(77 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)
Line 2: Line 2:
This page is designed to help the writers - and everyone involved with creating and running plot at Empire understand what the process is and how it works.
This page is designed to help the writers - and everyone involved with creating and running plot at Empire understand what the process is and how it works.


Producing plot for a large game is a difficult process. What works well for a small game with two writers and thirty players cannot be scaled to thirty writers and 2000 participants. We need to have a central process for organizing costume, NPCs, props, ribbons for items, debriefs for NPCs. Otherwise - when you come to run your plot requiring 40 NPCs to dress in Brass Coast costume for a quest - you will discover that all the NPCs are out, all the Brass Coast costume is out and all the quest slots are filled.
Producing plot for a large game is a difficult process. With dozens of writers and well over 1500 participants, we need to have a single process for organizing costume, NPCs, props, ribbons for items, debriefs for NPCs. Ultimately the process is designed to help writers; otherwise when you come to run your plot requiring 40 NPCs to dress in Brass Coast costume for a quest - you will discover that all the NPCs are out, all the Brass Coast costume is out and all the quest slots are filled.


Please make every effort to work with the process. If you are having problems talk to any of the people involved in managing the process and we will try and help sort out the problems for you. Please do not try and bypass the process.
==Ethos==
The writer is central to the ethos for the writing and running plot at events. As a writer, the responsibility for ensuring that your plot has been approved and timetabled and the right costume, props, and ribbons are ready lies with you. We don't expect one person to do all these things, that isn't possible - members of the [[plot team]] and the [[plot organization]] are here to help with every stage - but the responsibility to ensure that it is done lies with the writer.
 
We've chosen this approach for several reasons. This approach will allow us to scale what we do to run more plot by adding more writers to our team over time. However it should also ensure that the key decisions taken about a plot, timing, budget, briefing, etc - are made by the writer who created it rather than by someone else. And finally it should mean that the writer is able to drive the plot process to ensure that their plot gets approved and run at events.
 
==Ten Steps==
We've divided the plot creation process into ten steps and laid them out in a rough sequential order for ease of reading. All of these stages will need addressing when a plot is created and run, but individual writers can work through the steps in the order that suits them best. Some writers like to buy a beautiful prop and create a plot around that; some writers will want to get the basics of their plot approved before spending time putting it on the wiki.


==Stage 1 - Write Some Plot==
==Stage 1 - Write Some Plot==
You can write some plot at any time and chat to other people in PD about elements of it. You should look at your plot and ask yourself sensible questions about who you might want to discuss the plot with:
Any member of crew who wants to get involved in writing plot for Empire events is welcome to do so. Experience can help, but it is far from essential and a good knowledge of the setting is likely to be just as useful as a decade of experience writing plot for other games. What is invaluable is to make sure that you read the plot [[style guide]] first. We hope that you will also find the [[plot tools]] useful for giving you ideas and showing you elements of the setting you can use to turn those ideas into plots.


* '''Plot Actuation (Kol, Liza)''' - Is the plot going to need a lot of people, take a long time to run, or need quest slots?
You can work with anyone when you're writing your plot, especially other writers on the plot team, but it is essential to discuss your plot with Andy Rafferty and Matt Pennington. Your plot can't run until Matt and Andy are happy with it. Both have lots of experience creating plot for large events and Andy is the ultimate authority for questions about the Empire setting. The best way to get Matt is to email him, the best way to get Andy is to PM him or post on the [https://www.facebook.com/groups/EmpirePlot/ Empire plot Facebook group]. If you have a skype account (or can make one) then you can grab both Matt and Andy on skype and discuss your plot with them. It is much better to discuss plot this way where possible, as you can quickly explain your plot and talk through any difficult elements.
* '''Campaign (Andy)''' - Does the plot need new campaign elements adding to support it?
* '''Costume (Pru)''' - Does the plot need any specific props or costume?
* '''Prosthetics (Mim)''' - Does the plot need any specific prosthetics?
* '''Plot Writers (All writers)''' - Does the plot impact or overlap with other plots being written/run?


You don't have to talk to anyone at this stage, but chatting informally to people will help get guidance with the plot and avoid problems later.
Your plot '''must''' be approved before it can run at an event. To approve a plot we need to check that it is consistent with the existing setting - the campaign ''and'' the rules, and that it follows the plot style guidelines. It is good practice to chat to other members of the team about any unusual elements, new parts of the setting, new rules, etc as soon as possible. The earlier that we can give you feedback on your plot, the easier it will be to make sure that it is cleared without any problems.


==Stage 2 - Put it on the Wiki==
==Stage 2 - Put it on the Wiki==
You need to type it up and put it on the wiki. We need a single central platform for plot - and the [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empireplotwiki/Main_Page plot wiki] is it. We realize the plot wiki does not fit everyone - but we can't operate a different process for each writer - that way madness lies. So... the plot wiki is the next stage.
We have a single central platform for plot content - the [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empireplotwiki/Main_Page plot wiki]. Before you can attempt to run your plot at an event, you must have documented the plot on its own page on the plot wiki.
 
