Revolution (Post-Apocalyptic) RP Intrest Check.

[Spero]

I for one am looking forward to this new TV show and I really like the idea of playing out a post-apocalyptic future where an unknown phenomenon has disabled all advanced technology on the planet, ranging from computers and electronics to car engines, jet engines, and batteries.

So before I really start working on a plot and things along that line I would really like to see who all would really wanting to play such a game. Looking for an even number of people (6-8 players). I will post the basics of what I'm thinking below so if you want to play you can start thinking about your characters.

Location: Los Angels
World Setting: A post-apocalyptic future where an unknown phenomenon has disabled all advanced technology on the planet, ranging from computers and electronics to car engines, jet engines, and batteries. Due to the collapse of public order, many areas are ruled by warlords and militias.
Number of Characters: 6-8
Character Sheet:
- Name:
- Gender:
- Sexuality:
- Personality:
- Primary Skills (2 max):
- Weapons (1 Primary) (2 Secondary):
- Background:

[Steamdriver]

This sounds quite interesting. How long ago would the even have happened? Would guns be plentiful or would most use melee and old ballistic weapons?

[Spero]

I'm thinking 20 years, guns could be used but would be every rare and ammo would be even rarer.

[Steamdriver]

Cool and thanks for the quick reply. I'll have a character cooked up in a few.

[MzHyde]

Never heard of the show, but I'm interested.

[Spero]

It starts on the 17th, looks good.

[OldSchoolGamer]

I saw it online from nbc.com.  Good show overall.  My only real bone to pick with it (and this isn't a spoiler; you'll see it in the first two minutes) is that everyone looks too damn good to have been living in a post-apoc world for a decade and a half.  Everyone freshly washed, neatly groomed, clothes in excellent shape, no stains or tears.  I kid you not--they look like upper-middle class college grads and thirtysomethings who just arrived at the RenFaire ten minutes ago--in brand-new clothes from Old Navy or Macys, no less.

But once you just mentally write that off, it's actually a decent to good storyline.  And I won't spoil the ending...I'll just say it will grab your brain and make you want to tune in next week.

As for an RP, I'd be interested.  I'm thinking the best explanation for the outage is...alien invasion.  The aliens employed a "Civilization-B-Gone" technology that neutralized electricity.  The aliens (I'm thinking reptilian humanoids) came along after the lights went out, slipping in quietly rather than barging in with blood, thunder and ray-guns.  Some people saw strange things, here and there.  But in the chaos following the blackout, people for the most part didn't pay attention, and weren't in a position to think about anything other than survival.

[Spero]

I already have a idea for the outage, but your characters are free to think as they want about it.

[Steamdriver]

We could say it was EMP nukes. There wouldn't be the fallout but you would get the same effect as the background idea here. For a tv referance something like the world of dark angel.

[Belisuavious]

Reminds me of the Emberverse series by S.M. Stirling, except guns don't work in that one. I'd be interested.

[Spero]

We could say it was EMP nukes. There wouldn't be the fallout but you would get the same effect as the background idea here. For a tv referance something like the world of dark angel.

Again I have something in mind.

[OldSchoolGamer]

Preliminary character:

Character Sheet:
- Name: Jocelyn O'Mally
- Gender: Female
- Sexuality: Straight
- Personality: Extroverted, Analytical
- Primary Skills (2 max): Tinkerer, Archer
- Weapons (1 Primary) Longbow (2 Secondary): Knife, Snares
- Background:

Jocelyn O'Mally grew up before the Blackout.  She was a precocious child, the daughter of an Irish-American father and a black American mother.  Her father was an engineer for one of L.A.'s better-known construction and architectural firms.  From an early age she showed an aptitude for mathematics and mechanics.  She was enrolled in a private school.  In 2012, she developed a yen for archery, inspired by The Hunger Games, one of the last movies she liked.  Archery appealed to her sense of mechanics, and she loved tinkering with the longbow, getting the pull and calibration just right.  She made her own arrowheads, and bows from kits.  She was 16, just finishing her junior year in high school.  She had entered in an electronics project into the Physics Club challenge, and had won first place. 

