Removal of Force Powers from the Character Template

[Chupa La'Roi]

Boo.

So the character template won't have Force Powers as an option? Okay, when I use it next, I'll add it in on my own, since it's not that hard to do. This hopefully isnt a ban on listing my Force Powers, whether or not you adhere to the "The Force is a force of mystery" belief.

Even if you do, removing Force Powers from your basic character templates based on a belief that, seemingly, hinges solely on a personal interpretation of the filmography or the continuity of the franchise in regards to how the Force is treated... is a little much.

Let's ignore the often-mentioned fears of increased godmodding for a moment, and focus on the evolving narrative of SW. Yes, in the original trilogy, the Force is a mystical unexplained presence in the Galaxy that Jedi, and Sith, can manipulate in various ways through training under a more experienced teacher or through years of self-exploration and development. You can do many amazing abilities, but its not a do all end all: even at Master level, you can lift a heavy ship on your own but with great strain on your body; you can shoot electricity out of your fingertips fueled by dark energy, but at the cost of your life energy and general health. You can do great things, but at a cost.

Then the Expanded Universe happened, and the Force had one great thing happen to it, and one bad thing: finally you could classify Force abilities under names, allowing a reader, or a storyteller, to have an available library from which to choose from, or to make their own to make unique characters in the setting! The cost of this was the allowance of storytellers to make overpowered or unreasonable uses of the Force. So while Force Rage was understandable as the Force interacts with your emotional state to produce a battle-rage like a fictional berserker, a Force Tornado wreaking havoc on a planet was seemingly absurd and a grand disconnect from the source material.

Then the Prequels happened. Suddenly, the Force is a biological entity (briefly before being retconned) and cells in certain people allowed them to harness it to become Wuxia style kung-fu holy warriors. And while this laid the foundation for what the Force was like in the Original Trilogy, it also shaped how we perceive the Force in modern era.

We have gone from wizards in training to Wuxia warriors over the course of 40+ years; if we want to reflect both equally, we need to keep the process of having named Force abilities. Yes, in the context of the films, they do not name the abilities they use. Why would they? How serious would you take someone running around yelling "Force Jump!" and "Force Push!" as if to announce their intentions to the world? The naming of Force Powers was done for clarification in the SW community as to recognized abilities portrayed in the fictional setting of SW.

Yes, lists can get very long and time consuming to read. That only shows how committed a player is to detailing exactly what FPs they were trained in and how extensive their knowledge of Force applications are, so that other players can approach them to learn certain powers (thus the Master/student relationship) or the writer can reflect as to the limitations of their own character.

Four pages in, and I think we need to re-reflect on including Force Powers not only in the template again, but also into the Codex, without simple dismissals.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Chupa La'Roi"]

That was a great post and funny enough, still a completely valid way to play game even after the removal of Force Powers from the template. I sorta agree. Heck, there is really nothing I can argue given that you're still completely correct in pursuing that methodology in your writing, even right now.

But a Codex for Named Force Powers? '' Oh man. Now that is definitely going to Wuxia the place. Hehe. I can see it now, custom Force entries like: "Flying Crane White-Dragon Fist", "Force Billowing Palm of Radiance", and "Eastern Tornado meets Western Storm, Lighting-Bellow". ...Ho man. It's too much even for my imagination. Oh gosh. Nah. Nah. Let's just let the people play to their own personal strengths and keep it cool. Less rules that we don't even enforce anyway. Nah. Adding a Codex for Force Powers is cray-cray. Erm... Sorry. I mean, "Radiant Imagination of Dancing Crayons" - ...crazy.

Great post.

 

[Jsc]

but we don't enforce grammar, creativity, etc. There's no quality control, just quantity control.

Ever met a grammar nazi? ...Yeah. It's kinda like that. Nobody wants to enforce or define the magical word: quality. It's like trying to favor the Aryan Race. You just end up sounding like a dirty goose-stepper.

The more you try to define how to 'win'. The more you realize winning was never the point.

 

[Asemir]

I'm not sure if people understand why this rule was removed. It's quite simple: If the rule is mandatory, then everyone must follow it. If a rule is mandatory, then it must be enforced. If it's enforced, then we (Staff) must approve every single character post. Think about that. We'd research every power, look at your character and decide, NOPE NOT OKAY, DEV THREAD PLZ FOR YOUR CHARACTER. That'd be annoying, to the writer and the Staff member. Not good.

