Play@YSDC

Posted: **Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:08 am**

Here is where you introduce yourself as a player, shoot the breeze, gas bag about this, that or the other, or talk about your favorite Survival Horror games and why. Feel free to take the Chit-Chat thread in whichever direction you like, really. It's up for conversational grabs!

Posted: **Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:40 am**

How rules-savvy and Call of Cthulhu knowledgeable are you?

Posted: **Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:47 am**

I've read about 20 of Lovecraft's stories, but am not really familiar with the game system. I mostly familar with the World Of Darkness gaming systems. I have downloaded the 5th edition COC rulebook online, so I've read up on some of the rules.
A friend of mine and I play single player Cthulhu games but don't have a larger group to play with.

Posted: **Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:22 am**

Laraqua wrote:How rules-savvy and Call of Cthulhu knowledgeable are you?

Well, you already know that I'm quite knowledgeable about the rules and the game, since you've asked me rules questions before. I've been a Keeper for the last five years. I played Call of Cthulhu in college in the mid-1990s, but I don't think I played between then and the middle of the last decade. Since then I've been playing every chance I get. Other than play-by-post, that's exclusively at conventions. I'm also Keeper for a few games here. You know about Zombie Apocalypse already, since you're both in it. That's the one that started in 2006 and is still going. Space Oddity is based on Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, though it is set in Philadelphia in 1969. I've been running it for over two and a half years now. My Doctor Who/Call of Cthulhu campaign has been running since the summer of 2010. The first game, The Terror Out of Time, was set in 1930 London and took almost a year to conclude. The second scenario, The Ninth Planet, is set on Pluto in the year 2112. It started a few months ago and will probably finish at some point next year. Laraqua is playing in that one. I have plans for several further adventures in that campaign that will sample a wide variety of eras and settings.

I've played (old) World of Darkness before in college, almost entirely Vampire: the Masquerade. There was one convention WoD game I played in where all of the other players were werewolves and I played a Malkavian.

Posted: **Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:07 am**

I've played a lot of WoD games in both LARP and table-top settings. In nWoD, I only haven't played Innocents and Promethean. In oWoD, the only games I've played were Vampire: the Masquerade, Wraith: the Risen, and Demon: the Fallen (Well, I've mostly played it).

Posted: **Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:16 am**

I got the sixth edition rulebook for my birthday this year. The last (and first) time I played was months ago, and I've never been a player, just a keeper. It was quite an experience.

(We weren't the best group for it - we couldn't stay serious!)

I don't have the space or friends to play Call of Cthulhu physically, so I get my mythos-related enjoyment from other places. Being able to play online will fix that, I think.

Posted: **Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:13 pm**

Well, Call of Cthulhu was actually the first RPG I ever ran. I was running a solo game for a friend of mine for a while. Then I ran a couple games in college, about the time that the Delta Green setting came out. After that, I've found I have to run/play it online, since all the local RPGers are obsessed with DnD. So playing/running off and on for 20 years now.

I'll hopefully get my character up this afternoon or this evening.

Posted: **Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:58 am**

I know! People have such a weird obsession with D&D. I can DM a game with zero effort and they'll love it and almost always attend 100% of the time despite it being a weekly weeknight game, and even World of Darkness games (which they say they like just as much) keep dying in the water because they just won't commit to them.

Posted: **Sun Dec 18, 2011 6:20 am**

I'll have my character sheet up tomorrow; my computer is borked so I'm doing everything on my phone.

Posted: **Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:29 pm**

Do we have an estimated starting time for this game?

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 1:19 am**

I'll be starting it this week though I understand that a few of the threads won't get off the ground until January if folks are busy and, even if they're not, I anticipate intermittent posting until then anyway. I have limited time at present so I'll focus on one thread / character per day until you're all up and running, starting with the first sheet poster and continuing downward.

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 2:05 am**

Are we allowed to read each others' IC threads, or only our own?

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 2:06 am**

Well, that's the first one up. Laine, over to you.

Next will be Dr. Bloodworth. I'll have yours up tomorrow!

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:10 am**

I think you missed my question above, since you replied right after I posted. Are we allowed to read others' IC threads, or only our own?

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:28 am**

Yeah, I didn't see that one. You can read other people's threads as things'll change up a bit between you all.

Besides, I'm sourcing neat pictures!

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:32 am**

Having fun so far, actually it almost feels pretty real life table top. Thanks for keeping up with my posts.

Is there a FAQ for using the OCC and Spoiler button features?

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:53 am**

I have never wrapped my head around those.

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 6:03 am**

Oh and when I mark your skills with a (+), it means you can level them at the start of the next chapter.

Be aware that you can roll your own skill uses, or I'll do it for you to speed things along, depending on who's calling for it so it's not a really You or Me thing. If you have a strong preference either way, though, let me know. Otherwise, if you go:

I climb the mountain and rush over to the enemy - you roll on www.invisiblecastle.com and embed the link.

If I say:

You see nothing - then I'll roll for it for quickness' sake.

