How about letting players submit scenarios for game

fnedude

So I have a wild arsed idea for Demiurge….

So its sort-of obvious that creating new episodes are mainly used for new characters introduced (i.e. Deadpool, Sentry, sounds like FemThor, etc). But what I see is all of the previously introduced characters will “die on the tree” and not get any story to develop them (i.e. Capt. Marvel, Human Torch, Loki, etc).

What I’ve also noticed, is that while the players “wait” for each new character to be introduced, lots of ‘heroic’ repeats of previous episodes occur. Which is fine for the rewards, it’s getting old to be honest. This is a game about superheroes, but it doesn’t have many stories, but there are what ~30ish *** characters begging for stories to be written about them. From a player's POV, I can't figure it out if there isn't enough staff to get this done, or imaginative people for it. I assume it's overwork for those "trusted" to create it.

So my suggestion, let players “write” an episode. Let them write: the story, the dialog, and populate the encounters. They are submitted to Demiurge, and then all that needs to be done is the programing, set the levels of the encounters, and set rewards.
Its obvious looking over the board that there are lots of “number cruncher” fanatics, I’m sure there are imaginative writers too (and RPG players) that could easily do something like this, and enjoy it without grinding through endless Hood+Sentry+Daken encounters.

So how would this be done:
Demiurge would make all the “backgrounds” from the episodes downloadable on their websites.

The episode writer would then use that as a background in a powerpoint slide, and they would draw out the “paths” or “encounters points” similar to the Dark Reign episodes. Episodes would be limited to 14-18 encounters, similar to the Dark Reign episodes.

The writer would then write out the dialog (3-4 lines per encounter) for each encounter. The basic goal would be for any episode wouldn’t take more then 2-3 pages of map and dialog. It shouldn’t take someone 3-4 hours to plan this out, and write out any dialog. Demiurge also then makes a template to make it easier for writers.

What would Demiurge have to add to the game:
Some of the groups need to be “fleshed out”. Like some more Dr. Doom robots, some Frost Giants to help Loki, maybe Maggia thugs. The requirement for the writers would be that they can’t add characters or minions to the game.

Once a month (?) Demiurge would review the submittals, see which ones are best, which ones need a few revisions (i.e. could be handled with 1-2 emails with writer). Then off to the programmers. I don’t know how much time it would take to do it, but I can’t imagine it is long, as it seems like it would be a copy/paste type of editing. Maybe open “submittal windows” once a month for ~100 scenarios.

Demiurge would have to set up the “duration” and rewards for the episode, as to what they think it appropriate. The idea would be for each to last 3-4 days. The idea would be to replace ½ the Heroic scenarios per month with player written ones.

What does the writer get:
Demiurge would have to set up some reward system for it. Say 2,000 to 4,000 HP if the scenario is used, and a like amount of Iso-8. So that’s what, $10-$20 of in-game credit? Nothing to the company I’d guess.

If a writer gets X many episodes published, let them write longer ones (like the Hulk/Sentry episodes).

What does Demiurge get:
Get episodes written by fans/fanatics who know the characters and would enjoy doing something off-line, and having it published. It would raise player interest with new episodes and know that other players are helping produce content.

So example Episode:
Dr. Doom has captured Invisible Woman, and of course Human Torch rushes off to save her. He hires Deadpool to help out (thus two characters powered up). Dr. Doom has agreed to share something from Invisible Woman with Hood and he arrives with some Maggia henchmen.

That’s an example of why some more Dr. Doom henchmen should to be added to expand his troops, some high HP dudes with Colossus’s jump in the way ability, maybe a “Hitman” equivalent.

GothicKratos

This could be a cool contest type of thing. Selected scenario nets the creator a 10-Pack and a couple hundred Hero Points.