Natural Disaster Events??

LowLights's picture
I kinda had an idea for natural disaster events. They don't have to happen every year and such like the rut does. Everyone can participate if they want, do whatever they want with their character, if they don't want their character to die then they don't have to, if they want them to, they can even make a character up just for that event or toss in one they need to get rid of, etc.

By "natural disaster" I mean stuff like a famine, a plague, tornado, etc.

Since not a lot of bad stuff happens in RP that a large group of people play out like the rut and usually when it does, it's within a plot that other people did together and not really an open disaster event.

Just kind of an idea?? Idk what others will think of it though. It could maybe put characters to the test with their tactics or help character growth, maybe even set a little bit of TEF history?

I think it's been attempted

I think it's been attempted before. Aside from the rut (and sometimes that too) there are too many people deep in their own group's roleplay that they ignore most others despite events happening that could affect/effect the whole forest. The person heading it would need to be well-known and well-liked for all groups to participate while still ignoring those they want to ignore.

It's difficult. I grew up in roleplays where it was a rule that you can't ignore the characters of ooc people you dislike...so global roleplay flowed smoothly between faction and private roleplays in the same world. People won't allow that to happen here sadly. I tried back when I was new 5 years ago.

Maybe someday, if the player dynamics change enough. It would be very nice to have this. We already have rain, snow, and fog, as well as a twilight that occurs, and sometimes smaller random things for special events. The admins do those.
LowLights's picture

Yeah, it'd be nice if it can

Yeah, it'd be nice if it can happen.
I'd like to see natural disaster events happen. If it did happen, I myself wouldn't do it as I have no experience with holding events whatsoever and a small player compared to others on TEF so I doubt it'd attract much attention like when you said they'd need to be well-known and well-liked.

for something like that, all

for something like that, all that could be done is a little "Disaster Update" thread on here where the person deemed in charge would just randomly pick a day and say what is going on. It's up to others to read and decide to follow or not.
LowLights's picture

Yeah, that'd be cool.

Yeah, that'd be cool. Basically an update on say like a famine, how the famine is today if food is lessening or starting to come back, etc or just what disaster is going on that day?

Yeah. Maybe not daily, but

Yeah. Maybe not daily, but maybe one event a month that lasts anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks. I think roughly 1 week is 1 TEF month, for the general census, aside from a few people due to their own ideas/different growth. Even though it's played as day-by-day.

Would be nice. A bit of flooding around the pond and lower-altitude land. Stuff like that.
LowLights's picture

Little minor stuff could

Little minor stuff could happen once a month like you said, that'd be really awesome, even if it's just a small thing.
I think bigger stuff like a tornado, famine, plagues, maybe even forest fire?? would happen maybe once a year, maybe two-- who knows.

Yeah, that would be

Yeah, that would be cool.

Maybe some day. We could always hope.
LowLights's picture

Yeah, all we really can do

Yeah, all we really can do for now if we know it'll fail if we tried it now.
CydaLuva83's picture

Be optimistic, LL. The

Be optimistic, LL. The community is what you make of it. ^^ Holding a big event like this could be great fun, would only need a bit of planning so everyone knows what's going on.
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phantomhelsing's picture

^what cyda said stuff like

^what cyda said

stuff like this is great for keeping the roleplay part of the community from feeling stale, because we do sort of fall into a rut (hah) of where we roleplay slice of life stuff a little too much and some people want some action lol

in fact more people need to make some event type things happen more often...besides like the Rut and such. I remember a long while back someone hosted a ball? or did they call it the tef prom lol...either way it was a dance event that if I'm remembering correctly was a huge success. It might be cool to have holiday events as well, like for Halloween and such...damn, I might just join your efforts to get events rolling in the forest lol there's so many possibilities~

Usually what helps get people involved and interested in participating is if you have something tangible they can see and interact with. So if you wanted to have an event that affects site-wide roleplay, start a thread first, lay out the whole deal for people to see and think about, maybe have an example and start some story off yourself (your writing is actually very nice), and throw up some art on it or ask nicely if anyone wants to volunteer some art for it. And then once you get the ball rolling on the site you can probably figure out a way to host something in-game. If you show people you're putting in the effort to see something through they're more willing to join because there's something they can actually see that promises them if they join and put their on effort in, they'll get something back from it, no one likes empty promises so showing them you mean business is a good start!

