cnc discussion post; STATE OF THE GAME

[capemods]

✖ CAPE AND COWL STATE OF GAME DISCUSSION POST ✖

Hey gang. As promised, here is the discussion post that will serve, in lieu of an HMD this month, as a place for players (or prospective players, or former players) to offer their opinions, feedback, critiques, and suggestions about the idea for a game reboot or, if not that, an endgame after the New Year. Please read this whole post. We understand this is a busy time and all of us will be monitoring this post for as long as it's active, but we ask that players are patient with us in turn when it comes to response time. We'll try our hardest not to keep anyone waiting.

Anonymous has not been enabled for this post, as we would like to heavily encourage players to chime in with their names for a truly honest discourse. It's easier for us as mods -- but also for fellow players -- to know when it's a player speaking before engaging in a discussion with them, and we feel at this point it's more productive to be as straightforward as possible. In this sort of discussion, unlike with ordinary HMDs, identity does have weight and it is our players we are soliciting for discussion. However, if you are uncomfortable leaving feedback logged in we are not currently disallowing the use of sock accounts.

(As an additional reminder, each/all of the mods can also be contacted anon-enabled and IP-disabled outside of this post.)

Here's how it works: In the post below, several subjects that have been brought to us already as concerns will be listed and addressed to the best of our current ability, leaving opportunity for player feedback. As big a change as this is, we want to make sure the majority of the playerbase is on board with the same thing before we make any decisions one way or the other. As excited as we are about our reboot ideas, if ultimately they won't amount to much due to either disinterest, preference toward an endgame, or whatever else, we'd rather expend our efforts toward ending the game on a good note than developing a wholly new setting that won't get used. We will include, as well, a very brief blurb about the setting in case having an idea about our ideas makes any difference.

Each of us moderators will have a thread in this post where people can direct specific concerns of any kind to any one of us, and as mentioned above we also have our individual HMDs for use if it's more comfortable. The rest of post itself should serve as an open discussion not just to (with) us, but with your fellow players as well. We encourage people offering feedback and suggestions (or simply reading) to also go around and respond to others that are left so that whatever comes from this post can be, at least, a solid consensus.

Based on what discussion unfolds here, following this post -- after about a week -- we will post a poll, locked to the community, for players to finally register their vote in what happens. The reason this poll will be locked is because, given that this involves the future of the game, we want a method of ensuring that only players are voting.

Last of all, we ask that everyone please be respectful. We want to hear our players and react to their needs, and we also want our players extending the same courtesy to one another. It is okay to be critical or blunt as long as you're still courteous in the process -- there are no right or wrong opinions here -- but please avoid being aggressive or dismissive of anyone's points, even if you disagree with them. We will intervene if we see any hostile threads.

✖
The heart of it:

Before we go any further we wanted to say one thing more, from the mod team to you the players, sincerely. It isn't easy modding a game, that goes without saying. Throughout the years we've been dedicating our time, energy, love, and ideas to provide an environment that people could have fun with and thrive in, and it isn't lightly that we offer the chance to reboot the game and open up a fresh setting full of new directions and opportunities for both our present players and any potential new or returning ones. This isn't a matter of complacency or dismissal, not something we decided on a whim or to cheat anyone out of closure; to make this happen all of the mods are going to have to work hard and take time out of our already busy holiday schedules to get everything done and make everything happen on schedule. We wouldn't offer in the first place if we didn't care and were not willing to put the time and work in to make this the best we can make it, and we certainly aren't looking to waste our time. We're excited and happy to create this new chapter with you, to build upon the game's history and create a new narrative and a new mythos, to work with you to explore and expand on what's good -- what's great -- and improve on what's less great.

Should this not be what the players want, that's fine. This decision isn't just about us (the mods); it's about the game, about everyone. We will listen to what you want out of the game, be it letting things end or rebooting the setting. We want to hear your thoughts so we can adjust our plans for this month, next month, and the future, accordingly. Thank you for reading.

✖
The blurb:

CAPE & COWL (2.0) is a panfandom RPG set in a parallel, modern day universe... with a twist. Although the year is 2014, some sentiments and technology may be more reminiscent of the 1950s Cold War era, and some may seem far flung from the future. Based on the comic New Frontier, characters are relocated from Cape Canaveral to one of three different cities to fulfill the military's agenda, connected by boomtubes for instant teleportation. Anti-hero sentiment runs rampant, but you're a special case. That and officially a government secret.

Though there will be an overarching plot and many mystery subplots that build up said overarching plot, the action of the game would rely on both player plots and "assignments" given to characters to complete either on their own or in teams. They can rebel against the instilled systems or they can work with them, and there are pros and cons to either option. This is just a preview, of course; more details would be pending in January, should the reboot continue on as scheduled, and we'd like to reiterate that whether or not the reboot happens, C&C's "old" setting will come to a close. The reboot would not be "instead" of an endgame, but rather "in addition to."

✖
Concerns:

ⓐ APPLICATIONS: Quite reasonably, some concern was brought to us over the projected length in downtime for applications as the reboot unfolds. Our initial idea at the time was that we and the current playerbase would "test drive" the new setting -- so to speak -- during that downtime so that players could offer feedback and suggestions as we experience it that can be folded into the setting (or discarded) before it went live to the general DW public. However, we understand it is a long time, and are thus revising our timeline to say that should the reboot go forward, we will aim to reopen applications in February.
ⓑ INTEREST: Another concern that's come up is whether or not there will be interest enough from new players to sustain the reboot, and that's a question we unfortunately can't answer. Like with any new game, the success or the failure can't always be predicted, but we can certainly do our best to market the new premise and hope that players will be willing to do the same. The application downtime in January and part of February would ideally be the time to start advertising, and we would host a test drive meme in the new setting a week or two before applications re-opened. That said: If there is still interest from our current playerbase and some interest from new players, even if it isn't an outpour, we as mods are more than willing to work with a smaller game model.
ⓒ STRUCTURE: Another part of the reboot would involve retooling of many game mechanics, both IC and OOC. We have ideas for some of these, but we are also happy to hear suggestions about what kind of new mechanics players would like to see, pending a reboot, in play. Some examples include death mechanics, communicators, event/plot pacing, NPC presence (y/n)... feel free to weigh in on anything that may come to mind. What do you like in games (C&C or otherwise) and what don't you like? From an OOC standpoint we are discussing ways to change up/improve the application, activity check, and the mod structure, but if there is anything else you feel can be improved here too please let us know your thoughts.
ⓓ REBOOT VS. ENDGAME: The crux of the argument, it seems! We've had people bring to us both sides of the coin, some interested in the former and some the latter, and while -- as mentioned before -- the reboot would not be going live at the expense of a Part One endgame, we would still like to know where the majority of the playerbase stands for preference before we devote a good portion of our holiday season to worldbuilding and set-up. Please be honest, we'd rather know what people really want!
ⓔ ACTIVITY CHECK: This didn't necessarily require its own bullet point, but we'd like to mention that December will have a laxer AC, exact details to come.