To embed a link, you select the words you want to highlight so they show up dark blue (clicking on the last letter and dragging the mouse over the first letter does it). Then click on the URL button above. Type in an = sign after the first URL and then paste in the weblink from invisiblecastle. Like so (but without the spaces):

You [url = http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3306578/]see[/url] nothing.

When using invisible castle, put [SH]Murphy as your name. That way if you keep rolling exceptional successes, I can double check that you're not just re-rolling 18 times. Other Keepers ask that you log in first so you can include what skill (i.e. Climb) you're using so they can make sure that's the one and only roll you've made but I'm fine if you don't so long as you indicate it in your text.

Posted: **Mon Dec 19, 2011 6:04 am**

I put together some instructions here some time ago for Zombie Apocalypse (which I'm trying to finish updating, but I'm almost out of time tonight and don't think I'll make it).

Posted: **Tue Dec 20, 2011 12:41 am**

There's a joke in this somewhere.

So a preschool teacher, a journalism student, a private investigator, and a lawyer walk into Silent Hill...

I love how strange Call of Cthulhu groups get.

Posted: **Tue Dec 20, 2011 1:06 am**

I think the ending of that joke should be:

...who walks out?

Posted: **Tue Dec 20, 2011 6:19 am**

"Of all the small towns in all the world, we had to walk into hers."

Posted: **Tue Dec 20, 2011 6:48 am**

Nicely put!

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:09 am**

Please don't let it be a pyramid head.

Actually, forget that.

Please don't be evil Teletubbies.

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:16 am**

Oh no, it's even cuuuuuter than that!

Public Service Announcement.
Oh yeah, by the way, to keep with the atmosphere of your history biting you and all of that, and keep things moving, I'll make a few assumptions about your character. I'll try to make them as minimal or as generic as possible, but if they're plain wrong, feel free to adapt it (My character wouldn't have a cell phone, but maybe a friend gave it to him) or even ask me to retro it if it's not adaptable or even play with it (what an odd 'memory', I'm sure that never happened to me in my past, I must be losing it). I'm quite happy for any of the above. Just bear in mind that Silent Hill plays with your protagonist's past so unless you provide me with a comprehensive dossier (which I'm happy to receive) then contradictions might crop up. I will be trying not to step on anyone's toes so I won't make your character do or say anything and will try to keep historical references generic and likely (and not TOO common).

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:31 am**

Mysterious.

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 2:58 am**

Cecilia's past is munching on her quite nicely.

Jack amuses me. We'll be a lovely bunch of crazy misfits, won't we?

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 3:19 am**

You have no idea.

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 3:49 am**

By the way, just to be sure, do I have to multiply EDU by 20 or 15 to get occupational skill points in this game?

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 3:54 am**

EDU by 20.

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 3:57 am**

I seem to have 5 more skill points to spend then XD

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 3:58 am**

Merry X-Mas to you!

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:19 am**

Never answer the phone in Silent Hill, eh?

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:24 am**

Creepy.

Now I think I'll just sneak over to whatever thing's hiding behind my car and grapple it

. Or die trying.

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:18 am**

Laraqua wrote:Oh no, it's even cuuuuuter than that!

Awww, Jack found a Middles!

I wonder whatever happened to the kitty we found in Ash. He just stopped being mentioned, but I guess he must have escaped from Dahlia in the confusion when we were leaving the hospital.

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:33 am**

Aww, I forgot about Middles!

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:58 am**

Heh, just noticed what might be a kind of funny coincidence. Did I mention Ashfield in my character backstory write-up I sent you, Laraqua? Reason I ask is that you mention the name in my thread, and it sort of seems maybe implied that's where I'm coming from... weird coincidence part is I had made up an Ashfield University in some Mythos-type stories I had written. Wacky!

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 9:37 am**

Dr. Bloodworth wrote:Heh, just noticed what might be a kind of funny coincidence. Did I mention Ashfield in my character backstory write-up I sent you, Laraqua? Reason I ask is that you mention the name in my thread, and it sort of seems maybe implied that's where I'm coming from... weird coincidence part is I had made up an Ashfield University in some Mythos-type stories I had written. Wacky!

THEY KNOW.

[/lightning]

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 3:25 pm**

DUNN DUNN DUUUHHHHH!!!!

Seriously though. It seems as if Katie/Andy and Cecilia is in a different bathroom. One is the creepy kind and other is a normal kind.

That being said, man being inside a woman's bathroom probably counts as creepy though.

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 3:35 pm**

Aren't public restrooms creepy by default?

I was wondering about that, though. I was hoping for a "WHAT are you doing with my daughter?!" type of misunderstanding, because those are always fun, but the weird bathroom has me intrigued.

Don't answer the phone, Cecilia. Bad character. Bad. No biscuit.

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:00 pm**

Heh.

It really makes me wonder about the sanity of all the characters that we play as to begin with. Everyone seems to be pretty much crazy in their own way.

Posted: **Wed Dec 21, 2011 9:32 pm**

The same could be said for real people.