She would remember for the rest of her lift what happened, when she and her parents were walking out to the car a little after nine, almost an hour after sundown, discussing where they were going to do dinner to celebrate. The school parking lot was in the Hollywood hills, overlooking the glittering metropolis of Los Angeles.   She had gotten into the minivan, proudly into the driver's seat, having just got her permit two weeks ago.  Her mother was next to her, father riding dutifully in the back.  She started the engine, and put the minivan into gear. 

Then the engine died.  She was a bit flustered.  "Just start it up again," her mother said, and she turned the key.  Nothing.

"Mom, why aren't the dashboard lights on?"

"Must be the battery," her father said.  "Or maybe the alternator.  I'm going to give that mechanic--"

"Dad."

"--a piece of my mind, he was a trainee and I told--"

"Dad."

"--the service writer I didn't want a new guy--"

"DAD!  THE WHOLE CITY IS GOING DARK!"

"What do you mean, the whole city?"

"LOOK!"

And so it was.  Jocelyn and her parents looked through the windshield as the great city of Los Angeles flickered and died.  It took about eighty seconds.  Whole city blocks flickered, then went out.  The lights in the school parking lot died.  The traffic signal on the boulevard at the corner of the school started blinking red in all directions, and then was extinguished.  The million artificial little stars that had been L.A., went out.  The blinking red lights on the radio towers on the hill died.  The Hollywood sign became HO  Y   D, and then nothing.   In the end, a single skyscraper stood as a lone candle, making a last stand against the dark.  Bravely, it alone was illuminated for about fifteen seconds.  Then it, too, was gone.  Looking around, Jocelyn could hear other families struggling with other cars, see them silhouetted against the deepening twilight sky.

"I'll call Shirley, see if she can come pick us up," Jocelyn said, taking her cell phone out of her purse.  It was dark.  "I just charged this thing before we left."  Her father reached for his iPhone.  Nothing.

The family walked the mile or so back home.  The moon came up over the far hills, providing enough light.  Her father muttered darkly about EMP, and how they would probably get nuked, but it never happened....

[Steamdriver]

Name: Jason Lightfoot
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Strait
Personality: Superstitious, watchful
- Primary Skills: Stealth, Melee combat
- Weapons: Quarter staff, four tomahawks, knife
- Background: His earliest memories are of him life after the event. His family a large group that traveled around and would pick up new comers as they went. They were lead by three women, each of pagan faith. The followers learned of spirits and powers beyond mortal knowing at work all around. That some places were taboo and if they tread there a curse would be laid upon them. This went on for nearly fifteen years until the now large clan tore itself apart. The survivors each went their separate ways knowing nothing good would ever come of the group again. Jason has never spoken a word of the event or about his family since.

[Steamdriver]

Is there some sort of economy, like bartering or a currency, or is it everyone for themselves?

[Spero]

Everyone for themselves

[Steamdriver]

Ok cool just wanted to know before hand. Is there anything you want me to change with my character?

[MzHyde]

There probably should be some kind of economy established. Money would be worthless, but people could barter with ammunition, a la STALKER or bottle caps (because they can't be made anymore are small, light, and have no other use) like in Fallout.

[TheRedFear]

I saw it online from nbc.com.  Good show overall.  My only real bone to pick with it (and this isn't a spoiler; you'll see it in the first two minutes) is that everyone looks too damn good to have been living in a post-apoc world for a decade and a half.  Everyone freshly washed, neatly groomed, clothes in excellent shape, no stains or tears.  I kid you not--they look like upper-middle class college grads and thirtysomethings who just arrived at the RenFaire ten minutes ago--in brand-new clothes from Old Navy or Macys, no less.

But once you just mentally write that off, it's actually a decent to good storyline.  And I won't spoil the ending...I'll just say it will grab your brain and make you want to tune in next week.

As for an RP, I'd be interested.  I'm thinking the best explanation for the outage is...alien invasion.  The aliens employed a "Civilization-B-Gone" technology that neutralized electricity.  The aliens (I'm thinking reptilian humanoids) came along after the lights went out, slipping in quietly rather than barging in with blood, thunder and ray-guns.  Some people saw strange things, here and there.  But in the chaos following the blackout, people for the most part didn't pay attention, and weren't in a position to think about anything other than survival.

