Aesthetic:** Underlayers with flowing robes on top, in natural hues or pastels. Elven or mystical vibes with slightly organic tech.\\ | ||
| - | **[[Dominion]]** - Ruled by priests and heroes, the Dominion is built around a religion whose sacred calling is competition and striving to become a legend. The reptilian Tulaki are the main species in the Dominion, a species that shows remarkable genetic diversity and resilience.\\ | + | **[[Dominion]]** - Ruled by priests and heroes, the Dominion is built around a [[path_of_tulak|religion]] whose sacred calling is competition and striving to become a legend. The reptilian Tulaki are the main species in the Dominion, a species that shows remarkable genetic diversity and resilience.\\ |
| + | **Faction Aesthetic:** Norse-style tunics and dresses, with a bit of Klingon vibes thrown in, plus lots of decoration. Bulky, colourful tech.\\ | ||
| - | **[[Free Union]]** - A confederacy of fiercely independent human colonies and alien worlds, whose adaptability and diversity are their main strengths. Although the majority of the Free Union's population is human, its alien vassals enjoy equal status in society. The Free Union has less cultural requirements and a lot more freedom for divergent character concepts, but has fewer advantages as a result.\\ | + | **[[Free Union]]** - A confederacy of fiercely independent human colonies and alien worlds, whose adaptability and diversity are their main strengths. A melting pot of humans as well as a highly diverse cast of aliens, the Free Union is equally full of scrappy crews trying to scrape by and daring opportunists exploring the galaxy. The Free Union has less cultural requirements and a lot more freedom for divergent character concepts, but has fewer advantages as a result.\\ |
| + | **Faction Aesthetic:** Rough and ready with a bit of Victoriana/Western/early 20th-century. Cobbled together, jerry-rigged tech.\\ | ||
| - | ===== Vassal Species ===== | + | ===== Species ===== |
| - | While each Faction has a dominant species, they also rule over other, less powerful or numerous aliens which are under the Faction's protection. Vassal species can have access to strange powers and abilities based on their alien physiology, but cannot participate in the society of their parent Faction to the same extent as the dominant species, and draw fewer advantages as a result. Each Faction has large number of vassals, which players can choose to play with the agreement of the Game Team. Vassal species have racial abilities assigned by the game team, usually determined by the coolness and unwieldiness of their physreps. If you would like to play a member of a vassal species, please contact us with your ideas – a brief synopsis of the kind of species you have planned would be great, as well as your intended physrep plans. | + | * For a list of Playable Species, see the [[Species]] page. |
| + | * For guidelines on developing new species to include in the game, see the [[Species Guidelines]] page. | ||
| - | See the [[Vassal Species]] page for more details. | + | Each Faction has a Core Species, who serve as the iconic representative of the Faction and its main themes. However, each Faction is also full of other species under the Faction's overall protection. Alien species can have access to strange powers and abilities based on their physiology, but require Species Trappings such as makeup and prosthetics that make them distinctive. Each Faction comprises a whole host of species, only a few of which have been incorporated into the game. Players can develop their own species with the agreement of the Game Team so that the new species fits into the rules and setting of the wider game. Different species have special abilities assigned by the game team, usually determined by the coolness and unwieldiness of their physreps. If you would like to develop your own species, please [[contact us]] with your ideas – a brief synopsis of the kind of species you have planned would be great, as well as your intended physrep plans. |
| ====== Characters ====== | ====== Characters ====== | ||
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| Character skills are grouped into the following sets: | Character skills are grouped into the following sets: | ||
| - | * Combat Training - Weapon & armour use skills, increased hits or death count, reduced knockout time. | + | * [[Combat Skills]] - Weapon & armour use skills, increased hits or death count, reduced knockout time. |
| - | * Professional Skills - Skills to work with items or investigate plot, for scientist, engineer or medical characters. | + | * [[Professional Skills]] - Skills to work with items or investigate plot, for scientist, engineer or medical characters. |
| - | * Starship Skills - Training to use the various consoles on a starship interface. | + | * [[professional_skills#Spaceflight Skills]] - Training to use the various consoles on a starship interface. |
| - | * Reputation - Status with Megacorps or Factions, grants more plot opportunities and specialist missions. | + | * [[reputation_skills|Reputation]] - Status with Megacorps or Factions, grants more plot opportunities and specialist missions. |
| * Faction or Species-specific abilities | * Faction or Species-specific abilities | ||
| * Psionic powers for Elysians and other psionic species. Psionic powers are grouped into trees such as telepathy and telekinesis, only some of which can be used by certain species. | * Psionic powers for Elysians and other psionic species. Psionic powers are grouped into trees such as telepathy and telekinesis, only some of which can be used by certain species. | ||
| * Devotion abilities for Dominion priests and heroes. These grant the ability to perform specific religious ceremonies, or allow heroes to perform mighty feats relevant to their chosen path in life. | * Devotion abilities for Dominion priests and heroes. These grant the ability to perform specific religious ceremonies, or allow heroes to perform mighty feats relevant to their chosen path in life. | ||