Andy and Murray seem the most sane right now. Maybe they'll end up surrounded by gibbering invalids (that may or may not be us). At the very least, it would be classic.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 12:59 am**

I am enjoying our eclectic group so far, but I am not sure once sh*t hits the fan how long my character can cope with it.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:00 am**

Jack's equipped for sh*t hitting the fan. He has a SHOTGUN.

Yes, Cecillia. Come towards the creepy bar in the middle of the creepy town with your daughter. The paranoid bartender for the evening will be Jack.

He also has a shotgun.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:13 am**

Don't you know? It's the SANE ones that break down the HARDEST when things go haywire. Crazy people don't expect things to be normal, after all, and they're too busy just being crazy to break further!

At least, that's what happened in one game I ran with two police officers. The one who started getting conspiracy-paranoid did better in the end then the guy who stayed level-headed as the Denial guy denied it until he snapped. It was a beautiful moment!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:21 am**

I remember one game in which we had to fight vampires in a fortress. There were 50 of us, all players. There were only 2 vampires, but they had infiltrated our ranks.

Oh, and we didn't know that they were vampires. We thought they were enemy spies or something. So we were HANGING our own men to get to them. Except hanging does exactly jack against vampires. So they just pretended to die and came back to kill us at night.

Cue mass paranoia.

The fortress commander, probably the sanest of us all, snapped in the end. He declared himself Caesar, wore a toga, and went on and on on his plot to dominate the world with his squad of 12 men. People kept on dying and then he sentenced the last two men on one on one combat.

One was an actual enemy spy and the other was a vampire.

It was actually kind of funny.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:25 am**

Cecilia can, uh, talk the sh*t into a confusion with the power of legalese? Or maybe put it in a creepy bathroom with a leaky toilet.

Seon wrote:Yes, Cecillia. Come towards the creepy bar in the middle of the creepy town with your daughter. The paranoid bartender for the evening will be Jack.

He also has a shotgun.

Will there be kittens and teeth?

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:27 am**

Yes.

And switchblades. And a dead carcass, hopefully not Jack's.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:34 am**

That doesn't sound very child-friendly.

And hooray! Our first sanity roll!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:37 am**

Talk about failing your Child Safe Environments training.

And you can always backtrack, Cecilia. You can always try to drive away from the town. Follow County Road 73 all the way to safety.

It worked for every other character that's tried it!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:42 am**

And the health code violations. Tsk tsk.

Unfortunately, Cecilia has no idea that she is in a horror game. And she'd never hear the end of Katie's complaints.

Assuming that Katie is in the stall, of course. You never can tell with creepy bathrooms.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:45 am**

It's too bad that Cecilia doesn't have a shotgun. Otherwise, she could just shoot open the bathroom door to find out.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:54 am**

Hehe, videogame logic! As if the pellets wouldn't go straight through whoever's sitting there.

And yeah, creepy bathrooms for the win!

You could always slither over the cubicle to find out!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:54 am**

OMG I think that's the first roll I've made on my own that was a success!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:00 am**

You didn't include it!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:00 am**

True videogame logic would have her pick the lock, despite the fact that it's on the other side. Then if the target's name is in red, she shoots it.

Wonderful choice of verb. Now I'm picturing Cecilia as a Silent Hill-esque snakethingperson.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:01 am**

Where's the successful roll you were talkin gabout, slitherer?

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:02 am**

Laraqua wrote:Hehe, videogame logic! As if the pellets wouldn't go straight through whoever's sitting there.

And yeah, creepy bathrooms for the win!

You could always slither over the cubicle to find out!

I am pretty certain that whoever's sitting on the other side will have enough HP to withstand a shotgun blast through the door.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:03 am**

Shhh, no spoilers.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:04 am**

Children are often marked as invulnerable to avoid jacking up the rating anyway.

And what's so great about shotguns? Revolvers are clearly superior.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:07 am**

That's true. Because Silent Hill never does anything terrible to children.

Not ever.

Of course, the PCs couldn't do anything to them. Like with little Walter.

Oh, by the way, those painkillers heal 1d4 health. Yes, I'm applying videogame logic in the game world but ONLY when you're in Foggy or Dark Silent Hill. The 'normal' Silent Hill has real world rules apply. So pick up Health Drinks, Painkillers, and Energy drinks when you can! Because drinking stuff in a bizarro world is always a great idea. First Aid kits are, obviously, always helpful.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:11 am**

Kadael wrote:Children are often marked as invulnerable to avoid jacking up the rating anyway.

And what's so great about shotguns? Revolvers are clearly superior.

http://www.teamfortress.com/scoutupdate ... nature.htm

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:18 am**

I've played one game in which the PC could harm children, and the kids in question were possessed by demons.

I see your Force-A-Nature and raise you an Ambassador.

(pfft, I main Medic anyway)

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:20 am**

YOU'LL NEVER HIT MY TINY FRICKIN' HEAD!!!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:23 am**

And you guys say your characters are crazy!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:27 am**

I RPed crazier guys than Jack.