I watched and enjoyed it too, but respectfully disagree with your assessment. Just because electricity isn't around doesn't mean people have forgotten about the values of basic hygeine. In fact, the lack of electricity makes basic hygeine a critical priority to avert the next bubonic plague. There may not be electricity but there's still water, still buckets, still sewing needles, and a highly knowledgable populace that knows the consequences of ignoring the valuable roles that Water Buckets and sewing needles play in their day to day health.

Now...*Cracks knuckles and goes off to make a char*

[TheRedFear]

This sounds quite interesting. How long ago would the even have happened? Would guns be plentiful or would most use melee and old ballistic weapons?

In the show, it's been 15 years. Presumably most guns are no longer functioning or ammo is scarce because most of the few people who had guns were using those old fashioned flintlock rifles. ONE character had a semi-automatic pistol, and BOY did you see just how much difference such a simple weapon makes when everyone else is packing stone age-level heat.

[OldSchoolGamer]

In the show, it's been 15 years. Presumably most guns are no longer functioning or ammo is scarce because most of the few people who had guns were using those old fashioned flintlock rifles. ONE character had a semi-automatic pistol, and BOY did you see just how much difference such a simple weapon makes when everyone else is packing stone age-level heat.

It's worth noting that firearms did not gain decisive technical superiority over the bow-and-arrow until well into the 19th century.  A skilled archer could easily loose four or five arrows in the time it took a musketeer to reload his firearm.  The reason armies adopted firearms earlier than that was because training a peasant to point and shoot a gun was quicker and easier than training him in archery.  But even as late as 1820 or so, an army of skilled archers could have held their own and then some against a like number of musketeers--though given the gap in training time and the rise of national armies, no European power relied on archers by the 19th century.

One of the most common misconceptions re the history of North America is that the firearms of invading Europeans were what pushed back the North American Indian.  Not so--at least until the middle of the 19th century.  Smallpox, not superior weapons, were what decimated the Native Americans.  Had the Indians possessed immunity to smallpox, the history of America would be very different.

Once the cartridge and breech-loader were invented, the gap between skilled archery and mass-produced infantry closed considerably.  Once the revolver (and the magazine) were invented, and the rifled bore perfected, firearms took the lead, as rate of fire and accuracy at range improved dramatically.  But even then, it took the Gatling gun (one of the first fully automatic firearms) to completely vanquish the archer from the battlefield.

Siege weapons, of course, were an entirely different matter, and cannon replaced catapults and trebuchets much earlier.

[Vaulera]

I would have definite interest in this sort of game. But it must be noted, that aside from the actual production of shells and bullets, guns themselves are almost entirely analogue, springs, metal, plastic and triggers. On the matter of the plague, us modern humans are immune, and basic hygiene wouldn't change. It was a large decision on the part of an entire culture and it's generations. The only difference without electricity and running water would be the difficulty and availability of clean fresh water.

[Steamdriver]

Just about anyone can make gunpowder, there are only 4 ingredients. The hard part of it is forming the casings. If one can do both of those pressing the bullet into the casing is simple and can be done with a hand powered machine.

[Frelance]

I just finished watching the first episode for the show and I like the setting it is in so I am interested in this game. I will make a character in a little bit.

[TheHangedOne]

A blacksmith should be able to make bullet moulds; and hell, if they have spare casings and such, that'd be even easier to work with. And as mentioned above, black powder can be hand made with enough ingenuity and know-how.

The only problem comes from the fact it'd be hard to maintain many weapons; a lot of plastic assault rifles would likely have degraded to being unusable by now, for instance. Especially if they ever had to fire improvised ammo, that adds a lot more wear and tear. Gun maintenance kits would be hard to come by, and harder to manufacture. Stuff like the oil for cleaning them would likely have gone bad by now, if not just plain been used up.

In terms of fire arms, I could see muskets and such, but also simple bolt action rifles, revolvers, double or single barreled shotguns being possible. It could just be that such items are rare, and anybody capable of producing the ammo is held (against their will or not) by the governing militia or warlord.

The thing all those guns really have in common is simplicity of their action. Revolvers don't jam unless they've been seriously damaged, for instance. They're also relatively easy to maintain without a kit.

All that rambling aside, though, I am very much interested in this game. My question is such, though: If I wanted to play a mercenary or body guard of some sort, would their be any other player willing to work with me, so that I am in their employ?

Just a thought I had. If nobody likes the idea, it's certainly not a deal breaker.