Comments

OLESIA

[capemods]

( personal HMD )

GABBIE

[capemods]

( personal HMD )

LEAH

[capemods]

( personal HMD )

NITA

[capemods]

( personal HMD )

SARA

[capemods]

( personal HMD )

[toolongdidntrejoice]

This isn't really a critique for you, Sara. It's mostly my feedback for the modplots that I've participated in, what I feel worked and what didn't. I figure I'll put this to your thread since it's your area.

New Vesuvius I feel was very interesting but also complicated. It was interesting in the complexity and the layers within it, however that was also rather daunting. I feel like as a longer, extended plot, it would have been really fun. However, in the short span of time, there was almost too much and also it wasn't clear what our limitations were for each caste. The concept of the doppelgangers was really fun, but personally I never got to explore that due to the caste I got handed.

Asthenoa was really fun for me. However, in the same vein, I feel that was also due to my luck of having a day off when the plot first went up. If I hadn't had that day free to play around, I feel I wouldn't have been able to do as much as I wanted? In total, I feel overall this is the plot I enjoyed the most, since it had a good balance of open mingle, breeding CR, incentives, and also ACTION in the labyrinth logs. It was very simple but had sooo much room to play in, and the personal goals were really fun.

Capers was a great concept, but I feel like it could have benefited from more direction, like Asthenoa's goals and achievements. I think the dinosaurs especially would have been a big incentive for people to tag out and 'earn' them. Personally I was busy at the time, so I didn't get to tagging out, so my feedback here is limited.

My suggestions would be, as you guys already replied and affirmed that this is happening: keeping the "achievements" for modplots. I know it's hard to keep up shiny new rewards for people, but something I've noticed is popular in Animus is "regains" from your home world. I think that would be fun incentive?

Another thing I'd like to have open for consideration is having modplot at the start of a month, rather than the end. That way, there is less dropped when the new month rolls around for AC, and folks feel inspired to backtag for a little longer. This is my personal preference and if there is specifics of why we keep it for the end of the month, I understand.

I know as plotting mod, you set us a stage and so how we play in it is not entirely within your hands. This is just my limited experience, since I haven't played too heavily or too long. That is all, I think. Thanks for your time.

[crab]

Personally, I am not in favor of an endgame, as I feel the closure given by an endgame scenario will still be given by the fact that C&C as it is right now will be ending. The reboot is not guaranteed success, but it offers those who may want to continue playing here the opportunity to do so, and I really can't see any pro that exists within going through with an endgame that doesn't exist within drawing this chapter of C&C to a close. Those who do not wish to participate in the reboot do not have to, and will obviously be free to treat the end of C&C as it is as an endgame, while in the event of a true endgame those who would like to continue playing in the game would not have the opportunity to choose to do so.

As for interest, one concern I've had is the matter of advertising -- specifically, false advertising. Our game ads for places such as app-this-plz have changed very little since I joined in 2012, despite the fact that things such as game pacing and size have gone through significant changes, and I believe it would do us more good to market ourselves as the slow, small game we are, rather than pulling in players expecting a medium to fast game, only for them to drop once their expectations aren't met. I know of someone who dropped for that very reason, and I doubt they've been the only one.

Another concern regarding interest is the difficulty players of new characters, particularly characters of certain types (younger characters, obscure canons) have establishing a presence in the game, and often feel unwelcomed by both the playerbase and the mods. I think this is a big problem that needs to be addressed, and that perhaps systems should be put in place to help allow new blood to carve themselves a niche with more ease, and also a reminder to the game as a whole that communication is incredibly important. I know I'm guilty of this pitfall myself -- being open to CR from new players, but due to never actively seeking it myself or letting them know I am open to it, said new player has no way of knowing I would like to make plans and CR with them. I know it is on the shoulders of the players and not the mods to talk to and play with one another, but I don't think putting something in place to make it easier to establish yourself after newly apping in could hurt anything, and it would at least acknowledge that appearing insular and difficult to integrate into has been one of the game's problems. As for ideas, something like the Dammit, I'm Branching Out meme comes to mind, although that's just the first thing I can think of.

As for structure, what I like about C&C is the PC's ability to influence the worldbuild and the flow of the overarching plot, and I would like to see that quality carried over and perhaps even amplified in C&C 2.0. Opportunities for characters' decisions, actions or inactions to directly affect the outcome of a plot have always been a marker of my favorite kinds of plots that have been run, and it also helps stave off the existential malaise/jamjar fatigue that many long standing PCs can fall prey to, as I know not everyone is interested in playing that. I would also like to see more of the overarching plot than we have in C&C 1.0 -- the subplots mentioned in the blurb intrigue me, and could potentially tie in what I mentioned regarding PCs directly influencing the course of the game. I'd definitely like to see more frequent subplots for players to mess around with, as occasionally, between installments of the overarching plot as it has been, PCs will run out of ways to investigate/respond/react to the previous installment before the next one, and some may feel as though they're just sitting on their hands waiting for the next chapter of modplot. I think more frequent mod subplots scattered in between the larger installments could do a lot to combat this.

I will probably have more stuff to say as I think of it, but for now, those are my thoughts. I'd like to say that I have a lot of appreciation for what the mods are doing for the game in rebuilding it from the ground up like this, and I'd also just like to acknowledge and thank you guys for the thought and work that has/might go into it.

[foreshadower]

Shadow you just said pretty much everything I could possibly hope to say about this. I'm just going to add my plus 1 to this.

cont.

[crab]

I'd like to add that in recent months one of my difficulties engaging with the setting and being proactive about plots is the lack of easily accessible OOC information on subjects such as Vulcanus, the Phantasm, the Red Death, etc. I'm aware that information is often used as a reward for aspects of modplot, and I really do enjoy that, but I think it would be beneficial to have a more detailed world information post with a general (juicy future-plot sensitive details/spoilers not included) overview of current knowledge of these organizations, along with other aspects of the worldbuild. For example, the information on the fake countries is nicely detailed and laid out, but the information on alien species in C&C's universe is very bare bones besides "they exist". C&C is very diverse and there is a lot of freedom in the game that I haven't experienced anywhere else, but I believe it might be easier to make use of that freedom with better communication/easier access to information.

[fronttowardenemy]

Delayed, but I'd really like to agree with everything here 100%, and say I really appreciate you taking the time to say it.

[fronttowardenemy]

I am not in favor of endgame. I feel like there are enough players here who want to continue playing. The community can continue to thrive, and does not need to be shut down, if our mods and playerbase work towards breathing new life into things. A lot of standing issues are not part of the game setting, but the playerbase within it.

Communication, I feel, is an issue. There is no solid archive of CNC's current modplot history, and that makes it hard to pitch to new players. Even a basic idea of Vulcanus in itself is not easy to come by, much less Red Death and the other details. I understand moderators have schedules, but I feel this should be an essential piece of getting people involved in the game.

