Direct Translation Anime Showdown discussion

Discussion in 'Roleplaying Forum' started by Grossenschwamm, Nov 22, 2014.

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  1. Grossenschwamm

    Grossenschwamm Well-Known Member

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    This is an RP limited to 4 players. There are 5 main characters - the 4 protagonists, and the Villain.

    Each person taking part has their own main role, and will also take a quarter of the villain's plot exposition as the story develops. The villain is actually one of the 4 the whole time, and will be selected at random in the final leg of the game.

    The name comes from directly translating one language into another without regard to rules of grammar or proper context. Seeing as this game takes place in an action-anime universe, player attacks when fighting will be shouted out in combat, dramatically. And they will make little to no sense, while at times being quite suggestive. You don't need to do the translating yourself, or throw a phrase into Google. So long as you've got a string of words that could possibly be a sentence, you've got an attack. For example - an attack actually called "Fist of the Tranquil Sky!" might appear as "Heaven is Fisting Quietly!"

    No matter what an attack is called, you must not comment on how it sounds in game.

    Plot-wise, you know there's going to be a twist. However, ground rules need to be set up so we don't end up with people playing 4 vastly different games;

    No Mary-Sues or Gary-Stus. They're cheap, easy to write, and annoying. No one player is plot immune. No one player is invincible. You're already playing a protagonist, and therefore you're supposed to be a powerful character - but there's a limit. Basically, don't play Silver Age Superman, or anything like it.

    Magic is allowed, so long as it doesn't violate the "no Mary Sues" rule, or the setting of the game itself. Magic is described as the classic "this person can summon the elements or creatures from other planes through study or innate ability," or the more esoteric "this person can pull a sledgehammer out of a coin purse." Unless there's a scientific explanation for something your character can do that you can come up with in the story, it's magic. There's more things to call magic in between, but I won't go at length considering you can have a spell for anything as long as it doesn't break the plot.

    The attacks will most likely sound surreal or humorous if you say them out loud. Aside from that, the setting will be handled seriously. Any humor will, if present in the game, be handled cleverly rather than by relying on word salad or ridiculousness. If you're able to make those things funny, then go ahead. Also bear in mind the rules of the setting - a story in the universe of Gundam won't have the same kind of humor as something set in Outlaw Star.

    As far as setting is concerned, bear in mind how most action oriented comic books, manga and cartoons play out. There's generally one protagonist or a group who may already have a special set of skills or abilities, or discovers them soon after the story starts. Then they find out there's an overarching evil or someone trying to bring out their potential to fulfill a prophecy, and generally they succeed after getting their butts kicked around a few times to develop their character.

    So of those basic elements, we've got quite the selection of time periods, universes, and levels of drama. Would you want the setting to be in a familiar universe (one you're familiar with from a series you've enjoyed) or something new following the standard "Unknown heroes build upon themselves until they triumph!" setting? If it's a setting to a series you guys agree on but I'm not familiar with, I'll do research on it to make everything blend.

    Also, I won't be playing. I'm the narrator, as well as non player characters that may show up during the game. If interested, throw out a character sheet;

    Name: Prota Gonist
    Sex: Male
    Hair: Has a color, and is definitely there.
    Height: 5'7'
    Weight: 140 lbs
    Bio: Born to be a main character, Prota Gonist changed his name from Ansil Larry and began doing things that gained him renown. Prota discovered he's very strong in the ways of the Plot, and is able to produce items perfect for any given context within which he finds himself, though he's generally limited in effectiveness by how well he knows to use the produced item. He's also got some skill in hand to hand combat, and has a strength not suggested by his size. He's far weaker.
     
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