In fact, I RPed Joker a while ago. Those were the days.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:28 am**

Laraqua wrote:Where's the successful roll you were talkin gabout, slitherer?

Didn't I link it with the spoiler button?

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:31 am**

Well, write what you know, right?

Seon wrote:YOU'LL NEVER HIT MY TINY FRICKIN' HEAD!!!

Then stop pressing E! Go find a dispenser or something if you're not willing to respawn, because I am not a Quick-Fix Medic!

Hmph.

And don't shoot the kitten! Even if you don't care for it, you'll probably blow your own hand off!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:32 am**

Nope. Ah well, wouldn't've helped anyway, but if you can prove it, I'll still put a plus sign beside your skill!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:35 am**

Can I fast-talk the cat-demon to let me go?

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:36 am**

Laraqua wrote:Nope. Ah well, wouldn't've helped anyway, but if you can prove it, I'll still put a plus sign beside your skill!

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3310186/

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:37 am**

If Cecilia were to try and pull herself up to look over the cubicle, what would you have me roll?

(None of my skills are useful here... I can't even Bake Tasty Things to resolve this!)

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:38 am**

Maybe later you can help my class of demon children with a baking project?

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:40 am**

Maybe you can cite an obscure law that says that you can't stay inside a cubicle for more than 10 minutes.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:45 am**

Oh, everyone has a climb skill. At base it's 40%. Failing that, there's always Jump which is 25%.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:45 am**

Just so you know, beating the kitten to death against the counter was only in Jack's horrible imaginations.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:46 am**

Oh, you guys.

Despite all the levity, I find myself worried about that cubicle. This can't end well.

I guess it's jumping time.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:47 am**

Jack's imaginations are more surreal than Silent Hill.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:57 am**

I think Invisible Castle has something against lawyers. And preschool teachers.

We need a campaign inside Jack's mind. Everyone would be absolutely bonkers halfway through.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:58 am**

Jack's mind at this point:

LEEEEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOY!!!!

@Kadael: You have NO idea

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:01 am**

At least I have chicken.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:14 am**

I'm paying Jack back for all of his previously good rolls!

And curse that Rochelle! She's not even Annie.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:48 am**

Re the OH&S: it's the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, over here.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:55 am**

I'll navigate by the muzzle flashes of my shotgun if I have to!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 4:05 am**

Invisible Castle Loves Bartenders, apparently.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 4:23 am**

It really does!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 4:32 am**

Damn, I knew I should have taken some levels in Tracking.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 4:56 am**

Yes, big killer. Ambush the guy holding a lighter and a Molotov Cocktail just waiting to be lit. I dare you

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 5:23 am**

Is that a dare, Mr. Seon? Because a burning zombie is just a charging torch!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 5:26 am**

Interesting. I didn't actually expect to make it to the lock box without getting jumped.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 5:28 am**

hehe, I'm not so easily predicted. Don't worry, the s**t will eventually hit the fan, but there is a purpose and a plan to everything in Silent Hill... Often the purpose is surprise and the plan is something truly horrific.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 5:29 am**

That reminds me of when I ran The Haunting:

Spoiler:

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 5:41 am**

Nicely done. And yes, yes, he would be. Kill it with fire is a good attempt a lot of the time, though. Silent Hill monsters *might* loathe fire more than anything else, depending on YOUR psychology. I imagine the Raw Shocks (not that I take that game as canon, it's more a reimagining of Silent Hill 1 than an accurate step beyond) wouldn't like fire much.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 6:00 am**

That reminds me of the time when I was trapped in a city suffering from a major outbreak of the zombie plague. There was a giant monster running about, tossing people here and there and smashing them flat. People lured it into a trap composed of a tripwire bomb and a bunch of gasoline cans. It lit the monster on fire, which did absolutely nothing except make it even more angry. Oh, and it set things on fire too now.

Which was fun for me because I was a stealth demon. I ate the people that the giant flaming monster scattered.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 6:19 am**

A stealth demon? What system was this?

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 6:30 am**

Battle Royale, a system devised by some guys in a different forum. Far simpler and bloody, but with 100% more your-best-friend-turning-out-to-be-some-insane-evil-monster action.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 6:37 am**

hehe, sweet!

Also, the bartender now has a kitten in his inventory. I'd like to see that inventory screen!

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 6:52 am**

Laraqua wrote:hehe, I'm not so easily predicted. Don't worry, the s**t will eventually hit the fan, but there is a purpose and a plan to everything in Silent Hill... Often the purpose is surprise and the plan is something truly horrific.

I actually quite enjoy role playing my character in the more mundane, "real" Silent Hill(or at least I think it's the real Silent Hill". It gives me a good idea of the nature of the community, how it may just be like any other rural town in America(on the surface), suffering from job loss and such.

Posted: **Thu Dec 22, 2011 7:01 am**

hehe, that's good to hear. Some of you will be luckier than others. Cecilia is not so lucky! Neither is Jack.

