Terra Drive Live (PAX Convention Game)

Moe Fwacky

An attendee at PAX 06 approached exhibitor Technomancer Press with an idea for a game setting, and from these humble beginnings comes Terra Drive Live--a game that Technomancer hopes will become a Guinness world record for the most massive multiplayer offline game. The best part is that the game's fiction (and factions) are user-generated, via the TDL wiki. Read an overview of the mechanics and help create a universe at TerraDrive.

Tony Hellmann

There's lots of info on the wiki, but for more information, check out www.terradrive.net as well.

Anyone can play. Each of you will get a playing piece and a copy of the rules in your show bag. I'll be cruising the line starting the night before, teaching everyone how to play (and if you beat me, I'll give you double Life Tokens).

What's really cool is that we're also using the content from the wiki (dubbed The TerraDrive Universe) as canon for TerraDrive, the tabletop RPG that TerraDrive Live is based on. This means that you could one day buy a TerraDrive adventure and find out that the action takes place on a planet you named, and the players are fighting an alien overlord that your buddy developed.

I hope you all have fun with it. I expect you old ELOTH:TES folks to freakin' destroy it.

--Tony

Mike Fehlauer

This whole thing came about when Tony got in touch and essentially said "I've got an idea for a game that *everyone* at PAX can play. The core concept came from an attendee at PAX 06, and I think I can turn it into a massively multiplayer offline game that'll put every participant into the Guinness Book of World Records. It's simple and fun and totally awesome. How about we launch it at PAX?"

What Tony's cooked up is pretty cool, IMHO. The game universe is wide open and will literally be written by the players. The core mechanic is simple by design, so that everyone can play. PAX veterans know that downtime is pretty common--lines for the concert, waiting for panels to start, slow starbucks lines--and TDL provides a fun way to fill that time, with no batteries required.

I think anyone into game design, world creation, or multiplayer gaming would get a kick out of checking out the wiki and rules. It's a rare opportunity to collaborate with an indie game company and create something, together, that could literally wind up in a history book.

Graeme Laird

Hey folks, I would be the attendee at PAX 06 that made his silly little homebrew game into whatever it is you're looking at now. Just dropping in to say I hope you have a lot of fun working with my game, developing new content and really making this thing yours. I'll be open to any questions or comments you might have (especially 'u suk get out'), as I want to take as active a role in this fledgling community as possible.

So what are you waiting for? Show me up, already!

atray

You probably cannot join factions yet, but I was just wondering who was thinking of forming one? Should we make a PAX Forums faction?

Tony Hellmann

atray wrote: »

You probably cannot join factions yet, but I was just wondering who was thinking of forming one? Should we make a PAX Forums faction?

I personally think you guys would be extra-deadly. You've already got a communications network here. Successful assassination of rival faction leaders is going to be all about good collection and analysis of actionable intelligence. Who are the other factions? Who are their leaders? Where are their leaders going to be at different times? Oh, one of them is going to be participating in a PAX scheduled event at 2pm? Good to know. When are those faction leaders going to have the least protection (faction leaders CANNOT refuse a challenge, but they can tap other faction members to fight in their place, so better to catch one away from his/her entourage).

--Tony

atray

I agree so anyone else interested?

Borfase

pfffffffffffffffft

Raslin

This sounds fun.

I just can't let anyone I actually know, know that I want to LARP :P

Tony Hellmann

Raslin wrote: »

This sounds fun.

I just can't let anyone I actually know, know that I want to LARP :P

LOL, it's not a LARP in the sense of a traditional LARP, which as you may know, is something many RPG'ers loathe. "I'm attacking the darkness!"

While some people can play it that way if they want, it was designed so you can go super-intense LARP-style, or almost no-RPG card game style, depending on what you like. It is a MMLARPG, but Live Action as distinguished from Online, not "where's my vampire cape" LARP.

--Tony

Raslin

Tony Hellmann wrote: »

Raslin wrote: »

This sounds fun.

I just can't let anyone I actually know, know that I want to LARP :P

LOL, it's not a LARP in the sense of a traditional LARP, which as you may know, is something many RPG'ers loathe. "I'm attacking the darkness!"