In the early days of when I got here before you saw a bunch of traditional roleplay here I saw people do this sort of idea, but in story form. They'd have the whole event or story planned out, and then put out a call for characters to volunteer for certain parts or just in general, and you'd watch everything unfold from there. It was pretty cool and everyone back then seemed to enjoy it, so you never know, lightning might strike twice Sticking out tongue

The problem is with this sort of stuff is usually we're all so painfully shy and wary of stepping on someone's toes that we just never take the leap into anything, but some gentle encouragement and patience and you might just start something cool. It's always worth the shot because you never know until you try c:
LowLights's picture

I'd need a lot of help with

I'd need a lot of help with it if I or we(if people help) kickstart the event idea and such.
There's not a whole lot of action that's like an event besides the rut, but even then it's not something that's severe as natural disasters. Mostly all we get that the community takes part in is in-game it's a rainy day or foggy and you'll most likely see that in the character updates, I'd love to see how people made out with their characters in a disaster instead of "was dowsed with a bit of rain" it'd be really awesome and exciting for the community to take part and have something more dramatic or severe such as; "days into the plague and many had become zombified, their skin ravaged with fleas and parasites" such like that.

Holidays would be awesome too, like maybe for Christmas characters can exchange possessions, trading, gifting, etc.

Being shy is definitely something that would hold it back, since I was worse with being shy a little while back. After being shown that the majority of people are really chill and don't mind on TEF, it's gotten a bit better. So, if anyone is shy, maybe show them that it's perfectly okay, everyone can join and if there's problems then to contact each other in private but stay civilized? I also sometimes see people being a bit skittish with gifting people like art of someone else's characters, so maybe pre-permission on the event saying it's fine to draw whatever's happening or write it, RP it, whatever and chances are it could be shown on the event page??

Art and literature would definitely be a must, we'd have to show what the disaster looked like, explain it, how bad it is and how much it could affect the characters(who entered the event with consent of the player) in the event so nobody gets confused and has to ask just how bad it is and such.

Maybe there could be a discord group for when the events happen to?

(also ty for the compliment aa)
Evern's picture

I can def see this happening

I can def see this happening if as much planning and care was put into the idea as with events like the rut, etc. Especially if more than one people were involved. Also, not everyone has to take part, but I have a feeling that it could grow on the community once some players become involved. <:
There are some problems I can see tho... might be weird if some players are avoiding the pond while others dive in aha.
Also as for discord, I think this kind of thing should be kept announced and controlled on the community site personally- it's just easier for everyone to see it, and less private.

LowLights's picture

Yeah, that's true. It'd

Yeah, that's true. It'd probably have to take a bit of planning and such because an event like that just being thrown out there without really any careful planning won't really work out, at least to me.

for Christmas we had a player

for Christmas we had a player assigned to each of the 9 reindeer, dress all the same, and frolic around the forest. sometimes we had many join us, sometimes not. I was Rudolph I think.


But I don't know. We could give it a try. Wouldn't hurt, right?
LowLights's picture

We could. Whether it's a

We could. Whether it's a success or flop, at least we can say we tried.

True. Possibly a good thing

True.

Possibly a good thing to do would be to make a new picto (or use an old one), name it "Global Events", make just ONE post describing what the thread is for, then make a section-off that will tell everyone what the current global event is. We can even expand it past natural disasters and have just like an ultra-strong enemy in the forest that will need everyone (read: MANY) to join in to kill, like a raid of sorts. We can even have people to play the bad guy and maybe some weaker minions. Use pictos that don't really have a purpose anymore.
LowLights's picture

That'd be really interesting

That'd be really interesting too. Like a boss fight with friends.

Yeah basically. It would fail

Yeah basically. It would fail if I lead this project, maybe even just giving suggestions might be enough to put people off. But if we could find someone the players trust to head it, then it has a good chance of success. Maybe even Cyda, Fishbiscuit, not sure if Tornpaw or any of that group would have the time/be willing. Any of them would be good leaders for this project (and to you others...no...I'm just being nice, not sucking up).
LowLights's picture

Yeah, I might have to post

Yeah, I might have to post another thing asking if anyone'll be interested in helping to lead it, provide art, etc.
phantomhelsing's picture

well, I'm certainly

well, I'm certainly interested in helping where you need it~

I used to admin the TEF deviant art group and art and story development is part of my job, might as well use it for something |D, because if not here at some point down the line I was going to try and tie an event into the story I have planned anyways lol

And too many people don't

And too many people don't trust me for me to head it. But I'll fully support it in what little self-roleplay way I can.
LowLights's picture

Yeah, I might make a journal

Yeah, I might make a journal tonight if I'm motivated enough to do it or remember. Maybe a discord chat at least for now to talk about it? If you're interested that is, like what should be on the journal, etc.

I don't have discord. I guess

I don't have discord. I guess I should think about getting it since Skype is pretty much dead now these days I guess.
LowLights's picture

Yeah, I got skype recently

Yeah, I got skype recently but never use it. Like ever.