the head | the hand (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
headandhand) wrote2019-05-23 08:36 pm
headandhand) wrote2019-05-23 08:36 pm
FAQ.
What is the elevator pitch of this game?
Dualis is a private, invite-only mystery game set in a massive cyberpunk city where not all is as it seems. Solving the mysteries of the game will be mainly dependent on player involvement, and the outcome of the endgame will result from choices the players make. We anticipate this game will run anywhere from one to two years - again, this depends on the choices players and their characters make. Do try to avoid mashing the buttons for a bad end, because that is one of the possible outcomes.
Even though this is a private game, it is not a sandbox! It’s also not a slice-of-life game. Think of it more like a tabletop campaign, only played using DWRP format. Required activity is pretty easy, but our hope is that you’ll want to do more in order to advance the story. We also want to encourage crosscanon CR, and there are rewards for participation. If you plan to only tag a ship partner or castmates, this may not be the game for you.
As stated in the game’s premise, your character has been brought to a city called Dualis. How they’ve been transported isn’t terribly important; why, on the other hand, is, though the answer to that question is hidden behind various layers of mystery. It’s up to your characters to unravel those layers through gameplay.
All characters will arrive at the Temple, laid out on a great stone table. Upon regaining consciousness, characters will be greeted by the voices of the two sphinx statues guarding the pathway that leads up the hill to the Temple itself. They’ll be given something of an explanation for why they’re here, as well as basic information regarding housing and daily life from now on. The statues will not answer specific questions, however; the information appears to be pre-recorded.
Characters have been plucked out of their old lives and dropped into a new one; what they do with it from there on out is basically up to them. Survival basics such as food and shelter have are provided, as all characters are assigned a room in the dorm complex located in the center of the city. There are scanners at the main door and individual rooms; these function in lieu of a key or a keycard. The main door opens to a lobby, with a concierge-style desk that is staffed by an NPC at all hours. This NPC will give new characters their room assignments when they first arrive, and may answer limited questions about such things as directions to locations within the city, how to apply for jobs, and what ongoing or seasonal activities are happening in the city. The NPC will not respond to any questions of the “why am I here/who brought me here/how do I blow them up” variety.
In the dorm complex, there are six floors with space for 20 occupants on each floor, in either single or double rooms. The first two floors have communal, gender neutral bathrooms; the next two floors have a single bathroom shared between two suites; the top two floors have a single private bathroom per room. A communal kitchen is located on one end of each floor of the dorm building, and on the opposite end of the floor is a lounge with couches, a large television, a table with four chairs, and shelves full of books, games, and movies. The kitchen is regularly stocked with basic foodstuffs - dried pasta, beans, rice, canned vegetables and fruit - which are freely and equally available to all dorm residents, but anything fancier will not be provided. Residents are, of course, allowed to acquire any other food that might be to their liking, but they will need to spend their own money on these items.
Characters have an online bank account set up for them on arrival, and they will receive a small monthly stipend of 200 duos (dollar equivalent) for every month that basic AC is met. If AC is not met, that month there will be an “administrative error” that results in no deposit being made - so a temp job may need to be acquired, if you want any extras that month. Additional deposits are made for job salaries and AC rewards earned for the month - ICly rewards are explained as a job bonus, anonymous gift, or an administrative error in your favor.
In all likelihood - yes! It is possible to get by without one - as noted, basic survival needs are provided for - but let’s face it, that would be pretty boring. Wouldn’t your character like to buy fresh fruit once in a while? Perhaps a book, or some other form of entertainment? Perhaps some new clothes for the seasonal climate changes, or even weapons, if that’s what they’re accustomed to? All these things cost money.
That’s really up to the characters. What kind of strengths and talents do they have? What are their skills? Dualis natives are used to new people being brought in all the time, so they won’t be surprised when characters can’t exactly provide full identification or a detailed work history. Still, the types of jobs available will likely be entry-level at best and pay a (living!) minimum wage. There are plenty of retail shops that need salespeople to run them, after all, as well as restaurants that need waitstaff, bars that need bartenders, garages that need mechanics, etc. Fourteen is the legal age for entering the workforce in Dualis, so characters younger than fourteen will not be allowed to work and will subsequently need to rely on someone who can work to earn money for things beyond the basics ... which will likely have to be bartered for. Think of the “allowance” system.
Once you have an idea, if it’s not already listed, run it by a mod for a quick OK, just to make sure it’s feasible given the structure of the city. If you’re stuck for ideas, mods can also offer suggestions. [NOW HIRING...]
All job choices should be in character and realistic according to your characters skills and experience, as provided in your application.
Well, if characters are more into dealings of an illicit sort, there’s really nothing to prevent them from continuing that in Dualis. On the surface, Dualis is a mostly peaceful city, though a police force is present. Violence and crime are both still a feature of the city, though downplayed in the public image.
ALL OF THEM. Original canon versions! AUs of any type including CRAUs, within reason. Blank slate/malleable video game protagonists? Sure. Tabletop campaign characters? Why not. Characters with limited canon? If you can write a convincing application, go for it. Doubles may be considered on a case by case basis - please speak with the mods if you have questions. Fandom OCs will also be considered on a case by case basis and will be subject to approval by existing canon castmates. AU characters should have a significant enough difference from the OU that would distinguish them as a separate person.