Most members of the plot team will be able to help you use the plot wiki. If you are having a technical problem then [mailto:aquarion@profounddecisions.co.uk Aquarion] (Nicholas Avenell) is the best person to talk to.
 
If you have not yet joined the plot team then you won't have access to the plot wiki yet. Just write your plot as a text document and discuss it with Matt and Andy; they will add it to the wiki once they're happy with it. You'll get access to the plot wiki once you've run a few pieces of plot at the events.
 
===NPC Stats===
You need to include stats for any NPCs or monsters that are needed for your plot. You can specify the individual skills an NPC has or just give a general description (e.g. 8 pt magician) to indicate the rough things you want. It is very rare in Empire for a plot to need an NPC to be particularly powerful but if it is essential then you must itemize their individual skills.
 
If you need stats for a monster for a quest or battle, then the best thing to do is to choose a standard creature from the bestiary on the plot wiki. If there is nothing on the wiki that suits your purpose then you can create a new creature, but if you do this then we will need to check it for consistency with the setting and to ensure the creature's stats are play balanced.
 
===Divination Responses===
When your plot is in the field, it will be interrogated by the players. They will use the tools at their disposal, usually divination rituals, to find out more information about your plot. Rituals are handled by the field refs - who will process it and then radio the plot team for an answer. If you are available (in the plot room or on a radio) - then the plot team will pass the request to you. If you are not likely to be available to respond to a query then it you should add a note to your plot with the name of a member of plot team who can answer questions about. Otherwise the team will have to create a response to the ritual using the details provided in your plot brief.


If you're struggling to use the plot wiki then talk to anyone of the IT literate folk - other wiki users, Andy, Aquarion - anyone and we'll help as much as we can. If you really can't use the wiki, see if you can team up with someone who can use the wiki and see if they can help you get it on the wiki.
It is well worth thinking about common divination rituals, when you are writing your plot. Creating good quality answers in advance will make it easy to handle queries on the day and improves the quality of the plot. Common Rituals that the players will cast to find out more are:


On the page for your plot you need to add the following text:
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Swim_Leviathan's_Depth Swim Leviathan's Depth] - Allows them to ask Leviathan why something is happening.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Bright_Lantern_of_Ophis Bright Lantern of Ophis] - Allows them to analyze a magical effect.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/The_Eye_of_the_High_Places The Eye of the High Places] - Allows them to analyze magical effects in a large area.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Eyes_of_the_Sun_and_Moon Eyes of the Sun and Moon] - Tells them about military forces in a territory.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Shadowed_Glass_of_Sung Shadowed Glass of Sung] and [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Clear_Lens_of_the_Eternal_River Clear Lens of the Eternal River] - Analyze an area for clues. These rituals are most useful on a quest but might be used to explore any location or 'scene' where something has happened.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Skein_of_Years Skein of Years] - Explores the past history of a ribboned item.


<box><nowiki>{{PlotThread|team=Team Farscape|author=Chris Edwards|name=Deal with the Devil}}</nowiki></box>
===Special FX===
If your plot will benefit from special FX, then it is useful to identify this as early as possible. Of all the elements of plot, special FX are one of the most challenging to use - simply because of the potential dangers involved. Because of this, Adam Buxton is in charge of special FX at events and will make the final call on what needs ordering for an event and what can or can't be used on the day. Mark Nichols also has a lot of experience with special FX and can offer advice and help on the plot writers Facebook group before the event.


Substitute your plot team name, your name and the plot name for the above obviously.
==Stage 3 - Timetabling your Plot==
You need to add your plot to the timetable for an event so that other members of the plot team know what plots are running and when. This allows us to plan our resources, like NPC allocation, appropriately. The timetable is available through the web front end for the main PD website. Your plot must be on the time-table for it to be approved.


At this stage your plot is still informal. No-one is going to look at it, approve it, run it, or even allow it to be run. It is on the wiki so that you can share it with people, get input if you want it - and critically so you can prepare it for the next stage.
NPCs on the timetable are allocated on a first come first served basis. It is best to get your plot written early so that you can add it to the timetable. If your plot needs NPCs but the timetable is already full, then you will have to wait until the next event to run the plot. If the plot requires a quest slot then you will need to indicate this by writing the plot against one of the available quest slots.


==Stage 3 - Add Next Event And Awaiting Approval Tags==
Your plot may not require any NPCs from the pool in the plot room. For example, there are existing NPCs that you may be able to make use of in your plot, such as the bards, civil servants, egregores, and magistrates. If this is the case then you can run your plot at any time, but it must still be timetabled, so that we can see when the plot is running.
You need to add two tags to your wiki page.


The first should have the name of the next event - or the event that you want your plot to run at. The event names are defined by their sequence in the year and the year they are running. e.g. first event in 2013 is "E1 - 2013". The third event in 2014 is "E3 - 2014"
We aim to run our skirmish quests back to back, so it helps considerably if quests that use similar antagonists are grouped together. This keeps the number of changes of make-up and costume to a minimum. To ensure that we get this right, if you are time-tabling a quest that needs members of the skirmish crew, then you must make-sure that you agree a time with Tom Hancocks first.