While some people can play it that way if they want, it was designed so you can go super-intense LARP-style, or almost no-RPG card game style, depending on what you like. It is a MMLARPG, but Live Action as distinguished from Online, not "where's my vampire cape" LARP.

--Tony

Hmm... Interesting

(For the record, i'm a VtM fan, so I may wear a vampire cape anyways. Be cautious :P)

Thello

Are there going to be prizes for this?

Tony Hellmann

Hellz yeah. Prizes for the Top 20 Individuals, Top 5 Factions, and Top Color Faction.

Also, ALL individuals and factions will be ranked on our website.

--Tony

smes

This looks awesome. Where do you sign up?

b0wser

when you walk in the door and receive your goodie bag, I think. assumably, the game pieces will be in those bags, and if you choose to use them-- you're in! This idea sounds pretty cool, and I will take part in setting such a record.

Tony Hellmann

smes wrote: »

This looks awesome. Where do you sign up?

We'll have a sign-up page soon. You can pre-register via our site (when we get the page up), or you can register on-site at a TerraDrive Kill Station. There will be one at the Technomancer Press booth in the exhibition hall, one in tabletop, and another one with location to be announced.

Or, you can play without registering (although you have to register to turn in points or be a faction member).

--Tony

Scotasianglish

As the secondary writer and editor for this mayhem, I'll second Graeme's enthusiasm, and I'm excited to see what things you guys and gals can whip up.

eelektrik

This sounds like a fantastic idea. Ive registered on the Wiki and will look into this further.

Tony Hellmann

Nobody wanted to call it the promised land. Maybe it's because promised lands are like mini-malls these days: one springs up every other week, and it's really not all that great when you finally get around to checking it out.

Still, there was something about this latest discovery that had even the deepest depressives and pessimists saying "Hey, I got a good feeling about this one." PAX is what they called it- they being the overzealous powers that decided that if it was named for peace, peaceful it would be. So of course, it eventually became the most violent place in the universe. Nevertheless, it was one hell of a find: four habitable worlds, sharing between them 3 habitable moons*, all surrounding a nice, happy Sol-like star.

That in itself would be enough to get folks to pack up and take the long trip to greener pastures- everybody digs the idea of exploring a strange new world, then claiming a big chunk of it for yourself -it was the preliminary surveys that made this new gem in the tarnished, pimp-glass encrusted, bling-accessorized crown that is the Frontier shine ever so bright. In a word, PAX was rich… which takes a lot of the mystery out of the reasoning behind the name. The Terran worlds were certifiably swathed with verdant emerald fields that could be cultivated to raise any crop or graze naturally grown (and massively marked-up) livestock. The harsher worlds that sandwiched these two pretty green rocks together were positively stitched with minerals and elements, inviting anyone with a pick to dig as deep and as greedily as they wanted.

Word spread of this ripe little cherry like colonists spread like wildfire. Within mere weeks of PAX becoming common knowledge, city-ships were falling out of the skies across all four planets like arrows in a siege. In just a bit more than 4 ULP-standard months, PAX's population hit the 20 million mark, with representatives from all the known races, coming from all over the Inner Universe. Cities towered as they were wont to do in the 25th century, growing like weeds and stretching toward the stratosphere. PAX was tapped and people were getting rich.

But here's the part of the story where everyone's favorite universal truth rears its big forehead: where people go, their hang-ups and problems come with them. And no, we can't all just get along; we've proved contrary to this time and time again.

It wasn't long before factions arose and lines were drawn across this new system. Corporations started flexing their muscle as they usually do, showing once again their confounding ability to work in tandem with one another while still remaining competitive. The criminal underworld rose up out of the gutters and the dark corners of the city, bent on carving up PAX as new turf to expand their enterprises upon. Then the self-proclaimed shining knights of the 'verse showed up, trying to bring peace and justice for all, but just getting mixed up in the mayhem… as usual. And in the middle of all of this were people, the independent, ordinary folks that always get squashed when the big kids on the block throw down and fight; but this time, they weren't going to take it on the chin.