Our current hard "no"s for applicable characters are: pregnant characters; fandom OCs with surprise substantial relationships to main characters (think "Harry Potter's secret long-lost second cousin who rules at all types of magic ever"); child characters who are not reasonably self-sufficient; and real people, unless from a fictionalized canon.
There is a waiting period of 30 calendar days to apply a character from a recently released fandom.
Yup! They’ll be revived and repaired before they wake up near the Temple. First one’s free … any other deaths will come at a cost. Click here for more details on IC deaths.
Nope. Choose your canon exit point carefully, ‘cause you’re stuck with it.
With some exceptions - yes! Anything completely world-ending or game-breaking will either need to be dampened or completely suppressed, but for the most part, all characters will be able to retain all of their canon powers. As far as items, weapons, etc., the basic rule of thumb is that if it’s something the character can keep stowed on their person or it’s something the character would usually keep with them at all times, it can be brought along for the ride. Weapons and magical items are fine; carry-on luggage is not. Ask a mod if you’re unsure about whether a power or item would be OK to bring to Dualis.
At player discretion, if it’s a character beat you want to play out in this setting, you can choose to have your character’s powers/abilities dampened or suppressed. This restriction can eventually be lifted through AC awards, or new abilities and powers can be bought - this is a cyberpunk setting, after all, so body modification is a given!
Large weapons not stowable on a character’s person, pets, personal items from home that weren’t on the character at the time of canon exit, vehicles and machinery, etc. will NOT be brought in on arrival but can be obtained through AC rewards.
Body mods come in two flavors, cybernetic implants and magical tattoos. Implants augment a character’s physical abilities, such as enhancing vision in daylight or dark, increasing strength/durability/agility/speed, or simply making them taller. Tattoos grant the character a single magical ability - think of it like a D&D spell slot. If you want to become a master of all elemental magic, you’ll need separate tattoos for lightning, water, wind, fire, earth, etc. Implants and tattoos are stackable in any combination WITHIN REASON, up to a max of 12. Remember, these are permanent modifications to your character, unless you pay to have them removed, or they’re somehow severed entirely from the character’s body (#yikes).
All new characters receive a voucher for one free body mod as part of their “welcome package,” but they are not obligated to use it. Vouchers may be sold, traded, or gifted to other characters.
[HARDER, BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER]
As of May 2020, players can app as many characters as they can reasonably keep up with on activity, but no more than one per canon. You must pass AC for the month before apping your next character.
No player may play multiple characters from the same fandom. Players may play multiple original characters, provided they are from different worlds/universes and do not have IC knowledge of each other.
Simple - five comments per month, in a single thread, on the logs or network comms. That’s it! The initial post for a network or log post does count as 1 comment. Character inboxes are allowed but not required, and comments from inbox threads are ONLY counted for bonus AC, not regular AC.
Activity is due no later than the 5th of every month. Only ONE reminder each month will be given; you’re all adults and the activity check timeframe never changes. Characters that fail to meet activity requirements may request a strike on the AC post, which will be cleared with two months of meeting AC, but if you strike twice in a row or fail to respond to AC, your character will be swept. Reapplication for swept characters will be considered on an individual basis and are granted by mod discretion.
Invites will no longer be issued by passing activity check and will be considered on a case by case basis. If you have a friend you'd like to invite, please speak with a mod.
Network posts go in the network comm; log posts go in the log comm. Combo posts are allowed in either. Log posts may be written in either action-style or prose-style, past or present tense - whatever’s more comfortable for the players involved. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO LABEL ANY LOGS WITH NSFW MATERIAL AS SUCH and include CWs for common triggers. If you’re not sure, it’s a good idea to err on the side of caution and include a warning. It’s also not a bad idea to lock NSFW content to comm members only; we won’t require this unless it becomes an issue.
Journal-style posts can be made as audio, text (with or without photos), or video, with character/file size limits of about what a standard Dreamwidth post will hold. So if you plan to film yourself reciting The Communist Manifesto, you better expect to break it up into many parts. (Please don’t do this.) As a courtesy to your fellow players using the Reading page function, please use a cut tag for lengthy posts!
Public posts are made on the intranet system and are open to any character or NPC for responses. You can also switch to private channels in the post’s comments and filter posts to select users or send private messages, but anonymous posts and comments are not available as an option.
What’s that? You want a more detailed explanation of the technology available? Happy to oblige!
All characters are provided with a smartphone upon arrival as part of their “welcome package” - it’s waiting for them in their rooms when they first arrive. Sizes vary (player’s choice), and they resemble your standard iPhone/Samsung/etc. phones, though they are generic with no recognizable brand name. Batteries typically last up to two days before they need to be charged again; cords and plugs are also provided. The Dualis City Bank app is preloaded on the phones, as are apps for the internet and intranet, clock, calendar, notes, weather, camera, and an app store to purchase and download apps for games, etc. A “READ ME” document is also pre-installed on the phone, and will include basic newcomer information for easy reference. However, you’re on your own for cases, screen protectors, charms, belt holsters, or any other accessory. If you lose or destroy your phone, you will be provided a replacement in one week, but any downloaded apps or messages or other stored data will not be restored. There’s no cloud service for backups, sorry!