To create a tag you add the following text anywhere to your page:
For more detailed instructions on filling in the plot timetable successfully, see [[Plot Timetable Instructions]].


<box><nowiki>{{Category:E3 - 2014}}</nowiki></box>
===Ribbons, Rituals and Items===
If your plot requires any game items, like magical items, potions, herbs, mana crystals, coins, resources or bourse resources, then you need to specify these when you add your plot to the timetable. A sensible amount of resources to include for a small plot is equivalent to the amount of resources a player would get after one downtime; 10 ingots, 7 mana crytals, 14 herbs or 9 crowns. A bigger plot might include twice as many resources or substitute some resources for potions and magical items.


This tag is used by the Plot Actuation team to find plot that may be running at the next event - so they can prepare a timetable - allocate NPCs, sort costume, etc, etc, etc.
If your plot needs one or more magical items then the best thing to do is to pick suitable items from the [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Magic_Items standard list] on the player wiki. If there is nothing on the wiki that suits your purpose then you can create a rare or unique item, but if you do this then you will have to specify clearly what you want the item to do.


The second tag should say "Awaiting Approval" - the wiki code for this is:
There is a similar process to go through if your plot involves one or more [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Ritual_list rituals]. If the NPCs are performing a ritual, or have already done so, then the best thing to do is to pick suitable rituals from the standard list on the player wiki. If there is nothing suitable then you can create a new ritual, but as with magical items, you must specify clearly what the ritual will do.


<box><nowiki>{{Awaiting Approval}}</nowiki></box>
If you need a new magical item or ritual then it will need to be approved by Graeme Jamieson, once Matt or Andy have indicated they are happy with what you want. If your plot requires special rules or new rituals or magical items then it can't run unless Graeme Jamieson and Nicholas Taylor are happy with it. You can contact them both by [mailto:empire.rules@profounddecisions.co.uk email] or by posting on the Empire plot facebook group. The earlier the refs know about a plot that requires special rules the better.


This tag is used by Matt and Andy so they can find your plot and check it for consistency with the campaign.
You can now make your own unique ribbons on the database - see [[How To Make Ribbons]] for more details. If your plot needs any kind of unique item, they must be created on the system, and then include the resulting timetable entry for your plot. The ribbons will then be ready and waiting for you at the event - packed for your plot.


==Stage 4 - Push for Approval==
===The One Hour Rule===
You need to get your plot approved by Matt Pennington and Andy Raff.
It takes around an hour to get a plot ready and out of the door. It will take less time than this if everything is going well, but it is very easy to lose time at an event. Finding the right NPCs for the role, finding the lost costume or props, printing the ribbons needed, going over the complex parts of the brief, all take time. For this reason whoever is briefing your plot (either you or the person who has agreed to brief the plot) needs to be in the plot room an hour before the plot is due to go out. You will need to be on hand to ensure the process goes smoothly until you have got all the NPCs ready and the brief sorted.


You need to drive this process as both Matt and Andy are scatterbrained and unable to manage time or projects. Basically just prod one of them repeatedly until it happens. An email to Matt is a good place to start, but regular prompting on Facebook is even more potent and difficult to ignore. The [https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/EmpirePlot/ plot facebook group] is a good place to poke Andy Raff who spends too much time on Facebook. If you don't get a response, wait a day... then poke again. Feel free to cut and paste the link for the wiki page with your plot on it - and post that at Matt until he does the job.
==Stage 4 - Costume and Props==
Profound Decisions have a large wardrobe of basic costume, including weapons and armour. If your plot needs specific costume or props then you will need to source these. The best place to try and do this is on the [https://www.facebook.com/groups/243111769153902/ Empire sewing circle Facebook group]. This group contains capable volunteers who make costume for Profound Decisions as well as helping us source new items.


Matt is busy and responds to problems based on how much he is getting harassed to get them done. This description is not efficient or optimal but it is ''true''. You will not annoy Matt by harassing him with "Check my Plot" requests - you will simply get your plot checked and approved faster...
If we need to pay a professional to make an item then the starting point is to see if one of the existing professionals who work with Profound Decisions can do the job for you. Folks like Sean Maguire, Darren Stocker, Andy Rimmer, and Mandala all make weapons, Doug Strand makes leather goods and Rosemary Warner and Esther Reeves both make costume. If these people can't help then consider the traders who trade at our events, all of whom are likely to be helpful.


Once Matt or Andy has approved the plot - they will change the tag from "Awaiting Approval" to "Approved".
There is budget available for new costume - we've never managed to make anything even remotely resembling budgets work for plot - so just pitch your plot to Matt and he'll approve it. The best people to talk to about our existing costume stores is Leah Tardivel (plot production), Dhiamara Coulson (costumes) and Rachel Durrant (props). They can give you advice on what sort of costumes and props you might need, what they might need to look like and where to go to order them. You can contact them via the Facebook crew group.


