The Theme Park
From Tazlure Gaming System Wiki
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The Theme Park |
See also Labour Management
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The Theme Park is the whimsical name we have created for our approach of moderating an area. In an area several themes come together to create the content. Each theme will have aspects unique to the area. Not all themes will be available in all areas. In fact creating focus in an area by having a limited amount of themes is recommended, though a wider range will assure a bigger growth in players since in effect you are widening your market.
The use of themes is an excellent way of creating opportunity for Event Orientated Modding.
[edit] Why We Want Themes
- Exciting Content - that may seem obvious, but it requires that all moderators need to feel the full freedom to grow and evolve content without too many limitations. They want a piece of the game to call their own. Putting them in charge of a theme establishes this.
- Clear Areas of Focus - while we try and avoid specializations, moderators have their preference base on their own talents, and thus will gravitate towards themes.
- Continuity of Content - for the believability of the setting it is very important to keep NPCs and locations the same, not just in facts but in atmosphere
- Fun - Moderators who feel confident in their theme and enjoy that aspect of the game, will be more flexible when real life comes to call.
Together with Event Orientated Modding it will create less plot burden and less pressure. One moderator can develop and maintain the social structure of one theme easily. They'll know who knows who within their theme, and they'll know what changes will result from what stimuli. And they can apply those changes within their theme. These themes will span the entire area and so working together the moderators can see the theme overlap, the so called crossover of content, from which events spring. Each moderator will work towards an event from their own angle and the content keeps fresh even for them. They will mod the locations in their theme, and only those, so they do not know how what the PC's will do or how they will end up.
[edit] What Themes Allow Us To Avoid
- PC Assignment - Staff assigned to particular PC's creates possession and tension. It also limits player involvement. For players dealing with several mods also allows them a little variety in their storytelling. Lastly when one mod gets pulled away by real life, a player will not be left without a moderator.
- Forum Assignment - A forum, divined to be a particular geographical place of an area, covers many themes. A moderator can't be expected to do all of them well, nor to know all pertinent details (including NPCs).
- Excessive Storyboard Modding - while Storyboard modding has its place in some areas, often it is very limiting for the players, and a great burden on moderators.
[edit] Examples of Themes
- Combat
- Romance
- Erotica
- Horror
- Mystery & Suspense
- Religion
- Politics & Intrigue
- Fine Arts
- Healing
- Magic
[edit] Alternative
While it remains an universal truth that moderators gravitate towards certain themes, in smaller scale games an alternative is available that ensures the same continuity of content while allowing moderators to play in their own area and even within their own themes with their PC's (to keep things fun for them in both roles).
This alternative, as explored for instance by Age of Intrigue, is not to have a theme assignment to a single moderator, but allowing them to be run by the entire team, or the moderators inclined to it, with major NPCs shared by a minimum of 2 moderators. This, naturally, is communication intensive. Detailed notes are needed and at times moderators need to discuss more often what the effect of certain stimuli will be as well as maintaining continuity of content, which can make posting rates lagging.
Apart from the smaller scale (the method is time intensive), the other absolute necessity is separation of IC and OOC issues as moderators are bumbling about in content that their own PC's are messing with, maintaining trust with their players. Veteran PC's are often moderator PC's and an accusation of favouritism is easily made. The temptation is to make the moderation of mod PC's more severe to maintain the image of impartiality, and that interferes with the content of the story and the freedom of players to build their own stories.