Characters are also provided one desktop computer in every dorm apartment, with hookups into the city-wide intranet and internet systems, as well as basic word processing and image editing programs (think MSPaint, not Photoshop).
The internet is ... well, the internet. It’s called Dualisnet, and it functions the same as our own internet; the main difference is what’s accessible. Content in Dualisnet is heavily screened, censored, and restricted; as such, you won’t find any sites dedicated to Taking Down the Man, or forums with instructions on how to make explosives, or even much on the history of Dualis itself, outside of very vague, neutral accounts. Brief informational pages about different worlds do exist, but they are very bare-bones.
For example - while there does exist something like Wikipedia (called Dualipedia, naturally), if someone were to create a page for Dualis and write “this city sucks and everyone should join me for a riot in the streets!!1!” the entry would immediately be either deleted or rewritten with something much more innocuous, like “Dualis is almost universally considered a pleasant city in which to reside.” And the author for this hypothetical page? Something unpleasant would befall them soon after.
The intranet, on the other hand, functions as the in-game “network” gathering the city’s new arrivals together with each other. Called Dualink, the intranet system will be presented as a built-in sort of mutual support group when it’s introduced to your characters; newcomers can connect with each other and help each other through the process of easing into this new society. There are a few admin types present as well, to guide people through the process, answer questions (sometimes) along the way, and keep things more or less under control.
Every character will speak, read, and understand everyone else. In other words, all languages are auto-translated into Common.
How does this happen? Well, it’s not magic - it’s technology. Upon arrival but before they regain consciousness, all characters are implanted with a microchip that will facilitate this auto-translation function. No character will be aware that they have a chip embedded in their body until and unless it becomes plot relevant, and the mods will announce this if/when it occurs. Chips cannot be removed or detected in any way. If your character has some kind of foreign object sensing ability, it will be nerfed. NPCs will never acknowledge or answer questions about the chip, and there is no record in any written or audio/visual medium about it. Any IC knowledge of this chip, unless explicitly stated for plot purposes by the mods, will be considered info-modding, which is not allowed.
The initial dorm apartments provided to Dualis’ new arrivals are pretty sparse. (Think freshman dorms at an average state university.) This is not at all high luxury living! Each room measures about 12 feet by 16 feet, and holds only the basic furniture - two beds (may be bunked to allow for more living space), two desks with chairs, two (tiny) closets, two (also tiny) dressers, and one fairly large window. All of the furniture is basic boring wood - sturdy, but not the most interesting to look at. The walls are painted a slightly dingy off-white; the floors are grey-speckled off-white linoleum tile. Each room holds a maximum of TWO occupants, and YES, the dorms ARE co-ed. Roommates are assigned at random ICly (OOCly it’s by player request - [ROOMMATE WANTED]), and since the “key” to your door is your thumbprint, there is no way to enter rooms via the door without having the room’s proper inhabitants let you in (or, you know … cutting off their thumb, if you really need to break in). There IS a way to request a room transfer, but good luck finding the forms, and don’t hold your breath waiting for a response.
Each floor has one kitchen and one lounge, two staircases, and in the center of the floor, two elevators. The first two floors also have two gender-neutral communal bathrooms with toilets, showers, and sinks. Communal bathrooms, kitchens, and lounges are cleaned daily, but please do tidy up after yourselves as well. Coin-operated laundry facilities are located in the basement floor of the dorm complex.
The currency in Dualis is called duos, and it runs similarly to Earth money, with coins and notes. Duo notes come in denominations of 2, 4, 6, 10, 20, and 100, and in coins called duets, which comes in denominations of 2, 6, 10, 40, 60, and a “half-pair” (single duo) coin as well. The “two-piece” (2-duo) note is the basic unit, as far as currency is concerned.
Please drop us a comment below and we’ll get back to you with an answer as soon as possible! Please ask questions on this page ONLY (please don’t PM or ping a mod), so the questions and their answers are visible to all players.
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Though I'm more interested in: is it feasible for there to be a body mod that replicates a GF's ability that allow the FF8 kids to use their existing stock of magic? Or a mod that lets them draw energy from certain places/monsters(?) in Dualis to stock up on said magic?
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I'll be happy to significantly reduce his magic slots to like less than 10 or having him start from scratch if that helps any. I'm not keen on having him be overpowered and can work with the existing (or additional) mod limitations.
But since it came up in a thread with Yondu. Squall is wondering if there are GF-equivalents in Dualis and may be looking into the mods.
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By spell type, do you mean one specific spell in particular like fire, or the spells under the branch of fire like fire, fira, firaga?
Thank you for putting up with these questions. You are awesome '-'!!
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and sorry that wasn’t clear - by spell type i mean fire, water, wind ... whatever’s included in canon. they should all be the lowest power version, though!
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