| * Discipline skills - Ascendancy Terrans are trained to overcome all manner of influences and hindrances by willpower alone. | * Discipline skills - Ascendancy Terrans are trained to overcome all manner of influences and hindrances by willpower alone. | ||
| + | * Other species may possess their own specialised skills. | ||
| ====== The Game ====== | ====== The Game ====== | ||
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| ===== Missions ===== | ===== Missions ===== | ||
| - | A big part of the game will involve missions to other planets or in space. While all of the factions have access to FTL travel, it is relatively slow, and takes weeks to get from system to system. One of the MegaCorps, the Spacer Collective, has ships that are able to jump across space instantaneously - this Corp hires out these ships to PC groups so that they can go on missions. Player groups can hire a ship for a timed slot to jump to an agreed destination - this gives the organisers time to prep the mission in advance. Some missions will be purely spaceship-based (which will be simulated using a room fitted out to run the Artemis Spaceship Bridge Simulator game with customised, in-character scenarios) or could involve travel to a planet and transporting down to do a ground-based mission. One of the factions, the Commonality, will have an alternative method of visiting other planets - they have psionically active plants that can be attuned (via a ceremony) to open a portal after a set time (basically the prep time for the thing they want to do). | + | A big part of the game will involve missions to other planets or in space. While all of the factions have access to FTL travel, it is relatively slow, and takes weeks to get from system to system. One of the MegaCorps, the Spacer Collective, has ships that are able to jump across space instantaneously - this Corp hires out these ships to PC groups so that they can go on missions. Player groups can hire a ship for a timed slot to jump to an agreed destination - this gives the organisers time to prep the mission in advance. Some missions will be purely spaceship-based (which will be simulated using a room fitted out to run the [[http://daid.github.io/EmptyEpsilon/|Empty Epsilon]] Spaceship Bridge Simulator game with customised, in-character scenarios) or could involve travel to a planet and transporting down to do a ground-based mission. One of the factions, the Commonality, will have an alternative method of visiting other planets - they have psionically active plants that can be attuned (via a ceremony) to open a portal after a set time (basically the prep time for the thing they want to do). |
| ==== Mission Examples ==== | ==== Mission Examples ==== | ||
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| * A legal system flexible enough to be a threat (and to discourage players from killing NPC functionaries), while at the same time not completely suppressing assassination PvP. | * A legal system flexible enough to be a threat (and to discourage players from killing NPC functionaries), while at the same time not completely suppressing assassination PvP. | ||
| * Preserve the opportunity to revisit planets from previous games, so that plots initiated there can be followed up at later events. Once a planet enters the general game knowledge, it can be revisited. | * Preserve the opportunity to revisit planets from previous games, so that plots initiated there can be followed up at later events. Once a planet enters the general game knowledge, it can be revisited. | ||
| - | * Vassal race abilities to encourage cool and unique physreps and prosthetics, but their social downsides should prevent them becoming ubiquitous. | + | * A species framework to encourage cool and unique physreps and prosthetics, while keeping the core identity of each Faction intact. |
| * Flexibility on the back-end, with mechanics and systems in place to allow player freedom, while giving enough constraints to prevent the Game Team imploding with stress at events. | * Flexibility on the back-end, with mechanics and systems in place to allow player freedom, while giving enough constraints to prevent the Game Team imploding with stress at events. | ||
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| * Faction identities that are strong and distinctive, and give advantages to players who buy into them, but room left for people who want to do their own thing (the Free Union offers this flexibility of concepts). | * Faction identities that are strong and distinctive, and give advantages to players who buy into them, but room left for people who want to do their own thing (the Free Union offers this flexibility of concepts). | ||
| * The setting and background leaves room for new threats and opportunities to come from - the first wave of human habitation & terraforming probe distance lies beyond the domain of the established empires. | * The setting and background leaves room for new threats and opportunities to come from - the first wave of human habitation & terraforming probe distance lies beyond the domain of the established empires. | ||
| - | * We encourage players and crew to add to the depth of the game setting in a positive, collaborative way. This is reflected in players being able to submit [[Vassal Species]], but is intended to stretch beyond that - if you have a cool idea that you think will add to the game, we encourage you to [[Contact Us]] and we can work with you to try and incorporate your idea into the setting. | + | * We encourage players and crew to add to the depth of the game setting in a positive, collaborative way. This is reflected in players being able to submit new [[Species]], but is intended to stretch beyond that - if you have a cool idea that you think will add to the game, we encourage you to [[Contact Us]] and we can work with you to try and incorporate your idea into the setting. |
| === Logistics and Longevity === | === Logistics and Longevity === | ||
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| - | {{tag>game}} | + | {{tag>game design}} |
game_overview.1522794429.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/08/13 16:54 (external edit)
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