There is a standing issue of the playerbase not being inviting to newcomers, depending on what characters they bring in. Seeing OOC introductions go barren of any sort of "hello" whatsoever is a little worrying. I saw it remarked that our game was the least friendliest community that a new-applicant had seen. To be honest, after certain things have happened, I am wary of inviting people I know to the game? I feel rather embarrassed when I engage new applicants with enthusiasm about the game, and lots of positive words about CNC, then my shining recommendation falls short due to genre bias. I've actually received insults for being kind to new people, which is rather ridiculous. The amount of bias against certain canons and characters is obvious. There is some kind of exclusiveness which is definitely off-putting. I've experienced it firsthand, since the first time I apped a character that wasn't comics gave me an entirely new response. The difference was drastic.

This is not something that you can easily bring to HMD about a particular person, so it's hard to tackle, but there is a big stigma about CNC "hating anime" or "hating kids" which always crops up. Likewise, people get their feathers ruffled about our game not being heroic enough, although there is plenty of space to make player plots for heroic deeds, which no one engages on. A lot of complaining goes on, when taking personal action in this game is very easy? CNC is a game where I feel shaping the world is very possible. So, I am not sure what holds people back. It may be a matter of taking initiative, but offerings of heroic scenarios get overlooked as well. There was a deliberately heroic plot made by Lumi just a little while ago (I've asked his permission to bring this up), and there was limited response. It may be other things at work, people being busy, or it may be because of the character he plays. I can't be sure.

I am not sure how to stir up new character interaction. I find the scheduled CR meme worked well to begin, but now it's kind of stagnated? I am not sure if the regularity is actually hurting it, since players feel less inspired to "report in" every month, but I am open to ideas. I made an ooc post asking for feedback on the cr meme and received no reply, which is either apathy or a lack of inspiration. Either way, it was discouraging.

Personally, my favorite bit of IC mingling and CR building was the Asthenoa chapter of modplot. If the future CNC "assignments" in modplot are similar? I'd really like that. I think that would be a good motivator.

I know there's more I should say, but I don't want to get carried away. To conclude: I appreciate everyone's hard work. I hope none of this comes off as down-talking, but it's just my personal experience. I really want this game to continue, but we do need to do some work.

[crab]

I agree with pretty much everything you've said, but I'd like to emphasize this:

Personally, my favorite bit of IC mingling and CR building was the Asthenoa chapter of modplot. If the future CNC "assignments" in modplot are similar? I'd really like that. I think that would be a good motivator.

Despite not having been able to participate myself, what I read of the plot outline and those who could participate was pretty encouraging. Plots rewarding branching out and creating new CR are a very good idea, imo.

[wild_roar]

See, I was busy with the move into a house during the Asthenoa chapter, so to this day, I have NO idea what happened during it or what came out of it. I don't even know where to look for that information, or a summary.

[erewhile]

Duly noted. We as mods are willing to do our part not only where it comes to creating the setting itself, but doing what we can to help remedy the other concerns and problems the game is facing. It will definitely take work and be a group effort and we hope and encourage that the remaining playerbase will do their part as we will work on doing ours.

Although the current storyline (Vulcanus et. al) will be coming to a close in January before the new setting would go live, we agree that the game would benefit from not only a timeline but a thorough modplot page detailing previous chapters, information, and "the story so far." This would be kept updated with each chapter of development so that new players would have an easy resource to understand what's going on in game -- does something like that sound like a good solution?

We also agree that more can be done to make new players feel more welcome at C&C. We'd like to institute a system post-reboot that ushers new characters directly toward CR so that they can get a foothold right away regardless of character age or medium, but it was also suggested to us here that we set up a meme tailored to helping new players establish themselves. The hardest part would be coordinating this with our app cycles, but if we remain bi-weekly we can (perhaps) rotate two "new player" memes so that each one goes up every other month. If you have any other suggestions in addition to these we're more than happy to hear them, we'd like to do whatever we can to remedy this issue.

Likewise, we want to do whatever we can to dispel any exclusiveness or genre bias, and while we can't force players to play together, what we can do is (in addition to the meme ideas mentioned above) organize an IC intro system that encourages characters to mingle with new and unusual CR similarly to, as you touch upon as well, how Asthenoa did so. C&C is a panfandom RPG, after all, everyone deserves to play as much as anyone else.

As far heroic scenarios being overlooked, we're sorry that Lumi's plot didn't garner the responses he might have hoped for. We don't know the exact reasons any more than you do but it's a shame to see any plot or player go overlooked. We can't make players play (activity check notwithstanding) but we're hoping between the new setting -- which will reemphasize heroics in a way the current setting has admittedly been lacking -- efforts extended by both mods and players to welcome in new players, a differently-paced but open and interactive plot where players can still explore and shape the world, and a renewed effort on the part of the mod team to be timely, approachable, and accessible, players will feel more motivation to get involved and make the most of the setting as it's offered to them. We're also open to suggestions if there are any specific heroic plots players would like to see in game.

The "assignments" would work much like the Asthenoa incentives, yes! Basically we would provide a list of mini-plots that players can opt-into on their own or as a group, each assignment having certain objectives -- some of them which will involve working with new people. Fulfilling the objective will move part of the plot along, but structured so that things won't stall should one person forget to do something.

Thank you very much for leaving this feedback, we really do appreciate it. Your experiences are important to letting us know what we should be aware of and/or focused on fixing and we thank you for bringing them to us.

[liverletdie]

I just want to echo both what Peps and Shadow said again and again, because I really do not like the idea of an endgame. I think the reboot does provide the opportunity to close things for those of us who would like the game to end, and then provide those of us who want to stay to do so. It's a great compromise to allow people the opportunity to do what they wish!

One of the things, I think, that's really contributed to the lack of a "superhero" feel to the game lately is that the Vulcanus plot, while immersive and fun and engaging, has taken over a lot of the potential for player plots! Much of the player-run plots have focused on Vulcanus itself, and it would likely be seen as ooc to focus on something else that could create a player-run superhero plot, if that makes sense. Another trouble is that while everyone focuses on it, it's difficult to...I guess pick up all the pieces to start up new plots and pieces for the Vulcanus, or it's been dependent on player information (and I know I've been painfully guilty of not picking things up and running with them) and the information then just holds and waits. It takes a lot of player-run motivation, and by the time that you've concluded your threads, it's hard to figure out what to do next to get the plot moving. To be honest, I've loved the Vulcanus plot, and everything with it, but I think that because it's been held over the course of the year, it's extremely intimidating to new players, and difficult to come in midway. It's been a fantastic, long ride, but I feel like because it's been a long, over-arching plot, it's dominated the potential for other plots.

I want to reiterate that I have loved every stage of the Vulcanus plot from day one, but I think as a game plot, it's probably one of the reason player plots have been difficult to get off the ground, at least ICly. We've had to focus on that, which means that it's been difficult to create plots.

That being said, I'm ridiculously excited for CNC 2.0 if it gets off the ground, and I cannot wait to see how this is going to take place. As a player that's been here for a long time, I'm excited to see what's going to go down, and I'm even more excited to play with a new sandbox and see what we can do with it. I like the idea of multiple cities, but I'm a little worried it is going to spread things out, despite the teleporter technology that I assume will provide instant transportation. Maybe something closer to a twin-cities sort of situation (kind of like Keystone and Central city in DC?) to facilitate separate areas, but close enough that we're still going to see a centralized location?