Just be careful you don't trigger an ignition point. Then there's NO going back. I'll be littering the place with them so avoid them if you can!

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 1:03 am**

Rolled a 37, which means a hit, but what's the damage rule for a shotgun?

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 1:04 am**

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 1:40 am**

Should I let this creature bleed out, stab it with a knife to stop it from regenerating, or maybe just finish it off with a point-blank shotgun blast?

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 1:55 am**

Your character is a psycho, so do whatever seems best.

Anyway, won't be able to post much more today, but will be back on tomorrow.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 2:02 am**

That's all good! I won't chase you with a whip if you can't multi-post each day.

It gives me time to figure out how to embroil your poor character into something terrible. I have several options. Just need to think which one would be the most entertaining ride for you. I get the feeling Travis will be a nervy horse to saddle with a plot, though...

Always trying to stay safe.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 2:09 am**

I am going to try and sketch up an image of Cecilia later, as I have a feeling that introductions may be in order fairly soon...

Laine wrote:Your character is a psycho, so do whatever seems best.

I don't know if I'd call Jack a psycho...

...okay, maybe I would.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 3:58 am**

Jack knows Ash and Cecilia? Ain't that mysterious.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:11 am**

Whereabouts you guys from? A lot of you seem to be posting during my waking hours.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:13 am**

East coast, USA.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:22 am**

West coast, USA. I just ate dinner.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:42 am**

Wow, I'm just used to most sites being dead by the time I wake up. I'm from South Coast Australia.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 6:15 am**

I'm from the Eastern U.S. too, though I can usually get online and post briefly only at night, except on weekends and holidays. I can barely manage one post a day most of the time, and this week I haven't even had time to update my own games. Luckily I expect to get out of work early on Friday and I have the following three days off, so that should give me time to catch up and post more often (exactly when most other people can't). I'm still about 24 hours behind on all the other threads (including this one), and I'll fall further back by Friday evening.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 6:33 am**

Nah, don't worry. No one's fallen behind here. I'm just glad Jack and Cecilia sync up as they're both in the same place. In truth, if it takes you awhile to meet Travis (and for Murray's it's only been a day but for Travis it's been a week), I can just say that the day Murray rocked up was a week after Travis.

Posted: **Fri Dec 23, 2011 9:51 pm**

Laraqua wrote:Wow, I'm just used to most sites being dead by the time I wake up. I'm from South Coast Australia.

WAAAYYY Further north than anyone here.

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 12:43 am**

I think you mean south!

Or are you saying that YOU'RE the most north-based person?

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 2:18 am**

One of us is secretly a polar bear.

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 2:19 am**

CURSES! You found my secret!

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 2:22 am**

Sorry, I am on Alaska time.

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 3:11 am**

Ahhh! Yep, you're the northmost and I'm the southmost.

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 6:32 am**

I meant that I was a day behind in real time, reading the posts in the other threads. You guys post crazy fast! I finally got caught up tonight, and I should be able to dive in myself over the next few days. Next weekend is a three-plus day weekend too.

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 7:17 am**

Well, I'm currently on a holiday break, so I have a fair amount of time right now. I expect my posting to slow down once I'm back to my regular schedule.

In other news, I've read a bit of the wiki and have begun to understand how much trouble Cecilia is in. Uh-oh.

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 7:34 am**

That's all good. Like I said, you can't fall behind unless you're in the same threads with the other people. Once your Reality Thread hooks up with Travis' or Andy's, it might be different (like if you go to the bookstore after one of them), but generally it shouldn't be too hard to keep the threads continuous even if Travis keeps jumping days in his threads while Murray takes awhile to pass through a day. So yeah, no worries!

Posted: **Sat Dec 24, 2011 8:34 am**

Oh, by the way, if you see a 'man' in the pictures, don't think much of it. These are pictures from the actual games (hence why I pick videogame pictures for people's faces when I can) and therefore they show James Sunderland (Silent Hill 2) and the other protagonists and characters from the Silent Hills. The same can be said for the foggy backgrounds (unless you're in foggy Silent Hill, in which case it's correct).

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 1:55 am**

Telephone shenanigans!

Their presence or absence in horror fiction is often convenient. It was only a matter of time before we were flooded with horror movies about phones.

Now, why don't we get more phones in video games?

Or kittens, for that matter?

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 1:58 am**

That's what happens when you try to phone OUT of Silent Hill. You might get better luck if you phone someone IN Silent Hill.

Results may vary.

Posted: **Sun Dec 25, 2011 2:03 am**

I suppose Cecilia will have to ask Jack for the number.

If they can stop confusing each other.

Damn it, my brother needs to hurry up and run The Edge of Darkness so I can finally play a happy character.

Posted: **Mon Dec 26, 2011 2:07 am**

hehe, what's The Edge of Darkness about?

Posted: **Mon Dec 26, 2011 3:49 am**

I have no idea, but it's not so much the scenario as it is my investigator.

He doesn't have a gay ex-husband or a daughter to supposedly get abducted.

