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Pred vs Prey: Fast Fact Update
12 years ago
Got some updates for those interested in my little project. Hopefully some of these little tidbits will help pull those on the fence over to my side.
First up some dates. Unlike the VOCT3 I'm not going to be rushing into this. It'll start when it's good and ready and the proper pieces are in place. That means it won't be starting before Anthrocon, in fact don't expect to see it starting until sometime in August, possibly later. So those of you caught up in other projects or trying to raise money for the con don't worry, this won't be interfering with those.
Second participation. This is more of a clarification than anything else, but you don't have to participate in all five rounds if you don't want to. Due to the setting entire teams can vanish and reappear without too much impact on the overall plot. So if you want to jump in for a round then run off and do something else or if you want to power through every round or anything in between. You can even jump in and out if you want. The only restriction is if you start a round we do ask you stick through that round at least, mostly for the sake of your partner for that round.
Third is a story update. There's been a lot of people having trouble coming up with teams, so hopefully the setting will help. Nothing is set in stone, so if someone has a better idea I'd be happy to hear it. The whole thing is part of an underground betting ring. Since its technically a blood sport the event is highly illegal, not openly publicized, and promises a high reward to those who can make it out alive. While some people sign up for the game of their own free will, many are 'volunteered' by 'sponsors,' and by 'volunteered' I mean kidnapped and by 'sponsors' I mean 'anyone willing to pay the organizers.' I feel like this allows for a more diverse cast than my other two ideas (Hunger Games parody and game show gone horribly wrong), since it allows for aggressive teams (those who signed up willingly), desperate teams (those who signed up for the cash), and ragtag teams (those forced into it). Additionally the abducted angel allows for players to create teams with no initial dynamic, IE random strangers brought together because they all angered the same guy.
Next; team clarification. I mentioned before that teams will consist of 1-8 characters. You do not have to play to the extremes. What I mean is it is up to 8, with 8 being the maximum. I do not expect many people to play with the max number of characters. Honestly I'm expecting most will hover more on the low end, with Pred teams having 1-3 and Preys 4-6. Again these numbers are not set in stone, you can have whatever size team you want. Additionally since this is a collaborative effort if you pair up with a player who has a larger team than you're comfortable with then it's the larger player's burden, not yours. So artists, you are not obligated to draw ALL of your teammate's characters and writers are not required to feature all of their teammate's cast. The only reason I suggest Prey teams have more is to serve as cannon fodder. Being a vore event it is expected that characters will be eaten and since they won't magically reappear having a few extras on hand would be advised. If you want a larger team but are having trouble coming up with characters, my advice is to simply think up a species you want to see get eaten, build around that, and get them nommed during the first round.
Hopefully this clarifies a few things with people. As always comments on the progress are appreciated. As are suggestions and thoughts.
First up some dates. Unlike the VOCT3 I'm not going to be rushing into this. It'll start when it's good and ready and the proper pieces are in place. That means it won't be starting before Anthrocon, in fact don't expect to see it starting until sometime in August, possibly later. So those of you caught up in other projects or trying to raise money for the con don't worry, this won't be interfering with those.
Second participation. This is more of a clarification than anything else, but you don't have to participate in all five rounds if you don't want to. Due to the setting entire teams can vanish and reappear without too much impact on the overall plot. So if you want to jump in for a round then run off and do something else or if you want to power through every round or anything in between. You can even jump in and out if you want. The only restriction is if you start a round we do ask you stick through that round at least, mostly for the sake of your partner for that round.
Third is a story update. There's been a lot of people having trouble coming up with teams, so hopefully the setting will help. Nothing is set in stone, so if someone has a better idea I'd be happy to hear it. The whole thing is part of an underground betting ring. Since its technically a blood sport the event is highly illegal, not openly publicized, and promises a high reward to those who can make it out alive. While some people sign up for the game of their own free will, many are 'volunteered' by 'sponsors,' and by 'volunteered' I mean kidnapped and by 'sponsors' I mean 'anyone willing to pay the organizers.' I feel like this allows for a more diverse cast than my other two ideas (Hunger Games parody and game show gone horribly wrong), since it allows for aggressive teams (those who signed up willingly), desperate teams (those who signed up for the cash), and ragtag teams (those forced into it). Additionally the abducted angel allows for players to create teams with no initial dynamic, IE random strangers brought together because they all angered the same guy.
Next; team clarification. I mentioned before that teams will consist of 1-8 characters. You do not have to play to the extremes. What I mean is it is up to 8, with 8 being the maximum. I do not expect many people to play with the max number of characters. Honestly I'm expecting most will hover more on the low end, with Pred teams having 1-3 and Preys 4-6. Again these numbers are not set in stone, you can have whatever size team you want. Additionally since this is a collaborative effort if you pair up with a player who has a larger team than you're comfortable with then it's the larger player's burden, not yours. So artists, you are not obligated to draw ALL of your teammate's characters and writers are not required to feature all of their teammate's cast. The only reason I suggest Prey teams have more is to serve as cannon fodder. Being a vore event it is expected that characters will be eaten and since they won't magically reappear having a few extras on hand would be advised. If you want a larger team but are having trouble coming up with characters, my advice is to simply think up a species you want to see get eaten, build around that, and get them nommed during the first round.
Hopefully this clarifies a few things with people. As always comments on the progress are appreciated. As are suggestions and thoughts.
-Will there be a restriction on including certain NPCs to do with the organisation in your entry? If three different people all write about the mastermind behind the betting ring, you'll still have the problem with possible conflicts
-Presumably the success/survival rate of pred teams is going to be pretty high. Will this be an unusual abberation? If not, how will that fit in with the idea? It'd make more sense to me if most teams were expected to die, so that the betting would be more interesting and there were fewer angry, highly skilled predators out for revenge
-Connected to the above, but simpler: Do you think a sponser would be able (e.g. by paying more) to influence whether their team is pred or prey? If not, that would probably undermine the idea of somebody targetting a group specifically because they pissed him off, or he wanted to get rid of them, or whatever.
-I'm thinking on letting the group decide on that one.
-Pred team have marginally better odds, but survival rates are still low. With an even number of pred and prey teams the preds often mismanage supplies and either starve, turn on each other, or both and end up too weak to fend off other pred teams. Remember the pred teams are going into hostile environments without food or water.
-In most cases the volunteers are pred teams while the 'volunteered' are prey. This isn't a requirement, just the norm. The sponsors have some say in the process, but in the end it's up to the organizer(s). However in most cases they honor requests, since there's little reason not to.
For the second point, I think I was a little unclear. I'm predicting that most (if I had to bet, I'd say nearly all) people who have pred teams will write things so that their team survives. If survival is as unlikely as you say, which I agree makes sense, that'd be pretty unusual. I guess it could just be a rare coincidence, but it does seem like something that would stick out as odd.