Anyway, I just want to say this, and I can't stress it enough, I really admire each and every one of you mods. You've all put so much heart and energy into the game, and I really appreciate the frank way that you guys have taken this on, and I really can't wait to see how this goes! I'm willing to throw in any support or energy that you guys need to help this along in any way!

[gabbie]

Good to know! We agree that we felt it was a good way to compromise, allowing an endgame so that those who'd like to can wrap up their plans and we can wrap up the current game plot, but additionally kicking off a reboot as a sort of "chapter 2" or "sequel" for those that would like to keep playing.

That does make sense, and we actually have a few ideas that will hopefully iron out those wrinkles for future modplot endeavors. With CNC 1.0 ending, the Vulcanus storyline will come to a close in January and from there with the new setting will come a new overarching storyline. We'd like to 1] have an info page dedicated to the premise and what of the plot has been revealed (with event blow by blows once we get that far) so that new players can have an easy place to start when it comes to reading up on what's happened so far, 2] our overarching plot will be structured a bit differently come the reboot, with an intended emphasis on more frequent mini-events and subplots that will each unlock information or create fallout that will assist in understanding the bigger mystery. Although we definitely plan to be encouraging teamwork and new CR opportunities with this plot structure we'd like to also organize it in such a way where things can still move even if, hypothetically, someone drops the ball somewhere, and 3] missions and assignments (as alluded to in the blurb) which will be given to the game en masse as a sort of list of mini-plots -- they can be solo or in groups -- each with various objectives, all plot-related though some will be more minor than others. That way, should something somehow get stalled, we can easily create a mission dedicated to moving it forward.

... While of course still leaving room for player plots! We understand length and pacing is a concern and occasionally an issue and we're definitely going to work on something that has a slightly different march to it. We especially want to allow for the "superhero" part of the game to shine through again and the new setting will definitely push that front and center. I hope that helps address/acknowledge what you were saying, if I've missed something somewhere definitely let me know!!

Regarding the cities! I can understand the concern and our intent is definitely not to let distance impede CR or plotting by having things a little spread out; the cities will all be on the East Coast and aside from the boom tubes/teleporters (yes, it is instant!) we will also have alternative methods of similarly convenient travel. Ideally they may even be within driving distance, though "driving distance" of anywhere from a few hours to a few days (we're still picking states, though the cities themselves will be fictional). Characters would be free to get "reassigned" to a different city or move wherever they'd like (the difference will be akin to a character moving out of the MAC; if they stay where they're assigned they'll have food/room/board footed by the government, if they move they're on their own) so there will be nothing physically keeping them in one place. The reason for housing characters in multiple cities in the first place will be in part plot related but also so to create opportunity for mini-plots that may (in moderation and temporarily) cause IC tension and different opportunities. We also thought it would be a good chance to create different environments each with their own quirks, pros, cons, and mini-events to help stimulate energy and player plots.

Thanks for much for the feedback, we really appreciate it. Again, if I've failed to address anything or you have more questions/concerns please let me know so I can remedy that!

[deformer]

As a preface to this, I think I've made a total of a couple dozen comments in the past five months and I'm on my second trip to warning status in the past three. I'm every bit as marginal and unnecessary as a player can get. But, I have an opinion on this, so, I'll share it, I guess.

I've been in C&C off and on at various points throughout the last four years. I think my total time here amasses to around two years. I have a lot of fondness for the game and the setting. I've just found it very difficult to engage the setting the past few months, though. Part of that is me, I've had opportunities to do stuff and just whiffed on them. But part of it is that it just feels like there's not as much to do as there used to be. The Vulcanus plot is really enjoyable, but that's where it begin and ends. One of the things I always loved about this game in the past is how alive it felt, even if there necessarily weren't a lot of plots going on, the game felt like a living, breathing entity with a lot of different organizations and characters playing off each other and influencing the direction of the game. Relatively to that right now, it's empty outside of the scope of the Vulcanus plot.

So for a while I've felt very ambivalent about this game and my place in it. I've considered dropping more times than I can count in the past couple of months, but hesitated enough each time to wind up at this point instead. I wanna think that a reboot can get the game back to the point where the setting is a unique, living thing with a lot of different teams and organizations, and a lot of opportunities for actions and dramatics. The idea in the blurb sounds okay, I'd like to hear more about it but I know there's a lot of moving parts in it still. The idea of "assignments" sounds like a particularly interesting one. If the implication is that things would be broken up by lots of minor and individual plots, I'd be really in favor of that.

I'm in favor of a reboot. I'm neutral to the idea of an endgame - unless I'm reading this wrong, it sounds like the two aren't mutually exclusive. I'm assuming an endgame would be a culmination of the Vulcanus plot, followed by the closing of this setting, and then the reboot would allow anyone who wanted to to take their character as is to the new setting. By that definition, I'm assuming anything prior to the reboot would technically count as an endgame and in that respect, I'd be fine with it. But I may be mis-understanding.

[gabbie]

First of all, thank you for your input. It means a lot to us that even while having trouble engaging with the game as of late you'd take the time!

Moving onward: We definitely get where you're coming from on this matter, and it's one of the things we hope to rectify pending the reboot. Part of our restructuring of the setting will include an adjustment in pacing when it comes to the overarching plot; I elaborate in some detail over here but what we're hoping to do is, rather than the bi-monthly plot chapter model, have more frequent mini-events and subplots that will tie into the greater plot to keep things from getting stagnant "in between," but to also give each event a different sense of impact so they don't steal all the thunder and energy away from player plots and downtime.

"Heroing" will be brought back to front and center and we intend to create a lot of chances for action and teamwork with the way the new setting will be structured. We are still working out quite a bit of the logistics which is the only reason we don't share much more than we have, but we're working with some inspiration from the comic New Frontier to create a world of superhero-and-government intrigue. The "assignments" would be exactly that -- lots of minor and individual plots that can be opted-in either solo or with a group, each with objectives that'll create some impact or plot movement (some may be more minor than others).

You've got that right too! Our plan in/was for the Vulcanus plot to come to a close along with the setting and then the reboot would follow, so anyone wishing for just an endgame could simply not participate in the reboot, and those who would like to keep playing would be brought into the new setting with their game memories intact (unless they player would rather reset them).

Thank you again for the feedback, and I hope I've managed to satisfactorily address/acknowledge what you've said here; if not, or if you have any other questions, definitely let me know so that I can clarify further.

[wild_roar]

For my two cents, I'll start with saying that I don't have strong feelings toward one option or the other. Endgame or reboot, I could easily go either way. That said, if the 'reboot' of CnC ends up drastically different from what it is now, in terms of setting and game mechanics, then you might as well just call it what it is: a new game. There's nothing wrong with a new game. But I don't know that dragging the capeandcowl name along to it is going to help it, or be fair to players both old and new.