Kitten, what do you see? Do your eyes detect the presence of eeeeevil?

Posted: **Mon Dec 26, 2011 4:25 am**

Would Cecilia freak out if I grabbed the shotgun and loaded it?

Also, I wouldn't trust the cat too much with evil detection-ness. I mean, it doesn't see Jack as EVIL/Eldritch abomination, so its enemy-dar must be broken.

Posted: **Mon Dec 26, 2011 5:36 am**

I'm inclined to think so. Not everyone operates on videogame logic, where you have your weapons ready and loaded all the time. She'd probably think there was some immediate danger lurking about and hide somewhere.

No, it's clearly an evil cat. It loves Jack so much because he is also evil.

Posted: **Tue Dec 27, 2011 5:23 am**

NOOOO Mr. Handy, do not trust that lynx of a woman! She's only trying to seduce you! It's what always happens in movies!

Okay. Maybe not always, but often enough.

Posted: **Tue Dec 27, 2011 6:20 am**

Of COURSE you can trust her. You can trust EVERYONE in Silent Hill.

Also, yeesh! So much annoyance with how often I have to keep going to check the maps. Floorplans and street maps, constantly need to be checked. I even flash back to old youtubes and replay the game to try and describe things accurately. So ... who here has ever played any of the series?

Oh, and for anyone who's seen the movie, it's more inspired by canon then actual canon, but if you haven't seen the movie, might as well take a look. It's about as accurate as the Mist for plot lines and stuff, though! (The Mist was one of the stories that inspired the game series).

Be funny if none of you ever have played any of the games!

Posted: **Tue Dec 27, 2011 8:43 am**

Seon wrote:NOOOO Mr. Handy, do not trust that lynx of a woman! She's only trying to seduce you! It's what always happens in movies!

Okay. Maybe not always, but often enough.

Only if there's saxophone music! Have YOU heard a saxophone? Hmmm?

I've never played any of the games, but I had some prior knowledge about 2. (everyone talks about Pyramid Head, and I was curious)

Posted: **Wed Dec 28, 2011 5:28 am**

I've played most but not all of the Silent Hill games. My first was Silent Hill 2, and after that I played Silent Hill 3 (both on the PC). It's been years since I've played them, so I don't remember a lot of things, but I have been meaning to replay them. I have Silent Hill 4, but I couldn't get it to work on my last computer. It will probably work on the one I have now, but I never got around to trying. I plan to play that after 2 and 3. I have the PS3 version of Silent Hill Homecoming, but I haven't played it yet (that one I plan to play after 4). A couple of years ago I played the PS2 version of Silent Hill 0rigins, and last year I played Silent Hill Shattered Memories on the PS2. Then I bought Silent Hill 1 on the PlayStation Network's store and played it on my PS3. Before I could get to replaying SH2, I got Resident Evil 1 the same way and then replayed RE2 on my PC. Then before I moved on to RE3, I got bogged down in Fallout 3 and now distracted by Civilization V.

I've seen the SIlent Hill movie several times.

Posted: **Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:52 am**

Actually nevermind. Receptionist sounds hot. You should make her your sidekick, feminism be damned.

Posted: **Wed Dec 28, 2011 12:56 pm**

hehe, Sidekick extraordinaire! Well, who knows... At this stage I'll be trying to pimp the walk-on NPCs as possible new PCs so that could end up happening. Who knows?

Posted: **Wed Dec 28, 2011 12:58 pm**

Also, Jack is such a little hero!

Posted: **Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:48 pm**

Seon wrote:Actually nevermind. Receptionist sounds hot. You should make her your sidekick, feminism be damned.

I think I should protest, but I'm finding it hard to object to the image of Murray Archer and Alluring Receptionist noiring it up.

Posted: **Wed Dec 28, 2011 4:30 pm**

Flirt back to her, you Mr. Handy you. Use your fabulous appearance check

Posted: **Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:41 am**

She'd make a great Girl Friday! Business comes first, though. Murray's APP is only an average 10, but he's not without his charms.

I see Jack just went off on his own and said "I'll be back." In a horror game. Well, at least he didn't say "I'll be right back." If he'd done that, he'd be doomed for certain.

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 1:13 am**

I wouldn't worry about Jack. He always comes back.

Always.

Kadael, follow that darn bloodtrail. Discover what that weird triangular object the monster was holding was!

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 1:19 am**

Seon wrote:I wouldn't worry about Jack. He always comes back.

Always.

Kadael, follow that darn bloodtrail. Discover what that weird triangular object the monster was holding was!

He's either a boomerang or a Terminator.

And you can discover that thing yourself, Mr. Shotgun!

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 6:50 am**

Sigh. I knew that the car wouldn't start.

Oh well. Ninja skills, don't fail me now.

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:03 am**

Really? I thought I was being clever!

And don't worry, some cars will start.....

....

