Interest Check for Something Laid Back, Sandbox, Freeform

[Capone]

So there's an awful lot of super serious horror, super-powered, or system-based games being requested, huh? Sometimes you just want something a bit more laid back and light-hearted, though. Something where you can tell your own story, smut-it-up as little or as much as you please, or just drop-in drop-out as you need. It's something I've been craving lately, and I wouldn't be surprised if others have been as well.

The problem, as always, is coming up with the setting. I've been in and tried to run a lot of failed group games. I have a lot of thoughts and theories as to why they failed, and I'd like to avoid what I perceive as having been mistakes in those failures, but that's partially why I'm running an interest check in this format rather than the standard. To see if there are others interested even in the base ideas, and then if maybe I can get help with GMing since I've never tried to do it in the (ideally minimal-effort) sandbox nature.

Right. So basically, I'm going to list out three potential group game ideas that I had based upon some of my one-on-ones that aren't getting any bites. I'll list the genre, basic concept, and some expectations. Just as the stories would be sandbox where you can form your own stories, this thread is also intended to sort of be a collective brainstorm. "Huh, I like that, but what if we blah blah blah?" sort of thing. If it fizzles and dies then clearly no one else is looking for the sort of laid back sandbox I am. With enough interest, though, I can create an official recruitment thread with greater setting detail. Some of the ideas are not as thoroughly realized as others, so please don't judge based on how much I wrote in. These are all open to collective brain-storming and can even greatly change based on feedback received.

So below within the spoiler tags, find each idea. Keep in mind that, though each setting is highly sexualized, I still expect each character to come in with goals, flaws, and potential arcs. See my Art of Smut essay regarding my thoughts on how smut and story can coexist!

Interplanetary Fighting/Racing League (Sci-Fi Resort)

Inspired by a weird fusion of The Fifth Element, F-Zero, and Redline, the idea behind Interplanetary Fighting/Racing League is that the actual fights or races are just the event that brings all sorts of people together. Really, the interest is in the interactions between the heads and representatives of sponsoring companies, the journalists and social media personalities covering the event, the fans that stowaway on board ships because they can't really afford the flight to be there, the locals used to resort life and failing to look forward to the extra work, film and music stars coming to enjoy their vacation watching the fights/races, etc. While I have no problem with people choosing to play as fighters/racers, I'd rather they not be the primary focus of player characters since I'd like to see all the politics, business arrangements, fan-meetings, and other such interactions be center-stage with those races or fights being occasional highlights.

I also don't feel like having to deal with a system and stats for people being unable to handle a dramatic fight between each other in a freeform manner.

The location would be an entire island on an otherwise ocean-planet that's one massive resort. Think the sleekness of Flauston Paradise from Fifth Element, but with actual outdoors and sunlight and beaches. Owned and run by an Interplanetary Hospitality Corporation, security is private and kept as hidden as possible. All restaurants, local businesses, and apartments are either owned by the corporation or there as a contractual deal between the franchise and the corporation. While there are plenty of events and attractions throughout the year, the Interplanetary Fighting/Racing League hosts one of their biggest championships on the planet and is therefore the biggest attraction. It's what all the business owners live for and when all the employees and locals know they're about to drown in yuppie tourists and overwork.

The angle that can drive more smutty stories and interactions is that, being far in the future, society's concepts of shame and decency have changed. Thanks to the magic of genetics, all humans are infertile until they choose to be ready to rear children. It's a simple procedure to go from infertile to fertile, but in order to keep populations between planets in check, you must have the proper paperwork that basically states "Yes, I'm ready to parent and raise a child on this designated planet". Even then, it requires two fertile people to successfully mate. As the Internet has expanded into simply being The Net, the nature of pornography itself has chanced. In fact, it kind of no longer exists. Beginning with social media personalities and influencers first broadcasting many of their own exploits, it has become standard for any individual to share and document their exploits, be they mundane, exciting, or sexual in nature. Some will hide this content behind a paywall, others will only share bits and pieces to keep their followers and fans curious. Many in the corporate world maintain more private affairs, but this is largely due to putting the brand before their own personal identity.

In regards to other sci-fi elements, the intent is that everyone is human and there are no alien presences. However, if genetics has advanced so that fertility is a matter of a simple procedure, then it is possible for other genetic manipulation. Personally, I'd rather not anything drastic, but this is a "crowd-sourced" sort of concept. So if enough people are interested and want to test the limits of what genetic augmentation is possible (I mean, in my mind, cat ears and tail is the limit, but who knows how out-there some of you folks can get), then why not? Let's get crazy. All sexual orientations are also welcome.

That should cover the basics. Any questions feel free to list them below. Oh! And whether it's racing or fighting will depend upon feedback as well.