If the things that are considered broken about the setting and game mechanics can't be fixed, then I think I would prefer an endgame to a retooling so large that it does away with everything unique to CnC as it is. Right now, CnC is the only superhero-themed game, even if the theme is somewhat loose at this point. As far as I know it's the only game in a modern, non-sci-fi, non-dystopian, non-horror setting. If I wanted to play in a sci-fi game or an alternate universe game, then I would already be in one. Of course, that begs the question, has the game dwindled in size and speed because of the setting/plot/mechanics, or something else? And if you tweak the former, will it fix the latter, or just give us all the same problems but with new wallpaper?

I've also hesitated trying to enable people to the game, mainly because I thought the game was dying or dead. I expected that the big announcement would be that the last chapter of the Vulcanus saga would be endgame. And I was okay with that. I still am. I'm perfectly fine with it and I see no problem with sending a long-running game out on a fantastic plot note before it dwindles and just sort of flops over and dies like sirenspull. What it comes down to, for me at least, is whether or not the reboot is going to 'recapture' any of the old glory that made CnC such a huge game for so long, or if it's going to be so radically different from what CnC is now that you may as well just call it a new game with the same mods. Some of that comes down to not knowing what kinds of actual things you've already been thinking about when it comes to retooling game mechanics and plot. But the blurb posted above sounds like enough of a different game that I don't see how calling it a reboot is accurate.

Personally, I'm not really interested in playing in a jamjar game that is too similar to others that are out there or have been out there. I vaguely recall reading a game premise that involved being teleported into one of three cities with different settings (Seattle was a nice sterile futuristic place, I think another city was a real dystopia, etc) and I wasn't interested in playing there. I can't remember the name. I've also been in sirenspull and exsilium, games with roughly similar premises to the proposed blurb, and while they aren't or weren't bad games, the reason I stayed with CnC so long is because it was different from them. I like being in the City, and I like having the entire world - and outer space above it! - to explore if my characters want. I like the ways players tweak with it, introducing companies and technologies, affecting the media and in-universe culture directly. Of course, that unique setting is also one of CnC's major drawbacks, in that it lends itself way too easily to slice-of-life whenever there aren't enough plots or enough participation in plots to keep the game a game. However, I don't think changing the setting is going to change that within the current playerbase. The fact that the last few player-run plots have been met with complete apathy (and I'm including myself among the apathetic) have killed a lot of enthusiasm for even proposing, let alone participating in, future plots. This entire calendar year we've done nothing but sit and wait for the modplot every other month, and just sort of derp around in between. Back when the game was huge, having a plot that a fraction of the game was interested in still led to a really major plot, and the effects could often be noticed even by characters not even remotely involved in the plot. But now that we're much smaller and slower, sitting out of plots that don't interest us means the plots die right away. We don't have the playerbase nor the energy to weather those kinds of storms anymore.

I honestly don't think the issues with keeping CnC vital and vibrant are in the setting or overarching plot. I don't think rebooting it with an alternate universe is going to solve that. That said, if the mods have these really great worldbuilding ideas for an entirely new game that may share some small hallmarks of CnC (keeping powers, a teleporter that brings new characters in), I would say they should go right ahead and make that game - but make it a new game. End CnC, because it can never be what it once was, a second time. I would look at it as a new game and consider if it sounds like something I would want to play in, not as a long-standing player but as a new prospective player. It really comes down to just how much of a change the reboot is, which we don't know yet because it hasn't been explained (or thought up?). So, without really knowing what kind of game the reboot is going to turn into, I can't really say one way or the other whether I'd really enjoy it or really hate it. The blurb doesn't sound very interesting to me. It also doesn't give us enough of an idea just how much of CnC is going to be preserved or carried over. Is it going to be pretty much everything except not set in the City anymore? Or is it going to be pretty much nothing except your characters can keep their memories of the City? Or anything in between? For me, how much of CnC is preserved is going to determine whether I stay or whether I ollie on out with the Vulcanus end game.

I know I'm sort of rambling in circles now, but I don't know how to better express myself. I really don't mind an endgame, and I really am not strongly pushing for one or the other. But logically speaking, if the reboot changes the fundamentals of what "capeandcowl" means, then you might as well abandon the name and start a new game. It's not like new game comms aren't free. A new game isn't a terrible thing, and there's nothing wrong with being inspired by what was CnC for so long. But unless the new setting is so inextricably linked to the old one as to really be a sequel, or the new game mechanics depend entirely on the old ones, I don't know why you'd need to call it a reboot. And really, there isn't much about CnC that I can see being so vital to a new game. Unless the new game IS "cnc2020" or something like that, where the setting is entirely based on the last 5 years of CnC.

Figuring out why the game dwindled and we can't attract fresh blood is a completely different issue from deciding to end or reboot the game. I'm willing to discuss both, too! But if the game continues as is, with only minor setting and overarching plot changes, then the mechanics have to change to support a small game rather than a large, fast game. If the game ends, and you use the reboot ideas to start a new game, then you can start fresh with rules and mechanics that suit a small game until you see whether it gets legs. Either way, the mods are going to have to step up to drive plots and keep people interested until the game grows enough to support player plots the way it used to. That can't be done with busy, absentee mods. The current mod team has to seriously assess their own interest in CnC as well, and determine whether they're willing to knuckle down and push it forward no matter which direction is chosen, or if it's time to admit they don't have time or energy or interest and would like to call it quits. Which, I imagine, might make endgame generally more appealing. It's an out for mods, too, so that those who want to continue modding a game can start afresh.

That is a lot of tl;dr to basically say 'I need to know more about the actual structure of the reboot before I know whether I'm on board with it.' I'm sorry. I ramble. The blurb isn't enough - if I posted on app_this_plz and someone gave me that blurb to attract them to their game, my reaction would be 'thanks but no thanks.' That's not what I'm looking for in a game. I like CnC's unique things: open world, modern setting, nothing besides what the characters bring with them to make it weird or genre-specific, keeping and USING powers, mixes of consistent modplot and player plots. At least, that was what I liked about it when it was big and fast. I still prefer the open world and modern setting. The modplots for Vulcanus this calendar year have been amazing, but they come after a period of stagnation in which there wasn't much driving the game forward, and are broken up by more periods of stagnation where the players, what few of us are left, aren't interested in playing in each other's plots or in the sandbox itself anymore. That, more than anything else, is why I might lean more toward end game. But my mind still isn't made up and I do agree with everyone else that a lot of the problems with the game lie with the players not playing. I'm not sure how to fix that.

[noematic]

First off, rambling is fine! No need to apologize, we certainly understand that everyone's working out their thoughts and feelings on the proposals. I'll address points in a relative consecutive order, but if I miss anything, or you'd like deeper clarification, please don't hesitate to ask again.

None of the mods consider cnc broken beyond repair, in any respect. We do think that the slowing down of game pace and general apathy are major obstacles, and ones that won't be rectified without great and focused change. A good many vibrant, engaging people have invested a lot in this game, and that's why we're working to keep those narratives going in a rebooted game -- provided that's what the majority of the playerbase wants.

However, some things must end to beget new things. We may not be using the Capeandcowl name (in fact, we've already registered a new community name to be safe), and it's true that the City as characters know it will not survive the reboot. How that environment (and NPC structures as we know them) ends will be the final plot chapter. However, all characters will retain their memories of the City. Your investment will not be forgotten. If a game member would like to have their character without continuity memories, however, that can be an option -- but the default will include memories.

