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gameplay:new_player_guide:introduction [2017/06/28 09:44] schrodinger [Good Practice] |
gameplay:new_player_guide:introduction [2018/08/23 08:10] (current) macthane |
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| * [[gameplay:new_player_guide:introduction#good practice|Good Practice]] | * [[gameplay:new_player_guide:introduction#good practice|Good Practice]] | ||
| * [[gameplay:new_player_guide:introduction#mechanics|Mechanics]] | * [[gameplay:new_player_guide:introduction#mechanics|Mechanics]] | ||
| - | ===== What is Horizon: out of the ashes? ===== | + | ====== What is Horizon: out of the ashes? ====== |
| - | Horizon: out of the ashes is a science fiction-themed roleplaying game, which features compelling future events of conflict, lawlessness and survival, set on humanity's only colony planet: Horizon. Despite a futuristic perspective, the lore draws primarily on themes of grit, mystery and intrigue, without glamorizing technology or human nature. In that light, the setting presents a subtly advanced civilization which remains relatable to the present day, rather than portraying a distantly futuristic universe. Since the main setting is the colony world of Horizon, lore is mostly conveyed through the stories and adventures of its people, including war, betrayal and other, stranger events, but if you're new and would like to get a good feel for the background, we thoroughly recommended reading __[[lore:horizon:the_horizon_story|The Horizon Story]]__ in the Lore section. | + | Horizon: out of the ashes is a science fiction-themed roleplaying game, featuring compelling future events of oppression, resistance and hard-won survival, set on humanity's only colony planet: Horizon. Despite the futuristic perspective, the world has just a hint of Old West flair and draws primarily on themes of grit, conflict and the unknown, without glamorizing technology or human nature. In that regard, the civilization of Horizon is advanced, but without making a point of it and remains more relatable to the present day, or even the past, than it does to a distant future of bubble domes and space cars. Since the main setting is the colony world of Horizon, story is mostly conveyed through the stories and adventures of its people, including war, betrayal and other, stranger events, but if you're new and would like to get a good feel for the background, we thoroughly recommended reading __[[lore:horizon:the_horizon_story|The Horizon Story]]__ in the Lore section. |
| - | From a gameplay standpoint, Horizon is designed from the ground up to give as much creative freedom as possible, while also offering a unique and immersive setting. We plan to achieve these goals through several approaches. First, is growing Horizon's rich setting organically over time; releasing thematic, story-based lore as well as interactive roleplaying adventures to engage with. Second, the gameplay system is built to be as approchable as possible. We didn't want to lose the depth or variety that make choice-driven gameplay so much fun though, so to meet the challenge of accessibility, we're developing intuitive browser-based apps that do the heavy lifting when it comes to maths and information management. This way, Players have a wealth of choice and flexibility, but with less time searching the rule book and more time forging an epic journey. | + | From a gameplay standpoint, Horizon is designed from the ground up to give as much creative freedom as possible, both for the Player building a new Character, and the Director crafting a new story. Trying to achieve this while keeping the system intuitive and focusing the spotlight on a unique and immersive setting has created some unique challenges and lead us to take a different approach with development, compared to many other RPGs. Firstly, we wanted the gameplay system to be as approchable as possible, so it could be fun even for a first-time player but at the same time, we didn't want to lose the depth or variety that keep it fresh for veteran players. To satisfy this balance of accessibility and depth, we're developing intuitive browser-based apps that do the heavy lifting when it comes to maths and information management. This allows Players a wealth of choice and flexibility, but with less time searching the rule book and more time forging an epic journey. |
| - | Our one caveat in this area is our ideal that Horizon: out of the ashes will always be playable with good-ol'-fashioned pencil, paper and dice, because sometimes there just isn't a substitute for sitting around a table to banter with friends. | + | Our one caveat in this area is the ideal that Horizon: out of the ashes will always be playable with good-ol'-fashioned pencil, paper and dice, because sometimes there just isn't a substitute for sitting around a table to banter with friends. |
| - | Altogether, we hope to give every Horizon Player a journey all their own. We want to offer something fun, a game that is consistently compelling and can show you something new every time you play. We hope it captures your imagination the way it's captured ours. Even if this page is the furthest you ever go with Horizon, thanks for exploring this far! ~Calder Niven, Creator. | + | Altogether, we hope to give every Horizon Player a journey all their own. We want to offer something really fun; a game that is consistently compelling and can show you something new every time you play. We hope it captures your imagination the way it's captured ours. Even if this page is the furthest you ever go with Horizon, thanks for exploring this far! ~Calder Niven, Creator. |