==Stage 5 - Plot Actuation==
If your plot would benefit from a custom monster costume, then you need to identify this as early as possible. We have a Facebook group for talking to some makers about custom props about large monster builds - [https://www.facebook.com/groups/388615284613025/ Empire creature needs]. Once you've discussed the plot with Matthew Pennington then he can advise on a budget and consult the facebook group for help and advice.
The Plot Actuation team will read through your plot and check it for missing elements that they need to run the plot. Potential missing elements are:


* '''Item Ribbons''' - If a plot needs a ribbon they need the precise details of what goes on the ribbon.
==Stage 5 - Makeup and Prosthetics==
* '''NPC Stats''' - If an NPC needs notable stats they will need specifying.
Empire has a dedicated make-up team that is led by Vicki Stephenson. The team have an existing store of make-up and basic prosthetics and has experience making and ordering new prosthetics. If your plot requires only standard make-up, for example orcs or characters with lineage then the team will usually be able to handle this for you without much warning provided they are free. If your plot requires new prosthetics or a complex make-up job then it is essential that you talk to the team early about your needs if you want her team to be able to help you at the event.


Once the Plot Actuation team have checked your plot and are ready to run it they will change the "Approved" category tag to "Running".  
With multiple writers, the make-up team are always in demand, but they are especially busy preparing for the big battles on Saturday and Sunday morning. It is essential to avoid time-tabling a complex make-up effect for this time unless you have special dispensation directly from the team to do so.


When you see this tag appear then you know that your plot is timetabled to run - and that plot actuation team are going to ensure that sufficient costumes, props, and NPCs as they see fit are available to run the plot. If you are concerned that their estimation is not sufficient then discuss that with them.
==Stage 6 - Assigning NPCs==
You can leave assigning NPCs to your plot to the day of the event. If you have timetabled your plot correctly then the NPCs you need should be ready to play the role at the appropriate time in the plot room. You can take them to one side, get them briefed, and then send them out.


The Plot Actuation team will finalize all the logistical arrangements that are required for your plot to run. If your plot needs resources, coin, cards or ribbons then they will prepare them. If the plot needs props, costumes, prosthetics or set-dressing - then the plot actuation team will sort them.
If you want specific individuals to play NPC roles for you in one of your plots, then you'll need to chat to them to arrange that. We have a large pool of volunteers who NPC full time at events who are organized into teams of approximately five. If you need a small group of NPCs then you can chat to the team leader. If you just need one or two people then it is best to speak to them direct. It is wise to check that any individual you speak to has not agreed to be in another plot that is running at the same time.


If you want to help the plot actuation team arrange these things, then talk to them and find out what you can do to help. ''Doing it yourself is not helping.'' That is simply bypassing the process - which undermines everyone involved, risks duplication and causes the process to fall apart.
Assigning NPCs in advance can be very effective. It means you can pick people who are familiar with the role or at least that part of the setting. You can give them the brief before the event, making things much quicker on the day and you may well find your plot benefits from allowing them to have some input and development on the role.


==Stage 6 - Briefing NPCs==
Beth Charleton is the person to talk to get help with assigning NPCs either in advance or on the day.
You need to be ready to brief your NPCs for your plot. The plot actuation team prepare the things you need for your plot - but they will not brief and run your plot for you. So you will need to be present in the plot room 20 minutes before your plot is due to go out - otherwise it will not go out.


Once you get to the plot room, liaise with a member of the plot actuation team and they will tell you who is monstering your plot. You must then brief the NPCs.
==Stage 7 - Briefing NPCs==
Your NPCs will need to be briefed before they can enact your plot. Written briefs are incredibly useful, as they provide invaluable documentation and help speed up briefing before the event and on the day. However you don't need to produce a full written brief if that is not your style, provided that your plot write up includes the essential details.


==Stage 7 - In The Field==
Experience has shown that plots work best when they are briefed by someone who knows the plot well. If you're not available to brief your NPCs, then you'll need to find a member of the plot team who can do that for you - and then take the time to go through the plot with them. There are some members of the plot team who specialize in briefing plot because they have good communication skills - talk to Jonathan Kidger if you are looking for someone who can provide help with briefing NPCs
When your plot is in the field, it will be interrogated by the players. They will use the tools at their disposal to find out more information about your plot. There are various rituals they can perform to find things out or to cause things to happen in response to your plot. These requests will come to a field ref - who will process the request and then refer it back to the plot actuation team.


The plot actuation team will attempt to answer the question. If you are available (in the plot room or on a radio) - then they will pass the request to you. If you are not available then they will attempt to respond to the player action using the details provided in your plot brief. The more detail here - the easier it will be for them to respond in the way you want.
==Stage 8 - Get a Ref==
If you are running a plot that has will demand regular support from a ref or needs a ref on hand to ensure that fighting is being handled safely then you need to get a ref. This is especially important if you are planning a quest, which is likely to involve any significant amount of combat. The ref desk is run by Nicholas Taylor and Emma Woods - either can help you organize a ref to support your plot.


