Re: plankwell campaign

[Jim Vassilakos]

Thanks for the high praise about the campaign being a jewel. Jeff Zeitlin wrote me a while ago regarding my article on this form of roleplaying (https://www.freelancetraveller.com/features/preproom/pbemfic.html) and asked for a follow-up article, essentially a How-To so that others could try to replicate what we've been doing here, something you said would not be easily done. I'm hopeful that not only could others use this method to equal our efforts but that with a little bit of work they could surpass what we've done so far.

I say this, in part, because as I look at the write-up, I have to admit that I see quite a few problems. The most obvious is that my laissez faire GMing style might not be conducive to the creation of a linear narrative that's easily digested by potential readers. So far the story seems to be primarily about three things: The Olav AI, Gus coming to terms with his psionic powers, and the Arrest/Interdiction along with the subsequent events relating to it. Themes, so far, include the battle of the sexes, power dynamics and corruption, the role of psionics, and, of course, AI.

Not to veer off-topic, but I'm considering the possibility to adding Part-breaks along the following lines:

Part 1 (Ch 1-12): Olav Alpha

Part 2 (Ch 13-24): The Psion

Part 3 (Ch 25-30): Olav Beta

Part 4 (Ch 31-50): ??? (this includes psi training, the arrest, the interdiction, and the apology)

This is still very preliminary. I'm not sure I'll do it, and if I do, I'm not at all sure about those Part titles. Likewise, maybe the last one should be divided into two separate parts? It's 20 chapters, after all. In any case, your suggestions are welcome.

To get back to the topic at hand, however... well, the other problem I see is that I feel we still don't really know Gus as a character. Here's a question for Conrad. What do you see as Gus's main flaw? And are you consciously playing him with this flaw in mind, or are you more playing Gus as an extension of yourself? I'll reply to your email next. Note that I'm cc'ing these through the list address as well.

On Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 12:51 AM Timothy Collinson <timothy....@port.ac.uk> wrote:

Good morning,

On Thu, 16 Jan 2025 at 05:43, Jim Vassilakos <jim.vas...@gmail.com> wrote:

The new consolidated plankwell pdf (Ch 1-43) is here:

https://jimvassilakos.com/dos-programs/plank.html

Thank you.

 

Chapter 50 is ready for your comments:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ATdGSHevonmjPfR31PMJqkI2v697LUoS/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=113687616933633107445&rtpof=true&sd=true
PLEASE REMEMBER to change "EDITING" to "SUGGESTING" (near the upper right-hand corner) before doing any edits.

Will do.

 

Before we press on, I thought it would be a good time, at the end of this 50th chapter, to discuss the campaign out-of-character. Are you both still enjoying it or is it getting tiresome? If you want to continue, where do you see it going, and how would you like to proceed? Are there any suggestions you have? This is a test of a new methodology for roleplaying, after all, so let me know your honest opinions.

Yes, a good milestone!  Astonishing really, to have come so far.  Well done both.

Yes, still enjoying it.  Still get a bit schizophrenic between reading the new material and then looking over the publication ready version (although I think as the gap grows larger, it actually makes this easier because it's more 'forgotten' as it were).

In terms of direction, I'm very content to see how the two of you develop it so I don't have strong opinions (and if I did they might well be 'wrong'!) (i.e. not the best approach).  I've just read a Nietzsche quote I rather liked: “Never ignore, never refuse to see what may be thought against your own thought.”  Which I think has a lot to say in our social media age and unwillingness to hear others' points of view.