I'm also not sure if people understand Tefka's "creativity" explanation. Do you know why we don't ask everyone to roll for stats, how there are no lines that ask for Strength, Charisma, Wisdom, Reflex, and Intellect ratings? It's because this is a writing forum. It's a story-driven, writing RP forum. It is not a pen-and-paper RPG. For the same reason we don't require you to use a mathematical formula to convert your Strength score of 10 (+3) to your ability to jump that fence (and don't forget to roll using your Wisdom bonus in order to activate Force Jump!), you don't need lists of Force powers (and subsequent power levels) to define how you RP your character.

The character template is a guide. Everything within it are guidelines. You may add pieces to it if it helps you paint your character a little better.

 

[Darth Ferus]

I don't see why the staff would have to approve anything with the rule.

The rule was you bad to list your powers, not what could and could not be on it. When I asked [member="Aela Talith"] to make a list, I wasn't demanding that a staffer come in to look it over and make sure it was all approved.

The reason for why it's removed just doesn't make sense. People were already policing themselves over it. Aela wasn't the first I talked to about the rule, and I myself was told by another. It was essentially just a part of the character template, and just like strength and weaknesses we're required to have, no one had, has, or ever will have to approve the profiles.

That's just how I saw it at least.

 

[Asemir]

If it's mandatory, it means we have to make sure every Force user has a list. That also means we have to make sure that the list makes sense because if a list that doesn't make sense (e.g. Padawan knowing Force Storm, Lightning, and Force Blow-up-the-galaxy), is approved, it implies that Staff is allowing that character to use those powers.

In other words, if Bob the Padawan has his list of Force Blow-up-the-galaxy approved, and then uses such powers, it can be argued that because Staff approved it, he is allowed to use those powers.

I'm also unclear why people are up in arms about the removal of the rule. The removal doesn't mean you cannot include a list. It just means you don't have to include a list.

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Asemir Lor'kora"] but but I like having force Micheal Bay.... it makes explosions with sam Elliots mustache and red meat while riding a giant "Murica"

No I am okay with this and I like lists for my own organization. With the right work and fun it just feels better for me.

 

[Asemir]

I like lists too (to an extent), so by all means, please include them in your bio.

I think people forget that you can add things to those character templates. The rules do not require you to list your character's sexuality, or the strength of certain skills, or to color-code the weaknesses/strengths, but people do that otherwise. In the same light, you are still welcome to include Force power lists. We aren't saying you cannot.

 

[Jsc]

It was essentially just a part of the character template, and just like strength and weaknesses we're required to have, no one had, has, or ever will have to approve the profiles.

This is actually a really good point. Given, we are required to have Character Profiles. But, no such guidelines for the composition of a profile will ever be enforced. The Template itself is in a way, an invitation. Fabulous realization Ferus. I think I'm off to reformat all my profiles now. Well done sir.

[member="Asemir Lor'kora"]

You can't teach an old dog, new tricks. There will always be people who believe that their comfort zone is the only way they will ever be able to play the game. No matter what the rules are. In fact. Only when the rules comply to them and their very personal comfort zones will they be happy and content. But when they must conform to the rules? Even an endless expanse of freedom? Life is too hard.

Let me put it this way. When Moses lead Israel out of Egypt many of the freed people had mixed feelings about the event. Change was scary. Some of Israel even thought that this new found freedom was the perfect opportunity to begin practicing their old Egyptian religions in brand new ways. Oh dear. It wasn't about listening to God or to his Moses. The leadership and wisdom that had emancipated them. No. It was about finding a new comfort zone in their culturally accepted idolatry. The oldest sins in the newest ways. Now. Naturally, we as onlookers understand that was not the reason God and Moses freed them from bondage. It was more revolution than evolution. But the people didn't know that. The just saw the politics of that day. The ground at their feet, the lush nation behind, and the hot desert sands biting at their cheeks. Change was scary.

So as people begin clamor and shake to voice their decent of new found freedoms? Even these. We, the Judges, must understand that some of these people really aren't ready for it. Change is scary. With great freedom comes great responsibility. And like Isreal, sometimes we ourselves can only see the thriving nation of slavery we left behind, rather than the promised land that awaits us. Therefore be not frustrated in their much shouting. Only seek to help them see that the future will be brighter than the golden past they left behind.

...Ya know. Or something like that.

 

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Asemir Lor'kora"]

Once more, people here police themselves. They have since the time I joined at least.

The same thing about force powers can be said about strengths. Are the staff going to go through and approve each strength and weakness? They haven't before, I doubt they will, for there's no reason to.