Common Rituals that the players will cast to find out more are:
Refs are always in high demand at an event, so make sure you speak to them as early as possible to arrange who will be reffing your plot to ensure that they are available at the right time.


* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Swim_Leviathan's_Depth Swim Leviathan's Depth] - Allows them to ask Leviathan why something is happening.
==Stage 9 - Debriefing NPCs==
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Bright_Lantern_of_Ophis Bright Lantern of Ophis] - Allows them to analyze a magical effect.
When your NPCs return to the plot room they will be asked to put a debrief of their plot on to the plot wiki. The debriefs are added using the debrief button provided by the plot template which appears on your wiki page. If you need specific questions answered by the NPCs then you will need to ensure that you are there when the NPCs get back and debrief the plot.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/The_Eye_of_the_High_Places The Eye of the High Places] - Allows them to analyze magical effects in an area.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Eyes_of_the_Sun_and_Moon Eyes of the Sun and Moon] - Tells them about military forces in a territory.


==Stage 8 - Debrief your NPCs==
For quests the Skirmish Team will provide an overall quest debrief in addition to any specific details provided by the NPCs
When your NPCs return to the plot room they will be asked by plot actuation to put a debrief on their plot on to the plot wiki. The debriefs are added using the debrief button provided by the plot template which appears on your wiki page. If you need specific questions answered by the NPCs then you will need to ensure that you are there when the NPCs get back and debrief the plot.


Debriefing is important because it allows us to track what plots ran and what the outcomes were. It is critically important for game consistency that we get good quality debriefs. Everyone involved in the plot process, writers, plot actuation, and NPCs should be aware of the importance of getting good debriefs.
Debriefing is important because it allows us to track what plots ran and what the outcomes were. It is critically important for game consistency that we get good quality debriefs. Everyone involved in the plot process, writers, plot support, and NPCs should be aware of the importance of getting good debriefs.


==Stage 9 - Player Follow-up==
==Stage 10 - Player Follow-up==
The Empire campaign specifically prohibits free text downtime - players are ''prohibited'' from trying to follow up a plot in downtime. It is worth bearing this in mind when writing a plot.
The Empire campaign specifically prohibits free text downtime - players are ''prohibited'' from trying to follow up a plot in downtime. It is worth bearing this in mind when writing a plot.


Line 98: Line 117:


* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Call_Winged_Messenger Call Winged Messenger] - Send a message to a named NPC.
* [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Call_Winged_Messenger Call Winged Messenger] - Send a message to a named NPC.
* Create a missive to an Eternal - Send a message to a named Eternal which has provided them a way to do so - e.g. Missive to Sadogua.
** If the Eternal you are working with does not currently have a defined communication mechanism, and you want the players to be able to communicate with them, you will need to give one out with your plot - this might be an item that gives them a one-shot ability to send a message, an arcane projection which allows them to send a ritual message, or if you are confident that you will be able to support communication with this Eternal over the long term, a ritual text of such a ritual or a longer-duration item that lets them send multiple messages.
These requests will come to a field ref - who will process the request and then refer it back to the plot support team.
The plot support team will attempt to identify the plot writer best suited to deal with any player follow-up. Missives sent to eternals and letters sent to NPCs by winged messenger will be put in the post-board in plot. There is a box for each plot team where they can collect their post from. Unidentified plot will be added to a single box marked "unknown".
If you find a piece of plot follow-up in your box that is nothing to do with any of your plots, then please move it to the "unknown" box. Plot support will empty this box after the event and try to chase it up with the whole plot team using the Facebook writers group.


These requests will come to a field ref - who will process the request and then refer it back to the plot actuation team.
Players may also commission a [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Historical_research historical research] request through the Imperial Senate. This results in a report collated by NPC civil servants who spend the period between events trawling archives and libraries all over the Empire. Some research requests will find no useful information, but you may be asked to write a research request result related to one of your plots, or to provide enough details that someone else can write one. A research request is a useful tool because it allows you to help players drive your plot forward, and can be used to reveal additional information about the background; point to a quest or unexpected avenue to pursue the quest; or even provide leads to an entirely new plot, depending on the nature of the research.


The plot actuation team will attempt to identify the plot writer best suited to deal with any player follow-up. Messages set to eternals and letters sent by winged messenger will be put in the post-board in plot. There is a box for each plot team where they can collect their post from. Unidentified plot will be added to a single box marked "unknown".
==Contact Details==
* [https://www.facebook.com/Hobbes00uk Facebook Matt Pennington] or [mailto:matt@profounddecisions.co.uk matt@profounddecisions.co.uk]
* [https://www.facebook.com/andy.raff.1?fref=ts&ref=br_tf Facebook Andy Raff]


If you find a piece of plot follow-up in your box that is nothing to do with any of your plots, then please move it to the "unknown" box. Plot Actuation team will empty this box after the event and try to chase it up with the whole plot team using the Facebook writers group.
{{Plot Further Reading}}

Latest revision as of 22:32, 24 May 2023

Overview

This page is designed to help the writers - and everyone involved with creating and running plot at Empire understand what the process is and how it works.