I suppose if I were to voice two worries, but they're only worries, not complaints or anything, the first would be perhaps better put in a separate email and the second would on the 'new methodology', only to say that I think you'll find its difficult to replicate because the two of you do such a good job on it.  Of course, I only have the experience of a very small handful of PBEM, but that suggests that this, Plankwell, is a jewel that's not easily replicated.

tc

On Thu, 16 Jan 2025 at 05:43, Jim Vassilakos <jim.vas...@gmail.com> wrote:

The new consolidated plankwell pdf (Ch 1-43) is here:

https://jimvassilakos.com/dos-programs/plank.html

Chapter 50 is ready for your comments:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ATdGSHevonmjPfR31PMJqkI2v697LUoS/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=113687616933633107445&rtpof=true&sd=true
PLEASE REMEMBER to change "EDITING" to "SUGGESTING" (near the upper right-hand corner) before doing any edits.

Before we press on, I thought it would be a good time, at the end of this 50th chapter, to discuss the campaign out-of-character. Are you both still enjoying it or is it getting tiresome? If you want to continue, where do you see it going, and how would you like to proceed? Are there any suggestions you have? This is a test of a new methodology for roleplaying, after all, so let me know your honest opinions.

[Jim Vassilakos]

Thanks for that list of ideas. I copied them all down. In the meantime, however, I'm curious what Gus plans to do next. We need to either start that scene or skip forward in time and summarize it, so let me know your thoughts.

On Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 8:24 AM Conrad Rader <conrad...@gmail.com> wrote:

It has been a journey! An exciting one and the character has gone through some ups and downs. I still enjoy the process, I can sometimes see where a bad roll has been made and I am sure there are a lot of hanging consequences to be resolved. I've been able to explore a lot of Traveller terrain that is rarely travelled (court practices, psionic spies, Navy command politics, navigating the intricacies of a multi-service command, AI demagogues, family histories...)

I think I, like many players, have sometimes chafed at being thwarted, but it is far outweighed by the challenges that have been presented and that we have worked through. I have very much enjoyed this style of play, but I too fear that it might be difficult to replicate. Not impossible, but difficult. But that is the challenge of building any play group, you have to be willing to learn how the other people play and together come to a consensus.

I tend not to read the published versions in A&E (oddly, the comments trigger a mild version of stage fright, and I find it easier to keep to my idea of the character rather than thinking about the commentary (which was all pretty positive when I read it but actors are weird like that, bad reviews make us paranoid, but good reviews encourage too much preening)) but do find the omnibus editions very useful for going back to see how Gus handled a situation and for character refreshment.

n the future, I would like to try any or all of the following; a psionic duel with a Zho operative trying to defect, a capital ship engagement (either real or a sim, or a sim that transitions into real (ie surprise attack), a boarding action, being tasked to escort a dignitary to the next port of call, a budget fight among the senior staff, rescue mission under fire, natural disaster aid intervention, an against the regulations special relationship (also not necessarily sex, but tempting the Vargr with chocolate seems too on the nose) amongst the senior staff (NOT involving Gus except as required to put things right), intramural boxing competition among the crew to see who gets a chance to pop the Old Man. Surprise visit from the Navy Auditor investigating the last battle and trying to explain all the events so far to an increasingly incredulous commodore.

There are more to be sure...

I am still game for the story to continue, and someday there will be a new planet in the well below the decks and a new set of stars in the skies. To the Imperium, may it last forever!

Conrad

[Timothy Collinson]

Hi both,

On Fri, 17 Jan 2025 at 21:53, Jim Vassilakos <jim.vas...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for that list of ideas. I copied them all down. In the meantime, however, I'm curious what Gus plans to do next. We need to either start that scene or skip forward in time and summarize it, so let me know your thoughts.

On Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 8:24 AM Conrad Rader <conrad...@gmail.com> wrote:

It has been a journey! An exciting one and the character has gone through some ups and downs. I still enjoy the process, I can sometimes see where a bad roll has been made

I have heard that some can hear the dice rolling in the back of Traveller (presumably other RPG as well) fiction!

 

and I am sure there are a lot of hanging consequences to be resolved. I've been able to explore a lot of Traveller terrain that is rarely travelled (court practices, psionic spies, Navy command politics, navigating the intricacies of a multi-service command, AI demagogues, family histories...)