And out of the rise of these 4 sides came a new opportunity, not based on the abundance of any natural resource, but one created in bulk by people: War. And where war breaks out, those incorrigible scamps of the modern 'verse we like to call mercenaries show up, just as sure as your alcoholic uncle is sure to show up at any function with an open bar. Surprise, surprise, surprise. They came in droves, with enough firepower to start a revolution and enough gadgetry to choke a dozen yuppies. Most outfits were hired before they even hit planetside, which is always a lovely indicator that things are about to get uglier than a White Castle during the early morning hangover rush. Others came with their own motives; with all the commerce and cash flowing through the system, it's hard not to look at PAX as anything but one hell of a big score.

Whatever their intentions and whatever the sides they'd choose, the arrival of mercs on PAX meant two things: One, the face of PAX would be forever changed; and two, the next few days would prove to be very, very interesting.

Add to the story, define the factions, or develop the universe around PAX here.

--Tony

Relativiox

Hmmmm

I wonder if time would allow for an enforcer faction.
Pure pwnage there.

Tony Hellmann

Relativiox wrote: »

Hmmmm

I wonder if time would allow for an enforcer faction.
Pure pwnage there.

There will actually be 4 enforcers assisting Technomancer Press with TerraDrive Live (running kill stations, etc.), so if you're not already posted to something, and you're interested in helping out, let someone know. If you don't want to help...JUST PLAY, that's cool too.

--Tony

Scotasianglish

Relativiox wrote: »

Hmmmm

I wonder if time would allow for an enforcer faction.
Pure pwnage there.

An Enforcer faction could have some definite huge pwnage potential. You guys are already a secret organization, and that'd be some crazy story potential.

aechean

I attempted to create a faction on the site yesterday, but never received the email confirmation. I checked my spam folder, and nothing there either.

When I clicked the link to resend the email, I get some sort of error.

Any ideas?

Andymatron

I see it has a Pirate Faction. Yar Im in.

Tony Hellmann

The TerraDrive core rulebook is a couple weeks away from being finished with its next round of edits, and maybe a month away from final form.

I would like to announce that any new additions that make it into the wiki in the next week or two may actually find their way into the core rulebook for everyone to see. This is your chance to develop an alien race, a cool gun, or whatver you like, and have thousands of people see it and play with it. If you've ever thought about becoming an RPG designer, here is your chance to get your feet wet in your spare time.

--Tony

Tony Hellmann

aechean wrote: »

I attempted to create a faction on the site yesterday, but never received the email confirmation. I checked my spam folder, and nothing there either.

When I clicked the link to resend the email, I get some sort of error.

Any ideas?

I think I got it fixed. Give it another shot.

--Tony

mckaysalisbury

Yeah, everything seems to be working on their site today. Wiki, purchasing, registration. All working fine.

PikaPuff

Everytime I see TDL I think the forumer TDL is involved with this. And it hurts my brain.

Other than that, I'm interested in trying it out. I didn't look too hard into my bag given to me at the start of last PAX. So you have a good idea there scouting the lines and telling people about it before they go into pax.

Tony Hellmann

The wiki has now been up for a week. In that time we have had 6,894 page views, and 457 page edits since the TerraDrive Universe was set up. We started with about a dozen pages, and now we have 106, yet there is still so much room for development.

I want to thank everyone for making the TerraDrive Universe such a huge success!

--Tony

Santeria64

Are there any prerequisites to making a faction on the wiki? I'm building one now, but I'm not sure if I'm just intruding on a pre-structured form.

Tony Hellmann

Santeria64 wrote: »

Are there any prerequisites to making a faction on the wiki? I'm building one now, but I'm not sure if I'm just intruding on a pre-structured form.

No pre-structured form...although creating a narrative/description for a faction on the wiki only creates it on the wiki. If you want to actually register the faction (i.e. have it be a faction for TerraDrive Live at PAX), you'll need to do that at www.terradrive.net.

--Tony

Tony Hellmann

Factions will be ranked first by number of faction leaders killed, next by kill ratio (kills to registered members).

So faction leaders, you better go armed and with body guards when you go out.

Faction play will now involve the strategy of catching faction leaders out in the open without enough protection...or organizing raids to overcome what protection they have. If you defeat a faction leader, take his Faction Leader card to a kill station immediately. The kill station will record your Leader Kill and hold the card for the faction leader to pick up. Faction leaders need to claim their card within one hour, or a penalty against their faction will be issued.

This will be updated on the TDL site as an addendum to the rules.

--Tony

Raslin

If anyone wants to check it out, I just did some work on the wiki. Created a race(The Chellians), and their world and system.