Producing plot for a large game is a difficult process. With dozens of writers and well over 1500 participants, we need to have a single process for organizing costume, NPCs, props, ribbons for items, debriefs for NPCs. Ultimately the process is designed to help writers; otherwise when you come to run your plot requiring 40 NPCs to dress in Brass Coast costume for a quest - you will discover that all the NPCs are out, all the Brass Coast costume is out and all the quest slots are filled.

Ethos

The writer is central to the ethos for the writing and running plot at events. As a writer, the responsibility for ensuring that your plot has been approved and timetabled and the right costume, props, and ribbons are ready lies with you. We don't expect one person to do all these things, that isn't possible - members of the plot team and the plot organization are here to help with every stage - but the responsibility to ensure that it is done lies with the writer.

We've chosen this approach for several reasons. This approach will allow us to scale what we do to run more plot by adding more writers to our team over time. However it should also ensure that the key decisions taken about a plot, timing, budget, briefing, etc - are made by the writer who created it rather than by someone else. And finally it should mean that the writer is able to drive the plot process to ensure that their plot gets approved and run at events.

Ten Steps

We've divided the plot creation process into ten steps and laid them out in a rough sequential order for ease of reading. All of these stages will need addressing when a plot is created and run, but individual writers can work through the steps in the order that suits them best. Some writers like to buy a beautiful prop and create a plot around that; some writers will want to get the basics of their plot approved before spending time putting it on the wiki.

Stage 1 - Write Some Plot

Any member of crew who wants to get involved in writing plot for Empire events is welcome to do so. Experience can help, but it is far from essential and a good knowledge of the setting is likely to be just as useful as a decade of experience writing plot for other games. What is invaluable is to make sure that you read the plot style guide first. We hope that you will also find the plot tools useful for giving you ideas and showing you elements of the setting you can use to turn those ideas into plots.

You can work with anyone when you're writing your plot, especially other writers on the plot team, but it is essential to discuss your plot with Andy Rafferty and Matt Pennington. Your plot can't run until Matt and Andy are happy with it. Both have lots of experience creating plot for large events and Andy is the ultimate authority for questions about the Empire setting. The best way to get Matt is to email him, the best way to get Andy is to PM him or post on the Empire plot Facebook group. If you have a skype account (or can make one) then you can grab both Matt and Andy on skype and discuss your plot with them. It is much better to discuss plot this way where possible, as you can quickly explain your plot and talk through any difficult elements.

Your plot must be approved before it can run at an event. To approve a plot we need to check that it is consistent with the existing setting - the campaign and the rules, and that it follows the plot style guidelines. It is good practice to chat to other members of the team about any unusual elements, new parts of the setting, new rules, etc as soon as possible. The earlier that we can give you feedback on your plot, the easier it will be to make sure that it is cleared without any problems.

Stage 2 - Put it on the Wiki

We have a single central platform for plot content - the plot wiki. Before you can attempt to run your plot at an event, you must have documented the plot on its own page on the plot wiki.

Most members of the plot team will be able to help you use the plot wiki. If you are having a technical problem then Aquarion (Nicholas Avenell) is the best person to talk to.

If you have not yet joined the plot team then you won't have access to the plot wiki yet. Just write your plot as a text document and discuss it with Matt and Andy; they will add it to the wiki once they're happy with it. You'll get access to the plot wiki once you've run a few pieces of plot at the events.

NPC Stats

You need to include stats for any NPCs or monsters that are needed for your plot. You can specify the individual skills an NPC has or just give a general description (e.g. 8 pt magician) to indicate the rough things you want. It is very rare in Empire for a plot to need an NPC to be particularly powerful but if it is essential then you must itemize their individual skills.

If you need stats for a monster for a quest or battle, then the best thing to do is to choose a standard creature from the bestiary on the plot wiki. If there is nothing on the wiki that suits your purpose then you can create a new creature, but if you do this then we will need to check it for consistency with the setting and to ensure the creature's stats are play balanced.

Divination Responses

When your plot is in the field, it will be interrogated by the players. They will use the tools at their disposal, usually divination rituals, to find out more information about your plot. Rituals are handled by the field refs - who will process it and then radio the plot team for an answer. If you are available (in the plot room or on a radio) - then the plot team will pass the request to you. If you are not likely to be available to respond to a query then it you should add a note to your plot with the name of a member of plot team who can answer questions about. Otherwise the team will have to create a response to the ritual using the details provided in your plot brief.

It is well worth thinking about common divination rituals, when you are writing your plot. Creating good quality answers in advance will make it easy to handle queries on the day and improves the quality of the plot. Common Rituals that the players will cast to find out more are:

Special FX

If your plot will benefit from special FX, then it is useful to identify this as early as possible. Of all the elements of plot, special FX are one of the most challenging to use - simply because of the potential dangers involved. Because of this, Adam Buxton is in charge of special FX at events and will make the final call on what needs ordering for an event and what can or can't be used on the day. Mark Nichols also has a lot of experience with special FX and can offer advice and help on the plot writers Facebook group before the event.