I think this is a good thing.  Does the world need Yet Another Merchant Ship and Motley Crew?  (One reason I wrote See How They Run)

 

I think I, like many players, have sometimes chafed at being thwarted, but it is far outweighed by the challenges that have been presented and that we have worked through. I have very much enjoyed this style of play, but I too fear that it might be difficult to replicate. Not impossible, but difficult. But that is the challenge of building any play group, you have to be willing to learn how the other people play and together come to a consensus.

I'm not so sure it's the replicating the set up that's difficult, my apologies if I wasn't clear, but replicating getting two *writers* involved that both know their stuff, enjoy doing it and clearly like bouncing off each other.

 

I tend not to read the published versions in A&E (oddly, the comments trigger a mild version of stage fright,

LOL!  That's interesting.

 

and I find it easier to keep to my idea of the character rather than thinking about the commentary

That's probably fair.  I think I might be the same at getting glimpses behind the curtain if I were in your shoes.

 

(which was all pretty positive when I read it but actors are weird like that, bad reviews make us paranoid, but good reviews encourage too much preening))

Perhaps it's a good thing I see so few reviews of anything I do!

 

but do find the omnibus editions very useful for going back to see how Gus handled a situation and for character refreshment.

Yes, they're very helpful for searches.

 

n the future, I would like to try any or all of the following; a psionic duel with a Zho operative trying to defect, a capital ship engagement (either real or a sim, or a sim that transitions into real (ie surprise attack), a boarding action, being tasked to escort a dignitary to the next port of call, a budget fight among the senior staff, rescue mission under fire, natural disaster aid intervention, an against the regulations special relationship (also not necessarily sex, but tempting the Vargr with chocolate seems too on the nose) amongst the senior staff (NOT involving Gus except as required to put things right), intramural boxing competition among the crew to see who gets a chance to pop the Old Man. Surprise visit from the Navy Auditor investigating the last battle and trying to explain all the events so far to an increasingly incredulous commodore.

Well that covers some ground...!

 

There are more to be sure...

I am still game for the story to continue, and someday there will be a new planet in the well below the decks and a new set of stars in the skies. To the Imperium, may it last forever!

cheers!

tc

[Jim Vassilakos]

Chapter 50 ended as follows:

And with a slight bow, I turned and exited the room. I needed to get on the comm and get back to work, birthday or not.

If you want amend this, go ahead and type the change into the document at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ATdGSHevonmjPfR31PMJqkI2v697LUoS/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=113687616933633107445&rtpof=true&sd=true

But PLEASE REMEMBER to change "EDITING" to "SUGGESTING" (near the upper right-hand corner) before doing any edits.

I'm assuming the slight bow was to all present. Gus didn't single out the Countess in particular. You're right that it would be appropriate to bid her farewell before leaving. Although one could argue that the slight nod accomplished that. In any case, it's up to you.

On Tue, Jan 21, 2025 at 11:12 AM Conrad Rader <conrad...@gmail.com> wrote:

What does Gus do next...

I heard the apologies. I stood to leave the room {{I lost track of where the Countess was, if she is in here, I will present myself to her and tell her I am returning to my ship to continue my duties. If she is not i here, I will head back to the audience chamber to acknowledge I have done what she asked and am returning to my ship.}}

My next intentions are to return to the ship, endure whatever birthday celebrations the crew has in store, check in with Nizlich, check out the findings of the Tribunal, compose a report to the lawyer. or more likely have Sidara do it detailing the events of the reception, and start figuring out what that Scout has gotten me entangled with re the exploration module. Also check on the status of the delayed weapons and get that damned psi amplifier back into storage. Also arrange a meeting with Josafeen's superior, hold court on my wayward arson crew, and see how many hours of paperwork I am behind on things

You may of course, insert a troubling event or two as the occasion demands :)

Conrad