*insert menacing music*

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:22 am**

COULD ITBE THAT THE MONSTER IS ALIVE? Because, I think I kind of locked you in the bar with the thing that withstood two shotgun blasts, Kadael, if it is

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 7:37 am**

Oh, Cecilia will be fine! You did leave her the kitten, after all. It's well known that monsters will eat kittens before people.

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 3:42 pm**

Seon wrote:COULD ITBE THAT THE MONSTER IS ALIVE? Because, I think I kind of locked you in the bar with the thing that withstood two shotgun blasts, Kadael, if it is

You're such a little hero, Jack.

My brother's been reading this thread. He says we're all insane.

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:29 pm**

Don't worry. I am sure that you'll live.

You just need to close the staff only doors, barricade it, then hide somewhere...

Posted: **Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:41 pm**

Cecilia is far too busy moping to even consider such a thing.

Also, cute author indeed. It's just a shame that these women apparently don't read his books. A bit like Jack, you say? Hm, 'rakish' is an interesting (and probably accurate) word...

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 1:44 am**

Insane? Oh, I think the characters are all such ordinary upstanding citizens.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:15 am**

What passes for 'normal' in Silent Hill anyway?

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:28 am**

Ooh, Jack's learning!

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:38 am**

Jack sure knows how to fit in, that's for sure.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:39 am**

He's been made for this his entire life!

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:40 am**

OH! OH! OH! LET ME GUESS! THERE ARE LADDERS/DOG WHISTLES THAT I CAN USE TO AVOID THE DOGS IN THE BURGER HOUSE!

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:54 am**

Cecilia takes your hint, Laraqua.

To the corpse! Completely unarmed! And pretty much alone!

YAY!

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:55 am**

And to make sure that the corpse is dead too!

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:58 am**

Hey, at least this way it won't be between you and the exit door.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:12 am**

Does anyone much care about me rushing through obstacle course dice rolls or those sorts of things? Or would you rather if I slowed it down and let you make those rolls? Y'know, the ones which are Initiative, Climb, Jump, Swim, Dodge, or whatever. Or would you prefer if I did some rolls but left the bigger obstacles up to you? Or just throw them at you one at a time? I'm not sure which one would pace better for you guys and I'm happy to deal with individual preferences. Since invisiblecastle is down at the moment I'm doing all the rolls by hand so there's not much point slowing it down but I thought I'd ask. Obviously, in any case where decisions have to be made (jump the gap or climb the ledge) or other choices are likely (enter a building, duck around a corner, hamstring a friend), then the action will be paused for your decision. I just mean in linear cases where you've clearly made your choice like "Run Like Hell".

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:13 am**

Jack, stop bribing the dice with free drinks so they'll roll good numbers for you. They don't even have mouths.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:14 am**

Personally, I think if the choice boils down to... Jump, or get Eaten by Dogs, I think you can safely roll that dice by yourself, Laraqua

.

Oh, and I don't bribe the dice. I, as the cultist of the God of Luck, sacrifice an unborn child to it every once in a while. It really helps me with NESes and stuff.

Wait... I made BOTH jump AND dodge?

It's official. I AM A MONKEY GOD.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:19 am**

I don't mind obstacle course rolling. It made for a pretty interesting description back there.

Hm. What does that do for the God of Luck, though? One would think that a sacrifice of broken mirrors and spilled salt would be more pleasing.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:24 am**

There are some who do that.

I prefer unborn babies though.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:29 am**

But if you're a Monkey God, can't you just have a tea party with the God of Luck? You're both gods... unless you're a lesser god.

(I can't believe I'm having this conversation)

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:31 am**

Why not? Hermes sacrificed bunch of bulls to himself once, yah know. Why can't I then sacrifice things for other gods for favors?

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:33 am**

True, but that's Hermes. You know how those Greek gods were.

I suppose you can. It just seems like much less work to have a tea party.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:34 am**

Yeah, but I just like sacrificing unborn children.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:47 am**

Whoops, forgot to grant dear old Jack some Silent Hill Mythos points for what he's seen.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 5:53 am**

Eww, icky corpse.

There goes my plan to eat delicious cookies.

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 7:57 am**

So who do you think's in the most trouble at the moment?

My vote's with Travis.

That Walter is too good to be true!

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 11:00 am**

I'd say Jack, but at this point, I'm not sure if he's capable of not escaping whatever trouble he gets into.

So I'm thinking Andy. That book might be full of all kinds of crazy, mind-bending stuff, and how about that radio?

Posted: **Sat Dec 31, 2011 11:46 am**

These are very, very good points.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 1:00 am**

I prefer to roll for myself (when Invisible Castle is up and running, anyway). If multiple rolls are required, you can ask for them all at once, even if later rolls are dependent on the outcomes of earlier rolls. I often do that sort of thing in my games. For instance, my Sanity rolls come with instructions on Sanity losses in the event that the Sanity roll succeeds or fails as well as a reminder to roll Idea if 5 or more Sanity is lost, and I also put contingencies in the rolls I ask for, such as asking for a Climb roll and then a Jump roll if the Climb roll fails.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 1:33 am**

I suppose that asking for a bunch of rolls at once would also be a good way to scare your players.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 1:51 am**

Yeah, Kadael, there's no problem in this world that Jack can't escape from. Even death. I'll roll Idea until I convince myself that I am alive then coke back.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 1:56 am**

Your character will snort enough coke to come back to life?