But we will be keeping that unique cnc quality that you mentioned into the reboot. The mods have spent months and months analyzing what experiments worked or didn't work in the game, what we could do to create a setting and community that learned from prior mistakes and shortcomings. We love that cnc has a strong element of creative freedom and is heavily initiative-based, meaning that anyone can make an impact or pursue setting up structures if they want to. That's something we're keen to keep. In addition to those aspects, we are excited to engage a new worldbuild history that encapsulates successful themes. This is a sort of reincarnation; this reboot couldn't be possible without the narrative that cnc originally built. A good many elements unique to cnc will be reimagined, reworked, and reinvigorated in the new setting. We want to keep that spirit of continuity alive -- something that is hopefully appropriate for a superhero game!

Moreover, in the space between organizing the reboot and its official opening, we want any remaining players to have a strong hand in fleshing out the worldbuild along with us. We have a structure in mind, we have guidelines and directions, but we recognize that Capeandcowl is a communal effort. We're all part of the plot, we're all part of the world, and we want to try workshopping ideas with our playerbase, hearing their ideas (as they hear ours), and incorporating what works best. One of the major themes we want to push in the new setting is what defines a hero. We've designed a few NPC groups with competing interests concerning that definition, and thus concerning imPorts, but we want to open the floodgates on player-made NPC groups -- and a new start might encourage that to happen.

It's true that energy has changed. I remember how one could devote whole days to tagging (granted, it may not have been a healthy priority, that's arguable), but as our playerbase got older and accumulated more responsibilities, pacing inevitably shifted. However! A different pace is not the same as apathy, and it's the latter that we're hoping to decrease. We're interested in a setting that is designed to have on-going miniplots created and maintained by the playerbase that directly stem from the worldbuild we all create. The checks and balances to that system are still under debate, but we're greatly enthused with the concept. It may not be the sheer amount of activity that Capeandcowl was once known for, but our goal is a steady, invigorating flow of interaction and engagement.

As for the cities! These will be sister cities, and I say that with reason. There is a precedent for sisters in game, after all! And they will be fictional cities, in the vein that DC Comics has fictional cities (we are inspired by the work New Frontier). We do not want these cities to be obstacles, but rather as ways to implement more layers of mini-plots, especially with regards to those designed by the playerbase. No character is limited to any city, but there will be unique opportunities inherent to each one. We think our playerbase can really run with that potential!

The blurb itself is just a starting point, and by no means did any of us intend to use it as an ATP pitch. We have the mechanisms, the thrust of plot, the themes and the structure worked out. We have the guidelines down. But the reboot is not at all ready in its full potential, because we want to workshop and create elements with the playerbase before the game officially opens. That's why we considered closing apps (however, the duration of app closure is also up for debate now!). Everything workshopped will be nascent game canon. Players will be held to a standard, but we would be revising how AC works in the interim, basing it more on constructive IC input and OOC constructive criticism/feedback than merely making logs. A formal post on that idea hasn't been put forth, because we first want to make sure players even desire the reboot!

Dwindling numbers and a lack of fresh blood are very concerning. We're always open to constructive opinion and perspective on those problems, we want to talk solutions. That's one of the many reasons why we wanted to have this discussion post.

As for the mods, we're all invested in Capeandcowl. We love this game. We wouldn't be here if we didn't. But it's true that the current system isn't working with modly schedules, and it cannot continue like it is in this structure, what with our real life obligations. We have ideas we'd like to workshop on how to reform that structure, and we'd like to discuss those once we get a gauge on playerbase interest in the reboot.

Thank you for your input! We greatly appreciate the feedback. If you have additional queries or if I can clarify anything more, I'd be happy to do so.

[heartlessglitch]

asdlkj a lot of what i wanted to say has already been said, so i won't beat a dead horse! but i was thinking about how to address the issue of the game being more welcoming to new players and encouraging more applicants, because i really love cnc and would like to make other people, especially new players, feel welcome here.

i work with welcoming prospective students/connecting them with current students at my university and had an idea kind of inspired by that? i wonder if it would be feasible to have a helper mod or two that are kind of in charge of welcomes for new players. it would be a way of insuring that all the intro posts in the ooc comm get some kind of reception, but these helper mods could also talk to new players about how they think their character might fit in/what kind of cr they might be interested in, point out players in charge of in-game structures like city hall or nohope, answer questions about on-going plots, or just generally help new players connect with current ones. IT'D BE KIND OF LIKE A BUDDY SYSTEM SO you automatically have someone in game who isn't necessarily a mod that can help you hit the ground running...

MAYBE THAT'S TOO HIGH MAINTENANCE I DON'T KNOW but maybe it would also help falskjda BUT BASICALLY i would mostly be interested in knowing how we can make the game more friendly to new players and improve the ooc atmosphere!

[crab]

i really like your ideas re: welcoming new players maddie! particularly the concept of a buddy system/some kind of structure in place to help new players hit the ground running like that. adding my support!

[fiver]

It's late and I've had a busy day, so I won't be the most eloquent or coherent here. Please don't take my brusqueness as hostility. I'm just tired, but want to put my thoughts in before they flee my head. So, bullet points:

♦ I am not in favor of ending the game. I think it still has something to offer and people who are interested in continuing to play. I don't think it's time to give up on it as an RP.
♦ But I don't think mixing up the setting completely is the way to go. The problem in C&C is not the setting--a year and a half ago, we had essentially the same gameworld and much more activity. So it's something else, and in the end focusing on changing the setting instead of addressing the OOC issues behind the decline in activity will just be applying bandages to an infected wound. It might look better for a while, but in the end you should've gone for the antibiotics instead.
♦ I like C&C's setting in its essential nature. It's unique in the midst of an RP culture that focuses on fantasy, sci-fi, and horror jamjars: an essentially modern-day, wide-open world that players can explore, add to, and interact with at leisure, blending elements of the rich possibilities in the real world with the wilder possibilities in fiction, most notably superhero themes. Please don't discard this heart of the game wholesale in favor of emulating games that seem more popular at the moment.
♦ Issues with the setting and plot boil down to OOC ones: lack of communication about plot developments, important metaplot information being difficult to understand or just plain inaccessible...this can be fixed without removing the elements of the setting that make C&C unique.
♦ I have always respected the mod team's professional attitudes and dedication to the game, but there has to also be a willingness to take a hard look at C&C's more unsavory problems and acknowledge them instead of shrugging and sweeping them under the rug.
♦ The game is not friendly to new players. It's notorious for petty wank. It's infamous for hating on characters from the wrong medium or genre. Make it clear that you will address these issues and crack down on people who perpetuate them whenever possible. I know it's not always possible, but it's not always impossible either. I've seen some suggestions in the mods' responses above for ways to make newbies feel more welcome; follow through with stuff like that.
♦♦♦ One of the strengths of the game in the past, to me, has been the fine balance between modplot, slice-of-life, and player-plot: there was some metaplot to explore, but if players wanted to do their own thing in the wide-open world, they could also do that without worrying about upsetting some kind of mysterious behind-the-scenes balance by drawing a dick on the moon. I think part of the reason for the recent decline has been that the focus shifted too hard to modplot at a time when the mods were, for whatever reason, running out of time and energy to properly follow up on it, leaving players feeling confused and too paralyzed to try new things of their own--and, in turn, sapped the playerbase's energy to engage with those who did try new things. I worry that the new setting will rely too much on mod-run metaplot as well, judging by the description of it, and will thus fail for the same reasons the game has currently been struggling.