The rules dictate that godmodding and metagaming are bad, don't do it. I personally don't care if some Padawan has some blow up the galaxy force ability. If he uses it and breaks the godmod/metagame rules in the process (Which he will at least break the godmod) he'll be reported.

This rule has been around for years, yet you've never seen someone complain about a padawan listing force storm in their bio (Which I've seen once or twice).


And again, what of strength/weaknesses? Will that rule be removed because it involves the staffs approval? It never did as a note. The rules say right off the bat that people don't have to wait for their profile to be approved.

[member="Jay Scott Clark"]

You both say change scares people, and that there are people who won't accept this because it's such a big change.

But it isn't, as it's been said.

What it is though is trying to fix something that wasn't broken before.


Opinions though, people are free to have them! This is mine, and I'm not terrified of change. I came from many, many places where character profiles had to be accepted before you could RP, so when I joined here a while ago I had to get use to such a change .p.

 

[Mirshko Betna]

Huh. I never took it to be mandatory, as when I made my character, I didn't see it on the template. I've since added it to a few characters to whom it's relevant. Otherwise, it's not a big deal to me. I prefer to roleplay out what me character does than to specify what specific skill they used.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

That bottom part wasn't for you. Lol. You already get it. You're par. I was trying to help Asemir comprehend something else entirely. Something that didn't actually tie into Tef's action here at all. No biggie.

 

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Jay Scott Clark"]

You're sometimes a very confusing person.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

The gift of the parable is that it can be magnified both inwards and outwards. Working on many different levels according to both the needs and the expectations of the listener.

Compare. Asemir is a Roleplay Judge. His needs and expectations are different from those of those of common membership. Tef's expectations and my expectations of RPJs are different from those of those of common membership. We all expect more. Both in wisdom and in expression. Otherwise how can one judge if he possesses not the gift to do so? Asemir possesses this gift. I believe that when he wrote post 84 he did so to help encourage the perspective of understanding. I think he noticed, like you did, that people were commenting about a non-issue. Taking an issue upon themselves where none actually existed before. An ignorance, born out of a misunderstanding of what is real. That nothing has changed. Nothing has actually happened. Tef could have simply obliterated that rule, never made an announcement, and nobody would have ever noticed. (Except for that one person who made a report, lol.) ...Funny huh?

My story to Asemir was about understanding that the people he serves are fickle, even a chosen people, and that one man, especially an RPJ, should never feel frustrated because of that. Comparatively, I expect that if Tef made an announcement simply restating all of the Rules as currently posted? That yes. Somewhere. Somehow. Somebody, ...would find room to complain about them, to attempt to circumvent them, and to blame all of the problems they personally face on Tef's "newest decision". Because personal responsibility is the hardest thing for humans to grasp at.

But rather than express that all in a TL;DR form of text wall? I simply told a story instead. Trusting that Asemir would catch the moral along the way. Whether he needed it or not.

___

So yes Ferus. I'm a very confusing person. Which is exactly what makes me, me.

 

[Darth Ferus]

[member="Jay Scott Clark"]

Which is never a bad thing. I'd much rather be confused by your posts every now and then than to see you pretend to be someone you're not.

 

[Jsc]

[member="Darth Ferus"]

Thanks dude. Much appreciated. I just hope that helps make sense of how I like to mask my meanings inside of other things. Revealing the moral of the story only to the ready listener, while making that same meaning invisible to the crowd. Sometimes Tef does it too when he speaks in ramblings. Yet other Admins speak in simple silence. Letting the simple absence of communication carry their meaning further than words ever could.

Internet writing is weird man. How we all stay sane, is anybodies guess. Cheers!

 

[Serian Loria]

[member="Jay Scott Clark"] Who says we are sane? Everyone knows that the internet is a cesspool of dirty filthy bears that creep out children. No part of us jumping into it is sane... The mere fact that there is creativity on this board means we are all insane, cuz sane people aren't creative!

 

[Jsc]

[member="Serian Loria"] Now I want to change my avatar to Pedobear.

..wait.. >.>

 

[Ellie Mors]

what of strength/weaknesses?

The difference is the magnitude of implication that lies behind letting someone by with being an apprentice/acolyte/padawan and having Transfer Essence and Midichlorian Manipulation rather than leaving out a strength and weakness section and describing it through implicated descriptions in their bio.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

That sound you hear, that's just me hitting my head on the desk.

Don't worry, eventually the concussion will knock me out.