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| * **Never assume!** If you need to know something about the setting, ask. The Director should be more than happy to answer your questions and provide more details. If it's important to know something about a Character, again: ask. While Players don't have to share everything about their Characters and it's perfectly fine for a Character to have a "Dark Secret of which They Will Never Speak", they should avoid being secretive in general since it generally makes group play much harder than it needs to be. Either way, never assume something you don't know. If you have to make an educated guess, make sure that's clear when you share it. | * **Never assume!** If you need to know something about the setting, ask. The Director should be more than happy to answer your questions and provide more details. If it's important to know something about a Character, again: ask. While Players don't have to share everything about their Characters and it's perfectly fine for a Character to have a "Dark Secret of which They Will Never Speak", they should avoid being secretive in general since it generally makes group play much harder than it needs to be. Either way, never assume something you don't know. If you have to make an educated guess, make sure that's clear when you share it. | ||
| * **Work with your Director not against them!** If they won't allow you to do something you want, it doesn't mean they're being unfair. Try to understand the reason first; there may be more to the situation than you realise, or your actions could be something that the Director didn't anticipate and could ruin the story. If this is only the first time, let it go. This is a major safety net for misunderstandings, since a little forgiveness can go a long way to help people understand each other better and have a better experience overall. Encourage the Director to be straightforward about why they are disallowing your action, but don't labor the point: it may be for reasons you will discover anyway if you play on! | * **Work with your Director not against them!** If they won't allow you to do something you want, it doesn't mean they're being unfair. Try to understand the reason first; there may be more to the situation than you realise, or your actions could be something that the Director didn't anticipate and could ruin the story. If this is only the first time, let it go. This is a major safety net for misunderstandings, since a little forgiveness can go a long way to help people understand each other better and have a better experience overall. Encourage the Director to be straightforward about why they are disallowing your action, but don't labor the point: it may be for reasons you will discover anyway if you play on! | ||
| - | * **Cooperate!** Since everyone gets to play a custom Character, there will often be situations where the Characters in the story don't make any sense as a group. Just roll with it and have fun. Sometimes this will mean suspending your Character's persona slightly to keep the group viable. If you're playing a police officer, don't constantly breathe down the neck of the thief in your group. Find entertaining methods for looking the other way when they use their | + | * **Cooperate!** Since everyone gets to play a custom Character, there will often be situations where the Characters in the story don't make any sense as a group. Just roll with it and have fun. Sometimes this will mean suspending your Character's persona slightly to keep the group viable. If you're playing a police officer, don't constantly breathe down the neck of the thief in your group. Find entertaining methods for looking the other way when they use their Skills. Likewise, if you're playing the thief, at least be subtle about it; the Player with the police officer wants to play the game too. The best outcome is for Players to establish a rapport outside the game and agree to give each other room to play without anyone having to give up on their Character. |
| - | . Likewise, if you're playing the thief, at least be subtle about it; the Player with the police officer wants to play the game too. The best outcome is for Players to establish a rapport outside the game and agree to give each other room to play without anyone having to give up on their Character. | + | |
| * **Don't be a jerk!** Don't abuse other Players' Characters unless you have their __explicit consent__ for you to play your Character in that way. It's not an excuse to say, "I'm just playing the part." Surely you acknowledge when you create a Character that you're not planning to sit in a room by yourself, pretending to be a cat burglar from another planet. __If you want to be part of a group, then be a team player__. Often times, the least likely groups can also be the most fun! In the event that you really, honestly can't agree, ask the Director for an executive decision on who has the "right of way" in a given situation. The Director's word is final. | * **Don't be a jerk!** Don't abuse other Players' Characters unless you have their __explicit consent__ for you to play your Character in that way. It's not an excuse to say, "I'm just playing the part." Surely you acknowledge when you create a Character that you're not planning to sit in a room by yourself, pretending to be a cat burglar from another planet. __If you want to be part of a group, then be a team player__. Often times, the least likely groups can also be the most fun! In the event that you really, honestly can't agree, ask the Director for an executive decision on who has the "right of way" in a given situation. The Director's word is final. | ||
| * **Don't hide things from the Director!** Chances are, the Director only wants information about your Character so they can give you a better interactive experience, which is what you want, so don't ruin it for yourself. If you don't want other members of the group to know something secret about your Character, it's perfectly fine to ask for privacy before talking to the Director, but always observe the Rule of Inception: if the Director doesn't know about it, then it doesn't exist. | * **Don't hide things from the Director!** Chances are, the Director only wants information about your Character so they can give you a better interactive experience, which is what you want, so don't ruin it for yourself. If you don't want other members of the group to know something secret about your Character, it's perfectly fine to ask for privacy before talking to the Director, but always observe the Rule of Inception: if the Director doesn't know about it, then it doesn't exist. | ||