[fronttowardenemy]

Agreeing to all your points. Although I am on the fence about losing our setting, I do feel like the focus shift in plotting, rather than environment, will be what causes the biggest change? I am likewise tired and not having too much else to offer.

[cupnoodles]

I've read the comments from players about their opinions, I won't be repeating what they said. I am, however, repeating what I threw out in the suggestions post in hopes that it isn't inappropriate! The mods already replied to this, mostly I'd just like to know everyone else's opinions on the following.

- Changing the apps to make them just a little more accessible. I trust this won't affect quality control. My only suggestion was shifting the samples section to allow previous threads as an example of a player's grasp on a character's voice. This could be an incentive to have people participate in the HMD, for example, knowing that by doing so they'll have at least one part of their possible app ready to go.
- Allowing original characters. I understand not everyone will feel comfortable with this, but I've had so many positive experiences playing and playing with original characters, I feel they would help bring a fresh bout of players and new ideas to the game. I think it would also make C&C more welcoming - just about every other game in DW, with some exceptions, allows OCs now. Once again I trust we don't have to worry about quality control.

Also - one of the things that's frustrated me as a player is the aspect of characters not being able to go home. Naturally said characters are going to ask about that, but all they're met with is 'nothing happens ever'. Maybe a plot at some point clearly showing why it's a bad idea to try to force a way back home (other than 'you'll get zapped') would be a plot road to consider.

[glowsferatu]

i definitely agree about the app, as i've heard too many times that it's put off potential players. while allowing test drive threads and possibly ocs might improve that, the major complaint i've heard has been about the history section. both of the options you mentioned earlier and linkable histories when available are standard in many, if not most, games these days without any comparable impact on quality control.

i know the game has prided itself on its strict app having some effect on the quality of the people who play here, but aside from whether or not that's really true, the more important impact of that attitude is it makes us look arrogant and unwelcoming. when the app requires that much effort and this is the impression they have of the people they'll get to play with after they've finished it, no one's going to want to join that game. ...and no one has.

reformatting the app to make it more friendly won't completely solve that, but i think it would be a step in the right direction.

[noelleno]

Smarter people have already spoken, so I'll be brief.

I'll stay for a reboot. Comics are crazy about 'em, it fits our setting, has a lot of potential. I'll echo Noodles: and OC option would be fantastic, but I understand those who would balk. Still, the idea of playing with this setting, having a character so ingrained in it instead of being the Stranger Plopped In Another World thing...Hell, being Said Stranger with some memory loss/mind alteration would be fun whispers thespiderswalk into the wind. But since I'm not as wound into the plot/worldbuild here, I don't think my thoughts should hold as much weight as the above commenters.

It's been difficult to really get invested in CNC as it is right now, speaking only for myself, because of the heavy amount of worldbuild I just...don't know about. Details of Vulcanus and other things I've only just barely heard of. I think a clean slate, everyone on the same page, will be fantastic.

Pure sentiment: I want to make fun, new memories here.

[noelleno]

Oh--

Setting test drive. Why not open it up as a test drive meme to draw in prospectives/potential returning players?

[forwardcompatible]

SO HI (this is betsy i switched max accounts and then never used it i know) i know i don't actually play here at the moment but i've been eyeing you guys mournfully basically ever since i left and if the reboot works out i fully intend to be there because i feel like it could remove a lot of the obstacles towards returning that have been standing in my way

so just in super brief things others have said that i agree with and like!

+ i'd love to see an original character option & the app being made a little more accessible! i totally understand quality control but i think making things a little simpler wouldn't necessarily change that, in particular not requiring a full write up of the history. tbh i've been on the verge of apping back like three times with partially written apps and then hit the history section and lost steam - this is in part because i am hugely lazy, but yes basically. that went on longer than i meant. but!! making apps less work intensive would be fantastic.

+ oh my god dystopias please i want it

+ i really support / encourage plot information being as open and accessible as possible, and i'm really glad it sounds like that's what you guys have in mind! and keeping the world build so that characters can affect it is awesome, it's one of the things i've always really loved. but yeah i understand wanting to keep things secret and a surprise but it can help a lot to have ooc understanding of stuff!

+ basically yes all of this. i love c&c but i think at this point having a reboot makes a lot of sense to make things more accessible to new players and allow for new arcs and plots and world exploring.

you don't even have to respond to this i mostly just wanted to chime in and let you guys know that as someone outside the game i am watching this and really hoping it will work out as i would love to return.

[erewhile]

Apologies on the delay! Firstly, thank you for contributing to our discussion, even as a former player. With a reboot in the works and our ongoing discussion with the player base, we appreciate you taking the time to communicate with us and we wanted to take the time to acknowledge and thank you for this response.

We’ve currently outlined major concerns and suggestions and implementations such as OCs, adjusting the applications, and archiving plot history cohesively will be conducted in our poll.

I’m glad you’ve always enjoyed those aspects of the world build. Rest assured we have no intention of removing that aspect players have shown interest in utilizing. You’re correct in that we can’t divulge every single detail as some suspense is necessary to build intrigue regarding plots, but as reiterated in this post we’ll be looking for feedback from players to determine what is working, what isn’t, and any other suggestions or concerns players might have.

Once again, thanks for the time you took to comment! If there are any comments, concerns, or suggestions you have please feel free to leave them.

[magicalworld]

Former player and possible (let’s face it probable) future applicant here, tossing two cents into the pile!

I’m especially pleased that adventure and heroism plots will be brought back into the game’s spotlight. Freedom and enthusiasm for ambitious player plots has always been my favourite part of the game. One of my main issues with the game this year has been what I personally perceive as a decline in overall plottiness.

I agree with the others who have mentioned how much fun the Asthenoa modplot was, both during and afterwards. It was great having incentives to participate which gave material for follow-up playing after the plot ended. Because of this, I’m very excited about the ‘assignments’ mechanism in the reboot! However, I also appreciate how much work it must have been for the mods to individually process player prompts and requests for awards, especially writing out several detailed PMs of plot information. I hope that the coming changes in mod structure will help manage the anticipated demands of making ‘assignments’ a regular thing.

On that note, I have a suggestion about mod team structure, regarding plot approvals. I don’t know if I’m the only one who has experienced this, but this year I’ve had a few difficulties in running some plots because player plots and scheduling must go through Leah, while worldbuild and modplot matters are in Sara’s hands. This means there can be a double-approval process with player plots that intersect with worldbuild: when Leah has to check a worldbuild detail with Sara, or Sara approves an incident and then that same incident must be run by Leah to get a spot on the calendar.