Club Succubus (Modern Fantasy Hostess Club)

This is a fusion of two separate ideas I had. The first was a hostess club concept needing a hook beyond the sexual element. The latter was an idea of an alternate reality where all the succubi of the underworld were suddenly exiled out onto Earth. None of them have any memory of their lives pre-exile, and they've begun to age as mortals do (so they will be physically and mentally of adult age). Naturally, this caused a whole bunch of crisis at first, and even resulted in some violence before a calm was established. It has been several years since the exile and many nations have established a "place" for succubi. Many have taken to sex work as it's closest to their nature, but others have tried to define themselves not by their hunger. Most physical characteristics are easily hidden by the succubus, but a common struggle in day-to-day life are handsy men that are capable of identifying a succubus in public, believing that they "want it" more due to their very nature. Such struggles were something I liked the idea of exploring in a story, but you need a way to keep enough characters not only together, but have a place for male characters.

Thus comes the hook for the hostess club. As such, I see a sort of Night and Day element to the sandbox. Night would focus on any succubus working the club, the customers, and the other male employees (such as band members or other main stage entertainers, the club owner, staff and schedule manager, etc.). Day would focus on their private lives, time around town hanging out, on dates, or even mundane tasks such as killing time at the laundromat and, oh no, is that... that's a customer! Quick! Hide behind this book! ....stupid paperback insufficiently capable of hiding one's face!

I'm not sure how well something like this could work in execution, though. I like the idea of it, but I fear even the night-segments would get potentially rote. While a hostess club is designed with conversation in mind, and players could plot out potential stories with different characters and perhaps even drama between clients, there's still going to be a sexual element to the club.

Regardless, I still think it could be an interesting idea with the right players. In regards to LGBTQ+ content, unfortunately the current set-up makes it a bit harder, but perhaps the preferred hiring policy is for gay men so that there's less of a chance to have incidents with the working girls, and the succubi serve women as well as men. Other matters and questions can be raised through discussion.

Just a Resort

So not everything needs to have some high concept twist going on. Sometimes you just want to go on a virtual vacation because your bank account laughs at the notion of a real one, as does the amount of paid-time-off you've accrued for the year.

The odd thing is, I've seen a variety of types of resorts, and even discovered that there is a cruise designed to be an all out orgy sex-fest. I don't know if it was actually successful or still runs. Nevertheless, the simple idea behind this one would be... well, just a sexy resort. It could be as tame as simply being a topless resort, or as out there as encouraging the guests to bang whenever they want. Wet T-Shirt parties? Check. Male strip-dance competitions? Why not. Stuff even more unrealistic and out there? Sure, let's brainstorm it.

This is probably the most variable of the ideas, fueled again by the desire for simplicity. HOWEVER! Regardless of just how sexualized the resort is, every player should have some interesting angle on their character. Wealthy hunky man with perfectly chiseled abs and coiffed hair is sexy, but what's going on through his head? Is he still getting over a recent divorce? Is work not going so hotly? Does he find his vacation constantly interrupted by fires back at the office? Is he a famous author that hasn't published something in seven years and needs to get over this writer's block because his fans and publisher are hounding him?

Give him something that might help him develop a greater connection with his partners than through his penis. Same is true of all characters regardless.

And there it is! Three ideas of descending complexity of concept. I have a theory which would be most well received, assuming any of them are at all. Sorry there's little in the way of pictures, I just grabbed what I already got available that best illustrates each one. This is just an interest check, however, to see if any of these ideas intrigue. So if any of these seem like something people would want to write in, comment below.

Or, again, if you got feedback, like "That seems cool but what if you tried X?", feel free to drop that below, too. Basically, I'm just looking to try and fill what seems to me to be a void in requests lately. So brainstorming and feedback and suggestions welcome.

[AndyZ]

Curious about the club or resort.

[Cirus]

Ye gods, I was wondering if we can play in the meme's setting. It's what even made me scroll down. Some laid back warlord, kingdom, dungeon soup mix served hot or cold once or twice a day or week or what-have-you.

[Capone]

Heh. Well, given the general lack of interest and my current (and growing) story count, I figured these ideas will undoubtedly be put on the back burner for another time.

I'll probably create a "world building" thread for the Interplanetary Fighting/Racing League since I feel like that could probably be a bigger universe than I currently have it set as. It's getting no bites for solo play so I'd like to develop it further into a more enticing group game. I may do something similar with the Hostess Club/Succubus Exile concept, though I never wanted to deal with what sort of global violence or other issues would have arisen from such a sudden shift in population. Maybe I'll reinterpret it so it's not a sudden exile, but an alternate reality.

Regardless, consider this thread dead for now. I may request a close on it. The ideas will return in some form, just not like this.

...sorry to disappoint that it's not a laid back setting where God can just chill with random swamp hobo and stuff.

[Cirus]

Started a bit of my own crawl request here in groups. If you feel the muse, turn it on.