Stage 3 - Timetabling your Plot

You need to add your plot to the timetable for an event so that other members of the plot team know what plots are running and when. This allows us to plan our resources, like NPC allocation, appropriately. The timetable is available through the web front end for the main PD website. Your plot must be on the time-table for it to be approved.

NPCs on the timetable are allocated on a first come first served basis. It is best to get your plot written early so that you can add it to the timetable. If your plot needs NPCs but the timetable is already full, then you will have to wait until the next event to run the plot. If the plot requires a quest slot then you will need to indicate this by writing the plot against one of the available quest slots.

Your plot may not require any NPCs from the pool in the plot room. For example, there are existing NPCs that you may be able to make use of in your plot, such as the bards, civil servants, egregores, and magistrates. If this is the case then you can run your plot at any time, but it must still be timetabled, so that we can see when the plot is running.

We aim to run our skirmish quests back to back, so it helps considerably if quests that use similar antagonists are grouped together. This keeps the number of changes of make-up and costume to a minimum. To ensure that we get this right, if you are time-tabling a quest that needs members of the skirmish crew, then you must make-sure that you agree a time with Tom Hancocks first.

For more detailed instructions on filling in the plot timetable successfully, see Plot Timetable Instructions.

Ribbons, Rituals and Items

If your plot requires any game items, like magical items, potions, herbs, mana crystals, coins, resources or bourse resources, then you need to specify these when you add your plot to the timetable. A sensible amount of resources to include for a small plot is equivalent to the amount of resources a player would get after one downtime; 10 ingots, 7 mana crytals, 14 herbs or 9 crowns. A bigger plot might include twice as many resources or substitute some resources for potions and magical items.

If your plot needs one or more magical items then the best thing to do is to pick suitable items from the standard list on the player wiki. If there is nothing on the wiki that suits your purpose then you can create a rare or unique item, but if you do this then you will have to specify clearly what you want the item to do.

There is a similar process to go through if your plot involves one or more rituals. If the NPCs are performing a ritual, or have already done so, then the best thing to do is to pick suitable rituals from the standard list on the player wiki. If there is nothing suitable then you can create a new ritual, but as with magical items, you must specify clearly what the ritual will do.

If you need a new magical item or ritual then it will need to be approved by Graeme Jamieson, once Matt or Andy have indicated they are happy with what you want. If your plot requires special rules or new rituals or magical items then it can't run unless Graeme Jamieson and Nicholas Taylor are happy with it. You can contact them both by email or by posting on the Empire plot facebook group. The earlier the refs know about a plot that requires special rules the better.

You can now make your own unique ribbons on the database - see How To Make Ribbons for more details. If your plot needs any kind of unique item, they must be created on the system, and then include the resulting timetable entry for your plot. The ribbons will then be ready and waiting for you at the event - packed for your plot.

The One Hour Rule

It takes around an hour to get a plot ready and out of the door. It will take less time than this if everything is going well, but it is very easy to lose time at an event. Finding the right NPCs for the role, finding the lost costume or props, printing the ribbons needed, going over the complex parts of the brief, all take time. For this reason whoever is briefing your plot (either you or the person who has agreed to brief the plot) needs to be in the plot room an hour before the plot is due to go out. You will need to be on hand to ensure the process goes smoothly until you have got all the NPCs ready and the brief sorted.

Stage 4 - Costume and Props

Profound Decisions have a large wardrobe of basic costume, including weapons and armour. If your plot needs specific costume or props then you will need to source these. The best place to try and do this is on the Empire sewing circle Facebook group. This group contains capable volunteers who make costume for Profound Decisions as well as helping us source new items.

If we need to pay a professional to make an item then the starting point is to see if one of the existing professionals who work with Profound Decisions can do the job for you. Folks like Sean Maguire, Darren Stocker, Andy Rimmer, and Mandala all make weapons, Doug Strand makes leather goods and Rosemary Warner and Esther Reeves both make costume. If these people can't help then consider the traders who trade at our events, all of whom are likely to be helpful.

There is budget available for new costume - we've never managed to make anything even remotely resembling budgets work for plot - so just pitch your plot to Matt and he'll approve it. The best people to talk to about our existing costume stores is Leah Tardivel (plot production), Dhiamara Coulson (costumes) and Rachel Durrant (props). They can give you advice on what sort of costumes and props you might need, what they might need to look like and where to go to order them. You can contact them via the Facebook crew group.

If your plot would benefit from a custom monster costume, then you need to identify this as early as possible. We have a Facebook group for talking to some makers about custom props about large monster builds - Empire creature needs. Once you've discussed the plot with Matthew Pennington then he can advise on a budget and consult the facebook group for help and advice.

Stage 5 - Makeup and Prosthetics

Empire has a dedicated make-up team that is led by Vicki Stephenson. The team have an existing store of make-up and basic prosthetics and has experience making and ordering new prosthetics. If your plot requires only standard make-up, for example orcs or characters with lineage then the team will usually be able to handle this for you without much warning provided they are free. If your plot requires new prosthetics or a complex make-up job then it is essential that you talk to the team early about your needs if you want her team to be able to help you at the event.