Since both mods are of course very busy online and in real life, in the past this has led to some delays. I would suggest adjusting their responsibilities so that Sara has more authority over scheduling and Leah is kept in the loop to avoid calendar overlap, and/or Leah would have more leeway to approve or decline proposals related to the modplot.

I think the new setting blurb sounds very exciting, but have reservations about the Cold War/McCarthyist aspects. The game is soon ending a years-long struggle against an antagonist that has fomented ‘native’ paranoia and distrust against ImPorts. Even before Vulcanus emerged, the threat of ordinary people rejecting the strange superhumans saw a lot of play. I feel this theme has been thoroughly explored by this point, and that characters have earned a real victory not just against Vulcanus, but against what they represent.

The theme of society turning against or exploiting those who are different is of course a classic of the genre, and should remain an option for players who want to run plots in that vein. However, I’d personally like to see a focus on new themes in the metaplot to go with the new setting, rather than a continuing focus on anti-hero sentiments. I’ve noticed mention of competing NPC groups being designed to highlight the theme of what makes a hero, which I would be very enthusiastic about.

One of my favourite developments this year was the emergence of the Phantasm and plots involving them: our characters having to deal with people liking ImPorts a bit too much, imitating them in ways that could be helpful or dangerous depending on PC input. I would like to see something like the Phantasm in the new setting- maybe the different cities could have different cultures and attitudes towards ImPorts and vigilantes, with benefits and drawbacks to each?

Finally, I would like to add my voice to others who’ve endorsed scaling back app requirements to emphasise background less, investing more in recording and communicating developments in plot and worldbuild, and doing whatever is necessary to ensure the game has a welcoming and friendly atmosphere for a variety of players. I also support allowing original characters. I’ve seen many OCs around that would be a perfect fit for C&C’s themes and setting.

Thank you very much for listening to all the player input so far and doing so much to turn the game around!

[erewhile]

With the reboot, one of our aims is to rejuvenate player creativity and energy. As mentioned in my response to Pepper, we’ll be pacing and restructuring plots accordingly to spur player initiative regarding plotting and completing “assignments”. Given the Asthenoa plot has been brought up several times with favourable comments, we’re tooling a system that – like the plot – will not only provide incentive, but reward player plots and initiative.

On the matter of plots being delayed due to mod unavailability; we can only apologize for any inconvenience this has caused in the past and in regard to mod team restructuring, we’re definitely aiming for a system that will smooth out any incongruities that have slowed down approval processes under our current system. Also, as we reorient both mod influence and the plot, we’ll be doing our best to ensure there isn’t overlap between scheduling and modplot, but your input is still appreciated.

Regarding the overarching themes of the reboot, we understand there will be reservations and questions raised, which is why we stress utilizing this discussion post to air out any and all concerns before jumping too far ahead. However, the Cold War/McCarthyist aspects are part of the spine of the reboot, working with New Frontier as the main influence. The difference is compared to C&C 1.0, the reboot’s setting will not host natives who are distrusting or hostile toward imports and very much the opposite; they’ll be friendlier and receptive in return. Instead, it’s the heroes and vigilantes that will be met with uncertainty as vigilantism will be considered illegal, be it imPort or native, and this is a plot aspect that will evolve and change through player initiative. The natives in this setting will be subjected to the same degree of scrutiny and opportunity imPorted heroes/vigilantes are given. Of course, this is conditional; players can have their characters agree to work in line with the system or against it – whichever is their preference. Ultimately, repeating plot arcs that have been explored and have reached resolution is not in our intentions.

Your endorsement has been acknowledged! Many of the suggestions and critiques brought to us are currently being worked into a poll for the player base we hope to post as soon as we can. We love this game and want to do what we can to provide the atmosphere is both amiable and open for players to partake in, new or old.

Thank you for your comment! We appreciate you dedicating your time to contribute to the game discussion. If there’s anything else you would like to add or ask, please feel free to do so.

[expletives]

hey! i know i'm not a mod or even ingame anymore, and i know i'm not particularly active when i am around, but c&c is still the place that i always think of first when i have the itch to play anything. also, sometimes i get to be a gross sobby proud momma.

personally, if the reboot option also includes an endgame for the sake of closure and a fresh start, i'd want to at least give a reboot a try! as far as mechanics, i'd say that the one thing that makes or breaks it for me is the power system; i'm fond of the new bodies and powers for the mundane folk but really attached to the humanisation for nonhuman characters. i got really used to it over the... oh god how long has this game been running? what year is this?? where am i?? old man needs a lie down.

admittedly, there's part of me that just wants to know that there is still a c&c going out there even if i'm not taking part. i guess long story short, i just wanna say that i know i'm not a current member, but i still want the option of being a future member. i'd be happy to explore a reboot universe with whoever else wants to hang around, but in the end it's up to you guys, and if it's too much fuss for too little payout i won't hardly hold it against ya.

and i also wanna say that i've had a metric shitton of fun here over the years. this is the only game that's ever really stuck for me, and the only one i've ever really thought of as my ~*~rp home~*~. i still find myself cackling about stupid shit from gds from like 2011 on an embarrassingly frequent basis. both stepping down as mod and dropping my full roster for the first time, not knowing when or even if i'd come back, were ridiculously difficult days for me. i know i wasn't always the most proactive mod, and errybody put up with a lot of fumbling on my part as a mod and even just a player, but i can honestly say that i learned more modding and even just playing here than pretty much any other joint.

so like i said, if it's time to go, then so be it. we've had a damn good run, way longer than i ever could have hoped for. i know i've said this before, but it bears repeating; i only ever had plans for this place to be a sandbox. the fact that it grew this large and lasted this long is more than i could have imagined; if it's run its course after four?? five??? years i'll call it a successful experiment. but!! if there's interest, i know i'll at least be lurking in the shadows. as long as there is a c&c, i'll probably keep coming back when i can manage.

(p.s. also let me know if you're changing the banner, i'll want to save the header image since i lost that camera years ago lmfao)

(p.p.s. also also i'm sorry this kinda turned into an rp love letter. i get. emotional about c&c.)

[noematic]

Good questions! Now, the setting of the reboot hinges on the traditional City as we know it being destroyed, so in way one setting folds into another.

We think that the humanization element is a particularly vital identifier and aspect of the game. We have no plans to alter the humanization element, nor how a character's true form can be included in their power set, nor the power sets themselves.

Thanks for your input! We appreciate your involvement. Let me know if I ought to address anything additional, or if you have more questions!

[ai]

I know I'm kind of late with this, but I remembered something that I wanted to bring up initially.

Is it possible to do something about the taken list? Often times when I personally recommend the game to someone, they provide commentary on how the list itself promotes the 'medium divide' due to the way it's organized. While it's likely untrue, it might still intimidate people out of bringing in characters to the game so I thought I should mention it.

[erewhile]

It's alright! We'll be monitoring both this post and the poll until the 29th, so feel free to leave any more questions or comments between now and then if you have them.

To answer your question, yes, that's doable! Instead of divvying up the taken list by mediums, we'll restructure it alphabetically for the reboot.

Thank you for your suggestion and if there's anything else you would like addressed, let me know!