Aioua

Attention All Mercs! (TerraDrive Live players)

This is Aioua, leader of the Radicals color faction. Upon arriving with our ships to the PAX system, we saw the plight of the colonists and miners of the 4th planet in the system, which they have named Ta'letop. As you know, Radicals have no alliances or enimity with other color factions, but we will not bow to their rule. We stand for those who cannot defend themselves. We have already deposed the corrupt colony governments, and freed the people of Ta'letop to live by their own rule. Ta'eltop is under the protection of the Radicals. Any merc who enters our settlement must pay for his passage and remain peaceful--or face attack. We don't want to start any wars, or interfere with interplanetary politics, but we will not tolerate outside influence. Those who come looking for trouble be warned: Radicals do not fight for themselves, we fight for the people of Ta'letop, and we will give our lives for them.

Those looking to join our peaceful, free planet can see our information here. We need faction leaders, and plenty of recuits. Starting a faction nets you useful equipent that you can use to defend our turf.
We need you mercs! Don't let the corrupt Corpers buy you, the self-serving Crossbones Exchange fool you, or the misty-eyed Bleeding Hearts dissillusion you: we are the only choice of a conscientious merc.

Remember: work for the right people, not the highest bidder!

[Translation: The Radicals color faction will be staking a claim in the tabletop area of PAX, as part of TerraDrive Live. Any merc who enters our territory will be charged one life token, or will face attack. Oh course, those not playing will be left well alone ^^]

Hexcore

Well thats one faction leader it will be easy enough to find

Aioua

More like a whole color faction. Just try getting through everything to me.

b0wser

"We have already deposed the corrupt colony governments, and freed the people of Ta'letop to live by their own rule."

The entirety of the PAX System is under the rule of The Black, just keep this in mind.
translation: we're all here for the same purpose, to have fun. so just don't impede on that, and enjoy this awesome game!

Aioua

b0wser wrote: »

The entirety of the PAX System is under the rule of The Black, just keep this in mind.
translation: we're all here for the same purpose, to have fun. so just don't impede on that, and enjoy this awesome game!

Who is the The Black? They're not in the library. Technically, the PAX system is under control of the ULP, but they don't really do much out here on the frontier.

[RL: Don't worry, we'll keep it fun. This was actually Tony's idea.]

b0wser

The Black = Enforcers.

Tony is a man full of magic and surprise. If Technomancer can sponsor a party bathroom, they can do just about anything. I'm quite looking forward to this game, WORLD RECORDS WILL BE SET (in blood)!

Tony Hellmann

We're all here to have fun...the Radicals will be stopping people wearing TerraDrive Live wristbands and/or Lifetokens in their badgeholders, and I've heard rumors you may be able to pay a toll to pass safely. Don't know about that for sure. I DO know that there is a Kill Station in Tabletop and if the Radicals have claimed it, then they'll have a lot of intruders to deal with...

--Tony

JackKieser

Yarr, mateys!

They call us selfish, they call us troublemakers, they call us thieves, they call us pirates... So let's show them what real pirates can do! The Crossbones Exchange has sent out scouts to the planet La'an of the PAX system, and we will claim it as our own. To the indigenous people and early colonists: our quarrel is not with you. We know how you have been wronged, and not only do we sympathize, but we pledge our support.

To the Ultima Corp... we shall not be so hospitable. Shall you choose to set foot in our territory, you will be met with the wrath of years of injustice. You are warned; do not trespass against us.

To the Bleeding Hearts and Radicals: as with the people we live amongst, our quarrel is not with you. But be warned... we are hardy and we are close. A fight with one of us is a fight with all of us.

La'an, we open our arms to you! Come to us and join our cause, and you will see that times do change, that your lives will be better. We are looking for leaders for our many factions, and recruits as well. There is always room for you in the Crossbones Exchange. As well, if you begin a new faction within us, we can send you and your men valuable supplies to aid you in the fight with Ultima.

Remember, the future lies with us, boys! Let's do the 'verse proud!

--Phaze, Crossbones Exchange

[Translation: The CBX is going to take the LAN room of PAX for TerraDrive Live, which of course excludes anyone else not playing the game. we will attack Ultima with impunity, so beware.]