With multiple writers, the make-up team are always in demand, but they are especially busy preparing for the big battles on Saturday and Sunday morning. It is essential to avoid time-tabling a complex make-up effect for this time unless you have special dispensation directly from the team to do so.

Stage 6 - Assigning NPCs

You can leave assigning NPCs to your plot to the day of the event. If you have timetabled your plot correctly then the NPCs you need should be ready to play the role at the appropriate time in the plot room. You can take them to one side, get them briefed, and then send them out.

If you want specific individuals to play NPC roles for you in one of your plots, then you'll need to chat to them to arrange that. We have a large pool of volunteers who NPC full time at events who are organized into teams of approximately five. If you need a small group of NPCs then you can chat to the team leader. If you just need one or two people then it is best to speak to them direct. It is wise to check that any individual you speak to has not agreed to be in another plot that is running at the same time.

Assigning NPCs in advance can be very effective. It means you can pick people who are familiar with the role or at least that part of the setting. You can give them the brief before the event, making things much quicker on the day and you may well find your plot benefits from allowing them to have some input and development on the role.

Beth Charleton is the person to talk to get help with assigning NPCs either in advance or on the day.

Stage 7 - Briefing NPCs

Your NPCs will need to be briefed before they can enact your plot. Written briefs are incredibly useful, as they provide invaluable documentation and help speed up briefing before the event and on the day. However you don't need to produce a full written brief if that is not your style, provided that your plot write up includes the essential details.

Experience has shown that plots work best when they are briefed by someone who knows the plot well. If you're not available to brief your NPCs, then you'll need to find a member of the plot team who can do that for you - and then take the time to go through the plot with them. There are some members of the plot team who specialize in briefing plot because they have good communication skills - talk to Jonathan Kidger if you are looking for someone who can provide help with briefing NPCs

Stage 8 - Get a Ref

If you are running a plot that has will demand regular support from a ref or needs a ref on hand to ensure that fighting is being handled safely then you need to get a ref. This is especially important if you are planning a quest, which is likely to involve any significant amount of combat. The ref desk is run by Nicholas Taylor and Emma Woods - either can help you organize a ref to support your plot.

Refs are always in high demand at an event, so make sure you speak to them as early as possible to arrange who will be reffing your plot to ensure that they are available at the right time.

Stage 9 - Debriefing NPCs

When your NPCs return to the plot room they will be asked to put a debrief of their plot on to the plot wiki. The debriefs are added using the debrief button provided by the plot template which appears on your wiki page. If you need specific questions answered by the NPCs then you will need to ensure that you are there when the NPCs get back and debrief the plot.

For quests the Skirmish Team will provide an overall quest debrief in addition to any specific details provided by the NPCs

Debriefing is important because it allows us to track what plots ran and what the outcomes were. It is critically important for game consistency that we get good quality debriefs. Everyone involved in the plot process, writers, plot support, and NPCs should be aware of the importance of getting good debriefs.

Stage 10 - Player Follow-up

The Empire campaign specifically prohibits free text downtime - players are prohibited from trying to follow up a plot in downtime. It is worth bearing this in mind when writing a plot.

However there are things the players can do to chase a plot has left the field. The most common are:

  • Call Winged Messenger - Send a message to a named NPC.
  • Create a missive to an Eternal - Send a message to a named Eternal which has provided them a way to do so - e.g. Missive to Sadogua.
    • If the Eternal you are working with does not currently have a defined communication mechanism, and you want the players to be able to communicate with them, you will need to give one out with your plot - this might be an item that gives them a one-shot ability to send a message, an arcane projection which allows them to send a ritual message, or if you are confident that you will be able to support communication with this Eternal over the long term, a ritual text of such a ritual or a longer-duration item that lets them send multiple messages.

These requests will come to a field ref - who will process the request and then refer it back to the plot support team.

The plot support team will attempt to identify the plot writer best suited to deal with any player follow-up. Missives sent to eternals and letters sent to NPCs by winged messenger will be put in the post-board in plot. There is a box for each plot team where they can collect their post from. Unidentified plot will be added to a single box marked "unknown".

If you find a piece of plot follow-up in your box that is nothing to do with any of your plots, then please move it to the "unknown" box. Plot support will empty this box after the event and try to chase it up with the whole plot team using the Facebook writers group.

Players may also commission a historical research request through the Imperial Senate. This results in a report collated by NPC civil servants who spend the period between events trawling archives and libraries all over the Empire. Some research requests will find no useful information, but you may be asked to write a research request result related to one of your plots, or to provide enough details that someone else can write one. A research request is a useful tool because it allows you to help players drive your plot forward, and can be used to reveal additional information about the background; point to a quest or unexpected avenue to pursue the quest; or even provide leads to an entirely new plot, depending on the nature of the research.

Contact Details

Further Reading