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 2:02 am**

He doesn't do drugs. That stuff'll kill you.

Jack has high standards.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 2:40 am**

Cool, so Mr. Handy would prefer I ask for rolls - even multiples.

Seon and Kadael are happy if I roll some myself as they come along while they can work rolls into their own posts as well. They're happy with me rolling for multiples, pace-wise, unless of course that they're meant to make a choice. So no throwing shotgun skill into the flee action to knock down a colleague without their explicit say-so.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 3:19 am**

Jack gets out of problems and gives them to other people. With or without cocaine.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 4:26 am**

And Cecilia is so going to die. But she won't. Jack will throw a rock and, after a couple of dozen luck rolls, start a chain reaction that will somehow destroy the monstrosities.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 4:52 am**

I'd like to see that.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 6:19 am**

I'd also like to see Cecilia whack Jack a couple of times with the pole cue in her cold fury.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 6:29 am**

So would I. That's probably a dangerous thing to do, though... especially depending on Jack's mental state if/when he comes back.

She might end up chained to an altar and sacrificed to Rochelle, Evil Overlordess Magnificent!

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 6:34 am**

Jack always comes back.

And that's true! She might get chained to an altar and be sacrificed.

Posted: **Sun Jan 01, 2012 6:36 am**

I just said that.

Yikes. Jack's going to need a change of clothes.

Posted: **Mon Jan 02, 2012 11:58 pm**

Poor bleeding Jack. He doesn't look so good.

If he makes it back (sorry, when), the diary entry ought to be interesting. "Dear Diary, today I cursed the nonexistence of a good laundromat in this town because a freaking dog chewed my arm and I..."

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:45 am**

Oh, there's laundromats in this town......

Go on, go looking for one....

Mwahahahahaha!

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 3:37 am**

In Silent Hill, you don't look for the laundromat. Laundromat comes looking for you! With sawblades.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:23 am**

Ignore the drinks. Take the Dalmatian head.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:26 am**

LOL! I concur!

Just so you know, I'll be dividing the game into approximately 20 page Chapters. It'll vary, obviously, depending on the pacing and how quickly / slowly you do things, but I think 400 posts per chapter should be about right. At the end of a Chapter, you get to roll to see if you can level up your skills. Of course I am planning to do a sort of beginning, middle and end per chapter, so be aware that the closer you get to the 20th page, the closer you come to something bigger!

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:46 am**

That's sort of how I do things with the episodes in my Doctor Who/Call of Cthulhu campaign (by the way, I'm still waiting for Colleen's Sanity roll in The Ninth Planet; Invisible Castle is back up now too). However, I do experience rolls at the end of each entire story, not at the end of each episode (which would get overpowered fast). I also don't break the episodes after a fixed number of pages, but wherever I can introduce a great cliffhanger into the story. Episodes tend to last for 300-600 posts and average about three months of real time, so a four part adventure typically lasts a year.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:58 am**

I'm more including the fixed number of pages as an incentive for me. I'm used to real sandboxy types of games but they can peter out fast in a PbP environment just because, well, you need to have a goal to have momentum. You can dick about in a tabletop game for a few random conversations and asides to get your feet wet in a tabletop because that might take an hour out of your life. To stay interested in a PbP you need some threat or goal standing in front of you, even if you have total leeway in your responses to it (like in ZA, there's always the zombie threat). So I'm using the page thread thing to remind myself to ensure that something important happens every so often to progress the Character Arcs.

As for the quick leveling, I don't anticipate many characters staying in Silent Hill for more than 5 - 7 chapters before dying, disappearing, or satisfying their Victory Condition (so to speak) and getting out of dodge. I may be wrong but generally I think that's a nice space of time to unveil the various secrets plaguing people. The focus on the chapter is to allow a good character arc. People can always create new characters at the end of their current character's Path anyway. Oh, and the 20 pages is per character, not per game (else we'd be there already). Everyone is on their different path though the storylines will intersect.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:35 am**

I am going to shoot somebody if I reach the Police Station and I find a note saying "Stupid Jackalope, your Princess is in another castle!"

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:40 am**

Isn't that how all the Silent Hill games go?

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:48 am**

That's a great nickname for him.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:59 am**

Awesome name of the restaurant.

It makes me feel as if I am going to dai if I continue.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:08 am**

hehe, yeah, I know.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:09 am**

Jack can't dai! Nai! Nai, I say!

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:10 am**

Yeah, but getting impaled by a giant penis-headed monster with a 6 feet long sword is not on my top priority list.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:16 am**

LOL

There's always options in Silent Hill. That's what I love about it.

Posted: **Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:20 am**

Can I pick the door open?

Play@YSDC

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